The Friday Boy

CHAPTER 4

Harry sat quietly in the garden chair watching as the twins circled him sharing comments and observations about the boy before them. It was Friday. An entire week had passed since the decision had been made to send Harry out as a stalker and Harry’s cold feet were rapidly growing. At present he was re-trialing a stick of gum designed by the twins to camouflage him against any background he was standing beside. So far there’d been three failed attempts but at the moment this fourth trial seemed to be working. Despite the Weasley’s faith in their own products, Harry had decided earlier in the week he’d be taking the invisibility cloak instead.

“Perfect dear brother.” George declared as he held out the tissue for Harry to spit out the gum. Obediently Harry did as instructed, the moment the gum left his mouth he returned to his normal un-camouflaged self.

“Well you’re all set.” Fred helped Harry up from the bench as the three headed back inside for dinner.

“And you remember the deal.” Harry muttered as the stepped up onto the porch and paused before entering the house.

“Sure if you’re not back tomorrow morning we blow the whistle on the whole plan and get help.” Harry sighed heavily and nodded at the twins who both wrapped their arms casually over Harry’s shoulder and guided him inside.

Harry had a queasy feeling in his stomach all dinner, as he watched everyone else eat their meals and chat animatedly. Snape sat stoically quiet at the bench completely ignoring the conversation at hand as he ate and read his potions text. Harry hadn’t spoken two words together to Snape all week, purposefully avoiding the elder wizard who seemed moodier than normal. Dumbledore was jovially telling a funny story about his first teaching position but Harry was too distracted to pay much attention. After managing to laugh in all the right places, Harry was quick to retire to his room when the meal was done, sighting fatigue. Being so pale and out of spirits, no one argued with Harry’s excuse and the boy set about preparing himself for the night ahead. For Sirius’ sake Harry had to pretend to be asleep until his godfather had fallen asleep too. Only then Harry could make his move downstairs and wait for Snape.

Harry lay in bed for a long time after Sirius had finally come up to bed. He listened intently to his godfather’s steady breathing until he was sure the man was deep in his dreams. Finally at quarter to eleven, Harry dared to make a move and quietly gathered his bag full of Weasley products and his beloved invisibility cloak.

Grimmauld Place was dark and quiet, and every step Harry took sounded like an elephants as he crept downstairs and into the hall to wait. With the invisibility cloak draped carefully over him Harry watched as the hands on the grandfather clock ticked closer and closer to 11. At five to Harry heard the door upstairs opening and he braced himself as he watched Snape’s robed figure sweep downstairs. Harry watched as Snape paused in front of the clock the man looking at the time, waiting patiently for the first strike before hastily moving down the hall and stepping out of the front door. Harry was on Snape’s heels immediately, barely making it out the door before it closed quickly behind him.

The light summer nights made it easier for Harry to follow Snape but judging distances was difficult beneath the cloak and occasionally he’d been forced to dive into a doorway when Severus stopped or paused on the street. Drizzle fell from the sky; an ominous sign of rain that Harry hoped would keep away until the morning. Harry was somewhat surprised that none of the muggles still on the London streets didn’t even give Severus a second look, dressed in his robe and hood. Harry wasn’t sure where he was or where he was being led but he dutifully followed Snape alert all the time.

Finally Severus stepped into what Harry assumed was a main shopping street. The place was far more populated than the other streets they’d weaved their way through and Harry was more than surprised to see all the little street side cafés and nightclubs still open. Severus headed straight down the center of the street between all the muggles, not even acknowledging the drunken ones that called to him from the pavement.

Half way down the street out of the way from the populated cafés and clubs Severus took a sharp left down a deserted little alleyway. Harry hesitated as he took in the dingy little alley, with its un-emptied garbage cans, dirty drains and foul smell. There was very little light down the alley and only a cheap neon hotel sign flickered from the wall marking the unassuming door Severus was stood in front of. Harry had a feeling this was a prime place for him to get into trouble and was the kind of place Sirius always warned him to stay away from. There would be no room for escape down the little alley should he get attacked. Still steeling his nerves, and knowing he wasn’t going to give up when he was so close Harry scuttled down the alley and stood directly behind Severus on the top step of the doorway.

Snape knocked on the door twice and Harry waited with baited breath for what was going to come. He was a little more than surprised when the door swung open to reveal a tall blonde woman with high-heeled boots to her knees, a black lace teddy and the most piercing blue eyes Harry had ever seen. Harry’s eyes bulged out of their sockets as the woman greeted Severus with a kiss on the cheek before stepping aside to let him in. Harry nearly got caught in the door as he shimmied inside after Snape, only just managing to pin himself to the wall of the entrance as the woman breezed past Severus and headed down the corridor. Severus took off his cloak, finally revealing what he was wearing underneath. Harry’s mouth hung open agape as he watched Severus saunter off down the corridor after the woman, clad in black leather pants and a simple white shirt his sleeves rolled to his elbows Snape looked like sin personified. The man’s hair was freshly washed and neatly tied up in a single black ribbon, something Harry had never seen his potions master do. Harry held his breath as he followed Snape down the corridor and into the room he’d heard all the noise coming from earlier.

The place was packed and despite appearances there wasn’t a muggle in sight. A long bar ran along the back wall, a stage was suspended at one end and what Harry assumed was a dance floor was full of writhing dancing bodies. Harry stepped back consciously as a half naked wizard pushed between Severus and himself. The wizard could have hardly been Harry’s age and had spiky brown hair and a beautifully bronzed body that sparkled under the flashing lights. Harry didn’t miss the glance Severus spared the boy, a strange smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he watched the boy disappear into the crowd. It dawned on Harry as he watched his potions professor descend down into the bar area what exactly the place was and despite the ugly swirl of disgust that rose in his stomach he couldn’t help but be captivated by everything going on around him. Harry didn’t know what he was most shocked by. That Snape was gay and liked young men, or that he’d actually come to a place like this.

Beneath the cloak it was too risky to follow Snape into the club and so Harry tucked himself in beside a speaker that stuck out from the side of the stairs. From here Harry could see everything going on, even if he knew he’d be deaf by morning.

Severus had sat himself down at the bar and Harry didn’t have to wait long to see why Snape took these excursions. Harry had seen the boy heading for Snape across the dance floor, long before he’d claimed the seat beside Snape at the bar. Harry would have dearly liked to hear what was said as he watched Snape laugh, a rare occurrence for the cold stern professor. For a while the pair talked and shared drinks Harry noting acutely that the boy was just that. He couldn’t have been 16 in Harry’s opinion, he had brown hair like Harry’s own, and was similar in build although Harry would have never have worn as tight a pants as the guy had on.

With the sound pounding away in his ears Harry glanced around at the rest of the club. There were witches walking around between the over abundance of wizards but judging from a few of the outfits the witches wore Harry assumed they were probably wizards underneath. Glancing back to Severus Harry watched as the boy leaned over to Severus, his hand on Snape’s thigh as he whispered something into Severus ear. Harry frowned deeply as he watched both of them finish their drinks and begin weaving their way through the crowd heading towards a set of stairs at the back of the club. There was not a hope in hell that Harry could follow them and so he merely watched helplessly as the pair disappeared at the top of the steps. Harry sighed and leant back against the speaker. There was no way he could get out without Snape and so he’d simply have to wait until the potion professor emerged again if he even did. If he didn’t Harry was in serious trouble…

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