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Proof of Life	By : emilywaters Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 65994 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter related. It all belongs to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Inc., Warner Bros., and any other entities involved. I make no money from writing fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
Signs of Danger

The following morning, Harry woke up first and stared at the man who was still sound asleep in the bed next to him. In silence, Harry studied Snape's unhappy, tired face. Two sharp lines crossed the man's forehead, deep and severe, and Harry could tell that they would never be soothed smooth or erased. Still, Severus' features were becoming more and more heartwrenchingly familiar every day, and every time Harry watched the man sleep, he wondered how he could ever have called him ugly.

Childish thoughtlessness, teenage cruelty, Harry thought, remembering the hateful things he and Ron had said about Severus behind his back, secretly hoping the man would overhear them.

True, Severus Snape had been nasty as hell, but... Harry understood the reasons for it now, the way he couldn't have in the past. Spying for Dumbledore, pretending to work for Voldemort, risking his life, keeping everyone's secrets, losing bits and pieces of his life day after day... who could have maintained a pleasant disposition under circumstances like that? Not to mention that Harry and his friends had likely provoked a great deal of the man's spite and disdain.

If he could go back in time and take back those hateful words and thoughts, Harry would, but the past was as good as etched in stone, never to be erased or rewritten, like the tormented lines on Snape's forehead.

As if becoming aware of being watched, Severus stirred slightly in his sleep and opened his eyes.

�Good morning,� Harry said, forcing out a semi-cheerful smile. �Slept well?�

�Yes, thank you.�

�Good. Go on,� Harry nodded in the direction of the bathroom.

Severus nodded and complied.

He emerged fifteen minutes later, for the most part looking well-groomed and clean, and stopped in front of the bed uncertainly, as he always did, every morning, as if he was still expecting Harry to change his mind and take advantage of him. Harry suppressed a sigh and looked at him with a friendly smile.

Harry couldn't help but notice the thick layer of stubble on Severus' upper lip and chin. Over the last three days Severus had stopped shaving. Strange, Harry mused silently, the man had always been clean-shaven, for as long as Harry remembered him. Even crawling in his own blood on the floor of the Death Eater compound, Snape had had no facial hair of any kind. Which was odd, Harry thought belatedly, a man that neglected should have had a beard to rival Dumbledore's. He hadn't though, but now, he was apparently intending to grow one.

Harry grinned slightly as he pictured Severus with a long beard.

Severus returned his smile hesitantly.

�You are growing a beard,� Harry observed.

The smile disappeared from Severus' face. �I'm sorry. I'll get rid of it.�

�I didn't say that,� Harry protested. �It's none of my business what you grow on your face. It just looks unusual, that's all.�

Severus gave him a long, calculating look. �You don't mind it?�

�I don't mind it.�

The odd conversation ended abruptly and a long, strained silence ensued.

They went to the kitchen, and Harry produced two vials of nutritional supplement potion, which they drank together, hopefully for the last time, Harry thought.

�Tonight we are going to try real food, courtesy of Hannah,� Harry said matter-of-factly. �Hannah runs the Leaky Cauldron these days.�

Severus nodded absently, staring vacantly ahead. �Hannah Abbot?�

�Yes,� Harry confirmed. �Hannah Longbottom, actually. Hannah and Neville have been married for about four years now. Neville teaches Herbology at Hogwarts...�

Across the table from him, Severus stiffened slightly and gave him a long, wary look.

�Are you all right?� Harry asked.

�Yes. Thank you, Harry.�

~ * ~

What else could he say? Severus said what was expected of him at this point, he gave the wanted response. It seemed to be enough for now.

The horrifying suspicion that he was being played with, tricked, continued to persist. He shut his eyes, and attempted to still himself. Somehow, over the last week and a half he had managed to give in to the dangerous illusion that his Master, Harry, he corrected himself silently, cared for him. It had felt wonderful to indulge in the fantasy, and begin to forget his place.... wonderful, but dangerous, regardless.

The first sign of danger was Harry noticing that he had stopped shaving. Absently, Severus lifted his hand and rubbed his stubbled chin. Of course, the Master would notice. For seven years, his captors had kept his face clean. They did not do much else when it came to his grooming, but most of them despised the idea of mouth-fucking someone who had facial hair. Harry had assured him he had no intention of... but then, he noticed the stubble and commented on it. Had Harry changed his mind? Did Harry see the stubble for what it was, a sign of feeble rebellion, a passive attempt to erect a barrier between himself and his captor? He must have. Or did he? Severus did not know what to make of Harry's reaction. All he knew was that his position was precarious at best.

He had begun to relax again, but the mention of Longbottom's name had jerked him back to reality, and the grim realization began to set in again: he had been rescued only to end up in the hands of former students who had despised him for nearly a decade.

He supposed now would be the perfect time for Longbottom to pay him back, maybe poison him like he had threatened to poison the boy's toad years ago... the insane thought amused Severus, but not for long. He remembered all too well that many poisons could do worse things than simply end one's life.

�Severus,� Harry said quietly, setting the teapot on the table between them. �How are you doing? Really?�

�I am very well, Harry, thanks to you,� Severus gave the polite response, forcing his voice to the usual neutral tone.

�Really?� Harry's green eyes were studying his face, probing him, evaluating him. Severus schooled his expression to remain perfectly calm and offered a small nod. �There is something I want you to try,� Harry continued, and paused hesitantly. �I realize that it might be too early for this, and if you can't do it yet, that's fine, but I'd really like you to try.�

Unnerved by the long preamble, Severus nonetheless nodded again. �Of course, Harry. I will do anything you ask.�

�You don't have to if you don't want to,� Harry protested.

Somehow, he did not believe he had the option of refusing. �What is it?� Severus asked cautiously.

�I want you to try to generate a Patronus,� Harry said.

The simple request shook him to the core. Harry wanted him to cast a spell? This couldn't be real. But for the life of him, Severus could not tell what Harry was playing at. Feeling as if he was losing his mind, Severus repeated absently, �A Patronus?�

�Yes,� Harry said. �We were brainstorming yesterday. Marietta suggested that if you can generate the doe Patronus, it could prove your innocence... demonstrate that your Patronus led me to the sword of Gryffindor.�

Severus blinked. Throughout all this time, he'd never considered that Harry might not fully believe him either, at least where his loyalties during the war were concerned. If that was the case, his position was worse than he'd imagined.

�You require proof?� Severus asked, barely managing to keep his voice from breaking, as despair gave way to resignation.

�Not me!� Harry denied. �The Ministry of Magic. I want to clear your name. I want you to be free. I want you to receive recognition for your work for the Order!�

�You do?� Severus murmured, and was met with the disappointed gaze of the green eyes. �Forgive me,� he corrected himself instantly. �Of course, I will do as you ask.�

�Great,� Harry said, pulling out his wand, and setting it on the table. �I realize, it might not work yet,� Harry continued, �but there's no harm in trying, right?�

�No harm in trying,� Severus whispered absently, and his eyes fixed on Harry's old wand. It looked just as he had remembered it.

He continued to stare at the wand, not daring to touch it.

~ * ~

Two months into his captivity, he had managed to disarm one of his captors, getting a hold of his wand. He was incapacitated after a brief, furious struggle, and the wand was torn out of his hands.

Immobilized, he listened as despair began to build again.

�Perhaps you do not quite understand your position,� his captor said grimly. �Let me explain yet again. If you so much as look at us the wrong way, we'll rip off your eyelids. If you so much as whisper something snide, or scornful, we'll sever your vocal cords. And, finally, should you ever so much as attempt to touch a wand again, we'll cut off your fingers, all of them, one by one. Is that clear enough for you?�

�You should really cut off his hands,� someone else muttered. �This sort of thing can't go unpunished.�

His breath quickened slightly, and he bit into his lip until he tasted blood. They had taunted and threatened him with maiming him and mutilating him, day after day, forcing him to resign himself to losing body parts, and then, forcing a rush of relief that was almost akin to gratitude, when it finally did not happen.

�We will, in time,� the first voice said. �We've got plenty of time. Years. Decades. No need to hurry.�

�No.� Someone laughed. �Anticipation is the best part, isn't it, Severus?�

~ * ~

Severus' eyes were still fixed on the holly rod, lying on the table just within his reach.

�Go on,� Harry said encouragingly. �Take it. It's fine.�

Severus stared at the wand numbly.

�You remember the spell, don't you?� Harry asked.

�Of course.�

�Good. Well, give it a try.�

Shocked by what seemed like juvenile cruelty of this simple order, Severus continued to stare vacantly ahead. Whatever was left of his senses told him that he should decline, and beg for clemency, but Harry's apparently innocent gaze infuriated him beyond all reason.

Games. Potter was playing games with him. That much was certain. But what was the nature of the game? Severus could not understand it, and it was driving him to insanity. He needed to know.

Moving instantaneously, Severus grabbed the wand, and clutched it in his hand, holding it at an awkward angle.

Across the table from him, Harry was staring at him serenely, until Severus pointed Harry's own wand at him. Harry's expression changed slightly, and his spine stiffened.

�Severus?� Harry's voice barely penetrated his awareness. �What are you doing?�

Potter sounded upset, Severus noted with something like satisfaction.

Potter should have known better than to toy with him. Then again, Potter never knew when enough was enough, never knew the meaning of moderation, never knew when to stop, just like...

�Severus?�

�You promised,� Severus whispered, not lowering the wand. �No games.�

�I'm not playing games!� Harry spat. �Now cast the bloody Patronus Charm, or give the wand back!�

His Master's indignant exclamation was almost enough to command obedience.

Almost.

Potter probably thought that with the slave-bond in place, Severus could not disobey. If that was the case, Potter was in for a rather unpleasant surprise, Severus thought with something like satisfaction.

Fully realizing that he was about to seal his own doom with this action, Severus pointed the wand at Harry's forehead. The tip of the holly rod was aligned with Harry's jagged scar.

Harry sighed deeply. �Whatever,� he muttered tiredly and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. �Go on. Do what you want and get it over with.�

The wand still pointing at Harry's head, Severus finally uttered the spell.

�Legilimens.�

To Be Continued...

14

15

16

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Proof of Life