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The Apprentice

Summary:

Pairing: primary is HP/SS
Warning: m/m, borderline non-con relationships throughout. AU.
Summary: Harry chooses his future.
Disclaimers: I do not own any of the characters from HP.

Work Text:

The Apprentice
by ne'ichan
faestion1@yahoo.com

 

Harry Potter, graduate wizard and new apprentice to Master Wizard Severus Snape adjusted the hems of his robes so they fell perfectly level to one inch above the floor. His soft suede shoes were heeled, but only added a mere half inch to his height. He was still less than six feet tall, and slender as a reed despite the beginnings of muscle filling out his frame.

He was as of today eighteen years old. It was now possible for him to enter into a few types of approved agreements and formal contracts. He was required to enter into a supervisory arrangement with an older wizard or witch, or a company, but he was allowed to have some say in which one he was going to take.

It was the first time he could legally make any decision of his own, and he had chosen to apprentice to Severus Snape. Professor of the Dark Arts, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, History of Wizardry, Master of Ancient Wizardry and Curses....the list was far longer than was comfortable for Harry to remember.

Harry had offered Snape no respect when he was a student at Hogwarts. Nor had any of his friends. In the narrow focus of childhood he had not seen the immensity of the man's accomplishments, his gifts, his overwhelming talent and power.

The realization had come to him only at the end of his time at the school, when Snape had saved him, yet again, at great risk to himself. Rescued Harry from Voldemort the final time, then pooling their powers together, they had killed Voldemort. Harry had known then, in that too clear moment, how great the other wizard was. But it had taken him another month to admit it to himself and to anyone else.

He had always thought he hated Snape. He'd certainly feared him. And fear was harder to admit to than hate, Harry knew now. Then, on the day of graduation he'd looked up after the ceremony was completed, and seen the glamory fall away from the Potion's Master.

Snape's face had started to ripple and smooth out. His cheekbones lifted, his lips filled and firmed, his dark eyes had gone larger, slanting slightly, began to glow with vitality and intensity beyond their normal piercing stare. His shoulders grew wider, his body seemed to lengthen with sinuous power and grace. Harry had stared, unwilling at first to believe what he was seeing.

Harry'd seen Snape as he truly was. Still the sly, clever and calculating head of Slytherin House. Still dark haired and pale skinned, menacing, dangerous. But, oh so beautiful.

Huge, muscular, masculine. Breathtaking. Severus Snape was the most beautiful person that Harry Potter had ever seen, more attractive even than Draco's intimidating father, Lucius Malfoy. Snape deliberately hid his true appearance from his students. Now that Harry was no longer a student he could see the real Snape.

Gasps rang out in the rest of the room behind Harry, spreading like a tidal wave through the room. Harry turned to see every eye on the head table, every eye on Severus Snape. It seemed everyone else, all the other former students and their guests, could see the real Snape now, too. The room exploded as a mass shift towards the upper table started. A tidal wave of motion, of noise.

What had followed was semi-controlled confusion. Parents and students alike coming up to Professor Snape, wanting, unconsciously or consciously, to touch the perfection that had been revealed.

Harry overheard proposals of marriage contracts, betrothals. Bindings, offers of contracts for fathering children, (who wouldn't want a child with those fantastic features?).

Harry had fled the chaos to Dumbledore's offices. Snape remained aloof and icily polite amidst the cacophony, no warmer while beautiful than he had been while greasy.

The Headmaster was not surprised to see Harry, and had tea ready within moments of Harry's flustered arrival. They'd talked when Harry had found his way through the shock, hands trembling as he waited for the tea to steep. He longed to wrap his suddenly chilled hands around the hot cup.

"Well, Harry, may I assume this is a reaction to seeing Professor Snape's true form?" Dumbledore had asked gently, after placing a cup of hot tea on the table beside the boy. "Come now, drink your tea. I find tea is good for calming life's little shocks." He waited for Harry to sip the beverage and then settled back into his own chair, his steaming cup resting on his knee.

"Why? Why does he hide it?" Harry blurted out a moment later, his eyes huge, and verdant green behind the lenses of his spectacles. "If I looked like that...." Harry took another gulp of tea, grateful when the burning liquid took his mind off Snape for a fraction of a moment.

"Well, I'd have to say, he got tired of students and student's parents following him around. They will all forget what he looks like soon, the memory just simply fades over a few days, he is quite strong enough to block them all out. It is a relief for him I think, to have a moment when he can let the magic fade away and be who he is. Hiding is harder than you might think." Dumbledore answered the young man quietly. He pursed his lips.

"That is what used to happen, he was pursued relentlessly. We found students in his rooms, even in his bed. Or under it. He couldn't go into a room alone without worrying about being compromised. The Magical world is very different from the Muggle world, Harry. Muggles have grown more permissive, look at what they allow their children to wear to school, while we have grown less so. Muggle children have children of their own, sometimes before they are even out of school. We are not like that. Professor Snape faced the very real possibility that he'd be trapped into a contract with a student he didn't wish to marry. He used to get hundreds of requests to take on apprentices each year, even those with absolutely no qualifications in Potions or the Dark Arts. He finally got tired of it." Dumbledore waved his hand in the air.

Harry sipped more of the blessedly hot and restorative tea, despite the lingering soreness from his unguarded gulp before. Well, that was easy enough to understand, Snape not wanting to be cornered into some match not of his choosing.

Harry shuddered to think of what his own future was. Marry into another Wizarding Family? Bought and paid for. Making babies. Until he hit his majority at twenty-five, and could dissolve the contract. And if he did dissolve the contract, having to abide by a separate contract that specified when he could see his children, where, and for how long. The elder partner after all held the dominant rights to all children from a marriage or a binding.

Or he might enjoin a contract with one of the magical companies always on the look out for new talent. Again, he'd be theirs' until he was twenty-five. Or, he could search for an apprenticeship, and belong to his teaching Master for as long as the Master Witch or Wizard wished to teach him.

After all he was the famous Harry Potter. Some one would take him on, even with his NEWT's scores only a fraction above average. It was hard to do well when he'd been so worried about being killed. Or having his friends die.

"You think I should consider asking Professor Snape to take me as his apprentice?" Harry asked, unable to keep the puzzlement out of his voice. "We have never gotten along, Sir, why would he agree to teach me anything? He hates me. Besides, I'm not much good in potions. Even if it is interesting."

"Professor Snape certainly doesn't hate you, Harry. He's saved your life repeatedly. He is one of the most powerful wizards of our time, Harry. In fact, aside from Lucius Malfoy, I'd say he has no current rival. Professor Snape and Lucius Malfoy are the only two wizards who are strong enough to teach you to reach your full potential. And as much trouble as you have with Mr. Malfoy, I'd suggest that you concentrate your hopes on Professor Snape. It's been over twenty years since his last apprentice. I think it is time for him to take another." Dumbledore nodded as if to himself, obviously pleased with his conclusion.

"Lucius has by the way directed his attentions elsewhere since the loss of his wife, so your time would be wasted there I am confident to say." Dumbledore leaned back on his well cushioned chair with an air of satisfaction.

"Why should me knowing what Professor Snape looks like change my mind about wanting to learn from him?" Harry asked, honestly confused. "He still scares the heck out of me, in fact it is worse now, if anything. He's taller than I thought, and he was already tall enough to look way, way down on me. Now, I learn he is another four inches taller, and half a foot wider, all of it pretty clearly muscle, and he looks ten years younger, even though I know he's not, I don't understand...." Harry rambled in his nervous state.

"He is part vampire," Dumbledore supplied Harry with the answer to his question. "It was one reason he didn't fall completely under Voldemort's spell. Vampires have a natural resistance."

"Oh, ghod..." Harry whispered, shuddering. "A Vampire? Another reason not to ask him to teach me. No matter what he looks like."

"Most of the High Wizarding families have vampire blood. It imparts resistance to others magic. Some increased longevity as well, very desirable. The Malfoys, the Blacks, the LeStranges, and a few dozen more families have vampire genes. It is not precisely uncommon." The Headmaster informed the young man sipping his tea. "Just not often spoken of."

"In every apprenticeship there is the possibility of a physical relationship. Master and Apprentice work so closely together. Spend all their time together. They do not engage in outside relationships of a physical nature. Of course, for one as young as yourself appearance might be a factor." Dumbledore continued on as if Harry wasn't almost paralyzed by shock.

"You mean me, and Snape? He's a man." Harry exclaimed, spluttering. "I like girls, women I mean. And as far as I can tell, he doesn't like anyone."

The Headmaster shook his head, regretfully.

"You see, Harry, this is precisely why I have been telling the Ministry of Magical Education we must have classes in Practical Living in the Magical World. But, they consistently refuse to allow it to be part of the curriculum. They argue it would turn into a sex education class, and such subjects should be handled by the families of the students. Young wizards and witches aren't allowed to determine their own sexual choices or preferences until they are past the age of their majority, Harry. As soon as possible after graduation they are bound into contracts. They do have the right to refuse the contracts they are offered, but only at a great societal cost, and they risk being expelled from Magical society, losing any chance they have for a good future."

"Ron said his family wants him to get married." Harry said after a minute. "He is gay, but his mother and father are negotiating with the Fauntleroys to match him with one of their daughter's. If he was going to try it with any girl, it would be Hermione, but I think even that wouldn't work. And he'd not want to risk their friendship."

"Yes, Harry, that is my point." Dumbledore said. "It would be more fair if the young people involved at least knew what to expect. Instead, all they get, all we are allowed to tell them, is to preserve their virginity at all costs. That if they are discovered to have lost it, they will be sequestered until the graduate."

"They just told him last night, his parents didn't let him know they were negotiating a match for him." Harry had found that hard to credit, considering how open and unconventional the Weaslys were. "He has only met her once, at dinner a few weeks ago. No one told him that she was asking to contract him. He had no idea. Thought she was just a friend of the family. They barely spoke."

"Well as far as Mr. Weasley goes, that is not definite, the match with the Fauntleroys. There are others who have...unexpectedly expressed interest in him. But, what about you Harry? Is that what you want for yourself? There are many who would offer for you. Who have offered. I receive owls everyday asking how to contact you, who is negotiating for you, how to contact them. You can have that if you wish. Marriage. Or you can take up an apprenticeship, with Professor Snape or someone else. You have a number of options." Dumbledore said. "It is up to you, but we need to have some sort of plan in place quickly, if you don't announce your plans, things are going to get very disruptive, very quickly."

"I don't know what to do," Harry stammered. He didn't know, not exactly, what to do now.

He'd heard whispers in the dormitories about the uproar his impending graduation and availability was causing. Student's families were conveying rumors to their children. Children who had held him in contempt for their entire schooling, now tried to ingratiate themselves with him.

Harry was hearing the wild rumors second hand. Even Arthur Weasley, Ron's father, had tried to talk to him about the problems he'd be facing after graduation. Seeing as Harry didn't have a father himself. The normally brash and youthful Mr. Weasley, usually at ease with young people, was clearly uncomfortable talking with Harry about sex and chastity. Ultimately, it had been Fred and George who told him how much trouble his lack of contract was causing. Witches and Wizards were petitioning to be granted dissolution of their current contracts to be free to court Harry Potter and charm his Guardian.

"There isn't much time left for you to decide. If you don't contract within the next six months you become a ward of the Ministry, and they will find a position or contract for you. I know you have enough money not to need to do anything, Harry, but I wouldn't recommend letting that happen. Far before six months is up there would be chaos and duels over you, Harry, we can't let that happen."

So here Harry was, a mere three weeks later, ready to begin his first day of apprenticeship. He'd never have believed he'd decide Snape was the lesser of two or three evils. He recalled the bizarre interview he'd had with first Dumbledore, then Snape.

"Harry," Dumbledore began the interview. "Are you a virgin?"

Harry had stammered that, yes, he was a virgin, once he recovered his voice. He'd kissed other students, and even slept next to Ron and Hermione, fully dressed of course, but it had not gone further than that with either of them. The Headmaster had smiled in relief.

"Good, good. Many positions aren't open to graduates who are non-virgins. I am afraid Professor Snape is very traditional on that front. But, since you are a virgin, let us begin the negotiation's process."

And it had gone on from there. Hundreds of tests and questions, far more difficult than the NEWTS he'd just passed to graduate.

Harry had heard that Ron's family was still in negotiations, but that it was looking less and less like the Fauntleroys were going to win a contract with the Weasley's. They were close-mouthed about who the second interested party was. Harry was dying of curiosity, and so was Ron. He had no more idea of the mystery person that wanted his contract than Harry. Who ever it was had to have a lot of clout to compete with the Fauntleroys.

Snape's first question was the same as Dumbledore's, "Are you a virgin, Mr. Potter?"

Again Harry was immensely relieved, and not a little embarrassed to be able to answer that he was a virgin. His face burned with a red flush. Snape watched him with eyes that were kind, for him, but which, in any other face, would look cool.

Dumbledore was the one who told him why it was such and important question. An apprentice who was a virgin had an undivided heart, one to offer his Master. Harry's purity would be a gift to whatever Master accepted Harry. He would remain faithful to his studies and to his Master for the duration of his apprenticeship, or the contract would be dissolved, and he would face criminal charges of contract breaking.

Yes, it was true that non-virgin apprentices had been taken by a few other sub-standard wizards, but wizards of Snape's caliber never did. The public sentiment against youthful promiscuity was too strong.

Aside from being the most powerful Potions Master of the last millennia, Snape was a traditionalist, a purist, and his other three apprentices had started with him physically pure. He had rejected every candidate who was not virgin, even the most gifted ones. He'd sent them on to other masters who did not have such a stringent requirement.

Now Harry looked at himself in the reflecting glass. His hair was pulled back in a thick, neat pony-tail, he would not be permitted to cut it until his apprenticeship was done, it was still curly and wild, but the weight of it's length would begin to tame it soon. His glasses, polished to a high sheen were perched on his nose, for once the lenses were unmarred by cracks or smudges. His lower lip bore the distinctive tattoo, a single crimson fingerprint, precisely the size of Severus' thumb, placed there by Snape's magic, a sign to all witches and wizards that he was owned by another master.

The thin outline around his eyes made them appear huge and dark, and under his robe at the base of his throat was Snape's second thumbprint, permanently etched into his skin, marking him forever as Snape's apprentice. All the narrow bands of magicked jewelry that Snape had put on him were hidden by his robes, except the rings.

Muggles of course could not see any of it, except the rings. For even Muggles would need to be warned off, and wedding rings did that most effectively.

The green of his apprenticeship robes were the exact color of Slytherin green, the color of Snape's house, high necked and form fitting, rather elegant, and more tailored than anything Harry had owned before. With the exactly ninety-nine buttons, thirty-three on the inner robe, thirty-three on the middle robe and a final thirty-three down the front of the outer robe.

His fitted slippers were soft, and slipped on, no boots. And no pants, or undergarments. Actually, the robes, all his clothes, even his nightshirts, were owned by Snape. Everything he had, every stitch of clothing, every trinket, every book, even his body was owned now, starting today, by Severus Snape, his Master. And it was Snape's name that was embroidered into the clothing Harry wore.

Harry looked down at his hands. On the fourth finger of each hand, the finger assessed in palmistry as being most closely connected with the heart, he wore simple gold rings. Not one ring on the left ring finger, as Muggles and Magicals alike used to demonstrate marriage, rather, he wore two, one on the right ring finger and one on the left, because there was no more room in his body or his heart for bonds of devotion to any other.

Unlike a marriage, the bond he had to Snape was unbreakable, Harry could not be unfaithful. It was impossible.

The Magical world took the Master/Apprentice bond more seriously than they took vows of loyalty, allegiance, and marriage. Dumbledore had spent most of a week talking to Harry about it, explaining, teaching, answering questions.

The Headmaster had tried to do everything he could to talk Harry out of it, if he had any doubts about being able to obey Snape at all. Then, after telling him every horror story he could remember, he'd asked Harry if he still wanted to study under Snape. Harry, after the rush of pure fear faded, answered that, "Yes," he did want that. "More than anything else."

Surprisingly it was true.

Tonight was the formal introduction ceremony, the first dinner where he'd sit beside Snape, then he'd do it every night until Snape thought he'd learned all he could. At that time the Master would set Harry free.

The binding ceremony had been at midnight, seventeen hours earlier, attended by the head of the Ministry of Magic Arthur Weasley, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonnagal, the other teachers at Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione each with their families, Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, various other members in high ranking in the Magical world.

All crowded into the smaller of the fourteen conference rooms at the castle. They had all watched as Harry Potter, bare to his skin, jaw clenched in mortification, came shyly into the room and mounted the dais where Severus Snape waited for him, in all his shocking beauty, Snape wasn't hiding his true form this night.

Naked, Harry had been bathed by Snape, with warm, herbed water, to symbolically wash the impurities from him, to prepare him for Snape's Marks and Claiming.

After he was washed before the witnesses in a room of solemn silence, Snape had him stand, and towering over him by more than half a foot, dried him carefully by hand, without using any magic at all. He'd run a comb through Harry's hair, just long enough now to draw back into a short pony-tail. He'd quietly told Harry he must not cut it again, not until he was bid to.

Then Snape'd taken a small pot of dark paint and placed a tiny dab on the skin of his own wrist. He'd squeezed one drop of blood from his finger and mixed the paint and the blood together before drawing a fine line from the inner corner of each of Harry's eyes to the outer corner of each eye. The lines burned, but not painfully so, and they were the first marks, ones no witch or wizard could miss.

The applause was low key, almost reverent, and faded quickly. Then, Snape waved a hand over the paint on his wrist, and it vanished. He squeezed another drop of blood onto his wrist, murmured a spell and then dipped his thumb into the thickened liquid. He pressed his bloody thumb to the center of Harry's lower lip. It burned as well, a deeper burn, and Harry gasped as the burn worked it's patient way through his entire being.

Lastly, Snape smeared his right thumb into the remaining blood, and pressed it hard to the hollow at the base of Harry's throat, leaving a perfect fingerprint there when he pulled away.

The next moment a small box floated up to them, opening at Severus's touch. Four thin circlets of gold sat on the velvet inside. Snape took the first one and knelt to wrap it around Harry's right ankle. Then he applied the next to the left ankle. The wrist-lets followed the anklets' placement.

A second box appeared. Snape took the larger circle of gold out and held it in his hands. It was delicate, beautiful, it caught the light and Harry recognized that it wasn't gold at all, nor were the bands around his ankles and wrists. They were something far rarer, far more valuable, enough to buy a magical throne, a castle or a kingdom.

They were vividium bands, the living metal. It would become a part of his body, more than metal less than flesh. Harry fought to keep his _expression unchanged. No one had ever given him anything, any material thing of value at all. And now, Severus Snape, his Master, his teacher, was giving him these to mark him. They were priceless. And probably of his family's stores. Part of his inheritance, from the Snape Family Vaults. Magical bands that had taken untold time and, magic to construct.

The silk of the inner robe was luxurious against his sensitized skin. It slid down over his head, and Snape buttoned him into it, the many small buttons laying flat, the fit perfect.

The ivory color made his skin look all the more pale, the tall neck concealed the vividium choker, the long sleeves covered the bracelet's, and the hem hid the anklets. Snape's hands smoothed the fabric into place.

Then came the middle robe, a precise one eighth of an inch longer than the inner robe, concealing the inner robe completely, under it's amber folds. Lastly the outer robe, a deep Slytherin Green, very high at throat and long at wrist, and hem. The slipper/boots came next, cradling his chilled feet, warming them.

The rings were last. Taken from a pocket over Snape's own heart. And slipped onto Harry's fingers. While Snape told the room he accepted Harry James Potter as his apprentice.

Then, Harry knelt in front of his new Master Severus Snape, kissed his hands and swore to him his heart, his soul, and his allegiance. Snape bent down and laid a very soft kiss on top Harry's head, then stood to his full six foot six inches and stated his ownership and obligation of protection.

The applause was immediate and the congratulations were awed.

Hermione hugged Harry, a quick almost embarrassed hug, she moaned over the bands, running fingers over them. Her Betrothed, a member of one of the newer Wizarding families pretended not to notice. Snape however stood right next to Harry, watching.

"It's OK, Harry. For tonight you may touch your friends." And Harry relaxed, relieved that Snape was so direct, so vocal in his permission. He'd been unsure of whether Snape would allow him any physical contact with others at all.

He hugged Ron next, clinging to his best friend. They looked at each other with different eyes. As children they had not fully understood what graduation would mean. During their last year of school Ron's parents had negotiated for Betrothals, unbeknownst to him.

And nearly all the newly graduated were now Betrothed to older witches and wizards, or contracted to Magical houses and Universities. New wizards and witches were not independent. They had not realized that. Now they knew.

Hermione was happy enough. Her Betrothed was an academic, they were well suited to each other, though the man looked at least thirty years her senior. Unlike Muggles, Magicals did not marry for love or for lust.

Ron was not as comfortable. His future was still up in the air. Either he would go to the Fautleroys, to one of their daughters, or to the mystery man who was a late entry into the negotiations.

Ron looked uncomfortable, worried as he had ever since learning what was happening behind the scenes. Harry wondered what Ron would do if he had to go with the Fauntleroy daughter. He remembered how Ron had been attracted to him at school. He wished things were different, that Ron could be with someone he found attractive, maybe the man would win him, and not be too bad.

Harry was eternally grateful that he and Ron had been too frightened to consummate their sexual curiosity. If he had, then Snape would not have taken him on as an apprentice. Harry had no family to negotiate on his behalf. He shuddered to think of who would have ended up with his contract. He'd had some choice with Snape.
Snape had been brutally honest with him during the weeks of negotiation. Dumbledore or Professor McGonnagal had chaperoned every meeting, while Snape made sure Harry understood everything.

Professor Snape would have an obligation to feed, clothe, and care for Harry. Pass on to him all the knowledge he possessed, all that was Harry's by right. He would protect him, house him and introduce him into formal Magical Society. Harry would have the obligation to learn to the best of his ability, assist Snape in his teaching of the students at Hogwarts, perform whatever tasks Snape set for him, assist him in making the potions for outside clients. He would care for Snape's comfort along with the house elves. And if Snape wished, Harry would share his bed. Harry would have no right of refusal. Dumbledore had stepped in then, to make doubly sure that Harry understood that part of the Rites. And also that almost all other contracts Harry could win would have a similar requirement. At least, Harry told himself, Snape wasn't a stranger and hadn't tried to hide anything from him.

"Mr. Potter." Snape's cool voice interrupted Harry's train of thought. "It is time to go."

He held out his arm, and Harry found himself hesitating. Going down to dinner holding on to Severus Snape's arm seemed too strange to be real. Sure, Harry knew it was how Apprentices were introduced and led through the first day, so every one knew who they were and who they belonged to, but it seemed weird. And Harry wasn't used to even the idea of Snape touching him.

But, there was no help for it now. Harry reached out a tentative hand, and placed it on Snape's arm.

 

ne'ichan