Smoke & Mirrors

Disclaimer The characters and sheer genius belong to J K Rowling. Any smut is mine, but I don't make a penny/eurocent/cent from my warped imagination.

Chapter 21 Council of War
The rest of that week was very trying for Harry. The twins were busy all hours in the shop, Ron and Hermione had gone back to Hogwarts for the few days left until the end of term, and Kreacher was worse than no company at all. They'd got the parcel of potion ingredients together and dispatched them to Vix's Vices, but since then they'd heard nothing further from the Knockturn Alley brothel.

What was going on? Had Snape succeeded with his Memory Melding experiments – had he managed to create a Polyjuice potion for memories to substitute a naked, squirming Draco for Harry in the wet dreams? – and without Vix suspecting what he was doing?

Did Snape know that Vix was the rent-boy he'd abused in his youth? Surely he must. And what were Vix's intentions? Harry had questioned Kreacher again, but had come away more muddled than ever. He had the impression that Vix's feelings towards Snape were ambivalent, to say the least. And as for Snape's feelings towards Vix... he didn't even want to go there.

The only bright spot of the week came when Fred clattered up the stairs to the flat one afternoon, bringing a visitor with him. Harry looked up from the Memory Melding scroll, which he was still brooding over obsessively – mainly, it had to be admitted, for the sight of Snape's familiar, cramped handwriting.

"Remus!" he exclaimed joyfully. "Oh, I am glad to see you... have you recovered from my cock-up with your Wolfsbane potion and everything?"

Remus Lupin followed Fred into the room and stood smiling down at Harry. He looked tired and careworn, but his eyes were as kind as ever. "I'm fine, Harry. I'd have come before, but that mix-up with the potion did set me back a bit; Tonks hasn't allowed me out of the house until today."

Harry, feeling guilty, started to apologise, but Remus held his hand up to stop him. "Forget it, Harry. Accidents will happen. And I doubt I'd have been as fearsome to the centaurs in my human form!"

"Sit down, Remus," Fred said, unusually gently for him. "You're looking pretty peaky. I know what my Mum would say: you need a nice cup of tea," and he hurried off to the flat's small kitchen to make some.

Remus sat down at the table, opposite Harry. "I've got something to tell you," he said. "I finally remembered what it was I saw at the Ministry that day, before the full moon took most of my wits away."

Harry frowned. So much had happened since then, he only vaguely remembered what Remus was talking about. "Oh – yeah – you saw a memo? What was it about? Something important?"

"Not as such," Remus said. "As far as I can remember, it was just a printed circular giving the dates the Ministry of Magic is closed for the Christmas break. But this one had a handwritten PS at the bottom – so you should be able to make it to our little gathering at the fox's place before your holiday. He's got something special planned, so make sure you're on duty that night, he needs the P."

"The P?" Harry said. "What's that?"

"Ah, well, the reason I looked at the memo in the first place was because it was on Oliver Spignel's desk," Remus explained. "He's a crony of Dolores Umbrage's, I was hoping to see if he had anything about the latest anti-werewolf legislation. But it appears he's been given a new responsibility recently – as one of the custodians in the Ministry's Department of Rare Magical Artefacts."

Harry looked blank. "Rare magical artefacts?"

"According to Tonks," Remus said, "The Department of Rare Magical Artefacts contains some VERY interesting items. Including what we think is the only other Pensieve in Britain!"

"Oh, right," Harry said doubtfully. Then "Oh, P - Pensieve – RIGHT."

"But I'm afraid it doesn't help all that much," Remus added regretfully. "Because we've no idea what the fox's place means, or when their little gathering is going to be, except it's obviously not long before the Ministry's Christmas break."

Harry smiled. He thought he knew what the fox's place was. He winked at Fred, who had come back in time to hear Remus's last remark.

"Fox's place?" said Fred, carrying a laden tea tray into the room and pushing the door shut behind him with his heel. "Mmm, I wonder. Maybe you should ask young Ron."

"Well, that's my news," said Remus, accepting a cup of tea from Fred. "What's been happening with you?"

Harry leaned forward. "Lots."

~*~
That night, lying awake in the twins' spare bedroom, Harry mulled over the events of the day. It had been good to see Remus; even better, that Remus thought he was right about Snape being at Vix's Vices. And now Remus had promised to tell Tonks all they knew – and suspected – about Vix blackmailing Ministry officials. Maybe things would get moving at last... Remus had seemed to think she'd be able to enlist Kingsley Shacklebolt's help...

... I like Kingsley, Harry thought drowsily. ...I wouldn't trust many people at the Ministry, but I trust him... Remus does too... Remus is a good bloke... he's always been supportive with me and Sev'rus... oh, Sev'rus... when will I see you again?

His eyes closed...

Snape was forcing him to his knees on the cold dungeon floor. His clothes seemed to dissolve away and his cock jutted, hot and aching. Snape had his wand out and was tracing Harry's length, over and over, as Harry got more and more hard and desperate for release. "Please, please," he moaned; the wand tip circled the head of his cock and then probed delicately into its slit. Drops of precum slid down the wand and Snape hissed "Are you enjoying it yet?" as the dungeon vanished and Harry found himself lying on top of a large bed staring at his naked reflection in a ceiling mirror. A dark figure loomed into view beside him. It was Snape, his face twisted with fury; he was urgently shouting at Harry, his voice booming and distorted, but Harry couldn't distinguish the words... Snape was desperately pumping his cock, he came at last...

... and woke up, softening cock gripped in his sticky hand.

Every night after that, Harry was visited by vague, disjointed dreams, which usually ended with Snape fucking him while whispering in his ear.. but he could never quite make out what he was saying. When he woke, he couldn't remember anything but his own need, his lover's urgency, and, through all the dreams, a sense that Severus was trying to tell him something... something important...

Echoes from these dreams haunted his lonely days. He was only really free of them in the evenings, when the twins' boisterous presence filled the flat. It was hard to be introspective with Fred and George around. One evening, a confused medley of Christmas carols sounded from over by the window, where George was tinkering with the door warning charm. "I thought the chimes were getting a bit dull," he explained. "I'm trying to get it to play a different carol for each visitor."

"So who's down there – an entire Quidditch team?" Fred enquired sarcastically.

But the visitors proved to be Ron and Hermione, laden with parcels. Hermione also had Crookshanks draped across her shoulders like a rumpled ginger stole. Harry's spirits rose at the sight of his friends, only to be dashed when they explained that they'd be leaving later to visit their respective parents.

"But we thought we'd better catch up with you first, Harry," Hermione said. "And Remus and Tonks promised to call in, too; we can all have a council of war." She deposited her parcels in a neat pile by the door. "I've been doing some of my Christmas shopping." She squeezed Harry's arm. "I promised my parents I'd visit them as soon as term ended, but I'll come back if you need me, of course."

"Thanks, Hermione," Harry said. "How about you, Ron? Are you going to be at the Burrow till the start of next term?"

"Nah, mate, just a few days, then I'll be back in London. Mum and Dad are going to Bill and Fleur's for Christmas, but I said I'd rather stay here."

"Nothing like waiting for an invitation, is there?" Fred remarked idly.

Ron snatched up one of Hermione's parcels and hurled it at Fred, who deflected it towards the sofa with a flamboyant wand flourish. Crookshanks leapt down and intercepted it with a sweep of his paw. The parcel started running across the floor, emitting high pitched squeaks. Crookshanks bounded after it, ears laid back, thrashing his tail wildly from side to side.

"Bad cat!" Hermione exclaimed. "You're not supposed to have that until Christmas!" She returned the parcel to its pile with a businesslike flick of her wand. "It's a bewitched catnip mouse from the Magical Menagerie; you must have set it off, Fred."

Crookshanks tried to go after his prey, only to be baulked by an invisible barrier Hermione conjured up to protect her parcels. He stood up on his hind legs, batting fruitlessly at thin air, looking like a feline mime artist. Everyone was laughing at his antics when a cheery medley of Oh Come, All Ye Faithful and While Shepherds Watched announced the arrival of Tonks and Remus.

Soon the seven of them were seated round the twins' dining table for their council of war. A chastened Crookshanks abandoned his quest for the mouse and slunk under the table.

"Well," Tonks began, "I've been able to convince Kingsley Shacklebolt that Vix's needs investigation. He's Head of the Auror Office now, and he's had his suspicions of Oliver Spignel for some time. He thinks he can get him out of the way, and he's planning to install Ludo Bagman as a custodian in the Department of Rare Magical Artefacts in his place. Then hopefully one of Vix's minions will approach him instead."

"Ludo Bagman?" Harry said incredulously. "I thought they sacked him ages ago."

"Well, he has had rather a chequered career at the Ministry," Tonks admitted. "But his dodgy past is all to the good; they're less likely to suspect he's a plant. I mean, nobody's going to believe that someone like Arthur Weasley's developed a sudden urge to shag house-elves, are they? But Ludo Bagman – well –"

"I don't think they're likely to believe it of him, either," Hermione said scornfully.

"Well, maybe not," Tonks conceded. "But I'm sure they'd believe he'd want to see Harry disgraced; after all it was down to him that Ludo lost all that money betting on the Triwizard tournament."

"Served him right," George said. The twins still hadn't forgiven Bagman for reneging on his bet with them at the Quidditch World Cup.

"Look," Harry said. "It may be nothing, but I keep having... these dreams. About Snape. I can't help feeling he may be trying to communicate with me somehow."

The twins nodded knowingly, their faces unnaturally solemn. Remus and Tonks exchanged glances. Ron stared fixedly at the table and Hermione gave Harry a sympathetic smile.

"It's not just sexual frustration!" Harry said hotly, then went red. "I mean, er, I just think something may be going to happen very soon... that's what he's trying to tell me... and, well, I just think we should be prepared," he finished lamely.

"I agree, Harry," Hermione said, fumbling with her bag. "That's why I made a fresh lot of these," and she shook a pile of gleaming gold Galleons out onto the table. "They're like the ones I did for the DA – only I've improved them; anyone can send a message to all the others, not just Harry like last time."

"Good idea," Ron said, reaching for one of the Galleons. The others murmured agreement and followed suit, until there were just half a dozen coins left on the table.

"I thought you could take some spares, Tonks," Hermione said. "Then Kingsley and anyone else at the Ministry you're sure is trustworthy can be in secret contact with us too."

"Nice one, Hermione," said Tonks, scooping up the remaining coins.

~*~
That night Harry had his most vivid dream yet.

At first, he seemed to be back at the council of war they'd had that evening. There seemed something odd about it, though. Eventually he realised that Remus's place had been taken by Snape, and that Kreacher had replaced Hermione. Tonks was saying "Nobody would believe Arthur Weasley shags house-elves."

Ron leered, said "I've shagged hundreds of house-elves," and put his arm round Kreacher's neck.

Harry, shocked, looked at Snape who stared deep into his eyes and said "Stupid boy, why don't you listen to me?"

And instantaneously they were naked in Harry's bed, clasped in a loving embrace, kissing deeply. Snape pulled back and smiled at Harry, who said "How did you get here?"

"I always hold you close to my heart," Snape replied, and kissed Harry's neck. Then he said, "We must talk. There isn't much time."

Harry strained to rub his cock against Snape's, but his lover moved away, listening intently. Harry clutched at him, but Snape seemed to dissolve into thin air as Harry woke, calling out his lover's name.

~*~
A couple of days later a spirited rendition of The Holly and the Ivy from George's door charm heralded a visit from Kingsley Shacklebolt. "Hallo there," he said cheerfully, when Harry let him in. "I've popped out of the office to do some Christmas shopping."

"I can see that," Harry said, grinning; Kingsley was even more laden than Hermione had been. Harry eyed the familiar magenta wrapping paper on the parcels poking out of the largest bag. "Is EVERYBODY buying Christmas presents from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?"

Kingsley gave his deep chuckle. "My nephews love their jokes. Of course, my sister will probably never speak to me again. But at least it gave me an excuse to visit you and bring you up to date."

"Yeah, Tonks told us about your scheme," Harry said. "Did it work?"

Kingsley chuckled again. "Thanks to an item from one of the twins' Skiving Snackboxes – minus its antidote – Oliver Spignel is now on sick leave. That's strictly confidential, of course," and he winked.

"So did you manage to get him replaced by Ludo Bagman?"

"Mmm, no problem. Not many people wanted to be seconded for extra evening duty so close to Christmas."

"Are you sure you can trust Bagman?" Harry said doubtfully. "He might not mean to betray you, but he's not the brightest tool in the box, is he?"

"Oh, he's okay," Kingsley said easily. "He's done very well, as a matter of fact. He got into a grumbling session about you with Amos Diggory in the Leaky Cauldron after work one night, and the next day he had an invitation to a special gentlemen's evening at a select establishment."

"When?" Harry asked eagerly. "And did they ask him to bring the Pensieve?"

"They haven't mentioned the Pensieve," Kingsley said. "But they will, they will. And we've plenty of time; it's not till next Thursday."

"Are you sure?" Harry said uneasily. "Um, I keep getting these dreams... I think it's Severus Snape trying to contact me... and I'm sure something's going to happen very soon..."

"No, no, next Thursday," Kingsley said confidently. "Makes sense when you think about it, it's the last full working day at the Ministry before the Christmas break. And very fortunate too; it gives me time to follow up a tip from an informer about a different problem." Seeing Harry's expression he added, "But don't worry, if you should need us, Ludo and I have both got one of Hermione Granger's clever Galleons." And he smiled reassuringly as he hoisted up his parcels and left the flat.

"Ludo Bagman's probably lost his one, gambling, by now," Harry grumbled to himself, watching from the window as Kingsley disappeared into the busy crowds of Christmas shoppers thronging Diagon Alley. He wondered idly what Kingsley's 'tip off' had been.

That night in Harry's dream the sense of urgency and frustration was stronger than ever. He lay naked on top of a large bed. Snape, fully clothed, had his wand out and was stroking Harry to an aching hardness. Again, he probed the tip of Harry's erection with his wand tip until it was coated in glistening precum. Then with a swift movement Snape pushed up Harry's legs to display his opening. Fascinated, Harry watched himself in the ceiling mirror as Snape teased at the rosy pucker with his slippery wand, finally intruding it into Harry with a long slow slide. "Ah, so I've gained your attention at last, have I, Mr Potter," Snape murmured silkily as he moved his wand inside Harry. Harry groaned, longing to come, yet held agonisingly on the verge, desperate for Snape to bring him off.

With each thrust of his wand Snape groaned hoarsely "It's TONIGHT you fool TONIGHT tonight tonight..."

As his voice faded away Harry awoke, his heart thumping wildly, his spunk spattering the sheets, and his mind filled with a sense of dread.

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