The Lesser of Two Out of Three Evils

TITLE: The Lesser of Two Out of Three Evils

AUTHOR: Rowaine

PAIRING: SS/HP

RATING: hard R

DISCLAIMER: Not mine, never was, never will be, more\'s the pity. JKR is responsible, and her lawyers can beat up your lawyers. No money is made from this collection of recreational words that are laughingly called a literary work -- but maybe you\'ll get a giggle out of it.

SUMMARY: Sev has been saving Harry\'s life for years. What happens when the tables are turned?

NOTES: Part of the Severus Snape Fuh-Q Fest -- Scenario #2 - Severus receives some bad news. Many many thanks to the lovely ladies who volunteered to beta this for me! And yes, I\'m aware that this concept has been used several times, but hopefully, my humble attempt is different enough to merit some interest. May you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing.

ARCHIVING: The Severus Snape Fuh-Q Fest Archive.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The Lesser of Two Out of Three Evils

by Rowaine

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

It was a rare occasion that brought Albus Dumbledore to visit the dungeons of his own school. Besides the fact that they were dark, dank and smelled somewhat like old PE socks laced with Wolfsbane, he respected his Potions professor\'s need for privacy and seclusion too much to intrude very often.

Tonight\'s news definitely warranted such an excursion.

Rapping on the tall oak door, Albus stood quietly while waiting for the expected curses and grumbling. He was not disappointed -- but rather than the amusement he generally felt on such occasions, this evening he only felt a sense of melancholic resignation.

\"... had better be a damned good reason for disturbing me in my private quarters this late at night, or so help me I\'ll hex you into...\" Shock evident on his face before he quickly trained his features back to their normal sneer, wand readied and aimed, Severus Snape halted his actions upon identifying his unwanted visitor. \"Good evening, Albus. Seeing that you are here instead of calling me up for tea, I should take it that tonight is not a social call? Come in then, and let\'s get this over with.\"

\"Thank you, dear boy. And no, I\'m afraid that my news will be far from pleasant.\" The ever-present twinkle in his clear blue eyes was, for once, truly and completely missing. Waiting until the door was secured behind him, Albus cast several highly complicated silencing charms and protective wards on top of those normally in place. \"My apologies for interrupting your quiet time. Weekends should never be interfered with in such a manner. Unfortunately, we have learned some things about Voldemort\'s latest plans... and Severus, they are for you.\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

~~Two hours earlier~~

\"Yessss Luciussss, most disturbing newsss you bring me. Thoroughly damning, distressing information. You are quite positive of your source?\"

\"Of course, my Lord. I would never think to mislead you with shaky or uncertain information.\"

\"Yesswe awe are all aware of your son\'s constant watch over the Potter brat. And yet I fail to see how this latest piece of news will have much of an impact.\"

Lucius Malfoy was normally a very self-assured, arrogant aristocrat. Only the darkly powerful presense of his Master could reduce any Malfoy to a quivering mass of nerves... and yet that was how he felt most often in his Lord\'s service. Some perverse part of his brain recognized the rush of fear that bordered on pleasure, encouraging him to continue his subservient station at the serpentine wizard\'s side.

After a quick mental shrug, the silvery blond man bowed deeply to his Master once more, saying, \"If he has been acting as a double-agent since your rebirth, he has too much knowledge of your plans and intentions. He has undoubtedly told Dumbledore everything he\'s heard and seen.\"

\"Do not treat me like a moronic child, Malfoy! Of courssssse, he has inssssside knowledge -- but mossst of it wassss planted, intending for him to enlighten that old fool of our plansss. If you have nothing of more use to add, remove yourssself.\"

\"Thank you, my Lord.\"

\"Oh, and Luciusss... Crucio!\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The Gryffindor Golden Boy woke in a cold sweat, shaking hard enough to have thrown his heavy quilt to the floor during this latest vision. As if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on his head, the after-effects of the Dark Lord\'s Unforgivaremoremoved all the blurred edges of sleep from his mind. Quickly donning his glasses and outer robes, Harry Potter made his way up to the headmaster\'s office.

Although Malfoy and Voldemort had never used his name, the Boy Who Lived was positive that they were discussing Professor Snape. Harry had no true liking for the man -- he was hateful, unfair, and bitingly sarcastic at the best of times -- he knew how often his Potions instructor had saved countless lives by his efforts, spying for the Order and relaying false information to the Dark Lord.

Racing through the castle, he followed the often-traveled path to Dumbledore\'s tower office, allowing his mind to replay the details of tonight\'s vision. His thoughts were so occupied that he nearly ran head-on into the gargoyle blocking his admittance, but before he could utter the password, it moved silently out of the way as a voice called out, \"Come in, Harry. Join me for a late spot of tea?\"

Toungoung man gratefully sank into one of the over-stuffed chairs nearest the fireplace, allowing the warmth to penetrate his rattled nerves. Between the comforting heat of the raging fire and Albus\' chamomile tea, Harry gradually calmed down from his most recent vision.

Fully understanding the awkward position of his favored student, the headmaster made idle small talk while the Gryffindor composed himself. Only after he saw the very visible signs of tension easing from toungoung man\'s body did he dare ask the subject of this latest horror.

\"Well, let\'s not postpone the inevitable. What have you to report, Harry?\"

Sneaking a quick glance into the old wizard\'s eyes, the Boy Who Lived sought what comfort he could in the fact that Dumbledore had withstood both Grindewald and Voldemort and still lived to continue the fight against oppressive Dark wizards.

\"He knows about Professor Snape, sir. You can\'t let him answer Voldemort\'s call again, or they\'ll torture and kill him. And it could be worse... it sounded as if the Dark Lord could kill him thru the Mark itself.\" Harry was becoming agitated again, losing what little calm he had left. \"Isn\'t there some way to remove it, or something? Snape isn\'t my favorite person, but no one deserves this!\"

\"Take it easy, Harry. We\'ll find some way of protecting Severus, never fear. When he first turned away from Voldemort\'s beliefs, I researched possible methods of reng ong or altering the Dark Mark. There is a way, but I was unable to perform the necessary rituals.\"

\"YOU?! But how could you not be able to do anything about it?\"

\"Quite simple, really. Because I lack any sort of connection to the wizard who created it.\" For just a moment, the genial sparkle returned to Albus\' eyes. \"And you were too young to be of much assistance.\"

\"Me, sir? Well, yeah, I\'ve got the scar and that parseltongue trick, and visions and all... but I\ot not nearly as powerful or experienced as you. What ritual has to be done, and what does it involve?\" Determination replaced nervous tension as his Gryffindor traits reared at the challenge.

Albus outlined the spells and ceremony necessary, allowing his protégé time to absorb some of the possible ramifications of such a rite. The wily headmaster knew his charge would rise to the challenge, regardless of his opinion of the Potions Master. After handing Harry what few books and notes he\'d made on the process, Albus shuffled him back to bed, readying himself for the next step.

Now it was time to inform Severus.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

\"Before we begin, might I suggest that you retrieve a calming potion? You most probably will want to partake of it prior to this discussion.\" The headmaster inwardly chuckled at his employee\'s slight snort of impatience, but was gratified when he prly lly located and swallowed the appropriate dosage. \"Very good, thank you, Severus. Now, I trust you remember young Mr. Potter\'s nightly visions of Voldemort and his plans? Yes, bothersome really, but quite useful. He came to me not too long ago with some most disturbing news.\"

\"Just get on with it, Albus. I would like to at least attempt sleeping sometime tonight.\"

\"Of course. You would prefer brutal honesty, I\'m sure. We expected the Dark Lord to eventually find out about your role in the conflict, naturally, and he has.\"

\"That is hardly cause to make this unnecessary late night visit, Albus. Kindly get to the point.\"

Sighing deeply at the impatience, Dumbledore continued, \"Harry listened as Voldemort and Lucius discussed their intensions to kill you. Either in person, or through the Mark. For that reason, we must again attempt to remove the Dark Mark.\"

\"It failed the first time -- I cannot imagine why it would succeed now.\"

\"After much consideration, I believe I\'ve discovered the answer to that question. Severus, the caster of the ritual must have some connection with the creator of the Mark. Where I could not perform the rite, we now have one who can.\"

Professor Snape was many things, but slow-witted would never be in his description. Before the old wizard has completed his last sentence, Severus was on his feet, loudly disclaiming and throwing curses at the walls. \"Never! Allow your pet Golden Bo bur burn my soul to his? It\'s preposterous, Albus! You cannot ask it of me -- I would rather face the Dark Lord than be forced into a submissive position to that... that... foolhardy child!\"

Hiding his grin behind a cough, the headmaster spoke softly, soothing as one does to a temperamental toddler, \"As unfortunate as the situation may seem, it is the only way, dear boy. You of all people should know that our Mr. Potter would never abuse the power, nor will he cause you undue discomfort for any reason. Unless you know of some other way, we shall have to begin preparations for the ritual immediately.\" Albus rose, moving toward his irate employee and friend. Placing a hand on the younger man\'s shoulder, he quietly said, \"Please, Severus. I would hate to lose the closest I\'ll ever have to a son.\"

\'Damn the man!\' Snape closed his eyes, grimacing at the bright sparks of an impending migraine behind his lids. \"Before you make any plans, I expect to read all of the material you\'ve collected about this... travesty.\"

\"Naturally. Don\'t worry, my child. We\'ll make ightight somehow.\"

\"If it involves Harry Potter, there\'s bound to be a catch somewhere. Or maybe he will simply summon a lesser daemon. That boy is a trouble magnet.\"

Chuckling aloud, the headmaster agreed. \"At times, indeed he is. But I seem to recall a certain other young man who couldn\'t help but finding trouble, often.\"

Severus had the grace to look abashed, but refused to be consoled by this tentative scheme. \"Until you grant me time and materials to research for myself, and can assure me that Potter is capable of not killing us both in the process, I would like to go to bed.\" His gruff persona dropped at the end of the tirade, returning his friend\'s show of affection. \"Albus... thank you, for at least trying to help me correct a childish mistake.\"

\"Not at all, dear boy. ouldould be a great loss to me, the students, and beyond, if we were to lose your bright personality.\"

As old as he was, Dumbledore still retained the ability to dodge hexes with the best. Lucky for him.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Harry had returned to his room as instructed, but couldn\'t get back to sleep. Instead, he spent the remaining hours before breakfast in reading and taking notes on the ancient scrolls and tomes he\'d been given. While he was nowhere near the avid scholar that his best friend Hermione was, the Boy Who Lived still had more than his fair share of intelligence. He followed the ancient spells and curses, understanding how the Dark Mark interacted with the bearer\'s soul, tying them to the caster\'s magic for life. He also could comprehend how very dangerous this ritual would be to both himself and his Potions professor.

Just as he heard signs of his housemates\' movements in the common room, Harry closed the final spell book, sighing in something between relief and resignation. \'I\'d hate to see how Snape will react, knowing that we\'ll be bound almost as closely as soul mates.\'

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

\'Stupid! Neville Longbottom couldn\'t have created a mess as bad as this. And that meddlesome coot Albus is simply sitting back, laughing and twinkling at the whole situation. Even Voldemort would be kinder about it. Alright, maybe he wouldn\'t. But at least he would never expect me to be tied for life to Harry Bloody Potter!\'

A serof cof crashes and explosions could be heard throughout the lower levels of Hogwarts\' dungeons, as the Potions lab suffered Snape\'s fit of frustrated temper.

\'Oh sure, he\'s grown into a fine looking young man. With all that brainless Quidditch, he\'s even lost the scrawny muscles and frame he first came to school with. It could be worse, I suppose. If Albus had approached me with the news that I\'d be forever bound to Longbottom, I would have to bypass retribution for suicide. But why Harry Potter?! If that damned mongrel gets wind of this, it won\'t matter whether or not the ritual works -- he and I will both be dead. Unless he\'s in a body bind first...\'

Rapidly losing momentum, the venom with which his cursese the thrown grew to a more reasonable level.

\'Azkaban is where I\'ll end up before this is over. If I fail to kill Potter, I\'ll surely have to tear Dumbledore apart for his annoying I-know- something-you-don\'t-know looks. Nasty place, Azkaban, but at least it has one hell of a view.\'

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

A hesitant knock at his office door broke the headmaster from a meditative trance. Regardless of how often he was accused of being omniscient, Albus Dumbledore was far from all knowing. But he would never admit it, even under interrogation.

\"Come in, Harry.\" The raven-haired young man shuffled in, laden with the research material from the previous night. \"You\'ve already finished reading all that? My word, you seem quite motivated!\"

\'What does he expect? I\'m being manipulated into shackling myself to Snape. The least I can do is find out everything possible about this ritual.\' Harry sat in his favorite chair, accepted a cup of peppermint tea, and picked up the only new parchment on his stack of books and scrolls. \"I\'ve got are a few questions and conclusions I came to from the information you had, sir. I believe we can modify the original spell to permit both parties equal control.\"

\"Really? That would certainly sooth Severus\' worries. Let\'s hear your questions then.\"

\"OK then, first off -- what exactly happened when you attempted to counteract the Mark? It would help a lot to know what I should be watching for this time.\"

\"Quite right. Excellent question, Harry. The rite went off exactly as it should, but at the end, the living essence of the bond refused to relocate from Voldemort to me.\"

\"Living essence? That isn\'t in your notes, sir,\" complained Harry. \'If he\'s going to keep information from me, I\'ll have to go talk with Snape. Merlin please, let him finally come clean!\'

\"Well, no. After we failed, I saw no need to update the files. We did manage to figure out that a tie to the original caster must exist in order to transfer the bond, but since no one living had the required connection...\"

\"Yeah, I got that part, thanks. Next question -- the original ritual involved a lot of blood and pain for Professor Snape, but surely we can use a different type of ceremonial bonding. Which did you try?\"

For once in the six years since Harry first met him, Dumbledore appeared to be at a loss for words. The moment passed fairly quickly, but it was worth remembering. \"Yes, well... That should have been in the material I gave you. Or at least some of the notes. Err...\"

\"Sir, we\'re running on borrowed time here. If you\'re this embarrassed by it, can I assume that the ritual you used was sexual?\"

\"Well, yes.\"

\"Right. That would be one of the closest alternatives to the submission required in Voldemort\'s version. As long as whatever aphrodisiacs are used don\'t harm the spell components, it shouldn\'t be a problem.\" Seeing his headmaster\'s discomfort in the turn of conversation, Harry let the old man off the hook. \"Why don\'t I just go talk with Professor Snape then? He might have more personal input.\"

Visibly cheered, Albus once more loaded his student with the necessary materials, shuffling him toward the door. \"Thank you for accepting the situation so well, Harry. Please, go on down to Severus\' rooms now. The password to his chambers is righteous indignation.\"

\'Of course it is. He\'s going to flay me alive for this. But it\'ll work, I\'m sure of it.\'

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

\'Hell hath no fury...\' Approaching the classroom with much more trepidation than he usually felt, Harry heard the last signs of the Potions Master\'s ire cascading off the dungeon walls. \'He can be such a drama queen at times. If he would just stop being such a raving arsehole to everyone... But at least he looks good doing it.\'

What had once been a sturdy, magically strengthened door now lay mostly off its hinges, only one of the casualties of Snape\'s wrath. Clearing his throat, Harry fullfully stepped past the mangled chunk of wood and walked into the serpent\'s den.

\"Professor Snape.\"

Worn, weary, and almost frantic in his waning tirade, Severus\' head snapped at the voice. \"Gods, Potter. You have the worst timing. Can\'t you leave me be?\"

\"Err, no sir. I\'m afraid that this isn\'t just going to go away. Have you had a chance to look over the headmaster\'s notes and such?\"

\"Not as yet. He left rather abruptly after relaying the \'bad news\'.\" With the last bit of steam he possessed, the professor summoned a house elf to bring tea and brandy. Lots of brandy. \"Well, have a seat, you miserable nuisance. We might as well get this debacle over with.\"

\"It\'s not as bad as it sounds, Professor. After reading these,\" Harry motioned toward the pile of books, \"I\'m sure that the ritual can be modified to create a mutual connection, where neither of us would be subservient to the other.\"

\"After six and a half years in school, you finally located a dictionary? Or perhaps you had Ms. Granger\'s assistance in that little speech.\"

\"Hardly. She and Ron are off playing tonsil hockey. My vocabulary has always been all right, sir. Just not around you.\"

\"And what, pray tell, could possibly prevent you from using your great intellect in my presence?\"

\"Maybe the fact that you always put me down before I can come up with a reasonable response.\"

\"Or perhaps you simply enjoy antagonizing me.\"

\"I would think that\'s your excuse. Sir.\"

Breaking the increasingly charged atmosphere, a house elf popped in with a laden tea tray and four bottles of different types of alcohol. He placed the snack carefully on a nearby desk and left just as quickly.

\"Nice to see you\'ve got them trained like that. Probably scared witless around you, but at least they don\'t bow and scrape.\"

\"Yes, I\'m sure you have your hands full with that. Always the cr ofr of attention.\"

\"As if I want to be? Not likely. I was sick of the Boy Who Lived nonsense well before my first Potions class. Your remarks just made it worse.\"

\"If you\'re hoping for an apology, you will have quite a wait.\"

\"An apology, from you, sir? Are we through the looking glass then?\" Hoping his professor might not have read Alice in Wonderland, Harry poured two cups of tea, liberally lacing the Potions Master\'s mug.

Somewhat gratified by the gesture (although he would never admit it), Severus accepted the cup and downed it in one long swallow. Not waiting for the younger man\'s courtesies, he refilled his own cup, sipping slowly while he looked over the various scrolls.

\"If you\'ll look at this section, I think you\'ll see where the ritual can be modified. It says nothing about the type of subjugation necessary, nor does it say anywhere that such submission must be one-way. It would just feel wrong to have you so dependant on anyone, sir.\"

\"Damned Gryffindor nobility. Any self-respecting Slytherin would instantly take the chance of having a powerful wizard bound to their bidding.\"

\"True, and the thought is definitely tempting. But not with you, sir. You might be a snarky bastard most of the time, but if you were forced into servitude to someone you could never respect, it would crush some important part of you.\"

\"A perceptive notion, and foolishly romantic.\"

Harry sat back and allowed his instructor time to peruse what little information they had, giving himself time to think. \'He must have gotten it all out of his system before I arrived. He\'s barely tossed any nasty comments at me, and even his tone of voice is less hateful.\'

After years of intense studies and research with both his potions and his role in espionage, Severus was well accustomed to juggling several lines of thought. One section of his brain was fully alert to the notes and texts in front of him, while another catalogued his student\'s words and actions. \'He won\'t force anything. No matter how annoying he is, he would never intentionally cause anyone else undue embarrassment or injury. Unlike Albus, I can possibly trust Potter not to manipulate me through the Mark. Which is another reason the counter-ritual failed.\ As As if reading his mind, Harry shot a penetrating glance at the Potions Master before handing the older man a piece of parchment. \"These notations are my own, sir. Some likely reasons for the rite to have messed up when the headmaster tried it. He pushed me out of his office before confirming any of them.\" Snickering at the memory, he went on, \"It makes sense that Dumbledore couldn\'t have done the spell. No matter how cunning and devious he can be, the man is nothing Vol Voldemort deep down.\"

\"Other than his incessant need to manipulate everyone around him, but even that can\'t count. His coercions are rarely life-threatening. Correct assumption, Potter. And these questions are valid, as well. Don\'t expect House points for not being an idiot.\"

\"Of course not, sir. I would never dream of expecting favors from you.\" A mental shiver accompanied the image that sprung up with those words. \'Down boy! Forget the voice, the eyes, ane fae fact that you saw him only in boxers after a trip to his private storeroom.\'

If Harry had been waiting for a reaction, he would have been disappointed. Snape snorted indelicately, eyes scanning down the scroll, occasionally making his own observations. The Gryffindor sat back to enjoy his sandwiches and tea, granting his teacher the time needed to review. After half an hour, Severus looked up with a mild frown, staring off into space.

\"You\'re handling this much better than I hxpecxpected, sir. But seeing the state of your classroom, perhaps I was just lucky enough to miss the most of it.\"

\"And he has to speak. Really, Mr. Potter. You hardly know what my opinions or reservations are. Kindly refrain from assuming anything.\"

\"That wasn\'t what I meant.\" Sighing deeply, Harry tried again. \"Stating the obvious here -- I\'m hardly your favorite person, and knowing that I might be the only person that can do this particulaell ell on you must be annoying, unnerving, and a source of aggravation. And it\'s about that bad for me, since there\'s nothing I can do to make it easier for you, other than tell you that I won\'t abuse the bond\'s powers, whatever they are.\"

\"Potter, do you even know how the Mark was installed originally?\"

\"I\'ve got a fair idea, sir. Remember my visions? I\'ve seen a few of the newer Death Eaters being Marked.\"

\"Ah yes, your... visions. The least convenient link to the Dark Lord.\"

\"Honestly, I wouldn\'t call them the least convenient. That would be the pain to my scar. Visions and nightmares can be ignored or written down so I can try understanding them later. This stupid scar flames up every time he casts Crucio or Adava Kadavra, or is really pissed off. Which means, about half of each day. Voldemort would be in a much better mood if he could get laid. Not that anyone would volunteer for that service.\"

Even though Harry was attempting a joke, his words caused Severus to flinch at the memory of such \'service\'. With renewed determination, Snape slapped the scroll in front of his student, indicating that he should read the newest comments. \"This should answer some of your questions. And yes, I believe your interpretation is correct that the ritual can be made more balanced. I have to wonder, however... Have you really thought through what this will mean?\"

Slightly shocked at the faint words of praise, Harry answered with more emphasis than he\'d intended, \"It means saving your life! Fine, so we\'ll have to have sex twice to make sure that neither of us is more in control of than the other. I would shag a basilisk if that\'s what was necessary.\"

\"Potter... Harry...\"

\"No, Snape. Just hear me out. I\'ve sat back and watched, night after night, as Voldemort tortures muggles and random witches and wizards who refuse to follow him. I\'ve watched him torture his own followers just because they brought him unpleasant news. You might be a complete bastard toward me most of the time, but you\'re a good man. Deep down. You\'ve saved my arse too many times to count by now, and you\'re the best Potions Master still living. So if you\'re trying to let me off the hook about shagging you, then you can stop. Unless this is your way of saying that you wouldn\'t want to be near me even to save your life.\"

A tense silence followed his mild explosion. Severus was mildly shocked that his student actually seemedbe wbe worried about his life, even with all the hell he\'d sent Harry\'s way. For his part, the Boy Who Lived was amazed that his temperamental professor hadn\'t cursed him into oblivion for talking back like that.

\"Very well, Mr. Potter. If you are resolved to go through with this, then I shall assist you in whatever ways are required. Feel free to use my private library for any additional research you need, or come to me if you need more personal information. And to answer your implied question, it is not your presence that bothers me about the ritual as much as the act itself.\"

\"Thank you, sir. I\'ll gladly take your offer. Dumbledore\'s research left out quite a lot, didn\'t it? But at least the steps of the ceremony and the spells themselves are here. With a few modifications, it shouldn\'t be that bad...\"

Hearing the words trail off, Snape looked closely at his student\'s face. Something akin to realization flittered across the familiar features before a mask snapped into place. \'He\'s untouched. I would even be willing to say that he\'s never truly been kissed. And he\'s agreed to give that to me, to sever the connection. Maybe... just maybe this will work. He\'s not nearly as annoying as his godfather, after all. Let\'s see how far he\'s willing to go.\'

Leaning forward to place a hand on Harry\'s arm, Severus gently said, \"It shouldn\'t be that bad, but this is hardow yow you expected your first time to be?\"

Harry\'s jaw dropped before he could curb the reaction. \"Yeah, pretty much what I was thinking. I\'m not even sure how two guys do it... I mean, I know how, but I just don\'t know how, you know?\"

\"Back to your usual eloquence, Mr. Potter?\" A smirk slowly forming on his pale red lips, Snape stroked the tanned arm beneath his tapered fingers. \"How much experience have you had, Harry?\" Ever the cunning Slytherin, he let his best weapon loose -- his voice. \"I can\'t say I\'ve ever caught you making out in the Astronomy Tower, or the greenhouses, or any of the gardens.\" He let his words slither across the younger man\'s skin, while his hands traced light spirals over quivering muscles. \"Were you waiting for someone in particular? Or have you never felt your legs go weak with need for any young witch?\"

Gryffindor courage fled him completely, but the young wizard was rooted to his seat. Silently answering each question: \'No one particular, just someone who sees beyond the hero image. Witch? Does it matter? Oh Merlin, what are you doing to me?\'

Letting his fingers creep up to Harry\'s shoulder, he smoothed the taunt muscles, moving his face closer to the boy\'s ear to whisper, \"Or perhaps you prefer the hard, flat lines of a man\'s body, and do not wish to have it made publicly known. Yet another thing that makes you unique. And you are definitely one of a kind, aren\'t you, Harry?\"

\'If I can remember how to move my mouth, I\'ll let you know. Dear gods, what spell do you have me under?\'

By this time, Severus\' lips were only a breath away from the tender young earlobe. Lowering his voice another notch, he purred, \"If we are to do this ritual, we\'ll need practice, won\'t we? Wouldn\'t want something to go terribly wrong in a crucial moment. Harry, would you care for some private tutoring? Your \'performance\' during the rite is terribly important for us both.\"

His words spilling past his lips before he could recall them, Harry answered, \"Yes, sir. Perhaps that would be... best.\"

\'Got him!\' Drawing back with a smirk, Severus tossed the neglected parchment on top of the stack. \"Very well, collect your things and we\'ll take this to my library. Oh, and Potter... regardless of what the ritual calls for, don\'t expect hearts and flowers.\"

\"Of course not, s" Ha" Harry scrambled to pick up all his books and n, st, stumbling to follow that seductive voice and the darkly magnetic wizard anywhere they led him.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Sitting in front of his fireplace, Albus tossed a pinch of Floo powder into the flames, calling out the link for Remus Lupin\'s home. He had argued with himself about involving Harry\'s godfather and his lover ever since the previous night, but with the gravity of this bond, there seemed to be no other course of action.

Soon enough, a bright blue burst of light announced the receipt of his firecall, showing the head of the ex-DADA instructor. \"Albus, how nice to hear from you! To what do we owe this pleasure?\"

\"Dear boy, you certainly don\'t have to act so proper with me. But if you insist on getting straight to business, then so we shall. I\'ve called about Harry...\"

Suddenly the werewolf\'s head was replaced with the much darker coloration of Harry\'s godfather, Sirius Black. \"What\'s happened? Is Harry alright?\"

\"Yes, Sirius, he\'s perfectly fine at the moment. A bit overwhelmed with research, I\'ll admit, but he\'s handling it quite well.\"

\"It\'s not even Yule yet. What sort of project is due in which class to load him down with research?\"

\"Fair question... It\'s not class work, I fear. Harry learned of Voldemort\'s plans to murder Severus, and is working on a way to sever the Dark Lord\'s hold on him.\"

\"That isn\'t his job, Albus. You can\'t let him shoulder this responsibility. Especially for that slimy git!\"

The escaped convict\'s ranting was escalating rapidly, before being cut off by a calm Remus. \"Shove over, Siri. Let\'s hear what the headmaster has to say.\" Turning back to the older wizard, he asked the most important question, \"Why exactly have you dragged Harry into this? Certainly he\'s a competent young man, but this situation is not his fault. Surely it would fall to you and Severus to work something out, wouldn\'t it?\"

\"Yes, indeed it would. If I had a close enough link with Voldemort to wrestle the bond from him. In this instance, I\'m afraid that the person who fills that position is Harry.\"

More scuffling was heard through the fireplace before the werewolf cast a silencing charm. \"Sorry about that. You know how excited he gets at times. Now, back to the problem... I understand that Harry has some sort of tie with the Dark Lord through his scar and all, but we\'ve never been able to ascertain exactly how it works, or to what extent. Are you willing to use this... whatever you\'ve got to do to Snape... in an experimental setting? Surely it\'ll be dangerous for both of them, to steal the power of the bond out from under Voldemort\'s nose.\"

\"Quite right, dear boy, quite right. I\'ve tried to impress young Harry with the danger, but he\'s very determined to see Severus safe from the Dark Lord\'s wrath. Once again, the Potter family\'s nobility and honor shows true.\"

\"Please Albus, no need for that frippery nonsense. Let me guess -- he saw Voldemort talking to one of his goons about Snape, came to tell you about it, where you told him that you\'ve already tried removing the Mark and failed. And now Harry feels that he\'s the only chance Snape has left.\"

Whether acting a part or truly feeling the role, Dumbledore flushed a bit, looking almost meek for a moment. \"Err, yes, that\'s about right.\"

\"And you decided to feel guilty after Harry came up with a better plan than what you used all those years ago, so you\'ve called us to clear your conscience, shoving the responsibility of trying to talk Harry out of this crazy scheme for you.\"

\"Well now, I wouldn\'t quite put it that way...\"

\"But I would. Should have left you to face Siri, but you\'ve always been able to manipulate him with just the right twinkle and smile. Fine, we\'ll be at the castle first thing in the morning. Don\'t let them begin preparations for the ceremony before we arrive. Good day, Albus.\"

And before the headmaster could say his farewells, Remus signed off.

\'Oh dear. Maybe I should inform Harry and Severus of their visit. It could become quite... loud.\'

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

With only a week before Yule holidays began, very few students were to be found loafing in the halls, and even fewer could be caught in the dungeons. No obstacles in either poltergeist or stumbling student deterred either wizard in their trek to the Potions Master\'s private quarters.

Harry watched with surprise when his professor stopped at an apparently random section of corridor, muttered something, and stepped through the stone wall. Between the effects of said instructor\'s insinuations, and the rapid pace of their jaunt from the classroom, almost all the blood flow in Harry\'s body was well away from his brain, leaving him at a bit of a loss.

Lucky for Harry, Severus took the time to double back, reaching through the illusion wall to grab the younger man\'s arm, and physically dragged him inside before adding several complex layers of locking wards and silencing charms. Pulling him down a short passage and up to a portrait hole, the professor quirked a half-smile at his student, leaning close to speak directly into his ear. \"This is the best time for you to back out, Mr. Potter. Once inside my rooms, you may find yourself unable to escape.\"

A delicious shiver traveled down Harry\'s spine, both at the words and the voice that carried them. Not allowing himself the time to doubt his actions, he turned to face the taller man. \"And I may find that you are the only one able to teach me.\" Remembering the password, he whispered it to a painting of Salazar Slytherin, and grinned when Snape grumbled about conniving old coots.

As the portal opened into his sitting room and library, Harry made a mental note to look around, much later, at these new surroundings. Yet he couldn\'t find any enthusiasm in tapestries and bookshelves with this thrumming sensation in his veins. He turned to face the older wizard again, and was somewhat surprised to find himself flush against the broad expanse of his teacher\'s chest. \'Damn, how does he move so silently? He must have been breathing down my neck!\'

\"Before we undertake anre..re... intimate... actions, we should first clarify a fewngs.ngs.\" Waiting for his student to nod, Severus took a deep inhalation to steady him. \"While it is not forbidden to pursue a relationship with a student above the legal wizarding age of consent, this is a practice in which I have never partaken. Harry... you must be completely sure of -\"

\"If we\'re going to do the disclaimer bit, then consider it done. I understand the rules and regulations, and do not expect any different treatment during class or otherwise. Hell might just freeze over before you\'d grade my exams with anything other than your usual strictness. As for what you said earlier... No one has ever made my knees weak, until today.\" Long black lashes flickered atop blazing green eyes, as Harry tentatively brought his glance up to meet Severus\'. \"I\'m not sure of very much, you know? Why things happen to me, or how I get into and out of so many messes. But I\'m very certain of this -- I would like for you to be my first, if you\'ll have me.\"

Snape\'s response was short and none too subtle: he captured those untried lips in a soft kiss, waiting for the refusal to come. And was both surprised and pleased when Harry deepened the kiss, opening his mouth and darting his tongue across Severus\' bottom lip. \'Perhaps the boy has other natural skills than Quidditch. Except he is no longer a boy -- this is a young man, fully matured and quite capableshoushouldering his own responsibilities. And eager to learn... oh Merlin, is he good at this!\'

The need to breathe interrupted their exploration, but gave Severus the chance to maneuver them over to the wide couch. Being as careful as one would holding an infant, he lowered the young man to the cushions, aligning his own body snugly beside Harry\'s firm musculature. \'Take it slow. No need to frighten him. Calm yourself, Severus!\'

His internal admonitions were for naught. Harry\'s exuberant kisses nearly brought on pre-orgasmic quakes, forcing a groan from his silky voice. Pushing the younger wizard back, he nuzzled the patch of skin just above the collarbone. \"We have all the time in the world, Harry. There\'s no reason to rush.\"

Between hitched breaths, Harry whispered, \"Didn\'t realize I was rushing anything. Hell, Severus, this... whatever you\'re doing... I\'ve never felt anything like it before. Is it some kind of Slytherin spell?\"

\"Not a spell of any kind. This is something called attraction, Harry. When two people find a spark together that ignites when they touch, and nothing can bank the flames until they reach completion.\"

\"Now who sounds like a hopeless romantic?\"

\"Shut up, ungrateful nuisance. Unless you would prefer to move into the bedroom? My bed is infinitely more comfortable than this couch.\"

\"I had wondered why you got us arranged here. Didn\'t figure you for the to to make out on living room furniture or in the back seats of cars.\"

\"I regret sounding repetitive, but shut up.\" Long, elegant fingers, strengthened by years of hard work, traced along the washboard stomach of his young ... lover? Yes, Harry was soon to bear that title. How very odd the situation had become.

\"You don\'t regret calling me a nuisance. But that\'s alright, so long as you never stop doing that.\"

\"Doing what exactly? This? Or perhaps this?\" Sending one hand beneath Harry\'s jumper, he lightly pinched and stroked a very responsive nipple. As his questions were asked, he lowered his face to the spot on his student\'s neck that had fascinated him earlier, sucking and nibbling the tender skin gently.

\"Ooooo, whatever. Gods!\"

Severus chuckled softly, letting his mouth roam up to take an earlobe between his teeth, causing Harry\'s body to arch into his own, rubbing their crotches together. Not willing to permit Harry\'s first orgasm of the day to be triggered within his pants, Snape withdrew his hand, feathering light touches along the ribs till he achieved his goal.

\"Damn it Sev! That tickles!!\"

\"Perhaps now would be the best time to relocate, and remove some of these obstacles.\"

\"You sound like a walking thesaurus.\"

\"At least I can remain coherent during most discussions.\"

\"Chew on it.\" Swiftly followed by, \"OW! Mmm, all right, again? This time I\'ll be ready... Oh yeah, that\'s good.\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Meanwhile, at Lupin Lodge, two rather disheveled wizards were running in circles, trying to collect the various items they might need for however long they would be visiting Hogwarts. Several times, Remus had to slap his mate\'s hand, preventing the animagus from stocking up on pranks and assorted things to annoy the Potions Master.

\"Siri, love of my life, if you don\'t put back the six-pack of Filibuster Fireworks, you\'re sleeping on the couch for the rest of the month.\"

\"Aww Moony, don\'t be mean! It\'s been ages since I\'ve had the chance to annoy Snape. And you know how he just begs to be bugged.\"

\"We\'re going to help Harry, and since it looks like your godson is somehow involved with Snape at the moment, we would do well not to annoy the git. No matter how tempting it might be.\"

\"You just said it. Temptation. It follows you like a predator. It breathes down your neck, waiting for the beime ime to strike. It lures you like a seductress. It pounces and tears into you like...\"

\"Padfoot, shut up. You may bring one small bag of pranks. And anything you intend to do to the prat must be cleared through me first. Agreed?\"

\"Of course, luv. Have I told you lately that I love you?\"

\"Not in the past half hour. You\'re slacking off.\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Natural progression had led Harry and Severus from the couch to a large four-posted bed. Somewhere along the way, their cloths were abandoned. Often in shreds.

\"Severus...\"

\"Mmm?\"

\"Stop doing that for a minute. I\'ve got a question, but can\'t think with your tongue in my ear.\"

Grumbling, Severus removed his head and faced his young lover. \"Alright, ask away.\"

\"Sorry... I\'m not sure how to ask this, or ever what to ask really... Where, err, how does this fit inside? It\'s awfully big -- won\'t it hurt?\"

Snape broke character entirely, laughing aloud at the charmingly innocent question. \"Being your first time, your body will not be used to an invasion, and you will probably feel some discomfort at first. No pain, not if I do my part thoroughly. As to your comment about me being big? I would feel flattered if you had anything other than school boys for comparison.\"

\"Well yeah, there is that. Will I...\"

\"Finish the question, Harry. I\'ll try to answer anything you ask.\"

\"For the ritual, we have to change places. Can I have a chance on top, for practice and all?\"

\"You can now, if you\'d like. Your body is more resilient, and will react faster than mine.\"

\"Yeah, quick recharge time. I\'ve heard enough about that.\"

\"Then would you prefer to be inside me first? Let me show you what to do for preparation.\"

Opening awerawer in the bedside table, Severus located a small blue vial of specially prepared oil. \"This is a form of lubricant that I created specifically for this sort of activity. It acts as a mild relaxant and will numb pain receptors, as well as being quite slippery. I doubt that you will need to use much on me, but I\'ll make sure that you are very relaxed first.\"

He handed the bottle to Harry, holding the younger man\'s hand gently. \"There is still time to walk out the door, if you are unsure.\"

\"No! I\'ve never.. I mean, no one\'s ever made me feel like this. I want to, but I haven\'t got a clue what I\'m doing. Just guide me through it?\"

\"Of course.\" Settling on his back, Severus pulled his lover down for a deep kiss. \"Open the vial, and dip your first two fingers inside. Feel how slick they are? Now move between my legs.\"

\"Oh dear gods, just your instructions alone could set me off. Better than those girly mags Ron has under his mattress.\"

\"Thanks, I think.\" A sardonic smirk later, \"Use your index finger, and slowly slip it inside gasp yes, like that. Mmm, very quick learner. Slide it in and out a few times, spreading the oil as you go moan very good. Now ade see second finger. Ooh! You\'re a natural at this. Move your fingers in a scissoring motion -- that helps the muscle ring expand, making it ready for hitched breath Oh to hell with it.\"

Harry was enjoying the lecture, but found it much more fun to force reactions from the older wizard. By the time he added a third finger (without prompting), Severus was writhing beneath him, practically begging for Harry to take him. Enjoying his role atop the usually bitter professor, he spent as much time as possible exploring the man\'s body with his other hand, lips and eyes. He quickly learned that nibbling Severus\' nipples earned him loud moans of pleasure, and sucking on his neck was good for at least a few hip thrusts.

Any student will learn faster if offered fair praise for a job well done. Snape knew this, even if he rarely followed the suggestion. With Harry and the current lesson, he was quite willing to allow both time for experimenting and praise in the form of his own utterances, encouraging the young man\'s curiosity.

Yet even the most patient willwill eventually reach a limit, and soon enough Severus pulled his lover up for a searing kiss, grabbing the vial and dousing Harry\'s erection with lubrication. \"You\'re driving me mad. Fuck me, now!\"

If Harry hadn\'t been in the room to hear those words coming from his stern professor\'s lips, he would never have believed it. Nor the impact that they had on his own libido. Without further questions or comments, he positioned himself between spread legs and pushed forward slightly, watching for signs of pain.

\"You won\'t break me, Harry. Move forward slowly, letting yourself sink inside a little at a time. Don\'t rush yet. Oh Merlin! Mmm, when you\'re in all the way, relax for a minute. Let your partner adjust, and calm your own reaction down so you do not come too quickly. Gasp Enough teaching, move your arse!\"

Giggling slightly, Harry followed instructions. He soon found a very pleasant rhythm that also seemed to make Severus whimper. Especially when he swiveled his hips just there, and jabbed in short strokes.

But being a teen, and this being his first time, Harry could not hold back from the impending orgasm that wracked his body. Snape held him as he came down from the blissful high, stroking his hair and back, kissing his neck. Only after he could see without those spots in front of his eyes did he realize that Severus had not come.

\"I\'m sorry.\"

\"For what? Oh, don\'t worry about that. As I said before, you are still young and will undoubtedly be up for more soon. Until then, why don\'t you hand me my wand and I\'ll clean us up a bit.\"

One quick charm later... \"That was amazing. I understand why half my dorm mates are messing around now. But you didn\'t...\"

\"I told you not to worry about it. There are certain tricks that I was not intending on showing you for your first time. On top, at least. Now would be a good time to demonstrate, don\'t you think?\"

\"Now? But...\" Warm lips interrupted his protest, and brought back a spark of arousal. \"Mmm, maybe a demonstration would be a good idea after all. Show me everything, Sev.\"

\"That\'s a tall order, but we can start with the basics. Just lie back and relax, Harry. I\'m only going to do exactly what you did to me. No pain, only pleasure.\"

\"I trust you.\"

Wide obsidian eyes locked with green for a moment, as Severus searched for the truth of that statement. He would never understand exactly why, but his lover appeared to be telling the truth. Such trust warmed him in a way he hadn\'t felt in years. And yet, now was hardly the time to examine his reactions to such simple words. Not when he had an attractive, willing bed partner beneath his hands, waiting for each new sensation.

Lips spread in a warm smile, offering what wordless reassurance he could, as Severus located the vial with one hand. \"First times are often full of fumbling and embarrassment, and even pain. I promise that you will feel none of that tonight. Just lay back and enjoy.\"

Although he had not had a permanent lover in many years, Severus could never forget how to move his fingers just so, or how much pressure to use with his teeth and tongue at just the right time. Within minutes, Harry simply closed his eyes and allowed sensation to overwhelm him, moaning at each new touch.

Lips and tongue, suckling his neck.

Teeth grazing his nipples.

Fingers trailing gently over his stomach, with mouth following the same course.

Watching his young lover\'s responses was as erotic in its own way as the feelings Harry was receiving. To know that he was the first to ever touch the Boy Who Lived in such a manner was... humbling, almost.

Severus pushed aside those thoughts as well, finally coating his fingers with the oil, as his lips found the renewed erection. In slow increments, he took the hard length into his mouth, while gently prodding the virgin ring of muscle with one finger. Harry\'s moans of appreciation urged him to take and give more, which he gladly did.

The Gryffindor had never been so inundated with pleasure. Whatever his professor -- his lover -- was doing with his mouth felt so wonderful that even the slight discomfort of that intruding finger was overpowered. Before he realized how much time had elapsed, a second finger was added, and twisted, touching a bundle of nerves that set off fireworks behind his eyes.

\'That\'s the spot. Just a little more and he\'ll be ready.\' Firmly rubbing Harry\'s prostate, Severus added a third finger, pushing past the slight resistance of untried muscle. Every bit of his self-restraint was tested, waiting until his lover begged to be filled.

When a fourth finger was added, Harry panted, \"Now, please Sev! Want you now!\"

And that was all it took. In a flash, Severus was on his knees, slicking oil across his weeping cock. A quick glance at his lover\'s face told him how very much Harry needed to feel impaled, taken.

On shaking arms, he positioned himself at Harry\'s entrance, watching in amused fascination as the young man clutched his forearms. He had forgotten how impatient his Gryffindor could be, and so was unprepared when Harry flipped them over, bringing the first two inches of erection inside himself.

Shivering at the hot, throbbing shaft now buried inside his body, Harry breathed deeply several times. He then opened his eyes and sought Severus\' face, grinning impishly at the shock still evident there. \"I got tired of waiting.\"

\"So it would seem. Are you comfortable? If you would prefer to remain like this...\"

\"Actually, it feels really good. Just let me get used to it a bit.\"

\"Take your time. But not too long, please.\"

\"Gasp! Snape said please! What is the world coming to?\"

\"I can\'t speak for the rest of the world, but if you do this right, we shall both be coming soon enough.\"

\"I\'ll take that as my queue then.\" Between the adjustment time and the verbal sparring, Harry\'s body had adapted to the intrusion. Enough that it felt bloody wonderful! And if he moved just like that, it hit that spot inside. His hips rose and fell in a steady tempo, driven without thought. All he had heard about sex was understated, and now he knew why. Words could not possibly do it justice.

The rapturous expression on Harry\'s face kept Severus\' attention away from his own need for orgasm long enough that the younger man was close to falling over the edge before Snape took over. Grabbing his lover\'s hips, Severus thrust upward in rapid strokes, striking his prostate again and again. Harry soon figured out that his hands were free, and moved to his neglected cock, sending him into spirals of pleasure that left him limp and sated. The pulsations of his snug arse literally sucked an orgasm from his lover, pulling every drop from him before they both fell back to earth in a sweaty heap.

With what little energy he still possessed, Harry found the abandoned wand and cleaned them both up, shut off the lights, and lit a comfortably warm fire. Soft caresses and light stroking motions soon lulled both men into a deep and satisfying slumber.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Sirius and Remus stumbled out of the headmaster\'s fireplace shortly after midnight, startling Albus into dropping his sherbet lemons. A quick discussion and several cups of tea later, and the couple were safely tucked away in one of the guest suites for the night. They promised not to go tearing through the school in search of their godson before breakfast, much to Sirius\' dismay.

Back in his tower, Dumbledore was pleased that he could intercept the newcomers. It would create too much havoc for them to actually locate Harry before dawn. No, Albus was not omniscient... but he still had ways of learning all sorts of interesting things about the happenings in his school.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

There is a place between sleep and awake, the place where dreams are still real... But Severus was no longer visiting that place, however pleasant his dreams were (for a change). He had woken from a very relaxed state, moving into his morning stretch, when he felt the warm body curled around his own. Memories of the previous night flooded his mind, causing him a moment\'s panic, before he saw two sparkling green eyes smiling up at him.

\"Mmm, I don\'t think I\'ve slept so well in years. How about you?\"

\"I don\'t suppose you would remove yourself and let me get dressed, would you, Mr. Potter?\"

\"Not until you get rid of that attitude. I don\'t expect you to treat me differently outside these rooms, but the scary Potions git won\'t work anymore.\" Harry planted an impertinent kiss on his lover\'s crooked nose. \"Unless you regret what happened...\"

\'Think fast, Severus. No need to hurt the boy, but last night can\'t be repeated too often. What if Voldemort found out? Oh, yeah, the Dark Lord already knows enough to want us both dead. What the hell, might as well enjoy it.\'

\"No Harry, I don\'t regret last night. It just took me a bit to remember everything that led up to our... exercises.\"

\"Is that what it\'s called now? I would have said shagging, or fucking, or making love. Depends, I guess. Which would you say we did?\"

\"That\'s almost a Slytherin way of asking what we sort of relationship we share.\"

\"Yep, my intention exactly. The Sorting Hat had quite a time with me.\"

\"Hmm, you shall have to tell me the story later. For now, the best I can answer is: I don\'t know. And do not bother with the sad puppy eyes, since you are fully aware of my opinions regarding canines in various forms. Honestly, I\'m not sure what we have right here. But I\'m willing to take the time to figure it out.\"

\"That\'s the best I could hope for, thanks Sev.\"

\"Don\'t get used to calling me that. Nicknames are tacky.\"

\"But you look more like a Sev than a Severus, \'specially right now, with your hair all mussed and your lips swollen. Mmm, they look good enough to eat.\" Which is exactly what he did. Nibbling and licking as a child would a lolly, Harry tasted the older man\'s mouth quite thoroughly.

Amid kisses and morning bodily reactions, Harry soon found himself on his back, his hard length pressed against his lover\'s own erection. With devilish glee, he pushed his hips up, pitching forward in sporadic bursts.

Growling at the irregular thrusts, Severus muttered, \"Never tease a Slytherin, young man. It\'s time for you to learn who\'s in charge.\"

\"This time,\" Harry replied with a smirk.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

\"Wake up, Moony! Let\'s go find Harry, and have breakfast.\"

A very feral snarl greeted his mate\'s insistence. \"Go away, Sirius. It\'s too early for your enthusiasm.\"

\"You just need a pot of coffee, which I\'ve got waiting in the next room.\"

\"Go away! I refuse to leave this bed until at least 10 o\'clock.\"

\"Aww Remy, don\'t be like that. It\'s been months since we last saw our godson, and we\'re here now, and he\'s around here someplace, probably overwhelmed by this scheme of Albus\'.\"

\"And he can mope for another,\" glancing at the clock on the nightstand, \"two hours, at least. GO AWAY! Go find Filch\'s cat and play hide-n-seek, or Fang even. I\'m sure you two have a lot in common. Chase your tail, chase birds, chase sticks, and sniff butts. I don\'t care what you do, so long as you. Go. Away!\"

\"Fine, I\'m leaving then. Guess I\'ll go find Albus and see what he\'s got to say for himself.\" Sniffing theatrically, the animagus left his mate comfortably tucked in bed, heading off to locate either the headmaster or Harry.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

After that all-too-satisfactory wake up call, Severus led the younger man into the shower. It would never do to let him leave these rooms smelling of scented oil and sex. Harry bathed every inch of the professor\'s body, reverently caressing the silky pale skin.

\'Careful there, Severus. Don\'t get attached to the boy. He is understandably curious now, but he\'ll soon move on to someone his own age.\'

Contrary to the older wizard\'s train of thought, Harry attempted to memorize the contours and plains before him, knowing that eventually his lover would want to be rid of him. \'Such a pity. It took this mess to see past each other\'s masks, and when everything\'s straightened out, he\'ll want to crawl back into his snarky bastard routine. Gonna have to figure a way to keep him interested...\'

Neither man spoke, preferring to communicate through touch for the moment, sending what reassurances they could with fingers, mouths and soft moans.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

\"Oh Sirius, there you are. Come, join me for breakfast, dear boy. I\'m sure Harry will be around soon. We can\'t expect young people to wake at the crack of dawn on a weekend, now can we?\" Eyes sparkling once more, the headmaster grabbed Black\'s arm, physically dragging him into the Great Hall.

\"But.. Oh very well. You can\'t blame me for being impatient, Albus. Last time I saw him was for his birthday! He\'s probably grown a foot, and has changed girlfriends a dozen times.\"

\"I doubt that you\'ll find him so fickle, nor has he grown much more. Put your mind at ease and enjoy some fresh juice at least. And Sirius...\"

\"What now?\"

\"Do remember that you are a guest here. I will not tolerate any accusations made toward, about, or in front of Severus. He is not the enemy here, and best you remember that.\"

Properly chastised, the animagus blushed into his pumpkin juice. \"I\'ll try, sir. But he always brings out the worst in me.\"

\"Come now, be honest with yourself. You antagonize him much more than he does you.\"

\"But he started it!\"

\"When you were eleven, perhaps. You are hardly children anymore, and I expect you to act as mature adults now. Put away your juvenile grievances, if only for your godson\'s sake.\"

\"I\'ll try, but that\'s all I can promise.\"

\"It\'s the best I can hope for. Thank you.\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

\"And with a color change to your shirt, no one will know you\'re wearing yesterday\'s cloths.\" One final swish and flick, and Harry\'s cloths looked fresh from the laundry. Severus smirked at the now green t-shirt with snakes slithering around the sleeves.

\"Hey, this is nice! Will it change back, or can I keep it like this?\"

A bit surprised that the Gryffindor would willingly wear anything so close to his own House emblem, Snape raised an eyebrow before answering, \"It was a simple, temporary charm, but I can make it permanent if you would like.\"

\"Yes please, Sev. Red and gold are great for House spirit, but green is definitely my favorite color. And snakes are interesting. They\'re survivors, no matter what they go through.\"

\"Your perception of Slytherin ethics is quite good. Why were you not placed in my House?\"

\"Simple. I asked the Sorting Hat not to put me there. Everything I\'d heard about Voldemort and Slytherin had been bad, all evil wizards and such, the ones who\'d killed my parents. When the Hat couldn\'t make up its mind at first, I begged it to put me anywhere but Slytherin.\" With a half-grin, Harry stood on his toes to whisper into his lover\'s ear, \"But there have been times when I\'ve regretted that. Especially now.\"

\"It would make visits even more difficult between us had you been in my House. Every member watches the rest, for safety against other Houses, and through paranoia within Slytherin itself.\"

\"Now that\'s sad, but I understand. It must be hard for them, not knowing who is really on which side, if any.\"

\"Quite. Are you ready for breakfast yet? I feel the need for a large meal to make up for energy well-spent.\"

\"Mmm, yeah. Going to need food before I go back to this research. It should be finished tonight, though.\"

Snape did a double-take, peering deep into those expressive green eyes. \"So soon? How can you be sure?\"

\"Simple. The ritual itself is ancient, and well-documented. The spell that Voldemort used is one of a kind, but there\'s been enough accounts of it to make research available. The modification I want to make was often done to change alliances throughout the centuries -- Roman, Greek, Russian, all forms of nobility or serfs. Don\'t worry, Sev. I wouldn\'t do this if I was unsure of the outcome. By Monday morning, you\'ll be free of that bastard.\"

\"And shackled to you. Oh joy.\"

Blushing, Harry hid the look of hurt with his own teasing, \"If you\'d rather pick someone else, or just wait for him to strike out at you, I\'ll understand. It\'s not as if we\'re getting married or anything. You wouldn\'t want someone like me anyways.\"

\'Oh Merlin, save us from pouting heroes, trying to save the world from themselves.\' Grabbing the young Gryffindor\'s shoulders, Severus shook him a few times. \"Don\'t even try that tactic, young man. I refuse to be guilt tripped by you. Or Albus either, so don\'t bother going to him for support. The Mark\'s connection to anyone makes me uncomfortable, so don\'t take my reluctance personally. Now get out of here and go have breakfast.\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Remus had finally gotten out of bed, showered and dressed, and was making his way to the Great Hall, just in time to run head-on into Harry. \"Good morning! How\'s my favorite almost-godson doing?\"

\"Hey Remy, what are you doing here?\" Giving the werewolf a big hug, Harry grinned up at his godfather\'s mate. \"Let me guess, Dumbledore told you and Siri about the ritual? And before you scold me for anything, don\'t worry about it. This is going to be pretty easy, nowhere near as dangerous as the headmaster thinks. He only had problems because he was a \'foreign magical signature\'.\"

\"Wow, you said that all in one breath?\" Remus ruffled the young man\'s hair, offering a friendly smile. \"In all honesty, I\'m less worried than Sirius is. His reasoning is \'But it\'s Snape!\', not anything intelligent. If you\'ve done your homework, and are this confident, I\'m sure it will turn out fine.\"

\"Thanks for the vote of confidence. Your opinion means a lot to me.\"

\"Don\'t get all mushy on me, Harry. It\'s too early for that. Let\'s find the mutt and the meddler before they conspire against us.\"

\"You got it!\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

With his young distraction gone, Severus dressed quickly and used his private entrance into the Great Hall. The first thing he noticed upon entering was his employer sitting beside the mongrel from hell. Mentally bemoaning this course of events, the Potions Master quietly sat at his end of the Head Table, filling his plate with a wide selection of morning edibles.

Never one to permit people their thoughtful silences (except for his own), Albus hailed his Potions professor, wishing him good morning. The wily old wd spd spoke just loudly enough that those remaining few staff members also turned to greet the sneering wizard. The one exception being a certain animagus, who exchanged snarls and darted daggers at Snape.

Before harsh words could be swapped, the front door opened, admitting Harry and Remus. The pair were laughing between themselves at some joke involving rabbits and great black dogs, not noticing the looks they were receiving from students and teachers alike. At the head of Gryffindor table, Harry hugged the werewolf and sat down to his own meal, leaving the older man to join his mate.

\"Good morning, Albus, Sirius. I trust you slept well, sir?\"

\"Very well indeed. Have some kippers, Remus.\"

\"Moony, weren\'t you the one who told me not to go looking for Harry? And here you are, bringing him in for breakfast!\"

\"Oh really, Padfoot. We ran into each other just outside the Entrance Hall. Thank you, Albus.\"

\"Humph. I see how you are. Well just you wait, I\'ll get you both alone after you eat, and we\'ll straighten this whole mess out for good.\"

\"You\'ll do nothing of the sort, Sirius Orion Black. Your godson is of legal age to make his own decisions. If those decisions do not meet your approval, you can do nothing about it, other than expressing your disapproval. I would suggest, if you want an amiable relationship with James\' son, that you keep your bloody opinions to yourself for a change.\"

Coughing discreetly, Albus put his napkin on his plate. \"Well said, Remus. Now boys, when you are both done with breakfast, please join me in my office. I\'ll have Harry meet us there as well, and Severus should also join. Do behave yourselves.\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Severus watched with mild interest as the headmaster and the werewolf ganged up on Sirius Black. It was somewhat gratifying to note that, for once, the ex-convict had no allies supporting his outrageous behavior. His meal finished, the Potions Master left by way of the front doors, heading toward Albus\' office.

As the Great Hall\'s doors closed behind him, a slim arm snuck around his waist for the briefest moment. \"Hi there. Are you supposed to be in the headmaster\'s little meeting too?\"

In his lowest, lethal tone, Severus answered the Gryffindor, \"Yes. Now please remove yourself, Mr. Potter. Your behavior could be witnessed.\"

\"Nah, I checked first. You worry too much, Professor.\"

\"And you take too many chances, Mr. Potter.\"

\"So I guess we\'re evenly matched. Let\'s go see what kind of trouble Dumbledore\'s got for us this time. Want to bet that Siri and Remus are there too?\"

\"Undoubtedly. Albus does enjoy pitting us against one another.\"

\"If my godfather can\'t keep his mouth shut, I\'ll stupefy him.\"

Snape\'s steps faltered. \"Why would you do that?\"

\"Why? Damn it Sev, how long has it been since someone took your side of an argument? I know all too well that Siri\'s animosity is unfounded, and that he\'s kept it going well past the expiration date. What would you have me do? Just sit back and watch as the two of you curse each other into next week?\"

\"It\'s what most people delight in doing, yes. You still haven\'t answered my question.\"

\"Sure I did. I answered just what you asked, not what you meant. Stop talking like a Slytherin for a minute and you\'ll see what I mean.\"

\"Fine. For what reason would you be on my side against your last remaining family member?\"

\"Simple. Siri loves me, but doesn\'t think about his actions. I love him like an uncle or something, but I... care for you in a different way.\"

\"Hmm.\"

\"Don\'t analyze it too much, Severus. I\'m not sure what\'s going on yet, and I have no basis for comparison in these feelings.\"

\"None? Not even a normal crush?\"

\"Well, I sort of had a thing for Cho Chang in fourth year, but I think it was because she\'s a Quidditch player.\"

\"Such sterling role models.\"

\"Indeed.\"

\"Smart arse. Impudent thorn in my side.\"

\"You love it. Gives you more reason to punish me later.\"

\"We\'ll see about that. Let\'s just get through this meeting first. Alive, preferably.\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

\"But Albus, it\'s Snape!\"

\"You\'ve said that several times already, Padfoot.\"

\"Quite right, dear child. Sirius, if you cannot conduct yourself like an adult, I shall have to send you down for detention with Mr. Filch. I\'m sure he has some trophy\'s that require polishing.\"

\"You can\'t do that!\"

\"You are a guest within my school, and are misbehaving. I can and will do whatever is necessary to maintain peace within these walls.\"

\"But Albus!!\"

Knock Knock

\"Come in, boys. Join us for tea?\"

Opening the door, Harry and Severus felt waves of mixed emotions striking them. The expected anger between Sirius and Snape, amusement and mild confusion from Remus, and Albus\' standard secretive sparkle. They shared a shrug and took seats on either side of the headmaster\'s desk.

\"Harry, would you care to enlighten us on your latest findings?\"

\"Of course, sir. Here are my notes, if you\'d like to read them later.\" Casting a quick glance at the Potions professor, Harry cleared his throat before continuing. \"It seems that the reasons for Professor Dumbledore\'s attempt at transferring Professor Snape\'s Mark went deeper than either of them had suspected. Not only does the headmaster lack any sort of connection to Voldemort, but he also had problems completing certain necessary parts of the rite. Umm.. Sexual parts.\"

As Harry had expected, Sirius exploded, Remus stifled a laugh, and Albus looked nonplussed.

\"No problem, really, to redo the ritual. I\'ve got the tie-in already, plus some, to make it easy to overtake the original Mark and transfer it between us. So that neither of us has any more power than the other. It won\'t be that difficult, and shouldn\'t take terribly long to do, once we get that last potion made.\"

While his godson paused for breath, Sirius jumped into the conversation. \"You can\'t honestly tell me that you want to be bound to this.. this.. snake!\"

Looking down at his shirtsleeves with a wicked grin, Harry brought his eyes up to meet his godfather\'s in a steady gaze. \"Yes, Siri. I can mean that. Severus isn\'t that bad a person, if you\'d ever outgrow your school rivalry enough to get to know him.\"

\"Albus, this is your doing, I know it. You planned to get them bonded for one of your harebrained schemes.\"

\"Really, dear boy, why ever would I want to do that?\" Although his words sounded sincere, all present saw the twinkling that belied his sentiments.

Taking his mate\'s hand, Remus patted the animagus on his shoulder. \"Calm down, luv. Harry is old enough to make his own decisions, and if he sees good in Snape, then perhaps we should look again. You are hardly the same person you were at eleven, so why would you assume he is?\"

\"I know, Remy, I know. But it\'s SNAPE!\"

Harry rolled his eyes dramatically, talking in a stage whisper to his Potions professor. \"They\'re just getting worked up. You want to get started on that potion? We could head out now and they\'d never miss us.\"

\"As entertaining as their little lover\'s squabble is, I would much prefer the sanctity of my lab. If you are intent on assisting me, at least leave your Longbottom clumsiness behind at the door.\"

\"Of course, sir. Wouldn\'t want to explode anything unless you can take points from me anyways. It would spoil your fun.\"

\"The boy can be trained!\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Albus sat back in his chair, sucking on a lemon drop and enjoying the show. The two remaining Marauders were always worth a few chuckles when they got into a debate.

While neither Remus nor Sirius would agree with the headmaster out loud, they very privately acknowledged having fun arguing together. It got their adrenaline flowing, as well as other interesting hormones.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

\"Shrivelfig, crushed. Salamander testes, thinly chopped. Don\'t cringe. Why must you always cringe when I give that instruction?\"

\"Sorry, Sev. It\'s just... those poor little lizards. I would hate to have my balls diced and spliced.\"

\"They are amphibians, and are dead long before their testes have been removed. Unicorn horn, powdered. Not so much! Good, nice save.\"

\"Thanks. I did learn a few things from you in all this time.\"

\"I would never have thought so, but very well. Spotted Eurasian Mushroom, sautéed to golden brown. What in Salazar\'s name is this?!\"

\"Err, you got a bit of my Szechwan chicken recipe in there. Flip the page back.\"

\"You cook?\"

\"Yeah, I didn\'t have much choice before starting Hogwarts, but now it\'s a relaxing hobby.\"

\"If you can cook, you should be able to do better in my classroom.\"

\"I could do fine in your classroom, if your Slytherins would stop sabotaging my potions.\"

\"Shuffling blame to others again?\"

\"Hardly. They just delight in waiting till you\'re fussing at Neville before dropping odd ingredients in my cauldron.\"

\"I seriously doubt that this could have gone on for almost seven years without my knowledge.\"

\"Hard to believe, isn\'t it, sir?\"

Between their light banter, Severus measured and mixed the various items into his platinum cauldron, maintaining a low heat. He knew that his House took great pleasure in tormenting the Boy Who Lived, but the insinuation that he had turned a blind eye to such consistent abuse for so long? His old grudges with the father must have bled over to the son tenfold.

\"Hey Sev, stir! It\'s not supposed to come to a rolling boil.\"

\"Humph, yes, thank you.\"

\"Lost in thought there? Don\'t worry about it, all right? There are only another few months before graduation, so they can\'t do too much more damage. Besides, if you were to change your attitude in class, it would scare everyone. More than normal, that is.\"

\"You say that like it\'s a bad thing.\"

\"Not really, but I\'d rather not see Neville going into shock.\"

\"Ah yes, Mr. Longbottom.\"

\"And before you start on him, understand that he\'s target number two. He\'s only a mild failure, really. Just too timid to prevent most of their harassment.\"

\"Perhaps we should cease analyzing your classmates\' habits until we\'ve completed this potion.\"

\"Good idea.\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

\"Now Albus, explain it to me one more time, without the interruptions.\" Glancing at his mate with a cross between amusement and irritation, Remus checked the magical bonds again. Satisfied that Sirius was firmly trussed and gagged, he looked to the headmaster for answers.

\"Very well. But I should mention that both Harry and Severus are much more knowledgeable about this ritual by this point. What little research I had acquired is in their hands now.\"

\"No excuses please, Albus. Tell us what you remember about it.\"

\"The ritual is similar to what Voldemort used to create the Dark Mark. It combines a piece of the caster\'s soul with over half of the recipient\'s soul, forcing a permanent connection between them. It also merges their magic to a degree, and can even cause a form of telepathic communication in some cases where both parties are sympathetic.\"

\"And this new version that Harry will be trying?\"

\"Should balance the levels of power, so that neither is in the submissive position. If I understand correctly, they will be performing a double ceremony, using the same rites upon each other to create the necessary symbiosis.\"

\"So, it will be a two-way link? Isn\'t that similar to life bonding in some married couples?\"

\"Close, but not exactly. This share of inherent power would be somewhat deeper in a number of levels.\"

\"And Severus agreed to this course of action? I can see Harry doing it, if only to save someone from Voldemort\'s tortures. But it\'s hard to picture Snape accepting such a close bonding.\"

\"Indeed, it amazes me that he has put up so little fuss about it. Perhaps we are lacking in information beyond what I feared.\"

\"What are we missing?\"

\"Tell me, Remus. How does young Mr. Potter feel about his Potions professor?\"

\"Err... That\'s hard to say, really. He complains a lot about the class itself, but mainly about the other students. I\'ve not heard him gripe about Snape in quite some time. I do know that Harry respects the man for his work spying, and is worried about him a great deal. What... Oh no. You aren\'t saying...\"

\"It would make sense, wouldn\'t it? And how often has Severus saved his life? The wizard\'s life debt passed on from James would only explain a small amount of it. Naturally, Severus would never do anything to jeopardize a student\'s welfare, or his own position within the school. His morals are very rigid, you know.\"

\"Of course, they always were. You really think they...?\"

\"I believe it would explain a great deal. Neither has said anything to me about their situation, nor would I expect them to do so. And perhaps it is for the best that we not be made aware of their feelings as yet. Give them the time they need to become comfortable with each other before we step in with questions.\"

\"Naturally.\" Lost in thought, Remus\' eyes fall on his mate, lying comfortably tied on the couch. \"Albus, what should we do about Sirius? The minute we loose the bonds, he\'s going to have a fit.\"

\"Not if we use post-hypnotic suggestion, dear boy. We\'ll just convince him to ignore the interactions between his godson and Severus, until such time as they are ready to make their relationship publicly known.\"

\"Good idea. If you would please do that now, I\'ll drag him down to our rooms and wait for Harry to find us. Thank you for letting us know about this, and for letting us stay here until we know how it turns out.\"

\"You\'re quite welcome, dear boy.\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

\"And that\'s the last of it. Good job, Mr. Potter.\"

\"Thank you, Professor. You did quite well yourself.\"

\"But of course. I am a Potions Master, in case it slipped your sieve of a brain.\"

\"Nope, but it\'s fun watching your hackles raise.\"

\"Thorn. Come here.\"

\"Mmm, want to start the ritual now? All we have to do is grab a couple of your stocked potions, this latest one, and a light snack.\"

\"Ward ourselves into my chambers and hide from the headmaster, your godfather, and the werewolf?\"

\"Yeh. I\'d rather not have any outside interference. And gods forbid that any of them want to watch!\"

Sharing a shudder at the thought, Severus showed his student where to locate the appropriate vials while he cleaned up the remnants of their afternoon\'s work. Before long, they found themselves safely shut in the professor\'s suite, with so many levels of wards and shields that even the Founders would have a hard time breaking through.

They split sandwiches and pumpkin pasties, enjoying a quiet meal. When the last bite had been washed down with juice, they stood and collected their components.

\"It\'s your show, Mr. Potter. What would you have me do?\"

\"First off, drop the \'Mr. Potter\' nonsense. We\'re about to perform an erotic ritual with lots of bodily fluids and sexual contact, so the least you can do is call me by my given name.\"

\"Oh very well, persistant whelp.\"

\"I do so love your terms of endearment, Sev.\"

\"What next then?\"

\"First, a bath seems to be in order. Join me, please.\"

\"Is this part of the ceremony?\"

Harry moved toward the older man, offering assistance in the many rows of buttons. \"In a way, yes. We should be as comfortable as possible with each other before we get to the last stages. It\'ll make everything less painful.\"

\"You never mentioned pain as being part of this... Harry, what changes have you made?\"

\"Quite a few, but not so much to the original casting. There\'s a section that you\'ll need to repeat with me, but it\'s in English anyways, so you won\'t need to memorize it. The pain only comes in when one or both of us is resisting the bond.\"

\"That could explain why it hurt so much before, both times.\"

\"That\'s what I figured too. Sev... don\'t resist with me, please. I can\'t bear to cause you pain.\"

\"But you can bear for us to be bound forever? I still do not understand.\"

\"Neither do I, but it feels right. Now, into the tub with you.\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

\"Hey Remy, what say we go in to Hogsmeade and have a butterbeer or two? Since Harry\'s busy tonight, we could at least enjoy ourselves.\"

\"Fine luv, get yourself dressed.\"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Sitting behind his desk, Albus ignored his tea and sweets, remembering a day over twenty years ago. His prodigal son had returned, bleeding and abused in so many ways. Yet the wizard who once defeated Grindelwald could not save his favored child from himself.

He spent most of the evening in silent prayer to deities long forgotten that the Boy Who Lived had enough special intuition and luck to save Severus, where he had failed too often before.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Bathing each other in warm water, heavily scented with lavender and eucalyptus, the two ceremonial participants took their time exploring each other\'s body. Learning the smooth lines of torsos, the gentle curves of necks, the hard plains of stomachs. Each new intimacy brought them closer to magical communion.

Stepping out of the bath, Harry directed his lover into the bedroom, whispering a spell to dry them both as he followed the older man. Hand in hand, they entered into a ring of lit candles, soft sandalwood incense, and glowing braziers for warmth. The various vials were arranged near the central point, beside both wands and assorted tools.

Severus worried over the gleaming silver athame, but his eyes were drawn back to Harry. The emerald gaze held such care and protection that Snape soon lost what little paranoia he had retained. If a ceremonial dagger was needed, he would simply have to trust his student\'s instincts, disregarding his own nervous state.

\"The first step of this ritual involves the mingling of blood. It won\'t be any worse than some of our potions assignments, honestly. Just prick your finger or palm, and I\'ll do the same. When you\'ve got a few drops or more, we hold the open wounds together and let our blood mix while I chant this first bit.\"

If he had allowed himself to recall the first time this ceremony was performed on him, Severus would have begun to panic. Indeed, there was blood mixed with Voldemort, but not by a simple jab at his finger. The Dark Lord had delighted in lashing his body with whips and assorted strips of leather, causing as much pain in the process as possible. Eventually, his back had bled to the point of unconsciousness.

\"That part is over. No problem, see? Next, I need you to clear your mind for me, let me find the spirit of the Mark and convince the little bugger to move from Voldie to me.\"

Holding back a nervous giggle, the Potions Master knew that this part had occurred when he was passed out during the original rite. His student\'s words were just irreverent enough to keep his panic at an acceptable level. \'Voldie. Bugger his spirit, steal his soul-mark. Yep, you\'re losing it, Sev.\'

His thoughts were broken by a low humming, that soon turned to hissing. Looking down, Severus saw the younger wizard speaking directly to his Dark Mark. He watched in awe as the snake slithered across his skin, mesmerized by its serpentine elegance. Appreciation for Harry\'s gift of parseltongue soon turned to astonishment -- the snake remained on his arm, but in a blinding flash of light, the skull disappeared.

A sharp cry drew his eyes to Harry, who knelt beside him, holding his left forearm.

\"Let me see,\" Severus requested, prying the younger man\'s fingers from the fresh Mark.

Voldemort\'s choice of artistry had always been somewhat morbid, in Snape\'s opinion. For Harry to leave the serpent behind showed simple common sense, since Severus was never ashamed of his Slytherin association. To his surprise, Harry now sported an identical serpent, which slid across his skin, marking the path with dark green and silver.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. \"Well, that wasn\'t as bad as I\'d feared. And it isn\'t hard on the eyes either. What do you think, Sev?\"

\"I can live with it. But... Where did the other portion go?\"

\"Oh, the skull? I sent it back to Voldie. He crossed his Slytherin blood with his own drives to get the snake and skull effect. I just kept the Slytherin part.\"

\"How far are we into the ritual?\"

\"Oh, that\'s right. You would have been out of it by now... We\'re over halfway through the transfer from him to me. Then we\'ll need to do the power-sharing.\"

\"Then by all means, please continue.\"

Severus allowed his mind to drift off once again, somehow trusting Harry to perform the necessary chants and spells. True to his word, the Boy Who Lived was soon finished with the Marking ceremony, and suggested a quick break for tea and snacks.

\"That took a bit more energy than I figured on. But it\'s done now. Do you feel ok, Severus?\"

\"Surprisingly, yes. Much better than I have in years.\" Harry noted the very real shock evident in his professor\'s voice, smirking to himself at the reaction. \"Don\'t get cocky, youngster.\"

\"Spoil sport. I need chocolate!\"

\"Not too much, Harry. It will react badly with the potions.\"

\"Oh bugger.\"

\"That too.\"

\"Prat.\"

\"I haven\'t heard you complaining so much about it.\"

\"Not lately. You\'re much easier to deal with when you\'re naked.\"

\"I knew there was a reason for your choice of ceremonial attire.\"

\"What, you\'re complaining about being skyclad indoors? You\'ve nothing to be ashamed of.\"

\"Eat your frogs. Let\'s get this started before I have to spank you.\"

\"We might be able to incorporate that in the ritual. If you\'ll let me return the favor.\"

\"Don\'t get your hopes up. So, we must mirror each other\'s actions?\"

\"Pretty much. In order for the balance to be completely equal, we should give and receive exactly the same amount of effort, energy, and time.\"

\"Did you bring a pocket watch?\"

\"Yeah, I borrowed Madam Hooch\'s timer. Sorry for the lack of romance, but it could be bad if we messed this part up.\"

\"Indeed. Whenever you\'re ready, Mr. Potter.\"

\"I\'ll be ready when you stop calling me that.\"

\"Damn it boy, you are the most annoying little...\"

\"Don\'t finish that thought, Sev. This has to be equal, remember? Unless you want to just leave it like it is?\"

\"Perish the thought. Fine, Harry, let\'s get on with it.\"

\"Alright then, here are the rules. We each have an hour\'s time being the aggressor. This allows for recovery as well, in case we can manage more than once per round.\"

\"You aren\'t expecting much, are you?\"

\"Drop the sneer, Snape. That\'s what these are for.\"

\"Aphrodesia Compulsio. Not bad, if a bit extreme.\"

\"Two drops each should cover it. One drop per hour, and we can keep up with each other.\"

\"I\'m almost impressed, Harry. Remind me to give y ser series of exams outside of your class time to test your potential.\"

\"After we recover from this, alright?\"

\"Naturally. Proceed then.\"

Harry encouraged his lover to be the first dominant, establishing the mood and strength of the bond. While most of his body was humming in pleasure, a small portion of his brain kept thorough notes. At the end of the first hour, their positions switched, permitting him to show his teacher everything he\'d learned.

If they had allowed an observer, he or she could have told them about the cone of power their combined energies raised by the end of the ceremony. The brilliant deep greens, blinding silver and gold bands, striking violets and blues, all spiraling together in a sphere of energy around the two wizards.

Beyond beautiful, their magical communion surpassed the original spell and enveloped the men in their combined powers.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

High up in his tower, Albus awoke from his light doze with a start. After years in his position as headmaster of a magic school, he had become closely attuned to the levels of power and normal shifts in magic that were common within the solid walls of the castle.

Whatever his boys were up to, it had spiked well beyond anything that the castle had felt since the Founders\' time.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Many miles away, in the depths of a long-forgotten keep, the half-human form of Lord Voldemort halted in his latest scheming by a ripple of... something. He had acknowledged the loss of his Mark on the traitor, cursing the few Death Eaters unlucky to be nearby at the time. That was most annoying, and unfortunate in his plans for retribution.

Yet this latest disturbance was decidedly different.

Some sort of merge, a shift of power.

For once since his rebirth, the Dark Lord felt mortal again. And deep inside hiriveriveled soul, he felt an emotion that had been lost for many years -- fear.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Somewhere closer to dawn, Harry blearily opened his eyes. To his left were the remains of candles and a softly glowing fire. On his right was Severus, sleeping deeply in justifiable repose. \'It\'s over, but it feels... odd. Guess I\'ll have to wait till Sev wakes up, and ask him.\'

\"Humph. Not so loud, cretin. Some of us are beyond exhaustion.\"
I diI didn\'t say anything out loud, Severus.\"

\"You were muttering about talking to me when I wake up.\"

\"Umm Sev...\"

\"What now, thorn?\"

\'I said that something feels odd, and that\'s what I wanted to ask you about. Can you hear me?\'

\"Yes, of course I can. Foolish child, you\'re right beside me.\"

\"That\'s the problem, sir. I wasn\'t saying anything. I was thinking it!\"

\"Oh my.\"

\"Yes. Exactly.\"

\"This should be interesting. I wonder what kind of shields we\'ll have to erect, just to have some privacy. How much power did you put into your turn?\"

\"Umm... I\'m not sure how to gauge it. I tried to make it equal to yours, but with my inexperience...\"

\"Oh damn.\"

\"Just what I was thinking... sort of.\"

\"Time to talk with Albus?\"

\"Do we have to discuss this part with the headmaster? He\'ll get all twinkly- eyed and smirk behind his lemon drops at us.\"

\"True. You have another suggestion?\"

\"Not really. Unless you want to bring Hermione in on it. She\'s terrific with research projects.\"

\"I\'d rather not, thank you.\"

\"Fine. Let\'s get showered and dressed, have some breakfast, and go wake the old coot up.\"

\"Why Harry, you insulted the esteemed headmaster! Whatever would your precious godfather say?\"

\"I imagine he\'d be too busy complaining about his godson being bonded to a greasy git. Want to wait until he and Remus can join the party? We can regale them all at once, for maximum shock value.\"

\"Minx. Sounds good. You mentioned a shower? Was that an invitation?\"

\"Only for you, Sev. Just because the ritual is complete doesn\'t mean that I\'d want to stop this.\"

\"What is \'this\', exactly?\"

\"When I figure it out, I\'ll let you know. Until then, let\'s just enjoy it, alright?\"

\"Very well. Get up, lazy sod.\"

\"Yes, Master.\"

An indelicate snort later, two weary bodiesggerggered u a h a hot spray of soothinger, er, rinsing the hours of oil and sweat from each other, and re- acquainting themselves with simple touches.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

True to form, the three wizards were waiting when Severus and Harry entered the tower after a leisurely meal. The Gryffindor Golden Boy gave them a very condensed version of events from the previous evening, mentally snickering at his godfather\'s apoplectic fits. All things considered, he was quite pleased with how his improvised spell work had turned out...

Severus sank back in comfcomfortable armchair by the hearth, taking a considerable amount of pleasure in the outrage and confusion from the mutt and werewolf. Perhaps it wasn\'t as bad as he\'d feared, this power-sharing with the Boy Who Refused To Die. But he\'d be damned before he would ever admit as much to Albus.

The headmaster watched in silence as Sirius and Harry volleyed their words. Harry\'s quiet comments andlanalanations were a far cry from the animagus\' tirade. It was simply too early in day day for him to play referee.

Remus laid a soothing hand on his mate\'s shoulder, pulling him back down to the couch. \"Luv, don\'t you think it would be easier if you let Harry explain before you take his head off?\"

\"Not as satisfying, really. Harold James Potter, how dare you perform this sort of dangerous, experimental magic without consulting anyone, and without proper safeguards? Who knows what sort of side effects you\'ll get?\"

\"Sirius, if you refuse to listen, I\'ll have to leave without answering your questions. We told you yesterday what had to be done. And since the power- sharing part was intensely private, you wouldn\'t have been allowed to stay anyways. Unless you wanted to watch...\"

Harry smirked. Sirius flinched. Remus choked on his coffee. Albus raised both eyebrows, eyes twinkling brighter than ever. Severus laughed aloud, compounding the previous effects.

\"And sincet ant answers about everything, I believe I should go back to Severus\' rooms now and help him clear up. We made a bit of a mess last night.\"

Smiling as sweetly as a toddler with a new toy, Harry latched himself onto the Potions Master\'s sleeve, dragging him out of the office.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Halfway down to the dungeons, he could no longer contain his giggles. Together, the Gryffindor hero and the Head of Slytherin chuckled their way back to Severus\' quarters, the beginnings of a very special bond still growing between them.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
*~

End