Guilty as Sin

CHAPTER 17

With the hot days of a forgettable summer behind him and the last of the Autumn sunshine finally dying into the grays of winter Harry had finally settled into his new way of life after only four months. Admittedly things were not perhaps the rosy picture he may have once wished for his life, but things were comfortable and manageable or at least they seemed to be at the moment. Harry had fallen into a curious routine but one nonetheless. His free time away from school classes and study was spent in Snape’s presence, either in the professor’s chambers, classroom or more recently out in a secluded little part of the seventh year greenhouses. With the growing cold of the winter the dungeons had become an uncomfortable place to stay for more than an hour or two and it had only been by Draco’s suggestion that Snape had agreed to moved their ‘sessions’ up into the warmth of the deserted greenhouses. Unaccustomed as he was to spending so much time in the elder wizard’s company before Harry now found himself enjoying their shared time together. Snape was not what he had expected. Yes, the man was still ruthless and on the occasions when Harry slipped up he felt the full force of Snape’s displeasure, but when unchallenged Snape was almost likeable.

Draco too it seemed had settled right into his new life eager to please Snape in whatever way possible. It had come as almost a tentative relief for Harry to have Draco fulfilling Snape’s sexual demands on a regular basis rather than himself. Snape it seemed almost wasn’t interested in him and while a little part of Harry felt abandoned the large part of him was relived that Draco was buying him time. Harry knew that time would run short eventually but by then Harry hoped he’d be ready for what was to come. After all Harry had spent the better part of four months cleaning up Draco afterwards and on occasions it had not been pretty. Just last week Snape had nearly killed Draco on the rug beside the fire choking the blonde to unconsciousness having he himself come back injured and angry from a summons to Lord Voldemort. Harry had paid dearly that night for interfering in Snape’s affairs as he’d pulled Snape away from Draco scared the elder wizard would continue choking the boy to death. Oh yes, the seven-inch scar from the letter opener across his back was proof he should have trusted in his Superei’s control of the situation rather than interfering. Another scar and another lessoned learned.

Harry had added more scars to his skin over the past few months but most he could justify after the event no matter how irrational he’d been before hand or stupid as Draco would say. He’d learnt a little control over his emotions, backing down more often than not when he felt the need to challenge Snape in some way. It was far better for all of them when Harry behaved himself.

As for the rest of the school everyone seemed oblivious to the scandalous liaisons between students and professor. After the deaths of the three students from the Hogsmeade attack Harry had gone back to being completely ignored by the better half of the entire school. No one made eye contact with him in the corridors and conversation was kept to cold instruction in class. Every night Draco and Harry would stay in Snape’s chambers sharing his bed. It seemed no one paid much attention to whether the boy who lived was tucked in his own bed at night or someone else’s and if they had noticed his absence from the Gryfindor Tower at night no one dared speak of it. Harry had even managed to sit at the Slytherin table at meals. No one challenged him when he’d first moved obviously the heads of the other three houses merely glad he’d not chosen to sit at their tables instead of Slytherin’s.

According to Snape’s bitter complaints the Order of the Phoenix was still having regular meetings to discuss Voldemort’s movements but Harry’s invitations to them were unsurprisingly withdrawn. It seemed the group were making plans without the boy who lived, which quite honestly suited Harry just fine. Dumbledore though had been persistent, dragging both he and Snape up to his office at the end of each month for a meeting to discuss his progress and what he’d learnt over the past months worth of detentions. Snape continued to make out to the headmaster that Harry needed further discipline and the boy hadn’t argued and neither had the headmaster, leaving the trio to continue their secret little life together in relative peace.

Tonight though was the annual winter feast the first major event on the school social calendar aside from the Quidditch matches. Although not permitted to go as part of his supposed punishment Harry was however helping Draco dress in his best ‘dressrobes’ for the occasion. Snape was naturally required to attend as part of the supervising staff and was most likely already in the great hall despite the muttering and cursing he’d done for most of the day to his seventh year potion class. Draco too was reluctant to go and pulled irritably at the collar and cuffs of his robes.

“Just hold still!” Harry snapped as he finally lost his temper with his fidgeting friend. Draco sighed dramatically and stood still on the chair as Harry did up the last gold clasps of Draco’s ankle length robe and smoothed out the creases.

“This is ridiculous, I feel like a giant Jack-o-lantern!” Draco muttered angrily as he stepped down from the chair and strode over to the full-length mirror hanging on the back of the door into the seventh year’s dorm. Harry bit his tongue trying and failing to hide his smile as he took in Draco’s appearance. Apparently over summer Draco had grown a little and his old dress robes no longer fit him. His ever loving and fashion conscious mother had sent him new robes from Paris to replace the old ones. According to her short note in the delivery box black and tangerine were the in colours of the season and that Draco would be the envy of the occasion. “I swear Potter if you laugh I’ll hex you.” Harry quickly covered his mouth with his hand trying desperately to hold back his giggles as Draco tugged uselessly at the tangerine cuffs and neck ruffle of the black robes he wore.

“Seriously you look fine Draco.” Composing himself Harry pushed the chair back into the corner of the dorm and sat himself down on the top of Draco’s trunk. Draco glared dangerously over his shoulder at Harry who dutifully kept the rest of his comments to himself.

“So what are you going to do all evening?” Draco changed the subject quickly as he sat down on the trunk beside Harry. It was obvious Draco was stalling for time unwilling to go down to the great hall dressed like he was.

“Don’t know, might go for a wander around the castle.” Harry shrugged his shoulders idly as they heard the excited Slytherin students beginning to leave the common room for the great hall.

“Just don’t get caught, Dumbledore specifically said you were restricted to the Gryfindor Tower this evening. Snape will be pissed if he has to bail your arse out of trouble.” Harry nodded understandingly as he pulled a very reluctant Draco to his feet and guided him forcefully towards the slowly emptying common room.

“I’ve got my dad’s cloak I’ll be fine, just you enjoy yourself and bring me back some pumpkin pie, oh and some of those butter cookies with sugar.” Draco rolled his eyes as Harry walked him purposefully through the mass exodus of students towards the great hall for the evening of festivities. Harry looked positively underdressed among the throng of people, his gray sweat pants and baggy old t-shirt practically rags compared to what some of the students were wearing. “Just enjoy it Draco, you look fine.” With a smile Harry left Draco at the entrance to the great hall, leaving the blonde to get swept up in the wave of excited students going inside. Harry sighed heavily as Draco disappeared, before wandering back against the crowd and over to sit on the bottom step of the grand staircase. It wasn’t long before the entire school was packed into the great hall, leaving Harry sitting alone on the bottom step staring in at them. The view of the start of the feast lasted a whole of a minute before Filch stepped up to the open doorway and with a glare at Harry swung the huge wooden doors closed with a deafening slam. Harry sighed and with a shrug of his shoulders gave the closed doors a one fingered salute, and a spiteful poke of his tongue.

Harry really hadn’t wanted to go to the feast anyway and at least now he knew he could wander the grounds without getting caught, knowing everyone was at the feast. With a satisfied smile Harry dug his fathers invisibility cloak out of his pocket and having resized it with a flick of his wand drew the silken warm material around his person. It was with an overwhelming sense of defiance that Harry strode confidently and unstopped out through the front doors of Hogwarts and out into the chill air of the evening.

Not sure where he was heading Harry walked idly through the darkened grounds of the castle. He stopped for a while to watch the owls hunting from the west tower before continuing on to the deserted Quidditch pitch. It had literally been weeks since Harry had been allowed outside in the grounds, aside from match days and for Care of Magical Creatures classes. The crisp icy bite of the wind was refreshing and Harry breathed in deeply as he took his cloak off and stowed it away in his pocket. With pent up energy Harry began running down towards the edge of the lake, jumping and laughing as he stretched and enjoyed the freedom. Being cooped up in the castle was hell and finally having a little room to move was thrilling, it also allowed him to run off some furious energy that had been building slowly as the tension between he and Snape had risen over the past few months.

Slowing down as he neared the edge of the lake Harry continued jogging easily along the shore, watching the ripples on the deceptively calm waters. Slowing to a steady walk Harry glanced back up at the castle on the top of the hill. Harry couldn’t see anything beyond the flickering of the lights in the windows but when the wind died a little he could hear music coming from the great hall. Harry snorted with amusement wondering if like the past years anyone had been dared to ask Snape to dance. With a deep breath out Harry turned his back on the castle and focused his attention on lake. As he stared out at the calm shallows a wicked thought settled in Harry’s mind. Glancing around him cautiously Harry noted that he was just on the edge of the forbidden forest and that despite being able to see the castle from where he stood no-one would be able to see him from the castle’s windows. With a wicked grin Harry kicked off his runners and pulled his t-shirt and jumper off dropping them in a pile on the pebbled shore of the lake. Hoping on either foot Harry dropped his gray sweat pants and then with one more glance around at the darkened grounds dropped his white underwear as well.

Naked Harry waded quickly into the shallows of the lake. The water at first was surprisingly cold and took Harry’s breath away but as he dunked his head beneath the gentle ripples his body adjusted to the temperature. Beneath the water out of the wind it was almost warm and Harry paddled carelessly back and forth in the shallows. Harry knew from experience that the squid preferred deeper waters, and that the water folk would never venture this close to the forbidden forest unless forced to, so Harry knew he was relatively safe. Harry was enjoying himself swimming back and forth along the shoreline. Lying on his back to float Harry stared up at the stars and the moon just visible between the breaks in the cloud. Undoubtedly it would rain tomorrow but it didn’t matter much before Harry would be confined indoors again anyway. Harry smiled to himself as he was rocked soothingly back and forth with the ripples of the lake the motion lulling him into relaxation. The tension that had set up permanent residence in his shoulders, neck and back over the past months since summer had begun to ease too leaving him feeling tranquil. All in all Harry thought he’d made a good decision and the boy closed his eyes in contentment and peace.

Harry’s solitude and peace however was rudely interrupted as the boy heard the crunch of footsteps on the pebble shoreline. Instinctively Harry righted himself in the water ducking hastily behind a clump of reeds as he watched a strange figure wander out from between the shadows of the trees in the forbidden forest. Stiffening a little in fear Harry realized immediately he was completely defenseless his wand carelessly abandoned with his clothes in a pile on the shoreline.

“Shit.” Harry whispered to himself as he watched the figure walked straight over to the pile of clothes. In the darkness Harry couldn’t see the face of the cloaked figure but he could make out the shape of a duffle bag thrown over the strangers shoulder. Swallowing nervously Harry lowered himself further into the water careful not to disturb the shallows and alert the stranger to his presence. From his feeble hiding place behind the reeds Harry watched as the figure stopped beside his pile of clothes before squatting down to pick up both Harry’s t-shirt and his wand. Harry bit his lip in worry as he watched the figure twirl Harry’s wand around expertly in between his fingers before drawing up Harry’s t-shirt to his face. Harry was a little stunned but froze in fear as a large gust of wind blew up across the lake rustling the reeds Harry was hidden behind and sending shivers up Harry’s spine. Like lightening the strangers head snapped up from Harry’s t-shirt the stranger dropping both items back onto the shoreline as he stood up and looked out onto the lake directly at where Harry was still hiding. In the reflection of the moonlight off the water Harry saw then the flash of indigo behind the shadow of the strangers hood.

“Come out, come out where ever you are.” Harry shook from head to toe the strangers voice deep and mellow, both strangely erotic but also lethally calm. Harry remained where he was frozen to the spot with his feet buried in the mud and weed of the lake bottom and his hands uselessly gripping the hard stems of the reeds. Another large gust of wind whipped around him from the lake and Harry watched as the stranger lifted head into the breeze breathing it in deeply. “Come now, I can smell you and your fear.” Harry closed his eyes and cursed silently to himself. Draco had sworn to Harry that they were rare, that it was never heard of for Elith-furatu to ever gather together. You were more likely to meet a servant of the dark lord in the street than you were another unforgiven and if you did you probably wouldn’t ever know you had. Yet here standing on the shore was just that, calling to Harry like a siren of the sea. “If you do not come I will bring you to me.” Harry still didn’t move his gaze locked on the flashes of indigo he could see beneath the hood of the figure. “Be it as you wish.” Harry heard the stranger whisper before he saw the stranger remove a wand from within the folds of his cloak and direct it randomly out at the lake surface.

It was a moment before Harry realized something was happening and a moment more before he heard the strangers voice again this time softly in his mind. The voice was warm and mellow it’s lilting tones wrapping like string around every part of Harry’s body rendering him weak and pliable.

“Has, eeilth mangarlia nos eff. Has, eeilth mangarlia nos ess.” Harry had never heard the language before in his entire life, and while it sounded a little like his parceltongue it felt like a far older tongue. To his own horror Harry automatically began to move the tone strings of the voice in his head forcing his body to move despite his every attempt at staying put. Slowly and like a puppet Harry walked easily towards the shore his gaze firmly focused on the figure of the stranger he was heading for.

The uneven pebbles of the shore scratched Harry’s feet as he finally stepped out of the water. Naked, cold and dripping wet Harry came to a complete stop in front of the cloaked stranger the tentacles of the voice in his mind falling away as the stranger lowered his wand and looked at him. Harry didn’t know what to do now he was back in control of his own shaking body and merely stared cold and frightened up into the shadowed face of the stranger.

“Hmm, more ordinary than I expected.” Harry twisted his hands in front of his exposed privates as he watched the stranger lift his hand and drop his hood back to reveal his face. Harry couldn’t help but gasp as he stared at the man before him. A mope of auburn curls waved in the wind on top of the stranger’s head, he had a long face with a square chin that sported a shortly cropped, well-kept goatee. His eyes sparkled in the moonlight and despite the indigo hue seemed to be green beneath. “Younger than your scent defines you as well.” Harry shivered uncomfortably in the icy cold wind as the stranger circled him twice looking his body up and down in scrutiny. Harry wasn’t sure where he dug his courage from but before the stranger could speak further Harry reached down for his things, including his wand. With reflexes like a cat the stranger got to Harry’s wand first snatching it from Harry’s clutches before the boy could touch it. “Now, now my wilting water lily we’ll have none of that.” Harry froze as the man ran the tip of his own wand back and forth across Harry’s pink cheeks and lips. Almost instantly Harry felt the familiar defiance rise in his chest spurred on now by both fear and anger at being insulted. Glancing up from his pile of clothes Harry locked his gaze with the stranger’s unaware that his own gaze had turned lavender as well. “Ah ha, we have character after all do we? Would I be so lucky as to find one unbroken?” Harry wasn’t sure whether the man was talking to him or himself but judging from the hungry look in the man’s gaze it shortly wouldn’t matter whom he was talking to.

“Touch me and I’ll break every bone in your body.” Harry growled allowing his instincts to take over like he’d never allowed before when challenging Severus.

“Indeed? I have little doubt you’d try but trust me you would not succeed. It would be far wiser of you to come with me, share perhaps a little meal and let us talk.” Harry watched curiously as the stranger offered him back his wand almost in a peace offering. With a glance up at the castle Harry sighed heavily and snatched his wand back making the stranger smile in satisfaction. “Get dressed and follow me, I have a camp a little further into the forest.” Harry belatedly nodded as he hastily pulled on his clothes. Instinctively Harry knew if he tried to run he’d never make it past the Quidditch pitch before being brought down, and just like when he challenged Snape Harry knew he’d probably not win against a Superei, which was definitely what this stranger was. With a final glance back at the castle Harry pulled himself together and followed the stranger back into the pitch of the forbidden forest.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A/N

WARNING!!!!!

Alright I know none of us really pay much attention to these warnings because we think we\'re tough and although I hate thinking that they put some people off good stories I know they\'re there for a reason thus I wish to offer you a warning before you continue this story. I do appreciate everyone that has reviewed so far but I can\'t help noticing a few of you wincing with visible sighs of difficulty in reading this story....I am not out to completely ruin people\'s lives so thus I will remind you all again that if you don\'t enjoy or cannot handle dark fics, blood play, dubious consent and dom/sub relationships that envolve rather violent situations please don\'t continue to read this story. I can\'t handle a few hundred emails of complaints reguarding the content of this story and I would much rather you listen to my warnings and leave now so that those of us who do enjoy this kind of thing in thier FICTION!, can do so without censure...

Having said that, those of you who are making the \'adult\' choice to continue reading this story with an open mind then I\'m sure you can deduce the next chapters are rather juicy ones which even I enjoyed writing so you\'ll love reading. Anyway thank-you again for all the reviews, I can\'t tell you how much it means to a writer to be praised with such an honor as being lent your time to read a story I wrote.

Again please read and review and I hope you enjoy the next update which will come perhaps tonight, but perhaps tomorrow...*Winks cheekily*

Cheers Riffraff