In Thrall

Disclaimer: JK Rowling created the Harry Potter characters and universe. I\'m just using them in my own plot.
Archive: Please ask.


A/N: This is for ShadowWolf who posted the challenge on the glassesreflect list.

Once again, thank you Lillian for being my muse and MeLi for the wonderful job as beta.

ventventh year Gryffindor Harry Potter had finished slicing his water lily tendrils and had just picked them up to drop into his potion when Professor Snape suddenly hovered over him berating him, for not slicing them thin enough. Just then they both heard a soft \"Oops\" and the contents of Neville Longbottom\'s cauldron, right next to Harry\'s, burped a huge glop of sludge right onto the back of Snape\'s outstretched hand. The Professor froze for a moment, building up a good head of steam before turning to properly berate the walking disaster, and the lime green goop dripped off the tip of his pointing finger into the palm of Harry\'s hand, which was still holding the sliced tendrils. The rest of the class saw the blood drain out of Professor Snape\'s face as Harry\'s eyes became vacant. In a very strained and quiet voice, the Potions Master said, \"Mr. Finnigan, get Professor Dumbledore as quickly as you can.\"

Seamus shot out the door without thinking twice. The rest of the class sat there stunned. Snape lowered his hand and told them all to get out. The students grabbed their bags and began heading towards the door. Befohe fhe first person was actually through it and into the hallway, Potter\'s eyes returned to normal and he looked up at Professor Snape with the strangest look on his face. In a voice breathy with adoration he said, \"Master.\"

Snape heard several thuds and looked around to see students standing stunned, arms hanging limp, faces expressing horror and book bags fallen on the floor. Then several things happened in quick succession: Harry fell to his knees and grabbed Snape\'s clean hand, bringing it to his face to nuzzle; Hermione Granger let out a horrible keening sound; Draco Malfoy started laughing so hard he could barely stand; Neville fainted and Ron Weasley turned from white to red to purple like some bizarre squid. \'Oh, bugger me,\' Snape thought.

He wrenched his hand away from Potter and stepped back. The boy rested his hands on his thighs and lowered his head. \"I\'m sorry, Master,\" he whispered in a stricken voice. Weasley let loose a bellow of rage that would have made a bull elephant proud and started forward. Fortunately, he tripped over the collapsed Malfoy. As he was trying to get up, Snape cast a banishing spell at the pile of students and tossed them out into the hall. Then he shut and locked the door.

Severus just stood there looking down at Harry for a few moments. Then he began to shake with rage and embarrassment. \"You idiot!\" he screeched and flung out his hand in an abrupt gesture. Harry cringed and threw himself prostrate at Snape\'s feet. The boy trembled and whimpered. Severus paused. He looked at his raised hand, then back down to the boy and slowly lowered it. He had no qualms about berating a student but none had ever feared physical violence from him.

He took a deep breath and sat down on a stool and rested his head on his hands. Harry stopped whimpering but didn\'t get up from his position. Severus grunted and looked at the boy. He wanted to rage at someone but realized that taking out his anger on Harry would be nothing less than abuse considering the circumstances. Why hadn\'t he thought to keep Longbottom here?

\"Get up, Potter. I won\'t have you cowering on the floor when the Headmaster gets here.\" Harry knelt back up but kept his head lowered. Snape gathered up the mess of potion and tendrils so he could work on it later.

Soon, Professor Dumbledore appeared in the doorway

\"What happened, Severus? Mr. Finnigan said there had been an accident involving Mr. Potter.\" He stopped short of the two men when he saw the angry look on the Professor\'s face and Harry kneeling quietly and submissively at his feet. \"What has happened?\"

\"I\'m afraid Longbottom has outdone himself this time, Albus,\" the Potions Master groaned. \"He has managed to produce an enthrallment potion.\" He shook his head in disgust. \"The potion they were working on doesn\'t even include any of the most common ingredients used in an enthrallment potion. How the hell does he do it? The boy is either a genius or a menace!\"

Albus looked gobsmacked. Now there was something Longbottom could brag about to his grandchildren. Not many people could claim to have caused that particular expression on the Headmaster\'s face. \"Well, Severus, there is an antidote, isn\'t there?\"

\"Of course there is, Albus. Unfortunately, it will take three weeks to brew. Until that time, Harry and I are master and slave.\"

***************

A few hours later, Professor Snape walked down the halls towards the Great Hall feeling immense trepidation. The situation was nigh intolerable. He had rarely felt so embarrassed. With Harry Potter walking submissively three steps behind him and a little to the left, he felt like he was in a spotlight. As he stalked down the hall he could hear the whispers of the students and they were beginning to get to him. Apparently, the Hogwarts grapevine had set a new record with this bit of news. Everyone seemed to know what had happened and they were all talking about it. About the time he heard the third \"Evil-Greasy-Bastard/Poor-Boy-Who-Lived\" comment he came to a new decision. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned to look at his new shadow. \"Potter, you will eat with me at the Head Table.\"

\"Yes, Master. Thank you, Master,\" the boy said as his eyes lit up.

When they entered the Great Hall, a hush settled over the assembled students. The only things you could hear were the swish of Snape\'s robes and the soft squeak of Potter\'s trainers as he obediently trotted along after his master. They approached the Head Table and Severus moved a chair and place setting to the very end. Then he transfigured a chair from the Ravenclaw table into a large, plush cushion, complete with tassels and fringe, which he summoned and placed within clear view of the assembled students. He then seated himself in the chair and signalled Harry to kneel on the cushion. The boy knelt facing him and looked up into his face with trust and expectation.

Severus served himself from various dishes and began to eat. He took one bite of veal and cut off another one. He picked this piece up with his fingers and delicately off it it to the boy at his feet. Harry opened his mouth and leaned forward, taking the bite gently from Severus with his tongue and teeth. Then he sucked the juices off Severus\' fingertips before sitting back and chewing his food. The staff and students looked on in horror at this display. Severus and Harry ignored them. If they were going to say horrid things about them, he might as well make it worth his while.

Throughout the meal, Severus hand-fed Harry like he was a beloved pet. As the two of them got used to the situation, the display became more and more erotic. He used only his fingers and allowed Harry to lick and suck them clean after every bite. He took great satisfaction in the fact that the Weasley boy had to be forcefully removed and taken to the infirmary for sedation. Professor McGonagall glared at him and he just lifted an eyebrow, silently asking her \'What?\' before feeding Harry a particularly succulent piece of melon. Dumbledore seemed to have caught on rather quickly to what he was up to and looked amused.

Madam Hooch plopped herself down next to him. \"It is so unfair that you get a pet and I don\'t,\" she grumped as she looked on jealously.

\"I could arrange for Mr. Longbottom to have a minor accident, I\'m sure,\" he offered.

Rolanda snorted her drink and Severus had to pause in his feeding to smack her on the back a few times. \"Only if you want to wake up and find your bed on top of the broom shed and full of mice,\" she finally got out.

\"Ah, pity. It would be lovely to have him out of my classroom for three weeks,\" he deadpanned. He offered Harry a drink of juice and delicately wiped a tiny dribble off the boy\'s chin with his napkin. Helping someone else drink from a goblet was a bit trickier than using a potion vial. He\'d get the hang of it soon enough.

To be continued