The Death of a Soul

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Chapter Ten

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Harry was still sitting at Severus’s feet, his hands covering his face.

“How could you?” he whispered.

“Well, it was obvious that you were unable to.”

Harry’s eyes widened and looked up at him. “Are you saying that I could’ve done that myself?”

“Given the state you were in, I hardly see how you could have,” he replied with an almost twisted smile.

The young wizard’s eyes narrowed and jumped to his feet. Without even a second thought, he backhanded Severus across his face.

“You bastard!”

Snape rubbed his cheek and sneered at him. Then it occurred to Harry what he just did.

“I hit you,” he said unbelievingly. Then he shouted, “You’re a liar! You said I couldn’t hit you!”

His new husband glared at him. “I said we couldn’t hurt each other. I hardly consider a slap damaging.”

Harry’s lip turned into an evil grin. “Then I’d be prepared for many more in the future if I was you.”

Severus raised an eyebrow. “The same could be said to you,” he said smugly. “Now if you don’t mind,” he said, motioning to the urinal.

“Fine,” Harry hissed. “Just don’t expect the same type of help.”

“I wasn’t planning on it,” said Severus flatly. Harry reached down to undo the lowest clasp on his gown. “There will be plenty of time tonight.”

The young wizard jerked his hands away and took a step back, scowling at him. Severus continued to smirk. The older man turned to the urinal then closed his eyes sighing.

“I’m sorry, Harry. I didn’t mean for it to come out that way,” he said softly.

“Why do you keep doing that?” Harry suddenly spat.

Severus glanced over his shoulder and shrugged. “I don’t know what you are referring to.”

“This,” said Harry pointing to himself and back at Snape. “First you snap at me – like you normally do – then suddenly you’re... nice. Too nice.”

His husband turned his attention back to what he was doing. He remained silent.

“Well?” Harry asked impatiently, crossing his arms.

Severus sighed and shook it once before turning to face him. “Would it be too much trouble for you to fasten the clasp?”

Harry roughly redid the latch on Severus’s gown, not moving his slitted eyes that were piercing into his husband’s.

Snape sighed. “I am merely following the marriage contract,” he said simply.

“Well, I hate it, so you can just stop it,”

“I’m afraid I cannot.”

Harry scoffed. “And I suppose I have to do the same.”

“I never said you had to and I don’t expect you to.”

The young wizard furrowed his brows. “What does that mean? Doesn’t it apply to me, as well?” he asked, suddenly earnest.

Severus paused for a second, then said, “If we are done, I will show you to our quarters.”

Before Harry could ask why he had just avoided answering his question, Severus left the bathroom quickly. Harry quickly caught up to him, following a few feet behind. He was about to repeat his question, but Harry’s thoughts replayed the last thing Severus had said. ‘Our’ quarters. He swallowed hard and willed his body - and his face - not to show any type of fear.

Severus stopped in front of a door that wasn’t far from the Potion classroom. He glanced sideways at his new husband.

“The password is ‘conciliate’ and it is voice coded.” It was clear that Harry didn’t understand by the look of his confused expression, so Snape sighed and continued. “It needs to be activated, Harry.”

“Conciliate,” the young man hissed, more to Severus than to the door.

The door unlocked and Severus opened it, stepping aside to let Harry go in first. Harry pushed past him and stopped just a few feet inside, staring straight ahead. And there it was. The door leading to his inevitable fate. The bedroom. As he stood there frozen to the spot, Severus walked around him and started his introduction.

“As you can see,” he began, pointing over to the bookshelf on the left wall. “There are numerous books here available to you that will help you in your studies. As well as some entertainment ones,” he said as an afterthought.

Harry remained silent, his eyes never once leaving the dreaded door.

A short sigh left Severus’s lips as he went on. “Over here,” he said, walking over to it. “Is an area I set up for you to study or whatever you wish to do.”

A beautiful cherry wood desk with a matching chair faced the room. The corner area was a couple feet higher then the rest of the room with three steps leading up to it. There were several well-known Quidditch team posters adorning the surrounding walls.

“If the setup is not to your taste, please feel free to redecorate.” Harry still wouldn’t look. Severus shook his head slightly. “And over here in the other corner is a small bar with an assortment of drinks. I ask that you do not drink before lessons.”

Harry was undaunted.

Snape continued. “And as you can see over here, a table is next to it for our meals if we chose to stay in to eat.” Silence. “Finally, I added an addition here,” he said, indicating to the fireplace. “An area where we can relax.”

It was a large fireplace and two wide chairs faced it at an angle with a long sofa in between them. Severus glanced at the stoic young man before heading over to the bar to fix both of them a drink. He quickly downed one and then poured another for himself. He walked over to his quiet husband and held out the glass.

“I told you I don’t drink,” Harry finally said.

“It will help you to…” but he was cut short by a vicious glare from Harry.

“Well? Are you finished with the pleasantries?” he snarled. “Don’t you want to consummate the marriage?”

Severus looked away. He whispered, “Harry, we don’t have to do that immediately…”

“Yes, we do,” Harry snapped. “It’s in there isn’t it?” he said, pointing to the door.

The older wizard closed his eyes and nodded. “Yes, the bedroom is in there.”

“Fine. Then let’s get this over with.”

“Harry,” he tried again, but his husband was already in the room.


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As the door opened, the candles flickered on, presenting a soft glow about the room. To Harry’s surprise, it was simply stunning. The walls were a warm coloured maroon with a dark wooden panel halfway down it. The carpet was plush and it was also a deep crimson. To the right was another fireplace with a single sofa that appeared to be soft and extremely comfortable. The bed… Harry tightly closed his eyes. He didn’t want to think about it. He felt Severus dangerously close to his right and immediately stepped away.

“I won't hurt you, Harry,” he whispered.

Harry’s heartbeat accelerated and began to take short breaths through his nose. He clenched his fists at his side and tightened his jaw.

“Well? What are you waiting for?” he ground out.

Severus looked him sadly, took a step forward and Harry instinctively took a step back.

He slowly advanced again and whispered, “Please relax, Harry.”

But he couldn’t. Maybe this was nothing new to Severus, but Harry was terrified and his body trembled from every movement his husband made. He gasped and closed his eyes when a gentle hand reached for his.

“S-stop,” he pleaded softly, pushing the hand away. Harry scolded himself for sounding so afraid.

Severus took a deep breath. “Harry, it is tradition for the new spouses to … explore each other’s body. As a way of introduction,” he added. “That means we have to undress each other.”

The young wizard snapped his eyes open and stared at him in shock.

“What?” Harry cried out, disbelieving what he heard.

“It might be best if I go first.”

“Of course. You would,” Harry said bitterly, still trying to remain calm.

Harry flinched slightly when two hands carefully tried to unlatch the top clasp. Instinctively, he swatted the hands away.

“No!” Harry yelled. “Don’t touch me!”

Severus turned around and began to pace. “Stop being so childish! You knew this was going to happen!”

“I don’t care! You're not going to touch me!”

Snape clenched his teeth and advanced on his young husband dangerously. “You will allow me to touch you and you will touch me,” he growled.

“And if I don’t?” Harry bit back. “Will the contract be broken?”

“No, you ignorant fool. We have to remain in this room until the ritual is complete,” he hissed.

“Rubbish! You lie!”

Harry ran to the closed door. He grabbed the knob and tried desperately to turn it. It wouldn’t budge. “LET ME OUT! RIGHT NOW!”

Harry pulled violently at the door again but it still wouldn’t move. He spun around to face Severus. The Potions master stood still with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I said let me out!”

“It won't open, Harry. Not until …it’s over.”

“You bastard!” he cried, storming back over to him. “What else have you been hiding from me?”

Severus closed his eyes and pursed his lips together. He slowly opened them, and said solemnly, “I haven’t been hiding anything from you, Harry. I apologise if it appears that way.”

“You're bloody right it appears that way and you know it!”

“Again, I apologise.”

“Well, it’s not accepted,” Harry snarled, closing his hands into fists.

Severus scoffed. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like this to be over with as quickly as you do. We only have to…”

Harry clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes. “Fuck?”

Severus held his breath briefly, then continued. “Not the word I was searching for, but yes. And we only have to do it once.”

“How reassuring,” the young wizard said sarcastically.

Harry wondered if they would be given any food if they stayed in there forever.

“Will you co-operate willingly, or do we have to resort to other measures?”

“What?” Harry screamed. “You will not force me to do anything!”

Severus’s expression turned dark at the implication and stormed over to the bedside table. He retrieved two items from the drawer and brought it back to show Harry.

“What are those?” he asked, his voice now panicky.

Snape held each one out as he explained. “This is a potion to help you relax and this is a lotion that basically does the same thing.”

“And I bet it forces me to get excited, doesn’t it?” Harry said, trying hard not to shake, but his body was betraying him.

“That is one of the side effects, yes.”

“No!” yelled the young man, knocking them both out of Severus’s hands. “You said you wouldn’t force me!”

“I would never force my husband to do anything,” he said defensively. “It’s merely to …”

“What a load of crap! What do you call this?” Harry motioned to Severus’s robe then to his.

“It is an obligation that we both must fulfill,” the Potions master said, now irritated.

“Obligation my arse,” he hissed.

Severus’s face turned red. “Enough already! This is only delaying the inevitable.”

Harry stared at him long and hard, but said nothing further. His husband slowly approached him and unfastened the first clasp. Harry began to shake uncontrollably. Severus immediately dropped his hands to his sides.

“Harry, please take the potion.”

But the young man merely shook his head, glaring at him. Severus sighed and gently parted the top of Harry’s gown. Harry jumped back and screamed at the top of his lungs, shoving Snape away.

“NO! No fucking way! I won't let you do this!”

Harry frantically searched the room and noticed an open door in the corner. It was obviously the bathroom so he ran as fast as he could and slammed the door and locked it.

Severus thrust his fingers through his hair and pulled on it hard, bending over in frustration. He abruptly stood up straight and walked over to the fireplace. He tossed some Floo powder in it.

“Albus!”

Immediately, Dumbledore’s head appeared. Severus began explaining what had happened at record speed and Dumbledore nodded every now and then, listening carefully. When he was finished, the Potions master glanced over to the bathroom door and sighed.

“I don’t know what to do, Albus. I didn’t think it would be this complicated,” he admitted.

“Perhaps there’s only one thing left to do then.”

Severus’s eyes shot wide-open and his jaw fell down. “Surely you don’t mean what I think you mean,” he gasped.

Dumbledore sighed loudly. “I’m afraid that might be the only way, Severus.”

“Albus,” he said in horror. “I haven’t done … that in years. There must be another way.”

“Well, did you suggest the potion or the cream?”

“He refuses.”

“Then that leaves you no other choice.” He paused. “I’m sorry, Severus. But it has to be done.”

Before Severus could argue again, Dumbledore was gone. He closed his eyes, hung his head and slowly shook it. He quickly snapped around, hearing Harry to the left of him. The young wizard was staring at him in shock.

“Well?” the older man hissed. “Did you hear what was said?”

Harry nodded numbly.

“And? Will it come to that?”

Harry’s mouth fell open but no words came out. Severus turned to face him and crossed his arms.

“It’s your choice, boy.”

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