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Eudaimonia (Happiness) By Zillah
Flash. Switch. Turn. Duck. Black robes. No other colours. Dampened magic. "Where are we?" Thin fingers cover Harry's mouth, stopping the sound. Crowds appear out of nowhere and the colours start to seep back in, but his magic is still out-of-reach. "It smells." "You'll get used to it." The thin fingers wrap around his delicate wrist and he's led through the crowds, upstream and fighting the whole way. Black hair hides Snape's face and Harry wants to push it away, wants the other man to explain something. One quick kiss and Snape tugged him from the cramped room in Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. Outside, they apparated, Harry clinging to him by instinct. Too long in transit and they ended up here. Or maybe this is where they are supposed to be. A thin witch stops Snape with one hand and a muttered spell. Her one eye stares at Harry for a long time. Snape's grip never loosens and she finally lets them pass, dropping a phial in Snape's hand. "Where are we?" "O Espaço No Meio." "That doesn't help." "The space between." "The space between what?" "Quiet." A hand covers his mouth again and Harry smells oranges. The colours fade away and the last thing he sees is Snape's face looming above him, twisted into what seems to be an evil smirk.
Potter is a dead weight in his arms. Reliquum knocks out the strongest of minds. Potter stood no chance after directly inhaling the potion. Snape pockets the rest and contemplates injuring Malfoy later. For now he must get Potter to the caravan and safety. Too young. Sixteen and breathing heavily on Snape's neck. Moist lips and dead eyes. Snape is almost turned on. No time for that. Safety. The caravan. Potter slips in his arms and Snape curses. The crowds thicken and press in on him. Voldemort knows they are here. He must get them to the caravan. The caravan looms ahead of him and Snape drops Potter on the back, climbing in after him. The goblin sitting next to them speaks in gibberish and tells Snape to move his boy. Snape refuses, leaning over Potter to check his vitals. Still breathing. A fat wizard in a draped tan robe waddles over to them and holds out his hand. Snape drops coins in his hand and asks to be taken to the desert. The wizard wheezes and counts the coins loudly. "Only enough to take you to the water." "No water. Desert." "Five more spinets." Snape finds more spinets, clear coins with the words 'O Espaço No Meio' etched in gold. He drops them into the waiting hand. "Desert." "It will be three days. Will he be waking?" "No. Reliquum." "Very good, sir." The wizard waddles away to bother someone else and declare the need for more spinets. Snape curls up around Potter and sleeps. No one can touch them while they are on the caravan.
Harry wakes up underneath Snape's robes. He sweats and closes his eyes, tasting his own dehydration. Drugged. Snape moves into his field of vision, a halo of light surrounding his dark frame. A cool hand touches Harry's forehead and he tries to say something, his voice a whimper. "I am ... sorry, Mr. Potter. Reliquum is not a pleasant experience." Harry twists towards the cool hand and moves his lips again. Snape tilts a cup to his lips and water flows into his mouth. He closes his eyes and drinks. The cup is removed far too soon and he lets out a moan. "You must sweat out the Reliquum before we reach the desert." The caravan lurches and Harry struggles to open his eyes again. Cool, dry lips touch his forehead and urge him to sleep. Harry sleeps.
The caravan stops in the middle of the night. The fat wizard in the tan robes wakes Snape with a rough shove. "Desert." Snape glares at him and lifts his bundle of sleeping Potter. The stench of orange-scented sweat is thick around them. The goblin gibbers again and throws spinets at Snape. Outside is cold and dark. There are no stars in O Espaço No Meio to guide them to the oasis that Snape knows only too well. A red-haired wizard appears next to them, a dragon-tooth earring giving away his identity. Bill takes Snape's bundle and they walk in silence to the oasis. A witch in shimmering blue robes waits for them outside the tent with a candle and a Fwooper. The colourful bird sings mournfully and Snape feels his mind twisting. "Quiet Arondicus." The witch casts a silencing spell and the bird's song is silenced. Snape rights himself and follows Bill into the tent. "He does not know that you have made it this far. He lost track of you after you gave Harry the reliquum." "That was the idea." Bill lays Harry on a mat and the witch brings Snape water and food. The three of them sit on another mat, legs crossed in front of them. Snape drinks the water welcomingly. "You are safe here. The oasis is protected well from those in this world and the next," the witch raises her water cup and bows her head. "Arondicus will care for the two of you after we leave." "He will not sing?" Bill shakes his head, "He only sings to newcomers. We will make sure he knows to leave the two of you alone." "Tell Lupin and your mother that I am sorry for the way I brought him here," Snape sips his water and picks at the dry chicken. "We had very little time." "Dumbledore has already explained the situation. That is why I am here." "I must go tend the animals," the witch stands slowly and bows her head again. "Tomorrow I will show you what needs to be done to stay alive on the oasis." Snape watches her leave, Arondicus flying gracefully after her. Bill rips off a hunk of bread and offers it to Snape who takes it. They eat in silence and listen to the wind whistle against the flaps of the tent. Later, Bill curls around Snape and breathes into his mouth when he comes. The witch bathes Harry and ignores the moans from the corner of the tent. Snape falls asleep on the mat with Bill. He wakes up alone.
Harry sits in front of the tent, shading his eyes with his hand. Snape herds sheep to the well and curses them as they scatter at the sight of Arondicus. The bird sings happily and flies off. Snape tosses his robe on the ground and kicks sand. Harry snickers and covers his mouth with his hand when Snape glares at him. The sheep bleat happily and continue on their way. "It's not bloody funny. They are our food." "Perhaps that's why they are running from you." Snape sits down with a grunt of displeasure and takes a sip from the offered flask of water. Harry leans his head against Snape's peaked shoulder and closes his eyes. The suns beats down on them. "Where are we?" "I've told you before. The space between." "Oh yes," Harry lifts his head. "O Espaço No Meio. Tell me what that means." "This is the space you travel through while Apparating," Snape drinks more of the water. "We have stopped here." "For how long?" "I do not know. Dumbledore will send someone to fetch us when it is safe to go back." Harry rests his head on Snape's shoulder again, "It's bloody hot." "It is a desert." "Why don't I have my magic here?" "You ask too many questions." Harry shuts his mouth and watches the sheep roam around the oasis. The only goat in the flock has a lock of black on its hindquarters and tends to lean against the palm trees. Arondicus flies back with a skein of water and a bunch of figs. He drops them at Snape's feet and goes off to herd the sheep properly. "I suppose we should leave the sheep-herding to the bird." Snape just grunts in reply.
Snape watches as Harry's modesty becomes a non-issue. The boy cavorts around the oasis with that bloody bird and the sheep all day long, wearing little more than cutoff trousers that Snape himself modified. His skin is a golden tan and he smiles more than any boy should. Snape is more aroused than he ever wants to be. "Look what I've found!" Harry sits down next to Snape heavily and drops a small pebble in Snape's hand, "It's a black star sapphire." Snape looks at the stone. It shimmers in the sunlight and Harry smiles happily. He closes Snape's fingers around it before jumping up and brushing sand off his thighs. Snape resolutely does not look at his thighs. "Keep it." And with that he takes off running again, chasing the goat with the black lock on its hindquarters. Harry named it Aberforth. Sometimes the boy is oddly clever. Snape looks at the stone in his hand and smiles. The stone shimmers, calling to him. He deposits it in the pocket of his trousers and leans back on his hands again to watch the boy cavort around the oasis. Snape barely misses the darkness of his dungeons and the putrid odor of potions. Sun and sweat have taken their place welcomingly.
Harry finds butterflies on the opposite side of the oasis. He lies back in the sand with Arondicus and Aberforth and watches them flutter above him. Snape never comes to this side of the oasis, choosing to stay closer to their tents and the flock of sheep. The palm trees offer enough shade for Harry to rest comfortably, one hand on his stomach. A brilliant blue and bronze butterfly flutters across his stomach and lands on his thumb. Harry murmurs softly to the butterfly and names it Gaia. Here in O Espaço No Meio, Harry feels safe. Snape has explained little beyond where they are and that they are safe from Voldemort. Bill Weasley drops by once a week - or what Harry assumes is a week - with supplies and words from home. At night, Harry pretends that he doesn't hear Snape and Bill together. Once, Harry woke to find them sitting outside the tent together. They were silhouetted against the tent by the moonlight, Snape's head tilted against Bill's shoulder and Bill's arm around Snape's bare waist. Harry watched them for what felt like an eternity until they moved to go back into the tent. He squeezed his eyes shut and thought of red and black hair mingling together. Underneath the palm tree, Harry smiles and wonders if Bill will be returning soon. Snape is happier when he's around. Sometimes, Harry lies in the sand and wishes he could make Snape happy as well.
The boy has gained another creature in his strange menagerie. A butterfly in Ravenclaw colours named Gaia. Harry solemnly introduced Snape to the fluttering creature one night after his daily explorations of the oasis. Harry wanders too far most days and Snape worries. Today is no different. He shades his eyes with his hand and searches the oasis close to the tent for a sign of Harry or any of his creatures. The desert shimmers and calls to Snape but he ignores it. He knows the dangers that lie outside of the oasis. O Espaço No Meio is ripe with fantastic beasts that have been sent here to keep them from harming those in the true Wizarding world. The desert is full of manticores and chimeras that would kill them without a thought. Snape tries to impart that fear, but Harry still stares at the desert during the daylight hours. He fears the desert properly at night. Snape thrusts his hand in his pocket and clutches at the black star sapphire. He chews on his lower lip and starts to think about going after Harry. The path Harry takes to the other side of the oasis is the same everyday. Before Snape can convince himself that he has to go find Harry, Harry appears with a bright smile on his face. His troop of creatures follows him and Harry hurries over to Snape, brushing sand out of his hair at the same time. "You called?" "I did no such thing." "I heard you." "I was merely thinking of following you." "You were worried." "Hardly." Harry winds his arm through Snape's and leans golden skin against golden skin. His sun-bleached hair tickles Snape's shoulder and the boy peers up at him with a smile. Snape can't help but smile back at him, mentally cursing himself the whole time. "I worry about you as well." "Go wash up for dinner, Potter." Harry lets go of Snape and troops off to another small tent to get cleaned up. Arondicus lands on the ground and kneads the sand with his claws. He sings softly and nibbles at Snape's finger before flying away. "Bloody bird."
Snape's hair grows long and Harry plaits it one night, laughing by the fire as Snape tells him stories about students at Hogwarts. They trade stories nightly, passing the time vocally because they have no other form of entertainment. Snape even finds out that it was Harry who helped Sirius escape years before. Snape teaches Harry a number of defensive spells that he can't practice because Harry's magic is still missing. Missing is not the right word. Had Harry come here willingly, he would have his magic. But Snape had kidnapped him and brought him to this place against his knowledge. Snape is to blame for Harry's lack of magic. Harry's fingers trace the Dark Mark on Snape's arm. Neither of them say anything about the thing that put it there. They make a decision to live in this world only. When Dumbledore comes to fetch them, only then will they acknowledge any other life.
Manticores howl when there is a full moon. They have been through four full moons since their arrival, four blood-curling nights of manticores howling from just beyond the edges of the oasis. It is only after the fifth full moon and the long night of howling comes upon them does Harry finally give in to his fear and creep from his mat to Snape's. He shivers in Snape's arms and huddles against him in the safety of the tent. Snape allows him to stay for the night. The next morning he wakes with an armful of sleeping teenager and a erection. He eases Harry out of his arms and wanks in the desert, tempting fate. Nothing harms him - not manticores or chimeras or even Voldemort - and Snape almost feels bad about surviving. Snape stands in the hot sand wearing nothing but thin drawers and his own spunk. He comes in and washes off before Harry wakes up. The boy looks at him through hooded eyes and licks his lips. His hand brushes along Snape's hip as he passes him. Snape makes them breakfast and Harry lounges against him. That night Harry slides against Snape, their bodies slick with sweat. Snape finds out that he tastes of sunshine and oranges. Snape knows that he will someday be punished for this happiness.
They form a new routine that includes sex, nakedness, and trust. Harry turns 17 and Snape lets Harry top as a present. Harry laughs and says it's the best birthday he's ever had. They have been in O Espaço No Meio for so long that the other world barely seems to exist. According to Bill Weasley, still the only person to visit them, the school year is beginning again and Dumbledore is trying to find a way to bring them back without alerting Voldemort. So far he has been unsuccessful. Snape tries to muster up annoyance at that, but he's relieved that he doesn't have to give up the security of the life he and Harry have built together in this isolated oasis. Bill just smiles at them and ruffles Harry's sun-bleached hair. He slips them a packet of condoms and some lube before leaving. Again, Snape tries to muster up annoyance, but fails. He's lost in his happiness. Harry travels to the far side of the oasis one day and searches for more stones to give to Snape. He knows that the black star sapphire is never far from Snape's person. Harry wants to find one that matches his own eyes to go with the stone that matches Snape's. Arondicus finds a stone that shimmers in the light, green as grass. Harry turns it over in his hand and smiles. A green sapphire. He pockets it and stands up, brushing sand off his legs. Aberforth trots alongside of Harry as he runs back to the other side of the oasis. He is in better shape than he's been his whole life between the exploration and the sex. Snape's skin glows with health and happiness. They both need to stay to survive. As he grows closer to the tent, he realizes that Snape isn't outside waiting to welcome him home. His steps falter and he slows down. Aberforth and Arondicus stay outside of the tent as Harry ducks inside. Gaia flutters by his ear. Snape is dressed in his robes again, the plaits gone from his hair. He looks austere and untouchable. Harry's heart sinks as Snape steps aside and he sees their guests. Dumbledore and Remus. "It is time to go home, Potter." "Harry," Remus hurries over to him and hugs him in relief. Harry hugs him back numbly, his eyes never leaving Snape's face. "It is so good to see you again. You look marvelous." Harry manages a reply and politeness. He brings water and food to Dumbledore and Remus before sitting next to Snape. He grows uncomfortable in his nakedness, only covered by ragged trousers that Snape had cut above the knee for him. He pulls on his robes and immediately feels smothered. "The caravan will be here in the morning to take us home," Dumbledore accepts the cup of water and looks at the two of them. "I am afraid that we have no choice but to use Reliquum on the both of you for the entire journey." Harry stops listening. He leans against Snape and waits for the inevitable. That night, Dumbledore and Remus ignore the sounds of Harry and Snape talking on the other side of the tent. Harry tries not to cry. Snape pretends he doesn't notice the tears. There is a loud lurch and the caravan stops in front of the oasis. Harry smells orange and sees Snape's face before he blacks out.
Snape finds himself in the same cramped room in Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place where he first kissed Harry eons ago. It was another world, another life and now he's back here again. Snape looks at the peeling wallpaper and knows that he will never be able to go back to this world again. Harry looks at him with haunted eyes and he snarls while resolutely not thinking about the way Harry twisted underneath of him when he licked his sternum. Happiness is fleeting. Snape would do well to remember that from now on.
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