Quid 2, Posts 66 - 70
Title: Quid 2
Series: Posting 66 - 70
Pairing: Threesome: S/H/D
Posting began: August 22, 2006
Posting ended: April 7, 2007
Warnings, etc.: See Post 1
Quid 2, Post 66
At the Same Time as Draco and Harry Are in Severus's Quarters...
**********
Minerva knocked on the door of what her katzentisch called their common room.
The door opened and five heads looked up from various activities. She was delighted to see that they were all working on school assignments. Their last year and there really was no time to be wasted in preparation for NEWTs. She agreed with Miss Granger that this was the priority for the year, especially when NEWTs were a mere five-and-a-bit months away. But she was also pleased to see that the atmosphere in this common room was not one of the frantic tension that seemed to prevail in her other common room.
Here, there were smiles on faces; bodies were comfortably spread out on couches, in armchairs and even on the floor.
"Professor!" Neville's pleasure was real.
Minerva closed the door behind her and nodded to her kitlings. "I've come to see if you've all settled in."
Blaise Zabini rose to his feet and offered her his seat. She accepted with a small bow of her head.
Gavin pulled himself from a reclining position on the floor to one sitting, cross-legged, propping his elbows on his knees and dropping his chin onto the small platform of his joined hands. He sighed, in a melo-dramatic fashion that Minerva was beginning to recognise was a prelude to some equally melo-dramatic statement.
"They don't believe me, dear Professor McGonagall. And they're making my life a misery because of it."
Minerva accepted a cup of tea from Kitty and a chocolate digestive from Neville. "What don't they believe, Mister Bennett?"
He sighed again, very loudly.
Zeffy reached out with a foot and nudged him. "Get over it, Squeakie."
Gavin put on his most miserable face. "You see what I mean. Abuse, dear Professor. They're abusing me and they all seem to find it funny."
Minerva looked around the room. Neville was sitting on the arm of the chair that Blaise had taken over when Neville had risen to serve her. His grin was openly wide while Blaise's was more discreet. Kitty was hiding her smile behind a hand, not all that successfully, and Zeffy was making no such attempt.
"I don't understand, Mister Bennett." She took a sip of tea to hide her own lips, finding the smiles contagious.
Gavin shook his head. "They don't believe me when I tell them that you turned me into a cat. They say I imagined that."
Minerva set her cup and saucer down on her lap. "No, of course you didn't."
Gavin's face looked victorious. "See! I told you so!"
"Did you really?" Zeffy seemed incredulous.
Minerva nodded. "Mister Bennett had some very important information to pass on to me and he rightly was afraid of being overheard. As a cat, he could reveal everything he knew and I could understand him. No one else in the castle could, unless one counts Mrs. Norris and she was off doing her rounds."
Gavin bowed. "Thank you."
"So the story he's telling about how he saved professor Snape's life..." Blaise wasn't so easy to convince.
"Is perfectly correct." Minerva sat back in her chair. "Why would you think that Mister Bennett was inaccurate in his retelling of the event?"
There were shared looks in the room, which made Gavin frown again.
"Well," Kitty offered, "Gavin does have a bit of a flair for over-exaggeration."
Minerva looked at the boy. He flushed a little. If she had known that about him before he'd come to her, would she have been so ready to listen to him? She liked to think that she would have. After all, he could have gone to Sprout and he hadn't. He'd come to her. And she'd been so right to take him seriously.
"So what kind of a cat did Squeakie make?" Zeffy teased.
"Let me guess," interrupted Kitty. "An indolent Persian."
Minerva handed her cup to Neville and pulled out her wand. "Not at all. Not a Persian. A very sensible British Bicolour Shorthair." And she waved her wand.
The cat sitting on the floor looking up at all of them was the same as had appeared in her quarters. The white and orange face was still split into that distinctive yin-yang figure.
"Oh!" Kitty leaned over and carefully scooped him up. Gavin took offense to that, growled and jumped out of her arms. Obviously put off, he began grooming himself.
"I wonder what kind of cat I would make," murmured Neville.
Minerva cocked her head. Well, why not? She, too, wondered at the revelations their feline selves would present.
Neville suddenly shifted shape. The silver spotted tabby that sat hunched on the chair's arm was solidly built. The head was large and round, with a strong chin. The nose was short and straight.
He stood up and on short, powerful legs, he leapt to the floor, where he landed on large paws. The tail was not particularly long but was thick. With eyes that were a deep green rimmed with black, he looked the group over before going over to Blaise's legs where he rubbed himself affectionately.
Minerva smiled. "Well, not that much of a surprise. A British Silver Spotted Shorthair. A good, sensible, dependable breed."
Blaise shook his head. "I'll never get rid of the cat hair," he complained, but Minerva noticed that he wasn't wasting any time scratching Neville-cat between the ears.
"Please, me next?" asked Kitty.
Unlike the other two cats, this one was long-haired. Mainly orange but with cream markings. Gavin-cat meowed his greeting.
Her face was a delicate, triangular shape, with a nose that was straight, long and wide with a cream blaze that reached up to her forehead. There were other cream markings on her face, and around her copper-coloured eyes. Her ruff was cream, as well as the toes of her paws. Her orangey coat was dense and heavy.
"What is she?" Zeffy reached out for her, but Kitty-cat hissed softly and went off inspecting the underside of the armchairs.
"I believe she's what is called a Norwegian Forest Cat. Very self-reliant. Not much for being fussed over."
"Ah," nodded Zeffy. "True to type, then. So, what am I?"
The cat that sat in Zeffy's place was noticeably different from the others. More foreign-looking.
She was a short-hair, but with a lithe, muscular body. Everything about her screamed sleek. Her soft-looking coat was silver-tipped on a dark brown base. Though not as large as Neville-cat's, her head was round, with large green eyes. Her brick-red nose was rimmed with black. Her ears, which were twitching as though hearing the room, were large for her face and rounded at the tips.
Minerva smiled. "Yes, such an appropriate choice." At Blaise's, "How?", she identified the breed. "Burmilla. Rather rare still. Baroness von Kirchberg created the breed here in Britain in the 1980s. Very affectionate, but also very intelligent and very determined."
"So what does that leave for me?"
Minerva wondered herself what Blaise Zabini would reveal.
Another of these recently invented breeds. Not surprising, considering his human ancestry.
"Tonkinese, my dear. And a rather excellent example, if I do say so."
And he was, what with the dark mink-like colour and texture to his coat. His eyes, large in a triangular face, were wide-set and blue, so striking against the colour of his coat. His large ears were more rounded in shape than those of the British Shorthairs, but like Zeffy's twitched as though sounding out the space around him.
"Well, true to type there, also, I believe, Mister Zabini. Lively, curious, attentive and a ferocious hunter. Also, not at all prone to accepting competition, something, Mister Longbottom, you need to know."
She sat there, surrounded by the five of her kitlings, and decided to join them.
A few words and her British Shorthair Tabby self joined the others.
She stayed with them in their cat forms for an hour, noticing how they were adjusting to their cat-selves, and to each other.
Neville-cat and Blaise-cat stayed close to each other as they inspected the corners of the room, with Neville being the more curious of the two while Blaise was more on watch. Zeffy-cat had found a wad of paper and was happily batting it around, over to Gavin-cat who batted it back to her when he wasn't busy grooming himself. Kitty-cat was more interested in approaching Minerva in her cat self, and discussing the fact that they were all various breeds.
Minerva watched her kitlings with a certain amount of pride and maternal feeling. All told, they made for a strange litter, but they were hers.
**********
Quid 2, Post 67
Considertions.
**********
Poppy Pomfrey stood looking at the man who was staring blankly at the wall.
Archy had appeared in her Infirmary, stuttering in his anxiety about how Severus was screaming for her. She'd run... Dear Merlin, how she had run! To find the man hunched over on himself, his arms wrapped around his body, his breathing sharp gasps of pain.
She'd feared a return of the Cruciatus and it had taken her several minutes to understand the words that Severus was keening lowly with each painful breath.
She'd had to cast a tranquilising spell on him before she could touch him, his response to her hand was so extreme. He'd screamed as if she'd burnt him.
Thank Merlin that the others were not around and that the walls and floor thick with stone kept the sound from passing. She'd hurriedly cast a silencing spell on the room.
Once she'd understood, once she had calmed him enough to get him over to the bed, once she'd got him to lie down, she'd run her diagnosing spells on him. Once. Twice. Three times.
All with the same result.
Severus's Magic was still there.
The red glow of the spells confirmed that. But they also confirmed that, somehow, for whatever reason, Severus was not able to access his Magic.
He'd taken some persuading that he still had it in him. She'd had to explain the spells and their responses to him. And to perform them again with him watching the glow appear for Severus finally to believe her.
But belief was not acceptance and Severus was not near ready for that.
She watched him as he sat on the bed, his eyes not seeing the wall. The pupils of his eyes were so large that she doubted he could see.
Poppy went and sat by him, careful not to touch him, but close enough if he should reach out.
He didn't, of course.
He hadn't reached out when a child, tormented by his peers. He hadn't, the night she'd tended him after his encounter with a werewolf. He hadn't, the times he'd needed care when he returned, disciplined for whatever reason by a madman who wanted to rule the world of wizards. And he hadn't whenever Albus Dumbledore had reminded him in front of her, no matter how obliquely, of his binding to Hogwarts. And to the Headmaster.
Oh, she knew about that. The binding.
Her spells had picked that up quickly when Severus had joined the staff after being released from Azkaban into the care of Albus Dumbledore. He'd needed tending then and she had caught the hint of something that had had her casting the kinds of spells that normally she would not.
She'd just returned from a summer of specialised study for healers, having to do with the effects of the Imperius Curse and other such spells. There had been so many who had claimed that they had done the things they had under that spell that interest in the Unforgivable had risen. Knowing the families who made such claims, knowing their children were under her care, she'd attended.
That knowledge had led her to follow that hint of something to her discovery of Severus and his binding. She'd reported to the Headmaster, who had looked at her over the top of his glasses, eyes a hard blue, and who had suggested that she should forget about such things if she wanted to remain at Hogwarts. That whatever there was, was between Severus and himself.
"They're no longer there," she broke the heavy silence.
Severus didn't react.
"Severus." She made her voice sharper, trying to get past the wall of isolation. "Severus!"
He blinked then.
She dared and reached out her hand. She placed it on one of his, clenched tightly in his lap, and nearly recoiled at the coldness of skin and flesh tight over bone.
"Severus. Look at me, my dear."
It took a moment. She was ready to make the request again, in a more aggressive tone, when he did turn his head to look at her.
With those bottomless eyes, filled with a kind of pain she could only badly imagine.
"They're gone, you know. The bonds that held you to Hogwarts and... And to the Headmaster."
Severus frowned as though he didn't understand what she was saying. She squeezed his hand and said it again, slowly, hoping that the words would penetrate the fugue he was in.
"The bonds that were cast on you. To keep you here at Hogwarts. They aren't there any more. I've always..." She bit her lip. If Albus had known... "I've always checked on them, whenever I've had the opportunity."
Whenever he'd been unconscious or drugged and Albus had not been around. She hadn't done so this time; he'd been so broken and it had taken all of her ability, all of her knowledge to put him back together again. But now she'd thought to check and her spells no longer revealed the bonds.
Poppy could see him work to gather his attention.
"The...bonds...?"
"No longer there. I've tested several times and they're gone, Severus."
He laughed.
It chilled her.
"Severus." She reached for her wand with her free hand. If he were going over the edge, he would need to be rendered unconscious. She didn't want him more injured than he was.
"Yet another thing I seem to have lost."
His voice, ruined from his torture, sounded like metal grating against rock.
Poppy, used to listening to nuances where this man was concerned, thought a moment before asking, "What else have you lost, Severus?"
He removed his hand from under hers and rubbed his face, the heels of his hands pressed hard against the bones.
"Severus? Answer me. What else have you lost?"
His smile was cutting. "Nothing very useful, all things considered."
"Severus." She let a little harshness colour her voice. Damn, there were times she wished she could shake him hard. But he'd been hurt so very much in his life.
He allowed himself to fall backwards onto the bed. "Just my libido. As I said, nothing very useful."
He lay quiet while she cast another series of spells.
"No erections?"
This time Severus's laugh held less of the manic in it. "Madam Pomfrey! Your prurient interest scandalises me."
"Oh, shut up, Severus! Have you tried?"
Severus stared at the ceiling. "Yes, Poppy, I have tried. Nothing happens."
"At all?"
"Will you not spare my blushes?"
She scoffed. He needed that from her. "Details, Severus."
"Other than initial interest, nothing else."
Poppy made a show of sighing. From Severus, that was probably all the detail she would drag out of him.
"Mornings?"
He shook his head. "Not even that. Soft as a cooked noodle and as useful."
She stood up to glare down at him. "Well, if that's true, and I'm not doubting you, Severus, then your libido is acting like your Magic."
He looked up at her, his face actually more alert than it had been since she'd arrived.
"According to my tests, there's nothing wrong with you. Nothing physical. If you're impotent, Severus, it may be for the same reason you can't access your Magic."
Severus slowly propped himself up on his elbows. "Are you implying that I am doing this to myself? Because if you are..."
She held up her hand to stop him. "I think no such thing, Severus Snape. Oh, I might, remotely," she glared at him, "for the impotence. After all, you are recovering from torture and only you know what was done to you other than the Cruciatus."
He opened his mouth to argue and she shook her head, continuing. "But for your Magic? Never. Whatever the problem is, I believe it to be outside of you. Still, I would like to run more tests, just to be certain, but I don't think they will reveal any physical damage. I do think that it may have something to do with the Ritual, but how? I have no idea. And, to be honest, Severus, I also have no idea how to go about finding out."
**********
Quid 2, Post 68
Adjustments.
**********
Severus felt as if the walls were closing in on him. He needed to get out of this room. Moreover, strangely for him, he had an overwhelming need to hear voices speaking about anything other than the thoughts that were running rampant through his mind.
He remembered Minerva saying something about a common room and decided to find it.
The stairwell at the end of the hallway was well-lit even if it was narrow and fairly steep. He kept his hands on the walls going down, in case he was less steady on his legs than he thought.
He paused at the landing for the floor below before deciding that his legs were good for another level.
He could hear laughter as he neared that landing. The light spilling out of the open door at the end of the hallway was appealing and he approached it carefully, not certain of his reception.
He was, after all, still a professor of theirs, in one form or another, even if he couldn't leave the tower.
Severus hesitated at the doorway, needing to convince himself to take that next step into the doorway. He would be an intruder.
They were all there, spread out in the small room, scrolls, books, inkwells and quills all over the place. There seemed to be at least two different discussions going on - one about Arithmancy, the other about Ancient Runes - with much gesturing and points being made.
Severus suddenly remembered similar discussions from his days as a student, arguments that were strongly defended and theories torn apart for the sheer pleasure of being able to do so.
He really didn't belong here.
As he went to turn away, Blaise Zabini noticed him.
"Professor Snape!"
Blaise jumped up from the bit of floor he'd appropriated and went quickly to the door.
"Sir. Please, come in."
Severus hesitated, but the smiles on the faces seemed truly inviting. He nodded to Blaise. "If I'm not interrupting."
Blaise laughed. "Just preventing me from hexing Draco. He seems to have misunderstood the assignment and refuses to listen to my excellent hypothesis."
"That's because it's sheer stupidity," scoffed Draco, rising from his place at the table where he'd been writing. "Sir. Are you feeling better?"
Severus had earlier used the excuse of a headache for not eating supper. He nodded again. "Much better, Mister Black."
Zeffy stood up from the couch she was sharing with Kitty. She gave the room a quick once-over before realising that she had had Archy provide only enough chairs for each of the katzentisch. Even if Blaise had been using the floor, she shook her head. "Archy!"
The house-elf popped into appearance. "Yes, Miss Zephyr Strange."
Kitty grinned as Zeffy rolled her eyes. The house-elf insisted on addressing them with their complete names.
"Could you please go to Professor Snape's quarters and bring back his favourite armchair?" She turned to address Severus. "If that's all right with you, Professor. I mean, Professor McGonagall has explained that you will be remaining in the tower with us and, well, you might as well be comfortable."
"That's very considerate of you, Miss Strange. Yes, please, Archy. The armchair by the hearth, the one that's more used."
Archy bowed and disappeared. Severus took a couple of steps into the room, looking around at the set-up. Archy reappeared with the armchair.
With a smile, Zeffy waved it closer to the hearth that was blazing away happily and bowed Severus to it.
Severus found himself smiling. "Thank you, Miss Strange. Please, do go back to your studies."
"Actually, we're just about to break for tea. Will you join us?"
Severus was aware from the reactions of the others that the tea break was probably a fabrication, but now that he was here, sitting in a familiar and comfortable chair, he found that a cup of tea would probably suit him very well.
"Yes, I believe I would."
Zeffy turned to Archy. "If you please, Archy, and some snacks as well."
Archy, who had both delivered the supper tray to Severus and removed it untouched, nodded thoughtfully then disappeared.
Blaise, realising that Severus felt a little out of place - he wasn't known for socialising much with students, even of his own House - threw himself back on the floor and took up harassing Draco about the scope of his assignment.
Harry smiled at Severus and went back to his work. Zeffy and Kitty took up their argument with Gavin about Ancient Runes. Only Neville sat staring at Severus, face nervous.
Severus was aware of the expression, knowing full well the reason behind it was his treatment of the boy when he'd been in Severus's classes. But he owed the boy and his family. According to Poppy, he'd probably still be unconscious without the Ritual. The Ritual that had taken away his ability to access his Magic and his libido.
Still, he owed the family and the boy some gratitude. So he removed his glance from Longbottom until he sensed the boy had returned to his work.
*****
Archy supplied pots of tea and hot chocolate, but he also provided several plates of sandwiches, of small cakes and biscuits as well as a bowl of soup for Severus.
Kitty appointed herself mother and poured, talking all the while about some of the things that had happened in the past week, things that Severus would probably have heard about in the staff room had he not been ill, but with far more scurrilous details and insults.
Nothing had really changed since Severus had been a student, only the names of the students and professors - Kitty had glanced over to him when she'd made a rather intuitive yet scathing remark about Slughorn before continuing.
The fact that he didn't reprimand her - frankly, he'd been hard pressed not to laugh out loud - gave the others the signal that they were to consider him, if not one of them, then at least part of the furniture.
He said nothing, merely ate his soup and the sandwiches that Kitty selected for him, and drank the tea she prepared as he liked.
Neville was still uncomfortable with him being there, but unwound enough to drag his chair closer to the food - Severus had long ago stopped being amazed at the amount of food boys this age ingested, even after a good supper - and actually smiled when Blaise propped himself against his legs.
Severus mentally shook his head. Zabini and Longbottom. Whoever would have thought! But he had to admit that he had also never seen Blaise this relaxed, as relaxed as Harry was against Draco's legs. Bennett, who had been as watchful as Longbottom, was now settled between the two young women, using one or the other as a leaning post, doing his best to make everyone laugh at his sallies and comments about whomever Kitty had brought up.
Settling back in his chair, Severus looked the room over. Seven very bright - because even if he'd been a failure at Potions, Longbottom was undeniably a superb Herbology student - very personable, very witty young people.
All of whom had bravely come out to the whole school.
Things had changed. In his day, people who cared for their own sex were very careful about letting others know it. Their House-mates knew, or guessed, but other Houses? Never. Homosexuality was considered a House secret.
But how much had it really been? There were several from other Houses who were very much aware of Evan's relationship with him.
These, they were all Under Minerva's Protection. Was it for their coming out, or because she was worried about danger from another source?
Well, he was going to be stuck here, with them as companions. He didn't have any Magic to protect them, but he could help them with their studies. And as Head, he could call on the house-elves who served his House for news, for any information that concerned Minerva's katzentisch.
With a small nod of his head, he accepted a refill from Kitty Parfitt.
**********
Quid 2, Post 69
One Conversation.
**********
Severus was sitting at a desk in the common room, working at correcting Transfiguration assignments.
That morning, Minerva had shown up with a basket of scrolls hovering behind her as he'd been finishing breakfast. He'd informed Archy that he'd be taking his meals from that morning on in the common room. The space he shared with Harry and Draco was not all that large and he had no intention of spending more time in it than necessary.
Poppy had approved of his moving about, so long as he didn't push himself. Basically, she'd read him the riot act before she'd allowed Archy to serve him breakfast.
He'd no sooner emptied his bowl of porridge when Minerva had arrived.
"With Albus not here, I have to step into the role of Headmistress. Between those duties and my classes, I have no spare time. I need you to correct these. Remember they're Transfiguration and not Potions. Try to keep the vitriol down to an acceptable level. Oh, and your Prefect would like to report to you. I gave him permission to miss my class this afternoon so you can speak in private. Unfortunately, I don't think he should be allowed past the wards so you'll have to hold this conference in the hallway, on the landing by the main staircase. Archy has already set up two chairs for that purpose."
Before he had had the time to protest that he had reading of his own to catch up, she'd left in a swirl of skirts and robes.
So, here he was, correcting Fifth Year Transfiguration scrolls and muttering invective under his breath as he slashed yet another with red ink.
That would teach the little ignoramus to split an infinitive!
"Oh, excuse me."
Severus glanced up and realised that he was being watched by Gavin Bennett.
"Have you no class this period, Mr Bennett?"
The boy grinned. "No. Research period, but thanks to Kitty and Neville, I've done the work."
Severus sat back, holding the quill in one hand while stroking the feather with his other. "I see."
Bennett entered the room, obviously looking for something. He finally dropped to all fours and searched under the couch, "Ah!", and pulled out a wad of paper that he carefully smoothed open.
"I knew I had it somewhere."
There was that grin again. Severus shook his head. "What is it?"
"Notes I made for Ancient Runes. For the next assignment."
Severus thought a moment. Bennett's work had always been handed in on time. "When is that one due?"
"Next week. Seventeen inches on the development of the casting of bones to the casting of runes."
Severus raised an eyebrow. And the professor who taught Ancient Runes couldn't understand why Severus thought his course frivolous!
"Are you coming back to Potions, Professor?"
Severus looked at the boy who was still perusing his notes. "Not for the foreseeable future."
"Pity."
Severus's eyebrow rose again. "I would think that you would find Professor Slughorn a far more tolerable instructor."
Bennett sniffed disdainfully. "He plays favourites."
"Ah. Yes, Mr Bennett, that he does. Am I to assume that you don't number among them?"
"Why would I?" Bennett moved from floor to couch, spreading out on it as though trying to fill all available space. "I don't come from an important family. I don't have money. I'm okay in Potions but that's not going to bring fame and fortune to my mentor in that field. And I'm openly queer." He shook his head, a hint of a smile on his face. "No, all things considered, I guess I don't qualify."
"But he is a good instructor."
"Not like you. Oh, I'm not just saying that, Professor. You're pretty moody for a teacher. Sarcastic as well. I understand that you're sort of different with your Slytherin/Gryffindor classes, but with us Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw, you're no worse than..." He thought a moment. "Than Professor McGonagall when Slytherin whips Gryffindor at Quidditch."
Severus shook his head slightly. "I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted at the comparison, Mr Bennett."
Bennett shrugged. "At the very least, you're fair. I give you the best that I can, and you know it. Potions aren't where I'm headed, and I know that I'm no genius at them, but when you mark my work, you're fair."
"You have, if I remember correctly, a B average in Potions."
Gavin made a bit of a face. "Had. Professor Slughorn seems to think that I'm not worth much more than a D. He gave us back an assignment this morning. I wouldn't mind so much, but I know it's worth at least a B. I didn't slack off at all." He sighed.
Severus knew all about Slughorn's methods. He'd been the victim of them for seven years. "You will be writing your NEWTs and that's the only mark that counts this year. Slug...er, Professor Slughorn will have no hand in those."
Bennett nodded. "Yeah, but it's discouraging."
Yes, it was.
"If you are interested, I could look your work over and see what I would have assigned to it. I must warn you that I will do nothing to try and influence Professor Slughorn." Not hard. They weren't talking to each other and probably never would, not if he couldn't leave the tower.
Bennett sat up. "You'd do that?"
Severus gave a little shrug. "At least it should be minimally more interesting than these assignments Professor McGonagall has me marking," he grouched.
"Thank you, sir."
Bennett got off the couch and headed for the door.
"Mr Bennett."
"Sir?"
"Have you a minute?"
Bennett dropped into the nearest chair. "Yes, certainly. What would you like, sir?"
Severus looked at the quill he had in his hands and slowly placed it on the desk. "I understand, from Professor McGonagall, that I owe my life to you."
Gavin Bennett suddenly found the floor and its carpets very interesting. "Just in the wrong place at the right time, I guess you could say."
"If you don't mind, I would like to hear from you what it was you saw and overheard."
The boy slouched back. He looked around the room as though seeking spies.
"There are no portraits, no paintings of any kind in here. If you cast a silencing spell within the room and leave the door open, no one will be able to approach without our being aware of it, nor hear what they shouldn't."
Bennett lit up. "Charms and spells are what I'm really good at."
And he was. The spell he cast was fairly innovative and impressed Severus, who was not used to being impressed. Maybe the boy was only average at Potions, but his skills with spells were excellent.
Keeping an eye on the door, Severus listened while Gavin Bennett described what had happened that night he'd listened from the other side of the balcony door.
"And he removed the bindings?"
Bennett nodded. "Said something about not wanting your ghost to haunt Hogwarts."
Severus carefully hid his relief and delight. "Thank you, Mr Bennett, for the telling."
"Not a problem, Professor. I'm only glad I was able to help." He undid the spell and went to return to his classes. "You know," he stopped in the doorway and looked at Severus, "this place wouldn't be the same without you. And it's brought us all closer together. The katzentisch, I mean. My family..." He shook his head. "My family isn't really comfortable with me. I spend my holidays with an uncle, my mother's brother, who's like me. Who also makes the family uncomfortable. My father...he belongs to the old school. If you know what I mean."
Severus nodded. "I do indeed, Mr Bennett. I do indeed."
Gavin Bennett grinned, his smile chasing the serious mien of his features away. "See you after classes, sir."
Severus listened until he couldn't hear the boy's steps down the staircase. He owed this boy a lifedebt. He'd expected him to use that against him. Well, why not? The other times he'd had lifedebts, they had been. He'd even given Bennett an opening, a chance to remind Severus of the fact.
Except that the boy didn't appear to understand the seriousness of this debt.
Not like James Potter, who had reminded him of it at every opportunity. Not like Albus Dumbledore, who didn't with words, but had with his requests.
Maybe the boy would catch on later on, but somehow Severus doubted it. The boy was even-tempered and was tolerated with a certain acceptance by his House-mates. He didn't have the reputation of being mean or manipulative.
One of the scrolls piled next to him rolled down and Severus glared at it as it came to a standstill on top of the essay he was correcting.
With a sigh, he pushed it out of the way and went back to his marking.
**********
Quid 2, Post 70
What to Do.
**********
Other than the sound of skin against skin, the only other sound in the room was the sharp inhale of breath.
Draco was lying buck naked over the knees of an equally naked Harry. His face was red and there were lines of tears making their way down his face, but it wasn't enough.
Harry must have sensed that since his hand stayed on Draco's arse, gently rubbing the reddened skin.
"Sorry."
Draco slipped back down onto his heels, wincing just the very slightest when his arse hit his heels. "You tried. Thank you." He looked down at himself, at the cock that was barely hard. "It's just not the same thing when it's someone other than Severus, I guess."
Harry slouched in the chair they'd appropriated from a classroom. It hadn't seemed appropriate to use one of Severus's chairs without his permission. "I'm really not comfortable with dealing out pain."
"You managed it before," said Draco, not in an accusing manner.
Harry shrugged. "Guess it was because we both knew Severus wasn't available. Now that he is..."
"I know what you mean. All the time you were spanking me, I wanted it to be him. To have his hands on my arse."
"I don't mind making you beg for it, like the other night, but actual pain is... Reminds me too much of the Dursleys. I didn't find spankings anything other than humiliating and painful."
Draco rubbed the wetness off his face. "They're not very arousing when that's all they are. Must be something that Severus is best at for me." He looked, a little worried at Harry, who was grimacing. "Does that bother you?"
Harry shook his head. "I really like your mouth on me, but it's different when it's Severus." He tried to smile. "Back to plain old vanilla sex for us then?"
Draco rested his head on Harry's thigh. "I like 'plain old vanilla sex' with you." His hand stroked Harry's leg, from ankle to knee. "I like the kind of sex we have. It's just that..."
"It needs the Master's hand."
Draco thought a moment then nodded, rubbing his nose on Harry's knee. "It really was different when we thought Severus didn't remember. But now that he does..."
Draco shifted so that he was between Harry's knees, which moved farther apart to give him more space. Harry slouched down just a little more so that his cock was easily accessible to Draco's mouth, should he wish to use it. "Still the teacher-student problem though."
"Yeah," mourned Draco, nuzzling Harry's balls.
Harry buried his fingers in Draco's hair, just massaging, not directing. Draco licked the underside of Harry's cock.
"I'm finding it hard to sleep in the same room with him and not have him between us." Harry wriggled his hips, hoping that Draco would get the message. Draco braced his hands to either side of Harry's groin and seemed to be more interested in studying the territory.
"Would need to make the bed larger," Draco murmured casually, as though his mind was no longer on the conversation.
Harry flushed at the intent way Draco was examining him. "Add some really strong silencing spells and wards on the room," added Harry, closing his eyes as Draco bobbed for the head of his cock.
"'Cause you scream so loud." Though the last word was rather muffled as Draco caught his prey.
"Hmph! Coming from Mr The Walls Are Coming Down, that's a good one."
Draco snickered around his mouthful and Harry's hips jerked. The hand on his balls kept him steady while Draco went about seeing if he could get Harry to forget and move. He got his wish when he slowly rubbed the spot just behind Harry's balls.
"Bloody hell!! Let go, damn you."
Draco laughed deep in his throat and Harry nearly bucked off the chair. Soon it didn't matter. Harry's hips were pumping and Draco gloried in seeing his lover out of control.
Harry's shout when he came made Draco grin. He wasn't the only one who shouted the walls down!
Harry slowly slipped off the chair and, with Draco's guidance, ended up lying on the carpet. He sighed, content.
Draco leaned an elbow on the seat and watched Harry catch his breath, as his body lost the flush that Harry always produced when aroused.
Eyes closed, Harry reached for Draco and hauled him down so that he partially rested on Harry. Draco placed his head on Harry's chest and his hand on the other's hip. They lay that way for some minutes.
"Draco?"
"Hmmm?"
"Do you... Do you sense something wrong with Severus?"
Draco slowly raised his head to look into Harry's eyes. "Other than having survived several attempts to kill him painfully and an Old Ways Ritual?"
"Seriously."
Draco chewed on his lower lip. "He's used to more space and he's uncomfortable with only us, the katzentisch, for company. Other than the times that McGonagall and Pomfrey visit. And if he's not bored now, he will be once he's finished reading whatever it is he wants to."
"Draco. I know all that. That's not what I mean."
Draco nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I was hoping that it wasn't just me."
"In the Chamber, once we started having sex, he couldn't keep his hands off us. And he loved having our hands on him."
"Might have been the influence of the Chamber, you know. I mean, we're managing to keep our hands to ourselves until we find the opportunity."
"Still. I..."
Draco sat up and stared at Harry. "You what?"
Harry sat up and turned so that he and Draco sat face to face. "I noticed that..."
"Harry!" Draco rubbed his face. "Get to the point."
"He doesn't suffer from morning woodies."
Draco blinked. "Huh?"
"You know, the reason we shower together in the mornings?"
Draco waved that explanation away. "How do you know...?"
"Yesterday and this morning, when he got out of bed, his nightshirt...Well, I couldn't help noticing that it was flat, if you know..."
"What you mean. Okay. I get the picture." Draco frowned. "Why would...?"
Harry shrugged. "Torture, attempts to kill him, the Ritual. You listed them yourself."
"It's only been two mornings...and maybe he jacked off before..."
"He was sound asleep when we both got up. You commented on that, how he was getting the sleep he needed."
Draco nodded. "It can't be that serious, if it's true. I checked the potions he's taking. There were none for impotence or other sexual dysfunction. I would have noticed."
"You checked his potions?" Harry was taken aback. He'd never think of doing that.
Draco gave him what Harry called that 'Slytherin Look'. "I'm not taking chances with his health."
"You don't trust Pomfrey?" Now Harry was incredulous.
Draco shrugged. "Other than you, when it comes to Severus, no, I guess I don't. So I checked to see what she was giving him. I even sniffed the bottles to make certain the labels were what the potions were supposed to be." He smirked at Harry. "I don't get the marks I do in Potions because of favouritism, you know. It's always been my best subject."
Harry didn't challenge that. He knew how much Hermione hated it when Draco got a better mark.
"So, got any other ideas as to why Severus can't get it up?"
Draco stood up and began reaching for his clothes. Harry grabbed his hand, stopping him. "I think you may still have a need for a little particular attention." He gestured to the semi-erect cock at his eye-level. Making him come seemed to have had an effect on Draco.
Draco stepped back. "It can wait. Right now, we need to think about Severus."
They dressed in silence, both lost in thought.
"Draco?"
"Yes?"
"Could it be that his body just needs a little kick-start?"
Draco looked thoroughly confused. "A what?"
"Motorcycle reference. To get it started, you have to kick down."
Draco's eyebrow rose. "Oh, really. And how is kicking Severus going to..."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Not a physical kick. More of a...a psychological one."
"Psychological? How Muggle!"
The slow grin that spread over Harry's face gave Draco a bit of a warning. "You remember that book we found?"
Draco's eyes opened wide. "The one under the bed?"
"That's the one."
Draco's responding smile was more than lecherous. "Oh. That kind of kick-start. I see."
**********
on to the next part
Series: Posting 66 - 70
Pairing: Threesome: S/H/D
Posting began: August 22, 2006
Posting ended: April 7, 2007
Warnings, etc.: See Post 1
Quid 2, Post 66
At the Same Time as Draco and Harry Are in Severus's Quarters...
**********
Minerva knocked on the door of what her katzentisch called their common room.
The door opened and five heads looked up from various activities. She was delighted to see that they were all working on school assignments. Their last year and there really was no time to be wasted in preparation for NEWTs. She agreed with Miss Granger that this was the priority for the year, especially when NEWTs were a mere five-and-a-bit months away. But she was also pleased to see that the atmosphere in this common room was not one of the frantic tension that seemed to prevail in her other common room.
Here, there were smiles on faces; bodies were comfortably spread out on couches, in armchairs and even on the floor.
"Professor!" Neville's pleasure was real.
Minerva closed the door behind her and nodded to her kitlings. "I've come to see if you've all settled in."
Blaise Zabini rose to his feet and offered her his seat. She accepted with a small bow of her head.
Gavin pulled himself from a reclining position on the floor to one sitting, cross-legged, propping his elbows on his knees and dropping his chin onto the small platform of his joined hands. He sighed, in a melo-dramatic fashion that Minerva was beginning to recognise was a prelude to some equally melo-dramatic statement.
"They don't believe me, dear Professor McGonagall. And they're making my life a misery because of it."
Minerva accepted a cup of tea from Kitty and a chocolate digestive from Neville. "What don't they believe, Mister Bennett?"
He sighed again, very loudly.
Zeffy reached out with a foot and nudged him. "Get over it, Squeakie."
Gavin put on his most miserable face. "You see what I mean. Abuse, dear Professor. They're abusing me and they all seem to find it funny."
Minerva looked around the room. Neville was sitting on the arm of the chair that Blaise had taken over when Neville had risen to serve her. His grin was openly wide while Blaise's was more discreet. Kitty was hiding her smile behind a hand, not all that successfully, and Zeffy was making no such attempt.
"I don't understand, Mister Bennett." She took a sip of tea to hide her own lips, finding the smiles contagious.
Gavin shook his head. "They don't believe me when I tell them that you turned me into a cat. They say I imagined that."
Minerva set her cup and saucer down on her lap. "No, of course you didn't."
Gavin's face looked victorious. "See! I told you so!"
"Did you really?" Zeffy seemed incredulous.
Minerva nodded. "Mister Bennett had some very important information to pass on to me and he rightly was afraid of being overheard. As a cat, he could reveal everything he knew and I could understand him. No one else in the castle could, unless one counts Mrs. Norris and she was off doing her rounds."
Gavin bowed. "Thank you."
"So the story he's telling about how he saved professor Snape's life..." Blaise wasn't so easy to convince.
"Is perfectly correct." Minerva sat back in her chair. "Why would you think that Mister Bennett was inaccurate in his retelling of the event?"
There were shared looks in the room, which made Gavin frown again.
"Well," Kitty offered, "Gavin does have a bit of a flair for over-exaggeration."
Minerva looked at the boy. He flushed a little. If she had known that about him before he'd come to her, would she have been so ready to listen to him? She liked to think that she would have. After all, he could have gone to Sprout and he hadn't. He'd come to her. And she'd been so right to take him seriously.
"So what kind of a cat did Squeakie make?" Zeffy teased.
"Let me guess," interrupted Kitty. "An indolent Persian."
Minerva handed her cup to Neville and pulled out her wand. "Not at all. Not a Persian. A very sensible British Bicolour Shorthair." And she waved her wand.
The cat sitting on the floor looking up at all of them was the same as had appeared in her quarters. The white and orange face was still split into that distinctive yin-yang figure.
"Oh!" Kitty leaned over and carefully scooped him up. Gavin took offense to that, growled and jumped out of her arms. Obviously put off, he began grooming himself.
"I wonder what kind of cat I would make," murmured Neville.
Minerva cocked her head. Well, why not? She, too, wondered at the revelations their feline selves would present.
Neville suddenly shifted shape. The silver spotted tabby that sat hunched on the chair's arm was solidly built. The head was large and round, with a strong chin. The nose was short and straight.
He stood up and on short, powerful legs, he leapt to the floor, where he landed on large paws. The tail was not particularly long but was thick. With eyes that were a deep green rimmed with black, he looked the group over before going over to Blaise's legs where he rubbed himself affectionately.
Minerva smiled. "Well, not that much of a surprise. A British Silver Spotted Shorthair. A good, sensible, dependable breed."
Blaise shook his head. "I'll never get rid of the cat hair," he complained, but Minerva noticed that he wasn't wasting any time scratching Neville-cat between the ears.
"Please, me next?" asked Kitty.
Unlike the other two cats, this one was long-haired. Mainly orange but with cream markings. Gavin-cat meowed his greeting.
Her face was a delicate, triangular shape, with a nose that was straight, long and wide with a cream blaze that reached up to her forehead. There were other cream markings on her face, and around her copper-coloured eyes. Her ruff was cream, as well as the toes of her paws. Her orangey coat was dense and heavy.
"What is she?" Zeffy reached out for her, but Kitty-cat hissed softly and went off inspecting the underside of the armchairs.
"I believe she's what is called a Norwegian Forest Cat. Very self-reliant. Not much for being fussed over."
"Ah," nodded Zeffy. "True to type, then. So, what am I?"
The cat that sat in Zeffy's place was noticeably different from the others. More foreign-looking.
She was a short-hair, but with a lithe, muscular body. Everything about her screamed sleek. Her soft-looking coat was silver-tipped on a dark brown base. Though not as large as Neville-cat's, her head was round, with large green eyes. Her brick-red nose was rimmed with black. Her ears, which were twitching as though hearing the room, were large for her face and rounded at the tips.
Minerva smiled. "Yes, such an appropriate choice." At Blaise's, "How?", she identified the breed. "Burmilla. Rather rare still. Baroness von Kirchberg created the breed here in Britain in the 1980s. Very affectionate, but also very intelligent and very determined."
"So what does that leave for me?"
Minerva wondered herself what Blaise Zabini would reveal.
Another of these recently invented breeds. Not surprising, considering his human ancestry.
"Tonkinese, my dear. And a rather excellent example, if I do say so."
And he was, what with the dark mink-like colour and texture to his coat. His eyes, large in a triangular face, were wide-set and blue, so striking against the colour of his coat. His large ears were more rounded in shape than those of the British Shorthairs, but like Zeffy's twitched as though sounding out the space around him.
"Well, true to type there, also, I believe, Mister Zabini. Lively, curious, attentive and a ferocious hunter. Also, not at all prone to accepting competition, something, Mister Longbottom, you need to know."
She sat there, surrounded by the five of her kitlings, and decided to join them.
A few words and her British Shorthair Tabby self joined the others.
She stayed with them in their cat forms for an hour, noticing how they were adjusting to their cat-selves, and to each other.
Neville-cat and Blaise-cat stayed close to each other as they inspected the corners of the room, with Neville being the more curious of the two while Blaise was more on watch. Zeffy-cat had found a wad of paper and was happily batting it around, over to Gavin-cat who batted it back to her when he wasn't busy grooming himself. Kitty-cat was more interested in approaching Minerva in her cat self, and discussing the fact that they were all various breeds.
Minerva watched her kitlings with a certain amount of pride and maternal feeling. All told, they made for a strange litter, but they were hers.
**********
Quid 2, Post 67
Considertions.
**********
Poppy Pomfrey stood looking at the man who was staring blankly at the wall.
Archy had appeared in her Infirmary, stuttering in his anxiety about how Severus was screaming for her. She'd run... Dear Merlin, how she had run! To find the man hunched over on himself, his arms wrapped around his body, his breathing sharp gasps of pain.
She'd feared a return of the Cruciatus and it had taken her several minutes to understand the words that Severus was keening lowly with each painful breath.
She'd had to cast a tranquilising spell on him before she could touch him, his response to her hand was so extreme. He'd screamed as if she'd burnt him.
Thank Merlin that the others were not around and that the walls and floor thick with stone kept the sound from passing. She'd hurriedly cast a silencing spell on the room.
Once she'd understood, once she had calmed him enough to get him over to the bed, once she'd got him to lie down, she'd run her diagnosing spells on him. Once. Twice. Three times.
All with the same result.
Severus's Magic was still there.
The red glow of the spells confirmed that. But they also confirmed that, somehow, for whatever reason, Severus was not able to access his Magic.
He'd taken some persuading that he still had it in him. She'd had to explain the spells and their responses to him. And to perform them again with him watching the glow appear for Severus finally to believe her.
But belief was not acceptance and Severus was not near ready for that.
She watched him as he sat on the bed, his eyes not seeing the wall. The pupils of his eyes were so large that she doubted he could see.
Poppy went and sat by him, careful not to touch him, but close enough if he should reach out.
He didn't, of course.
He hadn't reached out when a child, tormented by his peers. He hadn't, the night she'd tended him after his encounter with a werewolf. He hadn't, the times he'd needed care when he returned, disciplined for whatever reason by a madman who wanted to rule the world of wizards. And he hadn't whenever Albus Dumbledore had reminded him in front of her, no matter how obliquely, of his binding to Hogwarts. And to the Headmaster.
Oh, she knew about that. The binding.
Her spells had picked that up quickly when Severus had joined the staff after being released from Azkaban into the care of Albus Dumbledore. He'd needed tending then and she had caught the hint of something that had had her casting the kinds of spells that normally she would not.
She'd just returned from a summer of specialised study for healers, having to do with the effects of the Imperius Curse and other such spells. There had been so many who had claimed that they had done the things they had under that spell that interest in the Unforgivable had risen. Knowing the families who made such claims, knowing their children were under her care, she'd attended.
That knowledge had led her to follow that hint of something to her discovery of Severus and his binding. She'd reported to the Headmaster, who had looked at her over the top of his glasses, eyes a hard blue, and who had suggested that she should forget about such things if she wanted to remain at Hogwarts. That whatever there was, was between Severus and himself.
"They're no longer there," she broke the heavy silence.
Severus didn't react.
"Severus." She made her voice sharper, trying to get past the wall of isolation. "Severus!"
He blinked then.
She dared and reached out her hand. She placed it on one of his, clenched tightly in his lap, and nearly recoiled at the coldness of skin and flesh tight over bone.
"Severus. Look at me, my dear."
It took a moment. She was ready to make the request again, in a more aggressive tone, when he did turn his head to look at her.
With those bottomless eyes, filled with a kind of pain she could only badly imagine.
"They're gone, you know. The bonds that held you to Hogwarts and... And to the Headmaster."
Severus frowned as though he didn't understand what she was saying. She squeezed his hand and said it again, slowly, hoping that the words would penetrate the fugue he was in.
"The bonds that were cast on you. To keep you here at Hogwarts. They aren't there any more. I've always..." She bit her lip. If Albus had known... "I've always checked on them, whenever I've had the opportunity."
Whenever he'd been unconscious or drugged and Albus had not been around. She hadn't done so this time; he'd been so broken and it had taken all of her ability, all of her knowledge to put him back together again. But now she'd thought to check and her spells no longer revealed the bonds.
Poppy could see him work to gather his attention.
"The...bonds...?"
"No longer there. I've tested several times and they're gone, Severus."
He laughed.
It chilled her.
"Severus." She reached for her wand with her free hand. If he were going over the edge, he would need to be rendered unconscious. She didn't want him more injured than he was.
"Yet another thing I seem to have lost."
His voice, ruined from his torture, sounded like metal grating against rock.
Poppy, used to listening to nuances where this man was concerned, thought a moment before asking, "What else have you lost, Severus?"
He removed his hand from under hers and rubbed his face, the heels of his hands pressed hard against the bones.
"Severus? Answer me. What else have you lost?"
His smile was cutting. "Nothing very useful, all things considered."
"Severus." She let a little harshness colour her voice. Damn, there were times she wished she could shake him hard. But he'd been hurt so very much in his life.
He allowed himself to fall backwards onto the bed. "Just my libido. As I said, nothing very useful."
He lay quiet while she cast another series of spells.
"No erections?"
This time Severus's laugh held less of the manic in it. "Madam Pomfrey! Your prurient interest scandalises me."
"Oh, shut up, Severus! Have you tried?"
Severus stared at the ceiling. "Yes, Poppy, I have tried. Nothing happens."
"At all?"
"Will you not spare my blushes?"
She scoffed. He needed that from her. "Details, Severus."
"Other than initial interest, nothing else."
Poppy made a show of sighing. From Severus, that was probably all the detail she would drag out of him.
"Mornings?"
He shook his head. "Not even that. Soft as a cooked noodle and as useful."
She stood up to glare down at him. "Well, if that's true, and I'm not doubting you, Severus, then your libido is acting like your Magic."
He looked up at her, his face actually more alert than it had been since she'd arrived.
"According to my tests, there's nothing wrong with you. Nothing physical. If you're impotent, Severus, it may be for the same reason you can't access your Magic."
Severus slowly propped himself up on his elbows. "Are you implying that I am doing this to myself? Because if you are..."
She held up her hand to stop him. "I think no such thing, Severus Snape. Oh, I might, remotely," she glared at him, "for the impotence. After all, you are recovering from torture and only you know what was done to you other than the Cruciatus."
He opened his mouth to argue and she shook her head, continuing. "But for your Magic? Never. Whatever the problem is, I believe it to be outside of you. Still, I would like to run more tests, just to be certain, but I don't think they will reveal any physical damage. I do think that it may have something to do with the Ritual, but how? I have no idea. And, to be honest, Severus, I also have no idea how to go about finding out."
**********
Quid 2, Post 68
Adjustments.
**********
Severus felt as if the walls were closing in on him. He needed to get out of this room. Moreover, strangely for him, he had an overwhelming need to hear voices speaking about anything other than the thoughts that were running rampant through his mind.
He remembered Minerva saying something about a common room and decided to find it.
The stairwell at the end of the hallway was well-lit even if it was narrow and fairly steep. He kept his hands on the walls going down, in case he was less steady on his legs than he thought.
He paused at the landing for the floor below before deciding that his legs were good for another level.
He could hear laughter as he neared that landing. The light spilling out of the open door at the end of the hallway was appealing and he approached it carefully, not certain of his reception.
He was, after all, still a professor of theirs, in one form or another, even if he couldn't leave the tower.
Severus hesitated at the doorway, needing to convince himself to take that next step into the doorway. He would be an intruder.
They were all there, spread out in the small room, scrolls, books, inkwells and quills all over the place. There seemed to be at least two different discussions going on - one about Arithmancy, the other about Ancient Runes - with much gesturing and points being made.
Severus suddenly remembered similar discussions from his days as a student, arguments that were strongly defended and theories torn apart for the sheer pleasure of being able to do so.
He really didn't belong here.
As he went to turn away, Blaise Zabini noticed him.
"Professor Snape!"
Blaise jumped up from the bit of floor he'd appropriated and went quickly to the door.
"Sir. Please, come in."
Severus hesitated, but the smiles on the faces seemed truly inviting. He nodded to Blaise. "If I'm not interrupting."
Blaise laughed. "Just preventing me from hexing Draco. He seems to have misunderstood the assignment and refuses to listen to my excellent hypothesis."
"That's because it's sheer stupidity," scoffed Draco, rising from his place at the table where he'd been writing. "Sir. Are you feeling better?"
Severus had earlier used the excuse of a headache for not eating supper. He nodded again. "Much better, Mister Black."
Zeffy stood up from the couch she was sharing with Kitty. She gave the room a quick once-over before realising that she had had Archy provide only enough chairs for each of the katzentisch. Even if Blaise had been using the floor, she shook her head. "Archy!"
The house-elf popped into appearance. "Yes, Miss Zephyr Strange."
Kitty grinned as Zeffy rolled her eyes. The house-elf insisted on addressing them with their complete names.
"Could you please go to Professor Snape's quarters and bring back his favourite armchair?" She turned to address Severus. "If that's all right with you, Professor. I mean, Professor McGonagall has explained that you will be remaining in the tower with us and, well, you might as well be comfortable."
"That's very considerate of you, Miss Strange. Yes, please, Archy. The armchair by the hearth, the one that's more used."
Archy bowed and disappeared. Severus took a couple of steps into the room, looking around at the set-up. Archy reappeared with the armchair.
With a smile, Zeffy waved it closer to the hearth that was blazing away happily and bowed Severus to it.
Severus found himself smiling. "Thank you, Miss Strange. Please, do go back to your studies."
"Actually, we're just about to break for tea. Will you join us?"
Severus was aware from the reactions of the others that the tea break was probably a fabrication, but now that he was here, sitting in a familiar and comfortable chair, he found that a cup of tea would probably suit him very well.
"Yes, I believe I would."
Zeffy turned to Archy. "If you please, Archy, and some snacks as well."
Archy, who had both delivered the supper tray to Severus and removed it untouched, nodded thoughtfully then disappeared.
Blaise, realising that Severus felt a little out of place - he wasn't known for socialising much with students, even of his own House - threw himself back on the floor and took up harassing Draco about the scope of his assignment.
Harry smiled at Severus and went back to his work. Zeffy and Kitty took up their argument with Gavin about Ancient Runes. Only Neville sat staring at Severus, face nervous.
Severus was aware of the expression, knowing full well the reason behind it was his treatment of the boy when he'd been in Severus's classes. But he owed the boy and his family. According to Poppy, he'd probably still be unconscious without the Ritual. The Ritual that had taken away his ability to access his Magic and his libido.
Still, he owed the family and the boy some gratitude. So he removed his glance from Longbottom until he sensed the boy had returned to his work.
*****
Archy supplied pots of tea and hot chocolate, but he also provided several plates of sandwiches, of small cakes and biscuits as well as a bowl of soup for Severus.
Kitty appointed herself mother and poured, talking all the while about some of the things that had happened in the past week, things that Severus would probably have heard about in the staff room had he not been ill, but with far more scurrilous details and insults.
Nothing had really changed since Severus had been a student, only the names of the students and professors - Kitty had glanced over to him when she'd made a rather intuitive yet scathing remark about Slughorn before continuing.
The fact that he didn't reprimand her - frankly, he'd been hard pressed not to laugh out loud - gave the others the signal that they were to consider him, if not one of them, then at least part of the furniture.
He said nothing, merely ate his soup and the sandwiches that Kitty selected for him, and drank the tea she prepared as he liked.
Neville was still uncomfortable with him being there, but unwound enough to drag his chair closer to the food - Severus had long ago stopped being amazed at the amount of food boys this age ingested, even after a good supper - and actually smiled when Blaise propped himself against his legs.
Severus mentally shook his head. Zabini and Longbottom. Whoever would have thought! But he had to admit that he had also never seen Blaise this relaxed, as relaxed as Harry was against Draco's legs. Bennett, who had been as watchful as Longbottom, was now settled between the two young women, using one or the other as a leaning post, doing his best to make everyone laugh at his sallies and comments about whomever Kitty had brought up.
Settling back in his chair, Severus looked the room over. Seven very bright - because even if he'd been a failure at Potions, Longbottom was undeniably a superb Herbology student - very personable, very witty young people.
All of whom had bravely come out to the whole school.
Things had changed. In his day, people who cared for their own sex were very careful about letting others know it. Their House-mates knew, or guessed, but other Houses? Never. Homosexuality was considered a House secret.
But how much had it really been? There were several from other Houses who were very much aware of Evan's relationship with him.
These, they were all Under Minerva's Protection. Was it for their coming out, or because she was worried about danger from another source?
Well, he was going to be stuck here, with them as companions. He didn't have any Magic to protect them, but he could help them with their studies. And as Head, he could call on the house-elves who served his House for news, for any information that concerned Minerva's katzentisch.
With a small nod of his head, he accepted a refill from Kitty Parfitt.
**********
Quid 2, Post 69
One Conversation.
**********
Severus was sitting at a desk in the common room, working at correcting Transfiguration assignments.
That morning, Minerva had shown up with a basket of scrolls hovering behind her as he'd been finishing breakfast. He'd informed Archy that he'd be taking his meals from that morning on in the common room. The space he shared with Harry and Draco was not all that large and he had no intention of spending more time in it than necessary.
Poppy had approved of his moving about, so long as he didn't push himself. Basically, she'd read him the riot act before she'd allowed Archy to serve him breakfast.
He'd no sooner emptied his bowl of porridge when Minerva had arrived.
"With Albus not here, I have to step into the role of Headmistress. Between those duties and my classes, I have no spare time. I need you to correct these. Remember they're Transfiguration and not Potions. Try to keep the vitriol down to an acceptable level. Oh, and your Prefect would like to report to you. I gave him permission to miss my class this afternoon so you can speak in private. Unfortunately, I don't think he should be allowed past the wards so you'll have to hold this conference in the hallway, on the landing by the main staircase. Archy has already set up two chairs for that purpose."
Before he had had the time to protest that he had reading of his own to catch up, she'd left in a swirl of skirts and robes.
So, here he was, correcting Fifth Year Transfiguration scrolls and muttering invective under his breath as he slashed yet another with red ink.
That would teach the little ignoramus to split an infinitive!
"Oh, excuse me."
Severus glanced up and realised that he was being watched by Gavin Bennett.
"Have you no class this period, Mr Bennett?"
The boy grinned. "No. Research period, but thanks to Kitty and Neville, I've done the work."
Severus sat back, holding the quill in one hand while stroking the feather with his other. "I see."
Bennett entered the room, obviously looking for something. He finally dropped to all fours and searched under the couch, "Ah!", and pulled out a wad of paper that he carefully smoothed open.
"I knew I had it somewhere."
There was that grin again. Severus shook his head. "What is it?"
"Notes I made for Ancient Runes. For the next assignment."
Severus thought a moment. Bennett's work had always been handed in on time. "When is that one due?"
"Next week. Seventeen inches on the development of the casting of bones to the casting of runes."
Severus raised an eyebrow. And the professor who taught Ancient Runes couldn't understand why Severus thought his course frivolous!
"Are you coming back to Potions, Professor?"
Severus looked at the boy who was still perusing his notes. "Not for the foreseeable future."
"Pity."
Severus's eyebrow rose again. "I would think that you would find Professor Slughorn a far more tolerable instructor."
Bennett sniffed disdainfully. "He plays favourites."
"Ah. Yes, Mr Bennett, that he does. Am I to assume that you don't number among them?"
"Why would I?" Bennett moved from floor to couch, spreading out on it as though trying to fill all available space. "I don't come from an important family. I don't have money. I'm okay in Potions but that's not going to bring fame and fortune to my mentor in that field. And I'm openly queer." He shook his head, a hint of a smile on his face. "No, all things considered, I guess I don't qualify."
"But he is a good instructor."
"Not like you. Oh, I'm not just saying that, Professor. You're pretty moody for a teacher. Sarcastic as well. I understand that you're sort of different with your Slytherin/Gryffindor classes, but with us Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw, you're no worse than..." He thought a moment. "Than Professor McGonagall when Slytherin whips Gryffindor at Quidditch."
Severus shook his head slightly. "I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted at the comparison, Mr Bennett."
Bennett shrugged. "At the very least, you're fair. I give you the best that I can, and you know it. Potions aren't where I'm headed, and I know that I'm no genius at them, but when you mark my work, you're fair."
"You have, if I remember correctly, a B average in Potions."
Gavin made a bit of a face. "Had. Professor Slughorn seems to think that I'm not worth much more than a D. He gave us back an assignment this morning. I wouldn't mind so much, but I know it's worth at least a B. I didn't slack off at all." He sighed.
Severus knew all about Slughorn's methods. He'd been the victim of them for seven years. "You will be writing your NEWTs and that's the only mark that counts this year. Slug...er, Professor Slughorn will have no hand in those."
Bennett nodded. "Yeah, but it's discouraging."
Yes, it was.
"If you are interested, I could look your work over and see what I would have assigned to it. I must warn you that I will do nothing to try and influence Professor Slughorn." Not hard. They weren't talking to each other and probably never would, not if he couldn't leave the tower.
Bennett sat up. "You'd do that?"
Severus gave a little shrug. "At least it should be minimally more interesting than these assignments Professor McGonagall has me marking," he grouched.
"Thank you, sir."
Bennett got off the couch and headed for the door.
"Mr Bennett."
"Sir?"
"Have you a minute?"
Bennett dropped into the nearest chair. "Yes, certainly. What would you like, sir?"
Severus looked at the quill he had in his hands and slowly placed it on the desk. "I understand, from Professor McGonagall, that I owe my life to you."
Gavin Bennett suddenly found the floor and its carpets very interesting. "Just in the wrong place at the right time, I guess you could say."
"If you don't mind, I would like to hear from you what it was you saw and overheard."
The boy slouched back. He looked around the room as though seeking spies.
"There are no portraits, no paintings of any kind in here. If you cast a silencing spell within the room and leave the door open, no one will be able to approach without our being aware of it, nor hear what they shouldn't."
Bennett lit up. "Charms and spells are what I'm really good at."
And he was. The spell he cast was fairly innovative and impressed Severus, who was not used to being impressed. Maybe the boy was only average at Potions, but his skills with spells were excellent.
Keeping an eye on the door, Severus listened while Gavin Bennett described what had happened that night he'd listened from the other side of the balcony door.
"And he removed the bindings?"
Bennett nodded. "Said something about not wanting your ghost to haunt Hogwarts."
Severus carefully hid his relief and delight. "Thank you, Mr Bennett, for the telling."
"Not a problem, Professor. I'm only glad I was able to help." He undid the spell and went to return to his classes. "You know," he stopped in the doorway and looked at Severus, "this place wouldn't be the same without you. And it's brought us all closer together. The katzentisch, I mean. My family..." He shook his head. "My family isn't really comfortable with me. I spend my holidays with an uncle, my mother's brother, who's like me. Who also makes the family uncomfortable. My father...he belongs to the old school. If you know what I mean."
Severus nodded. "I do indeed, Mr Bennett. I do indeed."
Gavin Bennett grinned, his smile chasing the serious mien of his features away. "See you after classes, sir."
Severus listened until he couldn't hear the boy's steps down the staircase. He owed this boy a lifedebt. He'd expected him to use that against him. Well, why not? The other times he'd had lifedebts, they had been. He'd even given Bennett an opening, a chance to remind Severus of the fact.
Except that the boy didn't appear to understand the seriousness of this debt.
Not like James Potter, who had reminded him of it at every opportunity. Not like Albus Dumbledore, who didn't with words, but had with his requests.
Maybe the boy would catch on later on, but somehow Severus doubted it. The boy was even-tempered and was tolerated with a certain acceptance by his House-mates. He didn't have the reputation of being mean or manipulative.
One of the scrolls piled next to him rolled down and Severus glared at it as it came to a standstill on top of the essay he was correcting.
With a sigh, he pushed it out of the way and went back to his marking.
**********
Quid 2, Post 70
What to Do.
**********
Other than the sound of skin against skin, the only other sound in the room was the sharp inhale of breath.
Draco was lying buck naked over the knees of an equally naked Harry. His face was red and there were lines of tears making their way down his face, but it wasn't enough.
Harry must have sensed that since his hand stayed on Draco's arse, gently rubbing the reddened skin.
"Sorry."
Draco slipped back down onto his heels, wincing just the very slightest when his arse hit his heels. "You tried. Thank you." He looked down at himself, at the cock that was barely hard. "It's just not the same thing when it's someone other than Severus, I guess."
Harry slouched in the chair they'd appropriated from a classroom. It hadn't seemed appropriate to use one of Severus's chairs without his permission. "I'm really not comfortable with dealing out pain."
"You managed it before," said Draco, not in an accusing manner.
Harry shrugged. "Guess it was because we both knew Severus wasn't available. Now that he is..."
"I know what you mean. All the time you were spanking me, I wanted it to be him. To have his hands on my arse."
"I don't mind making you beg for it, like the other night, but actual pain is... Reminds me too much of the Dursleys. I didn't find spankings anything other than humiliating and painful."
Draco rubbed the wetness off his face. "They're not very arousing when that's all they are. Must be something that Severus is best at for me." He looked, a little worried at Harry, who was grimacing. "Does that bother you?"
Harry shook his head. "I really like your mouth on me, but it's different when it's Severus." He tried to smile. "Back to plain old vanilla sex for us then?"
Draco rested his head on Harry's thigh. "I like 'plain old vanilla sex' with you." His hand stroked Harry's leg, from ankle to knee. "I like the kind of sex we have. It's just that..."
"It needs the Master's hand."
Draco thought a moment then nodded, rubbing his nose on Harry's knee. "It really was different when we thought Severus didn't remember. But now that he does..."
Draco shifted so that he was between Harry's knees, which moved farther apart to give him more space. Harry slouched down just a little more so that his cock was easily accessible to Draco's mouth, should he wish to use it. "Still the teacher-student problem though."
"Yeah," mourned Draco, nuzzling Harry's balls.
Harry buried his fingers in Draco's hair, just massaging, not directing. Draco licked the underside of Harry's cock.
"I'm finding it hard to sleep in the same room with him and not have him between us." Harry wriggled his hips, hoping that Draco would get the message. Draco braced his hands to either side of Harry's groin and seemed to be more interested in studying the territory.
"Would need to make the bed larger," Draco murmured casually, as though his mind was no longer on the conversation.
Harry flushed at the intent way Draco was examining him. "Add some really strong silencing spells and wards on the room," added Harry, closing his eyes as Draco bobbed for the head of his cock.
"'Cause you scream so loud." Though the last word was rather muffled as Draco caught his prey.
"Hmph! Coming from Mr The Walls Are Coming Down, that's a good one."
Draco snickered around his mouthful and Harry's hips jerked. The hand on his balls kept him steady while Draco went about seeing if he could get Harry to forget and move. He got his wish when he slowly rubbed the spot just behind Harry's balls.
"Bloody hell!! Let go, damn you."
Draco laughed deep in his throat and Harry nearly bucked off the chair. Soon it didn't matter. Harry's hips were pumping and Draco gloried in seeing his lover out of control.
Harry's shout when he came made Draco grin. He wasn't the only one who shouted the walls down!
Harry slowly slipped off the chair and, with Draco's guidance, ended up lying on the carpet. He sighed, content.
Draco leaned an elbow on the seat and watched Harry catch his breath, as his body lost the flush that Harry always produced when aroused.
Eyes closed, Harry reached for Draco and hauled him down so that he partially rested on Harry. Draco placed his head on Harry's chest and his hand on the other's hip. They lay that way for some minutes.
"Draco?"
"Hmmm?"
"Do you... Do you sense something wrong with Severus?"
Draco slowly raised his head to look into Harry's eyes. "Other than having survived several attempts to kill him painfully and an Old Ways Ritual?"
"Seriously."
Draco chewed on his lower lip. "He's used to more space and he's uncomfortable with only us, the katzentisch, for company. Other than the times that McGonagall and Pomfrey visit. And if he's not bored now, he will be once he's finished reading whatever it is he wants to."
"Draco. I know all that. That's not what I mean."
Draco nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I was hoping that it wasn't just me."
"In the Chamber, once we started having sex, he couldn't keep his hands off us. And he loved having our hands on him."
"Might have been the influence of the Chamber, you know. I mean, we're managing to keep our hands to ourselves until we find the opportunity."
"Still. I..."
Draco sat up and stared at Harry. "You what?"
Harry sat up and turned so that he and Draco sat face to face. "I noticed that..."
"Harry!" Draco rubbed his face. "Get to the point."
"He doesn't suffer from morning woodies."
Draco blinked. "Huh?"
"You know, the reason we shower together in the mornings?"
Draco waved that explanation away. "How do you know...?"
"Yesterday and this morning, when he got out of bed, his nightshirt...Well, I couldn't help noticing that it was flat, if you know..."
"What you mean. Okay. I get the picture." Draco frowned. "Why would...?"
Harry shrugged. "Torture, attempts to kill him, the Ritual. You listed them yourself."
"It's only been two mornings...and maybe he jacked off before..."
"He was sound asleep when we both got up. You commented on that, how he was getting the sleep he needed."
Draco nodded. "It can't be that serious, if it's true. I checked the potions he's taking. There were none for impotence or other sexual dysfunction. I would have noticed."
"You checked his potions?" Harry was taken aback. He'd never think of doing that.
Draco gave him what Harry called that 'Slytherin Look'. "I'm not taking chances with his health."
"You don't trust Pomfrey?" Now Harry was incredulous.
Draco shrugged. "Other than you, when it comes to Severus, no, I guess I don't. So I checked to see what she was giving him. I even sniffed the bottles to make certain the labels were what the potions were supposed to be." He smirked at Harry. "I don't get the marks I do in Potions because of favouritism, you know. It's always been my best subject."
Harry didn't challenge that. He knew how much Hermione hated it when Draco got a better mark.
"So, got any other ideas as to why Severus can't get it up?"
Draco stood up and began reaching for his clothes. Harry grabbed his hand, stopping him. "I think you may still have a need for a little particular attention." He gestured to the semi-erect cock at his eye-level. Making him come seemed to have had an effect on Draco.
Draco stepped back. "It can wait. Right now, we need to think about Severus."
They dressed in silence, both lost in thought.
"Draco?"
"Yes?"
"Could it be that his body just needs a little kick-start?"
Draco looked thoroughly confused. "A what?"
"Motorcycle reference. To get it started, you have to kick down."
Draco's eyebrow rose. "Oh, really. And how is kicking Severus going to..."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Not a physical kick. More of a...a psychological one."
"Psychological? How Muggle!"
The slow grin that spread over Harry's face gave Draco a bit of a warning. "You remember that book we found?"
Draco's eyes opened wide. "The one under the bed?"
"That's the one."
Draco's responding smile was more than lecherous. "Oh. That kind of kick-start. I see."
**********
on to the next part