Chapter 14
Severus couldn't believe how he had reacted. He had broken Simon's trust before he could hold it, albeit for good reason after all. Severus decided to give Simon some room before moving forward again. He decided that he and Simon would be nothing more than acquaintances from here on out. He would continue his search on Harry Potter and wondered if that knife had something to do with it.
He sent Dumbledore a note informing him on how he came across a knife in the woods with blood on it and how he intended to run a few tests on it to find out whom it belonged to and who was hurt by it. He did however leave out the part about the Dursley's and how it might be connected to Harry.
After sending the note, Severus went down one of the halls of the house and passed by a few rooms. He finally came to a room that was left just for him. He opened the door and inside found a large quantity of potions equipment that was left there so Simon could learn. Well, if Simon didn't want to learn because his pitiful childlike pride won't let him then so be it but the room would be put to good use.
Severus laid a silver bag on the table, its contents disclosed from its vibrant color. Severus gathered a few herbs and chemicals and started concocting a DNA test. He put the blood into a vial and proceeded to add acid phosphatases. He then put the mixture into a green liquid in which the vial began to change color. Severus grabbed a cauldron and continued to mix the contents. Now he needed DNA from Potter's relatives to find out if it matched some of their DNA.
If there was a close match, then it would mean the blood belonged to Potter. He needed Petunia's blood. Severus left the room in haste but not without placing a charm on the room. He knew how nosy some people could be and he wasn't willing to chance it. He made his way down the steps to the Dursley's room. He knocked once and allowed himself inside.
"Oh look, it's the bloody freak that kidnapped us." Sarcasm left Vernon's lips. He no longer remembered the pact he and Voldemort had made since Severus had obliviated that particular memory. But they certainly remember Severus taking them to a strange house.
"I need to borrow your wife!" Severus spat at the stout man.
Vernon's face became quite rubicund.
"Oh no you don't! Just cause your kind can't get lucky doesn't mean you can just take any bloke's wife off the street to call your own!"
Severus broke out into a laughing fit.
"My God man, are you such a complete imbecile! I want your wife's blood not her lust."
Vernon seemed to become even more angered by this so in order to see results Severus took things into his own hands. He grabbed Petunia by the arm and took her out of the room. They made their way to the stairs and back to the potions room. Petunia in a state of shock finally yelped "unhand me!" Severus had had enough waiting and he sat her in a chair and once there she was quite unable to move.
She struggled to gain release and when she looked up, she saw Severus there with a long needle. She strained her body to move even more so but the magic placed on the chair was holding her back. Severus took about a teaspoon of blood and released her. When she realized it was over, her face became shaded in an embarrassing pink color. She had over-reacted from seeing the shot and had made herself look like a fool. Before letting her leave Severus did ask her one more question.
"Where does Potter live now?"
Petunia looked at Severus . Severus had obliviated the two idiots in the other room, but he knew that Petunia would play along and keep quiet. She had no choice, if Harry died, then she'd die. Dumbledore had already explained how Lily's love for the boy was strong enough to protect him so long as he was in Petunia's care. That same care would have kept her family safe for all of these years.
She wouldn't let the boy die so quickly. Vernon perhaps, but Petunia would not.
"You may not have shown kindness to the boy, but you took him in all the same. I've come to find that your family is despicable and if I had not been in charge of keeping you safe then you might've become one of the families I'd end up murdering. So tell me Petunia…and yes I know your name…Where is Harry Potter now?"
Death filled Severus' eyes as a hate he had never known filled his entire being. He had spent a lifetime protecting the boy. To hell if he'd ever admit pity but that might've been what he had felt for the boy. He had promised to keep the boy alive for Lily, and for Albus. And he himself spent 16 years of his life only to think he had failed. And then later, to find out that the woman before him who was supposed to be Potter's aunt and was left in charge to protect him, had purposefully tried to have him murdered.
It disgusted Severus to even look at her, but he needed the answer.
"I can give you his address, but I can't tell you where he is now. " Guilt vivid in Petunia's scrawny face peaked out.
"Is it so important to you? I suppose it is…ask Simon…he may know…" Petunia looked to the door as if asking permission if she could leave. Severus nodded and once the slender woman was gone, Severus went back to work.
As he continued he came to find the answer he was looking for. The blood on the knife matched petunia's relative DNA. Harry Potter was either stabbed or he had self-inflicted cuts. He had already tried to find fingerprints but he would need Moody's expertize and the man was too smart to go to. He would figure it all out and call Albus. Severus would have to hold off on fingerprints for now. In the meantime, he needed to keep a close eye on Simon, and have a look at Harry's apartment as well.
Meanwhile, Harry took a shower and decided to continue his training with Remus. Remus was more than happy to help him train. He grabbed Alastor and they decided to combine their classes.
"Alright boy, your gonna need a lot of spunk! Brains! And a whole lotta guts if your gonna fight me in hand to hand combat!"
Harry looked at Remus worriedly after Alastor transfigured the kitchen table into a boxing ring.
"I thought I was going to LEARN from him first…not fight him…" Remus laughed at Simon's plea.
"Don't worry Simon. I'm sure Alastor will go easy on you, he just likes to scare people…I hope…"
Harry's eyes darted at the last of that sentence and looked at Mad eye, who was putting on heavy duty boxing gloves. Remus handed a pair to hair and nearly tossed the boy into the ring.
"Oh my God I'm gonna die…."
Harry started ducking as Mad eye swung first. Harry began panicking, ducking left then right.
"C'mon boy. You gotta hit back some time. There'll be a time when a wizard your up against loses both his and your wand. Then what'll you do!"
Harry looked at him in surprise.
"You bloody are Mad! I can do wandless magic ya loony! If a bloke takes my wand, I'll transfigure him into a toad!" Harry dodged another. Moody laughed at Harry's response and said
"Well, what if he can do wandless magic? Hmmm ,eh boy?"
Harry looked at him with a distorted face.
"Then he will probably shoot me if I run at him in hand to hand combat!"
Harry replied finally starting to swing back only to get a right hook to the gut, which instantly brought him down.
"And what did your wandless magic do for you when I just right hooked ya, eh boy? HA HA!"
Moody jumped down from the ring while Harry rolled over in pain. Severus walked in looking for Remus and found him along with two shirtless men. One drinking what looked like grog and the other doubled over.
"Uh…Lupin, a word?"
Remus jumped off of the nearby chair and headed to Severus' side.
"What's wrong Severus?"
Severus looked to see if the other two men would be eavesdropping and whispered under his breath,
"I got an address on Potter's possible living quarter's. I will head there when the house goes to sleep. I need you to meet me in the potions room after to discuss my findings. Are you able to do that?"
Remus nodded yes and said,
"I'll be there. "
The Severus looked up at the two, seeing Simon finally try to crawl out of the ring get bopped in the face by Moody, which sends the poor man back into the ring.
"ANOTHER ROUND!" Alastor bellowed and hopped over the cords.
"Uh Remus…What exactly are they doing?"
Remus laughed at Severus' inquiring face.
"They are brawling according to Alastor, although it just looks like revenge for Simon holding out on us about his magic. Frankly, I call it revenge. I'm enjoying it."
Remus smiled. Severus smirked,
"You might've been a slytherin in a past life Lupin. You just might have. "
And soon Severus' billowing robes were the last thing they saw of him.
"Excuse me professor Lupin, but my father wants to know how to get Mr. Weasley away for a bit. He doesn't mind him but after a long day of answering questions, my fathers a bit tired of being asked the purpose of a rollerblade."
Hermione peeped as she entered. This was the first time Harry had seen Hermione in years. She looked at him and he lost focus for one moment. Then as Alastor was about to pounce Harry jumped out of the way and accidentally blew the man through three walls.
"Oh my God! I think I just killed Mad eye…"
Harry jumped over the cords and ran towards where he supposed Mad eye would be. But there was no body.
"Oh my God! I've blown him up! There's nothing left of the crazy loon. Oh what have I done!"
Harry near tears felt a hand quickly grab him around the neck and brought into a choke hold. Mad eye holding him restrained but impressed all the same.
"NOW THERE'S THE FIGHT IN YA!"
He let Harry go and went to turn the stand back into a table before Mrs. Weasley had a conniption. "There's nothin' more frightenin' than an angry woman."
Moody explained before rushing to fix the walls. Remus laughed for the first time in a long time and even when Molly Weasley came storming through the doors, she just didn't have the heart to yell. Chuckled a bit herself at the site and decided to leave them be.
Later that night when the house had died down to sleep and it's inhabitants were in slumber, Severus slipped out the front doors. He apparated to a safe location near a certain café he was more than used to visiting. The address was very close to the area Severus tended to visit. He followed the streets to a small apartment building within walking distance to both the bookstore and café.
Severus went through the front doors and looked at the names on the call boxes. No Harry Potter...BUT! There was one name that always seemed to come back. Simon Dursley...
Severus went on up to the second floor to where the call boxes stated was his apartment. Severus knocked once, just in case then used a charm to unlock the door. He entered and found an incredibly empty house. Some furnishings of burgundy and gold appeared fairly often but no pictures, no personal belongings. No proof of existence. It was as if he was in the home of a ghost. He went through the house and under the bed found a great deal of books, most of which were potions related. If Harry had been here, there's no evidence he died here.
Severus imagined the dark lord would have wanted to leave a large mess if he would have killed Potter. Severus left and headed for the house.
Remus snuck out of his room leaving the two other men to rest. He made his way into the potions room and found Severus perched near a desk, dropping his bag.
"Good god man don't you ever sleep?" Remus queried.
Severus looked up and looked worried.
"Remus, I went to the apartment meant to be Potter's... but it doesn't look like he ever lived there. It seems to be Simon's apartment. I am unsure if Potter stayed with him at any point... It's possible he left when Simon and the others were taken..."
Remus thought hard and felt confused
"Lupin I think it's time I went to bed. Have a goodnight and I'll see you in the morning."
Remus nodded his head with a small smile.
Severus made his way up the stairs to the room he had taken. He loved this room. It was cozy yet held his favorite color along the embroidered walls. Black. He made his way to the bathroom that was attached to his room and got undressed. He drew himself a bath and grabbed an embroidered towel with the letters SS on it. He went to the tub and sank into endless bliss.
Relaxing his muscles as he finally hit the bottom of the deep tub. He relaxed and put a heated towel over his eyes. He let his mind wander through the day all the way down to when Simon wrestled Alastor. He remembered how poor Simon had been on the floor desperately trying to get up. His hair stuck to his face, his body lines displaying his stomach muscles, hot and tight. Wet from sweat and raw from struggle.
Severus sank slightly lower into the water and let a hand move slowly to his…NO! Severus snapped out of it. He had told himself that after Simon had felt discomfort at his presence he would no longer attempt to become anything with the man. He changed the water temperature to a colder temperature. He needed distance. He couldn't understand it. The man wasn't so good looking. He just attracted Severus' attention for some strange reason.
Severus refused to give in. Tomorrow he would find a way to annoy the arse into insulting him and then the man would be less attractive in his eye. Severus dried off after thinking more about his plan. He crawled into his soft silky sheets and fell asleep much more soundly than ever before.