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Jealous Proposal	By : CodyMThomas Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 29690 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 11
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
A/N: This is the second chapter of a double post. Enjoy and please review!

Chapter 8 warnings: Minor 2, AR.

Chapter 8: Dancing with Death

He was one of the last to arrive, but it was something the Dark Lord always forgave him, being as he had to maintain the act of spy and couldn't always leave immediately when summoned. Dumbledore thought Severus was his spy and Voldemort was convinced of the same thing, Severus had even used that information to better gain Voldemort's trust. In truth he had loyalty for neither one. These days his true motivation was to know what both sides were plotting so that he could best protect himself and Harry from the fallout. It was practically an art form to know how much viable information to give each side so they remained pleased with him and focused on each other, keeping Harry as merely a secondary notion. This was much harder to do with the Dark Lord since he was fixated on the boy.

Voldemort was speaking with Fenir when he arrived, just enough time to do a quick mental sweep of the room. His insides chilled as he realized Lucius was planning on telling The Dark Lord about Potter's mysterious engagement, which meant that Voldemort would personally question him for more information, unless he managed to report his findings first, and make it seem a reasonably new development with nothing solid to report on yet but that he would keep on looking.

"Ahh my dear Severus, so good of you to be able to join us. Come, talk with me, it has been awhile since we have spoken. I trust all is well with the old man and his band of misfits?"

Severus followed Voldemort into a side parlor and remained completely calm as the door locked behind them. Maybe luck was on his side today.

"Yes my lord, they are currently trying to figure out a pattern to your plan, in hopes they may come to understand it better and even try to interpret it so that they can anticipate your moves. That has been the basis of the last three order meetings. Dumbledore in his senility is still determined to play this out like some demented game of chess."

"Ahh well it's a good thing we aren't playing War then isn't it? Tell me Severus, what else is he planning?"

"They are still taking an aggressively neutral stance, waiting for your next move and trying to get aid from the press and government, but the Prophet isn't very happy with the old fool at the moment, and as usual the Ministry is completely ineffectual and refusing to do anything more than to officially stand against you and your forces on paper, they have yet to take any sort of action. It's the way of bureaucrats. There were whispers about forging some sort of a magically enhanced weapon, but that information came from Mad-Eye, so who knows how accurate it is. If he had his way we'd be battling like savages with bows, arrows and longswords."

Voldemort actually laughed at that and Severus felt relieved. Dark Lords in merry moods rarely shoot the messenger.

"Oh Severus I do so enjoy your sense of humor. And the boy, have they been training him in secret as we feared?"

"By all appearances he is still ignorant and untrained. There is no pattern to his comings and goings so if there are scheduled meetings between him and the headmaster they are errant and sloppy. I have started giving him more detentions then normal in the hopes I will disrupt their plans and Dumbledore will excuse him as he often does so that I will have a starting point. But Dumbledore has all but left him to fend for himself in the hopes of letting him maintain some form of childhood innocence, and the idiot is using his ample free time to ingest as many chocolate frogs as possible, as well as to ignore his classes. The old man may as well have painted a target on his chest for me to grab him, although the set up is so obvious it makes me question if something more isn't actually going on that only he and the boy know about. It could easily be a farce or a trap, so I am hesitant to test it because it would likely give me away."

"No Severus, make no move, I need your eyes and ears in Dumbledore's camp far too much. Is there anything more to report from the school?"

"Actually there is. It's unconfirmed as of yet though, so I was going to wait to report on anything until I had gathered more information, but I wanted you to be aware of it. Harry Potter has declared he is engaged."

The gleam of desire in Voldemort's eyes was unmistakable, this information was extremely valuable to him if it was true. "To whom?"

"Therein lies the mystery my Lord, he is refusing to say a word about them, but wears a ring on his hand, says he's engaged, and showed up in the Great Hall this morning with either hickeys or a rather severe case of dragon pox all over his neck. Even his friends looked shocked and questioned him about it when they first heard."

"What do you think? Do you believe it's true?"

"There's too many variables for me to judge properly, but it almost feels like a red herring meant to distract us from whatever he and Dumbledore are planning. The timing is too perfect and besides it's not like Potter to keep quiet about anything, especially from his friends, and the day this supposed engagement was revealed there was an inconsistency and a grand show put on at breakfast to validate it." At this point he handed the Dark Lord a vial with a subtly modified memory, having merely changed the look Granger had given him to something briefer and more calculating, as if seeing if he or others at the head table were buying it. "You'll notice the mudblood ends up kicking the Weasley brat to get him to stick to the script."

"So you believe it is a hoax?"

"It could be, there are certainly strange inconsistancies, since his last known girlfriend was years ago and lasted less than a month, but all the same I was planning on still paying attention to it just in case it turned out to be true. I'll let you know when I learn more."

"Excellent Severus, you have done well."

"What information do you wish me to report to Dumbledore? He knows I am here tonight and he will ask what I have learned."

"There is nothing being said tonight that will aid the old man, you can tell him everything. It will only help you maintain his trust and make him think you are being truthful with him, when really you are truthful with me, aren't you Severus?"

Severus managed to hold down a shudder. "Yes my lord, I am truthful with you always, I have no secrets from you."

"Look at me Severus."

He didn't hesitate to meet the Dark Lord's eyes, knowing that any damning evidence had been removed or buried so deep even Severus barely knew what or where it was. The intrusion was swift and sharp, But he didn't flinch or pull away and he didn't resist. The torture of bullies from his school days, grading papers, sneering as the headmaster once again offered him a lemon drop. The last order meeting where he presented his latest information that he'd gathered from Voldemort's forces, the Dark Lord paid particularly close attention to that one, but found nothing to spark his anger. On and on he pressed through his mind, searching for deceits or lies and finding nothing but the sneakiness he was already aware of. The wrench away from his thoughts was so sudden and sharp he fell to his knees gasping harshly.

"No you don't, do you Severus? Come, the others are waiting."

The Dark Lord was nearly to the door by the time Severus had managed to stand up again and catch his breath.

"Milord, wait, I have one last thing I need to discuss with you in private, so the others won't question my loyalties for asking such a thing in their midst."

"What is it?"

"Dumbledore is getting suspicious that I'm not telling him everything again. I need something to prove my loyalty to his cause so he doesn't start trying to stick his nose where it doesn't belong. Information is not enough for him anymore, he wants actual proof, and I thought of something that would cement me solidly in Dumbledore's graces for a very long time, but it would come with a small loss to our side."

"What kind of loss? What are you suggesting?" Voldemort growled.

"Wormtail. Give me Wormtail to betray and hand over to the old man. He's served his purpose and has almost no use to us, but the other side would consider his capture a major win."

"Pettigrew? Surely you jest with me Severus. How could he possibly be important to anybody?"

"Black, Milord. They would use him to clear Sirius Black's name. Potter would also have the man responsible for betraying his parents, not to mention the Ministry would be up in arms about having wrongly accused and falsely imprisoned the rightful heir to one of the oldest pureblood families left without so much as a fair trial. Once Black was free the boy would most likely be allowed to be adopted by his godfather and move in with Black at their headquarters so I could watch him more easily. Strategically Wormtail is also a risk since he owes Potter a Life Debt and both of them know it. He would normally be useless to us, but they are all sentimental fools, and that's what rules their judgement. If I willingly hand him over, every last one of them will have no cause to doubt me and it won't even occur to them that they should."

"So they have mistaken a Pawn for a Rook... and what a valuable little pawn he could prove to be one last time. I must admit that Wormtail has done nothing but wear on my patience ever since he completed his task, and he's useless at pretty much everything else I've given him to do. Very well Severus, you may have your sacrificial rat. I will assign you both to a dangerous mission that could risk capture. It will come as no great surprise then when that's exactly what happens to him."

"Thank you My Lord."

"I require something of great value to myself in return though Severus."

"Of course My lord, you have but to ask. What may I bring you?"

"Your extensive skills. I have discovered a potions book I require you to translate, and then I will probably want you to brew some of them in quantity."

"It would be my honor."

"Good."

Voldemort opened the door and Severus followed three steps behind like a good little servant should. He knew the inner circle disliked his close confidence with the Dark Lord and were suspicious of what they discussed in private, but they also knew better than to ask. The inner circle walked to the large table in the dining room. The Dark Lord stood in front of his throne-like chair and indicated to his right. "Severus." Severus took his seat at the place of honor with a demure bow of the head. Bellatrix huffed angrily under her breath but sat to the Dark Lord's left and the others took their places, Lucius near the end and Fenir at the foot, closest to the lesser members standing at the far end of the room, where Voldemort could see them best and Fenir could instill the most fear with his presence.

The meeting was generalized, filled with reports of death eater raids, muggle baitings and a few actual kills of those who had gotten in the way. According to McNair the vampires were still refusing to join, but Voldemort wasn't fool enough to take on beings who considered humans a foodsource just for something as silly as retribution.

Severus winced as Lucius, still hoping to regain some good standing by providing new information, stood up and gave his own report. He truly wasn't trying to undermine the man, they had in truth been good friends over the years, but he couldn't let Lucius make the Dark Lord question him too deeply or suspect him of anything.

Lucius went on about things happening in the ministry, people who were now on their side and those who would bend to bribes. He was doing just fine until the end when he brought up what Voldemort had already been made aware of. "Also my lord, regarding the Potter boy, he is now apparently engaged to be either married or bonded. It's caused quite a scandal around Hogwarts the last few days."

The Dark Lord did not react as Lucius had intended, he merely leaned forward and placed his arms on the table with his hands folded. "And who pray tell is he engaged to Lucius?"

"I don't know my lord, but as soon as I find out I'll tell you."

"Lucius, if you don't have viable information then keep your mouth shut and stop gossiping like an old woman at a tea social just so you can hear yourself talk."

The others laughed but Severus remained stoic. He knew it was no easy position Lucius had been in for more than two years now ever since he had fallen from grace in Voldemort's eyes and Draco had failed in his task the year before. Severus himself was still under an unbreakable vow, but thankfully it had been vague enough that he didn't have to act on it. Narcissa in her panic over Draco's safety had failed to truly think strategically about what she was saying and had left him with more than one way out. "And should it prove necessary... if it seems Draco will fail... will you carry out the deed that the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform?"

Intent counted a lot when directing almost every other vow, but an Unbreakable Vow was geared towards specifics, not vague generalities. Narcissa had never specified which deed the Dark Lord had charged Draco with, and as such his vague offers to help and assist Draco had been more than enough to satisfy the terms. It also didn't hurt that he hadn't been present when the opportunity finally arose for Draco to point his wand at the Headmaster. How could he have judged how any situation seemed to be going if he wasn't even there?

So Draco had failed while Severus was elsewhere, and had surrendered to Dumbledore after the headmaster had immobilized him. The old man had put Draco into protective custody and gotten him out of the country that very night. For once Severus had been glad of the headmaster's nosy nature which allowed him to have connections all over the world. No one except Dumbledore himself and possibly two aurors knew where the boy was now, and that wouldn't change until the Dark Lord was defeated, thanks to the large bounty Voldemort had placed on Draco's head.

"While I admit that I am extremely intrugued to know who the boy is engaged to, I want no more talk of it until there is physical proof of their identity set before me, is that understood?"

"Yes My Lord." They all chimed obediently.

"Severus, I have a mission I need you to perform. There is a certain item of mine that has fallen into the hands of Mad-Eye-Moody and I want it retrieved. To do so you will probably need to sneak into several of his hideouts and quite possibly his own home as well. The utmost discression is needed since Mad-Eye hasn't realized what exactly it is that he has found and I do not want him to realize its value. It should be easiest for you since you are meant to be friends and comrades in arms, however I will allow you to take one other Death Eater with you if you think you should need it, for there is quite a risk involved."

He glanced around the table, 'looking' for who to take with him. Bellatrix looked murderous, but she wouldn't have known stealth if it came up and bit her on the arse. McNair looked interested, he and Mad-Eye had a history of bad blood and he was probably looking for the opportunity for revenge, also not a good choice where stealth was concerned. Fenir could have been sneaky, but wouldn't have wanted to follow his orders. Lucius actually looked hopeful to be chosen and if this hadn't been a mission of betrayal he would have picked Lucius because they worked well together. One by one he glanced around the table until finally his eyes went to the person standing in the corner of the room, trying to hide himself in shadow.

"Wormtail."

The man winced and cringed when Severus said his name and tried to make himself seem smaller. Lucius actually looked rather hurt, but he ignored it. "Yes I think he'd be perfect for this. Wormtail you will accompany me in this task." Pettigrew hadn't looked so scared in a very long time.

"What?" Bellatix shrieked at him "Is this a joke? This item is important to our Lord and you would entrust Wormtail in helping to retrieve it?"

Severus continued as if he didn't even notice that she had lost her temper. "Yes Bella, and for several reasons. Our lord was able to regain a body and return to power because of Wormtail, so he knows how to be loyal, but I also need someone who will be able to be silent, stealthy and obey my orders without question. And besides, what other Death Eater can I place in my pocket and carry into Mad-Eye's house to look for something while I keep Moody distracted in the sitting room? Last time I checked no one else had become an animagi."

"You could just break into the place when he's not there and find it yourself!"

"And this is exactly why I am not choosing you Bella, you never learned the arts of thinking ahead or extreme stealth. Mad-Eye Moody is the most paranoid bastard on the planet, to the point that even his alarms have alarms. Breaking in would only put him on high alert and make him doubly suspicious of eveyone and everything he met, which would hinder my regular work. And if this item is not at the first place we looked, and we had to break into a second one, he would believe he was being targeted for something, which undoubtedly would cause him to move all of his hideouts and the item along with it. My task may take 10 times as long that way since then I would need to discover where all of them are. It is far easier to ask him face to face to meet with me in a secret location a few times and discuss some random things over tea and biscuits. His paranoia would never allow him to choose the same location twice. But if our Lord thinks it is a poor choice I will choose another."

"No Severus I think is a fine choice for the task assigned. And Bellatrix, you would do well to hold your tongue, you are testing my patience."

The meeting concluded soon after two new recruits joined the ranks by recieving their marks; Cassandra Stalins and William Weatherby. Neither of which he'd ever seen before and thankfully hadn't been his students. When the others disbanded, he and Wormtail stayed behind to recieve their detailed orders. The item to be retrieved was a black mirrored scrying bowl with silver runes on the rim. He didn't go into details on what made the supposed item special to him, and Severus wasn't really expecting him to since it probably didn't exist. The potions master told Wormtail that he would contact him as soon as he could arrange a meeting with Mad-Eye, and then left with a swish of robes. Lucius was at the apparition point waiting for him.

"Ah, Severus, can I keep you for awhile?"

"Of course Lucius, is everything all right?"

"I'm just wanting a drink and to have a friend join me. We haven't had the chance to catch up in awhile."

"As you wish. Hogsmeade?"

"That would be perfect, thank you."

Severus apparated first and stood aside as he waited for Lucius. When the pale haired aristocrat appeared beside him, he began to lead the way to the Three Broomsticks after having shrank the cloak and mask and hidden it in a pocket, and Lucius did the same. They were two blocks away when Lucius slipped them into an alley way, then to the outskirts of the village and into some trees. Once there he quickly placed them in a soundproofed and clouded privacy ward.

"I thought that drinks at the Broomsticks was uncharacteristic of you Lucius. What is it you really want to discuss?"

"Severus, you have always been my friend. My place in his graces is falling further and further behind. If I don't do something to redeem myself soon... It's getting far too dangerous, more than I ever thought it would be. He's even placed a bounty on Draco's head! I need your help, please. Either something to redeem myself or something to get my family to safety. I'm begging you, as my friend, help me."

"This is treason Lucius, I can't condone this." Part of the potion's master hoped that his old friend was finally seeing sense, but he wasn't willing to tip his hand in case he was wrong.

"Cut the bullshit pretenses Severus, I've known you since we were children! There has only been one side that you have ever been on and that is your own. I don't care whose side you end up betraying or what your agenda really is. Anyone stupid enough to take you at face value or to think they know everything about you deserves whatever they get. To me you have always just been a good friend that loves potions and hates children, and who shared the bunk next to mine for seven years. That's all I'll ever ask you to be. So Severus please, help my wife and I get out of this mess before we're murdered!"

"You would betray the Dark Lord?"

"Before he decides to murder me and my whole family, yes! Please tell me, did you play any part in getting Draco to safety?"

"No I didn't, and I do not know where he is. However I do know that he is safe." Part of Severus wanted to tell Lucius exactly how his son was doing, but even Dumbledore wasn't aware of the fact he'd been in contact with Draco just last week. It was already hard enough to sneak around the aurors as it was.

"Then you've-"

"I admit that we are friends Lucius, and comrades, however what you are asking me to do is to set myself in the direct path of the Dark Lord's anger in order to protect you, which is suicidal at best. Give me a few days, I will see if I can discover something of worth that you can present in order to redeem yourself. If I cannot, and if I decide to try and help you flee, you must follow my orders to the letter without hesitation no matter what I ask. Understood?"

"Yes. I understand. Thank you Severus, I-"

"I'm not making any promises Lucius, not yet. Wait for my post."

"Yes I will, and still, I thank you."

Severus let nothing show as he removed the barrier and resumed making his way to the Three Broomsticks.

"We had best get that drink before Wormtail catches up to us." He said stoically, hoping the rat wasn't getting even more suspicious than he usually was.

"You think he followed?"

"I know he did, but most likely assumed we went to the Hog's Head as if we would be less obvious there."

"I detest that rat, I wish he'd get himself caught in a mousetrap and be done with it already."

"Yes, well, all good things to those who wait." The Potions Master smirked, having invisioned something similarily appropriate when capturing Wormtail at last.

Madame Rosmerta was pleased to see Severus since he rarely made it down from the castle except when he was acting as chaperone on Hogsmeade weekends. She had always felt that he didn't take enough time to relax and enjoy life and was pleased to see him out with a friend. She wasn't quite as welcoming with Lucius, but then again his usual attitude didn't win him many friends. They sat at a booth in a secluded corner and shared snifters of brandy and firewhiskey. They talked of general things; the rise of taxes, the downfall of the educational system, the Ministry's lack of morals, estimated how much longer this deplorable war would continue, and the status of their respective families.

Severus knew that the longer he took the more that certain parties would worry about him, but Lucius and their personal rat couldn't be tipped off that he was in a hurry to be anywhere. He discretely poured doubles for Lucius every time he refilled his own, and it wasn't long before the aristocrat was deep into his cups while Severus was merely pleasantly warm. He had wanted Lucius to relax a bit though, the man was quickly worrying himself towards an ulcer.

"I should get you home before you splinch yourself in the attempt old friend." Severus said, helping the blond to his feet.

"Oh Severus don't be silly, I'm perfectly fine to-"

Lucius' words were cut off as he stumbled and Severus was forced to keep him upright.

"Yes of course. All the same I think I'd better floo you home." It didn't take long to make their way to the hearth burning away merrily on one side of the pub, and Severus fire called Narcissa first.

"Narcissa? Narcissa are you home?" It took a moment before the regal lady came sweeping into the sitting room in her dressing gown.

"Severus? Is everything alright?" her eyes slightly worried and her hand clenched at her neckline.

"Just fine. I tried to help Lucius relax after our appointment, and I'm afraid I may have helped him a bit too much. I don't want him to splinch himself apparating so will you catch him as I send him through?"

"I hope he hasn't made too big of a fool out of himself."

"Not at all, in fact it's the first I've seen him smile in a long time, so please don't be cross with him. I'll send him through now."

"Alright Severus, and thank you for taking care of him."

"It was my pleasure milady. Goodnight."

A moment and a pinch of floo powder later and Lucius was safely at home where he would hopefully sleep deeply and dreamlessly. Severus left the Three Broomsticks only moments later and headed through Hogsmeade to make his way back up to the castle. Wormtail was rather far behind but still following and just to spook the annoying rat he turned and fired a stream of poison green sparks towards the place where he was hiding. Neither man nor rat made another move towards him as he made his way back into the castle and locked himself inside. The trek up to Griffindor Tower was not exactly high on his list of pleasurable things to do while slightly buzzed, but he stopped by the Headmaster's tower on the way and let him know of his return, as well as his opinion of the decreased respect of a teacher's authority after being undermined by the headmaster in order to gossip like schoolgirls. He'd never seen Albus blush before, it was a novel experience.

Severus then used the teacher's password to gain access to Griffindor Tower and startled the three remaining students who were there, Harry being one of them. He ignored Harry since they weren't alone, yet the young man could obviously see he was fine, and made his way over to Minerva's door, banging harshly against it three times which she answered a moment later.

"It's later." He growled.

She sighed. "Indeed it is. Come in Severus, I'll put on some tea."

They spoke seriously for at least two hours, until his buzz was long gone and the clock said it was much later than it felt like. Severus said his goodbyes and was making his way out of the lurid gold and scarlet room when the last remaining Gryffindor approached him.

"Potter."

Harry held out a rolled scroll of parchment.

"It's the essay you wanted."

It was too public a place to let their act budge even a bit, but he did allow himself to feel Harry's fingers for the briefest of moments as he accepted the essay and stepped back through the portrait hole. In the safety and seclusion of his own room he unrolled the scroll and sure enough, Harry's collar was there in the middle. He placed it safely back in it's box then hid that in a secret compartment which resided in a hidden drawer beneath a false backing in his wardrobe.

Harry's 'essay' was more details about the wedding and bonding ceremony and one part stood out to Severus that actually made him laugh "I want daffodils and honeysuckle. You have to have flowers at a wedding right? Well I've always liked them and I don't care if they aren't a fancy 'wedding' flower like roses, I want normal, ordinary daffodils and honeysuckle, and your relatives can just deal with it. Oh and you know how they always have those pompous red carpets leading through a chapel to the altar? I hate those things, chapels too really. Couldn't we just have a nice grass path lined with ivy that's maybe speckled with some dandelions like any normal yard, or would that be pushing it with your side? Am I weird for liking weeds? Because I think dandelions smell good."

Severus knew that Harry wouldn't know a thing about the language of flowers, probably didn't even know there WAS a language of flowers. But Severus, perhaps because he was a potions master, and had studied every possible use and meaning of nearly every plant for over the past twenty years, was quite a fluent floriograph. Harry's choices couldn't have been more perfect for Harry, and Severus was determined that he'd find a way to let the young man have all of them. Since Harry loved the outdoors so much, and he himself would have no objections to it, perhaps an outdoor wedding could be arranged at the right time of year, and would help them both relax by being away from the structure and formality of a more traditional wedding.

His family also wouldn't object if he told them that he was doing all that he could to indulge Harry's ideas for a dream wedding either, in fact most of them would eat it right up and volunteer to help however they could. Severus smirked, using Harry as a buffer to help him keep the family in line would be perfect, and no doubt the Maurader scion in Harry would enjoy the challenge of tricking people into doing what the couple wanted, all while making them believe they were meddling to their hearts content and making sure it was a 'proper' wedding. One thing playing spy over the years had taught him was how to subtly manipulate people into thinking things were their own idea or that they had far more control over a situation then they actually did. He was defiinitely going to use that knowledge on his family now, in order to keep the stress levels down to a minimum.

Severus would tell Harry his plans and write to his family tomorrow, for now though it was a late Saturday night and he thought he'd head to the kitchens for some supper before heading to bed.

A/N:

for everyone who hasn't already googled it:

Daffodil means regard, respect, chivalry, and 'the sun shines when I'm with you.'

Honeysuckle means the Bond of Love,

Dandelions mean Faithfulness, and Happiness,

Grass represents submission and homosexual love.

Ok so yeah, this took WAY longer to update than I had wanted, for three reasons. 1) my work has arranged my hours so I no longer get a lunch break, meaning the uninterrupted hour I normally get to use for writing every day has been taken away. 2) Real life has been super busy lately and if I wasn't running around like a chicken with my head cut off then I was sick in bed from over doing it. and 3) Blame Voldemort. No, I'm serious, it's all his fault I didn't update 2 weeks ago. The chapter was all but finished but because he appeared he insisted I had to write him, and then I had to write Lucius and the back story there, then McGonagall and Harry, and it turned into this huge chunk of plot development to move the story along a bit that ended up being a chapter long. So I cut it cleanly in half at the breaking point I had originally wanted, and did a double post instead. So everybody blame Voldemort. It's totally his fault. Next chapter is progressing nicely, but I don't have a clue about when I might get to finish and post it though. Trying to write Luna is harder than I thought and I want to do her justice.

See you soon and please review! I need muse food!
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Jealous Proposal