The Rules of Life

Title: The Rules of Life

Summary: There was no Harry Potter at the Dursley’s when Dumbledore sent Hagrid to fetch him in first year. Where in the world is Harry Potter? This fic is SNARRY slash, Snape!Dom, Harry!sub.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter or any of the other familiar characters. Harry Potter and this magical world belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money made from this.

Warnings: This fic is Snarry slash, which means two men in a sexual relationship – specifically, Harry and Snape. This fic also contains BDSM elements with Snape as the Dominant partner and Harry as the submissive. If you don’t know what this means then please don’t read the fic – you won’t understand most of what happens. The fic starts out before Hogwarts and contains elements of chan (just mentioning of it), dub-con and non-con (rape). Don’t read if you don’t like!!

AN: Sorry if you felt the previous chapter was a bit rushed and that the tension couldn’t hold for eight months. I will definitely go over this fic when I finish with it and close all these irritating gaps and ‘fill’ the story with a bit more body – but that will have to wait for a while…

As for the question about Neville’s Gran: She will feature in the next chapter :)

I have never been to London before so the information in this chapter is taken from the net, anything that is incorrect, please let me know!! I also don’t know the roads, tubes or anything really so Severus and Harry will either apparate everywhere or use the floo – just to make things easy on myself… :) :) :)

Thanking those small voices that had warned Severus not to confide in Albus about Harry’s true identity, he thanked the deities that Harry, at least, would be safe from Albus’s manipulations.

Chapter 5

Severus perused the little booklet Pomona had so generously given him. Working out any kind of timetable to follow would be foolish on his part. He knew how boys Harry’s age operated and could already imagine the incessant questions of “When are we going there?” “How many days before we can go?” “Is it Friday yet?”, no, no, better to decide these kinds of things on the spur of the moment.

They will spend the first week of the summer vacation at the castle, relaxing a bit after the suspenseful school year. Thereafter, Severus would take Harry into London about once a week; the other days of the week spent whichever way Harry wished.

Harry looked up from the book he was reading as Severus put the booklet down, a shy smile crossing his lips. Severus watched Harry closely and could see that the smile was genuine; it was the first time he had seen Harry smile in months.

Scowling to himself at the thought of how that smile made his insides squirm, Severus gave Harry a scathing glare and stood up. A cup of steaming coffee beckoned and Severus made his way to the kitchen.

Returning minutes later with two coffees, Severus handed Harry one, ignoring the slightly hurt and wary look sent his way, and seated himself on the couch again.

The boy really should get used to the fact that Severus would not now, nor ever ask him to do something that was well within reach of his own capabilities.

Maybe never was too strong a word and too hasty a decision, but Severus would make sure that the boy did not form any belief that he had to do things in order to warrant a place to stay. If the boy offered to make coffee or a mealtime, Severus would not refuse for he knew it would hurt the boy, but he would not do the asking.

A piece of parchment flapping before his eyes brought Severus back from his musings and he scowled at the boy hovering beside him.

Reading the sentence on the parchment, Severus deepened his scowl and waited. The boy knew not to ask such silly questions as “May I ask a question, Master?”

Harry scribbled something beneath the first question and handed the parchment back to Severus.

Severus lifted an eyebrow at the question before turning to face Harry fully. The boy was once again biting his lower lip and Severus stayed his hand before the wayward thing could tug at that lip.

“I foresee no problem with inviting your friend to stay for a while. Albus’s arguments all centered around the safety of his students, now that it is summer, those arguments are null and void.”

Harry beamed up at him and Severus glared at the brat.

“You may send him an owl but be sure to include a letter to his parents where you ask their permission. If all agree, we will lay some ground rules for the summer. Having one irresponsible boy in my chambers is enough; a second one joining could only spell disaster.”

The lip disappeared completely from view and Severus glared at the teeth now clearly visible.

Harry shifted uncomfortably before him and Severus raised his eyes a bit. It was clear that Harry was nervous about something and Severus dreaded whatever it was the boy was now writing.

er.. Andy is, he has, Master, Andy’s twin is in Hogwarts, in your house. Blaise Zabini? Er, well, may he come too? Only, Andy can’t come without his twin, they see each other little enough as it is…

Severus looked up from the piece he had read, already forming arguments he could use as to why this was a bad idea.

The arguments – some of them very good – died a painful death as Harry’s hopeful expression all but crushed them in a suffocating hug. Not literally of course, the boy was a respectful distance away from him still.

“We will see. Write the invites, and when your friend and his parents reply, then we can work something out.”

None of what he said was part of any argument that had formed in his mind but Severus surrendered himself to the fact that he will most likely, have three reckless ‘almost’ teenagers, running around in his quarters before the next week.


*--------------------------------------------------------------*


Andy, like Blaise, was a respectful child but that was where the similarities ended. Blaise, always a quiet, introverted boy, was the polar opposite of his brother.

Severus listened with half an ear to the incessant babbling of Andy Zabini. The boy certainly knew how to make up for the lack of conversation on both his companion’s sides.

Harry and Blaise became quick friends after their introductions and Severus could see how they shared an indulgent look over Andy’s head as the boy bent forward to pick up the scattered remains of the latest exploding snap game.

“… and then Harry scared almost the whole class when he suddenly lifted the teacher’s desk up to the ceiling. Everyone thought he’d be unable to do magic, because he can’t say the words you see, and when he lifted the desk we were all too shocked at first to realize that the teacher was also up there. Mrs Kingston screamed like a banshee! I swear!! Harry lost his concentration then and Mrs Kingston would have crashed down if Harry hadn’t regained it so quickly. The best part came then… as Harry lowered her down more slowly, he couldn’t keep his concentration so well, as he was laughing as well, and he tipped her upside down!!! We all laughed when we saw that she wears pink knickers with white bunnies on it!”

The two brothers were rolling around laughing at the end of the tale while Harry sat rooted to his spot, face beet red.

“Well, at least she wasn’t too angry.” Andy continued as he caught his breath. “She kept him after class and since then, Harry’s been in the advanced class with charms.”

Severus looked at Harry then and understanding dawned, it was the day everything between them changed – and not for the better. Shame at his actions rose again but Severus returned to his reading before he could do anything foolish.


By the third day of having three boys in his quarters, Severus was ready to tear out his hair.

Having two friends to play with was nice enough, but Severus’s quarters were small. He could tell that all three youngsters were feeling a bit cramped. Taking the booklet from the shelf, Severus scanned the different descriptions again and decided on the best place for such a situation.

Museums of any kind were out of the question. The boys would drive him up the wall within an hour.

“’The London Eye’ it is then.” Severus muttered to himself.

“Alright, enough moping around you three. Put on some comfortable every day clothes – muggle clothes – we are going to London.”

Two cheers and three jumps for joy was his answer and Severus glared at the three as they ran to Harry’s room.


Twenty minutes later, Severus ushered the three boys out of his quarters and then led the way to the Three Broomsticks.

“We are going to visit the ‘British Airways London Eye’ today. The information booklet I have states that from there, you can take a 40 minute circulate cruise on the Thames.

Now, if you three are ready, step into the fireplace and state your destination clearly. “Waterloo Tube” from there we will make our way on foot.”

The boys all nodded and Andy boldly stepped into the fireplace. His brother quickly followed and Severus waited for Harry to step forward.

Harry turned frightened eyes to him and Severus sighed quietly.

“You need not worry Harry. The fire will not burn you; it is part of the magic that transports you from place to place. I will be right behind you. Nothing will happen, I promise.”

Apprehension clear on his face, Harry nodded and stepped into the fireplace.

Severus followed a few seconds later and could not manage the scowl he wanted at the look of relief on Harry’s face.

Ushering the three youngsters out of the tube station, Severus looked around him carefully for any signs of danger. Ascertaining that the cost was clear, Severus quickly led the way to the entrance of the ‘London Eye’.


The delighted exclamations from the boys kept any scathing comments from forming on his lips. Harry kept poking him in the shoulder, pointing this way or that but Severus indulged the boy every time by turning around and looking at whatever had caught Harry’s attention.

Andy and Blaise chatted happily as they made their way to the pier for the circulate cruise. Severus walked next to Harry and frowned at the look of longing on the boy’s face as he watched the brothers interact.

Severus knew it was not easy on the boy, not being able to talk, but this was the first time he could see such longing clearly written on the boy’s face.

He would have a talk with the boy when the brothers went home. The incident in Halloween had confirmed Severus’s belief that Harry could speak. The boy was just very reluctant to do so – a block in his mind preventing him from doing so.

Pushing Harry lightly in the back as the boy slowed down, Severus kept his hand there as they made their way through the crowd.



Severus put on his nightshirt as he exited his bathroom. Walking towards the living room to do his nightly check-ups on the boys, Severus was surprised to see a small form curled on the couch. He had conjured bunk beds in Harry’s room for the twins so that the three boys could all share a room. Seeing Harry curled up on the couch, arms clutched around his knees, Severus scowled. If those boys had done anything that caused Harry to seek shelter elsewhere, Severus would make sure they felt his wrath. It was Harry’s room they slept in. If anyone had a right to be there, it was Harry.

Summoning a blanket from his rooms, Severus draped it over Harry and smoothed the hair from the boy’s forehead.

The smooth forehead seemed to taunt Severus. He knew what lay concealed there. He knew who this boy was, knew that one day Harry would have to face his responsibilities. For Severus to have kept it secret as long as he has, had been foolish, he had to tell the boy the truth.

The twins were leaving in two days; he would wait until they had left before facing Harry and the horrible truths the boy would learn.


The next day they visited the Science Museum and Severus – as well as the boys – experienced the IMAX 3D for the first time.

Questions about muggle technology kept flying his way and for once, Severus did not know the answers.

Harry kept snickering silently every time Severus had to evade a question and by the end of the day, Severus was scowling and glaring at anything that moved.


*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*


Diagon Alley was as crowded as always this time of year. Severus led Harry from shop to shop to get his equipment, books and some treats.

The lost, bewildered look on the boy’s face had been a constant since the day he told Harry the truth.

Concern was not something Severus was accustomed to but he felt it before and knew that this was indeed what he felt towards the boy now. A deep-rooted concern that kept him awake at night had taken hold of him and refused to let go whenever the boy was out of his sight.

Severus looked at Harry once again and could do nothing but stare at the boy as the lost look disappeared, replaced by a hesitant half smile. Looking to his right, Severus could see the Zabini twins making their way over to them and thanked the deities for sending these two.

The haunted look in Harry’s eyes did not disappear but at least the half smiles and shy looks were back, for how ever long it would last – it was a blessing to Severus’s tormented mind.

The questions of ”Should I have waited to tell him?” “Was that really something to burden a twelve year old with?” “How would you feel if someone told you, you are not who you think you are?” kept repeating in his mind but with those half smiles back, he could stomp on any other misgivings. No matter how he felt about the situation, he knew it was the right thing to do.

Severus greeted Lucius with a nod as they exited the bookstore, thankful for once to see Arthur Weasley. Lucius was clearly enjoying baiting the other man and Severus made his exit while still possible.

It was a sad affair to say goodbye to the twins for as soon as they turned to go to their parents, Harry’s face shuttered and the smile disappeared from his face.

It was going to be a long, hard year for them. Severus just hoped he would not be alone at the end of it.

Is that not bizarre – to hope that he would not be alone when all he had ever wanted was to be left in peace…

End Chapter 5

Sorry it’s short! The next one will be longer, I promise!

Please review!! :)