Snape/Harry slash

Title: Masquerade with Death Eaters

Author: Dina

Raiting: PG-13

Summary: Although Voldemort won, the Order of the Phoenix still exists. Its leader, Harry Potter does his best in fighting against Lord Voldemort.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters but I don't make any profit from this, so don't hurt me.

AN: All my gratitude goes to Laurel and Snapetoy , who were kind enough to beta this story, making it much better than it previously was. All the remaining mistakes are mine.


Harry Potter had never exactly been known for his patience. After pacing back and forth in his room for more than two hours as he waited for Ron, Harry thought he had never felt more impatient - and afraid.

In an effort to rationalize his fear, he hoped Ron had just met some pretty girl on his way back or forgotten about time while peering through the window of some Qudditch supply shop. But as time passed by, these possibilities became less and less probable. He and Ron had worked out the precise details for the success of this mission, and Ron was responsible enough not to miss them.

Harry sighed. He hadn’t wanted to worry Hermione, but she should know about this - and soon - so he left his room and went to search for the intelligent and talented witch who was one of his closest friends and allies.

Hermione was, as usual, teaching. The small, sparely furnished room was barely acceptable as a classroom, but that was all they had had at present. In the previous Headquarters at Grimmauld Place they had had much more space, but that - and most of the equipment needed by young witches or wizards for studying - was also lost to them now.

Eight children, all from families labelled as traitors by Voldemort, turned towards Harry as he entered the room. Hermione must have read something on his face because instead of scolding him for interrupting her class - as she’d be wont to do any other time - she just frowned at him, told the students to keep quiet until she came back, and gestured for him to go outside the room. Never more thankful for her cool headed thinking, Harry followed her into the hall.

"Ron didn’t come back." Harry said without futher ado, the moment the door closed after them. "He should’ve arrived two hours ago. No, now it’s closer to three."

"Where…" Hermione had to clear her throat and breathe deeply before trying again "Where did he go?"

"Back to Grimmauld Place," Harry sighed "he needed to bring back…stuff. I had hidden some things in case of emergencies, some special equipment, food ..."

"You sent Ron back?!" her voice was louder than usual, accusation clear in it. "Haven’t you realized what would await him there? What were you thinking…" She sank down heavily onto a bench in the hallway. "Sorry." She said much quieter. "I don’t have the right to question you."

That last softly spoken sentence from Hermione wounded him deeper than any shouting could have and Harry sighed. The idea that Hermione didn’t have right to question him or tell him something should have been ridiculous, but he was the leader now, and she wanted to support him. No doubt he needed it, but sometimes he needed her advice more.

"Listen Hermione," he crouched down next to her, "Ron volunteered…someone had to go back. We needed some things. None of us can go shopping after all. Not even one of our exterior members - the shops are watched, you know - and buying a bigger amount than usual of anything wouldn’t go unnoticed. We had hoped Ron could come and go under my invisibility cloak without any trouble, but something must have gone wrong."

"I’m sorry Harry," she said again and there were tears in her eyes. "I didn’t mean to accuse you…I’m just worried."

"So am I, Hermione. So am I."

"What will we do now?"

"Let’s hope he’s just been delayed. Or captured. Not-" Harry couldn’t complete the sentence.

"And if he isn’t JUST delayed…or captured?"

Harry shrugged. They both know in that case they could only mourn their friend.

"All right." Hermione took a deep breath ’’If he is captured…what will we do?"

"We have to rescue him and quickly. Ron is strong, but…"

"Harry…I hate to say this, but…but you -WE- can’t endanger the whole Order for one person, even for Ron."

"Hermione, after me, you and Ron know most of what’s going on in the Order. The Death Eaters, no matter how strong Ron is, will certainly acquire his knowledge either sooner or later. They’ve got their methods to do so. And that would be the end for us all."

Her wide open eyes told him that she hadn’t totally realized this. There was a time she could have easily guessed his thoughts, but lately, as he was keeping more and more secrets, that rarely happened any more. After Harry, Ron knew the most about the network that comprised the Order but even Ron didn’t know everything. If Ron died…

Harry shook his head. No, Ron couldn’t be dead. And Harry would make sure he would stay alive.

"I’ve got a plan." Harry spoke, even if that wasn’t quite true. "Please don’t tell the others yet what happened. I hope that soon I will have everything under control."

"Harry…" she hugged him as he sat down next to her "Please, tell me if I can help you with anything, all right?"

"Of course, Hermione." He lied.

~*~



Harry reflected, after Hermione left, that the problem was although everyone expected him to be a natural at the job, he was not naturally a good leader. He didn't have the necessary experience to do so easily. Dumbledore's Army could never have prepared him for this. Since the age of eleven he had fought against Voldemort in some form or other, but always alone. Suddenly every weight of leading a secret organization fell to him. For more than a year now he had struggled with the dilemma of keeping the group functioning smoothly and effectively.

It was in the last week of his final year at Hogwarts when everything went to hell. Voldemort, who was slowly but steadily gaining more and more power, and with that more and more followers over the years, chose that day to strike. Those at Hogwarts were totally unprepared. The Death Eaters had never before made such an open attack and the Order hadn't seriously contemplated they would ever dare to try such thing in the very midst of Hogwarts. For the thousandth time, Harry cursed all of them for not listening to Moody and Snape, who had insisted they should be prepared for such an occasion as well. At the end they had just formulated some simple plans for emergencies, but even then, most of the members didn't take them seriously.

They should have, of course. The Death Eaters were far greater in number than they realized and there were more students whose families were sympathetic towards Voldemort than they had suspected. Lots of them helped the Death Eaters; very few fought against them.

Dumbledore had died in the battle and so did a great number of Order members who were present that grim day. It was McGonagall, who, after seeing the Headmaster fall, gathered everyone she could and using the 'just in case' evacuation plan, led them to Grimmauld Place.

After his attack against Hogwarts, Voldemort quickly took over the Ministry and within days he had become the legal ruler of the British Wizarding World.

Those who didn't want to accept him were killed, fled the country or joined the Order of the Phoenix, now an illegal, underground organization whose every member - if caught - was under an automatic sentence of death as decreed by the new Minister of Magic: Voldemort.

Hogwarts reopened the next year, with mostly new teachers, and now only accepted children from pureblood families who supported Voldemort.

McGonagall, who had lead the Order for almost two years, had at first hoped for assistance from abroad, but soon it become obvious that other wizarding countries preferred to remain secluded from England rather than do something openly against Voldemort's regime.

The former Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts set the Headquaters of the Resistance at Grimmauld Place, hoping that the charms on the house would remain strong. If she found that directing a school full of children hadn't quite prepared her for directing a group of hunted people, she never showed it.

The Order survived, and fought against Voldermort wherever and whenever it
could. They even made progress, until the day, now almost a year ago, when McGonagall was captured. Harry only got the information that she killed herself with poison before the Minister's men could bring her to be 'interrogated' which in the case of Order members
meant torture, Veritaserum and a painful death at the end. This was more or less a common knowledge as Voldemort never kept it a secret what fate waited those who resisted him.

Harry didn't even have the time to grieve her death, as the Resistance thought him the only possible candidate for a new leader, something he never wanted to be. But as usual he didn't have a choice. He had tried to do his best, but he was still struggling with his massive, seemingly never ending tasks and responsibilites.

The pressure had increased almost exponentially two weeks ago when Grimmauld
Place had been discovered. Harry had a plan prepared for such an event - he couldn't afford to have what had happened at Hogwarts reoccur - so they escaped with minimal personnel losses but most of their reserve supplies and equipment remained behind.

Harry sighed. Thoughts like these got him nowhere. He needed to act to get Ron back and for that he needed information; Harry had to talk with Snape, as soon as possible.

Snape. Now he had caused a bit of a surprise for Harry after McGonagall's death. The Order viewed him as a traitor, someone who helped Voldemort to achieve a triumphant return to power. Everyone said they suspected him from the beginning and that Dumbledore was a fool to trust him. But three days after McGonagall's capture, around midnight Snape had Apparated to Harry's room at Grimmauld Place. Harry's first, still sleep-dulled reaction was to shield himself against Snape's attack rather than capture him. But Snape hadn't tried to attack. He shot Harry a glare that spoke clearly what he thought of his intelligence, not to mention his 'foolish wand waving', sat down in Harry's armchair and waited impatiently for Harry to gather his wits.

Snape then related to Harry how Dumbledore, McGonagall and he, himself had planned out strategies while still at Hogwarts about what to do in such a situation. Specifically, Snape was to go back to Voldemort and deceive him into believing Snape remained completely loyal to the Death Eaters. Snape also told Harry he was severing his connection to everyone on their side, except the Order's leader; and as that title belonged to Harry now, Snape had come to volunteer his services.

Harry, of course initially didn't believe him. Snape pointed out how he knew all along about Grimmauld Place, but they had remained safe there. Snape was willing to take Veritaserum, and he did so. Under its effects, Snape's statements were a repetition of his original revelations, although with fewer insults about Harry's intelligence, bloodline and former House. Snape also told Harry where to find McGonagall's personal journals, to further prove his statements. Later Harry did locate the diaries as well as additional evidence verifying both Snape's role and loyalty within the Order of the Phoenix.

Still, at first Harry handled the information supplied by Snape very carefully, but it always proved to be true and saved so many lives, Harry began to trust Snape more and more. It was at Snape's warning they started to evacuate Grimmauld Place in time, so the Death Eater's raid on the house hadn't proved fatal. Harry knew then that he no longer had the right to doubt Snape's loyalty.

Their relationship was now stranger then ever: Harry didn't like Snape any better then before, considering him to still be the greasy, mean, sarcastic bastard who hated him for reasons probably now forgotten even by Snape. But on the other hand, Harry had trusted him with his life, and more importantly with his friend's life; so far Snape hadn't disappointed him.


~*~


Successfully connecting with Snape was a tricky business. They used mirrors similar to that he had once been given by Sirius. The problem was that Snape didn't always carry his with him due to his fear of being caught by Voldemort. Usually they could only speak after Snape finished work. Instead of trying to teach a whole class of dunderheads about the subtle art of potion making single-handedly, Snape had apprentices now who assisted him in his classes. Harry waited impatiently for night to fall and got lucky - Snape answered after the first summons.

"Ah, Mr. Potter," Snape said, staring at the surface of his mirror disdainfully. "I was waiting for your call. Open your Floo. I'll be there in a minute."

The only fireplace at the Headquarters which could be connected to the Floo Network was located in Harry's room, but even then it was usually closed. Snape and the other undercover members could only use Harry's Floo, as they as they didn't know where the new headquarters for the Order was located. Harry's own safety rules seemed a bit too paranoid even for him sometimes, but he didn't want to risk what had happened at Grimmauld Place ever again.

So, Harry opened up his Floo and shortly afterwards Snape stepped out. Harry noticed somewhat nervously that instead of the usual expression of irritation, his former teacher looked troubled. Going straight to the point, Harry inquired what, if anything, Snape knew about Ron.

"So... it is Weasley," sighed Snape. "I didn't knew who it was," he explained, "just that Draco had captured a valuable prisoner."

"Malfoy?!" "Harry's feeling about the little ferret were perfectly expressed as he spat the word. "What did that bastard do with Ron? Where is he?"

"Calm down, Potter,” Snape said coolly, "To the best of my knowledge, Weasley is being detained at Malfoy Manor and he won't be questioned until Monday or Tuesday."

"Today is only Friday.Why wait so long?"

"The Dark Lord is presently in Germany, and a prisoner of Weasley's importance can only be
interrogated in his presence."

"Voldemort is in Germany?" Harry frowned. "What is he doing there?. …and why didn't you tell me he was away?"

"Because, Potter," Snape flashed him a glare that told Harry how very displeased he was with Harry's question, "he left only this morning and since then I have been too busy trying to ascertain the prisoner's identity in addition to obtaining knowledge about his whereabouts in my free time. As such, I was just a tad too busy to come and chat with you. But if you think my job is so easy that it is unacceptable for me not being..."

"All right, all right, I'm sorry." interrupted Harry, before Snape could really warm to his usual self-pitying monologue, "Just tell me what is he doing there, please?"

"It's some kind of political negotiation - I am not sure about its exact purpose. He IS the Minister of Magic now, you know." He added as an afterthought.

"Minister, my arse," snorted Harry. "All right. Get back to Ron.Where is he?"

"As I already said - and you would have noticed were you not questioning my loyalty and trying my patience - Weasley is currently being held in the dungeon of Malfoy Manor. They have a lovely prison maintained especially for cases like Weasley and other who are to be presents for the Dark Lord."

"Lovely. Do you find this situation amusing?"

"No, Potter,” sighed Snape. "I have a plan."

"To free Ron?"

"No, to turn my hair blonde! What do you think?"

"And this plan would be...?" asked Harry, deciding to ignore everything else
but the information contained in Snape's speech.

"It is rather.risky, and I'd rather not to do it, but I couldn't come up with anything better." For the first time since the conversation began, Snape lost his arrogant posture and seemed uncertain. This unnerved Harry much more than anything Snape might say.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I'll need an assistant … a young man, preferably, someone from the Order you trust enough to reveal my true position."

"For what?"

"There will be.a Masquerade at Malfoy Manor tomorrow evening. A party to celebrate Draco's 21th birthday. Costumes and masks are obligatory - this would help us greatly."

"And you need a young man for what?"

"To play the role of my companion - and to help me free Weasley, of course."

"I don't understand," Harry confessed, "you will need a woman then, won't
you?"

"No." Snape seemed decidedly uncomfortable now. "I'm… My sexual preferences are well known among the Dark Lord's closer circle, and they do not run towards women."

"Oh." With great restraint, Harry resisted saying anything rude or stupid; insulting his spy wouldn't help matters. "I see. So, do you often show up at parties like these with a … boy?"

In response, Snape abruptly stood up and stepped in front of the fireplace, with his back to the room, as if hoping that staring at the flames instead of Harry would make this conversation easier.

"If you are asking," Snape said, "if being queer,” ha all but spat the word "is accepted and well tolerated among Death Eaters, the answer is no. I'm also not in the habit of 'showing up with boys' anywhere, but if I do so now, they would simply put it down to my advancing years. Certainly no one would ever actually believe I'm… sexually intimate with a woman."

Not quite believing he was actually having this conversation with Snape, Harry tried to organize his thoughts. So what if Snape was gay? It wasn't as if it bothered him, not really. Harry had certainly been called a freak often enough, and he hesitated to fall into the same mistake concerning someone else. That Snape had revealed such intimate information about himself meant he thought his plan might work.

"Tell me more about your plan, please," Harry asked. "How do you plan on rescuing Ron?"

"These kind of celebrations," Snape addressed the flames, "all have the same script. We talk, we dance and we drink and those who have reached a certain level of intoxication go away earlier to have some private fun. The task of whoever will accompany me will be to be seen with me in a situation.as if we were to leave soon. I know where the dungeon is - I know the Manor rather well. There might be some problem with the guards, so it would be preferable if my companion were skilled and powerful enough to help me if necessary. So," he took a deep breath, "think of someone who will tolerate my presence for this mission as well as be totally trustworthy."

Harry smiled softly. He realized who would accompany Snape about halfway into his speech.

"There's no need to think of anyone," he said. "I'll go with you."

This statement made Snape turn around at last. He glared at Harry as if suspecting him of only making a bad joke, but after realizing Harry was serious, Snape strode back to a chair and sat down again.

"Don't be ridiculous, Potter. Of course you won't come with me."

"I can't endanger anyone else this way, Snape, and I can help you if it comes to that. You said Voldemort won't be there, and only he can sense my presence. I won't be in any more danger than anyone else would be."

"It may have escaped your notice, Potter," Snape said, reverting to his usual tone of voice, "but you are the leader of this organization. And though I never thought I would say this, you are good at it. The resistance can't afford to lose you. Everybody else is disposable"

Harry shook his head. He could never think of anyone with whom he worked with against Voldemort as disposable, but Snape's brain followed a different, much more clinical path. And while Harry was oddly warmed at Snape's off-handed praise - he didn't remember Snape ever saying he was good in anything especially not something this important - his decision was firm; Harry would accompany his spy on this mission.


~*~


Turning from one side to another for the hundredth time in his bed, Harry gave up on sleeping before Snape came. They had agreed (Snape still not totally convinced) that the Potions Master would bring Harry clothes, a mask and help him with his disguise before they went to the ball.

Having more than an hour until their meeting Harry took up a book and without really reading it, started to turn its pages. He was nervous, which was to be expected, but that didn't make it more bearable. He couldn't get it out of his head, that Snape would be taking him to a house full of Death Eaters, right into the den of the enemy; that he was the one who volunteered didn't help matters at all.

Finally the time came, and Harry went to open up his Floo. Precise as ever, Snape stepped out of it at the agreed time. Snape was dressed much more elegantly than usual. He wore a black dress robe, with dark green silk lining. It was quite old fashioned but it still suited him more than his habitual loose, bat-like robes. He also carried two bags with him.

"So, are you still clinging to this stupid idea of accompanying me personally?" Snape asked while ignoring Harry's scrutiny.

"Of course,"said Harry and oddly his nervousness faded a bit, probably because of the familiarity of Snape's abrupt manners.

"Yes. Of course. Merlin forbid you actually back down from something you decided. Here -" he thrust one of the bags to Harry, "you will find clothes in here."

Harry went to his bedroom to change. The robe he found in the bag was much ore decorative - and probably more expensive - than any he had ever worn. Its main colour was a rich, dark blue and it fit more closely than typical robes did.

"It's a bit small." Harry said, coming out of the room while pulling the material away from his chest as far as he could.

"No, it's not," Snape denied, inspecting Harry from head to toe.
"Don't forget you are supposed to be my conquest for now. I'm expected to show you off."

Harry reddened; he had actually tried to forget that part. Snape circled him and 'hmm'-ed, not satisfied.

"What's wrong?!" Harry snapped, feeling uncomfortable, not only with Snape looking at him like THAT, but especially with the knowledge that soon more than a dozen Death Eaters would also think he was regularly buggered by Snape. Except they wouldn't know it was Harry Potter.

"You are too.small. I hope they won't think of me as a child-molester from now on."

"I'm not THAT small!" Harry protested, now angry at Snape.

"Well.you'll have to behave very maturely to convince everyone, certainly."

"Are you really worried about what they’ll think? Just hope they won't recognize me!"

"Unlike you, I still have some reputation in the Wizarding World to uphold. And I will make sure you won't be recognized. Here," he said, pulling out two vials from the other bag, "the disguise potions. This is for your hair." Said Snape, presenting the larger one to Harry. "Massage it into your scalp thoroughly."

Stepping in front of his mirror, Harry did as he was told and watched in fascination as his hair lengthened till it was past his shoulders and become light brown and a bit wavy.

"Now, tie it back," ordered Snape, who had followed Harry and now gave him a blue velvet ribbon. After Harry had arranged his new hair as requested Snape pushed the smaller vial into his hand. This time the instruction was "One - and only one drop - into each eye. You won't need your glasses while its effects last." It also changed Harry's eye colour to a deep blue.

"To match my robes." Harry snorted. "Hey, Snape, are you trying to change me into the love of your life?" he asked jokingly, but immediately regretted it, as Snape sneered at him and answered,

"Hardly. Even I can't perform miracles, after all."

Making a firm vow of trying not to make an ass of himself again this night, Harry took in his appearance. He had changed, but not so much that someone who knew him wouldn't recognise him.

"How much will the mask cover? Wouldn't I be better off with Polyjuice?"

"The mask will cover most of your face and remember, Polyjuice wears off after an hour. The Disguise potion's effect lasts almost a day. Now, you should also change your voice. Do you know the spell for it or should I do it?"

"No. I know the spell." Abstaining from mentioning to Snape he had not been twelve years old for quite a while now, Harry cast the spell. "If anyone bothers to check," he asked
in a voice higher and more tuneful than his own,"wouldn't they find it quite strange I use potions and spells to hide myself?"

"The Disguise potions are my own inventions so I know for a fact they can't be revealed by spells. Or without specific potions for that matter," answered Snape, pride evident in his voice. "As for your voice, this will be a masquerade, after all. People hide themselves. At most they will think you don't want to be connected with me in everyday life."

"Imagine - why might I want that?" Harry muttered, but if Snape heard him, he didn't
show any sign of it. "Time for our masks, I suppose?" Harry asked out loud.

The masks were the last items in Snape's bag. Harry's was a fancy piece: dark blue velvet, the same colour as his robe, richly decorated with gems, golden filament and with two beautiful feathers attached on the right corner. Harry had no idea from what kind of bird they had once belonged to, but imagined it was a stunning creature. The mask left his mouth and chin uncovered.

On the other hand, Snape's mask didn't hide his identity. Quite the contrary, it was rather like a parody of the Potions Master face. It was made from black leather shaped into a huge, hooked nose and deeply drawn down eyebrows. Harry wondered why Snape chose such an unflattering piece for himself, but then he had never been known for giving much concern about his physical appearance.

Looking at the mirror, Harry saw Snape approaching and only by conscious effort he didn't flinch when the older man put his hand on his shoulders and leaned in close to whisper in his ear. If Harry was to play being very close to Snape after all, he'd better start now.

"Last minute instructions. You should stay quiet the whole evening. Speak only if you are directly asked a question, and then speak respectfully but vaguely. It's better if they think you are stupid, rather than be suspicious. Never lose me from your sight. DON'T forget where you are, not even for a moment. Don't drink ANY alcohol, it might loosen your tongue, though act like you are drinking."Snape sounded just like he was in the classroom, listing safety instructions before letting them made a volatile potion. Harry bit back every sarcastic comment he wanted to add and just nodded.

"One last thing. If we are discovered, you should flee and immediately evacuate this place."

"You don't think I would just leave you there, do you?" Harry was indignant. Snape just looked at him, like he didn't understand what Harry had said, but then just shook his head and continued.

"And in case even you can't escape," he pulled out an ampoule from his pocket "Here. Poison. It kills immediately and painlessly."

Harry took the capsule enclosing the blood red liquid and watched it soundlessly for a moment.

"Is this," Harry had to take a deep breath before continuing, "Is this what McGonagall took? Did you giveit to her?"

"Yes." Snape nodded. "It gives you a better end than what you'd receive at the hands of the Dark Lord."

"A better death if we can't have a better life, is it?"

"At least in some things we have choice, Potter." Snape nodded seriously.


~*~


Malfoy Manor was huge. Elegantly dressed witches and wizards, in masks varying from little ones covering only the area of the eyes to ones obviously designed to hide the owner's identity entirely, were arriving constantly.

They had waited in front of the entrance for a while now and although Harry wondered what Snape was waiting for, he was also glad to have some time to collect himself. Harry wasn't a very good actor and tonight he would need all his abilities to make the Death Eaters believe that he was if not one of them, at least not their enemy.

Finally he felt Snape's hand on his shoulder and he let himself be guided - surprisingly gently - into the mansion. Harry glanced at his spy from the corner of his eye. If the Potions Master was nervous, he didn't show any sign of it. His body language spoke of the same boredom mixed with disdain kind of mood he usually conveyed. Harry knew him enough now to realize it was an act. Many times Harry had seen Snape furious, and often Harry himself was the cause. Oh yes, Snape was far from the calm man he portrayed in public.

They went down the hall to the ballroom. People conversing along the way paused and greeted Snape who murmured back something, although exactly what even Harry - who thought it better if he just nodded - couldn't hear.

The ballroom was crowded with people when they entered. Watching the talking, laughing, colourful crowd as they entered, Harry found it difficult to associate them as Death Eaters, Voldermort followers; they just looked human.

To hide his sudden confusion within himself he turned to Snape and asked in a low voice, "Now what?"

"Now we go to a corner with some drinks as company and hope no one will bother us the entire evening."

"Won't that be suspicious? I mean.We should mingle, shouldn't we?"

"No, Po…darling,” Snape quickly corrected himself, and ignored Harry who almost fell over his own feet hearing that title in reference to himself by Snape. "It won't be suspicious, because that's what I'm usually doing on occasions like this one."

"Then why attend them at all?" Harry was really curious.

"Generally I don't, but Narcissa would have me punished should I miss her son's birthday party. She is not someone I'd like to displease." Harry would have sworn he heard fondness in his voice.

It gave Harry quite a fright as they crossed the room because people were staring at him, some of them even whispering behind their hands. It was just after he caught a rather rude comment, he realized the talking was due not to him specifically, but his accompanying Snape. The Potions Master must have heard it too, because although he didn't say a word, from the tensing of his back and the clenching of his fists, Harry could see his anger. He wondered if others can see the sign of Snape’s bad mood too, or if he just got to read the other man’s body language so well over the years - watching Snape was something he had been doing since he was eleven after all.

'So,' thought the young leader of the Resistance, 'you aren't any more respected now by them than you were by us.' The thought once would have filled him with satisfaction as he could never forgive Snape's role as the vengeful teacher and all the humiliation he put Harry through during his school days. But on the other hand, Harry had gotten to know Snape the spy better over the year since he had led the Order. Some of the information Snape brought couldn't be totally comprehended without Snape revealing some personal facts about himself. Harry started to realize his spy had led a lonely, sad and on occasion, painful life. That Snape was never accepted on either the 'Light' or the 'Dark' side now only filled him with sadness.

With drinks in hand, they had gone to stand in a corner, but despite Snape's wishes it didn't even take five minutes before a tall man in a quite frightening red and black mask approached them. Next to him, Harry heard Snape groan.

"Ah, Snape." The man spoke in greeting. His voice, which Harry found familiar, was full of disdain. "I see you now want to make a habit of parading your perversions in front of us, but I won't."

"My perversions, Dolohov?" interrupted Snape in a low, sneering tone, "You mean coming to birthday parties?"

"I mean - as you well know - your little toy boy, Snape. What do you think you're doing? Think you can do anything...”

"I'll ask you to refrain from calling my companion a toy boy. Also, I can't see how bringing him here counts as a perversion. After all, I'm not fucking him right here in front of everyone."

Dolohov's disgusted snort seemed to provoke Snape further. He stepped very close to the Death Eater, put his hand on his shoulder, and said in an unmistakably suggestive voice, "Or would you rather I was fucking you instead?"

Dolohov pushed Snape back so violently that the spy fell back against a table, barely able to steady himself.

"You bloody freak!" Dolohov was all but foaming at his mouth."I'll show you what a real man…"

"Antonin!" cut in a cold female vocie from behind. "I've warned you before not to harass other guests in this house. "I won't tell you again, Antonin. I shall merely curse you. Now go
and leave us alone."

"Ah, Narcissa, I'm..." to Harry's surprise Dolohov's voice sounded frightened while facing the Lady of the house.

"Antonin. Go," she repeated, and Dolohov went.

"Are you all right, Severus darling?" she asked the Potions Master in a considerably warmer tone than she had used while talking to Dolohov. "I'm so sorry this happened. You know he's a complete arsehole."

"Not a problem, Narcissa," Snape said, massaging his hip he hit against the table. "No party
would be complete without someone calling me a freak." He ignored Mrs.Malfoy's frown at this and added, "You are really beautiful tonight."

And she was. In the glowing lights of the ballroom she seemed ageless in her pale blue silk robes. She didn't wear her mask, just carried it in her hand. Probably as a host she wanted to be recognised by everyone,” Harry thought.

"Thank you, Severus," she smiled before running a critical eye over Snape, especially over his mask. "I would say the same goes for you, if you weren't wearing this horrid mask. Really, Severus, must you mock yourself?"

Snape pulled his mouth into a not-quite smile and answered, "Well, maybe it makes it easier if others do so," but she just waved this comment away.

"Don't speak nonsense. And please, do take it off, while I'm speaking to you. I can't stand it."

"Take it off? But then everyone would recognise me."

"Oh, please." She snorted, very un-lady like. "They recognise youeither way: you are the only one who stands in a dim corner the whole evening."

Harry repressed a smile at that. Snape granted her request, which she rewarded with a smile. Then she turned to Harry.

"So, finally after such a long time you brought someone with you. I ampleased to meet you, Mr…?"

"Nice to meet you to Mrs.Malfoy," Harry offered his hand to her, and though she shook it, he wondered if he should have kissed her hand instead. "Do forgive me, but I won't tell you my name, I would like to enjoy the benefits of being anonymous for the time being."

The woman looked surprised for a moment but then turned to Snape with a mischievous smile, which turned into an outright grin after seeing his discomfort at her inquiry. "So. Having a secret lover now, Severus? Aren't you a bit old for such an escapade?"

"Narcissa. For the thousandth time: I won't discuss my... love-life with you."

"Darling, we hadn't discussed it, because you haven't had one since…I don't know, since we were still in our twenties?"

"That's not true!" protested Snape half-heartedly "For one thing it wasn't
THAT long ago."

Harry listened to their conversation with growing amusement. While Snape's good relationship with the Malfoys was well known, he assumed - especially after the Potions Master's confession regarding his sexuality - that it was more due to the late Lucius Malfoy's charm than to anything else. 'Why, Snape,' he thought and had to hide his smile behind his hand, 'you do have friends. At least one, but even that's more than I would have given you credit for.'

The words ". then I will ask Mr. Mysterious about it," spoken by Mrs.Malfoy, brought Harry back to the present.

"Narcissa!" Harry was astonished to see Snape holding back a smile, "you are so starved for information pertaining to what others do in bed, I'm starting to think you, yourself haven't had much adventure in that area lately."

"Not every one of us can enjoy the benefits of being a bachelor, love. I am after all, a widow."

"It's been three years, Narcissa." Their good mood seemed to disappear. "Surely you could find someone to give you. a bit of comfort."

"I'm sure I could," she said with a sad smile, "But…even if it sounds strange I don't really want anyone after Lucius. Not yet, anyway."

She shot a side glance at Harry and without trying to be subtle at all, she asked him to bring them something to drink. Harry didn't know what to do. While he could understand why she didn't want to speak of such personal things in front of a stranger, he also didn't want to wander in a room full of Death Eaters all alone. But Snape just nodded to him, so he went, hoping his spy wouldn't forget why they were here.

Harry quickly found one of the house elves who were constantly circling the place with drinks and food, but as glancing back proved that Snape and Mrs. Malfoy were still speaking huddled closely, he decided to simply stand and look around the room for awhile.

Couples were dancing, other people were gossiping in small groups and Harry really felt out of place. 'Just as like the Christmas ball in fifth year.' He thought sarcastically. But not really, as he'd had Ron to help him get through it then, and now he only had Snape and the stakes were much higher than simple boredom or embarrassment.

Finally he stopped at one of the tables, watching the dancers while keeping an eye on his companion until a familiar voice roused him from his brooding.

"Are you the boy who came with Severus?"

Harry turned to find a man standing in front of him. His face was hidden by his mask, but the silver hair and the arrogant, disdainful tone made him unmistakable; Draco Malfoy.

"I came with him, but I'm hardly a boy." He replied as calmly as he could, while his brain was screaming at him to pull out his wand, to hex, to hurt the bastard who had caused him so much pain over the years. This was the fiend who'd captured Ron, and who was now just the same perfect little Death Eater his father once was.

"Really?" asked Malfoy mockingly. "Doesn't matter. Come, let's separate him from mother. Why did you leave them alone, anyway?"

"They had things to discuss. Mrs. Malfoy asked for some privacy."

How dare he speak to him that way, Harry seethed. He was about to tell Malfoy to mind his own business, but the other man's visible flinch stopped him.

"Oh, no." Malfoy all but moaned, "They weren't speaking of father, were they? Again?!"

"They were." Harry admitted, surprised.

"Come on you, idiot." To his indignation, Malfoy took him by the arm and tried to lead him back to where his mother was standing. Seeing Harry's reluctance he added as an explanation, "They have the habit of getting drunk and disappearing together on nostalgic occasions. I'd rather my mother was both present AND sober on my birthday."

"Disappearing together?" Harry asked dumbly.

"Not like THAT." The blond said with a derisive sneer. "Don't worry, Severus is completely queer. Even my dear mother couldn't pull his pants off, unless she grew a cock beforehand."

"Don't speak of your mother like that." Harry said, because he couldn't really think of anything else as a reply. "She's very nice."

"Oh? Do you fancy mature women too, not just old blokes with big noses?"

"Why, you little…"

But Malfoy just turned on his heel, and left him. Still thoroughly enraged, Harry followed.

"Severus." Malfoy greeted as he approached the two. "Thank you for coming. I know how much you dislike these gatherings. Also, thank you for the present, it was wonderful."

"You are welcome, Draco. I'm glad you liked it." Harry was afraid he might throw up if they continued with this tone. He couldn't tell if Snape honestly liked Malfoy or if he was just playing. "And of course many happy returns of the day."

"At least this one is happy enough." Malfoy smirked. "I can't wait for the Dark Lord to return," he leaned in conspiratorially, "and discover my present for him."

"Indeed," said Snape, and without notice he grasped Harry's arm rather roughly, thus successfully preventing the young man from punching Malfoy. "I heard you’d caught a prized catch."I'm sure he will be most pleased with you."

"Please, tonight is not about politics,"interrupted Narcissa, to Harry's relief. "Draco, I suppose you came to steal me from Severus."

After her son's affirmative nod, she turned to Snape. "Sorry. I must go and entertain the foolish guests. But do visit me, Severus, sometimes and by that I mean in this year. Preferably next week. And if your friend," she smiled at Harry, "finally decides to reveal his identity, he is also welcome."

As pleasant as she seemed to be, Harry hoped she would never know of his identity. But he smiled and promised anyway.

"I can't understand," he said to Snape when they were left alone, "how can you be so nice to Malfoy. He is …the enemy."

Snape shot him a warning glance and Harry realized he should not speak of such things at this place.

"He is a spoiled brat, I give you that. But.he and Narcissa are kind of like a family for me."

Surprised, Harry looked at Snape, but the spy was already putting his mask back into place,
successfully preventing Harry from reading any emotion he might have been feeling from being revealed upon his face.


~*~


The rest of the ball passed rather uneventfully. Masked witches and wizards sometimes came over to exchange some words with Snape, but they were all polite and vague. Neither the open hostility expressed by Dolohov, nor the surprising friendliness of Mrs.Malfoy was repeated.

Harry felt as he was going crazy. This doing nothing, while anticipating the worst at every minute grated on his nerves. As the evening progressed, he felt more and more uneasy. He turned to Snape countless times, to get to know when they would finally ACT, but was always
answered with a murmured, "Not yet."

Finally, around eleven o' clock as the ball was at its height, he felt Snape embrace his shoulders and the big nose of the mask pressed into his ear as the spy whispered in his ear: "It's time."

As they crossed through the crowd, Harry caught numerous people staring at them, and heard random comments, some mocking, some disgusted. They were thinking he and Snape were going to… oh. Only by sheer force of will did he not pull away from the older man. Not that he was queasy by his proximity, just simply. he wasn't used to people thinking he was going to be buggered within the near future.

Snape, being himself, took the time to slip his hands from Harry's back to his bum, when they were crossing by a particularly furiously gossiping group. The young man had the suspicion Snape enjoyed not just their indignation, but Harry's discomfort as well.

Finally they were out of the room. Snape led them into a corridor, putting a bit more space between them, but still not letting go of Harry. It was just when they came to a staircase leading downwards that he pulled the younger man aside. He removed his mask, though Harry's remained in place.

"This is the way down to the dungeons." He said in low tones. "Do you know the spell for turning invisible?" After Harry's affirmative nod he continued, "Good, we will need it. You will need to cast all the curses and spells, if possible, so they won't be able to identify my magic."

"But can they identify mine?" Harry frowned.

"Of course," snorted Snape, "But at least the legend of the Boy Who Could Do Everything, Even Break Into Malfoy Manor All Alone will grow even bigger."

"Yes. Got through the wards all alone.Without invitation. Won't be suspicious at all."

"This is really not the time to question..."

The sound of footsteps broke into their low argument. Before Harry could even think of what to do, Snape pushed him back against the wall, and held him there.

'Traitor. And you came with him to this obvious trap.' Was his first thought before Snape leaned in, murmured murmured, "Sorry," and kissed him.

Harry was vaguely aware of footsteps coming to a stop in front of them, he even heard someone comment about them, but mostly his mind was busy with what Snape was doing pressing him completely to the wall, enveloping Harry's body with his while kissing him.
It was quite a good kiss, if one could get out of his head that Snape was a man, which was a hard thing to do, considering the warm, hard, unmistakebly male body pressed against him.

Getting enough of the show, the owners of the footsteps had gone away, and Snape lifted his mouth from Harry's. Still inches away from his face, the older man got as far as "I'm…" before Harry lifted his head and kissed him again.

Later, when he had the time to analyze this, Harry tried to find an explanation for why he had done something so bold. He didn't have to, there was no one there to deceive that time. But still…the first kiss was nice, so maybe he just wanted to.taste it, taste Snape again. Or maybe it was the comfort such an act could provide, comfort Harry needed badly. No matter the reason, he had done it and even later couldn't say he regretted his actions.

The first kiss might have been nice, but the second was much more than merely nice. It was Snape who was surprised now, not Harry, so he had to guide his head a bit at first, but the older man quickly caught on and responded eagerly.

Snape's hand slipped down to grasp Harry's hips and he then pushed himself even closer to Harry, who took hold of the spy's shoulders and deepened the kiss. Snape moaned when he pushed his tongue into his mouth. At the sound, Harry felt the starting tingles of his arousal. He didn't care it was a man he was kissing, didn't matter that it was Snape; it just felt right.

He gasped, protesting, when Snape pulled away, and took time until the older man's words "We have to go," finally registered.

Snape's usually sallow cheeks were flushed, his thin lips reddened and glistening with moisture. To Harry's surprise he found him attractive, an adjective he never thought he would use to describe Snape. But here he was looking at the greasy old git, and wanting him.

He didn't have the time to deal with this now. Somewhat reluctantly they untangled themselves. In a few terse words, Snape quickly drew up their strategy, all the while NOT looking at Harry. They cast the inivisibility spells on themselves and went downstairs.

Snape took hold of Harry's hand so as not to lose each other while they were climbing down the stairs and later the moist corridor leading to the prison cells. The Potions Master moved quickly and without any noise; Harry had tostruggle to keep up with him in both areas. 'Of course,' he thought somewhat fondly,' he's had a lifetime of practice moving about in dungeons.' He then forced every thought of Snape out his head for the time being.

The older man stopped them abruptly. Harry felt the magical wards before them, though he didn't actually see the barrier. Snape had warned him before not to try to take it down because that would alert Malfoy. He claimed to know a detour.

Harry felt Snape release his hand, and though he couldn't see what the spy was doing, he had done it correctly as suddenly a gap - barely wide enough for a man to get through - appeared on the wall. "Come on," came the whispered order and Harry followed Snape through the gap and into a tunnel.

The young man knew that castles, old mansions and sometimes even ordinary wizard homes were full of hidden traps, tunnels, secret passages and with who knows what else, but one had to know the place very well, had to be aware of their precise placement to find them; he would have some questions later for Snape about his knowledge of Malfoy Manor.

The tunnel suddenly ended and Harry was surprised to find himself not only behind the wards, but behind the prison guards as well. He felt Snape's hand on his shoulder and he knew what to do. He took out his wand and cast two simple, but effective stunning spells on the guardians; they immediately collapsed, unconscious.

They found Ron in a small cell. His wrists and ankles were bound, his left eye, where he had obviously taken a blow, was swollen, and tremors indicated that Crucio had been cast on him, but he was conscious, and he was alive.

"Don't touch the door," Snape whispered, "It's warded too."

Soon the bars of the cell wall were smoking away under some acid Snape applied and Harry could finally go to his friend.

"Ron? It's me, Harry," he said, starting to untie the bonds.

"Harry?" Ron's voice was surprised and a bit panicked, "I can't see you. How…?"

"I'm invisible, Ron. Shh, we'll take you out now."

"We, Harry? Who…?"

"Don't speak now. I will tell you everything later, promise."

It turned out Ron's legs had gone numb after being bound and lying without movement so long. On Snape's idea, they had cast Wingardium Leviosa on Ron as well as made him invisible. Harry hadn't liked it much, as he suspected he would bump his friend on the way through the escape route, but didn't see any other choice.

They got out of the dungeons without much trouble, but the upper stairs of the mansion were another challenge. Guests were obviously starting to leave and the corridor was too crowded for easily levitating out Ron. Harry wondered if they should wait until everybody was gone, but he was afraid that they wouldn't be able to go out on the wards after that. He wished he
could see Snape to at least have some indication of what he was thinking.

He suddenly felt Snape's hand on him and it took him a minute to realize the older man was trying to determine exactly where Harry stood. Finally he was successful and he whispered in Harry's ear, "We shouldn't wait much longer. It enhances the possibility of being discovered. The spell on the guards might wear off."

"We can't get through all these people without notice."

"We must try anyway."

While maintaining the levitation spell, Harry gathered his friend closer, so he was still weightless but was easier to manoeuvre.

"I've got Ron," he whispered to Snape, "but you have to lead the way."

Those few minutes it took to get out of the manor were the longest of Harry's life. While every step brought them closer to escape, he felt they would be discovered now; everybody looking their way seemed to be looking at them. Even years of roaming Hogwarts' corridors hadn't prepared Harry for this challenge.

But finally they were out of the building and away from the wards preventing apparation. Still it was only when they were back at the Headquarters where he could actually believe it: They’d made it!

Leaving Ron in Hermione's care and promising to explain everything later, he raced back to his rooms where he had left Snape waiting.

Entering, he saw the older man sitting in a chair, mask in hand, staring grimly ahead. Harry's first impulse to run to him and hug him - and kiss him - vanished. He sat down opposite Snape and waited for him to raise his eyes.

Potter," the spy said at last, still without looking up, "what happened at the Malfoys..." he paused as if to waiting for Harry to interrupt him, but as it didn't happen he continued after a deep breath."I hope you understand it was just part of the act."
"At first." Harry nodded. "But it wasn't the second time, was it?"

"It shouldn't have happened at all!" the spy snapped and Harry had to agree with him. It certainly would have made things easier.

"I know. We should just.Things were strange there. It was a mistake."

"A mistake?!" Snape all but shouted, "That's all it is for you?"

Harry looked at him stunned, and it obviously angered him even more.

"I will let you know, Potter, that is was much more than that. It was a kiss like…like something I never felt and you just…" realizing what he was saying, Snape jumped out of his chair and strode towards the fireplace to leave.

Harry's brain finally kicked back at that and he ran after the other man, grabbing him by the shoulders and turning him around. Looking at Snape's reddened face - with embarrassment he realized - he tried to organize his thoughts.

"Yes," he finally said "it was much more than a mistake. I just…I don't have any experience with men, and frankly it confuses me quite a bit."

"Potter," Snape now sounded sad, "it doesn't really matter what it was as we can't afford to try to consider. We both play dangerous games; we don't need this to make life harder."

"No, that's not true," Harry protested, the lifetime habit of disagreeing with Snape kicking in. "I think we both would deserve something like that."

"I don't understand you, Potter. You say one thing one moment and something completely different the next."

"I'm confused." Harry admitted. "I've got some thinking to do."

"I will go now, Potter. We will both think and preferably arrive at a sensible conclusion.”

"Right."

But neither of them moved. Harry wanted to say many things from 'Just forget this' to 'Please stay the night.' But he wisely didn't open his mouth. Snape's black eyes seemed to try to burn a hole into his head like some kind of wandless Occlumency, but Harry suspected he wasn't any more successful in reading his emotions than he was at Snape's.

Finally the Potions Master seemed to come to a decision and leaned in to kiss Harry. It was just a peck on the mouth this time, but the young man's heart still jumped in his chest.

Snape was gone after that, but Harry still stood there for a while, caressing his mouth.


~*~


Ron leaned back against his chair, thinking. Harry had just told him what had happened, with a bit of editing of course. He couldn't leave out the part Snape played - he even had to expose his previous espionage activities for Ron to understand - but at least he didn't reveal any personal information what wasn't necessary for Ron to understand; Harry also hadn't mentioned the kisses.

"I don't understand, mate," Ron confessed at last. "Why did you go to that party anyway? If Snape knew the place so well."

"You can't just walk through the gates of Malfoy Manor, Ron. You have to be invited."

"And Harry Potter was invited.?"

"No," smiled Harry, "Snape and his companion were. And I was that companion."

Ron shuddered, but didn't add anything rude about Snape's sexuality. Harry was grateful for it, as he suspected he might have to confess sooner or later about that aspect.

"Still, how could you have trusted him that much? Waltz into a Death Eater party, with only hopes the greasy git didn't lie?!"

"The greasy git helped to save your life."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I suppose," he sighed, "he is too good as a spy. I never doubted he betrayed us."

"He is a good man, Ron." It was somehow important for Harry that Ron understand that fact.

"If you say so, mate." Ron shook his head. "You are probably right. It's just hard to see him in that light so abruptly."

Harry smiled warmly at his friend. This was a good start.

"I'm off now." The redhead stood to his feet still a bit shaky. "I know - not a word about this episode. Not even to Hermione." There was a bit of resentment in his voice.

"At least for the time being," Harry sighed. "I promise I will talk to her, soon."

"And spend more time with us, in general. We are still your friends, you know."

"Yes, Ron, I know," said Harry seriously. "I know." He repeated to the empty room after he was gone.

Harry had some thinking to do, but he was tired as he had been up for two days now. Thinking could wait a bit longer. Or if he was lucky, he might find a solution in his sleep as some Seers said they had experienced while dreaming.

Harry smiled. That would be too easy, wouldn't it? Still he couldn't help but hope for it as he laid down. He was asleep in a minute.

He dreamed about Snape.

Fin