7. POTIONS
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Sirius asked for the umpteenth time as Harry gathered his potions book, a roll of parchment, ink, and a quill and pushed everything into his bag.
"Yes, Sirius, I'm sure." Harry could barely keep from rolling his eyes, but decided that this would most likely anger the dominant and he really didn't feel like having another breakdown. "Lucius will be there, too. He can look after me, don't worry."
"Excuse me if I don't like the thought of the little slimeball getting close to you," Sirius growled.
"Snape is anything but little." Harry sighed and viciously stamped on the urge to apologise or abandon his plans to meet with Snape just to please the dominant. "And since I don't intend to braid his hair, I don't really care if it's greasy or not. Please, Sirius, can I go now? I don't want to be late."
"Fine," Sirius conceded, "I'll wait up for you."
Harry muttered something under his breath, but left before anyone could ask him what he had just said.
"Man, Padfoot." James seemed highly amused. "What a move!"
"I don't know what you mean. At least one of us is taking his job seriously," the grey-eyed boy answered coldly. "I haven't seen you doing much for Harry so far."
"That might have to do with the fact that you hardly took your eyes off him." James smirked. "Besides, you did look like you would bite my arm off when I put it around Harry's shoulders."
"The Bludgers must have addled with your brain, Prongsie," Sirius grumbled, "I only took care of a submissive."
"Yeah, sure, and you have no fleas, Paddy." The Chaser rolled his eyes.
"I don't have fleas!"
"That's what I just said, isn't it?" James answered innocently, but was not fast enough to escape as Sirius pounced.
"Just what are you implying?" Sirius growled after he had nailed his best-friend to the floor.
"I merely voiced the fact that it is a tad bit curious that you gave Harry more of your attention and those dreamy, horny looks than anyone else in the last year. Considering that you only use that technique when you want to get in someone's pants, you might just be on the wrong address with the little imp."
"I don't fancy him!" the veela all but shouted, plopping down in his armchair.
"Sirius, if that's true, James doesn't fancy Lily, either," Remus intervened gently, who had moved from behind his tower of books to join them.
"You were the one who told us we should take care of him," Sirius spat testily. "Don't you turn this against me now. I don't fancy him!"
With that statement he stood up and disappeared into the dormitories. A door banged shut.
While the remaining three Marauders decided that it would be best to leave Sirius alone for now (and while the object of their discussion took a cold shower) Harry had reached Slytherin territory. Lucius smiled in greeting as he stepped into the common room and patted the seat next to him. Snape was already leafing through a potions textbook, marking some pages. He wordlessly pushed another thick tome towards Harry.
"Are you okay again, Harry?" the veela asked gently as Harry leaned against his shoulder.
"Yes, I'm sorry for losing it like that at breakfast," Harry murmured, reaching for one of the books Severus had piled at the table.
"It's okay, I really shouldn't have got involved in such a stupid debate," Lucius admitted. "I'm glad Narcissa could help you."
"She did help me a lot," Harry agreed. "Where is she, anyways?"
"I think the plan was to set one of her girl-friends up with quote: 'the hottest guy in the school who isn't a veela,'" Lucius answered with faked boredom, but Harry could see him tense as he so casually mentioned Narcissa finding anyone but him attractive.
"So I have you all to myself?" Harry grinned up at Lucius, nudging the blond's arm so that he would embrace him.
"Yes, I'm totally at your mercy, Harry." Lucius laughed. "Whatever shall I do for you?"
"Parker, I was under the impression that you came here to help me with that project, but if you'd rather flirt with everything with two legs, I would appreciate it if you handed back that book," Severus interrupted them and Lucius hissed warningly at him.
"Be nice to Harry, Severus. And don't ever insinuate something like this again."
That was when Harry decided to experiment a little. Hadn't Narcissa suggested that he could wrap them all around his little finger? Well, it was worth a try.
He looked up at Lucius with his best sad puppy-dog eyes (the kind that could melt even McGonagall and Hermione) and pulled himself up against the blond. Lucius' whole demeanour changed so quickly that it was almost frightening.
"Oh, Harry." Lucius gently grasped Harry's face, caressing his cheeks. "I'll make it all better for you, little one. You don't have to be so sad."
"Snape is so mean to me," Harry whispered, sniffing demonstratively, and concluding that it wouldn't be too bad if the other boy actually was civil to him.
"Hush, I'll talk to him," Lucius crooned, pulling Harry sideways into his lap. "Severus, you will apologise to Harry and treat him with respect and as much amenability as you can possibly muster."
The green-eyed boy was quite surprised how fast Lucius' soft voice could change to a one of commanding steel and even more surprised that his future Potion's Master gave in almost immediately, offering something like a semi-genuine apology.
"Is it better now?" the dominant veela asked with concern, running his hands through Harry's hair.
"Yes, much better, thank you, Lucius." Harry smiled at him, kissing his cheek. He saw his experiment as successfully completed and mentally wrote a 'quod erat demonstrandum' under the protocol.
The veela continued to rock him gently as Harry and Snape worked on their project, the latter throwing weird glances at the two creatures, almost as if he knew what Harry had been doing. But Harry wrote it down to paranoia. After all, it wasn't always easy to keep this bitter teenager apart from his bitter and vengeful Potion's Master, who had the un-agreeable habit of poking his hooked nose into matters that didn't concern him and could get Harry into trouble.
"What if we combine it with an Aging Potion?" Harry proposed. "If the potion is strong enough and ages someone a lot, the bones would be fragile and a pain-relief surely wouldn't be unnecessary, either."
"For all I care," Snape muttered, but noted it down. "However, this is a potion that is very easy to combine, and really who wants to age themselves more than a year or two?"
"There are some spells and magical devices that can de-age you," Harry argued. "I'm sure the victims would appreciate it if they can be painlessly returned to their own age."
"I'm not saying that it isn't an option, just that it isn't the best option," the future Potions professor returned.
"And what is thebestoption?" Harry asked mildly annoyed, closing his fourth book.
"If I knew what is I wouldn't have to spend my time with you," Snape snapped and Lucius growled warningly at him.
Harry came to the conclusion that perhaps he should have thought more thoroughly about the consequences of getting Lucius in a protective mode; the veela looked ready to tear of Snape's head and then go back to cuddling with Harry.
He had to act fast now, distract the blond. "Lucius." Harry nudged the older boy's chin to get his attention. "I'm hungry."
"Shall I get you something to eat, Harry?" Lucius all but purred and Harry nodded vigorously. "Anything specific you would like?"
"No, no, anything you bring me is fine." Harry smiled in relief as he was gently deposited on the sofa and Lucius strode out of the common room.
"You manipulated him," Snape deadpanned and Harry nodded guiltily. "That's quite Slytherin of you."
"Now I only have to find out how to get him back to normal." Harry sighed. "I'm sorry he was like that to you."
"It's fine, Parker." The Slytherin rolled his dark eyes. "It was actually quite amusing to see him like this. Normally, he's more than composed and perfect."
Harry chuckled and then immersed himself once more in one of his books. "You can call me Harry, you know? It's not like Parker is my real name."
"Hiding something, Harry?" Snape challenged.
"Only that I was adopted and that my guardians were probably happier if they could just give me back," Harry answered evenly. "They could barely handle that I'm a wizard, that I'm now also an elf was most likely the last straw for them."
The other boy merely nodded his head in understanding, turning to the next page in his book.
"Snape?" Harry asked suddenly, sniffing the air. "What are you?"
"The last time I checked I was a wizard," Snape replied sarcastically. "Maybe that changes with the weather."
"I didn't mean that – I'm not afraid."
"Let's all applaud for you."
"You can't be a dominant because then I would be afraid of you, but you can't be a submissive, either, because I'm feeling quite safe," Harry continued. "And I can't sense any creature in you."
The other boy seemed surprised for a split second and Harry needed a split second longer to recognise it as surprise, but then Snape's face went back to indifference.
"What are you hiding, Severus?" Harry smiled sweetly at him, "Maybe I should ask Lucius later or maybe James or Sirius..."
"Don't you dare," the greasy-haired boy threatened, but quickly realised that there wasn't much he could do without risking to be expelled. "Keep this to yourself."
"And what is it that should I keep to myself?" Harry inquired.
"I'm a neutral," at Harry's blank expression he continued, "That's someone who has too many different kinds of creature blood, so that their blood neutralises itself. I am what others want to see in me: dominant or submissive. Until now, no one noticed anything weird. How did you do it?"
"Maybe I just wanted someone, who can't order me around, but who still makes me feel relatively safe," Harry offered. "Why are you hiding this?"
"Because," - Severus sighed - "neutrals are rare and though they themselves are no creatures their children almost always have a creature inheritance. I have no desire to have someone marry me just because of my genes."
"So basically you are in the same shit as I am in," Harry summed up. "Only that you can avoid being found out."
"Basically, yes." Severus nodded. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"
"No," Harry replied at once and the other boy visibly relaxed, "but can we stop this stupid potion thing for now? Please, Severus, please."
"One of the perks of being a neutral is that I'm immune to what you call charm," the future Potion's Master droned with a hint of amusement. "But yes, we can finish this sometime later."
"Thank you." Harry smiled, at once closing his book and slumping into the sofa, which made the other wizard roll his eyes.
"What are you waiting for? You are free to escape from my less than pleasant presence." He sneered.
"I'm waiting for Lucius to see if he'll bring me to Gryffindor Tower," Harry answered with his eyes closed. "I don't want to go alone once more."
Severus once again nodded before he went back to reading his book and ignoring Harry. Harry sighed, snuggling into the soft cushions. It both felt good to have Severus with him without sneering and belittling him and strangely not enough. He felt safer with Severus, but not as safe as if Lucius or his father or Sirius were here, though at the same time he was glad that he was relatively free like this. He wasn't forced to believe the other boy's every word, nor did he need to obey him and try to make him happy. It was almost as if he was back to being just a wizard again.
"Parker." His head snapped up at Lucius' cold tone and he instinctively covered away from the imposing blond. "You manipulated me."
"I'm sorry," Harry whispered miserably. "I... don't be angry, please. Narcissa said that I could and I wanted to try it and then I didn't know how to stop it... I'm sorry."
Suddenly Lucius laughed, sitting down on the sofa next to Harry and pulling himagain onto his lap. "So I was your test person?"
"No, you... you... yes, I'm sorry."
"I'm not angry." Lucius chuckled. "But imagine my surprise when I found myself asking the house-elves for something to eat for a starving little elf."
"You kind of scared me," Harry admitted sheepishly. "You hissed at Severus and you had a really tight hold on me."
"I might have calmed down sooner if you hadn't kept nuzzling against me, making those little sighing sounds," the blond offered.
"I wasn't nuzzling against you!" Harry protested.
"Oh yes, you were." Lucius smirked. "And it was driving me crazy."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be," he replied. "But maybe you should practise a bit more." Harry stared at him in surprise. "Maybe the Gryffindors would like to fulfil a few of your wishes."
"Why, you are evil." Harry laughed.
"Thank you." Lucius smirked, inclining his head slightly. "Now, I only have to talk to Narcissa so that she won't corrupt you anymore."
"You are not angry at her, are you? She didn't tell me to do that..." the green-eyed boy begged and Lucius soothingly rubbed his lower back.
"No, I'm not angry at her, nor am I angry at you, Harry," he assured him. "But I'd rather not lose control like that again. It might have been harmless enough, but if you had pushed a bit further I might have gone too far with my possessiveness." Harry blanched and Lucius pressed a kiss to his forehead. "You are very tempting like that and you should make sure that you at least have it under control, Harry."
"I didn't think it would work," Harry whispered and Lucius chuckled once more.
"Well, it did. I just want you to be safe, all right? Good, then let's get you back to your tower. I guess, you were waiting for me?"
Harry nodded, gathering his book bag, and the veela put an arm around him, leading him upstairs.
"Thank you." Harry stood on his tiptoes to kiss Lucius' cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Of course, little one." Lucius smiled one of his rare honest smiles and then kissed Harry's forehead. "Sleep well."
"Good night, Lucius." Harry waited until the blond was out of earshot before he whispered the password and slipped into the common room.
Only a few stressed students were frantically reading through books and scribbling down their homework, but to Harry's surprise Sirius wasn't there to wait for him. He felt a pang of disappointment before immediately reprimanding himself. Sirius had better things to do than to wait for him.
Remus was the only one still awake when he entered the dormitory, reading up on some background information on Mixens.
"Hey." The werewolf smiled at him as Harry hesitated at the door. "Should I wait outside?"
"No," Harry whispered, scared by the thought of Remus moving towards him. "I'll just be in the bathroom."
He hastened to the door, feeling very much like a frightened animal, and locked the door behind him. Even through the closed and locked door he could sense the werewolf moving in the other room and to his horror he came nearer.
A knock on the door. "Harry, I've put your pyjamas in front of the door. I'll just be downstairs."
Soft steps went away from the bathroom door and Harry managed a small whispered 'thank you' before the door to the corridor closed behind Remus.
He quickly brushed his teeth and changed into his pyjamas. After carefully checking that Remus hadn't returned yet he left the relative safety of the bathroom and quickly crossed the room to hide in his own bed, curling once again up in a corner and closing the drappings.
He heard and sensed Remus return ten minutes later and tensed, only minutely relaxing when he could feel Remus drifting off to sleep. But still, it was a long time until he, too, found rest.
Sirius tossed in his sleep, knocking one of his pillows from his bed, and hopelessly tangling himself in his sheets. Small, pale feet. If the rational part of his mind had been awake, it would have pointed out that he had never thought of feet as erotic, but as it was, his dream self, licked and sucked on the small toes, drawing a sensual almost inaudible mewl from the person belonging to the feet. He gently suckled on the person's right ankle, nipping at the sensitive skin before he moved to the other foot and repeated the process.
He shot awake, his chest sweaty and his hands almost shaking. He cursed softly so as not to wake the other boys and quietly slipped out of his bed and into the bathroom to take care of a very prominent problem, all the while damning his dream self for being so obsessed with feet and damning himself because he also liked those feet.
Sirius washed himself off and pulled on a pair of fresh and dry pyjama bottoms. There was something seriously wrong with him. Not even this old joke managed to cheer his mood. First, he had this very slight, almost none existent obsession with the new student (which James and Remus had of course blown out of proportion) and then he had a dream about feet - deliciously sexy feet, his inner voice supplied and was promptly hit over the imaginary head - and got hard from it. The logical conclusion was that he had been pranked or that he was losing his mind. He wasn't sure which option he would prefer, but he knew a cure for both. Getting laid. If he had been pranked it would save his reputation and if he was losing his mind, well, at least he would enjoy it.
That decided, he returned to his bed (with a small, not at all significant detour to Harry's bed) and spent the time until he fell asleep counting all his past and potential lovers, who would all gladly help him to prevent any more disturbing dreams and to get over his non-existing crush on Harry.