Guilty as Sin

CHAPTER 9

It was another weekend, and another detention spent with Snape. Harry was only a month into the school year and already he was tiring of having to spend so much time in Snape’s presence. After the confrontation in the great hall at the beginning of term most of the student populace had gone back to ignoring his existence. What ever Draco had said to the Ravenclaw prefect had obviously gone around the school quickly. The professors too had given him a wide berth not even asking him anymore if he intended joining in on class practices. Snape was still however dominating his life, making importune visits to see Harry, during free periods or at meals. The potions professor was keeping a scrupulously close eye on Harry just as he’d promised at the start of term. Nothing had come of Snape’s momentary laps in the great hall either, the incident forgotten as if it hadn’t even happened. That alone didn’t come as a surprise to the boy, knowing the headmaster and his staff wanted to avoid further irritation concerning him. Harry had however noticed that whenever Snape addressed him the professor’s hands were always tightly clasped together behind his back as if not trusting himself not to make a repeat performance.

Harry was also beginning to see the benefits of the meetings he attended weekly in the Slytherin dorm. Now he was aware of what he was, Harry was beginning to notice the unconscious changes in his behavior again just as he had first noticed back at the beginning of school. Now though he wasn’t inhibiting them instead he took every new step as it came. For instants he’d given up wearing Dudley’s old hand-me downs and instead was purchasing more traditional, well fitting wizarding attire from the multitude of owl order catalogues Draco had stashed in his trunk. He’d changed his hairstyle too, cutting it shorter and purposely messing it up with gel. Despite being banned from Quidditch Harry still attended games, enjoying it on a whole new level. It had dawned on Harry during the second match of the season last week that his love of the game didn’t stem from being able to fly; it was rather the thrill of danger and the adrenalin that he loved. Those things he could still enjoy without being on a broom, but the most spectacular part was the accidents. A sick pleasure seemed to be derived from seeing blood spilled on the Quidditch pitch, even Draco agreed. The meetings helped him relax, and almost enjoy what was happening to him. In his new little world Harry had begun to care less about everyone else and his attitude showed it. A passing comment at him in the halls was met with as ugly a curse as Harry could think of on the spot. Stares from other students were met head on with Harry staring right back at them with a glare just as dangerous as Snape’s might be. Everything Harry did seemed less important as he began to listen to his bodies’ demands. Admittedly most of those demands were sated by Draco but something, something he couldn’t identify was beginning to get under his skin and make him feel unsettled. It was partly why, despite his growing irritation of the subject, he still came religiously to his detentions with Snape. Given half a chance Harry would have blown the professor off by now and handed the consequences but something kept him coming. Harry was sure it had started with the slap in the great hall, the memory of it lingering in Harry’s mind and refusing to die. The look in the potion professor’s eyes, the anger, the rage and the pure satisfaction having slapped the boy, it was to Harry unforgettable.

“You’re dawdling Potter.” Harry snapped himself out of his distant stare into the bubbles of the sink, to glance pointedly over his shoulder at where Snape was sat at his desk grading papers. The potions professor hadn’t even glanced up from his work to address Harry. Harry stared at the wizard for a moment watching the way the man scrawled his red comments over the parchment he was reading. It would not have surprised Harry if the parchment weren’t his, Snape delighting in further degrading the boy but at present Harry couldn’t see if it was and so merely turned back to where he was scrubbing the cauldrons.

Harry continued until he’d finished the last cauldron and emptied the sink before he turned back to face Snape who was now reclining in his chair behind his desk staring openly at the boy. Harry had felt Snape staring at him for a while the man’s icy gaze sending chills down Harry’s spine. Harry wasn’t intimidated by the man’s stare though and calmly returned the man’s gaze his eyes expressing his uncaring attitude.

“You realize Potter that by this show of defiance you are only delaying the inevitable.” Harry raised a smooth eyebrow in distain as he watched Snape rise from behind his desk and come around to stand before him. Harry bit his tongue purposely remaining silent despite the overwhelming desire to retaliate against the older wizard. “What do you hope to achieve by this rebellion Potter? Are you teaching us all a lesson by purposely being awkward? Do you mean for them all to give up on you just because you’ve embraced this new criminal image?” Harry breathed out slowly controlling himself as Snape circled him looking down his nose at the boy with mild disgust. “I’ve got news for you Potter, too much has gone into creating you for them all to give up, The headmaster himself will see you fulfill your task even if he must drag you kicking and screaming into the mouth of the devil himself?” Harry knew Snape was baiting him, the tension between them having risen slowly over the past two weeks. It was as if Snape was daring him to challenge his authority again just as Harry had done the day in the great hall, and unfortunately Harry was becoming powerless to stop himself replying. “Do you know what a sacrificial lamb is Potter?” Harry’s heart missed a beat as Snape leaned in close the man’s sneer nothing compared to the overwhelming aroma that assaulted Harry’s senses immediately. The smell as wonderful a mixture of deep earthy grass and mid morning sex, and it made Harry’s hair stand on end. Automatically Harry closed his eyes breathing in deeply the scent, momentarily getting lost in the odor before it disappeared as Snape pulled away sharply. Abruptly Harry’s eyes sprung open again to stare at Snape, who’d consciously put several paces between them. Harry had never seen the professor look so shocked in his entire life the wizard staring stunned into Harry’s eyes. “Your….” Severus Snape was never inarticulate but at that very moment words failed him as he stared into the lavender hued eyes of the boy who lived. This sudden out of character change in his potion’s professor caught Harry off guard and the boy bit his lip wondering what he’d done. Quickly trying to defuse the situation Harry clung to the only reality he knew as he snapped sharply back at Snape’s original comment.

“I do believe I know one sacrificial lamb sir.” Harry paused watching as Snape regained a little self-control again as Harry spoke. “Do you prefer that title or is deceitful, two faced worm more appropriate in your situation?” Harry knew the instant he’d said it, it was the wrong thing to say. Snape practically exploded as he swept down onto Harry’s form picking him up by his neck and bodily throwing him out of the door of the potion’s classroom with a very unnatural strength. Harry hit the wall in the corridor outside with a heavily thump but he didn’t register the pain. Instead an instinct kicked in and climbing to his feet Harry spun around his wand outstretched at the potion master who was still in the room bent almost double over his desk and breathing heavily. Steadily Harry walked back inside the room his wand never wavering from Snape’s crumpled form over the desk. Slowly Harry approached the other wizard, his natural feeling to run being completely overridden by the sudden need to be close to Snape. “Professor?” Harry whispered darkly watching in fascination as Snape glanced up at him. The man’s once obsidian eyes were now rimmed with violet and Harry could smell the intoxicating aroma he’d smelt before. Something sparkling caught Harry’s attention and the boy glanced down to see a very familiar chain and claw hanging out of Snape’s robes. Cautiously Harry looked up at Snape not really knowing what to do now he was here. Snape’s shaking pale fingers tightened on the edge of the desk as Harry’s gaze met his own.

“You do not know what game you play Potter, get out before you do something we will both regret.” Harry didn’t move his body still refusing to move even as Snape’s silken voice washed over him like wave. When it was obvious Harry couldn’t do as he’d said Snape continued obviously fighting an unseen force himself. “Listen to the rational thought Potter and move before we are both ruined.” Forcing himself to lower his wand Harry dragged his gaze away from Snape’s violet glow. Without the gaze Harry found it easier to think and slowly he turned and strode from the room, shaking and feeling completely out of control.

As soon as Harry made it out of the classroom he began running, blindly pushing his way past Slytherin students as he made his way towards their common room. Draco had always escorted Harry into the common room and always when everyone was out at dueling club. Being the weekend however the place was full of milling students all of whom now stared at Harry as the boy burst through their common room door and fell to his knees in sudden agony, and began calling out for Draco. Everyone was staring at him hardly believing a Gryfindor had their password, on top of it being Potter who was wailing in agony in their common room.

“Fuck, Harry!” Harry heard Draco pushing his way through the gathered crowd to get to him before the blonde boy fell down on his knees beside Harry’s writhing form. “Harry, Harry!” Draco grabbed hold of Harry’s face forcing him to look at him. Draco gasped audibly as he saw the lavender hue in Harry’s once green eyes. “Shit.” Draco whispered as he wiped the blood away from Harry’s cut head.

“Draco what’s he doing here?” Harry distantly heard someone addressing the blonde.

“It doesn’t matter go and get Steven and Gavin now!” Draco growled at the crowd surrounding them before lowering his forehead down to rest on Harry’s so that they were staring at one another.

“You need to snap out of it Potter, we can’t help you unless you settle down.” Harry nodded dimly against Draco’s forehead as two more familiar shadows fell over him. “Help me get him up and into the dorm.” Draco stood up from Harry and before he knew what was happening Harry was being lifted easily from the floor and carried unceremoniously into the sixth year dormitory. Steven and Gavin dumped Harry onto Draco’s bed before the blonde instructed them to get rid of the crowd before sitting down carefully beside a more calm but still upset Harry.

“It’s him, he’s one of us.” Harry whispered softly up at Draco who nodded far too calmly for Harry’s liking considering what he’d just told him.

“I told you it wouldn’t surprise me Potter, what stupid thing did you do this time?” Draco muttered as he reached into his bedside table and drew out a small hip flash of whisky from which he took a large swig of himself before handing it to Harry to do the same.

“Nothing, I don’t think.” Harry was confused at what he had actually done to incite such a reaction from Snape, he was still reeling at the fact Snape was one of them. “I’d finished scrubbing the cauldron and he began baiting me about everything, teasing, challenging me to do something or say something. I didn’t say anything but when he came close I caught this smell, like wet grass and stale sex. He freaked out when I looked up at him. I didn’t know what to do so I told him he was a deceitful two-faced worm. Then he lashed out at me, threw me out of the classroom with one hand but I couldn’t resist I had to go back to him. I saw his chain, and his eyes they were a deep violet colour. He told me to go before I did something we’d both regret, so I left and came here and now my chest aches so bad.” Harry rushed through what had happened in the potions classroom before curling up on his side and pushing his nose into Draco’s side, despite not being able to smell the blonde.

“This is bad Potter.” Draco whispered as he took another deep pull from the hip flask his hand automatically coming to rest on Harry’s back where it was rubbing back and forth gently as if to heal the other boy’s pain and distress, which unfortunately he felt so acutely. “Judging from what you’ve just told me we can assume he’s a Superei. The last and only time I’ve ever came into contact with a Superei like that was a couple of summers ago. We went to Spain for a so-called Malfoy family holiday. I was still getting used to controlling my behavior but I knew as soon as I spotted this guy in our hotel I knew what he was and that if anything happened I’d be powerless to stop it. He seemed nice enough, we even fucked a couple of times but something happened on the last day and I challenged him for some stupid reason. Before I knew what was happening he was strangling me and slicing open my wrists, yet I couldn’t do anything about it because it was if my body wanted it to happen. Lucius came in before he could finish the job and the guy fled. Lucius just thought it was a lovers tiff, he’s got no idea about my condition.” Harry nodded slowly now a little fearful for himself and what Snape would do to him if he got half a chance.

“What do I do now then?” Harry whispered in return as Steven and Gavin returned having finally dispelled the angry crowd outside in the common room.

“Lay low for a while. Don’t make eye contact with him, don’t speak to him, definitely don’t challenge him again, and above all do exactly as he says. We don’t know yet what Snape’s doing to control his own condition so it’s best we as Inferei stay out of his way until we can learn some more about it.” Draco looked seriously from Harry up at the other two boys’ who nodded in silent agreement.

“We’ll go tell Alison.” Steven and Gavin turned to leave and Harry slowly sat up from the bed as Draco stood up as well.

“You better go too Potter, we don’t need to give him a reason to come looking for you down here and you’re safer up in Gryfindor Tower.” Harry nodded and with a smile of thanks to Draco turned and followed Steven and Gavin. The ache in his chest was still there and he was still very confused but at least he was back in control of himself and that was the important part, or at least what he thought was important.

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

A/N Alright two more lovely chapters to keep you all content and happy. I can\'t believe I found you all again and I\'m sooo glad you\'re enjoying this little story. Unfortunately from here in on it gets supremely dark mainly because old Severus looses a little of that iron control of his....but you\'ll just have to wait and see what happens.
Oh and thanks for all the reviews, you\'l learn more about what Harry did at the Dursley\'s as the story goes on and I stick by my pairing as you\'ll see in coming chapters...

Thanks for the support and keep those lovely reviews coming.

RIFFRAFF