Gift of the Unicorn

This story is based on characters and situations owned by JK Rowling, and various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books, and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No copywrite or trademark infringement is intended.

a/n As this is an a/u I will only use random bits and pieces from the Harry Potter books. Just letting you guys know as Dumbledore is still alive in this fic however Snape still got bit from Nagini…perhaps there will be a few other things, etc. etc, anyway carry on : P

Chapter 2

It has been two days since Severus has been in the infirmary and he hates it. If it were up to him he would have slinked back to his dungeons days ago, however, even with the aid of magic Severus’ arse still throbs every time he tries to move. It is infuriating. The man has survived a countless number of times under worse conditions, the Dark Lord’s cruciatus being a prime example. Yet something as simple as a coupling is keeping Severus away from his quarters and the man knows that the one to blame is Potter. Each and every one of Severus’ woes is due to that insufferable brat or his Father, though, as the man is long dead, all of Severus’ woes have surreptitiously been transferred to his demon spawn. The demon spawn who is currently once again trying to barge his way into the infirmary.

“Let me in. I have to see if he’s ok.” There is a soft mumbling before Potter speaks again, “I don’t bloody care! The man saved my life…” more mumbling, “well, if he doesn’t want to see me then he doesn’t have to. He can just look the other way. Bloody hell I thought that unicorn was gonna eat him alive…”

So the boy didn’t know about Severus’ special ‘gift’ given to him by that damnable unicorn? Well, perhaps wishing for small miracles isn’t too ludicrous. Or perhaps not, Severus thinks as the curtain to his bed is wrenched open and there staring at him dumbfounded is the Potter brat in the flesh.

“Professor?” the boy asks, curiosity, shock, and disbelief clouding his voice. “Professor Snape, is that you?”

Severus lets out a snort, eyes glaring daggers of hatred at Potter. “Unless you know of someone else who goes by the name ‘Professor Snape,’ then yes, it is I.”

The boy furrows his eyebrows in confusion as he continues to stare at Snape. “But earlier,” the boy says, looking very puzzled, “when I took Dumbledore out to get you from the forest you looked…different.

That has to be the biggest understatement of the century. “What you saw two days earlier in the forbidden forest was a magical mishap. You, Potter, were most likely in shock. I am as I have always been, if you had seen otherwise then you are surely mistaken.”

“B—but…” the boy stares at Severus for a few more minutes before shaking his head, perhaps to be rid of the memory. “Well, if you are truly all right, Professor.”

“I am,” Severus says easily. When the boy nods in agreement Severus lets out a barely perceptive sigh of relief. It is just a little bit of luck on Severus’ part that Potter, being a half blood and raised by muggles knows absolutely nothing of the Gift of the Unicorns. It is also his luck that Albus had the foresight to collect his hair that had, during his change, all fallen off. Another stroke of luck that Severus already has at least a years worth of polyjuice potion already made and ready to be consumed in his quarters.

“Professor,” the boy says, taking Severus out of his thoughts. “I just want to say…thank you. Not just for this time but for everything. You saved my life once again and I—”

“Potter,” Severus says sharply, cutting the boy off. “There is no need to thank me. I didn’t save your life of my own free will. I only did it because of my life debt I owe to you.”

The boy’s face seems to fall a little bit at those words and Severus is puzzled by the change. “Well, thanks anyway…Severus.”

“Get out. Get out!”

“I am a Professor; I can call you Severus now.”

“You cannot, as I have not bid you to do so. Now, be gone—out of my presence. There is a reason Poppy has kept you out of her infirmary and it is because I have asked her to do so. My dept is repaid to you and outside of staff meetings and the Great Hall I wish to stay as far away from your presence as possible.”

The Potter boy nods his head slightly as he gets up from the bed and Severus is surprised that he hasn’t blown up on him and called Severus a greasy git for his foul tone but perhaps the boy has done a little bit of growing up. “Bye, Professor,” the boy says, not turning back, just walking past the covers of Severus’ infirmary bed.

When the covers around Severus’ bed are closed the man lays his head down for a quick nap. Severus makes sure to take a sip of his polyjuice potion laced tea before letting himself drift off into the deep sea of unconsciousness.

***

When Harry walks back to his rooms Hermione is already there waiting for him. “So how did it go today, Harry? Did Madame Pomfrey let you see Professor Snape?”

“Yes, I got to see Severus.” Hermione lips go into a thin line but she doesn’t say anything—she is after all a Professor herself.

“And?”

Harry shrugs his shoulders as he flops down to the couch, “What do you mean ‘and?’ He is the same greasy git that he’s been for years. You know when I tried to thank him he made it very clear that he only saved me to fulfill his life-dept from when Nagini bit him.”

“Are you sure, Harry?” When Harry nods his head Hermione arches an eyebrow in confusion, “Well, you know how Professor Snape is. Anyway, are you sure that he was…perfectly alright?”

“If you mean was he is still the same snarky, greasy hair—”

“Yes, Harry!” Hermione exclaims, a reprimand coming through.

“Yup.”

“But…but I was sure! The way you described what happened I was sure that…”

“That what, Hermione?” The muggle studies teacher bites her bottom lip before releasing out a puff of air. “Oh, never mind. Now that I think about it thoroughly it can’t possibly be true. I mean Professor Snape would still have had to been a virgin.”

Harry stares at Hermione for all of two seconds before the two of them fall over each other in a fit of laughter. After a few minutes the two finally calm down, wiping tears from the corner of their eyes. “Hermione,” Harry says, a chuckle leaving his throat, “I don’t know what you were on about but the man is as unchanged as ever. If I knew him being a virgin was the basis of your belief I would have deterred you from that line of thought immediately.”

Hermione lets out a huff of irritation that her theory is unfounded but she presses on, if only because she has put two days time into coming up with the thing. “But how can you be sure that he isn’t wasn’t a virgin? We can’t just assume these things, you know.”

“Hermione, the man is almost forty.” Hermione just stares at him unfazed and Harry continues on, “Not only that but remember that time I saw into his pensive.” Hermione nods her head yes and Harry leans in closer, lowering his voice to a whisper even if it is only the two of them. “Well, from what I could see it looked like him and Sirius were…”

“Harry!” Hermione screeches out, scandalized. “That is utterly preposterous!”

“I don’t know about that, I mean Ron and Draco are together and they hate each other.”

“Yes, that is true, however that logic can’t be applied to everyone.”

“Well, what about Dumbledore and Grindelwald?”

“Harry, this is not sound logic.”

“Well, what about you and Pansy?”

Hermione flushes red but continues on, “All I am saying is if you did not see the two of them…you know…doing anything then you can’t say they were having some kind of carnal relationship just because they were enemies. If that were the case than you would have been buggering Voldemort.”

“Eww,” Harry says, flinging a pillow at Hermione, “don’t ever say that again. Gross.” Hermione just giggles before flinging the pillow back at Harry. Harry’s quidditch reflexes has him easily dodging the thing. “Well, I never told you this but…me and Blaise did have a thing.”

“What?”

Harry just laughs at the look on Hermione’s face. “Yup, so maybe this beloved enemies thing isn’t unfounded at all. I bet Sirius and Snape did have some kind of…thing.”

“Well, perhaps you are right, Harry. You are the one who saw the memory so I can’t say if it was or wasn’t. I just don’t think…”

“Shh, Hermione, that’s your problem. You think too much.” Hermione just smacks Harry upside the head before the two of them head down to the kitchens for a cuppa and a few pumpkin scones.

***

Severus hates these staff meetings, especially since two more Gryffindors had decided to join the ranks. At a moment like this Severus desperately wishes that Potter were more like his Father. If that man was deemed the savior of the wizarding world he would have used his status to the fullest—perhaps even to become the Minister of Magic, not to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

“Well, now that everyone is here let’s conduct this meeting post haste as many of you will like to return back to your summer vacations. Now, for the first bit of news…”

Idly Severus plays with a piece of his long greasy hair, blocking out Albus’ inane chatter as he has been through meetings such as this time and time again. Until the…incident Severus had rarely appreciated his hair but now that his hair is bloody perfect—even hours cooking up potions hadn’t ruined the perfection of his new hair, courtesy of that blasted unicorn—Severus finds himself feeling a slight nostalgia. However, the polyjuice potion helps just fine in that department.

“…right, Severus?”

“Pardon,” the dark haired man asks as his onyx eyes meet the annoying twinkle in Dumbledore’s. The Headmaster stares at him in silence, as well as all of the staff and Severus feels the tips of his ears turning red but luckily he is saved by his heavenly greasy hair which hides the bright color. Severus will not admit in front of all these dunderheads that he was daydreaming and off in some weird la-la land so the thin man edges on hesitantly. “Albus, I’m sure whatever you believe is best will be most appropriate.”

By the bright smile adorning the Headmaster’s face and the disbelieving one’s of his colleagues Severus is sure that the old man has just coned him. “Well, now that we are at an agreement this meeting is adjourned. I’ll be waiting most patiently for those lesson plans, my boy!”

Severus scowls in confusion, glaring at the Headmaster’s back as the old man shuffles out of the staff room with speed belying his many years. The sharp glare keeps his colleagues away from him as well as what Severus is sure will be a most annoying set of questions. It does not, however, silence the soft hum of noise that the combined whispers of his coworkers are making.

Severus lets out an annoyed huff as he watches the small group of witches and wizards exit the room at a much slower pace than Albus. When a few of his colleagues turn back to give Severus more curious looks the fierce glare on his face makes them quicken their pace, if only to be out of the oppressive atmosphere.

When the room empties out Severus lets out a half breath of relief before he brushes the wrinkles out of his robe. Years of being a spy has Severus checking his robe sleeves for his wand as well as his spare before the man quickly makes his way out of the staff room. The thick oak wood makes a solid thump as it closes behind him, yet the sound does not drown out the rhythm of someone breathing and in half a second Severus is turned around, wand out, pointing at the throat of one wide-eyed Harry Potter.

“What do you want, Potter?” Severus snarls out, annoyed that the brat is stalking him. When Potter just stares at him, an eyebrow cocked in curiosity, Severus lets out a huff of irritation before pocketing his wand. “Who knew that you possessed such delicate sensibilities,” Severus growls out in disdain, a slight smirk curving his lips upwards but Potter just ignores him.

“Severus,” Severus’ left eye twitches slightly but he doesn’t say anything about Potter using his given name. “I believe that it would be best if we get together as soon as possible. The school year will be starting soon and we hav—”

“Get together, Potter?”

A bright red blush infuses Harry cheeks, “Not like that sir!” Severus smirks because in his embarrassment Potter didn’t call him Severus. More of a reason to keep the boy in his flustered state.

“Potter, I never knew that you had a crush on me.”

“What!” The red of Harry cheeks darken and his bright green eyes look as if they’re about to pop out of his head.

“Potter, now that you are no longer my student…”

“No! No, absolutely not.” When Harry realizes how rude that just sounds the blush on his cheeks deepens, “No. I mean, what I mean is that we need to meet as soon as possible to for some joint lesson plans.”

“Why ever would I want to have a joint lesson with you?”

“But, you just agreed with Professor Dumbledore…”

Severus lets out a growl of irritation. He knew he’s been coned. “Yes, well, Albus is not always right. I do not teach Care of Magical Creatures, there is nothing that Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts need to pair up on. They are completely individual subjects.”

“That may have been true a few years ago but Aurors are trained as potion duelist and—”

“Potter, these are not Aurors they are students. Not all students want to waste time training as an Auror only to become a measly school teacher.”

The red on Harry’s face that had slowly began to fade comes back full force, this time a flush of anger instead of embarrassment. “Yes though some people just can’t seem to understand how killing Voldemort can be a large wake up call. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life chasing the bad guy, always being the hero. I want to be able to relax a bit, and the only place I’ve truly felt at home is at Hogwarts.”

Severus feels a slight lump form in his throat because even though Severus detests his teaching position, even though he had been cleared of all war time charges, Severus knows that he will never leave Hogwarts; it is his one and only home, no matter that he has to deal with annoying brats like Potter. “Oh, and Severus,” Potter’s voice knocks Severus out of his small reverie. Severus glares at the boy for dare using his first name again. “No wonder why you’ve always been such a crappy teacher, if you believe the position to be a ‘measly’ one.”

Before Severus can respond to the insufferable brat, the boy has already exited the premises. The boy quickly rounds one of the corners, leaving Severus with his bottom lip between his teeth, pondering Potter’s words.

Tbc…

a/n I am so sorry for the super long update but I was on a slight hiatus due to school, life, drama, etc. etc. Anywho I’ve had this written for more than two months now however I was trying to make this story a five part story, as such this chapter has more information that I would have liked to put in it. Unfortunatly my long absence is partly due to writer’s block which is preventing me from continuing on. I apologize for this and once again for the delay, I have decided to post this chapter even though I am not fully satisfied with the length and content as I am not being fair to you, my readers. I am hoping that maybe a little feedback from some people will help me get my muse back so that I may once more continue on with this story as well as my other ones. Thank you for reading and reviewing, I hope that my long absence hasn’t run off most, if not all of my readers : (