Story [Harry Potter] Slave Child, Finally updated again! 10/16

AWWW! Great updates!! Hope you're feeling better, too!


The two of them really keep breaking my heart. Beautifully done!

 

Hope you're feeling better!!

Those letters about mad me cry. I loved the Snape/Harry stuff in the first chapter though

Update soon!! I'm on the edge of my seat. Severus has to stop Harry!!

 

Oh, Oh, Oh.....
I was soooo afraid that Harry was going to go through with it that night, but then, thankfully, he fell asleep. But now Severus is going to leave that manner? What could possibly stop him this time? Maybe Ron and Hermione will go to Dumbledore when they find out Harry left St. Mungo's and have him take them to the manner? Ooooh, you just can't let Harry go through with this. He has so much to live for!

 

wow. loved it. can not wait for the next part of the story.

 

Thank you, everyone! Sorry for the long wait...real life has been a bear lately, but here are two chapters to make up for it! Hope you'll enjoy them!

Kriztin


Chapter 24

When Severus had smeared the dittany salve over Harry's chest and back and had cast some charm to make it not stick to clothes, he left to let Harry dress. Harry picked out some of his things from Gladrags...a navy-blue polo shirt with a red collar, jeans, and trainers...and then went downstairs to join Severus.

After breakfast the professor left for Hogwarts, promising to be back as soon as possible. But if Harry had thought he would have some privacy to carry out his plans, he'd forgotten to take Norie and Zan into account. The house elves hovered over him until he thought he'd go mad, wanting to be certain that he felt well and to know if he needed anything, anything at all.

He finally persuaded them that he was tired, but not ill, and that he just wanted to lie down and rest for a while.

"I think I might be able to fall asleep if it's quiet," he added, hoping that they would take the hint that he didn't want to be disturbed.

"Very well, Master Harry," Zan said while at the same time Norie told him, "But if you is to need anything..."

"I'll call you right away," Harry assured her.

"All right then, Master Harry. You have a nice rest." And finally they were gone and Harry was alone.

He hurried upstairs to his room and went to his trunk where he'd hidden the farewell letters. Even though he'd known there was almost no chance of Severus or the elves going into his room and finding them during breakfast, he hadn't wanted to take any risk at all of anyone seeing them before the proper time. He set the letters on his desk and paused at Hedwig's cage. Usually she was asleep by now, but this time she seemed agitated, fidgeting on her perch, ruffling her feathers, and making worried clucking sounds.

Harry reached into the cage to touch her feathers. "It'll be all right, Hedwig."

He glanced back at his trunk. He would have liked one more look at his photo album, but he was afraid to take the time. The elves had delayed him and he wasn't sure when Severus would return from Hogwarts. No, there was no time to waste. Besides, it was foolish to want to stare at pictures when he would see his family in person in just a few minutes. Resolutely, Harry turned and left his room without a backwards glance.

Making sure that Norie and Zan were nowhere in sight, he crept down the stairs and out the front door on silent feet. He'd done a lot of thinking last night about the best way for him to die and he'd finally decided that he would let the slavery spell do it for him. Dumbledore had warned him when he'd first woken as a slave that the spell would kill him instantly if he tried to escape. So all he had to do was run away.

He wasn't sure at what point the spell would act. He'd almost expected it to kill him when he'd taken his first step with the intention of escaping. But the magic let him leave the house and walk across the lawn. He paused at the wrought-iron gates, but nothing happened when he stepped through. He gazed at them for a second, feeling perplexed. Then he shook his head in disgust at himself.

Of course he hadn't died yet. The slavery spell was a magical contract. It only made sense that it would act when he violated the magical boundary. Harry turned to face the moor and the stone wall that he knew lay just out of eyesight. Surely that was it. He would die when he crossed the Fidelius Charm boundary with the intention of escaping.

Harry started across the moor.

***

At the very same instant that Harry slipped out of the house, Severus flooed into his upstairs sitting room from Hogwarts. He and Albus had talked for a brief while about the best way to handle the onslaught of public attention as well as how to bring the Dursleys to justice, but they'd soon decided that they really needed Harry's input before making decisions. Albus had invited him to stay and visit for a time, but Severus had been anxious

 

Chapter 25

They sat in the wild moor grass near the stone wall for a little while longer, not talking, but just holding one another. Harry leaned against Severus and the professor smoothed his hair and patted his back in silence. He wasn't sure how he felt. Severus had just promised him that one day he would be happy again, but that idea seemed so foreign. Harry felt as if at some point, he'd forgotten what it was to be happy, if he ever really had been.

But it was sort of nice...calming...to sit here with Severus and be held and patted and rocked. It was nice to rest his head on Severus' chest and listen to his heartbeat, to lean against his solid warmth and to be safely cocooned in his strong, gentle arms. It was easy to let his troubles slip away and to just enjoy the sensation of being held. Harry wished they could stay like that forever.

He could count on one hand the times he'd been embraced before. Mrs. Weasley had held him that night in the infirmary, after the Triwizard Tournament. Sirius had hugged him twice, and he, Ron, and Hermione had hugged a couple times.

"I wish..." he began before stopping abruptly. Severus had already apologised for the past. Harry didn't want to make him feel badly.

Severus' hand was cupped around the back of Harry's head. He lightly rubbed his fingers back and forth, the pads of his fingertips massaging Harry's scalp.

"You wish what?" He asked softly.

"Just that we had been friends before now," Harry mumbled.

Severus nodded. "So do I."

He sounded so sorrowful that it made Harry feel guilty. He shouldn't have said anything. He knew Severus was sorry about the way he'd treated him in the past and there was no reason to bring it up and make him feel worse.

"I'm sorry," Harry told him.

"For what?"

"For bringing up the past. It's like you said, we've started over, so..." Harry shrugged.

Severus was quiet for a moment before saying slowly, "We have started over, and I'm very grateful to you for giving me another chance, Harry. But we can talk about anything you want to talk about, including the past. You don't have to apologise for needing or wanting to discuss something. If we had talked more over the past few weeks, perhaps you wouldn't have felt that life was so hopeless you wanted to give up on it. Perhaps we both need to work on opening up more, at least with one another."

Harry wasn't exactly sure how to respond, so he only nodded without saying anything more.

Severus was silent, too, for a while before asking, "Do you want to talk about the past? Or about anything else?"

Harry considered. "Not really, I guess. It's just..." he hesitated, but the professor waited patiently until finally Harry finished. "I always felt sort of alone."

Severus sat back a little so that he was once more looking straight into Harry's eyes. "You are not alone any longer. I want you to come to me whenever you have a problem or feel upset about something, and I will do everything I can to help. All right? Will you do that?"

"I'll try," Harry mumbled.

"I do mean it, child. I want to help."

Harry studied Severus' face. For once the man didn't seem guarded and difficult to read. His expression was concerned; his dark eyes soft and filled with emotion. Harry slowly nodded. "Thank you."

But Severus shook his head. "I don't want you to thank me. I love you. Of course I want to help. Just come to me, if I don't see that something is wrong first."

He hugged Harry to him again for several long moments before clearing his throat. "It's past lunchtime. Shall we go inside and eat?"

Harry really just wanted to sit there in Severus' embrace, but they had been outside for quite a while and he supposed that they couldn't stay there forever after all, so he nodded again. They climbed to their feet and walked back to the Hall. Severus did keep an arm around his shoulders and Harry leaned against him, feeling comforted.

Norie and Zan gave them curious looks when they came in, and Harry realised that the elves must have seen them from the windows, but

 

Awww, that was so heartbreakingly sweet!! Go Harry and Severus

 

Awwww!! Great job!

 

Not Fair!!!!!
How can you end the chapter right there?!?!?!?!?

No seriously, those were both amazing chapters!!!
I was so relieved when Severus just had a feeling and was able to make it back in time to save Harry. And it's about time they both admitted to each other that they love each other! I'm glad that Severus is going to talk to Harry about the slavery spell so that they can work through it together. Even though it'll be hard for Harry, I think that really is the best way to go. I'm also glad to see that Severus took the initiative and brought Ron and Hermione to see Harry. That was a very good thing to do, especially after that night where Harry suddenly realized he did miss his friends and wants to see them, but is afraid he's pushed them away.
Great job Kriztin! You really know your way around such a sensitive topic like suicide. You really show the emotions involved and do it in a very respectful way!

 

loved it. can not wait for the next part of the story.

 

Thank you all so much! Those last two chapters were so emotionally draining to write. I'm very happy you enjoyed them. Here's ch. 26 and I hope you'll enjoy it too. Ron and Hermione begin to play more of a role in the story too, from here on out. I love Severus and Harry, but I'm also a big Trio fan, and I think Ron and Hermione have an important part in Harry's life, too.


Chapter 26


Harry stared at them in speechless amazement. Ron and Hermione looked a little uncertain, too, but then Hermione smiled tentatively and said, "Hi, Harry." She came over and hugged him. Just for an instant Harry stood frozen; then he grabbed onto her as if she were a lifeline and suddenly, for some reason, they were both crying. Then Ron was there, too, and the three of them held each other close for a long time.

Severus had disappeared by the time they pulled apart, leaving them alone with one another. Harry looked from Hermione to Ron and back again. For a moment, he almost wondered if he were dreaming. It seemed impossible for his friends to actually be here at Prince Hall, but there they were...Hermione in a yellow-flowered sundress, her hair in two thick plaits that hung down her back, Ron in a colourful T-shirt and jeans.

"How...?" he began.

"Professor Snape brought us," Hermione told him. "He explained everything."

"Everything?" Harry swallowed. "What did he tell you?"

"That the spell Malfoy cast against you was a slavery spell that bound you to him, and that's why you've been here all summer. He said that it's been pretty rough on you and that you've been real depressed, even wanting to die, and that you were afraid to tell us about it all," Ron said quietly. His blue eyes held Harry's, and they were perfectly serious. "So when he asked us to come visit, Hermione and I figured we'd better come help you get your head back on straight."

Harry wanted to respond, but he didn't know what to say, how to make his friends understand how he'd felt. He shut his mouth and turned away, visibly upset. But then Ron stepped closer and said softly, "Hey, mate, it's all right."

At the same time, Hermione reached for his hand. "Harry, we just want to help. We love you and we hate to think that you've been so unhappy."

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, guys," he mumbled.

"For what?" They both asked together.

"For leaving the hospital without seeing you, for not telling you before," Harry shrugged. "For all of it."

"But you couldn't tell us, could you?" Hermione tilted her head slightly. "Professor Snape said that he and Dumbledore asked you not to because owl post wasn't secure enough."

"Yeah, but I don't know if I could have told you anyway," Harry admitted in a low voice. "It's really hard for me to talk about."

"You can tell us anything, Harry," Hermione said earnestly. "But we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. Just..." she hesitated. "Just promise us that you won't...you know...hurt yourself."

"Severus already made me promise," Harry agreed. "I won't try anything again, I swear."

"Again?" Ron demanded. "You mean you already tried something?"

"Well," Harry shrugged again. "Didn't Severus tell you?"

"He said you had gotten to the point of wanting to die, but he didn't say you'd actually attempted it." Hermione's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Harry!"

Ron looked murderous. "I'm going to kill Malfoy the next time I see him."

"I'll help you," Hermione, usually the voice of reason, promptly agreed.

Harry couldn't speak. For weeks he'd worried over his friends' reactions and now he felt overwhelmed by their complete support, their love for him. But he should have known. They were the best friends anyone could ever have. A great wave of affection swelled up in his chest, making it difficult to breathe for a moment. He wanted to tell them how much it meant to him...how much they meant, but it was so hard to actually speak the words. He would feel like an idiot if he tried to say it all aloud; that was why he'd written his feelings down in those letters the other night

 

AWWW! That one was really sweet! So great to see the three of them together again!

 

That was really great!! I love their interactions

 

Soooo good. I've really enjoyed this story! Keep up the great work!

 

You got Ron and Hermione's characterization right on the spot! No matter what, they will always be there for Harry. I totally agree with you that the Trio needed some time without Severus to work things out. Oh, I can't wait to see how Ron, Hermione and Severus all act around each other! This is be just as large shift for them as it was for Harry. Maybe even bigger, because for them, up until this day, they were still under the impression that Severus was the enemy! Talk about awkward!
BTW, I hope you really do have a scene where Severus comes down on Malfoy while defending Harry! I totally agree with Ron, and I would be willing to pay money to see that scene!

 

loved it. can not wait for the next part of the story.

 

Thank you all! I hope you'll enjoy chapter 27!


Chapter 27


Severus was already in the dining room when Harry, Ron, and Hermione came in. The professor's gaze flicked over them, coming to rest on Harry, and he thought that those black eyes were filled with trepidation, even though Severus' face was impassive.

Harry smiled and went to stand close beside him. "Thank you for inviting my friends over."

Severus' expression didn't change, but his eyes seemed to warm and glimmer. He placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "You're welcome."

"Yes, thank you for letting us see Harry, Professor," Hermione said, sounding polite but a little hesitant, as if she halfway expected Severus to begin insulting her and Ron.

But he only inclined his head at her and said in a stiff but equally polite tone. "Thank you for accepting the invitation. I know that your support means a great deal to Harry." He gestured towards the table. "Shall we sit down?"

Clam chowder, salad, and grilled shrimp appeared as soon as they were seated. It was a quiet meal. Harry thought that both Severus and his friends seemed ill at ease, but he supposed that was to be expected. While Severus had not treated Ron and Hermione as badly as he had treated Harry in the past, he had been snide and unfair, as he often was to all the Gryffindors. In return, they had always resented Severus, though Harry knew that it was as much from their loyalty and protectiveness for him as from their own sense of being wronged.

He hoped that things would change now, that Severus, Ron, and Hermione could learn to get along, too, but he supposed that for now, he'd better just be grateful that they were all being civil. Ron and Hermione did make sure to thank Severus again as they were finishing lunch and he nodded at them once more before turning to Harry.

"So how do you three plan to spend the afternoon?"

Harry glanced over at the windows. Dark clouds still covered the sky and the rain fell steadily. "Um, looks like we're stuck inside. I guess I'll show Ron and Hermione around, if that's all right, and then we'll just hang out."

"Of course you may show your friends around. Prince Hall is your home, too. I'll be brewing in my laboratory, if you should need anything." He stood, letting his hand rest briefly on Harry's shoulder again before striding out of the dining room.

When he was gone, Harry smiled at his friends. "That went pretty well. Thanks, guys."

"Well, he does care for you now, and that's the main thing," Hermione said. "Right, Ron?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"It does mean a lot to me," Harry admitted. "That you're here and, you know, supportive and all, not just about the spell, but about Severus, too."

"Some of the other Gryffindors might not be, though," Ron warned before suddenly looking concerned and adding, "Oh, sorry, mate."

Harry frowned. "For what?"

"Well, you know, we're here to cheer you up, to try to help you feel better, not to make you worry about anything," Ron explained.

"I do feel better, and I know the other Gryffindors might have problems with me and Severus getting along now, but I hope they'll accept it." Harry sighed. "I'm going to ask Severus if he'll be a little more fair to us this year, too. I mean, I can't ask him to change completely, but maybe just a little bit."

"I really think the others will be all right with it, Harry," Hermione reassured him. "Eventually...if they can see that Professor Snape has changed towards you anyway."

"Anyway, you know you can count on us," Ron promised.

Harry nodded. "I know. Hey, have you met Norie and Zan yet?"

He called the house elves and introduced them to his friends when they appeared. After they had gone, he noticed that Hermione looked disapproving. For a moment it puzzled him, but then he remembered her dedication to SPEW. He felt a sharp pang as he also remembered how he and Ron had always been a little embarrassed at Hermione's fervor for elves' rights. Not that he'd ever believed that it was right for house elves to be slaves. He'd always known

 

Nicely done! Methinks this statement won't go as smoothly as they had hoped.

 

Well, I am happily surprised at how civil everyone was during lunch. Although, I think it was very good of Severus to volunteer to stay in his lab and let the other three have their moment.

It's good to see Harry warming up to Severus!

 

Cute!! Love the lunch I hope the statement goes well, though I have this bad image of Harry being mobbed.

 

wow. loved it. can not wait for the next part of the story.

 

Hi again, everyone, and thank you all so much for your reviews! Here's chapter 28, and hopefully, if anyone had any questions about Voldemort's demise and horcruxes, they will be answered here. Please do remember that SC is (obviously) an AU, so there are some differences from canon here, too.

Thanks again!

Chapter 28

It was still cloudy and raining when Harry woke in the morning two days later. He thought that the weather somewhat matched his mood, for today was the day he was going to give his statement to the Ministry officials and the reporters, and he wasn't looking forward to it one little bit. Harry took a deep breath and reminded himself that Severus and Dumbledore were going to be there with him and Severus had assured him that they didn't have to stay long. Dumbledore was going to speak briefly at first, then Harry, and then they could leave. It wouldn't be too bad, he told himself.

But still he had to admit that he'd feel a whole lot better once it was over.

To distract himself he turned to look over at his night table. Every morning now he received a small gift from ?Hedwig', the brightly-wrapped little bags waiting beside his glasses when he woke. Besides the chocolate frog and the Snitch, he'd received a new quill and a pack of self-shuffling playing cards.

But this morning ?Hedwig' had really outdone ?herself'. A large flat package lay on the night table and when Harry opened it, a set of finely-woven charcoal grey robes were folded neatly inside. He lifted them out and held them up to examine them. They were similar to his school robes, but there were slight differences...these had several narrow side pleats and a collar. A simple, but nicely-made white dress shirt lay in the box underneath the robes, too.

A short time later, Harry had dressed in the shirt, grey trousers and socks and black loafers. He slipped his new robes on and studied his reflection in the mirror. He was still too short and skinny, but he didn't look quite as gaunt as he had earlier in the summer. His colour was better, too. He wasn't as pale and the dark shadows under his eyes had faded. His hair...well, he'd accepted long ago that his hair would always look a bit mussed even under the best circumstances. But he didn't look bad, actually.

He couldn't help smiling a little as he adjusted the collar on the robes. So this was what it was like to have someone who cared, not just about the big stuff like whether he lived or died, but about the small things, too, like making sure he had nice clothes that were appropriate for the occasion. Sometimes it still seemed mind-boggling that it was Severus Snape who had become his someone-who-cared, but he did trust the professor now. He wasn't sure exactly what it would be like when they were back at Hogwarts, but he did know things would be different between Severus and himself...at least he was pretty sure...mostly...he hoped.

Harry started downstairs for breakfast at the same instant that the professor came out of his own bedroom. Severus was dressed in black, of course, but his robes, too, were nicer than usual, with emerald and silver trim.

Harry smiled at him and held out his arms to better display the new robes. "Look what Hedwig gave me this morning."

Severus nodded approvingly. "I'm sure she wanted you to look nice when we go to the Ministry."

"I'm glad she did. I do have dress robes, you know, back from the Yule Ball in fourth-year, but I may have grown at least a little since then. I realised last night that I don't know if they still fit," Harry told him.

"We will need to get you a new set if you have outgrown your old ones," Severus replied. "But dress robes are usually worn only at very formal events. Most wizards have robes like these for occasions that require them to look professional, but are not as decorous."

"Well, I really appreciate it." Harry glanced at him and said softly, "I hope Hedwig knows that."

Severus lightly touched his shoulder. "I'm sure she does."

His pleasure over the new clothes had distracted Harry from think

 

They went back to Prince Hall, exiting from the fireplace in Severus' upstairs sitting room. Dumbledore had invited them to come to Hogwarts after the press conference, but Harry hadn't wanted to. It had struck Severus that it was the first time Harry had preferred Prince Hall to Hogwarts and he'd felt pleased, even though he was also a little concerned, knowing that the boy had always loved the school. But surely that was in large part because Hogwarts had been the closest thing to a home he'd ever had. Now that Harry had a real home at Prince Hall, it was only natural that his attachment to Hogwarts would begin to lessen, wasn't it?

Thinking of the fact that Harry's relatives had never provided him with love or security reminded Severus that they still needed to discuss the Dursleys. From his own brief visit to Privet Drive and the sketchy medical reports he'd gotten from Poppy he'd already deduced that they had been abusive even before he'd seen the old scars on Harry's back. Remembering that sight made Severus' blood boil, but he took a deep breath and pushed the anger away. The Dursleys would be brought to justice, one way or another, eventually. Severus had promised both Harry and himself, and he intended to keep that promise.

But right now, seeing the mingled exhaustion and anxiety on the boy's thin face, Severus decided that it wasn't the best time to mention the Dursleys.

"You were magnificent, Harry," he said, taking a seat on the sofa and motioning for the boy to join him.

Harry curled up in the corner of the sofa, his robes billowing as he drew his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. A defensive position, Severus noted, that Harry seemed to take when he felt sad or vulnerable, as if he were subconsciously trying to comfort or protect himself.

He flashed Severus a quick smile of thanks at the words, but it faded immediately and then he seemed tired and uneasy again.

"What's wrong?" Severus asked. "I thought you'd be relieved now that that's over."

"I am. It's just that I keep worrying that they'll find out about the spell. Rita Skeeter was already suspicious." Harry looked at Severus with anxious eyes.

"Ms. Skeeter is always on the hunt for a scandal, but I imagine she would have a difficult time discovering the spell." Severus personally thought that Draco Malfoy was the one they ought to be worried about, since he did know the actual incantation of the spell. He might not know what it meant, and it would be difficult for him to decipher, but it would not be impossible for him to do so. But it probably wasn't the right time to mention that to Harry either.

As it turned out, though, Harry was thinking along those lines, too.

"Malfoy could figure it out, couldn't he?"

Severus hesitated, but he didn't want to lie, even in the guise of offering comfort. "I suppose so," he admitted. But then seeing the look on Harry's face, he had to try to reassure him. "But it would be quite difficult for him. Albus has kept the book where he found the spell, and Draco would have to find some very rare texts on archaic languages and then spend hours translating, and this is assuming he remembers the incantation."

"He remembers," Harry said flatly.

Severus sighed. "Yes, I'm sure he does."

Harry looked away, biting his lip, and Severus had to try again. "But there's no real reason for Draco to attempt to decipher the spell. Albus told him you'd made a full recovery and it's quite likely that Draco believes the spell only had some temporary effect that has now completely worn off."

Harry swallowed hard and was silent for a few minutes, thinking it over. Then he said, "But won't he start to wonder when I'm living in your quarters instead of in the Gryffindor dorms?"

"We're going to say that you're still recovering from the curse Bellatrix Lestrange cast against you, that you have to take potions every night and be closely monitored. That should be sufficient explanation for your presence in my rooms," Severus responded.

Harry considere

 

I hate Rita Skeeter

Great posts!! Love Severus helping Harry schedule his classes

 

Hehehe, oh Rita. How I've missed thee.


Nicely done!