HP: (FIC) The Line Begins To Blur: Day Twenty-Two (HP/RL) PG-13
Title: The Line Begins To Blur
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: HP/RL
Warning: AU, Channish (Harry is 15), Summary: (f). A/U: Sirius never went to Azkaban. He raised Harry instead. Remus has been missing for at least 14 years. Harry and Remus meet somewhere other than Hogwarts.
For the wishforthemoon 28 Days Later Challenge
Disclaimer: JKR owns the Potterverse. NIN owns the Titles.
Days Gone Past: Here
Day Twenty-Two: Getting Worse After Everything I've Tried
It was a subdued Severus Snape that Harry and Remus joined the next afternoon. Harry had been in too much of a sexual haze the day before to feel properly embarrassed by the position Severus had seen him in, but now that he was thinking with a clear mind, he was positively mortified. He didn't know what bothered him more, being seen in that position or the guilt from the knowledge of Severus' feelings.
Remus stood between the two of them as they walked, clearly aware of the tension between them. There were no words he could think of that would make the situation less awkward than it was.
"So, the Headmaster wasn't able to get a precise location, but sources, which he refused to identify, hinted that this last horcrux might be located at the old abandoned castle nearby here," Severus said all of a sudden. Never had any of them been so relieved to have a distraction from the oppressive silence. They trekked on after that, not speaking, but no longer feeling awkward either.
Harry thought that it was a good thing to have both of the wizards with him on this trip because he had an uneasy feeling as they approached the building. It looked old, and decrepit, barely being held together by magic. Even though it was still light out, it was dark and gloomy as if it sucked all of the happiness out of the surroundings. There were great tendrils of a green ivy-type plant that was holding onto the building like a plethora of octopi had attacked it.
"Um, so what is this horcrux supposed to be?" Harry asked, surprised that he hadn’t thought of it before then.
Severus looked over at him, eyebrow quirked. "Just thinking about that now? You're not thinking as clearly as you usually do. Other things must be occupying your mind."
Harry blushed at the insinuation and forced himself to look back over at his professor to find him being devoured by two sets of eyes. Blushing even more thoroughly, he bit his bottom lip and looked at his feet. It was then he noticed his untied shoes. Delighted beyond reason, he bent down to tie both of them, hoping that when he righted himself, his blush would disappear.
Remus stopped when he noticed that Harry fell behind. Turning he saw Harry bent over tying his shoes. The cloth covering his arse was pulled taut, displaying it in a rather enticing manner. Severus was standing next to him, staring unapologetically.
"You are one lucky bastard, Lupin. How do keep your hands off of him?" Severus asked, eyes still fully trained on the boy's arse.
"I haven't had much restraint, as you could see yesterday. Severus, I want to ask you something."
Severus stopped staring and turned to Remus. "I won't act on it, if that's what you're worried about."
Remus shook his head. "It's not that at all. If something happens to me, I want you to take care of him."
Severus snorted. "I've always taken care of him, Lupin."
"No, that's not what I meant. He's so giving. So loving. I don't want anyone to take advantage of that. I know you'll be good to him."
"And me swooping in if you die isn't taking advantage?"
"In a sense, perhaps, but tell me this Severus, would you have approached him if it weren't for me?"
"You know the already know the answer to that."
"Well, then you should know that if not for me, he would have reciprocated."
"That is neither here nor there any longer. The point is moot."
"Maybe so, but just know that I wouldn't object."
Severus didn't speak, but stood there in deep contemplation for a few moments until Harry rejoined them.
"So what are we after?" Harry asked with a smile.
Severus inclined his head towards the pile of stone and mortar. "It was said that Dorcas Dorcas Meadowes stole it and hid it before the Dark Lord found and killed her. It is Shield of Gyffindor. Do recall the Sword of Gryffindor in the Headmaster's office? Apparently the Dark Lord pilfered it when he came to apply for the Defence job."
"Ah," Harry said with a grin. "For a supposedly powerful Dark Lord, he does like to go scrumping quite often like a petty thief."
That earned a chuckle from both Severus and Remus. They had reached the slab of wood, which he supposed was meant to be a door of some sort. Pressing it open rather gingerly, they stepped inside. Harry felt another wave of weariness over come him. Something didn't seem right with the place. He scanned the room, but noticed nothing out of place, but the feeling wouldn't leave him.
"I think we should leave," Harry said, a hint of panic colouring his voice.
Both Remus and Severus turned to look at him wearing matching quizzical expressions.
"Why is that, Harry?" Remus asked.
Harry backed away, towards the door. "Something's not right here."
Severus rolled his eyes. "That's probably just due to the little bit of dark magic on the shield. Come along. The sooner we retrieve it, the sooner we can leave."
Harry reluctantly followed the two older wizards into the next room. A glint of gold in the corner drew his eyes; it was the shield. Severus and Remus both neared it cautiously. Harry's own panic rose sharply. He stared down and realised what it was that bothered him. He hadn't once needed to cover his face since he stepped into the building. There was dust on the walls and furniture, but not nearly as much on the floor. Someone had already been there first.
"Stop," Harry yelled across the room. Remus and Severus turned as Harry ran up to them. "Don't touch it. Someone's been here."
"That's right!" A voice said from behind them. They all spun around to see Sirius Black standing there with a rather amused expression. "You may have managed to get the damned abacus, but I have the remaining horcruxes."
Harry, Severus, and Remus stood there stunned. Harry's face contorted in rage as he felt all the emotions of what he discovered over the past three weeks wash over him. The desire to tear Sirius' arms off, limb by bloody limb was overpowering. He took one menacing step towards him only to have Remus' arms wrap around his waist to stop him. Harry gave one last hateful glare, but didn't resist.
"Good job, Lupin. You've got your bitch well trained," Sirius said with a sneer. Remus tightened his grip and opened his mouth to say something scathing in return when Sirius raised his wand and pointed at the rug beneath their feet.
"Portus.
Not expecting the sudden movement, Harry, Remus, and Severus were taken by surprise of the spell. The familiar tug at their navels shocked them even though they had heard the spell. They all landed with a thud in a large dank room of some sort. There was a wide pallet on the floor covered with tatty, but unsoiled, blankets. A small stand was bolted to the floor and held an old-fashioned water basin. Another smaller room was adjoined, although the door was missing. It was a bathroom, small and dirty. It had a sink, toilet, and claw-footed bath. The large rust stain under both the faucet of the sink and tub betrayed the age of the room.
Harry immediately pulled the other two men into an awkward embrace and tried to activate his Amulet, but it failed.
"A magic dampening spell. I'm not surprised," Severus said wryly.
With nothing that they could do to escape, they all sat down on the bed in silence and let each other to their own thoughts.
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: HP/RL
Warning: AU, Channish (Harry is 15), Summary: (f). A/U: Sirius never went to Azkaban. He raised Harry instead. Remus has been missing for at least 14 years. Harry and Remus meet somewhere other than Hogwarts.
For the wishforthemoon 28 Days Later Challenge
Disclaimer: JKR owns the Potterverse. NIN owns the Titles.
Days Gone Past: Here
Day Twenty-Two: Getting Worse After Everything I've Tried
It was a subdued Severus Snape that Harry and Remus joined the next afternoon. Harry had been in too much of a sexual haze the day before to feel properly embarrassed by the position Severus had seen him in, but now that he was thinking with a clear mind, he was positively mortified. He didn't know what bothered him more, being seen in that position or the guilt from the knowledge of Severus' feelings.
Remus stood between the two of them as they walked, clearly aware of the tension between them. There were no words he could think of that would make the situation less awkward than it was.
"So, the Headmaster wasn't able to get a precise location, but sources, which he refused to identify, hinted that this last horcrux might be located at the old abandoned castle nearby here," Severus said all of a sudden. Never had any of them been so relieved to have a distraction from the oppressive silence. They trekked on after that, not speaking, but no longer feeling awkward either.
Harry thought that it was a good thing to have both of the wizards with him on this trip because he had an uneasy feeling as they approached the building. It looked old, and decrepit, barely being held together by magic. Even though it was still light out, it was dark and gloomy as if it sucked all of the happiness out of the surroundings. There were great tendrils of a green ivy-type plant that was holding onto the building like a plethora of octopi had attacked it.
"Um, so what is this horcrux supposed to be?" Harry asked, surprised that he hadn’t thought of it before then.
Severus looked over at him, eyebrow quirked. "Just thinking about that now? You're not thinking as clearly as you usually do. Other things must be occupying your mind."
Harry blushed at the insinuation and forced himself to look back over at his professor to find him being devoured by two sets of eyes. Blushing even more thoroughly, he bit his bottom lip and looked at his feet. It was then he noticed his untied shoes. Delighted beyond reason, he bent down to tie both of them, hoping that when he righted himself, his blush would disappear.
Remus stopped when he noticed that Harry fell behind. Turning he saw Harry bent over tying his shoes. The cloth covering his arse was pulled taut, displaying it in a rather enticing manner. Severus was standing next to him, staring unapologetically.
"You are one lucky bastard, Lupin. How do keep your hands off of him?" Severus asked, eyes still fully trained on the boy's arse.
"I haven't had much restraint, as you could see yesterday. Severus, I want to ask you something."
Severus stopped staring and turned to Remus. "I won't act on it, if that's what you're worried about."
Remus shook his head. "It's not that at all. If something happens to me, I want you to take care of him."
Severus snorted. "I've always taken care of him, Lupin."
"No, that's not what I meant. He's so giving. So loving. I don't want anyone to take advantage of that. I know you'll be good to him."
"And me swooping in if you die isn't taking advantage?"
"In a sense, perhaps, but tell me this Severus, would you have approached him if it weren't for me?"
"You know the already know the answer to that."
"Well, then you should know that if not for me, he would have reciprocated."
"That is neither here nor there any longer. The point is moot."
"Maybe so, but just know that I wouldn't object."
Severus didn't speak, but stood there in deep contemplation for a few moments until Harry rejoined them.
"So what are we after?" Harry asked with a smile.
Severus inclined his head towards the pile of stone and mortar. "It was said that Dorcas Dorcas Meadowes stole it and hid it before the Dark Lord found and killed her. It is Shield of Gyffindor. Do recall the Sword of Gryffindor in the Headmaster's office? Apparently the Dark Lord pilfered it when he came to apply for the Defence job."
"Ah," Harry said with a grin. "For a supposedly powerful Dark Lord, he does like to go scrumping quite often like a petty thief."
That earned a chuckle from both Severus and Remus. They had reached the slab of wood, which he supposed was meant to be a door of some sort. Pressing it open rather gingerly, they stepped inside. Harry felt another wave of weariness over come him. Something didn't seem right with the place. He scanned the room, but noticed nothing out of place, but the feeling wouldn't leave him.
"I think we should leave," Harry said, a hint of panic colouring his voice.
Both Remus and Severus turned to look at him wearing matching quizzical expressions.
"Why is that, Harry?" Remus asked.
Harry backed away, towards the door. "Something's not right here."
Severus rolled his eyes. "That's probably just due to the little bit of dark magic on the shield. Come along. The sooner we retrieve it, the sooner we can leave."
Harry reluctantly followed the two older wizards into the next room. A glint of gold in the corner drew his eyes; it was the shield. Severus and Remus both neared it cautiously. Harry's own panic rose sharply. He stared down and realised what it was that bothered him. He hadn't once needed to cover his face since he stepped into the building. There was dust on the walls and furniture, but not nearly as much on the floor. Someone had already been there first.
"Stop," Harry yelled across the room. Remus and Severus turned as Harry ran up to them. "Don't touch it. Someone's been here."
"That's right!" A voice said from behind them. They all spun around to see Sirius Black standing there with a rather amused expression. "You may have managed to get the damned abacus, but I have the remaining horcruxes."
Harry, Severus, and Remus stood there stunned. Harry's face contorted in rage as he felt all the emotions of what he discovered over the past three weeks wash over him. The desire to tear Sirius' arms off, limb by bloody limb was overpowering. He took one menacing step towards him only to have Remus' arms wrap around his waist to stop him. Harry gave one last hateful glare, but didn't resist.
"Good job, Lupin. You've got your bitch well trained," Sirius said with a sneer. Remus tightened his grip and opened his mouth to say something scathing in return when Sirius raised his wand and pointed at the rug beneath their feet.
"Portus.
Not expecting the sudden movement, Harry, Remus, and Severus were taken by surprise of the spell. The familiar tug at their navels shocked them even though they had heard the spell. They all landed with a thud in a large dank room of some sort. There was a wide pallet on the floor covered with tatty, but unsoiled, blankets. A small stand was bolted to the floor and held an old-fashioned water basin. Another smaller room was adjoined, although the door was missing. It was a bathroom, small and dirty. It had a sink, toilet, and claw-footed bath. The large rust stain under both the faucet of the sink and tub betrayed the age of the room.
Harry immediately pulled the other two men into an awkward embrace and tried to activate his Amulet, but it failed.
"A magic dampening spell. I'm not surprised," Severus said wryly.
With nothing that they could do to escape, they all sat down on the bed in silence and let each other to their own thoughts.