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Harry Potter and the Expert Potions Master	By : SickPuppy Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 21281 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe. I make no money from this story.

Chapter List
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- 37
Chapter 35 - Lunatic Notions

After what Harry mentally termed 'Severus' meltdown', the two of them had sat down and had one of those conversations that last hours and leaves you mentally and emotionally drained, but understanding another person in new and unexpected ways.

It was during this talk that they had finally worked out what was going to happen regarding their almost living together. Currently, Harry spent most nights with Snape, but went back to his house to see Kreacher, fetch items, and try to feel less guilty about abandoning the house elf. Gradually, more and more of Harry's belongings were migrating to Spinner's End, but they decided to purchase a new house together and move in to somewhere that belonged to them both. Severus hadn't said what would happen to their existing properties, but Harry had had an idea about Twelve Grimmauld Place that he had shared.

Severus had also broken the news to Harry that it would be at least two and a half years before he would have children. Harry had taken the news well, there was no way they were ready for children: currently he had an emotionally crippled Potions Master to deal with, although, truthfully, that title could now be applied to them both.

After finally convincing the older man that Harry didn't mind at all being the one always being fucked (so long as a little consideration was given to not bruising him too much), they had discussed the various holes in their relationship (real and imagined) and set about working out fixes for them. Some of them, such as their nagging doubts that the other person couldn't possibly love them, could only be healed with lots of time and lots of proofs that truly they were loved.

When Harry had learned what had sparked Severus' meltdown, he had said little, but had gone to Peace Cottage a few days later and had had a quiet word with the two witches, not to chide or share secrets, but just to tell them that he and Severus would not be committing yet, not until they had built a much more solid relationship. It was whilst he had been there that Yolanda and Beth had asked him and Severus to be honorary uncles to their children. Harry had accepted for himself willingly, but had not done so on Severus' behalf. He was learning to talk to his partner first before making any grand statements or gestures.

Snape had been humbled and honoured at their request, and had accepted.

Now, it was August. Harry's twentieth birthday had been celebrated quietly with Severus, and far more noisily with Ron, Hermione, and George. Ginny, who was due to give birth in a month, hadn't sent him anything, which he had been very thankful for, but he did wonder at what point she would want him to get involved in the child's life.

A letter had told Harry to report to the Ministry on August 7^th, to meet his Auror partner. So, he gathered up his emergency kit, donned clean robes, kissed his frustrating companion, and apparated to the Ministry.

The first person he saw there amazed him. “Luna! What on Earth are you doing here?!”

Luna turned wide eyes to him, smiling vaguely, “Oh, hello, Harry, I'm trying to see Cornelius Fudge, you know, to ask him what his latest plans are to try and take over Gringotts.”
Too used to Luna's insanity to let it astound him, Harry merely commented, “Is Fudge still at the Ministry? After everything that's happened?”

“Yes, he is,” she said dreamily, “Shacklebolt reinstated him as Head of Magical Catastrophes. He was quite good in that role. But my father has a new theory about him...”
“Of course he does,” Harry muttered, remembering all too well, Xenophilius Lovegood's constant theories. “Look, Luna, I've got to get to the Auror office, but it'd be great to catch up. If you're still around when I get out, let's grab a milkshake or something?”

Luna smiled at him. “Oh yes, I'd like that. I need to talk to you too, Harry, as I want to start a campaign,”

“A – a campaign? That has something to do with me?!”

“Yes. Oh, I've just spotted Fudge. I'll tell you about it later.”

Watching her drifting away, Harry was disconcerted by the notion of Luna needing him for any of her madcap ideas.

He knew where the Auror office was, having spent so many hours there in the months following the war, but he didn't know who was going to be his mentor. He wandered along the corridor and pushed open one of the doors that led to a common area. Inside were eleven witches and wizards gathered about two wizards who were engrossed in a game of Gobstones. Judging by the boils exploding on the two men's faces, the game was pretty close.

“Erm, hi?” Harry said, not wanting to interrupt, but he had been told to report to the Auror Department.

A few people glanced up but paid him no heed, only a tiny witch grinned at him and moved towards him. She held out her hand, and Harry had to bend over to shake it.

“I'm Delia Little,” she said, then sighed as he did a double take at the name. “Yes, yes, I know. Hilarious, I'm named Little and I'm little. I've been assigned to work with you for the next twelve months and whip you into shape.”

“Er, thanks,” Harry replied, not too thrilled at the notion of this tiny woman trying to show him much of anything. He forced himself to reserve judgement – if she truly was an Auror, and this wasn't some very delayed April Fools Prank, then she had to be good at what she did.

She waved at the two wizards playing Gobstones. “As you can see, we're rushed off our feet. Actually, we have plenty we should be doing, but we all felt in need of a break. And that does give us time to see just how good you are.”

On a low table was a pile of manilla folders. She pointed at them. “Those are the cases I dealt with before the war really kicked off. Read through them, and when we meet again next week, I want to hear from you how you would have tracked and trapped each one. I've left that page out of each report, so no cheating!”

Harry sighed. It seemed that no matter how old he got, he always got given homework.

“Right, other than that, I just wanted to meet you. My office is along the corridor, but it's clearly labelled, so it's easy enough to find. Any questions?” She barely gave him time to draw breath. “No, good. Off your trot, Potter, I'm playing the winner.”

Feeling a bit as though he'd been steam-rollered by a tiny toy car, Harry stared at the hefty pile. He shrank the folders and stuck them into his mokeskin pouch for safe keeping and then left, leaving Delia to take her place at the Gobstone circle, her eyes intent on the centre.

In the atrium he glanced around, wondering if Luna had had any luck with Fudge. From the way she sat on the fountain, casually swinging her legs, he assumed she'd tried and failed. Luna, he had learned, was damn near impossible to depress.

“Milkshake?” she said cheerfully as he approached.

He nodded and they went to Diagon Alley, talking about general things whilst they made their way, settled in a corner booth, ordered, and received their drinks. Harry had added a plate of cakes to the order and they enjoyed trying the various strange flavours.

“I wanted to start a campaign in the Quibbler,” Luna said, once they were sipping and chewing, “to get people like you treated fairly.”

Feeling his heart lurch in fear he asked, “What do you mean, people like me?”

“You know, in same sex relationships.” She said it blithely, as if it were a thing of no very great import.

Harry glanced around, hoping that there was no-one to overhear. “You've heard the rumours then,” he said carefully, admitting nothing.

“Yes. Most people think them ridiculous, but I've never had a problem believing things other people think are ridiculous.”

Taking a sip of his drink, Harry felt baffled, as he so often did when faced with Luna's crazy schemes. “You know,” he tried, “not all rumours are true.”

“Oh I know that, but you are seeing a man, aren't you?” Her eyes bored into his, “Professor Snape?”

Harry almost gibbered. She was speaking so calmly about something that could destroy him and Severus. “Luna, how did you...? What are you doing?!”

She licked a bit of icing off one finger and looked seriously at him. “I don't much care who makes you happy, Harry, so long as someone does. But the law currently means you and he could be arrested and sent to Azkaban if you ever did anything er...”

Harry loved Luna, he really did, but even she, as open minded as anyone he'd ever met, couldn't even say what he and Severus might get up to. And she even thought that he hadn't done any of the things that would get him a lengthy prison sentence. He smiled grimly. “Fuck, Luna. If we ever did fuck.”

She managed to disguise her slight distaste. “Yes,” she said, “as far as I understand it, the law came in to stop dwindling numbers. But if that's the case, surely any couple who don't have children should be sent to Azkaban?”

“Is that what you want to push for in the Quibbler?!” Harry asked, gaping.

“Of course not!” she sounded almost waspish for a moment, “I'm going to argue that you should be treated no differently to any other barren couple.”

Harry sat still. Luna was willing to fight for him, and Severus had developed the potion that might bring about the end of that dreadful law anyway... it made him feel suddenly desperately thankful for the friends he had in his life.

“How would you go about it?”

“I want to interview you and – and him.” She picked up a small, bright pink cake and looked dubiously at it.
“No. We can't be known; we'll go straight to Azkaban!”

“I'll keep your identities secret. But if the readers find out people like you aren't that different to them, maybe we can start to change attitudes.”

“I really hope so,” Harry muttered, slurping loudly as the straw hit the bottom of the nearly empty glass. “Snape's developing a potion that might mean the end of that law anyway. But you're right, it doesn't help us if we're legally allowed to be together but no-one can stand the thought of it.”

Luna gave him one of those dazzling smiles of hers. “Then you'll do it?”

“I'll have to ask him. We're trying to work on actually telling each other stuff, so I don't think he'd be too pleased if I agreed without talking it through with him first.”

She was silent, then questioned, completely seriously, “Can I ask, Harry, why him?”

From any one else it would have been gross impertinence. With Luna, you knew it was because she genuinely wanted to know. Harry considered. How did you explain why you loved someone? Was it Severus' winning personality, his ease around others, or his general demeanour of patience that attracted him?! Harry gazed into the bottom of his glass.

Luna surprised him. “You don't need to answer, Harry. I recognise that smile.”

And indeed, there was a smile tugging at his lips. A hopeless, incredulous smile that he had ever done anything to deserve Severus' love.
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- 37
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Harry Potter and the Expert Potions Master