The Friday Boy

CHAPTER 38

Harry sat quietly beside Albus Dumbledore at the small round table. Minerva McGonagall sat to the elder wizard’s right and a single but empty place was set beside Harry’s. An uneasy, tension filled silence had hung over the trio who were enjoying beef pie, with vegetables and mash potatoes. It had seemed strange seeing Hogwart’s so empty, Harry thought as he’d wandered the empty halls to the great hall. The great hall had been empty, dustsheets covering the hall length tables and chairs that come the end of summer would be filled with students again. A house elf had popped out of no where and had guided Harry to the professor’s retreat where Harry had found a small round table, set with four places. Harry knew then he and Snape were not the only occupants of Hogwart’s. Predictably Dumbledore had arrived a few moments after Harry, and while they’d exchanged uneasy pleasantries, it was kind of a relief when Minerva entered her bubbly smiling face breaking the stale mate. Harry didn’t know if Snape was going to even make it to dinner and so the three of them had begun the meal in silence.

“Oh god.” The three of them sitting at the table looked up immediately from their meals as Snape came grumbling in through door from the great hall. Harry smirked into his water goblet as he took in his lover’s disheveled appearance. Snape looked to have hardly dressed himself, in a pair of black slacks, a partially buttoned shirt and a tatty old robe he looked no better than Lupin after the full moon. With his five o’clock shadow now a prickly beard, his hair unbrushed and his eyes droopy and red Snape was definitely feeling the effects of his hangover.

“Hung over Severus?” Dumbledore inquired with a twinkle-eyed smirk as Snape threw himself down into an armchair by the fireplace, his hand on his thumping temple. “Harry did mention you’d stopped off at the Broomsticks.” Harry had the good grace to blush as Snape threw him a red-eyed glare over his shoulder before the man went back to holding his head in his hands.

“You should see if Poppy has any ‘hang-over cure potion’ Severus.” McGonagall offered as she helped herself to another spoonful of mash potato.

“Do you think I would be allowing myself to suffer like this Minerva if I hadn’t already checked both my own and her stores?” Snape snapped with a vicious venom. Again Snape groaned as Dumbledore offered him a small plate of beef pie, which only served to make Snape even paler. Taking pity on his lover Harry flicked his wand, and with an appropriate charm had his muggle packet of ‘paraceatamol’ on the table beside him. Popping two of the pills out of the blister pack and filling the spare water goblet with a generous amount of pumpkin juice Harry handed both items to Severus. “What are these?” Snape snapped curiously as he inspected the small round pills.

“Muggle pain killers, swallow them whole with the juice.” Harry turned back to his meal as he watched Snape warily look at the pills. For a moment Harry thought that perhaps Snape wouldn’t take them, but it seemed the man’s hangover won over his doubt, and with a cough and a gurgle the man had swallowed both pills and the entire goblet of juice in one go. “They’re not working.” Snape barked when he put the goblet down on the table and felt no different. Harry snorted and rolled his eyes.

“They take about fifteen minutes to kick in, give them time.” Harry muttered and turned back to sit down at the table but almost instantly Snape let out a loud yowl of agony. Instantly all three were at Snape’s side, the wizard clutching at his left arm where the dark mark had begun to bleed, and trickle down between his fingers.

“Bastard!” Snape gritted out from between his gritted teeth as he stood shakily to his feet.

“Severus, you’re in no fit state…” Harry began but was sharply cut off by Snape’s angry glare.

“The dark lord waits for no-one Mr. Potter.” Snape growled out before disappearing from the room in a flourish of robes. Harry sighed heavily as he sat back down in his seat idly rubbing his own scar having only felt a small irritating sting. Harry knew Snape was blocking him out, knew the man was protecting him but Harry couldn’t help feel somewhat helpless that he couldn’t return the favor.

“I needn’t worry yourself unnecessarily Harry, Severus is surprisingly safe within Voldemort’s inner circle.” Harry glanced sourly across at Dumbledore who’d casually gone back to finishing his meal, as had Professor McGonagall. Harry stared at the headmaster for a long time before finally shaking his head in disgust.

“Why can’t you just accept the fact I’m in love with him?” Harry inquired wondering to himself why a swell of hurt bubbled painfully in his chest. Dumbledore carefully wiped his mouth with a napkin before clearing his mouth with a drink of water; his eyes only meeting Harry’s when he’d replaced the glass water goblet back on the table.

“Because every action Harry has an opposite reaction and until now I have devoted the better part of my years to ensuring every decision made regarding you is compensated or planned for so that we can give you the best possible opportunities of fulfilling your prophecy. Professor Snape is not apart of that equation!” Dumbledore snapped his eyes barely twinkling as they stared at Harry over the half moon glasses.

“It’s all about the prophecy isn’t it?” Harry whispered barely containing himself as he shook his head determinedly. “What about what I want, what about my life!”

“There’ll be time for that after Voldemort is gone.” Dumbledore sniffed indifferently as he again picked up his water goblet for a drink.

“Time?” Harry was rapidly loosing his temper and the tears he’d held back so far were now streaming down his eyes. “You don’t know how long it’s going to take to kill Voldemort. I could be 45 by the time he’s gone, and by then my life will be practically gone, I’d have wasted my life pandering to your expectations. Well I won’t end up like Snape and if I can stop it now I’m going to save what’s left of his life too. You don’t own me Albus Dumbledore and from now on you can keep your nose out of my business. I’m not a chess piece to be pushed around a board at your bidding and I refuse to be treated like one.” With an angry emotional shout Harry stood up and strode into the empty, cool space of the great hall. Ignoring the eerie silence of the school Harry ran back down into the dungeons to wait apprehensively for Snape’s return.

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

A/N *shakes head in sadness* There\'s just not enough of us Snarry fic writers about, I\'ve got nothing to read in my favourite pairing and to make matters worse there\'s already 77Draco/Harry fic\'s lingering on this board, to only 22 Snape/Harry one\'s.....*Wails in disappointment* I want something to read, and I want it now......

Anyway, apart from my small tantrum, hope you like the update and I\'m pleased your all enjoying the story, oh and thankies for the reviews.

Cheers RIFFRAFF