ROAD NOT TAKEN: FIC: Self-Imposed Exile Title: Self-Imposed Exile Author:sra_danvers Other pairings/threesome: Mention of past Harry/OMCs, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin Rating: NC-17 Word count: 6026 Content/Warning(s): (highlight for spoilers) *AU. Smut, bad language. HWH (Horcruxes? What Horcruxes?)* Summary: Voldemort didn't make any Horcruxes; he died thanks to the spell Lily'd cast to protect Harry. Dumbledore didn't approach Severus, who ended up at Durmstrang. When young Auror Harry Potter goes to Durmstrang for the Triwizard Tournament, Severus Snape will meet a Harry Potter who was raised by Sirius Black. A/N: Thanks to the mods for all the good Snarry. Particularly, thanks for letting me participate despite my language shortcomings.
Self-Imposed Exile
The door opened without warning. Severus Snape glared at the young man who had entered his rooms without even knocking at the door.
"People here seem to have their brains frozen; must be the cold weather. They can't see danger now, but we'll see what happens when the second task goes all bad," Harry Potter, British Auror, said.
Severus glanced sadly at the essays he had been marking before removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Are you aware that I've been living in this country for so much time that I'm in fact one of them?"
Harry took off the cape of his uniform and put it carelessly over a chair on his way to the Durmstrang professor. The Auror pointed to the steaming cup of tea Snape had in his table and smirked. "Yes, of course." He removed the glasses from Snape's hand and put them on his own face. "I was due to wear glasses, but my uncle got me fixed. They look good on me?"
"No, you look terrible," Severus lied, as he roughly took his glasses back. He didn't know Muggles could fix their eyes. However, he didn't like it when Harry spoke about his family. Severus had quite bad memories of Petunia and didn't want to imagine Harry in her care. "What are you doing here? I'm very well aware that you have your own rooms."
"I've been working all day in the forest, I just wanted to take a bath," Harry said.
"You have your own bathroom, too," Severus pointed out, raising an eyebrow.
Harry didn't answer at all. He just removed his jacket in silence, smirking again, and took his shirt off, too. Harry walked tantalizingly, in just his trousers, and before entering the bathroom he turned around and winked at Severus.
Severus placed the glasses on the table and rubbed his eyes.
Since Voldemort's demise, he had stayed away from Britain, both the magical and the Muggle worlds. After selling his miserable familial home and his scant possessions, Snape travelled throughout the continent without ever visiting any magical places. But one day he received Igor Karkaroff's message: his former companion had been designated headmaster of Durmstrang, and he was offering Severus the Dark Arts professor position.
Of course Snape knew Igor offer had a price, but he himself had no friends he could trust. Igor had even omitted in his curriculum vitae that his father was Muggle-born.
For many years he avoided any contact with his past. He refused to attend the Triwizard Tournament when it was celebrated at Hogwarts, and later at Beauxbatons, but this time he hardly could escape when the contest was being held in his own school.
Snape kept himself out of the arrangements, especially avoiding the Hogwarts staff. But of course he couldn't fool the headmaster of Hogwarts for so long. He had been talking with Albus Dumbledore in the library when he met the Auror.
"Oh, Harry, come and meet Severus Snape, Durmstrang's professor of Dark Arts," Dumbledore had said.
"The Englishman teacher?" Harry asked, extending his hand. "At last someone who can understand me," he joked.
"I can't guarantee my comprehension," Severus answered sharply, shaking the Auror's hand. He was shocked when the younger man smiled at him, instead of the accustomed sneer he was used to receiving at his retorts.
"Well, Severus, now that you're in good company I must go to rest. My old bones aren't getting any younger! Harry…"
"Headmaster." The Auror bowed to him with a warm smile.
"The day Albus Dumbledore will rest due to his age, I'll be long gone," Severus snapped, when the old wizard was out of the library.
Harry smiled knowingly, and Severus glared at him. After all, he wasn't trying to make a joke. So he glared more, but instead of being uncomfortable and going away, Harry sat in front of him without any invitation.
"So… professor of Dark Arts," Harry said. "How's that? I mean… we had the Defence Against the Dark Arts subject in Hogwarts, of course, and in my Auror training we worked some borderline spells, but…"
Even though Snape had not wanted conversation, he couldn't help but discuss the subject with that gorgeous man. Not that he was trying to seduce him with his knowledge, at all, but Harry was staring at him as if he was Gilderoy Lockhart.
When Severus said that it was dinnertime and he was used to eating in his rooms, Harry took that as an invitation, cheekily ignoring Severus’ noticeable glare.
After an unsuspectedly pleasant soiree, Severus offered some liqueur, which they relished in front of his fireplace.
Harry talked about his life as an Auror, about the British magical world and about his private life. Particularly of his tastes in men, flirting with no shame at all.
Severus didn't say a word, not even when Harry got to his knees and opened every button of his brown long overcoat. He allowed the Auror complete access to his body, fearing that his voice would reveal his complete astonishment.
He was used to men propositioning him in certain taverns, but certainly not men as gorgeous and young as that one. The entire situation had escalated so fast that he still couldn't believe his luck.
But suddenly, the dream turned into a nightmare.
Severus was admiring the obscene view of his lover devouring his cock: eyes closed, tongue lapping, lips sucking, the messy hair sticking on his forehead because the sweating… then Severus saw the lighting-bolt scar that he hadn't perceived before.
He stood up so fast that he knocked Harry down.
"I've done something wrong?" Harry asked, cleaning the spit on his chin nervously with the back of his hand.
"Potter. Harry Potter," Severus said, so shocked that he did not even try to cover himself.
Snape hadn't returned to Britain, and he'd even tried to block any news from home. He didn't know much about his past magical world, but he knew well how Voldemort died. He knew who his last victim was, and who survived him. And the mark he had left on the child. Lily's child.
Lily's child. I'm going to be sick, he thought, staring at the young man. Twenty-six years old: he had feared to ask, but now Snape knew for sure.
"No, please," Harry said, when Severus was about to cover his now flaccid penis. "Give me a chance. No one had looked at me as you did, as if I was a normal guy. My past is always haunting me—just because of a deed that happened to me when I was a child." Harry chuckled. "You didn't worship me, for a change."
"I don't worship you," Severus said harshly, his hands trying to cover his crotch. He was feeling ridiculous; he was regretting having invited the man so far.
"Great, I don't want that. Well, if you want to worship my body…"
Severus felt attraction again for that defiant, gorgeous man. But he obliged himself to remember with whom he was.
"I'm old enough to be your father," Severus stated.
"But you are not my father, and please, don't mention him while I'm trying to seduce you. You were enjoying my mouth, and I was enjoying your body. You have lived so many years far from Britain. Don't let my fame spoil what we were having, what we can have. Please," Harry said, purring. He took a step, and when he saw that Severus didn't withdraw, he took another.
That night Snape was weak. His past was far away, and that gorgeous man was so, so close…
He succumbed many nights after the first one, although he had time to ponder the bizarre situation.
They had kissed, touched, sucked, but Severus didn't let go more. Something inside him feared the day Harry would know his role in his parents' death. He knew their relationship would end the day the Tournament concluded, and he accepted that—in spite of his desires and the growing feelings inside him.
And besides, he was always concealing the mark on his arm, not an easy endeavour when Harry was in the habit of ambushing him at all times of day.
As he was doing in that precise moment, bathing in his bathroom, knowing Severus, eventually, was going to join him. Severus sighed as he stood up. He spelled his mark invisible and went to his bathroom.
A nude and wet Auror looked at him from Severus' bathtub. Harry closed his eyes without losing his smirk. Severus felt like drowning him.
But he couldn't help going to sit on a stool near his head. It was almost a ritual now, washing his messy hair. Severus would never admit how much he liked taking care of that cheeky young man. Certainly the vision of all those strong muscles was an advantage.
"You have no shame. At all," Severus said, trying to sound severe. And failing. He was so distracted, staring at how Harry was touching his own cock.
"Your hands feel so good…" Harry moaned.
"I'm washing your hair. It's totally chaste, you pervert. Or do you moan under other hands, too?" Severus asked, without containing his jealousy. Harry's hand splashing water rhythmically was lowering his usually strong defences.
"No other hands have washed me since I was a child. If you don't like it," Harry said, moving aside his hand, "then do something about it."
Severus' hands stilled while he was staring Harry's cock, which stood up proud, reddish head showing above water.
The moment Severus touched Harry's cock he was manhandled into the bathtub. Within seconds the bathroom was a mess, walls and all surfaces wet while Harry tried to immobilise Severus. Being the younger and an Auror, Harry ensured that soon there wasn't any more splashing around.
"Calm down, Professor. No dark spells, please," Harry joked. He didn't know how close he was to receiving an Unforgivable curse. And not one that Snape had learned at Durmstrang, precisely.
Then Severus' clothes disappeared and he ceased struggling at once.
"Wandless spell," Severus whispered in awe, forgetting for a moment his humiliating position.
"Don't look at me as if I'm… Harry Potter," the Auror said, letting go the body on top of him.
"You are Harry Potter," stated Severus, softening his look. "The annoying Auror who takes great delight in invading my rooms."
Suddenly, Harry spun their bodies with one fast movement and got on top of his lover. Then he placed his soapy head on Severus' wet chest and sighed deeply.
"At least you could enlarge the bathtub, Mister Wandless Magic," Severus said.
"Don't want to," Harry mumbled, accommodating himself between Severus' legs. "I like the feeling of your body against me."
Severus chuckled, but he didn't mind at all. He was shocked at how calm he was feeling in such a demeaning situation. He smiled against Harry's forehead when the water magically warmed up around them.
*****
The moment Severus saw the trunk in his rooms, he knew it was Harry's. They had not talked about sharing rooms yet, but Harry had been sleeping in his bed every night for weeks now.
Severus' feelings were in conflict with his judgement. He wanted that cheeky and witty young man in his life, but he feared the moment the tournament would end and Harry would go away from him. There was, too, the Dark Mark on his arm. How long he could hide it from his lover if they were to share rooms?
Then he noticed the family crest in the top of the trunk. He knew well whose family had two dogs and a sword in its blazon. He had seen it for so many years in his own House at Hogwarts.
After some time staring at the trunk, Severus went to Karkaroff’s office, knowing that the wizard he was looking for was there.
"Severus," Igor greeted him, looking at him with worry.
"I would like to speak with Headmaster Dumbledore, Igor," Severus asked, not minding that Dumbledore knew how close he was with Karkaroff.
"Of course, Severus. We can talk after lunch," Igor said, standing up and going out of his own office, after looking intensely at his employee.
"What a nice surprise, Severus," Dumbledore said when they were alone. "I thought you were avoiding me…"
"Why does Harry's trunk have the Black family crest on it?" Severus asked without preamble.
Dumbledore sighed. "I'm sure Harry can answer that question better than I."
"No, I'm asking you. Or we could talk about the day you introduced Harry to me. Why you didn't mention his surname?"
"Oh, Severus, Harry is quite famous in Britain. I thought you knew…"
"If I would have known… well, not what I was asking you. So, the Blacks…" Severus interrupted him.
"Harry didn't tell you about his infancy?" Dumbledore asked.
"He sometimes mentions his uncle, but we haven't talked about personal things, not really," Severus said, not meeting Dumbledore's eyes. "I can't mention my past, and I don't want to hear Harry talking about Petunia Evans and her husband."
"You should tell Harry about…" At Severus' glare, Dumbledore shook his head and continued. "Harry has no contact at all with Lily's sister, Severus. As if Sirius would let his godson near those biased Muggles..."
"Sirius? Sirius Black?" Severus asked, horrified. "Harry was raised by Sirius Black?"
"He hasn't left Harry since he found him crying beside Voldemort's corpse." Severus grimaced. "You don't have to fear a name; he's gone once and for all."
"Is not that… I'm a dead man. I… with Harry, and Sirius hated me…" Severus said, almost to himself.
"Oh, that's old history, my friend. How old were you the last time you saw him? People change, especially after such terrible deeds as we all suffered. Sirius had to grow up fast to take care of an infant when he was so young and mourning the loss of his dear friends."
"I haven't changed."
"Oh, but I think you have. The Severus I knew would have never fallen in love with the son of James Potter."
"I've not!" Severus exclaimed, outraged. "We were just… fooling around," he added, wrinkling his nose. "But now that I know that Black is his foster father…"
"Don't rush your actions, Severus. You deserve to be happy, too," Dumbledore kindly said.
"Happy? For how long? Until the end of the Tournament?" Severus said. He made a face at the bitter tone of his voice.
"You've paid enough, for an error of youth. You can return to Britain, to your home," Dumbledore offered.
"I have no home there, no longer," Severus said, clenching his hands.
"Hogwarts is always there to welcome you home, Severus. We don't teach Darks Arts, as you know, but we're always in need of professors."
A touch of hope lighted Severus' eyes, for a second, before he turned around and left.
Dumbledore remained in Karkaroff's offices, messing his long beard.
*****
When Severus arrived in his rooms, he found the trunk open, and Harry taking his things out.
"You must desist, Potter," Severus said, glaring at his lover. "I haven't invited you to cohabitate in my rooms. In fact, I never have invited you to my rooms, if you recall."
"Potter?" Harry asked with a nasty taste in his mouth. "You've never told me I was unwelcome here," he said, insecure in the face of Severus' anger. The man was taciturn and bad-tempered, but Severus had never looked at him with such disdain. Not even all those times the man had complained about his presence in his rooms.
"Haven't I?" Severus meanly asked.
"I'm sorry; I didn't want to pressure you. We can go on as we were…"
"You don't understand, Potter. You're a good fuck, but I don't like company. I don't want your company. If I want some action, I just have to visit a certain pub in the town: faster, cheaper and without responsibilities."
Harry's face was as pained as if Severus had slapped him. Severus smirked at him, ready to mock him if Harry was about to beg him.
But Harry didn't do any such thing. He closed the trunk with a strong wave of his wandless magic, the loud sound resounding in Severus' chest. Then Harry smirked, too, bitterly and cynically, and Severus understood what a gift he had been given all those weeks. Because Harry was a young, confident and gorgeous wizard who didn't need a middle-aged professor with no special charms.
That night, without anything to remind him of Harry, Severus searched for his scent in Harry's side of their bed. His bed, now.
Severus was so proud that his tears didn't come out, even though his red eyes stung.
*****
Finally, the second task went wrong, as Harry had predicted.
Harry opened his eyes after the accident and would have thought he was dreaming, if not for the pain in his whole body, because he was in a bed he knew well enough, though he hadn't slept in it for weeks. Severus was dozing at his side, reclined against the headboard.
Harry looked at his former lover with tenderness, but when Severus opened his eyes he lost his smile.
"How is the boy?" Harry asked with a hoarse voice, his throat sore and dry.
"Elstad's fine, thanks to your foolishness. He got out of the cave before the landslide. You, unfortunately, were caught under the worst. For a moment, I… we thought you were dead. Dumbledore rescued you. I didn't know he also knew wandless magic," Severus commented nonchalantly, trying to hide the concern in his face.
Harry sighed deeply and closed his eyes. Severus' efforts at being indifferent were too painful to witness.
"Are you in pain?" Severus asked, worry in his face now that Harry was not looking at him. "You're not due for a healing potion for another two hours." Harry made a sign with his hand, dismissing Severus. "Are you not going to ask me why you're in my rooms?" Severus asked. He had feared that Harry would want to talk, but now he found his silence unnerving. "Are you expecting my apologies? An explanation?"
Harry opened his eyes, so tired physically and psychologically that he had no more patience. He shook his head. "Just stop the farce. If you do want me here, hug me and shut up your fucking mouth," Harry said rudely, shocking Severus. "No more pretending that you don't care. I'll just accept the true Severus, the one who loved to fall asleep in my arms. You can go back to being a jerk when we are in front of other people, I don't mind. But please, don't try to fool me with your act; you're only fooling yourself."
For a moment, Harry thought Severus was going to stand up and leave him, or even kick him out despite his condition. But then he noticed the body by his side relaxing gradually, until he felt against his forehead the touch of those lips he had been missing for weeks.
They remained in silence, lying on the bed, waiting together for the next dose of Harry's healing potion.
*****
"Mmmm… I love you," Harry whispered one night in the darkness of their bedroom.
Severus, deep inside his lover, froze.
Harry surprised Severus, one more time, with a hearty laugh.
"Let's get over the awkward moment. Yes, I love you. No, you don't need to say anything in return. Now keep fucking me nice and slow, please."
Severus obliged. He didn't say a tender word, but he tenderly kissed Harry over and over again, making a statement of his acts.
Since that night, Harry didn't contain his affection. Severus treasured every one of those words, even though he used to chuckle at such romantic behaviour.
When Harry asked about the future, Severus glared at him without saying a word. If Harry kept going, Severus just reminded him that he had promised not to ask him for more than he could give.
Aside from those little conflicts, it was being the best school year of all Severus' career. Not because of the Tournament: having more students was proving to be stressful to all the staff. No, it was Harry who made all the difference: his cheerful nature, his kind personality, his warm presence every night in his bed. And the sex. The sex was sublime.
Severus loved shagging Harry, no matter the mood. Sometimes Harry would come in enraged from some disagreement with Karkaroff, and Severus was properly buggered against the closest usable space. Other times it was Severus who needed a break after an especially hard class. Usually they both wanted it tender and slow.
But no matter how they were making love, Severus' auto-imposed walls fell at Harry's responsiveness and sensual body. In their bed—because Severus' bed now was Harry's too—Severus worshiped his lover with kisses and strokes, putting all his effort in giving him pleasure. And Harry, for once, was delighted to be the centre of attention.
But, as Severus knew it would from the first day he’d had Harry in his bed, the Tournament came to an end.
"Olympe was ecstatic this evening," Harry casually said, his head resting on Severus’ shoulder.
Severus, who didn't feel like talking that particular night, nodded and kept reading his book. They were sitting on Severus' couch, resting after the last task had taken place.
"I didn't expect Lecoy would be the winner; she had been behind the entire Tournament," Harry persisted. Severus ignored him. "But Dumbledore said Cedric—you know, Hogwarts' champion when we hosted the Tournament—had been behind, too, and he also won."
Severus sighed and put book and glasses aside. "You didn't put your name in the Goblet?" he asked. If Harry was up to talking, at least he wanted to talk about something interesting: Harry himself.
"I was too young. My godfather sent me an aging potion to trick the age line," Harry said, before chuckling and shaking his head. "But Uncle Remus found it and warned me not to use it. Not that I wanted to. But my best friend's twin brothers…"
"Remus?" Severus asked. He couldn't help but give away his surprise. He was feeling too much at ease with Harry. "Remus Lupin?"
Harry stared at him for long seconds, and then sighed. "He raised me."
"I thought that Sirius Black raised you," Severus stated.
"I've never told you about Sirius," Harry said. He closed his eyes for a while before staring at Severus again. "But yes, they raised me together."
"Together? As in… together?" Severus asked, for once without words. At Hogwarts, Sirius had always been with one girl or another.
"Yes, as a couple. Now you want to talk about the past? Now? Why don't you begin to tell me about your time at Hogwarts? I know you knew them. I know Uncle Regulus was in your House," Harry confessed.
"You know Regulus?" Severus asked, baffled.
"Of course I know him! He's my uncle! I lived with him until he married and left our home."
"But he… he and Sirius didn't get along at all," Severus said, not mentioning what was the main issue for the brothers.
"Everyone can make bad decisions, Severus, especially being that young."
"I didn't recall that Sirius was a clement person," Severus said bitterly. "Wait a moment," he added, his body suddenly stiff. "How do you know that I knew them?"
Harry breathed deeply and turned to face his lover. "I was waiting for you to tell me: about them, about your past. But you didn't, and my days here are running out. So, if you don't mind, you don't need to hide it anymore, please," Harry cast a wandless spell and Severus noticed a tickling in his left arm. He didn't lift his sleeve; he just clutched his own forearm and glared at Harry.
"Since when do you know?" Severus asked.
Being an Auror, Harry feared that fake calm more than he would fear an angered Severus.
"After the second task I wrote my family and I told them about you," he said, his eyes carefully meeting Severus'.
"You lied to me!" Severus finally cried.
"How can you say that? It was you who kept things from me! Important things!"
"So you waited till the last moment to vituperate me? To punish me? What did Black say in his letters? You plotted your revenge together? You laughed at my expense?" Severus asked bitterly, standing up.
"Are you hearing yourself?" Harry stood up too, trying to ease himself by pacing around. "You don't know me at all if you really think that I could bed you every night and…"
"That's the thing; I don't know you at all. And you don't really know me," Severus said, not meeting Harry's eyes.
"I know you. I got to know you day by day, living with you, sharing our time for months," Harry said, kneeling at Severus’ feet.
"That was not really me. You didn't even know what I had on my arm." Severus turned his back on Harry.
"It's just a tattoo now, Severus. Those things happened so many years ago. I don't want to lose you to a guilty conscience."
Harry took two steps and tried to hug Severus' back, but he was shoved.
"You don't know the entire story. Especially you… your parents… your mother…" Severus' voice was broken.
"I know about my mother, Severus. I know she was your friend," Harry said, biting his lip to keep himself from asking any question.
"Sirius?"
"Dumbledore. I talked to him after my family told me about you."
"The traitor…" Severus said, almost to himself. "Did he tell you about… the prophecy?" Harry nodded. "And still you… How could you? Get out," Severus ordered, overwhelmed by rage and shame.
"It's better that we keep talking, now that…"
"Get. Out. Now. And don't come back," Severus said, facing Harry with fury in his face.
"You threw me out once, Severus. Don't do it twice, because maybe I won't come back."
Severus just turned around again, closing his eyes and clutching his hands.
When he heard the door some time afterwards, he sighed deeply, and this time he let flow the tears he had contained. For weeks, even for months, he had feared this moment. In a way he was relieved; now he could at last begin to mourn Harry. He always knew, deep inside, that he wasn't going to be allowed to keep that sweet dream.
*****
"You didn't say goodbye to your Auror?" Karkaroff asked. "He was asking for you."
"I told him all I needed to tell him," Severus said, not giving more explanations.
"Well, I thought it was more serious between you. He approached me, you know, just before the last task. He was interested in a position here." Severus shook his head, the pain in his chest heavier. "We even talked about a new subject. What do you think about having DADA classes here? He had a point, being an Auror. Maybe our students need to know more about that, for us to teach the real thing, too. Severus? Severus! Where are you going? Severus!"
*****
Severus doubted, for just a second, before knocking on the Grimmauld Place door. The last person he had hoped to see opened it.
When Sirius grabbed his coat and shook him, he accepted the manhandling without complaining; he was expecting it.
"You're here to stay?" Sirius hissed at him, spitting his words at Severus' chin.
Severus nodded, not really understanding the question. When Sirius seemed to relax at the answer, Severus was even more taken aback.
"Sirius," a voice behind the man said. Only then did Sirius let go of Severus' jacket. "Severus, welcome to our house," Remus Lupin said. Sirius chuckled and went inside, only after glaring at Severus one more time. "Please, forgive him," he added, for Severus hadn't taken a step. "He's not taking Harry's news well."
"Harry's news?" Severus asked, every minute more disconcerted.
"Please, come inside. I think we need to talk about Harry," Remus kindly said.
Severus stared the man for a while. He had hated the lycanthrope for years, the memory of his attack alive in his nightmares. Now his smooth features just reminded him that this was the man who raised Harry; who helped him become the man he felt in love with.
Severus nodded and stepped inside. He looked around with curiosity; this was the place where Harry had lived almost all his life. The house looked more luminous than Regulus had described it to him. Severus never had gone to his friend’s home, not because of Regulus, but his mother. After all, he was a Slytherin whose father was Muggle-born.
"Harry helped us with that," Remus said, noticing that Severus was looking at Sirius' mother's burnt portrait. "Just when he began the Auror training. Many wizards had tried before. Quite powerful, our Harry," Remus said. And even with his not changing the tone of his voice, Severus could see a veiled threat there. "Take a seat, please, I'll serve some tea," he offered, when they finally reached the dining room.
Severus sat just in front of Sirius, who was still glaring at him. For the sake of his relationship with Harry, he tried to not glare in return.
"Harry wants to go to that damned school of yours," Sirius stated. It was not in his nature to be patient. "He even has quit his job here. A good job, one he worked hard to get."
"I've not asked him to do that," Severus said.
Sirius stood up, only to sit again when Remus put his hand on his shoulder.
"And still, Harry's doing that for you, Severus," Remus said. He went out again and returned with a tray full of biscuits and tea. Sirius abruptly put the plate of biscuits on the table, far from Severus. "So, if you really are here to stay, he won't be going away, far from us," Remus said, looking at Sirius.
"And he could return to his position," Sirius said, showing his teeth in a scary smile. He bit into a chocolate biscuit. "I still don't like you," he stated, talking with the food in his mouth.
"Dumbledore is going to offer Harry a position. At Hogwarts," Severus said, just to enrage Sirius. Knowing that Harry had been ready to leave his world for him made him feel in a stronger position.
"He will not go," Sirius said, not too loudly. After all, Harry had been about to leave the country for this man.
"What position?" Remus asked at the same time, his mind always sharp.
"Defence against the Dark Arts."
Sirius chuckled, knowing that was the perfect position for the Slytherin. Remus shook his head, looking fondly at his partner.
"I suppose you'll be teaching at Hogwarts, too?" Remus politely asked.
"Potions master," Severus said, daring Sirius to say a word with his first glare. He was being too patient with the man.
"You were so good at potions." Remus appraised him.
Severus breathed deeply and looked directly at the lycanthrope. "Why are you so calm about this situation? He even didn't punch me." Severus snorted, gesturing at Sirius with his head.
"Not because I didn't feel like doing it, Snivellus," Sirius retorted.
"So much for being adults," Severus thought, remembering Dumbledore's words.
"You need to understand, Severus," Remus said, "that we're trying to do what’s best for Harry."
"And I'm his best option?" Severus asked, as sceptical as Sirius.
"The best he has had until this day," Remus answered.
"And that's not the great thing," Sirius stated, for the moment more sad than angry.
"Harry had a boyfriend for years, a friend from school. He seemed like a nice boy…."
"He was a Slytherin," Sirius interrupted Remus, glaring at Severus as if he had been the one at fault. "He left him for a girl. His pureblood family insisted." Sirius snorted. "He even dared to propose that Harry keep being his lover! The bastard…"
"I'm not the pureblood here, Black," Severus stated, staring intently around him.
"No, you're the snake!"
"Enough!" Remus exclaimed. "The man hasn't been in Hogwarts since our schooldays, for Merlin's sake!" Remus breathed deeply and returned to his usual calm. "After that experience, Harry didn't trust anybody. Yet he found some people who bedded him just to sell the story to Witch Weekly magazine. Finally he lost his faith in relationships; he just… fooled around sometimes."
Severus looked from one wizard to the other, the both of them serious this time. "Are you telling me that I'm his first serious relationship since…?"
"Too much time," Remus said. "Harry's so domestic; he loves to be at home and merely read in front of the fireplace. Too long he’s been doing that alone. I mean, we're usually with him but... Sirius is always pestering him."
While both men were smiling warmly at each other, Severus remembered his nights with Harry at Durmstrang, and for the first time he really understood how a man like Harry could fall in love with him.
"I can give Harry a home," Severus said, his words full of sentiment.
"That's why I didn't punch you," Sirius stated.
They laughed together for the first time. For a while they talked about Harry's past, and Severus treasured every memory they shared with him.
When Harry finally Apparated in and saw Severus, he ran to his arms and hugged him, not saying a word. Sirius was the first to break the silence.
"Dumbledore offered him a position. You can return to work, you know. Professors have Floo connections in their rooms; we saw it when we entered at McGonagall's for…."
"I think they need to talk, Sirius. Let's go," Remus said, pushing his partner toward the kitchen.
"Or you can teach there; Dumbledore has offered you a position, too," Sirius insisted. Remus rolled his eyes. Harry looked at Severus, who nodded with a smile. "You can have the DADA position; you always got the best marks."
"And you?" Harry asked Severus.
Severus meet Harry’s eyes, still not believing he was there, with him, eager to begin a life together. They indeed needed to talk, but surely not in front of that mad wizard, who had changed his mood the moment Harry had Apparated in. He didn't know how Harry had become such a nice man, growing up with that man.
"Potions," Sirius quickly said. "He was good at Potions; I remember when Slughorn…."
"We'll be in the kitchen," Remus said, pushing Sirius out, this time for good. "Steak and kidney pudding?"
"Wonderful, Remus," Harry said, smiling at his uncle and godfather.
"I really like the Potions master position," Severus began to say. But Harry silenced him with a kiss. A sweet, deep kiss.
"You're here," Harry said, when their mouths were quite red and swollen.
"I am here."
"I missed you," both of them said at the same time.
The sound of their giggles reached the kitchen.
"He's going to be fine, Sirius," Remus said, chopping onions while Sirius stood at the door. "How long since you heard Harry laugh so freely?"
"I know, I know! It's just that… why a Slytherin, again? Why Snivellus???" Sirius exclaimed.
"He's a good man."
"You don't know him. What if he hurts our child?"
"Dumbledore said he's a good man. He made a mistake, long ago, but at the end he worked with the Order of Phoenix, you know that—for good."
"I know but… James," Sirius groaned.
"James would have punched him. Hard," Remus said, making Sirius smile sadly. He embraced him, trying to not touch him with his dirty hands. "But I think Lily would give them her blessing."
"Lily hated him too, at the end," Sirius said, with more pain than bitterness.
"She didn't. She was just disappointed in her best friend. But then… there were hard times, for all of us. Lily would forgive Severus and she would appreciate that he seems to make Harry happy."
Sirius, for once, didn't retort. He just hoped Remus was right. Or Severus was going to regret the day he put his hands on his child.
Sirius tried to remember that when he went to the dining room and found Severus' hands inside Harry's clothes.