In Light of a Prediction (A Halloween Ritual)

Fic title: A Halloween Ritual
Author: DBZ Vegeta
Summary: The night of the honored dead… All Hallows Eve. A prediction causes a bit of trouble for two men.
Rating: NC-17
Chapter: 6 /
Word Count: 855
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.


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Part 6 – The Morning Ritual

The following morning when Harry awoke, he laid in his bed staring at the ceiling for a long period of time, his mind swirling with his concerns and desires. ‘Why couldn’t he just tell Severus how he felt about him? Was the really that worried about rejection that he was too scared to even try?’ he thought glumly. He realized in that instance that he was truly afraid to try, afraid that he would lose what little camaraderie that he currently had with Severus now.

He sighed as he rolled over and up into a sitting position, stretching his arms up over his head. Dropping his arms, he stood up and cross the room, pulling out his bathrobe to cover his naked form. Digging around in his dresser, he pulled out a pair of jeans, a soft long-sleeved pullover in hunter green and a pair of boxers. Folding them together, he picked up his toiletry bag and stepped out into the hallway and down to the small bathroom.

When he stepped in, he was overwhelmed by the lingering scent of Severus, who must have just recently finished his ablutions. He shook his head, trying to clear out the scent of clove and spices from him mind as he shut the door behind him resolutely and prepared to shower.

Less than a half an hour later, Harry was dressed and standing in the doorway to the kitchen goggling at the amount of food laid out on the table. Severus was sitting at one end, hidden behind a newspaper, one hand occasionally snaking out to pick up his cup or a slice of toast.

“Don’t just stand there like an idiot, Potter, sit down and eat before everything gets cold,” came Severus’ voice from behind the paper.

Harry crossed the room and slid into a chair, looking at the abundance of food trying to decide where to start first. He gave up and picked up a plate, piling crisp bacon and eggs onto one side along with stewed tomatoes and kippers on the other. He nearly moaned as the first bite passed his lips.

“I didn’t know that you could cook, Severus,” he said, after following his bite down with a bit of sweetened hot tea, which had appeared at his elbow.

Severus flipped down the top of the paper to look over it at Harry before commenting, “I would have assumed that you would know that any Potion Master of high caliber would have the basic knowledge of food preparations.”

Harry snorted, putting his cup back down next to his plate. “You could have just said the all potions masters are good cooks.”

Severus’ drool stare flew across the table, “That’s what I said, Potter.”

"Fine, be that way," grumbled Harry as he dug into his food and steadily tried to ignore the slight noises that drifted from across the table.

Finishing his plate, he pushed back from the table and leaned back in the chair, groaning contentedly. He looked, though heavy-lidded eyes, over at the other man occupying the table. Severus had finally folded up his paper and was just finishing the last few bites of food on his plate. Harry wondered how something so mundane as eating could become such a sensual art form and it was all that he could do not to moan out loud.

"So," he started, trying to distract himself from his thoughts, "what should we do today?"

"I haven't a clue what you are planning on doing, Potter, but I plan on taking this time to work on some of my research." Severus said, as he finished his last bit of food and stood, picking up his plate and placing it in the kitchen sink.

"That's work, Sev," Harry replied, as he also started to pickup dishes and moved them over to the sink. Leaning on the counter and turning towards Severus, "You know that Albus sent us here for a vacation, not a time for you to continue your research. I know, how about we take a walk down to the town and see what they have?"

"I have no interested in doing anything but reading my books," Severus growled, as he waved his wand over the sink, charming them to wash.

"I'm sure, but do you really think that the Headmaster would have let you get here with your books?" Harry snickered softly at the horrified look that passed over Severus' face as the man bolted from the room and down the hallway. A bellow later confirmed Harry's notion, along with the promise of curses to be rained down upon one meddling old fool upon their return.

Harry chuckled harder as he moved into the living room and looked out the large window, admiring the snow-swept scenery. When Severus stormed back he had changed into a pair of black linen pants, a black turtle neck sweater, and over one arm was a long black overcoat.

"If the headmaster insists on removing my books from my baggage, I will just have to purchase more. You wanted to go to town, then let's go."

~TBC~