The Headmaster

Chapter 26 The Headmaster

Harry sat at his meeting with the school’s trustees unable to concentrate. He was harsh with Severus and thought his punishment was perhaps too severe.

“Gentlemen,” Harry interrupted, “I find myself with too much on my mind to concentrate on what is being said. I think it would be best for all, if we postpone the rest of this meeting for another time.”

“Headmaster Potter, the school should be your only concern. If you are unable to give 100% of yourself to the task at hand, it seems that Dumbledore and the trustees of the school have put too much faith in one who is obviously too young to shoulder the responsibility,” Malcolm, the youngest of the trustees, said.

Harry had always wondered who Malcolm had paid off to get the position of trustee. Behind the man’s humorous remarks was always an insult. Before speaking he stopped and wondered if one of the many curses was clouding his judgment. When he was sure that his feeling towards the man was valid, he walked up to the long table where the trustees were sitting and leaned menacingly over until he was nose to nose with Malcolm.

“You, sir, are absolutely right. I am too inexperienced to hold the position of Headmaster. You need someone older and wiser to deal with the mayhem that hundreds of children can cause and still be able to put some knowledge into their hormonal brains. I officially resign as Headmaster of Hogwarts, effective at the end of the year or till you find a suitable replacement. Now if you don’t mind,” Harry snickered, “I don’t care if you do mind, I have a special person in my life that I owe an apology too.” Harry apparated from the room.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

When Harry stepped into his bedroom he found Severus still sulking from his dressing down from earlier in the day. He sat on his bed, his arms folded across his chest glaring at Harry. Ignoring the look the Gryffindor went to the dresser and pulled out fresh shorts and socks and tossed them on the bed. After finding a warm pair of trousers in the closet Harry went about looking for the warmest robe that Severus owned. In his opinion nothing was suitable for the outing he had planned.

“What are you doing Potter?” Severus snarled.

“Get dressed, we’re going out.” Harry placed the clean clothes on the bed.

“I think not. I’m too fragile and might endanger myself if I move from the bed,” Snape replied.

Harry only rolled his eyes and tossed the sheets off of Severus. He pulled the Slytherin’s legs around until they hung over the edge of the bed, effectively making Severus to sit up. Lifting one leg up at a time Harry slipped the boxers over his lover’s feet and pulling them up around his knees. He effortlessly lifted Severus to his feet and pulled up and over his cock and bum.

“I will continue to dress you if you wish,” Harry leered.

“I am not a child that needs to be attended too. I can dress myself… if I want to.” Severus stood motionless.

“Severus don’t be pigheaded, get dressed now,” Harry ordered, his tone leaving no doubt that Severus was treading on thin ice and that his earlier punishment would be nothing compared to what the young man could do. Reluctantly, Severus reached for his socks and slipped them on, all the while giving Harry the evil eye.

Once Severus was dressed Harry looked up and down at the Potion Master and was still not pleased at how warmly the man was dressed. Pulling the comforter off the bed, Harry wrapped it around Severus, effectively cocooning him.

“Mr. Potter, I am about to keel over from the heat, is there a reason you are trying to smother me to death?” he growled.

“You are such a drama queen,” Harry said as he swept Severus into his arms. “When are you going to stop fighting me and start trusting my decisions concerning you?” Harry didn’t wait for a reply but carried the slightly struggling Slytherin through the halls of Hogwarts.

Harry’s broom was waiting for the two of them right outside the doors of the school. Placing Severus on the broom Harry climbed behind him and held his lover tight in his arms. Pushing off with his feet Harry took off into the darkening late afternoon sky.

Relaxing in Harry’s arms the two soared over the mountains and valleys that surrounded Hogwarts. It had been years since the Potion Master enjoyed the freedom of flying.

Harry gently touched down on a narrow edge of the mountain that towered over the school.

“I use to come here often when I was a student. I found it had a calming affect on me when life became stressful,” Harry explained.

“If I am such a stress to you why don’t you send me back to Draco’s and we can forget the oath you took,” Severus grumbled.

“Severus you hear only what you want to hear. This is a special place for me; one I wanted to share with you,” Harry exasperatedly explained. He continued before Severus could reply, “I want to apologize for my behavior this afternoon. You falling down was partly my fault. I should have been sure you had everything you needed before you left.”

“Yes, you should have,” Severus answered smugly.

“That doesn’t mean that you weren’t at fault too. You could have easily have asked one of the house elves to retrieve you books you so desperately wanted,” Harry scolded lightly. “So your punishment is to be modified, you can choose which penalty you prefer. You either can forfeit us snuggling, me sleeping with you, or our kisses.”

Severus didn’t want to give up anything. “I do believe a warning would be sufficient and that I have indeed learned my lesson,” Severus tried to reason with his young lover.

“Severus, choose,” Harry demanded.

With a heavy, put upon sigh Severus answered Harry, “If I must choose and I still think you are being unreasonable, I believe I will choose to forgo your kisses for the next two weeks. You do realize that it will be as much a punishment for you as for me?”

“Yes I do realize that.” Harry smiled and pulled Severus under his arms to snuggle. “Now you have to answer a question for me and then the subject will be dropped.”

Severus raised his eyebrow.

“When we started this arrangement between the two of us you seem agreeable but as of late you seem to be… reluctant to listen to me. You do not even try to do your exercises and you eat barely enough to keep a bird alive. I want to know what has happened.”

Severus looked at the horizon as the sun slowly disappeared before he answered. “Before I answer your question please do me a favor and answer one for me.”

Harry nodded his head in agreement.

“What are your plans once I start walking?” Severus refused to look at Harry, embarrassed by the neediness in his voice.

“What do you mean what are my…?” It suddenly struck Harry what Severus was really asking. Would Harry still be there for Severus once he regained his health? “Severus, listen carefully. I love you. I have always loved you. Once you regain your health you will still be my responsibility. We will be able to enjoy all the things normal couples do. The only real difference will be is that my punishments will be more physical,” Harry teased.

“You will tire of me,” Severus stated.

“Never!” Harry replied.

Severus turned to finally look at the young wizard. “I need you Harry Potter. I ache when you’re not near. I long for your touch. I’m totally lost without you. Please if there is the slightest possibility that you may someday leave me, do it today. There would be a slight chance I could survive without you but the longer I am with you the harder it will be for me to live when you leave.”

“I gave you an oath to take care of you. I give you another oath today; I will always be with you until death and beyond.”

Severus seemed to be satisfied with the answer, leaning over to seal their fate with a kiss, a kiss that Harry allowed. Severus’ punishment could start the following morning. Harry needed Severus as badly as Severus needed him. The evening would be spent in each other’s arms comforting one another.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

The bartender got in touch with Draco by six o’clock that same evening. The two made arrangements for Draco to meet Jake at midnight and informed him to bring the money. Draco assured him that he would. If the bartender did get Jake there it would be worth a hundred times more than he was giving him.

Draco sensed a setup as soon as he took a step into the rundown bar. He looked about the room for anything suspicious, not finding anything did nothing to relieve his concerns.

Pulling a pouch full of coins out of his pocket Draco slid it across the bar to the chubby hand of the bartender.

“Where is he?” Draco asked.

The bartender nodded to a dark corner of the room. All Draco could see was the silhouette of a man. He took a step forward and paused. Thinking better of it he slipped his wand from his sleeve, reading himself for a fight.

“Put the wand down,” said a voice from behind.

Slowly Draco turned, his hands raised slightly in plain sight. He wasn’t surprised to see the bartender gone and what looked like a longshoreman standing in his place.

“We don’t like strangers getting involved with what doesn’t concern them any. We’ll let you live if you hand over the other 5,000 galleons and be on your way.” The man barely towered over Draco but out weighed him by twice as much.

“This has nothing to do with you. I need a few moments with Jake and I will be on my way,” Draco lied.

“What’s this hogwash about someone leaving him some money? Jake has never done a good thing for anyone unless he got something in return.”

“Well he did my client a service that needs to be paid for,” Draco replied.

“And just what service did I do, fancy pants?” The man that sat in the dark corner stepped forward into the dim light of the room.

Draco was shocked, thought his face remained neutral; this man was described as a robust and powerful had withered to nothing but skin and bones.

“Jake?” questioned Draco.

“Yes.”

“You use to work at Azkaban?”

“What’s it to you?”

“I believe that my client owes you for services rendered,” Draco answered.

“If it was anyone but me I might believe you mate but knowing me as well as I do, I’ve never done anything that I didn’t get something in return for.” Jake waved his hand and a small group of wizards seemed to appear from the walls. “Kill him,” Jake ordered.

“Before you do something rash I think that you should look about the room once more,” Draco instructed between clenched teeth.

For every one of Jake’s cohorts there were two of Draco’s investigators standing behind them with their wands drawn. Draco pushed Jake against the wall and lifted him up until his feet were dangling. The weakened man scratched and clawed at Draco’s vicelike grip he had around his neck.

“You raped my godfather,” Draco snarled. “You raped and infected him. I should end you miserable life right now.” He pressed his fingers tighter around the struggling man’s neck. Draco felt a firm grasp his shoulder.

“Your orders were to take him alive sir. Have they changed?” the lead investigator whispered into his ear.

Shaking his head Draco loosened his grip he had on Jake, dropping his to the ground. “No… no, we need him alive. Take his to St. Mungo’s and call Healer Montague and tell him he has a new patient.”

“Yes sir,” the burly investigator tossed Jake over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and disappeared.

Draco straightened his robes before he turned to talk to his detectives. Draco smiled bitterly when he saw that one of his investigators holding the bartender tightly.

“I believe, by your actions, you forfeited the right to get paid,” Draco said calmly. He was about to reach into the bartender’s pocket but thought twice about it when he notice how filthy he was. He turned and spoke to his employees. “In his pocket is 5,000 galleons, here,” he pulled out a second envelope from his vest pocket, “is another 5,000. Think of it as a bonus for a job well done.” He slammed it on the counter of the bar.

“It’s not fair!” the bartender protested as he was stripped of his money. “I gave you what you wanted, it’s not fair.”

Draco dearly wanted to say that life wasn’t fair but thought better of it and simply ignored the whiney man and apparated to the hospital.

He wouldn’t consider himself as a religious man but he said a prayer as he apparated that it wasn’t too late to save his godfather.