The Domino Effect

Title: The Domino Effect
Author: Dr. Jeckell & Mrs. Hyde (aka Taran & Magdelena)
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Harry Potter/Severus Snape, Ron Weasley/Draco Malfoy (secondary pairing)
Warnings: Non-consensual sex, Violence, Adult Language, Sexual Situations, Graphic Sexual Content, Rimming, MPreg
Summary: HP/SS – Slash – Chapter 6 of ?. Harry discovers that when he kills Voldemort, all of the Death Eaters will die as well because of the bond that they share with the Dark Lord through their Marks. Harry vows to do anything it takes to allow Severus Snape to escape that fate.
Disclaimer: We do not own any of the characters herein (only the plot). All the characters in the Harry Potter universe belong exclusively to J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers, and anyone else JKR chooses to allow to play with them. We are publishing our fanfiction writings only for our own selfish desire to be a part of their world.
Authors’ Note: Thanks to the incredibly wonderful beta job that Sev1970 did for this story.

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Dear readers! We HUMBLY apologize for letting so long go between our updates. Unfortunately, real life stuff has kept us from our beloved fanfiction. We are back on a regular schedule of writing now, and hopefully will never have there be a MONTH between updates! *cringes* ~ Taran and Magdelena ~

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Chapter Six – Interruptions and Ultimatums

“Just a minute!” Severus cried. His rising libido dropped like a rock and before he could make a move, Harry grasped him around the waist, lifted him off the desk and set him on his feet on the floor. Just as Severus was calling for his wand, Harry spun him around and gave him a hard, forceful kiss that sent shivers down his spine.

Severus spelled his clothes back in place, smoothed down his hair and dashed to the nearest simmering cauldron, while Harry did the same. The Potions Master threw the first thing he could reach into the bubbling pot and created a mild explosion.

“Come in,” Severus growled, gritting his teeth more from the fear of being caught with Harry than from the annoyance of being interrupted when he was enjoying the younger wizard’s ministrations.

The door to the dungeon laboratory flew open, and an obviously concerned Remus Lupin rushed inside, his heightened sense of smell overwhelmed by the acrid smoke still billowing from the ruined potion. Remus stopped just opposite where Severus was working to clean up the mess he had just produced. “Sweet Circe, Severus! I hope my knock didn’t distract you and trigger that…”

“No, Moony, I’m afraid that was my fault, as usual,” Harry commented.

Remus whipped around, his attention having been so focused on Severus that he hadn’t even realized Harry was in the room standing near another cauldron.

“I distracted him at a critical point, I’m afraid,” Harry stated quietly; his eyes downcast as he attempted to calm his racing heart, and his arousal still peaked as he chanced a glance up at Severus’ flushed face.

Remus looked back and forth between Severus and Harry for a moment, realizing that something was off about both Harry and Severus’ scents. His senses were heightened so close to the full moon, and they had been assaulted by the overwhelming stench of the cauldron fumes when he had entered the room, but now as he filtered out that scent and focused on the more subtle ones, he could sense anxiety pouring off both Severus and Harry in waves. That in itself wasn’t odd, but there was something else just underlying it that he couldn’t immediately put his finger on.

“I did not expect you quite so soon, Lupin, but this,” Severus indicated the ruined potion with a sweeping gesture, “Is most certainly NOT your fault. Having to deal with Potter being here has pushed my already frayed nerves to a…razor’s…edge.” He spat out the last few words as he began walking to the door connecting to his office. He turned back towards Remus as his hand rested on the doorknob. “If you will wait here, Lupin, I shall retrieve your potion from my office.”

Remus nodded. “Thank you, Severus. That is much appreciated.”

“Potter, accompany me and we shall discuss when you will make up this detention,” Severus lied smoothly. “I have tired of your presence today.”

Harry nodded mutely, then offered Remus a tired smile. “I’ll catch you later, Moony. Have fun running tonight.”

As Harry hurried after Severus, passing near Remus, suddenly the werewolf’s nostrils flared as he finally recognized the scent he hadn’t been able to place earlier. It was arousal…but not the usual heady scent. No, this arousal was one tinged with fear, coercion and shame, and both Harry and Severus nearly reeked with it.

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“Potter!” Severus growled softly. “This has got to stop! We could have been caught! And not only would I lose my job, but you would likely get expelled, as well!”

“Oh, relax, Severus. He didn’t see anything and you covered it all very well.” Harry grinned in relief at Severus’ quick thinking as he stepped up to him. He pulled Severus to him by the front of his robes and planted another rough kiss on the man’s slightly bruised lips. “By the way, before I go, I want the passwords to your rooms,” he said when Severus pulled away.

“What?! I am NOT giving you unfettered access to my private suites!” Severus nearly shouted before remembering Lupin was on the other side of the door.

“Yes, you are.” Harry glared at Severus, his arms crossed over his chest, daring the man to say no again.

“Potter,” Severus snarled through gritted teeth.

“Harry!” the younger man corrected.

Severus growled and ground his teeth. Finally he was forced to give in.

“Fine. They are: Tearmann, Santuario, Heiligdom, and Sanctuaire. You can figure out for yourself, which one opens which door,” he said smugly as he turned towards the goblet on his desk.

Harry moved up behind Severus and pulled the man’s hips back against his crotch. His half-hard length pressed against Severus’ arse as he whispered in Severus’ ear. “You will find every ‘sanctuary’ you ever needed in me. Until tonight, Severus.”

Harry’s teeth nipped Severus’ earlobe before he pulled away and strode out of the office door. Once safely in the hall, the door closed behind him, Harry slumped against the wall, nervous laughter escaping for a moment before he could control himself. He took a few deep breaths and finally pushed himself off the wall, heading towards Gryffindor Tower. He needed a shower, rest, food, and advice; and not necessarily in that order.

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Severus braced himself against the desk as he fought with his warring emotions. He had actually enjoyed the ways Harry had touched him, the way Harry treated him with care and compassion, and hated himself for it. It was only a game to the young hero, a way to take out his frustrations of the war and his impatience with not being able to defeat the Dark Lord. He knew Harry couldn’t really care about him, for him. No one could want him for anything more than a valuable tool to be used and cast aside. And yet… Harry seemed to want more…

Severus slammed his hand down on the desk in frustration. Nothing made sense, least of all Harry Potter’s current behavior and his own reactions and rising emotions.

“Severus?” a soft voice called from behind.

“What?!” he shouted, turning to see a concerned Lupin standing in the open doorway. “Here,” he said, almost apologetically as he held out the goblet with trembling hands.

Remus took a deep breath and accepted the steaming cup from Severus’ hand. He drank back the potion, eyes never leaving Severus’ form. Severus looked more nervous and tired then Remus had ever seen him. Something had caused the man to lose his usually perfect composure, and Remus’ anger grew as he came to what he thought was the reason why.

Grimacing at the taste, he offered the empty goblet back out towards Severus. “Now would you like to explain to me what exactly is going on between you and Harry? Exactly how much have you coerced him into?”

All the color first drained and then rushed back into Severus’ face. His chest heaved and his eyes blazed with more anger than Remus had ever seen. Remus cringed internally as he realized the error of his conclusions. He watched with sadness and shame as Severus’ anger dissolved almost immediately into hurt.

“Get out,” Severus said with a deadly soft voice, his eyes misting over. He took the goblet in his shaking, white hand and turned away.

“Severus?” Remus asked gently.

“Just go,” he said in a quivering, whispered voice. Severus closed his eyes and stood trembling. “Harry was right. No one would believe me,” he said so softly Remus barely heard him.

“I’ll believe you,” Remus said as he reached out to gently touch Severus’ shoulder. He drew back quickly when Severus flinched and jumped at the light touch. “Just tell me what’s going on. What has he done to you?”

“Nothing… It doesn’t matter… I,” he said indecisively.

“It does matter, Severus,” Remus urged. “At first I couldn’t put my finger on what I scented back there in your lab, and that’s because it wasn’t typical arousal.” Remus slowly approached Severus, as one would with a hurt and frightened animal, willing the man to trust him. “Obviously you and Harry are engaged in some sort of sexual relationship, but I’d venture a guess that it’s not one of your choosing. I’m still confused about what I scented from him, but it’s evident that you’re not the one in the position of power here. So I’ll ask you again. What has he done to you?”

“You wouldn’t believe me,” Severus repeated, more emphatically than before. “There’s no way you would take my word over the ‘Golden Boy’.”

“Oh I wouldn’t?” Remus questioned. “You forget, for seven years I shared a dormitory with that young man’s father. I may have been his friend, but James Potter had a cruel streak in him when it came to you. When I was a child, I didn’t have the strength or the sense to stand up for what I believed was right,” he continued, bitterness lacing his voice. He sighed resignedly and squared his shoulders. “Now I do. If Harry is becoming like James, then I want…no…I NEED to know it, Severus. Tell me.”

Severus looked at Remus with tired eyes, uncertainty plain to see. He sighed quietly and gave a curt nod. He walked over to his small sofa and sat with Remus at his side, watching him closely. With a shaky voice he began to tell Remus everything that had happened over the last few days with Harry Potter.

~*~


Harry made it back up to Gryffindor Tower without running into anyone. The rest of the students were at lunch, or off in Hogsmeade, offering Harry the freedom of not having to answer any questions about his whereabouts right away. Harry hurried into the shower, trying to wash away the anxiety and tension, and finding it impossible. That had simply been too close. Remus had almost caught them together. Losing himself in pleasuring Severus had been wonderful, but it had also been risky.

He stepped out of the shower, dressed mechanically, and made his way to his dormitory. Flopping down on his bed, Harry threw an arm over his face and tried to force his body to sleep. Not for the first time, Harry realized how out of control his life currently was, and knew that there was no way to stop it. Just when he was about to give up on the idea of sleep altogether, the door to the boys’ dorm cracked open, and Ron’s head peered in.

Ron looked relieved at finding Harry there. He strode fully into the room, beckoning for the empty space behind him to follow.

Harry watched as the door closed seemingly of its own accord. Only then did Draco emerge from under the confines of the Invisibility Cloak. Both boys crossed to Harry’s side, Ron perching on the foot of Harry’s bed as Draco erected locking and silencing charms on the boys’ dorm door before he settled himself on Ron’s bed.

“Are you all right? We’ve been looking for you all over the castle,” Ron stated quietly. “I take it you went to see Snape?”

Harry sighed, pushing himself up and backwards on the bed until he rested against the headboard comfortably and then summarized the morning’s events for Ron and Draco. When he was finished, he sighed bitterly. “Gods, of all people it had to be Remus.”

Draco’s eyebrow arched in question. “I’m not quite following. Why is it especially bad that it was Lupin?”

“Because I have no doubt whatsoever that Severus will confide in Moony,” Harry answered, running his hand nervously through his hair. “He’s probably the one person that Severus would trust, despite their past. And if he does tell Remus, then I’ve got to involve Dumbledore. He’ll have to stop Remus from intervening and ‘saving’ Severus from me, which is the worst part of it all. Once again, Severus will have trusted in someone and they will have failed him. It will only serve to reinforce his feelings of worthlessness.”

“Well, isn’t that the point of all this? That he realizes that there is no other choice for him but submitting to your will?” Ron questioned.

“I know that,” Harry whispered softly, his words barely audible, “but I don’t want to save his life by breaking his spirit completely. There has to be some way back for him after the bond has been transferred, but I don’t think there is. He’s going to finally have a reason to truly hate me, and the reality of that makes me feel so utterly disgusted that I just don’t know what to do.”

Draco stood and paced for a moment before he faced Harry’s bed. A flicker of hope sparked within Harry when he saw the determined look on the Slytherin’s face. “You know, Harry, domination and submission isn’t just about the sexual act itself. The reason that a person wants to submit himself in a relationship is so that someone else is completely in control of his life; that he’s cared for and loved. And that just might be enough to make Severus realize that this wasn’t just some power play for you. There are a million small ways that you can show that to Severus without pushing the sexual relationship.”

“Yeah, I mean without even realizing it you started that today by demanding he eat, and cleaning those cauldrons for him,” Ron added.

“I didn’t plan that though. It just sort of happened that way. I wouldn’t have the first idea of what to do.”

“Just do general, everyday stuff,” Draco said as he sat next to Harry on the bed. “If you think he’s hungry, make him eat. If you think he’s tired, send him to bed. Basically, be the adult! I don’t mean you have to make him feel like a child, but care for him and take care of him as if he were.”

“I guess,” Harry said skeptically.

“I know!” Draco exclaimed, with a grin and a warm light in his eyes. “Father used to do this with Mum when I was younger. If she were just reading, he’d have her sit at his feet. Or sometimes, he’d spend hours combing her hair. She said it was very relaxing and comforting, and really, I think Father enjoyed it as much as she did!” He snickered and smiled at the memory from a time when both his parents had been truly happy.

Ron nodded in agreement. “Harry, it’s what normal couples do for one another. It’s a sign that a relationship is about more than sex. It’s probably one of the reasons why Dray and I always have to be touching one another,” Ron commented even as he was idly stroking his hand on Draco’s calf. “I have to force myself not to do this in public. I spent my whole life watching my parents express their love a million different ways without ever having to say it.”

“But, I’m not in love with Severus,” Harry interjected, almost sadly.

“Of course you aren’t, Harry,” Draco observed sarcastically with a derisive snort. “That’s why you haven’t tried to find ways to stall the inevitable. That’s why…”

“Don’t, Draco,” Harry begged, “Just don’t. This is already complicated enough without adding in that variable. All that matters is Severus.”

~TBC~

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