Forsaken
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
50
Views:
2,143
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
50
Views:
2,143
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Deal with a Death Eater
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.
~~+~~+~~+~~
Chapter 11 - Deal with a Death Eater
An hour later Harry found himself strolling down a busy street in London, dressed in the nicest muggle suit he’d ever seen, let alone wear, with his wand sitting in the inside pocket of his jacket. He felt decidedly odd. He glanced sideways at Severus, perfectly at ease in his black suit over a blue shirt and a fedora pulled down low on his forehead.
“Where are we going?” asked Harry quietly, looking around at the small shops and pubs.
“There’s a little place up here on the corner,” said Severus. “It is not as crowded as some of these others.” He walked up to a ritzy pub, pushing Harry along in front of him. They walked through the doors and up to the hostess.
“Good evening, Cade,” said the youngish woman, giving him a radiant smile. “And who is your young friend?”
“This is Nate,” said Severus, giving Harry a swift glance, “just in town visiting an old man.” The woman laughed melodically, grabbing two menus from a small box behind her.
“Your usual, I presume?” she asked. Severus gave her a roguish grin, making his face look years younger.
“You know me too well, Sarah,” said Severus, waving Harry after her. She led them to a booth in the very back of the restaurant and set the menus on the table. Harry started to sit down, but Severus grabbed his elbow.
“I don’t like sitting with my back to the door,” said Severus softly. Harry rolled his eyes, but sat down on the other side of the table, picking up his menu as Severus took his seat. Harry put his hand in his pocket, fingering a thin chain as he read down the menu. Severus rested his arms on the back of the seat, darting his eyes around to make sure no one was taking particular note of them. A waiter walked up to their table.
“Can I get you gents something to drink?” he asked. Severus looked at Harry for him to go first.
“Just a coke, please,” said Harry, getting back to scowling at the menu.
“Water for me,” said Severus. The waiter nodded. A moment later, he returned with the drinks and took their order. As he picked up their menus, Harry took a deep breath and glanced up at Severus.
“Can we talk a little business?” said Harry as casually as he could. Severus lowered his glass and looked around once more.
“Of course,” said Severus softly. Harry removed the locket from his pocket and laid it gently on the table. Severus slammed his drink down and cast a Privacy bubble around their booth.
“Jesus Christ,” he hissed, “what the hell are you doing carrying that around in your pocket, you idiot boy?”
“If you would just give me a second,” said Harry snidely. “This -“ he picked up the chain, dangling the locket over the table, “-is a fake.” Severus grabbed the locket and gazed at it closely. He carefully opened it and pulled out the tiny scrap of parchment.
“What’s this?” asked Severus warily.
“Oh, you’ll love that,” said Harry. He took a sip of his coke. “Maybe you could figure out who wrote it. Hermione couldn’t think of anyone and neither can I.”
Severus unfolded the note, his face paling further with each word he read. He unhurriedly replaced the note inside the locket and closed it just as their food arrived. Severus handed the locket back to Harry, who put it in his pocket and attacked his steak with vigor. He glanced up and saw that Severus wasn’t eating.
“What?” asked Harry.
“R.A.B.,” said Severus, staring hard at Harry. Harry simply stuck a bit of meat in his mouth, staring blankly back at him.
“Am I supposed to know who he is?” said Harry around his steak. Severus sighed and picked up his silverware.
“Your dear godfather had a brother,” said Severus, cutting into his steak, “a brother who was a follower of the Dark Lord, who was marked at an unbelievably young age and was murdered for being a suspected traitor to the cause. In fact, he is still the youngest person ever to take the Mark. In any case, I believe his middle name started with an A.” Harry’s fork hit his plate with a clatter.
“Regulus Black,” whispered Harry, his mind reeling.
“Very good, Potter,” said Severus quietly. “Now the question is, did he write this cheeky correspondence before or after he destroyed the Horcrux, and if he wrote it before, did he actually get around to destroying it before the Dark Lord blew him to bits?” Severus caught movement out of the corner of his eye and quickly cancelled the bubble around the booth.
“Everything alright, gentlemen?” asked the waiter. Severus nodded at him.
“Eat,” said Severus softly, pointing his fork at Harry’s half-eaten dinner and recasting the Privacy bubble. “No use worrying yourself about it right this second.”
“But I’ve seen it!” hissed Harry. “The locket was at Headquarters when we were doing all that cleaning a few summers ago.” Severus raised his eyebrows at his plate.
“Then it is safe for the time being,” said Severus easily. “All of the items that were removed from that house happen to still be in one of my spare classrooms in the dungeons of Hogwarts. You’ll have to make a little jaunt to the castle for me and see if it still contains a piece of mutilated soul.”
“And that’s another thing,” said Harry a bit fiercely, pointing his finger at Severus. “How am I supposed to find these things and get rid of them? Dumbledore did all kinds of things in that cave that he didn’t bother to explain or show me how to do.”
“I mentioned earlier today that I would be willing to train with you,” said Severus hesitantly, unsure if he was ready for this. “If you are willing, and will dedicate yourself to learning what is necessary, we could make some real progress.” They finished eating in silence. After they were done, Severus waved the waiter over as he cancelled the Privacy bubble. “Can we have our check please?”
“Sure,” said the waiter, fumbling in his pocket. He pulled out a slip of paper and placed it face down on the table. Severus picked it up and reached inside his jacket, pulling out several large bills. Harry quickly reached into his pocket, pulling out a couple of bills and handing them to Severus.
“Keep your money,” said Severus, pushing Harry’s money back at him. “I’m sure you have better things to spend it on than food.” He set the check and the cash on the table and picked up his hat, standing up from the booth. “Come. It’s been a long day.”
~~+~~+~~+~~
Around eight the next morning, Severus cracked open Harry’s door with the intention of waking the boy up. He frowned at the sight of him tangled and twisted in his sheets, the comforter hanging off the bed. He changed his mind, deciding to let Harry sleep a little longer. He left the door open slightly and went downstairs.
The truth was he was a bit anxious about what Harry would decide about his training. There was no question the boy needed it; it was just a matter of who was going to teach him and how. Severus knew it would be a difficult process, even if Harry devoted himself entirely. The temptation for Severus to allow his emotions and frustration to get the better of him would be overwhelming. It had taken him ages to get as firm a hold on his emotions as he had, and even then, Albus had to constantly remind Severus to be mindful of his thoughts. Harry, too, possessed a great potential and craving for certain aspects of the dark side of things, simply because of the circumstances he had had to live through as a young child and as an adolescent.
Severus sighed. The boy was a welcome distraction from thoughts of the Inner Circle and the political mind games the Dark Lord was playing amongst his followers. Severus’s position was as precarious as it was a godsend. Any wrong move, the tiniest slip, and Severus would find himself on the wrong end of the unleashing of a great fury. Yet, there was still much to be done - much that had to be risked to ensure the success of the Light. He turned slightly at the sound of Harry coming down the stairs.
“It’s so bright down here,” complained Harry, shielding his eyes from the sunlight streaming through the window.
“You’re delusional, Potter,” said Severus a bit snidely. “This is a much darker house than that of your muggle relatives.” Harry plopped down on the couch, flopping over on his side and curling up into a ball. He yawned and closed his eyes.
“You’re not going back to sleep, are you?” asked Severus evenly. “You could have stayed upstairs if you were just going to complain and then take up my valuable sofa space.” Harry sighed, but didn’t answer him.
“Have you thought about my proposal?” asked Severus. “I need to know so that I can make the necessary arrangements if need be.” Harry opened his eyes and sat back up. He took a deep breath and looked Severus directly in the eyes.
“I want you to teach me,” said Harry softly. “I want you to teach me everything you know.”
“I cannot teach you everything I know, Potter,” said Severus seriously. “There are many things that I absolutely refuse to teach you, namely the Unforgivables and some of the darker Arts that I was taught as a young man by the Dark Lord himself.” At Harry’s furious expression, Severus held up a hand. “If this is unacceptable to you, you may, of course, withdraw your acceptance of my offer.” Harry stood up sharply from the couch.
“How am I supposed to kill him if I can’t cast a simple Killing Curse?” shouted Harry. Severus looked at him sadly.
“The Killing Curse is by no means a simple spell,” he said softly. “And it is because of the anger and rage you have just wonderfully demonstrated that I will not take the risk of teaching you any Dark spell that is not absolutely necessary. There is no selective dabbling when you’re dealing with the Dark Arts.”
“And you’re telling me that the Unforgivables are unnecessary?” spat Harry venomously. He faltered slightly at the look in Severus’s eyes.
“There are other ways to kill a man than with a wand,” said Severus quietly. “If you will trust me on this, I can teach you what you need to know to bring him down. Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only one out for his blood. Do we still have a deal, Potter?” Harry thought for a moment, meeting Severus’s intense gaze. Finally, after a moment of silence, Harry held out his hand.
“Yes, we do,” said Harry as Severus shook his hand. “And if I’m going to be here for a while, you can call me Harry.” Severus gave him a smug grin.
“And you will address me as ‘Professor’ or ‘sir,’” said Severus. Harry sighed softly as Severus stood up.
“Go get dressed,” said Severus. “Muggle clothing is fine, but make sure you can move easily in it.” He started walking towards the front door.
“Where are you going?” asked Harry, before adding a hasty, “Sir?” Severus pulled open the door and gave him a smile.
“We can’t very well practice dueling in here, now can we?” said Severus. “I will be back momentarily.”
A little while later, dressed in a loose fitting shirt and a pair of his new trousers, Harry stood leaning against the wall of an old abandoned warehouse, watching Severus walk around the perimeter muttering to himself. Severus stopped, smiling in satisfaction at his perfectly-cast Repelling charms. He stretched a little, loosening up his arms and legs as he motioned for Harry to approach.
“It is now nine,” said Severus, checking his watch. “Every weekday, you are to be ready to go by seven a.m. For every minute that you are late, I will add an additional fifteen minutes of running around this room at the end of the day.” Harry’s stomach fell at the thought of what he had gotten himself into.
“We will begin,” continued Severus, “with a bit of conditioning. Quidditch may be alright for a bit of exercise, but you must keep yourself in shape through other means.” He flicked his wand at the wall. A flash of light shot straight out and quickly made a circuit of the room, returning to Severus’s wand. A number floated up in front of his face, indicating the size of the room. Harry looked from it to Severus’s blank face.
“Eight circuits is approximately one mile,” said Severus, waving his hand through the number. “We will do a mile before starting for the day. Keep up.” With that, Severus began a steady jog around the edge of the room. Harry scoffed in disbelief.
“You’re joking, right?” yelled Harry.
“No, I’m not,” shouted Severus back. “And you had better hurry up. You’re already behind.” Harry took a deep breath and raced after him. After eight times around the room, Severus stopped and walked to the middle of the room to stretch again. Harry stumbled over to him and sat on the floor, panting.
“Don’t stay still,” said Severus. “Your legs will cramp. Stretch out. We have things to accomplish today.” Harry moaned, reaching over for his toes.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” muttered Harry. Severus grinned, resting his hands on his hips as his breathing returned to normal.
“God, I hope not,” said Severus. “Otherwise, all of this will be a wasteful exercise in my patience and your perseverance. Now, up.” He gently grabbed Harry’s arm and pulled him to his feet.
“We will begin with a duel,” said Severus, walking about fifteen paces away from him. “Just so I can see where you’re at.” He turned and flicked his wand into his hand. “Standard rules - no Unforgivables or lethal curses. Also, do not use any bone-breaking or burning hexes on me, please. I do not want to trust my well-being to your nonexistent Potion-making skills.” Harry glared at him, that barb stinging quite sharply.
“Now,” said Severus, assuming a dueling stance and noticing the fire in the boy’s eyes. “First rule of dueling - do not let your opponent get inside your head before, during, or after a duel. You may begin when you’re --“
“Stupify!” shouted Harry. Severus blocked the curse easily and fired three nonverbals in succession. Harry blocked the first two, but the third hit him full in the chest. He fell flat on his back, slightly dazed. The sound of spell fire next to his leg got him moving again.
“If you are conscious, do not stay still!” shouted Severus, firing off curse after curse. Harry ducked and dodged most of them, unable to recognize any of the hexes and jinxes that Severus was using. The man’s reflexes were stunningly quick. In a little less than a minute after they’d started, Harry was wandless with thin ropes around his wrists and ankles. Severus knelt down beside him and released him, placing the handle of the holly wand into his hand.
“What did you do wrong?” he asked. Harry huffed, feeling frustrated with himself.
“I don’t know,” he snapped. “Wasn’t quick enough, I guess.”
“Wrong,” said Severus sternly. “Try again.” Harry got up and walked a little ways away from him.
“I don’t know enough spells,” answered Harry. “I didn’t recognize any of those last ones you threw at me.” Severus tilted his head.
“Better,” said Severus, “but still not what I was looking for.”
“I’m not a goddamn mind reader!” shouted Harry angrily, his frustration at himself shortening his temper. He turned back around and faltered at Severus’s expression.
“Third time’s a charm,” said Severus silkily. He slowly walked over to stand directly in front of Harry, looking him firmly in the eyes and placing a long finger against the boy’s sweaty temple. He spoke softly and calmingly. “Tell me the first rule of dueling, Harry.”
“Do not let your opponent get inside your head before, during, or after a duel,” repeated Harry mechanically. Severus nodded at him.
“Very good,” he said. “Now, allow me to explain why not being more aware of your mental state caused you to lose this duel miserably.” Harry bowed his head as Severus’s words outside the castle just a few weeks ago came rushing back, adding to the feelings of being completely overwhelmed by the man’s skill and know-how.
“I could tell you were angry before we began,” said Severus. “What happened to spark your quick temper?” As Harry opened his mouth to reply, Severus raised a hand. “Be honest. You will not learn anything if you lie to yourself.” Harry ran a hand through his hair.
“It was your comment about my Potion-making skills,” said Harry quietly. “I don’t know why, but it just - made me mad. You’ve always said that I was awful at Potions, but I did well on my O.W.L. I only did poorly in your classes because you made -“
“Comments you felt were unfair, untrue, unsubstantiated,” finished Severus, crossing his arms over his chest. “Or I picked on your friends next to you in order to distract you from the task at hand. And why was I so successful?” Harry shrugged, turning away from Severus. Severus took him by the shoulders and forced him to stay standing in front of him.
“Because I know you very well,” said Severus. “One of the fortunate - or unfortunate, depending on whom you ask - side effects of Occlumency lessons and having to constantly keep an eye on you. I know things about your life before you began at Hogwarts that I would guess Weasley and Granger do not even know about. I know the people you are close to. I know just what to say about them that would set a fire in your chest so fearsome that it would consume you entirely without you even realizing it.” He sighed softly and waved his wand behind Harry, conjuring a comfortable-looking armchair.
“Sit down,” said Severus, “and listen closely to what I am about to tell you, for it will be the knife’s edge upon which your training and existence as a wizard will stand.” Harry sat down, watching Severus pace before him.
“There are many pathways leading to complete reliance on the Dark Arts,” said Severus. “You see, Harry, the Dark Lord makes a point to find out a man’s weaknesses. He knows how to taunt, tease, and infuriate any Death Eater with an offhanded comment or action. He knows who to kill or threaten to ensure that his troops stay in line and know who is really in control. And unfortunately for you, he has made Harry Potter his favored object of study for several years now. He knows that you have buried the grief over the death of your parents underneath a vengeful, murderous rage for his head on a pike instead of being able to deal with it. He knew that giving you a vision of Black kidnapped and tortured would spur you into thoughtless action, especially when I was the only Order member left in the castle and could not be so bold as to keep you there due to my supposed allegiance to the Dark Lord. And now, he is betting all of his money on the fact that you will be so lost in your grief over Albus that you will go and do something stupid. He is also betting that I will be instrumental in the downfall of the Boy-Who-Lived.” Severus grinned slightly, enjoying for just a moment his ability to have fooled the Dark Lord for this long.
“However,” continued Severus, “the idea that we should seek to utterly undo him has not even entered his darkest dreams. And that will be the ace up our sleeve. Now, back to matters at hand. Your anger at my statement allowed me instant access to your mind through your eyes. You remember, of course, that Legilimency only works if the subject is looking the caster in the eyes.” Harry nodded quickly.
“So, any spell that you thought of to try and stop my spells, I could read the instant before you cast it. And even if I could not, your shouting would have given me a very good clue. We shall have to work on both your nonverbal spell casting and your ability to protect your mind. Get up. Let’s try again. Pick one of those two things to focus on and let’s see if we can make a little progress.” He waved Harry up and vanished the chair. He walked out in front of Harry and assumed his stance.
“When you’re ready,” said Severus intensely.
Harry stood still for a moment, thinking through everything Severus had said. It made perfect sense - it was a bit frightening to think that Voldemort could so easily get inside his head and psych him out, simply because he allowed his emotions to control him so thoroughly. But didn’t powerful emotions give power to spells? The Patronus charm relied on a strong, positive memory; the Unforgivables relied on hate and fury to be successful. He frowned to himself and raised his wand.
For the rest of the day, he and Severus dueled over and over again. After each duel was over, Severus pointed out things that Harry did wrong or could improve upon. By mid-afternoon, Harry was so tired he could barely stand up. His ability to block spells had deteriorated with each hour that passed. The last duel ended when Harry’s attempt to block a Disarming spell caused his weakly-cast shield to backfire on him, sending him flying across the room. He hit the floor hard, skidding another ten feet before slamming into the back wall, his wand skittering over the blackened stone. Severus silently summoned the wand to him as Harry got to his feet.
“Damn it,” muttered Harry, catching his breath as Severus looked at him worriedly, making sure he wasn’t hurt too badly. Harry glared at Severus. “Well? What’d I do wrong this time?”
“Nothing,” said Severus wearily. “I shot a sloppy spell at you and you blocked it as best you could, but your shield wasn’t strong enough. It collapsed under the strain of the spell and sent you flying without a broom.” He walked over and handed Harry his wand. “I think we’re done for today.”
“Thank God,” muttered Harry, rubbing his back. “You know, I don’t know if I can do this for an entire week straight.”
“We won’t do this every day,” said Severus, holding the door open for him. They walked slowly down the street. “I needed to see where you were at, skill wise. I can now make a list of spells I need to teach you and things I need for you to read up on.”
Harry’s shoulders sank at the thought of the mountains of work Snape would pile him under now. He could just imagine the three-roll essays he would have to write. And as Snape’s only student, he would be ruthless graded. He groaned to himself, so worried about the potential for homework that he missed Severus’s grimace as he cradled his left arm against his chest. Severus clutched Harry’s shoulder hard.
“Get to the house,” hissed Severus. “Do not let anyone in and do not go anywhere. I’ll be back later.”
“Wait,” cried Harry, “where are you going?”
“Get to the house!” spat Severus as he took off running towards the bridge. Harry stared after him until he saw a dark cloak surround Severus. Finally realizing where the man was off to, Harry sprinted towards the house.