Chapter Forty-Two: Separating the Bond.

Inside the Gryffindor common-room, Harry wiped down his face as Severus sat across from him in the other lounge. He didn't know how they got in here; it all seemed such a blur. He was blinded by his own rage for a moment, and then all he could feel was Severus against him.
He vaguely remembered the Fat Lady telling them to get inside before someone saw them, or something like that, anyway. And here they were, inside the red and gold common-room.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled apologetically. "I shouldn't have said I hated you like that… I don't." He looked up. Severus' hair was a bit messy, and he looked a lot different from mere minutes ago when they'd been yelling at one another. For one thing, it looked like there had been a weight lifted from his shoulders.

"I know," said Severus in a very odd voice, his hands between his knees and linked. The signs of a professor right now were certainly gone. "I should not have kept you in the dark. I made you feel second best, when I shouldn't have. I never intended you to feel that way at all."

Harry looked down at his feet, feeling silly over the whole thing. But he knew it now, and Snape had admitted it. "Is my mother always going to be a friction point between us?"

"No," the Slytherin informed. "She has nothing to do with this relationship." Standing up, he made his way over to Harry and sat on the table in front of him, moving the books out of the way.
"Look at me," he ordered compassionately, taking Harry's cheek into his hand. "I am not the boy you saw in those memories, Harry. You must understand that. What I did for Lily… that was different."

"How?" Harry asked, keeping his voice in check. "You loved her, and you love me. Why wouldn't you do all the same things for me as you did her?"

"Because I would do more," Severus stated, Harry looking at him. He lowered his hand and returned it to his lap. "Harry, I love you… I have for some time now—I just didn't wish to admit it to myself because I've been afraid my heart would be broken again. It was hard enough the first time let alone walking into that again," he muttered.

"But I've told you, I wouldn't do that…"

"Yes, and what was before?" Severus asked seriously. For a brief moment, he thought he was going to lose Harry, and his own defensive nature would have allowed it to happen because he couldn't stand showing how vulnerable he really was—to anyone. He had to always have the last word because he enjoyed that satisfaction, even if it meant he had the last say in a relationship. It was just in his nature. He couldn't help that. He would have come to regret it in the end—obviously—but crawling back to Harry the way he had with Lily. It was different now. He still may have, he didn't know, but he was no longer a young boy.

"I wouldn't have walked away," said Harry purposefully. "I was upset, yeah, but I would have come back." He knew he would have. Sure, he could be just as stubborn as Severus sometimes, but he would have come back after he'd cooled off for a little while.
"I was angry… I don't even know what came over me. I didn't mean to attack you. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't hurt you, did I?" Oh God, what if he'd actually hurt Severus in his teenage fit of angst. But Snape shook his head.

"I don't believe you would have acted in such a way without the bond being present between our magic," explained the Potions master. He knew Harry had a mouth, but he wasn't usually physically violent. Emotional outbursts yes, but that was about it. It's why he didn't blame him or make a fuss over it.

"When will that disappear?"

"I don't have an answer to that," Severus admitted, standing back up and beginning to pace. "Unfortunately, I have not been able to find out further information of this particular magic. There was a page missing in the copy in the library, and I have had no luck in finding any other copies. Nor anything else on the subject. It's quite ridiculous."

"Why is it so closed off? Why don't we learn about this kind of stuff in class?"

Severus stopped, raising a brow. "It is Ancient Magic that rarely happens, and little witches and wizards actually know of it. I don't think it would have done well to fit into the school curriculum," he stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Well, what are we going to do? We don't know what it's capable of! And if you can't get the information… then who will know if it? What about Dumbledore?"

"Do you honestly think I haven't already asked him?" he scoffed, Harry giving him a dark look. Okay, he was getting snappy again. He sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"Albus knew only little, unfortunately. A pity. The most powerful wizard and he knew little about such an ancient art. I thought I could have gained something useful from him, but I was unable to." Or perhaps Dumbledore was keeping secrets once again?

Harry supposed Dumbledore didn't know everything. Still, it was a bit of a disappointment. He wished there was more on this stuff. Hermione even only knew little. Bits and pieces here and there, but nothing completely solid.
Standing up, he moved over to Severus, moving in close against him. "I'm really sorry I went off on you… I was upset. Over Dudley and then… my mother. I just sort of-,"

"I know things have been difficult for you the last few months. Adjusting to new affairs and emotions. You're only eighteen and you've had little time to yourself, Harry. I don't blame you for breaking down the way you had."
He allowed the younger wizard to lean into him, and he let his hands glide down Harry's back. "I do apologise for my actions. My temper ruined your reunion with your cousin… That was selfish of me."

Harry looked down. "Do you really think those things? That… Muggles are lower than us?"

Moving out of the embrace, Severus frowned. "Harry… you must understand that I grew up in a different world-,"

"My aunt and uncle hated magic, too. I got picked on and called a freak at school just like you. Honestly, Sev, our childhoods weren't much different…" said Harry bluntly. "Just because someone has magic, doesn't mean they're a good person. I've seen Muggles do amazing things in my time… and Voldemort did horrible things being a wizard."

Yes, Harry had a point. Severus wasn't against Muggles. He wasn't. At one point in time, yes, he saw them lower than him, but he had grown up in a bitter family, and his father had made him grow up hating his kind. It was just something different between him and Harry, and Harry had to understand that. Harry had seen the better out of it, and Severus the worst. He was a pessimistic but realistic character. He couldn't change that.
"I am not against all Muggles," he stated, "But I have had… past issues with them, clearly. I didn't join the Death Eaters just so I could impress your mother. I felt understood by them—for a time," he quickly added. "Of course, those feelings changed, and I did realise how bigoted it was. But I will always be indifferent towards them, and somewhat bitter due to my father. If I could change that, I would, but I cannot just flip a switch." He'd grown up around that kind of behaviour; it was just planted in there.

"But you're not going to go genocide all over them, are you?" Severus gave Harry a very unimpressed look. "Alright, I get it… I'm sorry. I should have known."

"It's not like I've sat down with you and explained my childhood. I don't expect you to understand. I don't mean that in a negative way," he added when Harry's lip twitched a little. "I merely mean that… I have yet to expose things with you."

"Why not now?" asked the Gryffindor. "I mean… I'd tell you about my life, but I think you pretty much know everything. Not much to tell, really, besides Hogwarts anyway."

"Harry, I just admitted my feelings, I think I've had enough emotional vomit for the day," Severus muttered. "I doubt you'd enjoy hearing about it, anyway. It's nothing pretty."

He wouldn't push Severus, after all, he was right. He'd already come out with his feelings once today. Harry didn't know if he could deal with another episode from the both of them. He felt horribly embarrassed over the whole thing.
"I should write a letter back to Dudley and apologise for what happened," he murmured, "All my stuff's still down in the dungeons."

"You're planning on moving it back here?" asked Snape, his expression blank, disappointment hidden in his voice. Harry would have to return here anyway once school started, but they still had a few more days that they could spend together.

"No… well, I wasn't. I mean, if you need personal space, I could-,"

"Not what I was saying, Potter," smirked the Slytherin. Always jumping to conclusions. "You are more than welcome to return. I would enjoy that."

Harry couldn't hide his smile. "You sure you don't want time to think? Isn't that what you Slytherins are all about? Thinking things through before going ahead and doing it like me?"

"Thinking is what got me into this mess," muttered the Potions master. He didn't really wish to be alone with his thoughts right now. He much preferred the thought of him and Harry being able to be together in such a time like this.

"You sure? I wouldn't want my childish nature getting in your way."

Snape stiffened, looking at the other wizard. "Potter, I didn't mean it like that."

Harry put his hand up. "It's fine… I know you were just angry, and I was, too. But… have you really thought about us? I mean, what you like? Men…"
He vented a soft sigh. "I… thought I liked girls. Cho and everything, and then there was Ginny." He tried to keep a small laugh back over how that relationship had happened. "But now that I think about it… I think I do prefer men. I think, with everything I grew up with, and the Dursleys, I just thought liking girls was what I was meant to do. I think I was just a confused teenager. But… I think when Cedric died… I wouldn't say I liked him like that, I was jealous as hell over him with Cho, but his death had a great impact on me. I ended up feeling close to him. I think that's why it hurt so much that he died." Besides the fact that Cedric didn't have to die.
"Even in the wizarding world, I guess I thought everyone expected so much of me, and that included who I liked and was in a relationship with. I mean… already the stuff in the papers about us. Sure, a lot of it's positive, but doesn't it bother you when they say things like us never having kids? Never having an heir? Or… wondering what House they would be in and all of that?"

Severus just shrugged. "Not particularly. I'm a Potions master, I'm well aware on what two males can do to reproduce."

"What?" Harry's brows furrowed. "You're not saying guys can get pregnant, are you?"

"You really do know little about your own world, Potter…"

Harry sat down, feeling a little dizzy at this new information. Why didn't they teach this in those sex education classes they'd had to take!?

"Not give birth in the traditional sense, no. But we have found ways for men to carry. It's all artificial, of course—somewhat. You simply have to take a special Polyjuice Potion for nine months to change your insides into a woman's reproductive organs. However, that is only on the insides, not the outside. Birth is still through cutting the child out. A caesarean. You are well aware that the potion has a time limit. There is no permanency to the potion."

Harry blushed for a moment as he realised how awkward that would be for someone. He'd never seen any pregnant men before. Or had he and he just didn't notice? He just thought they were overweight. God, this was all too Junior and Arnold Schwarzenegger for him.

"Of course, there are other ways. You can use surrogate mothers, usually Squibs. There is quite a large list for those, actually. And the preferred way for most men."

"You've looked into this…?" asked the younger wizard with a raised brow.

"I'm a curious wizard," said Severus, as if it were nothing. "Not like I make a habit of it. However, when I was your age, I did wonder how those things worked." Well, if not earlier considering Harry was now eighteen.

Harry had a hard time imagining the awkward young Severus thinking about sex. Snape had been such an odd kid; it would have seemed sex was the last thing on his mind. Even with Lily. He was extremely shy back then. It surprised him how… dark he'd turned out to be.
Getting off the topic, he looked back at Snape. "You didn't answer my question, though. Why do you like me if you don't like men? I mean, I can admit I like guys… but… you loved my mother for a very long time."

"And perhaps the reason why I never thought of it," admitted Severus, giving a light shrug. "Harry, I don't know why our magic connected, but it did. Even if it was when you saved my life, these bonds don't just form out of nowhere. They form for a reason. Because… as ridiculous as it sounds, we were 'destined' to be together."

"Yeah, you're right, that does sound ridiculous," Harry grinned, Severus scowling.

"Neither of us asked for this, which is why I put up with it for so long without admitting to my feelings. I thought I could just blame it on the bond, and that was the reason why. But it wasn't because of that. I think that, perhaps, we bonded because we already had emotional ties with one another."

Harry just looked at Snape. "But… I… never liked you like that until I sort of-,"

"And you think I liked you before any of this? Before you saved my life?" Severus could have laughed, but he just made an odd facial. "I did come to care for you, Potter, but not like that. Never like that. But after saving my life, well… you had an annoying way of pestering my thoughts."

This time Harry gave an innocent smile. "Yeah, well… when I found out about you and what you'd done for me all this time, it was kinda hard to get you off my mind as well," he admitted. "Do we even really have to worry about how the spark formed? I mean… we're here, together. Isn't that all that really matters?"

Severus couldn't say he didn't want to get down to the bottom of things. He was a wizard who liked the science and logic of magic. True, that sometimes there just wasn't logic when it came to magic, but it was still a science to him. He liked that knowledge and wasn't fond of the unknown.
"I suppose," he did answer. Being around Harry did have some advantages. He doubted Harry's actions would rub off on him easily, but he still had a way of taking his mind off things—even if it was only for a while.

"So we agree? Stop thinking about the bond?"

Looking back to Harry, Severus' top lip curled into a smirk. "I suppose we do agree," he stated.

"First time for everything," chuckled the Gryffindor, wiping a hand over his forehead in sarcastic relief.

"Now, can I get out of this disgustingly bright common-room?" the Potions master sighed.

Harry just laughed. "Of course."

*****
The rest of the afternoon was spent back in the dungeons. Harry had written a letter to Dudley and sent it out as soon as possible. He'd apologised for what had happened and explained that Snape was just trying to defend what had been said. Of course, he didn't know if Dudley would even get the letter, but he knew he wouldn't be able to visit him any time soon. The best way possible was probably going to be when he graduated Hogwarts. At least then he could ago alone and didn't need an escort. He didn't want a repeat of what had happened this morning ever again.
He hadn't pushed Severus to write anything, either. He knew deep down that, yes, what Snape did wasn't right, but he had been angry and fuelled by his aunt and uncle. Severus wasn't the one that should really have to apologise, it was his aunt and uncle who had purposefully pushed his buttons.
When he was done with the letter, he went up to the Owlery and sent it off. He knew he wouldn't hear back until a few days, and school would have started by then. That meant he and Severus only had a few more days to share together before he would have to return back to the Gryffindor common-room.
That wasn't what he was worrying about now, though. The following morning, Severus had gotten up early (Potions again). First, he'd locked himself in his lab for a few hours, and then he had disappeared completely. When Harry was finally up, he had nothing to do but find a message sitting on the desk inside Snape's office. It had been untouched and just arrived, but something didn't look right. It was completely unmarked, and there was something that looked like a Muggle tape shape inside. Harry didn't even know if Severus had something he could play this in. Or if it would even work in Hogwarts.
He probably wouldn't have touched it, but he saw there was a moving photo on the scroll, and it was his own face. So unwrapping it, he opened it up. There, on the piece of wizard paper, was his partner and his uncle face–to-face sneering at one another. Great… someone had been there. He almost wished he hadn't sent the letter to Dudley already so he could explain all of this. Wait, this wasn't the Daily Prophet, though. This morning's edition was wrapped up beside the letter.
This was a threat!
He read the letter angrily—at the time not even thinking he shouldn't be. This wasn't his mail. It was for Snape, but he continued, fuelled by his anger. It was all lies! Hardly any of it of was the truth at all!
As he continued reading, it moved down to Severus and what had said about Muggles. Oh, no… this was bad… This was going to be very bad.
It was saying that he was pretty much against Muggles and that perhaps he really still was a Death Eater!? Whoever this was, was threatening to go with the press and print it in the paper. This would ruin Severus' life! He figured the tape had the whole thing recorded onto it.
He had to find Snape! He gripped the papers and the tape and ran from the office. As he opened the door, he almost ran smack-bam into Professor McGonagall.
"Professor, have you seen-,"

"You best come with me, Potter," said the witch, worry in her voice.

"What's happening!?" Harry urged, following alongside McGonagall. He had to quicken his pace a little. After yesterday, he just wanted things to go back to normal again!

"I've assume you've read the letter?" Harry nodded, though looked confused to why she knew. "It was also sent to the Minister—clearly as some sort of threat and demand. You'll agree that the public wouldn't be very happy about what was said and done. Why didn't you come to me at once? I could have warned Kingsley and he could have found out who was responsible."

"I didn't know anyone was there!" protested the younger Gryffindor. He remembered seeing people stopping and looking at what was going on, but that wasn't really what he'd been focussed on.
"How was I supposed to? I mean… it wasn't like we planned it happening, and then…" Hell, they'd had enough issues between themselves! Neither of them had been thinking about what the public may have thought about it all! They were concerned about their own relationship and how to fix it! Honestly, after they left, why think anyone would kick up a stink about it? It was their lives! Their problem! Once the Dursleys left, they did, too. Why would anyone record it!?

"Well, there is no use in wondering now. What's been said has been said," McGonagall noted. "Unfortunately, it's left Severus in my office with two Aurors ready to arrest him and take him to trial for being openly prejudicial. They are threatening to take him in as a Death Eater…"

What!? She wasn't serious, was she!? "What the hell happened to freedom of speech!?" Harry yelled.

McGonagall gave a serious look over her glasses. "Potter… these are still hard times. And with Severus' history and your relationship… I'm afraid it's quite messy…"

Messy? How messy!? What, just because Snape's past!? Everyone knew he was a bit dark and cranky and slightly morbid, but honestly? Saying something in the heat of the moment out of anger and he was about to go to fucking Azkaban over it!? Surely this was just some kind of stunt, right!?
When McGonagall let him up the stairs to her office, she pushed the door open and he walked in. He expected to see Severus standing there. Instead, he was bound to the chair with two Aurors by his side. He'd obviously put up a fight, because he had blood down his lip and a black eye.
"Severus!?" he asked. He ran for him, sliding across the ground, but one of the Auror's grabbed his collar and kept him back.

"It's alright! Let him through." Harry looked up to see Kingsley, the Minister of Magic, here. He looked apologetic. How could he let this happen to Severus? After all he'd done for every single one of them!? How could he sit here and let these men brutalise him!?
Moving back to Severus, he moved between his knees, lifting his hand up to touch the bruised face. How long had he been here? How long had they captured and tortured him for? Was Kingsley just going to allow this to happen to a good man!? A hero!?
"Sev…" he whispered, Snape's eyes away from his.

"I'm fine, Harry…" murmured the Slytherin, wincing as Harry moved his hand over his bruised cheek. He'd been in physical fights before. It was nothing new. Of course, he didn't make a habit of it nowadays, but still.

"You're bleeding." Harry looked at McGonagall, pleading silently for her help. "What is this?" he demanded, still on his knees. "Why are you punishing him!? And why are you allowing it!?" he yelled at Kingsley. Snape just couldn't get a fucking break, could he!?

"Harry, this is not my doing," said Kingsley. "These are still desperate times. With You-Know-Who gone, Death Eaters are still trying to flee. Most of them are in Azkaban, yes, but to openly announce that Muggles are filth in public? This is a serious crime. I was merely taking him in for questioning, that was all."

"Oh, please," Severus sneered, looking up through his hair. He was smacked on the back of the head from one of the Aurors, and Harry stood up.

"Don't you dare touch him!" he yelled through gritted teeth, a wild fire burning in his gut.

"It's fine, Harry," Severus groaned, not wanting him getting into any more trouble as it was. And these were the jerks Potter was going to be working with?

"It's not fine!" the Gryffindor yelled, looking up to the taller men. He stood up. "You're going to hit a man when he's down? He's already cuffed and in the bloody chair, there's no need to push him any further!" His magic was getting very angry now.

"He's where he belongs, Potter. Like the dog he is. The filthy Death Eater."

"You're wrong!" Harry lunged at the Auror, but McGonagall stepped in between them.

"Potter! Calm yourself, please, and Kingsley… get your dogs on a leash!" When Harry took a step back, so did the Auror. "This has not reached the public yet. This is either a warning… or what we all secretly fear… a threat. Now, we can settle this. Kingsley, surely there is a way for Severus to show that he did not mean what he said in the words of a Death Eater. Surely there is a way to find the culprit to this? To stop the papers from running? They must want money… a negotiation of some sort?"

"I want an explanation to why he's bleeding!" Harry snapped.

"I have already apologised to Severus for the behaviour of these two wizards," said Kingsley. Severus wasn't looking pleased.

Harry grew impatient once more. "That's not what I asked for. Why did you hit him?"

"He fought back," said the larger of the two, his voice raspy and clearly satisfied with his actions.

Harry looked at Severus, he just shrugged. "After all this time and you never fought back, you choose now to hit an Auror, of all people?"

"It seemed appropriate…" Severus muttered. "Besides, if they asked nicely, I would have come along. Instead, they ambushed me unnecessarily. I merely defended myself. It's not like I hit them first. They quickly disarmed me," he noted, his wand on McGonagall's desk under Kingsley's watch.

"You haven't seen the threat, then?" asked Kingsley.

"Obviously not…" drawled Snape, eyeing the two men who moved to Kingsley's side. "I was merely down in the Forest gathering ingredients for a Potion I've been spending months trying to perfect. And now because of these two blubbering fools, they're all left unattended or being eaten by whatever lies within the Forest. When I left my office, there was nothing there but an empty desk."

Always with the potions. Harry sighed angrily, still pissed off. "You didn't even give him a chance to know why he was being arrested? What kind of Aurors are you!?" And this was the reason why he wanted to join the Auror system, because he'd do things right. It wouldn't be corrupt or bias like it clearly still was! Just because someone had a bad past didn't mean they couldn't change. Severus had.

"They were under my orders," Kingsley stated apologetically. "If I had known they were going to be violent, however, I would have collected Severus myself."

Yeah, well, fat lot of good that did, wasn't it? Harry huffed.

"What will be happening with Severus?" asked Minerva. "Surely you aren't really going to take him in for something he said in a silly heated argument. You are going to stop this from being published, are you not? You will meet this criminal's demands, yes?"

"Unfortunately, it is not what I want… This person clearly wants something from Severus. We will simply have to wait to hear from them again. People are still on edge, Minerva. You must realise this. They will want an explanation if this does reach the papers. If we cannot stop it, they will want punishment. With Severus' past-,"

"He's not a Death Eater!" Harry called out, a hot knot forming in the pit of his stomach. "Don't you think he would have already killed me if that was his plan all along!? How thick can you people get!?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Have you learned nothing I've informed you, Potter?" he asked. "People are stupid… Put them together and feed them dribble on a piece of parchment and they will believe anything. It's easier to be bitter than to forgive…"

Something in Severus' voice was strained when he said that, and Harry saw a glimmer of pain flicker in his eyes. "Sev, what are you saying? Aren't you going to stand up for yourself!?" he asked, leaning back down onto the ground on his knees.

"Harry… I cannot take back what I have done in my past. It will always haunt me," he said softly, looking to those desperate and angry green eyes. "As long as you are with me, you won't be free. You won't be happy. You will suffer because of my crimes. I am putting you through hell because of reasons such as this. Simple things. Something I should have been able to control."

What!? Harry felt his heart grip tight. "No! You said you'd rather die than ever go to Azkaban! Azkaban for speaking his mind!?" he yelled in the room. The portraits were beginning to get restless now.
"You can't be serious! I hate things, too! I hate Mondays! And going back to class. I hate Transfiguration class! Am I getting arrested and articles posted about it in the papers because of those!?" he asked, his arms going out. "Whoever is behind this should be the one getting locked up! They spied on us! Isn't that illegal!?"

"What Severus said was highly prejudicial," Kingsley noted. "I'm afraid no matter what that we are going to have to take Severus in just in case we cannot stop the edition or catch this person. Their demands are not clear yet. We have received no other letters. It would be for his own safety, Harry. If the public does find out, there is no telling what could happen," he explained.
"I will do everything in my power to let the members of the Ministry and public remember what this man has done for all of us and to find the person who is up to this, I give you my word," he said to Harry, putting a reassuring hand onto his shoulder. "Severus will not spend any time in Azkaban prison."
Letting go of Harry, he waved his hand to the Aurors who took a grip on Snape's arms and pulled him up. Honestly, the shackles weren't necessary, but he didn't trust Snape fully. Even if it were just to flee in panic.

"Wait! W-what am I supposed to do, just wait here!?" asked Harry, his voice cracking. He felt McGonagall's hand press onto his shoulder.

"After showing Severus the tape and questioning him, Kingsley will allow us to visit Severus in his office. Isn't that right, Kingsley?" the witch said almost warningly.

The Minister nodded. "Severus, if you have anything on you, you should leave it here."

"My ingredients were carelessly abandoned in the Forest," Snape muttered. He was uncomfortably patted down, wincing when he realised what was in his pocket. The Auror to his left gave him a dirty look. "Well… and that object."

When the Auror took out whatever was in Severus' pants pocket, Harry saw a shimmer of gold in the man's hand. "That's mine," he said, Kingsley giving him a questioning look. He extended his hand so it wouldn't get taken away like some kind of weapon.

Nodding, Kingsley handed the Snitch to Harry. "I will notify you when you may come in. I will also update you on the situation at hand. If we receive any kind of ransom or negotiation, I will let you know personally."

"And keep your hands off him," Harry ordered dangerously. The four of them soon disappeared when they took a hold of the Portkey inside the room. Severus didn't even get a chance to say anything more.
Clutching the Snitch into his hand, he wondered why the hell Snape had even had this in his pocket. He had other things weighing in his mind, though.

"Have a biscuit, Potter," said McGonagall, setting up a seat for him at the desk, her voice soft. She took out a goblet from the desk drawer and summoned and elf.

Harry didn't want to stay here, though. But he wanted more information at the same time. How could Severus seriously be accused of such things? He knew what he said was stupid and hurtful, but seriously? A Death Eater still?
He also knew that people were still sensitive over the issue. But it wasn't that, was it? It wasn't because Severus was just being Severus. It was because he was with him. It was because he was dating and bonded to the famous Harry Potter. If it weren't for him, Severus wouldn't have been captured saying something like that. He wouldn't even be outside with the Dursleys. No one would care what he said a year ago! But because he was famous now… everything mattered. Including his personal opinion on things.
He had no idea what Severus was going to do to get out of this, but he had a feeling he wasn't about to simply up and apologise for the sake of some upset people. This was Severus. He cared little for popularity. He cared little to what even happened to himself and his image. He didn't care about stupid things like that! He cared about what was real! He cared about him…
He hoped that the bloody papers didn't print this story and they got a hold of whoever was threatening to print it. They only had a few hours until the next edition was released. He was sure Kingsley had his men on it, though—he wasn't stupid or slow in his duty.
Clutching the Snitch, he knew why Severus had this in his pocket. Because he loved him. Severus had a strange way of showing that he cared about people, and sometimes it could be odd, but Harry knew more than anything that this Snitch being in his pocket was a symbol of carrying him around with him. And now they were separated beyond their will. The bond was going to know.

Author's Comment:

It's literally been a month since I've updated this, which is the only reason why I'm posting a chapter now. I'm still REALLY slow on catching up, and considering the holidays, I'll still be very slow, but I thought you guys deserved an update, and an apology for being so, so slow. Thank you guys once again for enjoying this series and I'm trying very hard to get more chapters done so hopefully I can start posting again regularly soon!