Just another Story

Harry walked into the manor, even now he could feel that something was wrong and had tried for a few days now to tell himself that it was just his imagination. After all if something was happening Sev would call for him or Albus would find some way to get word to him. He had laughed at himself the first night a deep sense of dread had filled his soul, almost suffocating him in its wake. After all Voldemort had died more than three years ago by his own hand, thanks to all the training he had gotten and the extra power that the bond had afforded him. Still the sense something was wrong would not leave him even as he tried to enjoy the finals that would hopefully see Ireland go to the world cup since his accident had seen that England would not be there. It was the first time since he started but Harry was sure that the bludger had been tampered with but nothing had been found saying it was. He had started for home but had been surprised when Severus had shown up and made him drink several potions.

Flashback;;;

Severus looked down into his pale face and sighed, “Really Potter I would have thought by now that you would keep yourself well stocked.”

“Normally I do because you send enough with me to keep a small army going but this year there just have been a lot of odd accidents and I ran out.” Harry gave his best grin, “I was going to tell you but well with practice and all I just forgot.” He noticed the look that Severus was giving him that hinted the man was far from surprised and sighed, “Come on don’t look at me with that tone of voice Severus Snape, I know I am being Gryffindor foolish but I thought what the nurse had would be fine enough.”

“I am amazed that it did anything at all.” Severus said dryly as he pulled his cloak around him though it was a warm day and then sighed, “Well I should get back to the manor; I do have a potion to get back to.”

Harry sighed and found he felt like he was back in school, “Well if you gave me a moment we can go back together.”

One of Severus’s eyebrows shot up in question, “I hardly see why you need to come back home Harry, you will be fine enough to walk. Just tell me that you wouldn’t enjoy getting to watch the world cup this once without the pressure of performing.”

Harry tilted his head and thought about it for a moment, “I suppose that it would but it might also be nice to not have to dodge the press.”

Severus gave a small laugh that almost sounded suspiciously like a cough, “I would think that avoiding the press would be an art form for you Harry.”

The younger wizard laughed and then gave his bonded a wink, “Only because some of those little tricks that you were so kind to show me. Like the one that makes quick quills write only gibberish.”

Severus smiled at him before heading out of the tent that Harry was staying in, “Well someone has to teach you those things and since Sirius is not around, I believe it is left up to me.”

Harry laughed; it had been a long time coming since he was able to when Sirius’s name was mentioned in a sentence, “You know you Remus is right you really would have made a great Marauder Sevvie.”

Severus’s called back, “If you ever wish to get a good nights sleep again Potter you will never say that again.”

End of flashback…

Harry set down his luggage at the foot of the stair way, his eyes looking over the picture that were on the wall. He found that he didn’t know a single one that stared back at him. A frown touched his face as a small girl with hair much like Harry’s smiled at him, “Is something wrong sir?”

Harry looked at her and nodded, “Yes I don’t remember you being here before and I thought this is where Violet Snape was.”

The girl giggled and smoothed down her white and pink dress, “Yes but that funny looking man put me here, he said something about wanting you to be surrounded by your family. I think he said something else but I can’t remember what.”

Harry felt his eyes mist some, Severus had found pictures of relatives that were his family, “I see, well thank you.”

The girl smiled and began to dance again as he turned and walked to the library, he wanted to know what possessed the man to do this. It was a nice thought but he couldn’t understand why he would take down his own family. Opening the door, Harry felt even more shocked as he looked on his mom and dad, “What the hell.”

He quickly tore up to where Severus’s room was and knocked on the door, his mind racing on why it seemed that every trace of the Snapes’ had disappeared. Growling he threw open the door and walked in happy to see that it hadn’t changed. He turned to leave till he noticed that the wardrobe door was half open and went over to it. His hand shook as he noticed that none of Severus’s robes where in there. Had Severus left him, he knew that things had been a bit strained lately but he didn’t think for once that Severus would leave his own house. Harry shook his head as he gave a strangled laugh, “Come on he probably just left early for Hogwarts is all, he wouldn’t leave without saying good bye and if you need proof just go to his lab.”

Harry made his way quickly to the basement and flicked his wand so that it would be lighted. A sinking feeling touched his guts as he noticed that Severus’s lab was empty with the exception of the long counter where Sev boiled his potions. Sitting on the last stair, Harry felt his world slowly crumble; he had hoped that when he got home that maybe he could get Sev to open up to him but it was apparent that he had waited to long.

“Harry.” A soft voice that was filled with concern interrupted his thoughts and he turned to see Remus standing at the door.

“Hi Remus.” He called back as he slowly stood up, “What are you doing here?”

Remus gave a sad smile, “I have come to get you and take you back to Hogwarts.”

Harry stopped as he looked to the man that had been one of the few that had not gone into a fit when the plan had been told to the rest of the order, “If Severus is there I think maybe I should stay right where I am, he left me Remus.”

Remus reached out and pulled the young man he thought of as his own into his arms, “It’s worse than that Harry, please come with me.”

Harry stepped back as he looked at Remus, “What do you mean that it is worse than that?”

“Severus is dying Harry; we don’t know how much longer he has.” The gentle man said with sadness in his voice.

“He can’t be, the bond is supposed to protect him and besides I would have known if he had been attacked.” He saw the look on Remus’s face, “He wasn’t attacked, tell me that he didn’t try out one of his own potions, he promised that he wouldn’t do that anymore.”

“No Harry it’s not that at all.” Remus walked out of the kitchen still pulling Harry after him, “All I know is that he is fading.”

Harry opened his mouth only to shut it and followed as his mind raced. If Severus was fading that could only mean that something wrong had happened with the bond but as far as Harry knew there was nothing that could break it. Remus pulled him close as he pulled out a portkey that would take them to Hogwarts directly.

Remus made sure that he didn’t fall as they found themselves in the infirmary and Poppy met them, “Oh good you found him, Severus is getting weaker by the moment.”

“Poppy what is fading?” Harry moved closer to the woman who had more than one time put him back together when he was a student.

Poppy hugged him and whispered into his ear, “Harry it is what happens when a wizard or witches heart is broken when they are in a bond.”

Harry’s green eyes widen as he stepped back and looked into her face, he wanted what he was hearing to be a lie but he could see that she was telling the truth, “But that would mean that Severus’s heart has been broken? He never told me that he had fallen in love, I would have helped him.”

It was one of the few times that Poppy was certain that Harry was as thick witted as Ron could be and shook her head, “And just who young man do you think Severus has fallen in love with?”

“How would I know, he won’t tell me anything that is personal,” Harry snapped back feeling his defensive side showing up, “I have tried but I might as well as be holding a conversation with a wall, at least it might tell me something. Not that I am overly happy that he might have fallen in love but I do want him to be happy.”

“Oh Harry,” She said as the dawning of what was happening hit her like a ton weight being dropped on her head, “I should have seen this, I should have known that he was wrong.”

Harry felt himself at a complete loss to what she was talking about, “What should you have known and what do you mean he was wrong, wrong about what?”

Poppy had him sit down on a chair as she patted his hand, a habit she had when comforting patients and Harry knew what she had to say would not be without some pain, “Harry, Severus as well as others here in the castle thought that you were the one to have fallen in love with that Amanda girl you are always seen with.”

“Amanda, the beater from my team?” Harry couldn’t believe what he was hearing and then shook his head and found he wanted to scream, “Why would anyone think that I had fallen for her?”

Poppy summoned the Daily Prophet and handed it to Harry, who took it quickly. He read the article quickly and stood up, anger filling him, “Since when does anyone believe this asinine piece of rubbish that tries to pass itself off as a newspaper. Did anyone think to ask me if I was really seeing her instead of believing lies?”

Poppy stood up, blushing for having believed it herself but cleared her throat to catch his attention, “First of Mr. Potter you will keep your voice down and second as you said it seems that yourself and Professor Snape have not been talking about what is important. I happen to know that Severus saw Amanda and yourself at the last party in the garden, hugging and the both of you, to use his own words; looked the perfect picture of love and happiness.”

Harry looked ashamed as his eyes fell to the floor; he knew what night Severus had told her about. It was the night of the farewell party that had become a tradition to send him off on the new season but he had never thought that his talk with Amanda would be taken so wrong. He sat back down and wrung his hands, “I was telling her about what was bothering me for over a year and that was it. She told me that I should tell Severus what I had found out and see what he felt but when I tried to speak to Severus, he just kept coming up with ways to keep from speaking to me.”

Poppy patted his shoulder, “Might I ask what you had found out that you need to hug someone where he could see it?”

“Well for the longest time I thought that I hated him but I really didn’t. I didn’t like him at first but he kept saving me and I found out we could actually talk without being snide. I learned that he had a good sense of humor as well being a good dancer.” He saw the mirth on Poppy’s face, “I had to learn for the big ball after the war was over so that I wouldn’t look like a complete idiot out on the floor. As time went on, I don’t know my feelings kept changing and well I think I love him. I really can’t imagine my life without him.”

Poppy nodded and then ushered Harry to the privet room where she was keeping Severus. Harry had only took one look before tears filled his eyes, Severus was never a bulky man but he had looked better since Harry came to live with him than he had in years, now the man looked like a skeleton. Walking over he took one of Severus’s hand into his own and brought it to his lips, giving it a kiss, “Severus, you can’t die on me, if you do who will keep me from being stupid, foolish and too Gryffindor as you put it?”

The man seemed to tense as he felt someone touching him and the voice normally so smooth was broken, “Harry…how I wish it was you…”

“Oh Severus it is me, I have been trying to tell you something but you wouldn’t talk to me.” Harry sat on the bed and then laid next to him, stroking hair that was once shinning and soft to the touch, “Please you have to fight this and stay with me.”

Severus gave a weak smile as he touched Harry back, “You should be happy with the one you love.”

“You stubborn stupid man, don’t you understand that it is you who I love.” He whispered and kissed Severus before speaking again, “I was going to come back and ask if maybe you would like to maybe get married and make this bond we have real.”

Black eyes opened up and stared into Harry’s, “But I thought…”

“I know what you thought but you are wrong.” Harry said in determined voice, “Amanda is engaged to someone that is really good for her and besides I really don’t bat for that team do I? I know that we haven’t been intimate since the day we bonded but the war didn’t help and then I became a seeker and our schedules just never matched up. I wanted to tell you that I next year will be last, I had fun but I miss being around you and well I wanted to sleep with you again.”

“Harry stop.” Severus forced his eyes open so that he could see the blur of the young wizard’s face, “Don’t feel that this is your fault, I knew that you wouldn’t be able to love me, I just never planned falling in love with you.”

“If you weren’t so sick Severus Snape I would so hex you into next week,” Harry said with a mock anger in his voice, “Why wouldn’t I love you? You have always been there to keep me from being killed, been supportive of my ideas, enough so that you let me redecorate your house. Which by the way thanks for the pictures of my family but where is your family?”

Severus had closed his eyes and then whispered, “You have brought light back into a house that was full of darkness, I thought it best to get rid of the last of the darkness that marred it.”

“Neither you or your family, well except your father, is a blight to that house.” Harry said as another tear fell down his face, “I loved the picture of your mom and your great uncle has always made me laugh, why would I want them gone?” Harry looked at the man closely and then put his face near Sev’s ear, “I swear that if you die I will follow you just so I can be happy and that is that. Just think how bad Sirius was in life, imagine what he would be like if he found out it was your fault that I died.”

Severus let out a sigh, “That is blackmail and very slytherin of you, now if you would be so kind as to shut up so that I can rest; we will talk about this after I have healed some.”

Harry smiled as he cuddled closer, “I never should have listened to you when you told me to stay at the cup, I knew I should have come home.”

“Do shut up Harry or I will put up with an angry Black.” Severus teased as he fell into sleep with hope burning in his heart.

an: Alright i have what i believe are not some of better works as far as ending*glares at her plot bunnies* and with that said I would issue a challange. I thought perhaps with all the rather excellent writers out there, ex. Riffraff, Spear and magic helmet, Jessice, Lightgoddess and so forth and so on, that it would be rather fun to open up the ending for others. I would say start at the point where Harry actually comes into the story or at the death bed scene and write what you think is happened. What ever you decide to write to make it easier on everyone please just send it to my email at fearonpenneth@yahoo.com or if easier for you, ta_morana@hotmail.com.

Once I have some I will put them up with the story and if the powers that be don\'t care, perhaps in the review spot I will hold a sort of election. When one has been picked as the winner I will repost the story with the new ending. If the powers that be do not wish us to use the review part as that then the use of my email will be open. Of course I will leave the this first print up for all those that do submit their ending so everyone can enjoy them. I do hope so of you talented writers take up the guantlet as I am sure each ending will be great. Thank you as always Mirestel.