Control

AN: Gosh, Harry is so clueless sometimes, but he will learn, I promise. *gives a crack of her whip*

Ladylancelot

Pets


Letting go of the boy for now Snape strode into the kitchen as if on auto pilot. Harry followed him and sat down at the table, grateful when a warm cup of tea was pushed into his clammy hands.

The tea was laced with honey and vanilla and somehow managed to warm him from the inside. Snape leaned back and looked out into the garden where obviously a short summer rain had rinsed the lawn.

The potion master looked completely composed no strand of his hair out of place and his white shirt immaculate. Getting up his courage Harry asked what he had been dying to ask.

“Why did you call me your pet?”

A smile tugged on Snape's thin lips as he averted his eyes from the window letting them rest on his younger charge.

“In the concept of that situation you were my pet.” When Harry frowned he leaned closer. “If I had told you to hold in your release, would you have done it?”

Harry considered that for a moment. “I would have tried,” he finally said honestly.

“Why?” Snape asked evenly.

Harry answered what came to mind first.

“Because you took care of me.”

Snape nodded obviously still amused. “Because you were my pet.”

“Or your house elf?” Harry asked remembering the gentle care with which Snape had taken care of Slinky.

Snape snorted. “If you were my house elf I would have either killed you long ago or committed suicide.”

Harry could not help but grin but then something else came to mind.

“Where is ferret face by the way?”

Snape sighed loudly. “I still do not get why you are jealous of Draco. You are aware that for someone who considers himself straight you are showing an awful lot of resentment. But if you have to know- Draco will stay in Hogwarts for the summer to start an apprenticeship with Minerva.”

Contently Harry nodded grimly. “Good for him.”

Snape raised an eye brow. “Good for him?”

“I do not like to share what is mine,” Harry muttered into his tea cup darkly, feeling the green eyed monster emerge with a vengeance.

Before Snape had a chance to reply something lunch appeared on the table- a lamb pie with chicken sticks. Suddenly feeling hungry and much better now that he knew Malfoy would stay in Hogwarts and away from his mate, Harry delved into the food and therefore did not see the amused expression on Snape's voice.

After they had finished their meal in companionable silence Harry leaned back rubbing his belly that was starting to voice what he thought about the sudden amount of food.

“So what are we gonna do now?” he asked enjoying the sun on his face as it filtered in through the window.

Snape rose from his place and sneered. “I do not know what you are doing but I am about to complete the necessary paperwork to get access to my family estate. I am sure you have some place else to be and harass somebody else.”

He spun around and walked out of the kitchen when he heard Harry chuckle.

“I guess I am going to have a look at this dark arts object- after all I do not want to disappoint the headmaster.”

Shaking his head in obvious irritation Snape decided to bother with Potter later and disappeared into his office. Harry stared into the enchanted garden wondering where his sudden good mood had came from. It surely was not because he had had sex with Snape twice in the last 48 hours? Trying to shake off that line of thought he rose as well and strolled into the living room to have a closer look at the object that the potion master had brought with him.

It was a strange construction with a couple of little globes floating around a golden pole- it not look particularly dark to Harry but he nevertheless sat down next to it and started to bombard it with all the spells he had learned while destroying the horecruxes. The hours came and went and the next time he looked up, he found Slinky floating in mid air watching the young wizard with big saucer-like eyes.

“Hello Slinky,” Harry said leaning back against the sofa.

“What is Master Potter doing?” the elf asked clearly curious.

“You can call me Harry Slinky,” Harry said with a smile. “I am trying to find out what this object was used for but so far with not much luck. It does not react to any of the spells we destroyed the horecruxes with, maybe it is no dark object.”

Slinky nodded a twinkle in his green eyes. “Did Harry Potter have fun in Master Snape's secret chamber? Slinky is not allowed to go in there but Master has not gone in there for a long time.”

Blushing slightly Harry nodded and decided to use that opportunity to question the house elf about Snape.

“So, do you like Professor Snape?”

Slinky's eyes began to shine with fondness now. “Master Snape is Slinky's friend and he taught him a lot of things having to do with potions. Slinky is allowed to help with these and he gives Slinky clothes each Christmas.”

“Did you know his father?” Harry asked and instantly Slinky's eyes were filled with terror.

“Old Master Snape did not like Slinky or any of the other house elf- he used to kick us all the time and he did not give us food for long times. Slinky remembers how often he used to make Master Severus stand outside in the snow after he found out he was friends with a muggleborn witch.”

“You mean my mother? Lilly Potter?” Harry asked intrigued

“Yes, Lilly was her name. After Master Tobias found out about it he used to hit Master Severus all the time, sometimes so much that he had to wear a glamour for weeks in that school. After his mother died when he had just turned 16 it got even worse. Master Tobias forced him to go to those horrible meetings until they did that thing to his.”

The house elf shuddered with the memory clearly upset. Harry gently touched his shoulder.

“What happened to Tobias Snape?” he asked softly not wanting to upset the elf further but knowing that he would never get these informations from Snape.

“

One night Master Severus returned home from one of those horrible meetings and Master looked horrible with cuts and burns on his body. He did not tell Slinky what happened but Slinky thinks they killed the witch he liked- I have never seen Master Severus cry before or after that. He waited for Master Tobias's return and they fought so loud that Slinky hid himself in the attic under his blanket. Then it was silent, no more shouting and Master Severus came upstairs and comforted Slinky, saying that there was no reason to be afraid any longer. Master Tobias did never hit Slinky again or Master Severus, he never returned.”

Sniffing loudly Slinky smiled with the last sentence.

“And what about that secret room?” Harry asked happy to steer the conversation into safer territory.

Slinky who had dropped to the ground when he had been agitated was once again floating in the air next to Harry, his face beaming.

“For some time Master Severus brought wizards here now and then, but never one of them twice and they disappeared into the room for hours. Slinky was not allowed to disturb them but it stopped then.”

“When?” Harry asked.

Slinky used his fingers to count. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven- seven years ago.” He smiled proudly and then he leaned closer now whispering softly as if sharing a secret. “Master Harry is making Master Severus happy. Slinky can see.”

In that moment the door to Snape's office opened and the potion master was revealed stretching his back as if he had sat in an uncomfortable position for hours. Slowly he strolled over the hall and walked into the living room noticing Harry and Slinky on the ground next to the sofa. Suddenly suspicious he stared at the two his face set in a grim expression.

“What are you two doing here?”

Harry forced an innocent wide -eyed expression on his face. “Slinky has helped me with Albus' dark object.” The elf nodded eagerly now jumping up and down on the table.

Snape reclined against the door frame one brow raised. “And what did you find out?”

“Nothing.” Harry shrugged his shoulders. “I tried all the curses we ever used on the horcruxes plus several Tonks taught me. It does not seem very dark to me, maybe it was used for something else entirely.”

“Maybe,” Snape muttered his gaze still suspicious. “Slinky I could use something to drink and maybe a sandwich.”

The elf squealed with obvious delight and with a snap of his fingers a plate stuffed with sandwiches and pumpkin juice materialized on the sofa table. Smiling proudly he floated over to Snape and the potion master rubbed his neck for a moment.

“Anything else Slinky can do for Master Severus?”

Shaking his head Snape went over to the table and got a sandwich. “That will be all Slinky, you are free to do whatever you want tonight. Potter and me will go out, so there is no need to be around.”

“Then Slinky can visit his house elf friend in that school?” When Snape nodded with an amused expression he began to roll in the air with sparks coming out of his hands. “Slinky hopes the two Masters have fun tonight, goodbye. “ With a snap he was gone leaving some sparks in the air.

Harry kept his eyes on Snape who had walked to the window that faced the sea staring into the darkness like he could see something only he could.

“We are going out?” Harry asked getting a sandwich for himself enjoying the cheese and pickles.

“Yes.” Obviously Snape was not in a chatty mood but Harry ignored that.

“Do I have to change into something more appropriate?”

Looking back Snape's gaze travelled over the jeans and shirt and nodded pointing to the bedroom. “I have arranged some clothes for you so you better start changing- we do not want to be later.”

Rising from the carpet Harry cursed softly when he pulled something in his back.

“You are not telling me where we go, are you?” he asked as he walked over to the door leading to the bedroom.

“No.”

Huffing Harry went inside and closed the door with a little more force than necessary his mind already wondering where they would go. When his gaze settled on the bed his eyes bulged out as he inspected the outfit he found there. For a moment he considered going back into the living room and telling Snape that he would surely not wear 'that' in public but then he remembered what had happened this morning and Snape's powerful presence. Suddenly apprehensive but also aroused he went into the bathroom to take a shower.


After that he stood in front of the mirror and admired his hairless private parts, that he had just shaved with a quick spell.


Who said he could not follow orders?