Harry felt as though time had stopped. It was Mr. Weasley's hand on his shoulder that made him snap out of it, after what seemed like an eternity.

"Harry, we should go back into the house," the wizard said softly.

"But... what... what about... him?" he asked, pointing at Snape.

"Severus will come along, of course."

"Do I have to make a decision right now? What do I have to do, just speak the right words? Can I ask for someone else's opinion, like, I don't know, maybe Kingsley or someone?"

"No, you don't have to make a decision just yet," Arthur gently reassured him. "Although you can't put it off forever..." he paused. “Also, I believe there’s a ritual involved, isn’t there?"

The question was addressed to Snape who nodded.

"Well, let's go home everyone," he announced. However, Ron apparently didn't agree.

"Are you mad? There is no way this slimeball is gonna walk through our door after what he did to Dumbledore and George!" he growled. "How do we know he’s making this up to kidnap Harry?"

"Ron, not now," scolded Molly gently.

"The tattoos are undeniable proof," added Bill.

"Oi," said George, "Not that I'm complaining, it's too late to sleep soundly anyway, but am I the only one who thinks this situation is a tad surreal?"

"And for Merlin's sake, since when has slavery been re-established in Great Britain? I mean, apart from mum making us slave in the garden," Fred added.

"It’s hardly amusing," Molly sternly lectured the pair. "Generally, it isn’t something we care to talk about, and it’s become very rare..." she took a deep breath. “Come on. We'll discuss this inside."

Harry took a step toward the house, and Snape climbed to his feet.

"No funny business, get it?" the young man hissed. "Don't even think about attacking anyone, or… I dunno, just don’t.”

The wizard nodded quietly, face still inscrutable. Without another word, they walked to the small cottage. It became harder to ignore the oppressive silence in the living room, though. The twins and Ron settled on armchairs, eyeing the potions master walking two steps behind their friend with interest. Bill and Charlie, on the other hand, stationed themselves in the background while the Weasley parents tried find a way to deal with the situation at hand.

"I'll make some tea," Molly finally announced before escaping to the kitchen. Judging by his envious expression, her husband desperately wished he could follow her.

"Well, well... this is a very delicate situation that hasn’t arrived at the most convenient of times," Arthur started with a hoarse voice. "I..."

He was interrupted by shouts coming from the stairs, as Hermione and Ginny burst into the living room.

"You got him!" Ginny exulted gleefully, "Oh Dad, congratulations! Have you alerted the Order yet?"

"Merlin, can everyone just go back to bed?! For heaven's sake... yes the Order is on its way. Fred, George, Ron, girls, go back to your rooms this instant, I don't want to see you down here until tomorrow morning, is that clear?"

Despite Mr. Weasley's lack of experience at giving orders, the kids nodded half-heartedly, recognizing that this was not the time to object... Besides, Harry suspected, the extendable ears were about to make a reappearance.

A few minutes later, the living room was cleared, leaving the two oldest Weasley brothers, their parents, Harry and his new inheritance, who stood several steps away from him, stiff and indifferent.

"Bill, Charlie, the Order is bound to arrive soon,” Molly told them. "Go and wait outside, will you? Tell them what happened."

The two brothers left without objection, though not without delivering a friendly pat on the shoulder of the young man who was nervously waiting for the next step.

With a sigh and a grimace that clearly expressed his feelings about the potions master, Arthur Weasley turned to Snape.

"Maybe you should explain everything from the start," he suggested.

"I'm sorry," Snape answered in a toneless voice, "but some of that information is confidential and for my master's ears only."

Arthur winced but didn't argue.

"Alright, I think we can trust you to not harm Harry. At any rate, we will be just a few meters away and the wards are already set to protect our young guest. It would be useless for you to try anything."

"Even if I wished it, I am physically unable to harm him," Snape answered.

"Yes, then, very well," Mr. Weasley mumbled. "In that case... Harry, we will be in the next room if you need anything. Anything at all, alright?" he shot a sideway glance in the professor’s direction.

"Mr Weasley, I don't understand," Harry pleaded.

"Ah well, you need to find out where this.... inheritance comes from. It is important for the decision you will have to make. The professor cannot hurt you in any way, as he just said."

"I... umm… okay," the boy finally answered, throat dry.

"See you soon, my dear," Molly assured, hugging him briefly.

A few seconds later, the door swung shut and Harry found himself part of what felt like the most awkward tête à tête ever.

"I must be dreaming," he stated. "Any moment I’ll wake up and everything will be back to normal. You can’t really be here. Maybe Fred and George’s latest product produces hallucinations..."

"There is nothing wrong with you, Mr. Potter," Snape murmured calmly.

The mere sound of that hated voice sent a fresh wave of fury through the young man.

"Well, whatever you think you are, whatever you might claim... I'd better warn you now, I am never going to forgive you," he growled in a low voice, "Dumbledore gave you a second chance and you killed him. Murdered him. When everyone needed him so much... you are no less than a monster."

"Probably,” Snape calmly agreed.

For a few moments, Harry was silent, unable to talk, his head in his hands. Finally steeling his resolve, he took a deep breath.

"Since when?"

"Since when what, Mr. Potter?" Snape asked. Without sarcasm, Harry noticed. A simple question, nothing more. This was new...

"Since when are you... this. A slave."

"Since I was born," the wizard answered.

"I suppose it makes sense," Harry murmured. "And you... your parents?"

"Slaves too, yes, though I don't know who they were. You can find their references on my papers."

"Papers? What papers?"

"The ownership certificate. If, of course, you choose to accept it," Snape specified.

"I don't see why I should," Harry snarled. "If you knew how many times I wished you dead... it would only be justice after what you did!"

"That is your right," the professor answered simply. No, not the professor, the slave, Harry mentally corrected. And his voice was still toneless, calm, as if he didn't care at all, as if he was talking about what he’d eaten for breakfast...

"You don't regret anything, do you?" the boy hissed.

"No," Snape answered.

"You are such a..." Harry rose on his feet and came one step from the man, searching his face. But there was nothing, nothing but a blank mask, the same one he wore to Death Eaters meetings no doubt. "Go on then," he said, "come on, explain yourself. And you’d better make it good if you want me to help you stay alive."

"What do you wish to know?" the wizard asked without a trace of emotion.

"I don’t know. Anything. Where were you born, for example, in the Potter family?"

"No, I was born in the Malfoy family's service," Snape said.

Harry couldn't help but wince.

"Malfoy? You belonged to the Malfoys?"

"For all of my childhood and part of my teens, yes."

"That explains why you get on so well with Lucius, then," Harry said pensively. "And why you are a Death Eater."

"I didn't have a choice in the matter," Snape replied.

"Lucius made you? Well, it clearly hasn’t bothered you too much," the young man snarled.

"The idea belonged to both Lucius Malfoy and James Potter. Bothering me was the least of their concerns."

"You liar!" Harry shouted. "Don't you dare bring my father into this, you filthy traitor!"

"I do apologize, Mr. Potter, but in any event, I cannot lie to you. That is an effect of my geas," Snape quietly replied.

"Oh really? And who do you think will actually buy that?"

"I can lie, but not to my master. Even though you haven't made a decision yet, the geas still technically considers you as such."

"Alright, alright," Harry grit out from between his teeth. "How was my father involved then?"

"At that time, it was agreed that James Potter would to buy me, at his fiancé’s request. He knew that Lucius and his father intended for me to take the Mark, but he decided, along with Dumbledore, not to stop them," Snape explained.

"I really don't see why they would do that," Harry said, shaken.

"For several reasons. By Marking me, the Malfoys believed that I would remain linked to the Dark Lord in spite of the slave bond. As his powers grew, they hoped it would become more powerful than the geas binding me to my master and that I would be forced to answer to the Mark first. James Potter and Albus Dumbledore, on the other hand, believed the power of the geas unbreakable. That meant that the Mark would allow me to maintain the Dark Lord's trust while spying for them.

"That’s... sick," Harry commented, feeling nauseous. Using a slave to spy by letting him being branded? That was insane... but then again, it was Snape they were talking about. And Snape was hardly an innocent little lamb. "That sure didn't stop you from reporting the prophecy to Voldemort, did it?"

The man shook his head.

"That happened during my fifth year at Hogwarts. I still belonged to the Malfoy family and my main purpose for remaining at the school was to spy. I reported what I heard, not knowing I was sealing my future masters' fate."

Harry ground his teeth.

"Yet you knew someone would be killed. An innocent baby, even."

"Yes," Snape said without making any excuses.

Harry pondered what he had just learned for a moment.

"What about my father? He bought you? Why would he need someone as pathetic as you?"

"During my fifth year at Hogwarts, Lily Evans learned of my status when she encountered Lucius and I unexpectedly one day. She was horrified. We had been friends since we came to Hogwarts; we both excelled at potions and charms. We often studied together. Lily took the news hard, first trying to research a way to free me, and then eventually realizing that it was hopeless. She then tried to get me away from the Malfoys, as she disapproved of their both their influence on and their treatment of me.

“They wouldn't have it, of course, until she got engaged to James Potter, who had sufficient means to rival the Malfoys. Although our relations were still... strained, he loved Lily more than anything. He started to negotiate with Abraxas Malfoy, Lucius's father, who at first declined to sell as I was too useful to the Dark Lord at the time to be sold to a family from the other side. But James Potter upped his offer, and Abraxas decided upon the Dark Mark strategy, allowing the sale to go forward. I entered the Potter's service the day of their wedding, as a gift from James to his wife."

That time, Harry was thoroughly stunned. A slave as a wedding present... he understood James’ intentions, and grasped Lily's even better, but the whole idea sounded distinctly creepy.

"Are... are there a lot of slaves in the wizarding world?" he asked. "I’ve never heard of them before."

"Not anymore," Snape answered. "During the two last wars against Grindelwald and the Dark Lord, the vast majority were killed in battle. Which makes the remaining ones more valuable.”

Harry shook his head. He’d always imagined that wizarding world was a lot more civilized than the muggle one... but now he wasn't so sure.

"But then you let my parents die," he mused. "So what, Lucius was right, the Mark was stronger?"

"No, of course not. I wasn’t present that night; it was Halloween and Dumbledore had requested for my presence in the castle in order to reinforce the security. He was afraid there would be an attack that night."

Once more, Harry felt nauseous. Dumbledore and his mistakes... Dumbledore, the man who’d trusted Snape one time too many.

"Where’s the proof that you didn't betray them?" he asked hoarsely, although he knew perfectly well that Peter had been the traitor that night.

“The geas wouldn’t have let me. Whatever I think of my master, my loyalty to them remains incorruptible. In comparison, the house elves are free creatures... I cannot lie, disobey, or do anything harmful to my master, nor can I attempt escape or, of course, betray them.

"Or else what?" Harry ventured.

"That depends," the wizard quietly replied. "If I tried to commit a major offence, I simply wouldn’t be able to do it. For example, if I tried to run away, I would be killed instantly. If I was to disobey an order, it would lead to intense suffering. For disrespect or other minor transgressions, the punishment is the master's responsibility."

"I see," the boy said, trying desperately not to visualize these effects. These were things he didn't want to know anything about... although they still didn't explain everything. "Still, you have been a right bastard to me ever since I set a foot in Hogwarts! You’ve been the most utterly vicious and completely unfair teacher I’ve ever met! And as far as I know, the geas certainly didn’t stop that!"

"As long as you were underage, and without the required ritual, the geas remained dormant, and thus unreactive. I ensured that you remained alive all these years, but I didn't have any other obligations toward you. The authority on me had been transferred to Albus Dumbledore, to a limited extent."

"So, basically, you were free," Harry summed up.

"Free to act, but not technically my own person. I still belonged to you on paper. It was only a matter of time."

"I don't understand," the boy articulated, lost in his thought. "You knew that someday I would become your master, that I would have complete power over you, and even though you knew, you still did everything you possibly could to ensure I hate you. I loathe you, actually. So what was it, revenge? Are you so cruel that you couldn’t resist making me miserable while you could?”

"There is some truth to that," Snape admitted. "For the first time of my life I found myself in a position of authority over my master. It was a dangerous game, but an easy outlet. It also allowed me to reinforce Lucius' conviction that the geas had been weakened by the Mark, giving me the opportunity to return to the Death Eaters and resume spying. Yes, I must admit that I enjoyed myself... and then I never believed that I would actually live long enough to see you come of age anyway," he concluded.

This time, Harry was sure he heard some bitterness in his former professor’s voice.

A mixture of disgust, rage, and weariness flooded through him. He placed his cup of tea on the table and stood up.

"I will do it," he slowly announced. "The ritual, or whatever. I won't let you die. But you see, it turns out that we do have something in common after all."

He stopped a few centimetres away from the professor's face, even though the man was over a head taller than him. Then, without looking away, he smiled; an icy smile, completely devoid of humour, which would have sent a cold shiver down the Weasleys’ backs.

"A taste for revenge."