Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

I just wanted to ask	By : evil-minded Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > Slash - Male/Male Views: 31281 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 11
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any character from it, Rowling does … I do not make any money out of Harry Potter either, again – Rowling does … I however do own Herbaceous VanHarkins – but I don’t make money of him also … :D …

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
Author's Notes:

Uhm … ok … I have to admit … English is not my language by birth … so … please do not kill me while reading … neither for the bad English I use, nor for what I am writing … and yes, I really would appreciate it, if you would honor my work with a short review that will be very much appreciated ... thanks, for reading and for reviewing ...

also, please note that this will be the last chapter until December and until NaNo is over as I won't be able working for AFF and NaNo at the same time ... thanks for your understanding ...

Warning:

Story contains references to child abuse:

Child abuse is a really serious thing, it is an evil thing and there are a lot of children in our world that really would need help without being helped, and closing our eyes and pretending it does not exist – is no solution … handle people, children as well as adults, which are showing any signs – whichever – of once being abused … with understanding and with help …

what does not mean I am not as evil as I pretend to be … ^.~ … believe me – I am …

Story contains adult stuff:

Especially sex between two men … as there is Harry Potter – a male – having sex with Severus Snape – another male … what means those gay things … not to mention that the relationship between the two of them is one based on BDSM …

Don't like it, don't read it …

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Previously in I just wanted to ask

That simple, innocent words, spoken when the boy was half-asleep, and probably completely unaware of what he was speaking out aloud, was one of the few, true compliments he had ever received in his life for something other than his potions. Because yes – people always had wanted him for his skill at potions, but no one ever – aside from Lily – had desired him sexually, not even the male whores he had used to pay for and he tightened the grip he had on the boy.

How could that blasted child be so blissfully unaware of what he had done to him? Of what he was doing to him?

I just wanted to ask

Chapter seventeen

Visiting monsters and demons

Severus Snape was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the Daily Prophet and drinking a cup of coffee. He normally would drink tea, but there simply were some days – like today for example – where he just needed a cup of coffee. And the prospect of what was to come today – it simply screamed for a cup of coffee – hot, black and strong, while Harry was standing at the counter, his back turned towards him and pouring hot milk into a cup.

The box of cocoa floating from the cupboard in the far corner towards Harry and the boy's hand reaching out into the air to catch the box had him nearly choking on his coffee and slowly he placed the cup back onto the table, his eyes never leaving the teenager who stirred some of the cocoa into his hot milk as if nothing out of the ordinary had been displayed.

The Potions Master sat still for a moment, only his eyebrow rising at the teenager, before his thoughts realigned themselves and slowly he got to his feet and approached the adolescent.

"How, Mr. Potter, did you do that?" He quietly but firmly asked, causing the boy to give a silent and startled cry away and to jump into the air, the cup with the hot cocoa he had been holding in his hands, warming his fingers on the hot porcelain as he so often did, falling to the floor and shattering into thousands of pieces. Swallowing thickly the teen looked up at the older wizard before he lowered his eyes at the shards with a quietly whispered "I'm sorry" – just before he dropped to his knees to pick them up! As if he were no wizard while just moments before he had ...

"Stop!" Snape commanded sharply the moment Harry picked up a shard and with another startled gasp the boy dropped the piece of porcelain before putting his finger into his mouth to suck on it.

Sighing Snape bent down and took a hold on the boy's shoulders, pulling him up onto his feet and leading him to one of the chairs surrounding the kitchen table.

"There is no need to apologize, Harry." The older wizard said, seriously, cursing himself for his harsh demeanor with the boy, but he quickly straightened and took a step away from the brat to give him some space. "It is I who has to apologize. I did not wish to startle you. I was rather startled myself."

Pulling out the boy's finger from his mouth and drawing his wand Snape ran the black piece of wood over the cut, muttering a quick healing charm and he shook his head.

"Sometimes I wonder if you ever remember the fact that you are a wizard, Harry." He said. "Picking up the shards with your hands instead of using magic to simply banish the mess and repair the cup." Taking a jar from a small cupboard beside the stove he massaged a healing balm into the now close cut. "Seeing however your last performance of magic, I have to wonder if you really forget or if you simply like to fool me."

The boy blinking up at him with questioning green eyes nearly had him hitching a breath at the sight and he again lifted his eyebrow to cover this little fact from the teenager.

"What performance of magic?" The brat actually asked and the Potions Master lowered his head to one side.

"The bit of magic you performed just a minute ago." He said. "Summoning the cocoa box without using your wand and without saying a word either?"

"What?" Harry asked, blinking at him in confusion. "I didn't …"

The brat looked at the box of cocoa that still stood on the countertop, then to the cupboard where it belonged to and finally back to the cocoa box, his mind whirling and Snape could see the exact moment the teenager understood, going pale and then looking up at him in shock.

"I … I don't … I don't know …" The boy gasped.

As it seemed, the boy hadn't even known what exactly he had done just a moment ago.

"Summon the box again." Snape ordered and the boy looked over at the cocoa unsurely, before gazing back at him.

"But … but I don't know how!" The adolescent exclaimed.

"Do not think about it, just do it." The Potions Master said, his voice low and calm and his dark eyes intensive on his submissive's startled face.

A moment later the box of cocoa floated over to the kitchen table and hovered in front of the teen's face, nudging his forehead impatiently when the boy didn't reach out to take it.

"But that … that is … that is impossible." The teen still gasped, shocked, still not reaching out to take the box. "I … I …" He finally looked up at the man, helplessly and frightened.

"Do not be startled, brat." Snape quietly said, lowering himself onto one knee in front of the teen and finally taking the box, playing it at the table. "I do not know how you suddenly managed this kind of magic, but it is nothing that you should be frightened of. I will run a few tests throughout next week, but do not tell anyone about this yet. Maybe …" A thoughtful look crossed his face for a moment. "Maybe this is the weapon the Dark Lord knows not. It is a very rare gift, being able to do wandless and speechless magic, Harry. Most wizards struggle with either of the two to perform. I would not even tell Dumbledore yet."

He watched the teen nodding silently before he got up and simply waved his wand over the mess, repairing the broken cup and cleaning away the spilled cocoa. He got a new cup from the cupboard, poured hot milk and added cocoa before bringing the cup over to the still dazed teen sitting at the kitchen table.

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"I have another topic I wanted to discuss with you, Harry." He said later, after they had finished breakfast and Harry had recovered from the shock of his unconsciously performed magic. Well, the next shock was about to approach and Snape wasn't sure if the boy would handle this one as well as he had handled the last one.

But he knew it was necessary. Not only if he wanted to bond with the brat, but also if he wanted the boy out of that household before next summer. He simply needed guardianship over the boy in order to keep him safe.

The brat looked up at him, curiously.

"As you are not of age yet, we need permission to bond." He said, looking at the teen. The boy smiled at him and gave a nod and a short "no problem, sir." away, indicating that he was alright with this.

"Who's permission? And where would we get it?" The boy asked, curiously. If it only were as easy as this, he thought.

"There actually is a problem, Harry." He said. "In order to get this particular permission, we have to visit Vernon and Petunia Dursley."

There was a second or two during which nothing happened, but then Snape frowned the moment he noticed how pale Potter suddenly looked, his eyes growing wide and frightened and the fragile body tensing up immediately.

Uncle Vernon would kill him. Uncle Vernon would kill him on the spot. He would kill him the moment he …

It would just show how big of a freak he was, that he now was going to be married to a professor and a male one at that. He couldn't … he would be dead the moment he entered number four … he couldn't face them … uncle Vernon never would sign for such a thing … he couldn't face them alone … they would lock him into the cupboard and never ever again allow him out … he simply couldn't …

"Breathe, Harry." He at one point heard the Potions Master's voice reaching through his thoughts, wondering why Snape told him to breathe until he noticed that he actually had trouble breathing and not understanding what right now had happened he looked up at the older wizard that was reaching out to him and pulling him up, leading him into the parlor and over to the sofa.

"They never will …" He finally whispered. "It's impossible … I can't …"

"You won't be alone." Snape seriously said, sitting at the coffee table so he was somewhat at eye level with the boy. "I will go with you. I will not have you going there alone, but you have to be present as it is a magical contract that automatically transfers guardianship over to me upon their signature."

"They won't sign it." Harry murmured. "They would say it isn't normal. My uncle will have a fit. He will …"

"He will do nothing else than signing the contract." Snape said reassuringly. "I will make sure of it."

"You don't know him." Harry whispered, his eyes haunted.

"There is no need to know him, and neither do I have the wish doing so." Severus growled darkly. "Believe me, he will sign the papers."

"But … uncle Vernon will say that he won't allow such an abnormal thing. But it isn't, is it?" The boy asked, his scared eyes nearly begging him for something, begging him to tell him that it wasn't abnormal. "I mean, I know that it isn't the normal way. Normally a boy and a girl come together, they date, and then they kiss. They marry and they start a family and have children. That's the normal way. But … I mean, that what we have … what we're doing … it isn't abnormal, is it? There are others …"

"No, it is not abnormal, Harry." The Potions Master said seriously. "In the wizarding world it is quite a normal thing to do and there are a lot of couples like us. In the early times there even had been much more. It was called an educational relationship as the junior partner learned from the senior partner everything that could be learned. Etiquette, academics, sexual relations, simply everything. The muggles do not know such etiquette and so this culture is often viewed as a subculture, mainly because in the muggle world mostly BDSM is still regarded as 'ill', 'bizarre' or 'perverse' by a large segment of the public and the media. Many people hide their leaning from society since they are afraid of social exclusion. Today, the BDSM culture exists in most wizarding countries. This offers BDSM practitioners the opportunity to discuss BDSM relevant topics and problems with like-minded people."

He watched Harry who still looked scared and unsure. The boy had come a long way since he first had knocked on his door with a question that had had him angry at the first time but that had been the beginning of their relationship they now shared. The teen had started seeing things like being touched by a man in intimate places or being blindfolded while being touched, being restrained by his, Snape's, hands, that those things were nothing to be afraid of. He had learned that making a sound of arousal was nothing that was forbidden or wrong and he had learned that pleasure itself was nothing bad or dirty. He had learned to undress in front of him and even if he still was feeling embarrassed about it, it had been a very long way in a short time.

Of course he knew that other boys Harry's age already had sex one way or another and that they weren't as startled and as spooked by undressing or being undressed, but Merlin, the first time they had discussed this particular topic the boy hadn't even been able to give a coherent sentence away, let alone a few coherent words and considering the teen's past, the abuse he had been through, and the neglect, it was quite understandable.

"Misunderstandings may arise from general lack of knowledge concerning sexuality and sexual practices, as well as misconceptions on how one's personal life and public persona can vary." Snape continued, knowing that he had to bring it down for the boy to understand and knowing that the boy had to understand. Harry's desperate question was proof enough that the boy had understood in his mind, but not in his heart, that he still was unsure. "For example, generally it is assumed that a submissive would prefer to experience pain and degradation in their everyday life, or conversely, that they would prefer to have exactly the opposite. A further misconception is that members of BDSM communities want only to be hurt or to inflict physical, psychological and mental pain, which diminishes and ridicules the emotional and spiritual relationships that actually develops."

He stood and walked over to the sideboard, taking a glass and pouring water from a pitcher into it. He brought it back to the sitting area and handed it over to Harry.

"Drink!" He ordered quietly and sat back down onto the coffee table before continuing. "Quite often the picture of BDSM is reduced to the idea of crude corporal punishment, neglecting the broad spectrum of behaviors within the culture. And another misconception is the idea of women generally being the dominant party in BDSM relationships. But in BDSM, roles are not fixed to gender, but personal preferences. Do you think that it is wrong what we are doing?"

The boy, visibly startled over being questioned suddenly blinked at him for a moment before finally shaking his head.

"No." He then said. "I don't think that it's wrong. But … I don't understand it. I don't understand it why I'm not like most others. I don't think that it's wrong, but I don't understand it."

"Of course you don't." Snape said. "At the beginning of our conversations I told you, you could choose a quiet and easy relationship with a woman or you could choose a passionate and intense relationship with a partner the same gender as you. While you always have a choice, and so you do have in this regards too, I nevertheless knew what you would 'choose'. Being gay is not something you simply choose, and neither is being lesbian. It is not a preference, it is nothing you simply want to have. You are like this, or you are not. If you had gone against your natural being, if you would have 'chosen' a woman just so you are 'normal', you soon would have been really unhappy in your marriage and it would not have lasted for more than a few years. You always would have been disgusted with yourself and maybe with the woman you married. You are who you are, Harry, and no one can change that, nor should you try it yourself just so you are considered 'normal' in the eyes of others, for it is not abnormal being gay."

"My uncle will not see it that way." The boy still whispered, closing his eyes tightly. Fear at the prospect that he would have to face his uncle again, and with something like that, was still choking him but then footsteps passed him from behind and for a moment a heavy, warm hand rested on his shoulder, squeezing it.

"I will be with you." The dark voice of Snape said. "And I will make sure that they do not even try to touch you. They have no power over you anymore, Harry. Nobody does and it is time you begin to realize that. I will be there with you the moment you take this step."

The Potions Master glanced down at the boy that was staring at the floor again, lost in thoughts, or memories, he didn't know. The brat looked so young that he was overcome by a strange desire – to pull the younger male into his arms and to never let him go ever again, to reassure Potter that he was safe, that he would be safe with him, Snape, never mind what, that he always would be on his side, never mind what.

"Are you ready to get it over with, Potter?" He asked, laying his hand lightly on his brat's forearm. He however made the mistake of looking at the teen right then and again found that his young submissive was almost white with fear and his glare softened.

"No." The teenager whispered. "But I guess I have no choice in this."

"Remember what I told you." Snape gently said. "You always have a choice. You have the choice to say 'no'."

"I do want this." The younger wizard whispered. "I do want to be with you. So I have no choice. I have to do this."

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It was barely an hour later that Snape and Harry stood in front of number four, Privet Drive, the Potions Master having them apparated into the muggle district, and Snape firmly knocked onto the door of which he knew would lead the teen beside him into his worst nightmares. He gave an encouraging inclination of his head towards the boy that stood beside him, radiating more than just primal fear, radiating sheer panic, and he prepared himself for a very, very difficult and dangerous visit, prepared himself for a panic attack from the boy at one point or another.

He didn't really know Vernon Dursley, having met him just once, years ago when Lily had dragged him to her sister for tea once. She never ever again had dragged him there, and he remembered this particular afternoon just too well. Maybe he should have told Harry this story beforehand, the boy surely wouldn't be so scared then.

A young man opened the door, Potter's age, he guessed, but more than just thrice his size and weight, with blond hair and a spoiled, dulled expression on his fat face. It definitely was a boy that got everything he wanted and as soon as he wanted it and Snape knew that it must have been Dudley Dursley, Harry's cousin.

"Yeah?" The boy asked and Snape sneered in disgust at this display in lack of manners. "What'd you want?" Well, he always had thought that Potter had been disrespectful, but watching this boy, he knew that Potter had been the most respectful creature on this earth.

"Be as kind as to inform Petunia Dursley, nee Evans that Severus Snape is here to see her." He calmly said, though he still was not able to hide the disgust he felt at the boy-whale and he was glad that Harry had nothing in common with his cousin.

Shuffling away and leaving the door open the whale made his way through the entrance hallway, waddling, and Snape simply placed his hand between Harry's shoulder blades and shoved the reluctant teen inside before closing the front door with a flick of his wrist and a softly muttered incantation.

"Snape?" Came Petunia Dursley's shocked voice from the other end of the hallway. "What are you doing here? After so many years?" Well, the woman definitely was too shocked, Snape thought, if she changed more words with him than absolutely necessary.

"It is – as always – a pleasure to see you too, Petunia." The Potions Master sneered and Harry wondered how he could be so cold while still being polite. "As you say – it has been far too long since we last met. I see that the years have been – kind – to you."

Despite his rising panic Harry nearly laughed at the older wizard's words, but the fear overtook the upper hand and he simply couldn't laugh. Maybe he could ask Snape if he could review this memory in his pensive one day.

A strong hand on his shoulder pushed him forward, even as Harry fought with all his might against the fear that had increased to a point where he would like to simply turn and run and not even the picture of aunt Petunia blinking at the Potions Master in clear shock could help him right now.

"I am here for business, Petunia." Snape then said. "If we might use your parlor? I need to see your husband as well."

"What?" The woman asked in confusion, but then just nodded. "Oh … of course, Snape. Don't stand here like a lazy lump! Go, and make tea, boy!" The woman hissed at Harry who flinched and was just about to obey when Snape's hand that still was placed firmly on his shoulder tightened its grip.

"Mr. Potter's presence will be required too, Petunia, dear." Snape drawled and Harry was not sure if aunt Petunia knew that this drawl was the beginning of a very dangerous Potions Master. He however wasn't sure what the man's use of the term 'dear' meant also and he guessed that he was about to get more than just dangerous. Tugging at his shirt nervously, he took a deep breath, steeling himself as he walked after aunt Petunia and in front of Snape into the sitting room.

"What the hell …" Vernon Dursley exploded the moment he saw Harry entering after his wife, panting and with some difficulties getting up from the sofa he had been sitting at, but Snape recognized the short headshake the woman gave him, the pointed look at him, Snape, and he knew that they were about to play nice family, probably fearing that he was here because of some injuries their nephew had gained during his stay here and trying to cover everything up.

Well, he would play their games – for a while.

"That's Severus Snape, Vernon, dear. I'll be back in a minute, I'll just make tea." Aunt Petunia said, disappearing into the kitchen and Harry wondered when she had learned to make tea. Aunt Petunia however didn't seem to know that Snape was a professor on his school now, or she would have introduced him as such.

"Well, take a seat, then, Mr. Snape." Uncle Vernon boomed, waving his hand at one of the armchairs opposite the sofa and Harry blinked in near shock. Uncle Vernon? Allowing a freak to sit on one of his armchairs? He definitely would throw them away afterwards and buy new ones, he was sure of that.

Watching Dursley, Snape noticed that the whale of a man did not seem to remember him and he actually considered reminding him at this rather funny – at least for him – afternoon tea party to which Lily had dragged him years ago.

Harry had resorted to his usual protective stance of wrapping his arms around himself while looking up at him, Snape noticed, and he again placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, leading him towards one of the armchairs and gently pushing him down onto the furniture. He took in the scared look Harry threw at his uncle at this and he noticed the furious look Dursley threw at his nephew, and he knew he had to keep an eye on the man – as well as on Harry. The boy was close to falling apart with a fear he felt coming through the pendant his submissive was wearing, that was incredible primal and instinctive and he nearly growled in anger.

"Professor Snape." He however corrected calmly. He had a title and he insisted on being addressed by it. "Mr. Vernon Dursley, I presume?" He asked. Neither the man had introduced himself, nor had his wife, a really gracious display of manners.

"Ah, Professor." Dursley nodded, casting a nasty glare hidden behind a false smile at Harry. "Then you are a teacher at the school the boy visits?"

"Indeed I am." Snape answered. "I am the Potions Master and head of Slytherin house at Hogwarts."

"Po … potions?" Dursley inquired and he could sense the man's anger of having to have a conversation about magic in his house.

"Potions, yes. It is the subject I teach at Hogwarts." He patiently explained, not sure if he should feel amused or rather irritated. He could see that Dursley desperately tried to act as every normal parent would act. "It is what muggles would call chemistry."

"Ah … and how is the … boy doing?" Dursley wanted to know.

"Potions definitely is not Mr. Potter's most favourite subject." He drawled, his eyes coldly resting on the man in front of him. "He is doing rather well nevertheless. At least he has not poisoned anyone yet."

"Poisoned?" The whale of a man asked, looking startled at the boy before narrowing his eyes.

"Indeed, Mr. Dursley." The Potions Master smirked, leaning back in his armchair, enjoying the situation very much. He knew very well that Harry had been cooking for them without being allowed to partake in the meals and he knew that Dursley came to the same conclusion as he. "In my subject we cover quite a lot of poisonous potions and their antidotes." Yes – it definitely was fun to play with the food before eating, he thought. He never again would ridicule his submissive for doing just that.

"Mr. Potter is very good at defense against the dark arts, though." He continued as if enjoying having a conversation about one of his students with his parents. Well, he wasn't a spy for nothing after all and he knew he could play his act. "In his first year he fought against a mountain troll – and lived to tell the tale. Followed by a basilisk in his second year and a dragon in his fourth year. Nothing every student can claim for himself." He said conversationally just the moment Petunia Dursley entered with a tray of tea and placed it in the midst of the living room table.

"A dragon?" The woman asked, looking as if she had swallowed a particularly sour lemon, while she poured the tea. "If I remember correctly, then Lily told that they were banned from Britain."

"They are, Petunia, dear." Snape said, leaning forwards to take a cup of the tea, waving his wand over the cup to ensure it wasn't poisoned – and to enjoy the flinch both Dursley's gave away – and reaching it towards Harry before taking a cup for himself. "The ministry of magic however allowed four dragons being lead in for the duration of the triwizard tournament during your nephew's fourth year, in which Harry participated and won despite the fact that he was the youngest participant."

"So – the boy is doing well at school?" Petunia asked with pursed lips.

"Actually, yes." Snape said, leaning back again and watching Vernon Dursley closely. "Despite the fact that he had lived in an abusive household."

Well, those words had driven the point home and both Dursleys spluttered on their tea.

Petunia Dursley paled and then looked frightened for a moment before she shoved her chin forth defiantly while Vernon Dursley's face became as red as a beetroot and he placed the cup down at the table, hard, causing Harry beside him to flinch violently.

"I don't know what you're speaking about." The idiot hissed, casting a warning glare at Harry who shrunk back in his armchair. "Whatever the boy had told you, he obviously had been lying to you."

Snape still was leaning back in his armchair, calmly, arms crossed over his chest and looking every bit the formidable wizard he was, even without his black robes.

"Really?" The man growled, a low feral growl that had Harry shivering and the teen thought it was funny how Snape could manage to sound polite and scary at the same time.

"We never have laid a hand on the boy!" Dursley exclaimed, panting heavily with anger.

"Oh, then it surely must have been a mistake on my side, coming to the wrong conclusion when I saw all the scars and injuries on Mr. Potter's body." He quietly and calmly drawled, taking a sip of his tea as if he had no worries in the world, causing the boy beside him to look between him and his uncle as if he would watch a muggle tennis match. Only that he wouldn't have looked as scared then.

"The boy just is so clumsy and inept." Petunia said, trying a reassuring smile. "He really is a hopeless case. Always fell down the stairs."

"Of course, Petunia, dear." Snape seriously nodded in understanding. "I presume the belts and the canes just fell on Mr. Potter to cause whip marks on his back. And the boy simply was malnourished and starved because he always has forgotten to eat."

He glanced towards Harry who was sitting beside him with bent shoulders, his face pale and the small hands in his lap trembling. His young submissive looked so small and lost here, like he wanted nothing more than to run and honestly, Severus couldn't blame him and he placed a calming hand on his brat's lower arm.

"What exactly are you accusing us of?" Vernon Dursley demanded and finally the Potions Master placed his cup of tea onto the table and straightened up. He wanted to have both hands free now and he wanted to be ready to stand.

"I accuse you of child neglect and child abuse." He drawled calmly. "I accuse you of starving a child and locking him away in a cupboard for days after beating him to a point very far beyond toleration."

"I don't know what you're speaking of." Dursley said, getting off the sofa, again with much panting and difficulties. Harry beside him too scrambled out of the armchair, quickly standing behind the furniture, out of Dursley's range, into safety, and he, Snape, followed the example. Only slower and calmer and without going to hide behind the armchair but facing his brat's uncle dangerously.

"We always have fed the boy. We have given him food out of our own son's mouth and out of pure kind-heartedness."

"Fed him? You call that feeding, Dursley? The rats in the drain got fed better than Mr. Potter has been by you!" Snape snarled, darkly and icily, drawing his wand and his fingers tightened around the black and warm wood. "A derelict is better dressed than the rags you have allowed Mr. Potter to wear and a house elf is better treated than you have treated Mr. Potter over the years!"

Harry tried to stand still, knowing the punishment whenever he fidgeted in front of the Dursleys and he knew Snape's sharp tongue about fidgeting students just as well, but he just was too nervous and scared to stand still. He didn't know what Snape wanted, why he addressed the Dursleys with this.

"That boy had been enough trouble over the years!" Dursley finally lost it and screamed. "Of course we had to punish him!"

At that Snape moved, smoothly, causing Harry to back away instinctively, and within a second he had pinned the larger man towards the wall effortlessly and with a strength that seemed incredible. Snape surely wasn't the most muscular body builder after all, and he growled, a low feral growl and Harry instinctively took another step back.

"Of course." He drawled. "It is such trouble, planning punishments such as beatings, starvation and imprisonment on a small child, isn't it?" His eyes settled purposefully on Vernon's belt and the man actually had the grace to pale. "I have seen the results of your handiwork, Dursley. Lying to me will only make me angrier."

With a last shove he released the man, causing a startled squeal from the boy-whale that had appeared in the doorway, attracted by the shouting voices downstairs, and he stepped back towards Harry to have a look at his submissive. He didn't like the panic coming from his brat's pendant and he looked down at the teen with concern in his dark eyes. Faint tremors were making the smaller body next to him shake and Severus reached out with a hand to lay it on the still too bony shoulder.

"What do you want from me?" Dursley gasped after regaining some control over his own fear and the Potions Master's eyes snapped over at the man.

"At first, I suggest you send your son from the room." He replied dangerously, not waiting if the boy actually left before continuing but noticing that Petunia had the sense to send the boy away.

"Now, you have two options, Dursley." Severus said and held out his hand towards Harry and the teen hesitantly placed his smaller one into his, staring at the sight of the Potions Master's larger hand covering his smaller one, as if he was trying to memorize the moment.

"As Mr. Potter is a minor, he needs your permission if he wants to – marry." Snape growled darkly, his voice low and dangerously calm and he released Harry's hand, took a step back towards Dursley. "I have the permission papers that transfer guardianship over to me here with me and I want you to sign them. Now! The other option is – I will punish you for years of abuse you have afflicted on the boy, and believe me, I do know quite a few dark spells that would be rather unpleasant and that would last for a few years."

"You cannot …"

"I can – and I will Dursley." Snape growled, leaning closer into the man's face who tried to lean back, as far against the wall as possible. "Just ask your dear wife, Dursley. I am sure Petunia remembers a few of my favourite spells I have used against the neighborhood children that had threatened Lily."

"Why would the boy want to marry someone in the first place?" Petunia finally joined the – conversation. "He's only sixteen."

"I think that is none of your business, Petunia, dear." Snape growled back at her.

"Maybe the freak has managed to get a girl pregnant!" She squealed and turning sharply at her he saw Harry standing in the corner, his eyes wide with horror and his head shaking frantically in terror while the teen's entire frame was shaking like a leaf in the wind. It was a picture that didn't sit well with him and concern overtook his fury momentarily.

"Actually, Petunia, Harry has done absolutely nothing." He growled. "It is me, who is claiming your nephew as my husband and now you better sign those permission papers before I lose control over myself and before you learn to know my wrath. Maybe you understand now in what kind of danger you are as I am not here to act as Harry's teacher but his future husband. Thus you have not simply harmed a student of me, what would have been worse enough, but you have harmed my future husband. Maybe you think quickly now!"

Harry barely recognized the older wizard's last words. There was one word that reverberated in his mind over and over again.

Freak …

The word that had accompanied him throughout his entire childhood.

Freak …

The word that seemed to follow him through his entire life too.

Freak …

The word that he couldn't get rid of, never mind how hard he tried.

Freak …

The word that …

break … ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … line

"That is …" Vernon Dursley gasped for words. "That is … you … you abnormal and disgusting, filthy freaks! You … I won't allow the boy to marry …"

With a flick of his wand the man was silenced and the Potions Master turned towards the landlady, even if he didn't dare speaking of Petunia Dursley as a lady. Lily had been one, but her older sister was nothing else than a horse faced, nasty, horrible, cold and uncaring woman that had neglected and starved her own nephew for years, locked him into a cupboard and allowed her husband to beat the child half to death. And they dare speaking of the boy as …

His dark eyes hardened at her and his face grew into a cold mask. "Well?" He coldly asked her while lifting his eyebrow at the woman.

"Well, I will tell you, something, boy." Petunia hissed. "I will sign those papers, but you will listen and after that I never want to see you ever again."

Turning towards the teenager Snape gazed at him questioningly, studying the boy's haunted green eyes and for a moment he considered if he really should allow the woman to spread her poison into the boy's mind, but then Harry nodded and he could see the teenager's strength of will in his frightened green eyes. Slowly he turned back towards the woman, regarding her with his hardest gaze, the one that had even his seventh year students wetting themselves.

"Well, boy." Petunia hissed. "All of the punishments we had to give you had been your own fault! None of our troubles would have happened if you hadn't been born. The moment you came into our lives, everything went downhill. Without you, Lily wouldn't have been killed. But it happened and it is your fault. You should have died back then, and I should have let Vernon put you out when we had the chance, good riddance. I should have left you on the doorstep and let you freeze to death! It's your fault Lily died! It was you who killed her! And others. Your mother died to protect you, well I wish you had died with her, because you are nothing but trouble. Have fun with your husband, you will get what you deserve when he starts to beat you too …"

Enough was enough, and with another flick of his wand Snape silenced the woman too, before turning towards the teenager that stood dozed like a statue.

Aunt Petunia had hissed at him with a hate she barely had displayed towards him in all those years before while uncle Vernon had nodded at each sentence of her, smirking, and Harry felt his chest clenching in agony. Tears prickled at the corner of his eyes and he closed them tightly while he swallowed and tried to keep standing, to not simply drop to the floor right where he stood.

A moment later Snape had a strong hand on both of Harry's shoulders but the frightened green eyes were fixed on his uncle who smirked at him evilly and the Potions Master knew that he should have listened to his gut feeling and simply should have forced them to sign the papers without allowing the woman to speak.

Fear gripped Harry, a primal fear, the same fear that had kept him from opening his mouth whenever uncle Vernon spoke to him and he went slack in the Potions Master's grip.

"I'm sorry … I didn't want this … I didn't want any of this … I'm so …" The brat choked out.

He managed to grab Potter even as the brat started struggling in his arms, breathing heavily, and he was thankful for the distraction that the brat caused him, because he was one breath away from hexing the Dursleys into hell and back just to hex them into hell once more.

"Look at me, Harry!" The Potions Master demanded, firmly but gently, trying to get the boy to look at him, to get his gaze away from the man that had tortured him for years, but the teen simply didn't obey, not able to tear his gaze off the man that was smirking evilly at him, enjoying the scene before him enough so he didn't even feel the need to attack the boy, giving him the satisfaction of winning this battle over the boy's emotions.

"Eyes up, Potter!" He repeated his order, his voice dark and velvet, calm, but harsher this time, but Harry shook his head mutely.

"Potter, damn it, obey me for once!" Snape whispered, his eyes piercing the boy, not pleased with fact that the boy gave his uncle such an amount of power over him. He knew that the boy simply wasn't able to – damn, he had trouble keeping from losing his grip on the struggling boy while he felt a basic survival need to flee coming from the teen through the pendant and he used more force, the boy being no match for the Potions Master and he crushed Potter to his chest, locking his arms over the smaller wizard's chest and held him there, regardless of the kicks he got.

In a desperate need to help his brat he allowed his magic to rise and to sooth the teenager who went still and limp in his arms and for a moment he even feared the boy had lost consciousness, but the moment he glanced down into the pale face the green eyes were hazy with the emotional pain as the younger male bowed his head and rested it against Severus' chest, his body shaking in his arms.

"Let me go please." The voice was so soft that the older wizard feared he had misunderstood. "Please, release me. I can't …" The boy repeated, his voice barely above a low whisper.

"No, Harry." Snape quietly answered, trying to sound as calm as possible while he continued to hold on the smaller body. "I won't leave you alone now. I promised you that I would be there, right beside you. We will go through this together, I won't leave you. Just calm down, I am quite here and I won't abandon you."

Severus moved his hands up and down in a soothing manner as he pressed the boy even tighter against his chest while he turned towards the other occupants in the room, thus effectively blocking the boy's view of them.

He dared taking one hand off the boy that had gone limp in his grip and with a flick of his wand the parchments appeared on the living room table, unrolling themselves.

"Sign them." He finally hissed at the Dursleys, ignoring the flinch the teen he held secured in his arms gave away, while he had his wand trained at them. "Now!"

The silent sobs that overcame the younger male were causing his chest to clench painfully while he continued to hold Potter, to watch the Dursleys sign the papers and the moment both signatures were on the papers that coiled up by themselves and floated over to him and into the pocket of his jacket, he could feel a tingling sensation running through his body.

The wards at Privet Drive had fallen and guardianship over Harry James Potter had been transferred to him, Severus Tobias Snape. He breathed a sigh of relief and then he did the only thing he could think of doing in such a dire situation – he pulled the boy up into his arms. One arm went around the small but shakingly heaving shoulders as he pressed the younger wizard's body against his chest while his other arm sneaked underneath the boy's knees and he carried the still too light teenager out of the house, pressing his cheek against the top of the unruly hair.

"You foolish boy." Snape whispered, so softly that Harry barely heard him but he knew in that instant that as Snape's dark eyes locked with his, he would always be safe and that this moment belonged to them and them alone, regardless of their audience.

He moved outside and drew Harry closer to him, to secure him for apparating them back to Hogwarts and noticed just how heavily the boy was shaking. Making a split-second-decision he pulled the boy closer up his arms and a moment later he landed in his study at Prince Manor instead of in front of the Hogwarts gates.

break … ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … line

To be continued

Next time in I just wanted to ask

After the war – or after the Dursleys …

Added author's note

thank you for reading - and yes, I would appreciate it if you took the time to review this chapter, thank you

Reviews:

to Markhal: don't worry, I won't tell Severus of course ... but there is no need to thank me for the chapter, I actually do thank you for the review given, just the more as they are rare here on AFF ... thanks ...

to unneeded: well, I'd explain it to you, but seeing that by now you have read the chapter, you already know the answer ... and yes, it COULD have backfired - but it hadn't ... ;D ... thanks for yet another review ...

to delia: a lot of questions ... I won't answer them of course or the fun would be gone ... but be assured that it all will work out, one way or another ... thanks for the review on this, it's very much appreciated ...

to Sera: yes, some manage - at one point or another, some sooner, others later ... anyway, Harry is just 16 and with 16 he barely would manage ... zero hope in Harry's life? I beg to differ ... but well, that's your opinion and everyone has his own opinion on a story or a book or a song ... and that is good, because if we would all think the same, then we would be robots, I wouldn't like that ... there are however different ways to deal with abuse, not only to preserve the rare good moments for bad times ... thanks for sharing your opinion on this anyway ...

to YaoiGrl: I'm sure you hadn't been in need of a pillow for reading this chapter :) ... thanks for your review given and I'm glad you like this story ...
- 16
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I just wanted to ask