Every Demon Wants His Pound of Flesh

Change of Plans

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"No, you do not."

He had addressed Remus, but it was the professor who answered. Harry nodded in defeated acceptance.

"It's settled then." Portrait Dumbledore clapped his hands together.

"Wait a minute." Remus stood. "What about the Horcrux? When are we going to get rid of it?"

Albus exchanged a sharp look with Severus. Something unsaid passed between them and Severus spun around, turning his back on the painting. Dumbledore sighed deeply.

"As I said before, there are certain actions we must take first, to ensure a permanent removal. The rest of Voldemort's horcruxes need to be destroyed first."

Remus dragged his hand over his face. "How are we going to do that?" His voice was heavy.

"I have left sufficient information along with instructions for Severus to follow. If you need, I will be either here or in my portrait at Hogwarts."

Suddenly he was gone. Remus shouted angrily. The old man was ridiculous. He didn't even know what to think about everything, he was so furious. He turned his anger towards the only other adult in the room.

"Did you know?"

"Know what?"

Remus gestured to Harry. "That we were on a fool's errand before."

"Are you asking me if I covered for Dumbledore's suicide?"

"You've always been his lap dog." His voice was low as he advanced on Severus, who stepped forward to meet him angrily. "Did you know that we did not get rid of the Horcrux?"

Severus' voice was just as dangerous as Remus'. "No." His eyes narrowed. "Albus left me a note telling me to come here where his stupid portrait practically ambushed me. I acted as soon as he told me."

Something was off in Severus' tone, but Remus brushed it aside. He stepped closer.

The two men continued to stare each other down and Harry was surprised their wands were still in their pockets, although he could see Remus' hand twitch.

"Remus?"

Harrys' voice cracked through his frustrated shell and Remus' shoulders sagged. He rubbed both hands over his face roughly, and then through his hair, gripping it in his hands. He willed the hot angry tears accumulating behind his eyelids not to fall. He had to be strong for Harry.

He turned, his body stiff. He didn't know what to say. He had been hoping that the only thing left to worry about this summer was Harry's recovery. Instead, they had been thrust into the past and were forced to repeat it/redo it. He looked to Severus for direction.

"We'll start working tomorrow. I have to finish going through Albus' journals with his instructions." Severus stated.

A fresh wave of exhaustion passed over Harry. He rubbed absentmindedly at his temples, willing the forming headache to stay away for a bit longer until he could lay down. "Can we go home, Remus?"

"You are home."

"Excuse me?" Remus and Harry both glanced at Severus, who sighed in exasperation.

"You'll be staying here until the – situation – is dealt with."

"What! Why?" Harry shot to his feet, ignoring the warning in his leg that it couldn't hold him for long.

"Sit down before you fall." Severus sniped at him.

Harry ignored him, pleading with Remus. "I don't want to stay here! You said we were going to be at headquarters. I want to be with the Weasleys and Hermione!"

"It doesn't matter what you've been told, Potter. You'll be staying here."

Before he could protest again, Remus placed a hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him back onto the couch where he was no longer in danger of wobbling.

"Relax, Harry." He shot a look at Severus, walking passed him and pointing to a doorway behind the couch he was sitting on, that Harry hadn't noticed before. "A word, Severus."

Severus rolled his eyes, but preceded Remus out of the room.

"We'll be right back. You just stay there." Remus stated firmly as he followed Snape out.

The door swung shut behind them and Harry was left alone. He glanced around the room, finally taking in his surroundings.

The fireplace was made out of different sized and coloured stones. There was a slab of rough rock making up the mantelpiece with random trinkets scattered on it. To the left of the fireplace was a bookcase; a low bench stood perpendicular to that, leaning against a small window. An old rug was laid out on the wood floor.

There was a small wooden table to Harry's left, placed close to the wall. The couch Harry sat on was located perpendicularly to the right of the fireplace, a set of picture windows behind him. Looking out, he could see nothing but green. Rolling hills took up most of the landscape, with a single tree in the distance.

The men were gone for almost ten minutes, and Harry was beginning to get really uncomfortable sitting on the couch. There was a cushiony footrest in front of him and he dragged his leg painfully up on it, stretching out the muscle. He was beginning to weight his option of using the fire-poker as a makeshift cane when the door opened and they came back into the room.

"So," Remus started. Neither man looked very happy and Harry did not want to hear what either of them had to say. "We've discussed out current predicament, and Severus is right Harry. It's better if we stay here for now. I know -" He held up a hand to ward off Harry's complaint. "-you don't want to, but it will hopefully only be for a few weeks until we get this sorted out. Ron and Hermione will be able to come and visit, maybe we can even go over there."

Harry crossed his arms defiantly. "A few weeks?"

"This isn't something that's going to be solved in a matter of hours, Potter."

Remus stepped forward, intercepting Harry's death-stare. "You're going to have free reign of the area; you're not going to be stuck indoors like you would be at Grimmauld Place. The wards here are extensive."

"Whatever." It's not like Harry had a choice either way.

"Ok then." Remus took a deep breath. He gave Harry a pat on the shoulder. "I'll try and make it worth your while, pup."

Harry sighed. "It's alright, it's not like you planned this." He glared at Snape as he said that.

"Contrary to whatever is going on in that pea-sized brain of yours," Severus snapped "I did not plan to spend my summer like this either."

Remus stopped Harry before he could retort. "We all agree. This sucks, but we'll have to get along, be civil, alright? Harry, Severus is still your professor, and Severus, Harry's had a rough summer. Please attempt to make the rest of it bearable."

Neither of them said anything, so Remus took that as a good sign. He clapped his hands together. "Alright then."

"Where are you going?" Harry asked as he headed turned to the fireplace.

"We're going to be here for awhile, I assume you'd like your clothes and things. I also want to grab some other necessities. Try not to move around too much until I get back with your bandage, 'kay?"

"Can't I come with?"

From the corner of his eye, Remus could see Severus subtly shaking his head.

"Not right now, pup. I'll tell everyone you say 'hi'. You'll see them soon, I promise." He added as Harry looked down, dejected. "I'll be back soon."

He stepped into the fireplace and was gone.

Following the pattern Harry was slowly becoming accustomed to after today, silence reigned over the room. He felt his heart pounding painfully against his ribcage as he came to terms with the change of plans thrown on him. Tears threatened to fall as he thought of how unfair it all was. He sniffed, apparently making Snape uncomfortable.

The sound of robes shuffling made Harry all too aware of the man's presence. He wiped his eyes, willing himself not to start crying, again.

Snape's low voice echoed over his head. "Would you like to see your room?"

"I can't walk."

"Nonsense." Harry's head popped up. Snape was standing in the doorway, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "Lupin said Madam Pomfrey healed your leg this morning."

Harry shrugged. "She said it wouldn't be fully healed for another day or so."

He wasn't sure what to say. It's not like he was pretending that his leg was messed up. "Besides, you kind of bashed it up earlier." He cringed, waiting for the sharp retort sure to follow his accusation, but none came.

Instead, Snape sighed deeply and pulled a chair over from the table, placing it down in front of the couch, next to the footrest. His eyes sharply panned over Harry's face.

"I apologize."

Harry's eyes snapped to catch his gaze warily. They locked eyes for a second until Harry looked away, disturbed by the intensity and the hint of sincerity flickering in the blackness. He didn't know what to say and so they sat quietly for a while until Harry realized that his professor had not stopped staring at him. He squirmed in his seat, hoping Snape would get the hint and look away.

"You seem tired." Snape's voice was flat. More observational than anything else.

"It's been a long day."

"Indeed."

Silence again.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to see your room?"

Harry flexed his leg experimentally. "I really don't think I can walk right now."

Snape inched the chair forward. "May I?" He reached a hand out towards Harry's leg.

Harry froze up, visually shrinking back a bit. He could just see the cogs working in Snape's brain as he attempted not to roll his eyes.

"I won't hurt you."

Experience proved otherwise for Harry, so with a non-committal half-grunt, he didn't pull away when Snape reached for his leg. He grabbed under Harry's knee, lifting his leg off the footrest, pushing the square out of the way, and resting the limb over one of his thighs. He slowly unsnapped the pants, shoving the material to the side and exposing Harry's upper thigh. Harry thought it looked a lot better than it had this morning. Snape, however, did not look as thrilled.

He stared, contemplating the mottled skin. A scar, barely noticeable, seeming more like a scratch, was located in the middle of a grey canvas. Faint black and blue dominated most of the area, and something tugged within Severus as he examined what was obviously the more recent damage. A bruise was forming along the edge of the thigh, near the scar and he knew it was because of the way he handled the boy earlier.

"I thought you would have been completely healed. I am sorry."

"Madam Pomfrey said my body couldn't handle so much magic just yet, because of the binding potion, but she did a pretty good job. It wasn't much worse this morning." Harry stated, not rejecting the apology entirely nor attempting to rub in his teacher's folly.

"Had I known..."

"What, you would have thought twice before manhandling me?" More humor than anger bordered on the edge of Harry's voice. "I'm surprised you didn't strangle me. You were like a man on a mission."

"Indeed."

Severus continued to examine the bruises on his leg. He prodded around the scar, feeling the bone. Regardless of its frailty, and Severus' rough treatment, it was still intact which Severus was thankful for. Poppy would have killed him. The older bruises were clearing up and the one Severus had caused would be gone in a day or so.

"You've been wrapping it during the day?"

Harry nodded. He looked back down at his leg as Severus pressed on another tender spot and winced in sympathy for himself, even though it didn't hurt as much as it seemed like it should.

"I think that's just until the end of the week. And I've been using a cane."

"You'll probably have to use that for longer."

Severus found himself scrambling for something else to say as he looked away dejectedly, but there was no reassurance he could give the boy. With the damage done to his body, he was looking at weeks of nutritional potions and exercise. With the added danger of the Horcrux, who knew what could happen. So Severus kept quiet.

Harry felt himself growing more and more tired, and the earlier headache was beginning to poke through as the minutes dragged on. He didn't want to wait until Remus came back. He could feel his eyes slipping. He must have actually fallen asleep for a bit because he suddenly jerked upright as the couch disappeared from under him.

"Wha-"

"I'd prefer that you not fall asleep out here. Since you can't walk to your room..." Severus raised an eyebrow as they started moving towards the door.

"Oh." Harry stated awkwardly. "Thank you."

It sounded more like a question which Severus just ignored.

"Why not just use magic?"

"I find that for simple tasks it is easier to complete them without whipping out your wand. For situations such as this," Severus grunted as he shifted Harry in his arms, "levitating a conscious person is much more complicated and it's easier to carry them, if possible. However, that's a personal preference."

"Oh."

They passed through the kitchen and down the hall. The house was only one floor with four bedrooms, one communal bathroom. There was another bathroom in the master suite which Severus occupied. He walked passed his own room, which was the first on the left and opened a door at the end of the hall, walking in and depositing Harry onto the bed.

"This will be your room for the time you stay here."

He turned to go. Harry called after him. "Can you-"

Severus stopped. "What do you need?"

"Just...can you turn on the light?"

Severus raised an eyebrow inquisitively, but nodded and flicked the switch.

"Thank you."

Severus cocked his head in acknowledgement. Before closing the door behind him, he said "I'll show Lupin to your room when he returns."

As he walked down the hallway, he found himself stuck on the idea that Potter needed to sleep with the lights on.

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