Where Others Fear to Tread

Chapter 9

A non-descript brown owl with a thick package arrived first thing on Saturday morning, dropping its burden with a loud thud in front of Harry’s breakfast. Three similar owls dropped similar packages in front of McGonagall, Snape and Lupin at the staff table. Harry couldn’t help but sigh heavily as he picked up the package and stowed it safely inside his bag without even opening it.

“What was that?” His friends having received their own mail, soon turned their attention to Harry’s package, but the boy easily brushed it off.

“Just a book I ordered a couple of weeks ago.” Hermione as usual didn’t seem convinced but just as Harry had asked, didn’t question her friend, or mention the fact that she’d noticed similar packages being delivered to the teachers.

“So are you coming with us to Hogsmeade?” Ron inquired of Harry who now knowing what was in his bag waiting for him played unappetizingly with his cereal.

“Yeah I need some fresh air.” Harry also needed to get away from the castle for a while. After last night Harry needed some time to think to himself and the walk to and from Hogsmeade would give him just such a chance. Ron and Hermione smiled brightly, they hadn’t really seen a lot of Harry over the past week and they were pleased their friend would accompany them.

“Great, we can have a couple of butterbeers together.” Hermione announced excitedly.

“Yeah and Fred and George have asked me to go into Zonko’s undercover to see what new lines they’ve got in. Fred swears the old bugger is stealing their ideas somehow.” Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes at the twins’ antics. Since leaving school the pair had made an extremely good living with their new “Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes’ joke shop in Diagon Ally. Harry was rather proud that the tri-wizarding cup money had gone to a worthy cause.

“Oh shit, here comes trouble.” Dean across the table lowered his voice as he gestured with his head towards the Slytherin table. Harry watched as Draco stood up from the table, the blonde obviously still suffering from his injuries the night before as he walked slowly towards the Gryfindor table, coming to a stop opposite Harry.

“Potter.” Malfoy snapped disdainfully at his rival before tossing a sealed letter in front of Harry with disgust.

“What’s that Malfoy?” Ron glared angrily at the blonde having pointed to the letter Draco had thrown at Harry.

“Nothing that concerns you Weasel.” Draco’s retort was filled with venom but having seen the blonde cowering in pain in Snape’s arms the night before, Harry couldn’t quite see Draco in the same light as he had before. Not rising to the challenge Harry ignored the blonde and turned the letter over to open it. An unfamiliar seal kept the envelope closed and Harry frowned as he ran his finger over the green stamped wax. Mindful of the seal Harry opened the letter and shielding it from prying eyes read the short two-line, hand written note to himself.

‘Meeting after breakfast in the staff room, 2nd floor 4th corridor on the left. Bring the ‘book’.’ S.S.

Even without the initials Harry knew the familiar scrolling handwriting, its intricate swirls and delicate tails a definite give away to it being written by a certain potions master. No sooner had Harry read the letter again and memorized the instructions than Ron attempted to read the letter over Harry’s shoulder. Almost immediately the letter burst into flame leaving behind only wisps of smoke.

“Shit, someone didn’t want anyone else to read it.” Ron whispered a little miffed that he hadn’t been able to glimpse the letter.

“Who was it from Harry?” Hermione inquired dusting her hands free of toast crumbs on her napkin.

“Oh just a stupid love letter from a no name someone, I’m always getting them.” Harry shrugged the contents of the letter off, having the good grace to blush when Seamus, Ron and Dean all cooed at him teasingly. Thank-full Malfoy had buggered off but Harry had to wonder why Snape had given the letter to Draco to deliver, instead of passing on the message himself. Harry had been surprised that Draco had even made it to breakfast, let alone was able to walk. The boy last night had been in a right state, and Harry was sure Draco was wearing glamour’s to hide the abuse on his face which was there the night before.

“Alright then let’s not hang around, I want to be the first in Honeydukes, the new series of ‘wizard trading cards’ in the chocolate frog packets comes out today.” Scoffing down what was left of his breakfast Ron jumped up from the table, urging Harry and Hermione to hurry up.

“Um I’ve got something to do before I leave this morning, can I meet you at the Three Broom Sticks in an hour or so?” Harry inquired aware now of the meeting he had to attend.

“Sure thing Harry, Ron’s promised to take me for a romantic walk through the rose garden anyway this morning before we go into town, so we’ll meet you out side The Broom Sticks in an hour.” Ron pouted dramatically at Hermione’s reminder of his promise and Harry smirked as he saw an argument brewing between his friends.

“Thanks, I’ll see you in a bit.” Grabbing his things Harry left the hall and headed towards where the note had told him to go, Harry was only halfway there though when an arm caught his and he spun around into the face of Draco.

“Malfoy, what do you want?” Automatically on the defensive Harry took a step back from the blonde boy who sneered at him unfriendly.

“Just making sure you haven’t done anything stupid and opened your big trap about last night that’s all.” Draco looked cautiously over Harry, who over last summer had grown an inch or so taller than the blonde boy, leaving Harry to stare down on him. Despite the height advantage Draco was still a formidable foe and Harry warily kept his hand around his wand in his pocket.

“No why would I do that. The sight of you coughing up your lungs was an image purely for my own pleasure.” Harry glared at Draco who haughtily folded his arms across his chest.

“I don’t know what you were doing in his quarters but I know you weren’t supposed to be there, and you certainly weren’t taking remedial potions classes like he told me.” Harry narrowed his eyes at Draco who was searching for a reaction from his enemy.

“Just like I’m sure you weren’t in the castle last night, by the way you arrived via floo into his rooms. Attending secret meetings of the arsehole society were we? Or were you out licking the arse of your master.” The stalemate the conversation had now come to was unbelievable, both boys now staring each other down in the hopes of finding the others weakness. That opportunity never arose when a familiar voice broke their stand off.

“Potter don’t you have somewhere to be?” Snape’s voice was the familiar sneering drawl and Harry sighed as he turned from Draco to look up at Snape who was eyeing the two boys suspiciously.

“Yes sir.” Harry whispered as he glared one more time at Draco and continued on his way towards the ‘staff room’ leaving Draco looking far too smug with Snape.

Harry reached the staff room door and knocked politely on it. A moment passed before the door swung open and Harry stepped cautiously into the room. Smiling Harry relaxed a little as he saw Remus sitting at a large square table in the center of the room his copy of the finalized ‘contract’ open in front of him.

“Harry, you found it.” Harry nodded and wandered over to join Remus at the table, finally feeling safe enough to unwrap his own copy of the contract. “Just reading over a few things, just to make sure they’re in your best interests.” Harry nodded thankfully to his godfather’s best friend as he put his own copy of the contract on the table.

“Is Sirius coming?” Harry inquired as he thumbed his way through the contract idly, taking very little notice of any of the words.

“No he’s not needed for this part although he has read through this early this morning just to make sure everything’s as it was agreed to.” Harry smiled mildly, knowing his godfather would have been thorough with his checks. Just at that moment the door to the staff room opened and McGonagall and Snape wandered in, their own brown packages tucked under their arms. As the two professors sat down at the table, Snape warded the door behind him before bringing over to the table a quill and a pot of gold ink from within a cupboard on the side of the staff room.

“Alright well you all know why we’re here, lets get on with it. My copy is the master, and it is mine that will get signed and returned to the ministry. Potter take the quill.” Harry sighed and reached for the black plumed quill Snape offered him, and dipped it carefully into the gold ink. Harry watched as Snape sat down beside him before producing a single piece of parchment from within his own copy of the contract and laying it flat on the tabletop. Harry was shaking hardly believing that any moment he was about to sign his life away. “You first read the words aloud supplying your full name where indicated and then sign neatly on the line at the end.” Snape pushed the parchment closer to Harry who stared blankly at it for a moment, his vision swimming a little.

“Harry are you alright? Remember what I said.” Remus reached across the tabletop in concern and placed a comforting hand upon Harry’s arm, resting on the table. Harry took a deep breath and nodded, remembering what Remus had said when all this had first began at the start of the week. Glancing up from the parchment his quill still paused Harry looked at Snape who sat emotionlessly beside him, his hands folded in front of him waiting patiently for Harry to continue.

At the beginning of the week Harry would have killed himself rather than sign the parchment in front of him, but after yesterday Harry had seen something different in the potions master. It wasn’t much but it was something and it gave Harry enough hope to know his life might not be completely lost, despite everything. With a deep steadying breath Harry turned back to the parchment and sighing out softly began to read aloud.

“I Harry James Potter, herby agree to all terms and conditions within this marital contract and allow freely my life to be bound to…” Harry paused and glanced at Snape for confirmation of the man’s full name, something which only now Harry realized he didn’t know.

“Severus Alexander Snape.” Snape whispered softly prompting Harry to continued.

“…to be bound to Severus Alexander Snape, till death parts us.” Harry finished the passage quietly and then taking another steadying breath leaned forward and neatly scribed his name along the line at the bottom of the page. Almost immediately the ink burned itself into the parchment leaving a shimmering gold imprint of Harry’s name on the parchment. Still shaking Harry passed the quill to Snape and pushed the parchment on to the potions master. Harry stared at Snape and couldn’t help but notice the way Snape’s hand shook a little as well as it paused above the parchment. It was only a moment though before Snape too began to read aloud.

“I Severus Alexander Snape, herby agree to all terms and conditions within this marital contract and allow freely my life to be bound to Harry James Potter till death parts us.” With a soft expulsion of air Snape leaned forward and with a flourish signed his familiar signature along the second line at the bottom of the page. Just like when Harry had signed, Snape’s signature burnt itself into the parchment. There was a silent pause as Snape finished his signature, the idea that they were now officially together seemed almost surreal. With a cool collected breath out Snape pushed the parchment across to McGonagall and Remus who having briefly checked the signatures on the parchment signed their own names along the bottom line. No sooner had Remus finished the last swirl of his name then the parchment disappeared in a powder blue cloud of smoke, as did the four copies of the contract.

Harry could hardly believe he’d done it and having glanced up at Snape to see if the man’s expression was still disturbingly calm and collected, Harry then looked at Remus who smiled supportively across at Harry.

“Allow me to be the first to congratulate you Harry, may your union be felicitous, and bring you happiness.” Harry was a little shocked as Remus took hold of both Harry’s hands and having turned them over so that they were palm down kissed them both softly before saying and doing the same thing to Snape’s hands. McGonagall then proceeded to do the same her well wishes altering slightly but following the same procedure of kissing Harry and then Snape’s hands just as Remus had done.

“What was that?” Harry inquired as McGonagall sat up from having just finished kissing Snape’s hands.

“It’s tradition Potter, the blessing of the hands signals their sincerity of their well wishes for our marriage. Expect anyone who knows about this to do the same when they next see you.” Harry’s eyes widened in surprise but then smiled at McGonagall and Remus thankfully.

“Oh right, thanks.” Harry whispered before turning back to Snape who was just reclining back in his chair comfortably obviously having just come to terms with what he’d just done. “You’re going to have to tell me about this wizarding shit you know. I’m not exactly prepared for this.” Harry glared a little put out that Snape hadn’t told him about this before, or he’d have washed his hands after breakfast. A rough smirk and a quirked eyebrow lifted on Snape’s face.

“ ‘This wizarding shit’ as you put it Potter is steeped in over 100 thousand years of wizarding tradition, a little respect for it wouldn’t go a miss.” Snape stared at Harry pointedly who blushed a little and rolled his eyes.

“Sorry, but I wasn’t prepared for that and I’d like to know what people are going to do to me before I start getting random kisses from people.” Harry continued to frown at Snape who sighed and tutted irritably.

“I have a book in my rooms about marriage tradition, you may borrow it.” Snape slowly stood up from the table completely missing the cheeky knowing grins that Remus and McGonagall shared with one another opposite them. The pair of them had hardly signed the contract not a second ago and already they were bitching like an old married couple. Hiding their joint amusement McGonagall and Remus stood up with Snape, prompting Harry to do so as well. Obviously the meeting had come to an end.

“Well now that’s over I think I’m going to have myself a nice cup of tea with the headmaster.” McGonagall smiled and with a wave of her wand dismantled the wards Snape had put on the door and disappeared through it.

“I’ll go and owl Sirius and tell him it’s done.” Remus smiled and hugged Harry tightly, pressing a chaste kiss to the boy’s forehead just as Sirius would have done was he there. Harry blushed a little but nodded understandingly watching as Remus left the room before turning back to face Snape who stood opposite him in front of the entrance into the staff room.

“Well what do we do now?” Harry inquired feeling suddenly a little lost and not really knowing what to do with himself or what to think. Snape took a moment to contemplate the situation before replying.

“Our official ring ceremony needs to be organized, sometime within the next week, the sooner the better. I haven’t been summoned yet but I’m expecting it, I need the ring on my finger before I face him.” Sighing softly Harry nodded in understanding, finally now beginning to realize what Snape was going to have to face now the documents were signed. “Considering you’re coming up to you final exams for the year I will naturally organize it. Is there anyone within the discreet group who know about this that you wish to bless your ring?”

“Um, just Sirius. Do I have to get a ring for you or something?” Harry inquired, somewhat dubious about having to wear a symbol of his marriage.

“No, I have a set that was passed on to me by my father. We will use them.” Snape finished sternly his gaze resting steadily on Harry’s waiting for the boy’s predictable next question.

“Would that be another ‘tradition’ I didn’t know about?” Harry whispered watching with sadness as Snape nodded slowly in reply.

“Yes that would be another ‘tradition’ Potter, but I’ll let it go this time, knowing you have yet to read the book. Come by my chamber tonight and I’ll get you it.” With a deep sigh Harry nodded and steeling himself for the rest of his life that now lay ahead of him, Harry stepped from the staff room and confidently began down the corridor towards the entrance hall, all the more eager to get outside and take a lung full of calming, fresh air. Harry was glad he’d agreed to meet Hermoine and Ron, because he certainly needed the distraction from the rest of his life and the enormity of what he’d just done.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>