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The Price of Freedom	By : betsanne Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 4935 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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
- 1-The Price of Freedom
- 1
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe. It all belongs to Rowlings. I also do not make any money off this story.

I would like to thank DMG for her help in betaing this story. Without her, it wouldn't flow as well. Thanks!

ANNOUNCEMENT: This is a first in a series. All of them will be one-shots. I will explain things that I didn't cover in this story. I haven't done a series yet, so I thought it was time that I did.

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THE PRICE OF FREEDOM
By Betsanne

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"Guilty!" Fudge roared. "Harry Potter, you've been sentenced to three months in Azkaban, where you will then be given the Dementor's Kiss. Do you have any last words?" he asked with a sneer.

"Burn in hell, you incompetent twit. The only reason your arse got into office was because you bought way in," Harry snarled.

Fudge's face grew red with rage and he yelled at the Aurors, who were waiting to escort Harry to Azkaban. "Take him way," he screamed. "Take the traitor to his cell and let him rot!"

The two Aurors grabbed Harry by his arms and dragged him out of the courtroom. As he was pulled out of the room, the people in it began to jeer. He passed Hermione and Ron, who turned away from him, unable to face their former friend. Harry shook his head and walked on by. He saw Molly Weasley crying on Arthur's shoulder and the man looked at him with a sad expression. He gave Arthur a nod and was pushed out of the room, where he stumbled and fell against the wall. He glared at the Aurors, who looked at him with contempt.

One of the Aurors pulled out a small feather and shoved it Harry. "Put your hands on the feather," he said shortly.

Harry reached out, touched the feather and felt his heart drop to his stomach as he felt the sensation of the portkey activating. He reappeared by a lake. He looked around and realized that this was the dock that housed the boat that would take him to Azkaban. He hissed when one of the Aurors pushed him towards the dock. "What an arsehole," Harry growled.

He winced when the man smacked him upside the head. "Shut up, traitor," the Auror hissed. "Be glad that I'm a faithful follower of the law or else I would take care of you and save the Ministry some money."

They made their way towards the boat and Harry got in. The Auror tapped his wand on the bow of the small boat and it began to move quietly across the water. Harry gazed ahead, his jaw clenched in anger as he thought about what was going on.

He had been accused of being a follower of the Dark Lord, even though he had killed the man. He was also accused of killing Severus Snape, who had been found dead two months prior. Nobody seemed to remember that the man had killed Dumbledore and that he had been branded a traitor. No, they were only concerned about the fact that Harry supposedly killed him. As for the evidence, well, there had been eyewitness accounts of Harry being at Death Eater meetings. As for Snape, only Harry's magical signature could found on his body. The man had been killed by the Avada Kedavra curse. Harry couldn't get over the fact that the Wizarding World wouldn't take into account that the Death Eaters could be lying. They wanted their revenge on Harry for killing their Master, and they got it. Fudge was only too happy to throw Harry to the wolves. So now, with a quick trial that was nothing more than a sham, Harry was going to Azkaban, where he would serve three months before he got the Dementor's Kiss.

Harry was brought out of his thoughts by the jerking of the boat. They had made it to the shoreline. He looked up and saw the huge black, stone building that was Azkaban. Harry could already feel the cold sensation of the Dementors. The Aurors dragged him out of the boat and grinned maliciously.

"Welcome to your new home, Harry Potter," one said with a smirk.

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Two months later, the Wizarding World was in a panic. Harry Potter had escaped from Azkaban and no one knew how. There was chaos as the people began to fear the emergence of a new Dark Lord. They had just gotten over the trauma of one Dark Lord, they didn't need another. Who would save them now? The two most powerful wizards of their time were either dead or Dark.

In Diagon Alley, a man walked down the street, casually making his way towards the small building with a new large shiny sign hanging above the doorway. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes it said in large red letters on a gold background. He opened the door and walked into the shop. Looking around, he found no other patrons in the store. He turned around and locked the door, making sure that the closed sign was showing.

He walked towards the counter when a red-headed man came out from the back of the shop. The redhead stopped as he stared at the man with confusion.

"Here now, what's this? Who are you? And why is our closed sign showing?" Fred demanded.

The man grinned and touched a ring on his finger. With a muttered word, the glamour that had surrounded the man disappeared and Harry Potter stood in front of him. Fred's eyes widened a moment before he rushed forward, yelling gleefully, "Harry!"

Harry caught Fred in his arms and hugged him tightly. Fred pulled back and leaned down to kiss Harry hard. "What are you doing here? What if Ron had been here? You shouldn't be here," Fred said urgently.

Harry laughed softly. "Don't worry, Fred, I knew that Ron wasn't here. Why else do you think I'm here now?" he asked.

"Oh. It's so good to see you," Fred said. "It's been a while, you know, with you in Azkaban and all that."

"Yeah, I know. Sorry about that, but I just couldn't get away," Harry replied with a grim smile.

"You don't say!" Fred quipped.

"So, how are things going with you? The shop? Oliver?" Harry asked.

"I'm fine, the shop is doing well and Oliver and I are no longer together. He couldn't handle the secrecy any longer. He was always afraid that someone would find out about us. You know what that would've done for his Quidditch career, let alone our personal lives," Fred replied sadly.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Fred, I really am. You have anyone else in mind?" Harry asked.

Fred shook his head, his expression grim. "No, they are really cracking down on finding all the places where our kind hangs out. There have been over thirty arrests made over the last couple of months. Their choices are either Azkaban or reprogramming. I don't know what this world is coming to when a gay man is afraid to walk out of his home," Fred said fearfully.

Harry nodded in understanding. Homosexuality was outlawed in the Wizarding World. It was thought of as deviant behavior and all inklings of it were stamped out. For the few that were courageous enough to do something about their inclinations, they usually had to go to the Muggle world to find a companion. Harry had been afraid when he first realized that he was gay. Seamus Finnigan had been gay and someone had found out. His choices, like all other homosexuals, had been either Azkaban or reprogramming. Seamus had elected reprogramming and the boy who had come back hadn't been the boy who had left. The reprogramming messed with his mind to the point that he was nothing but a shell of the boy who had left. Seamus had only lasted six more months before committing suicide. After that, Harry made sure to keep all thoughts on the subject to himself.

He had only found about Fred by accident. He had been walking past a small building in Knockturn Alley, when he saw the red-headed man in the distance. Wondering why one of the Weasleys would be in Knockturn Alley, he followed the man until he came upon him kissing another man in the darkened doorway of a shop. He had gasped aloud and Fred's head had shot up, a look of terror on his face. The man he had been kissing took off and Harry had never known who he was. At the time, he had been too concerned with Fred.

Once he calmed Fred down and told him that everything was okay, that he wasn't going to turn Fred in and he wasn't going to tell his family, they talked. Harry told Fred about his own inclinations and how he hadn't had the courage to do anything about it for fear of repercussions. The last thing the Wizarding World needed was to find out that their savior, their Boy Who Lived, was a homosexual.

Fred had looked relieved, before grinning and offering to help Harry out. They had become lovers -- or more like friends with benefits, as they weren't in love with each other. They were together for six months before Fred found out about Oliver Wood at one of the gathering places for homosexuals. Harry was happy to step back and let Fred and Oliver get together. Fred and Harry were still friends, and sometimes if Harry really had an urge, Fred would help him out.

Harry had been fine until he had fallen in love. The months after realizing that fact were hard ones. He had moments of despair and depression for he knew that the man he loved would never acknowledge that love. He couldn't. It would cause them all sorts of trouble. So, he hid his love and went out on dates with woman to avoid suspicion. He had been doing well, denying his love and making a place in the Wizarding World.

All that had changed when he killed Voldemort. Four months later, he was in Azkaban, accused of killing Snape and being a Death Eater. Even now, they would be looking for him. He wanted to visit with Fred one last time. There was no way he was going to stay in the Wizarding World. He had nothing to keep him there. All his friends had turned against him. The only person he had was Fred, and he wouldn't dare put his friend at risk.

They talked for an hour before Harry looked at his watch and sighed. "I have to go. I can't stay any longer. Ron should be back soon and I don't want to be here when he does. Take care of yourself, Fred. I'm going to miss you. Remember, if it gets too hard for you here, you can always join me in the Muggle world. They might not always be tolerant, but they are better than the Wizarding World," Harry said.

Fred nodded before grabbing Harry for a long hug. He pulled him close for a deep kiss. Harry finally pushed away, panting, and reached up to caress Fred on the cheek. "Love you," he whispered.

"Love you, too," Fred responded. "Be careful and don't get caught."

Harry nodded, touched his ring and the glamour was reactivated. He made his way to the door, unlocked it, turned and waved to Fred one last time. He walked out of the shop and made his way down the streets of Diagon Alley. He had been walking for a little while when he heard his name being yelled.

"Potter! Halt!" a voice yelled.

Harry turned around quickly and saw Kingsley making his way towards him, his wand out. Harry cursed and ran down the street. Great, they had found him somehow. He ran down a darkened alley and hid in the shadows. He heard several footsteps rushing past him. Once it was quiet, he made his way towards the end of the town. He cursed the day that the Ministry had put the anti-apparation wards around Diagon Alley in order to thwart Voldemort. There were two apparation points and Harry was sure they were being watched.

"Going somewhere, Potter?" a voice snarled.

Harry whirled around and saw Ron standing before him. His best friend looked rough. He had bags under his eyes, and he looked as if he had lost some weight. Harry frowned thoughtfully and wondered if his imprisonment had anything to do with it.

"Hey, Ron. You're not looking so good," Harry said as he backed away slowly.

"That's what happens when your fianc� leaves you for the Muggle world," Ron snarled.

Harry looked at him with surprise. "Really? Why?" he asked. He looked for an escape but could find nothing.

"Seems she didn't agree with a number of our laws. She also didn't think you were guilty and hated the fact that no one did anything to help you," Ron said conversationally, his eyes cold and hard.

"Yeah, well it did kind of suck. I kill Voldemort and you all accuse me of being a Death Eater. That's almost a Slytherin tactic. Tell me, what happens when the next Dark Lord comes along?" Harry asked.

"It doesn't matter because you'll be dead by then," Ron snarled. He raised his wand to utter a curse and Harry jumped forward, taking Ron by surprise. They fell to the ground and Harry grabbed Ron's wand. He stunned his friend and took off down the street.

He ran and nearly yelled for joy when he passed the wards surrounding the town. Raising his wand to apparate, he never saw the green light of the curse that hit him.

The Auror stood over the body of the traitor of the Wizarding World and sighed in satisfaction. Harry Potter was dead and there wouldn't be another Dark Lord for a while. Kingsley sighed softly. He knew that it wouldn't stay that way for long, but for now, the Wizarding World would have some peace.

The tall figure of a man stood within the trees, his eyes narrowed as he watched the Auror standing over the body of the man he loved. He stood there for several minutes before he felt his companion step up to his side. With one last glance, he turned with his friend and walked away.

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EPILOGUE

The door to the small shop opened and a red-headed man walked in. He looked around at the Muggle items that were on the shelves. He made his way towards the front counter of the shop and tapped the small bell to get someone's attention.

A man came out from the back of the shop and looked at him curiously. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"Er�yeah. I was wondering if you had any electric plugs. I would like to get some for my father. It's for his birthday," Fred said.

The man gave him a strange look and nodded. "Yes, we have several selections of plugs. Right this way," the man instructed.

"Thanks," Fred replied and followed the man. He walked past a bookstand and stopped in shock when he saw the title of the book. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

"What the hell?" Fred yelped. He grabbed a book of the shelf and began to skim through it. His eyes widened as he read the accounts of Harry's first year. How the hell did a Muggle know about Harry's life?

The shop owner looked at him curiously. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"This book," Fred began.

The man laughed. "Ah yes, Harry Potter. It's the new craze. Causing quite a stir, it is. It's not too bad a read if I do say so myself. I'm not real fond of fantasy, but it's not bad." The man frowned at him. "Don't tell me you're one of those nuts who thinks the book is evil. There's nothing Satanic in that book. It's about magic, not pagan religions. It's pure fiction," the man stated.

Fred's eyes got misty eyed as he stared at the book. "Yeah, pure fiction," he said softly as he thought about the man who had been his friend, his brother and finally his lover for a brief time. When he heard about Harry's death, he had been devastated. He hadn't known that the time at the shop would be the last time he would ever see Harry. He mourned his friend's death. Hell, he still mourned him, four years later.

"Here we are. I got three types of plugs. Which one do you want?" the man asked.

"I'll take all three," Fred said absently. He stared down at the book before grasping it tightly. "I'll also take this book," he decided.

The shop owner arched an eyebrow before nodding. "Very well," he said and began to ring up the purchases. "That comes to twenty pounds."

Fred counted out the Muggle money and waited for his change. "Here you go," the man said as bagged up Fred's purchases. "Have a good day and come back soon."

"Thanks," Fred replied, grabbing the sack and walking out the door, his mind still on the memory of Harry.

The shop owner watched the strange red-headed man walk away. He walked over to the door, closed it, locked it, and turned on the closed sign. He pulled down the small shade that covered the glass door and turned around. Going back to the counter, he began to count out his money, and started in surprise when arms reached around him and pulled him close.

"Hello, luv," a voice said behind him.

The man turned around and smiled up at his lover. "Hello, sexy," he replied as he reached up for a kiss.

"Do you think he's going to like the book?" his lover asked him.

The man shrugged. "Who knows? I know how the series ends, not that Rowlings can actually write it. It's a children's book you know," the man stated pompously.

His lover laughed and the man shivered with desire. He never got tired of hearing his lover laugh. It made him feel weak in the knees, until he wanted to throw the man down on the ground and take him right there.

"Um�yes�Harry Potter betrays the Wizarding World by becoming a Death Eater and killing his poor Potions Professor. He escapes Azkaban only to be killed after visiting a friend. It's all very sad," his lover intoned seriously, his eyes filled with mirth.

The man laughed. "But what the Wizarding World doesn't know is that it's all part of a plan. Harry Potter planned for the Wizarding World to turn on him so that they would never look for him when he left. He frames himself as the killer of the Potions Professor, the murderer of the heroic Dumbledore. He dies as he makes his way towards freedom and the Wizarding World is never the wiser that the man they killed was actually a golem. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, Traitor of the Wizarding World is dead and Harry, the man, is free. Free to finally be with his love, to live his life in peace," the man said softly as he gazed up at his lover, his eyes filled with joy and love.

"Somehow I don't think the world will ever know how that story ends," his love replied.

"No, I don't think they will," the man agreed.

His lover leaned down and kissed him passionately. "I love you, Harry Potter."

"And I love you, Severus Snape."

They leaned in for another kiss and Harry sighed, content with his life. He had a good life and he was with the man that he loved. All he'd had to do was kill himself.

That was the price of freedom.

The End.

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The Price of Freedom