Love, Lies & Loneliness

Chapter 50
(No Kidding?)

Harry shivered as a cool draft wafted across his back penetrating his sleep. Turning unconsciously over away from the draft Harry snuggled into the warm presence next to him, still deep in sleep. The cold draft didn’t seem to abate however and Harry pressed closer to the warmth beside him. His sleep disturbed Harry’s relaxed features tensed in irritation at the cold creeping through into his bones. Snuggling down uselessly into the blanket Harry muttered unintelligibly at the cold. Still the cold remained and Harry shifted restlessly in an attempt to get warm again.

“Harry. Harry Potter.” A voice much like Severus’ sang to him in his sleep and Harry now fraught with cold attempted to brush the voice off with an annoyed shrug. Neither the voice nor the cold went away and Harry irritably pushed his face into the warm flesh of his partner beside him in the bed.

“Sev, you’re hands are cold.” Harry’s sleep addled voice was barely audible as he muttered his displeasure, slowly rising from his disturbed sleep. The cold grew suddenly in intensity and made the boy visibly shudder.
“That’s because I’m not your sweet ‘Sev’.” The voice that had sounded so much like Severus seemed to instantly change into the leering evil cackle of a woman’s voice and Harry’s eyes snapped open in fear. Turning over Harry’s eyes widened impossibly as he came face to face with the horribly disfigured face of a woman lying in bed beside him. Harry’s heart stopped and without a thought the scream that was ripped from his throat was one of sheer terror. Harry leapt from bed his high-pitched scream of terror ringing throughout the entire manor.

Snape sat up abruptly from his own sleep to stare at the white terror stricken face of his lover, who was now backing away from the bed towards the fireplace. Looking from Harry to the bed beside him Snape was shocked himself to see the luminescent figure he was in bed with. Scared himself Snape leapt from the bed only to watch as Harry backed into the fireplace and was suddenly swept up in a cloud of purple smoke. One moment Harry was there and the next he was gone. Snape couldn’t get around the bed quick enough but he was too late, Harry was already gone. Regaining his faculties, Snape spun around to stare at the ghost now rolling around on the bed in hysterical laughter. Snape watched as the horribly disfigured, putrefied face morphed into a much more familiar one. Snape sighed heavily as he watched the spectre of his mother float up from the bed and come across to hover in front of him. Snape picked his wand up from the pocket of his discarded robes and crossed his arms angrily over his naked chest, unashamedly standing naked before the image of his dead mother.

“Mother.” Snape ground out from between his clenched teeth as he watched the pale, thin woman hover around him in curiosity.

“Severus.” Was the clipped reply from the woman. Snape tried not to shiver as he felt the ghostly cold hand run across his shoulders in exploration. “You’ve grown up so much my little chemist. I heard you screaming last night and wondered if you’d come home to join us?” Snape resisted the urge to roll his eyes knowing well his mother and her volatile temperament. While ever she was alive, she was a proud, self-dependent witch who took delight in showing her wealth to anyone who passed by, if nothing else than to rub their noses in it. Snape had hated her, her false sweetness and her laughable attempt at being a loving mother. Even in Death nothing it seemed had changed and Snape merely pursed his lips together tighter and eyed his mother dangerously.

“Where’s Harry?” The tone Severus used was one he favoured when addressing his troublesome first year potions classes, but the effect was considerably less threatening when he was in the buff.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about darling.” The apparition shrugged her shoulders dismissively and Snape followed her opaque figure as she swept grandly around the room, almost checking to see if anything was amiss.

“The boy mother. The brown haired boy you sent screaming from my bed, what have you done with him?” Severus was quickly losing patients and tightened his hold on his wand trying and failing to control his temper. There were secret rooms, passageways and places strewn throughout the entire manor, and while Snape had found most of them he was as yet still searching the others. Being followers of the dark arts his family kept their more serious items in the hidden rooms and knowing his mother, Harry was probably in one of those more deadly rooms right now. His mother ignored Snape’s comment and came down to lean casually on the bed upright.

“What happened to that beautiful young blonde boy you used to play with at school. Lucious was it? He was handsome and your father liked his parents very well. Why couldn’t you have brought him home.” Snape had heard enough and unfolding his arms reached for his silk bed robe and pulled it hastily about his shoulders.

“Lucious Malfoy is in Azkaban mother for cavorting with the Lord Voldemort. Now if you’re not going to tell me where Harry is I shall just have to find him myself.” Snape stormed from the room hardly pausing as he walked straight through his mother’s body and out into the hall. Snape knew his mother wouldn’t stand for his insolence just as she had never stood for it when he’d been a child. Snape made it to the bottom of the grand staircase into the entrance hall when an almighty terrifying shriek rang throughout the manor. With a quick flick of his wand Snape created a protective bubble around himself as he spun around to stare at the image of his mother. From the pale faced witch Snape had known, the spectre had now turned into a fierce ghoul her torn tattered robes flying spectacularly around her as her face lit up in a green ominous glow. Glass objects shattered and the portraits on the walls shook and groaned at the sound of the shriek. Snape had always known his mother was a banshee, and it served to reason that she’d end up as one after she’d died. When the terrifying shriek and destructive display didn’t faze Severus, the woman at the top of the stairs deflated somewhat and returned back to her normal hazy self. Satisfied that his mother had done her worst Snape waved away the protective bubble around himself and stared pointedly up at the moaning whimpering woman at the top of the staircase.

“If that’s the best you’ve got mother it’s a poor show and if you continue to walk freely around these halls and not confine your haunting to the mill, I will be forced to dig you and father up and have you both placed in a more suitable burial site, say for instants next to the ‘Bullstrodes’ or the ‘Blacks’.” The spectre at the top of the stairs seemed positively horrified at Severus’ suggestion at being buried next to a family beneath her in standing and swept defiantly down the staircase, straight through Snape’s body and out of the door with a shuddering slam. Severus sighed heavily and made his way hastily into the study, luckily the homing band on Harry’s wrist would lead Snape directly to his frightened young lover.

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Harry was scared shitless and sat backed up into the corner of a darkened room, shivering and whimpering in fear. He was naked, and freezing and without a wand or any idea where he was there was little he could do but call out uselessly to Severus. Neither did it help that his arse was still sore and his body still recovering from the sex the night before.

It seemed like forever that Harry had spent screaming Severus’ name over and over again. Harry was so frightened he didn’t even notice the warm glow of the band around his wrist and it’s slow pulsating warmth that grew as Severus got closer and closer to finding him. Harry had screamed his throat raw by the time he heard a groaning in the wall behind him and he sprung up in fear and turned around to face what could potentially be another foe. Harry tripped and stumbled over something hard but didn’t seem to care as he continued to back away from the crack that had appeared in the stone. The crack grew wider and Harry squinted in the light having been encased in complete darkness for so long. A shape appeared in the bright light of the now wide-open doorway in the stone and Harry whimpered as he hoped to Merlin that it wasn’t someone who was going to attack him. As the figure stepped away from the entrance and into the room however Harry let out a shuddering squeak of relief as Severus’s worried face came into focus. Crawling up from his knees Harry sprung at Severus like a lifeline, attaching himself to the man like he was the best sight Harry had seen in the world. Severus obliged the boy and wrapped Harry firmly up in his embrace, placing urgent kisses to the boy’s head and lips.

“What was that?” Harry whispered as Severus draped a warm cloak about the boys’ shoulder and led him out into a room Harry had not been shown before. Blinking his eyes into focus Harry glanced about the room. The room was dusty and all the furniture was still covered with dustsheets. It looked very grand and was made up in warm pinks and lilacs. Harry glanced behind him at the entrance he’d just been brought out of and was surprised to see it was an old fireplace which swung back around to become an actual fireplace when Snape swished his wand in it’s direction.

“I’m so sorry Harry, that wasn’t what you needed to wake up to this morning I know.” Severus wrapped his arm around Harry’s shoulder and drew the boy protectively towards the exit of the room, his wand still poised out in front of him. Harry wondered if this was part of the west wing, Snape had told him to stay away from the previous day. “That was my mother or her spectre considering she’s been dead a good 20 years.” Harry shuddered at the memory of the hideously deformed, rotten face and snuggled closer into Snape’s arms as the man led him carefully through some long halls back into the part of the house Harry was familiar with. Leading Harry into the small conservatory and study they’d eaten breakfast in the previous morning Snape sat Harry down on the chair by the fire and knelt carefully in front of the obviously shaken boy. “Are you alright? You’re lucky I cleared my mothers parlour the week of the picnic last summer, I hadn’t intended going near it again.” Harry nodded and accepted the gentle apologising kiss from Snape who checked him over for cuts and bruising despite Harry’s admission.

“Does she do that often?” Harry inquired as Snape called for Ely to bring breakfast up.

“No, the Ministry keep track of all the Banshees’ and their whereabouts. Most are restricted to specific areas to serve as warnings to others. Mother is supposedly restricted to the Old Mill, the building I told you to stay away from.” Snape gestured out of the glass conservatory walls down towards a snow covered building at the bottom of the garden a fair way from the house. Harry nodded understandingly and gratefully accepted the tea, he’d just watched Snape lace with three types of potion. “No doubt I’ll be receiving another owl from them regarding her waywardness.” Snape sighed and settled on the footstool at the side of Harry’s chair as he watched the boy carefully down all of his tea and it’s mixed potions.

“Sorry I freak out, I just didn’t expect that in bed next to me.” Harry chuckled easily, the cold now lifting from his bones and his nerves beginning to settle again after the scare.

“Well that’s why you have that band on you. I knew she’d possibly try something, and I haven’t completely scoured the house yet, so I thought it best to tag you in case you got swallowed up in some family secret I hadn’t yet discovered.” Snape swallowed his own last mouthful of tea and leaned across to press his hand gently over Harry’s in comfort. “I’m so sorry, and after such a wonderful night I thought my luck had held out a little too long.” Harry blushed a little and reached across to place a deep sensuous kiss to Snape’s lips.

“It’s okay, I was just shocked more than anything.” Harry paused to make sure Snape understood Harry didn’t blame him before continuing. “I’m still and little cold and I’m covered in dust, do you think I could have a bath?” Snape looked up from his empty teacup to smile at Harry and nod in acceptance.

“Of course you may I’ll wait down here and read the newspaper, I thought we might go for a stroll outside before we return to Hogwarts this evening.” Snape reached for the daily prophet but Harry got there before him and snatched the paper from Snape’s grasp.

“Actually I was hoping maybe you would join me?” Snape looked up a little surprised at Harry who blushed and looked shyly towards the conservatory. For a moment Harry thought Snape would reject the offer, something overly romantic, as taking a bath together wouldn’t probably appeal to the man.

“Oh, I am a little dirty. I suppose another bath would not be unwelcome.” Severus rose from the footstool and followed Harry out of the study.

“And I’m sure it’d be much more welcome with me in it wouldn’t it?” Harry looked over his shoulder as he began to climb the staircase still a little weary in case something should suddenly pop out at him.

“Mr Potter, what on earth would I want with a scruffy, dusty teenager in my bath for?” Severus was teasing and Harry liked this new side of the potions master he’d fallen in love with. Perhaps Severus had a sense of humour after all.

“Well don’t sound so excited, if you don’t want to teach me how to blow you, you could have just said.” With a wicked grin Harry began running up the stairs, Severus hot on his heels. Laughing they scrambled through the halls like a pair of love sick puppies, Severus finally catching up with Harry outside the bathroom door and pinning his young lover against the wall with a passionate kiss. Breathless from both the run and the kiss Harry panted heavily as he relaxed against the wall, Snape’s body pressed flush against his own where the ties of their robes had come undone in the chase.

“I do believe Harry James Potter you’re being cheeky.” Severus spoke in his usual smooth potions professor tone of voice and Harry shivered as Severus licked a path up his neck and over his jaw to his lips.
“You’ll just have to punish me then won’t you.” With a glitter in his eyes Harry ducked out of the circle of Snape’s arms and having dropped his robe on the floor to leave himself naked, strode confidently into the bathroom. Snape stared after his young lover, amazed by the change that had occurred in the boy seemingly over night. Confidence exuded off the boy like sweat and Snape wallowed in the future prospects that that sexual confidence meant for him. Shucking his own robe Snape obediently followed Harry into the bathroom. Perhaps they wouldn’t be taking that walk after all….

TBC>>>>>>>>>>

A/N Again sorry for the short update, England is fucking cold and my delicate sun loving fingers are finding it hard. I think my muse needs some hot chocolate....any takers.

So glad you enjoyed the sex in the last chapter, some more cheeky school boy action in the next chapter.