Where Others Fear to Tread

Chapter 8

“Here, put this on it.” Harry dubiously took the piece of raw meat from Snape’s hand before gingerly pressing it to his injured cheek. It felt cold and nasty against his skin but he obediently kept it there as Snape rounded the chair and sat down in the armchair opposite him, a glass of amber liquid in his hand.

After the Quidditch match Harry had attended dinner with his glamour’s up. Naturally there had been an inquest by his friends to where he’d been all day and most of the afternoon Harry had convinced his friends he’d just been resting up in the dorm, with a bit of a cold. At dinner Harry had been treated to a play by play of Slytherin’s defeat on the Quidditch pitch, every story told in detail by an ecstatic Ron, Dean and Seamus. Surprisingly Ginny had sat next to him at dinner and although it was unusual for the young girl not to sit with her friends Harry had enjoyed her company, especially when he tired of hearing about the match. Begging off the celebratory match party in the Ravenclaw common room Harry had said he was going to study in the library before bed.

With his invisibility cloak Harry had easily slipped it on when he’d come to the library as he turned around and headed back down towards the dungeons. Harry wasn’t sure why he was actually going to Snape’s chambers again but he supposed he should get used to the man’s company. It had shocked him even more when he’d come to the dead end corridor that the door to Snape’s chambers had automatically opened for him, without him even having to wave his hands over the stone. Harry had stepped cautiously inside forgetting completely about his invisibility cloak until he came face to face with Snape’s wand the wizard defensive about not seeing his visitor. Quickly Harry had dropped the cloak and watched in small delight as Snape stared at him clearly shocked. Harry was sure he’d heard Snape mutter something about ‘spoilt brat to have an invisibility cloak’ but Harry ignored it as Snape had slapped the raw dripping piece of meat into his unsuspecting hand and pushed him down into the armchair by the fire.

“I was expecting more trouble getting in.” Harry whispered around the meat pressed to his face, as he became a little uncomfortable with Snape’s constant stare.

“I changed the wards yesterday.” Snape calmly replied as he sipped from his crystal glass. Harry knew he must have looked a little surprised and watched as Snape snorted a little at the boy’s ignorance. “You are shortly to become my partner Mr. Potter, what is mine is now also yours. When I am here you will have automatic entry into these chambers when I am not you may use the password.” Harry blushed a little at Snape having referred to them as ‘partners’. Silence fell over them again and Harry took his time to take a proper look at Snape’s living room. Earlier in the day he’d been far too worried to take much notice of the little personal things scattered about the room. Along the wall beside the fireplace was a ceiling high set of shelves containing all sorts of old looking books and interesting items he’d never seen before. To the left of fireplace was a chest, a large rusty looking paddle lock sealing it shut. On the walls hung a few obscure portraits of people Harry didn’t recognize. Quite surprisingly the portraits didn’t move like other wizarding paintings and Harry found himself compelled to ask Snape why. Turning back to Snape from his perusal of the room Harry addressed Snape who was now reclined back comfortably in his armchair.

“Your portraits, they don’t move like the others in the castle.” Snape looked up from where he was lost in thought, staring into the swirl of his drink in its crystal glass.

“Yes I prefer my relatives silent and unable to harm me should I do something to displease them.” Snape fell silent again as he watched Harry looking around at the paintings hanging on the wall.

“Nasty looking bunch.” Harry spoke his mind before he could stop himself and turned quickly back to look at Snape apologetically, having just realized he’d insulted the wizard’s family. Harry was stunned when he saw a genuine smile spread across Snape’s face, no hint of malicious delight or any kind of sneer. Harry was completely floored by how different Snape looked with a smile, his skin creasing in the corner of his eyes as those dark eyes glittered in amusement. In that instant Harry knew he could get used to seeing the man smile, he did it so rarely without underlying maliciousness.

“Indeed, the Snape’s are among the oldest dark wizarding families in our history and about the only ones who actually look as dark as they are.” Snape gestured idly at Harry with the hand, which held the glass, still reeling a little at having seen Snape smile. “I may also remind you that they are shortly to become your own relatives.” Harry huffed a small laugh and looked around at the portraits again trying to imagine himself fitting in with a family reunion of the Snape’s. The thought was purely ludicrous, cause he’d never make it through the door without being hexed into oblivion. Surprisingly Harry was beginning to relax in Snape’s presence, something he’d never have imagined. When not commenting on Harry’s ineptitude or stupidity, Snape could be almost pleasant. It had also come to Harry’s attention that Snape had unconsciously dropped the sarcastic ‘Potter’ off the end of his sentences. This alone was surprising and certainly a welcome change, after all they couldn’t go through their married life calling each other ‘Snape’ or ‘Potter’ but Harry wasn’t brave enough to mention that yet.

“You’ve got a large collection of books. May I have a look?” Harry felt a little foolish as he gestured to the bookshelf. Selfishly he was more interested in the magical items lining some of the shelves than the actual books.

“I enjoy reading, and yes you may have a look.” Harry nodded and stood up from the armchair, cautiously taking the longer way around Snape’s own chair, so that he wouldn’t have to squeeze past the man. With the meat still held to his cheek Harry began perusing the shelves occasionally stopping to read a title of a book but lingering more so on the intricate magical items distributed sporadically on the shelves. Harry didn’t dare touch anything despite his curiosity, the incident involving Snape’s pensive still raw in his mind. There was also no way he was going to ask after any of the items knowing it would make Snape turn into teacher mode again, and start insulting his lack of intelligent. Coming to the second shelf from the bottom Harry frowned as he noticed some familiar titles of books lining the shelf.

“You read muggle science fiction?” Harry questioned as he stood up straight and glanced at Snape. Snape had turned around slightly in his chair, so that one slender trouser clad leg hung over the arm of his chair and his arm was slung casually over the back of the chair.

“Yes.” The answer was short and cautious the man obviously deciding whether he was about to be made a mockery of.

“I’ve read some of these. Uncle Vernon didn’t think Dudley’s science fiction novels should grace the shelves beside Shakespeare and Dickens, so he dumped them in my cupboard. I read most of them, but some had pages missing so sometimes I had to just guess what happened in the end.” Harry shrugged his shoulders quietly as he sighed and moved back around Snape’s chair to sit back down in his armchair, a little uncomfortable for having told Snape something so personal. Harry had never dreamed of even talking civilly with Snape let alone discussing his life at Privet Drive. “Um, can I take this off now it’s dripping down my arm.” Slightly self conscious of Snape’s silent stare at him Harry cleared his throat and pulled the piece of raw meat from his face wincing a little in pain. His comment seemed to snap Snape out of his thoughts and he stood up hastily from his armchair. Harry watched as Snape moved into his lab returning a moment later with a silver dissection tray and a small hand towel. When prompted Harry put the piece of meat onto the tray before standing up from the armchair.

“Turn your head towards the light and let me look.” Harry obediently turned his head to the side a little reluctant to take his eyes of Snape who was standing very close to him all of a sudden. When Harry didn’t correctly position his head, Snape took a sharp hold of Harry’s chin and directed the boy’s head in the right direction of the light. Harry closed his eyes involuntarily as he felt Snape scrutinizing his injured cheek. “It’s still bruised but some of the swelling has gone down, it should be gone by tomorrow afternoon.” Harry worried his bottom lip a little as he felt Snape gently clean the raw meat juice of his cheek. Despite the firm grip on his chin Snape’s touch was almost caring and Harry squeezed his eyes tightly shut in an effort not to be tempted to look up at Snape’s face. Eventually Snape’s hand let go of Harry’s chin and the boy felt the man stepped away from him. Reluctantly opening his eyes Harry swallowed around the unfamiliar feeling that swept across him at the closeness of Snape, his eyes instantly dropping to the floor as Snape caught his gaze. “I have a somewhat volatile temper, it is a weakness I am not proud of. I apologies for hitting you.” Harry was a little shocked by Snape’s admission but nodded quietly unable to see Snape’s expression as the wizard disappeared into the lab the tray and dirtied towel in hand. A few moments later Snape returned to the living room, wiping his hands dry on another clean towel.

“Sir.” Harry whispered nervously, unsure of whether he should ask the question that had just come to mind. Snape looked up from where he was meticulously drying his hands on the towel. “Um, what did you mean when you said ‘you were prepared to give me things you’d never dreamed of giving anyone else’.” Almost immediately Harry knew he’d said something wrong by the way Snape’s familiar expressionless mask slid into place and the dark eyes hardened in a glare. Harry swallowed convulsively and involuntarily took a step back towards the fireplace. Harry was half expecting Snape to pounce on him and eat him alive, but as he felt a swell of warmth behind him, Harry spun around to watch as a purple flame erupted in the fireplace.

“Get in there and stay quiet.” In a whirlwind Harry found himself bustled into a darkened room the door swinging shut behind him before he heard a complicated ward being erected from outside. Stepping away from the door in shock Harry practically fell onto something familiarly soft. It took a moment for Harry to realize what he was sitting on, before he leapt practically into the air and onto his feet as he realized it was Snape’s bed he’d sat down on.

Pulling out his wand, Harry lit the end of it to cast an eerie shadow around the room. Looking around the room Harry noticed a distinct theme, that had been carried through from the living room. The four-poster canopy bed dominated the room, it’s cream curtains and canopy contrasting the blood red sheets. Unwilling to think of Snape in any form of undress and in bed, Harry looked elsewhere in the room. There was a dresser with a mirror on the far wall and an open doorway that Harry assumed was a bathroom. To his right was a wardrobe and a smaller bookcase with a few books scattered haphazardly upon it, along with a few personal items Harry dare not look to closely at. With a sigh of relief that he’d not been thrown anywhere too sinister Harry moved over to the door and pressed his ear against it. What ever or who ever was using the fireplace wasn’t a normal visitor, cause Harry had never seen purple flame like that and Snape’s reactions had been split second.

Through the door Harry could hear muffled voices but nothing distinct enough to identify the people. In an attempt to hear more Harry pressed himself impossibly closer to the door but no sooner had he put his weight on the door than the voices stopped and the door abruptly swung open sending Harry sprawling out onto the lounge room floor. Landing with a slap Harry protectively turned over onto his back as a shadow fell over his body. Rolling over with his wand out defensively in front of him Harry was shocked to see Snape staring down at him with a familiar scowl.

“Potter, you imbecile get up!” Harry sighed, ‘so they were back to the ‘potter’ thing again. Standing to his feet Harry now noticed an ominous red substances on Snape’s palms. Harry didn’t have time to question Snape about it though when another voice drew Harry’s attention.

“Potter!” Harry spun around and stood completely in shock as he stared down at Draco sitting on the cream rug in front of the fire, his face bloodied almost unrecognizably and his chest heaving as if the boy was short of breath. “What is he doing here?” Draco spat at Snape before he hunched over and began coughing uncontrollably. Snape was quickly at the blonde boy’s side, his hand resting on the boy’s back holding him upright as Draco coughed up a unhealthy red ball of spit.

“It doesn’t matter Draco.” Harry stood stoically still as Snape looked up from Draco his usual scowl back in place. “Potter, go into my lab. On the shelf above the sink there is set of four purple vials of potion bring them to me.” Harry remained where he was staring at Draco’s battered body remembering all to clearly how he himself had looked after one of his uncles more physical sessions. “Potter! Now!” When Draco began coughing again Harry was spurred into action following Snape’s direction he easily found the four vials and returned them quickly to Snape, who snatched them forcefully from his grasp. Harry watched as Snape sat down on the rug beside Draco, the boy propped up sickly between the man’s knees. Tilting Draco’s head back Snape poured all four vials down the boy’s throat in succession ignoring the way Draco choked on them and the boy’s body shook uncontrollably in his godfather’s arms. With the vials empty Snape tossed each one carelessly onto the rug. As Draco swallowed the last vial of potion the blonde collapsed exhausted into Snape’s arms, the man wrapping them comfortingly around the young boy. For a while Harry stared at Snape and Draco sitting on the rug in silence, Snape’s arms wrapped tightly about the boy and gently rocking him back and forth as Draco whimpered obviously in pain. In that instant Harry felt like an intruder and so backing away towards the door whispered softly to capture Snape’s attention.

“Um, I’m going to go, it’s late.” Grabbing his invisibility cloak from the hook by the entrance Harry wrapped it around his body, pausing briefly to look back at where Snape was still rocking Draco back and forth in his arms. Harry didn’t expect any reply but was shocked as he heard Snape’s voice as the doorway opened automatically for him.

“Goodnight Potter.” With a weak smile Harry nodded his gaze meeting Snape’s for a brief moment before Harry pulled the hood of his fathers cloak of his head and literally disappeared out of the door and down the corridor….

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