Whose Universe Are We In?

10

For Dan the next few days were like being in mourning all over again. He’d thought he was done with all the crying and bad dreams but apparently not. Once again, he was being gently held by his lover as he sweated and shook from the latest in a series of gruesome nightmares that involved masked figures and group rape and himself as a snake that turned into all of his friends laughing at him. He was ‘inside’ a TV set, trying desperately to get out while they just laughed all the harder. There were Laura and Will and Sofia and his best mate Mark, all laughing at him but the laugh that was the loudest was Chrissie’s – his own sister.

He would wake tearful and shaking and afraid that Alan was going to leave him for being such a wimp; but Alan held him, reassured him and told him how much he loved him and eventually Dan’s crisis passed. They had only two days more until school resumed and Dan still hadn’t dared go near the Internet again.

They had been scarce in the Great Hall and when they did appear looking a bit grey around the edges, Dan just smiled wanly and said they must have picked up a bug of some sort in London and they didn’t want to give it to everyone else. Remus remarked to Poppy later, “He stank of grief to me, not infection and something else, something muggle, but maybe it’s that infernal computer of his.....stinks up the place like you wouldn’t believe”, he said and shuddered. He didn’t tell Dumbledore, however.

After gagging down some food, Dan steeled himself, and, retrieving his ready-packed bag from behind a tapestry, he headed straight for the astronomy tower from the Hall. Alan kept up with his rapid strides, the same look of determination on his own face. They needed to find this story or lay this theory to rest.

Dan took a deep breath and found his favourite search engine. He typed in, ‘Harry Potter/Severus Snape slash sites’ and pressed go, chewing his lip as he watched the little green squares multiply then a page was in front of their eyes. He glanced up at the results line, “Oh, shit! We’ll never find it. Have you seen how many sites there are? Even accounting for the fact that at least half will be nothing to do with it then that still leaves over 100,000 sites. We could be here a year”, he wailed.

Deciding that his Dan needed a kiss, Alan obliged and was pleased when Dan hummed and tilted his head, the better to let Alan at his neck. The older man nuzzled, intoxicated by his beloved’s scent, so warm and intimate here, and murmured, “Aren’t there filters on the sites?” Dan groaned and nodded, shivering as Alan’s tongue flickered over his stretched skin, “Yessss. Um, yeah, but it’ll still take fuckin’ ages.....oh, god, yeah, there, mmmm”, and became incoherent then silent as his neck was thoroughly kissed, save for the tiniest most plaintive little gasps.

Alan relented and leaned back a little, just to see the look on Dan’s face then smiled, “That never did have the same effect on me. I am envious. It always struck me that the neck is such a sensitive place. Alas”, he purred again against Dan’s then extended his tongue again, kissing up and down Dan’s smooth throat, “I have the insensitive neck of a stevedore while you, my love, have the delicate column of a swan”, he continued to kiss up and down. It was as he licked the soft skin under Dan’s right ear that he felt the lad clutch him, shudder and go limp against him.

Alan kept the laugh from his voice, it had been years since he’d done that to someone. “Dan. My Dan. Are you all right?” Dan hung his head and nodded against Alan’s chest, still holding on possessively and breathing hard. Alan’s lips ghosted over Dan’s ear, “Did I make you come?”, he whispered, oh so quietly. Dan nodded, deep pink. From shame or satiety Alan wasn’t sure but he kissed him senseless anyway, loving how responsive his young lover was to his touches and his lips.

Between them they cast a strong ‘scourgify’ in Dan’s lap and he wriggled and grinned as he felt cleaner. He kissed Alan fervently, “We’re not looking for the story”, he muttered. Alan reached for his hand and placed it over his swollen cock, “I don’t think we’re quite finished here, either”. Dan turned his flushed face to Alan’s and licked his kisses-swollen lips, “How would you like me to take care of that?” Alan let out a long groan and pushed into the hand over his dick, “I would very much like to fuck your face”.

Dan sat up straight and undid Alan’s trousers, letting the beast out to play. It was already hard and dripping by the time he engulfed as much as he was able into his mouth and sucked, humming around Alan’s thick dick. Alan didn’t last nearly as long as he’d have liked. Sex had been a bit thin on the ground the last few days and he came with embarrassing haste, his back bowed over, his legs spread, his hands holding Dan’s face to either side and his cock pumping hard in and out of Dan’s mouth, really fucking it until his head tipped back and he roared as he came hard down Dan’s throat.

He withdrew and licked up all the stray cum from around Dan’s mouth before kissing his beloved soundly and they got lost in each other for a bit after their impromptu bout until they gradually turned their attentions back to the screen and the dilemma they were in.

There were millions of sites, or so it seemed and they hadn’t the first idea where to start, so, to begin with, Dan set himself up a new email account then opened up the first site that looked promising.

This proved to be a multi-fandom site supporting stories and artworks across many fandoms including, for the most part; Harry Potter. He clicked the link and the site scrolled up. He looked through the fandoms supported and picked the appropriate one and found the ‘adult-rated’ stories. “Bloody hell, there are hundreds on here. We could be a month on this site alone”, he clicked on the forum and was asked for username and password. He registered using his new email account and a fluffy, girlie ‘writer name’ then flipped straight to his emailer and hit ‘refresh’, picking up his new password then he was straight back to the site and registered his new details.

He didn’t waste time hunting. He remembered that this what his sister did when she was looking for stuff, she posted messages on the forums, so he did the same. He got a blank screen and began to type: -

Fic search: - Wanted, Snarry fic. It’s a long one and definitely NC-17. It’s actually an RPS/FPS X-over. AR and DR are killed at the end of a scene filming. They have just become lovers. When they wake up they are at the real Hogwarts even though they are still themselves, although they have taken on some of the attributes of Harry Potter and Severus Snape, i.e., they have magic and Dan has green eyes and needs glasses etc and Alan Rickman has Snape’s hair. I can’t remember the details but it’s now up to the actors to kill Voldemort and the magicals at the school hide them and pass them off as the real Severus and Harry.

Any ideas, anyone? Please email me at………. Dan left his new email address.

“We’ll have to do this at a few sites”, he murmured, leaning over to kiss his lover again once his stretched mouth had recovered from Alan’s cock fucking it. Alan just nodded sleepily and kissed back feeling ridiculously chilled out and close to Dan right now. He grinned and laid his head on Dan’s shoulder as the younger man copied and pasted the same request to several different bulletin boards. He flipped to his email account. No replies yet. They closed down and carefully either removed everything or Concealed it beneath charms, Their search had begun.

Feeling happy that they may finally be getting somewhere, they went for a walk in the blustery Spring air. Monday would see the place full of children once again but for now this was their last taste of daytime freedom for the time being. Glowing, they held hands, even swung them sometimes, squinting at the sun and revelling in being alive on a glorious spring day then wound arms around each other as they headed for the lake.

Far above them they were observed. Minerva McGonagall handed Remus Lupin a cup of tea and stood beside him at the tall window. “They look so happy, don’t they?” Remus started and mumbled something unintelligible. She murmured, “You really miss them don’t you?” Remus leaned his head against the glass, “Yes, damn you! I do!”, he said weakly. “I think about them every day. I worry for the fate of our world, too, left in the hands of two muggles, however nice or accomplished they are. I fear we are all doomed”.

Minerva chuckled softly, “Oh, I don’t know, Remus, Albus seems to think....”, he cut her off rather rudely with a wave of his hand, “Albus is this close to being relieved of his position, Min. The Order are pressuring me to intervene, they have lost confidence in Albus’ leadership and I agree with them. What can those two do?”, he gestured at Dan and Alan, strolling slowly, Dan’s head on Alan’s shoulder, “What the hell can those two do? What should they do, Min? This isn’t even their fight”

She sighed deeply, “I don’t know, Remus, but they were brought here for a reason. I think that if Severus and Harry had wanted to simply disappear then they wouldn’t have left us substitutes, however inadequate”. Remus snorted, “All very well, Min, but they’re not letting us in to their researches and we need access to those papers”. Minerva looked up at the taller man and nodded, “All in good time, my dear. They did say that Albus could have them after they had completed whatever it was they were doing with them”. Remus shook his head and let out a long blown-out breath, “I hope they don’t take too long. I really don’t like being held over a bloody barrel like this”. Minerva shrugged, “I think that those boys hold all the cards for now and we need to have some patience. They need to trust us and trust, I fear, is in all too short a supply right now”. He pecked her cheek as he took his leave of her. He hoped to all the gods that she was right.

****

Over the next couple of days, Dan checked his email account regularly. There’d been a couple of suggestions trickling in and he checked them out only to find too many inconsistencies in the stories as he started to read them – Dumbledore was dead, for example, or Remus Lupin didn’t feature, or, Severus and Harry were alive on the ‘other side’ or Sirius Black was still alive. Frustrated, he closed down and hoped for more. Still, they were getting some reaction and he held out hope.

Dan and Alan took to their chambers again as activity in the school hotted up but Dumbledore requested their presence at dinner on the Sunday night before term started again. This time there were more if not most of the staff present and both of them felt nervous as they were put at their ease or those that knew them attempted to in the face of mixed feelings from the rest of the staff.

Filius Flitwick was wary but Alan knew the small man had been a friend of sorts to Severus Snape so didn’t push for cameraderie just a mute acceptance. Aurora Sinistra didn’t seem to care either way and ignored the two incomers; much, Dan supposed, as she had ignored both Harry and Severus, her mind on much loftier things than stupid human rivalries, magical or otherwise.

Rolanda Hooch chummed up to Dan straight away until he expressed his terror at the thought of flying and all offers to teach him fell on stony ground then she harumphed and moved away. Argus Filch just sneered at the pair of them and his cat hissed at them whereas Rubeus Hagrid hugged them both and welcomed them as long-lost brothers returned to the fold, clutching each to his massive chest and bidding them welcome.

It was at this supper that Albus ventured the idea to introduce the two to the Order as all present were members, although Aurora, they considered too high-flown to really appreciate what happened at mere ground-level. The others took a vote and the ayes carried it. Albus smiled benignly at them, “You will also get to see Order headquarters, chaps. I would like you to appear at meals while school is in session. I want them all to see that you are very much with us although there have been changes to you both and you, Alan, as Severus, are still quite unable to teach, but you need to be present, the pair of you, if for no other reason, than to bolster morale”.

Alan was dubious and said so, “With all sue respect, headmaster, what if one of the little blighters fires off a hex or something as we dine?” Albus twinkled maddeningly, “After the demonstration you put on? I have every confidence in you, Alan, to fight off any unwarranted attention, after all, I am not asking you to take up teaching, merely present yourselves for meals”. Dan spoke up, “All very well, but if it is common knowledge that our magic isn’t up to much then won’t that make us targets?”

“Perhaps, but you have already bestowed discipline where it is needed Alan, you have issued detentions and taken house points. One doesn’t have to teach to be a disciplinarian, one has merely to have been a carer of children and in this at least, I know you, Alan, have experience. It is all we shall call upon you to do for the time being. I need you to do Severus’ night-times rounds, dear boy, roust out the wrong-doers. This takes a man’s touch and corridors are being neglected in Severus’ – ah – absence. I trust you can fight off any unpleasantness, after all, it is the pranking of mere schoolchildren but we as staff need to be seen to be a united front and for that we need Severus for the time being, so, Alan, are you game?”

Alan and Dan exchanged a look. They had known that at some time they would be called upon to fulfil either Snape’s or Harry’s roles except neither of them had banked on the initial request being so mundane. Alan sighed and nodded, “Only if I can walk in shadow or have my change in appearance explained beforehand and I expect to only do one patrol a night”. Albus seemed delighted at this.

Dan looked less than happy, “What of myself, headmaster? I have no desire to take examinations nor yet sleep in a dormitory. What would you have me do?” Albus smiled, “I am going to have you and Severus, sorry, Alan, engaged upon a special course of study whilst you recover. I’m afraid I will have to ask you to actually sit in the Great Hall and sit through Harry’s exams towards the end of term should that become necessary. Recall, if you will, that Harry was about to sit his NEWTS – I believe the equivalent of muggle ‘A’ levels and I will have to at least ask you to sit in the hall in his place.

I have been thinking as to how to present you back into school life. The school gossip stream has it that you two were engaged in secret work together. I will continue this charade for as long as is needed. As I say, you will be engaged in a special project and thus separated from the main school body. This will also explain Dan’s quartering with his teacher. Need I remind you, chaps, that I expect your discretion at all times in front of the pupils?

We all know that Voldemort has been stepping up his actions. I think that the endgame will come soon and all of this pretence will be moot as we move to fight the final battle. Dan, most of the school know a little about your prophecy and Harry was not in his normal lessons for some time now so the fact that you are not present during regular lessons will not raise eyebrows. I’m afraid most people know that you have a special part to play in this war, even if they are not cognisant as to what that part might be.

So, to recap, you, Alan, will not teach, save for ‘Harry’ here and will still do your nightly rounds. Dan, you will take Harry’s place in the exam hall should that become necessary but otherwise you stay out of sight under the tutelage of Professor Snape. You may sit with him at the top table during meals or you may sit with Harry’s friends, the choice is yours”.

Dan blew out a breath, “I’ll sit with Alan and look suitably pissed off that I have to be there. I don’t think I could take the questioning that Harry’s real friends will dish out and I’d rather save Hermione and Ron any unnecessary hardship or embarrassment if at all possible. Could we not invent some spurious ‘apprenticeship’ cover story to explain my presence there?”

Albus twinkled and dipped his head, “An excellent idea, young man, and a good explanation for why you have to share quarters with, erm, Snape. Yes, I will work on that before tomorrow and we will have something in place ere the school assembles tomorrow night. Now that we have our places mapped out, I’ll bid you good night, gentlemen, except to remind you that there is a full Order meeting this coming Saturday afternoon and I intend to introduce you then”. They all parted leaving the two guests with a lot to think about.

Alan took a shaking Dan into his arms as they stood ready to leave and held him close to his chest, brushing his lips through Dan’s hair, “Here’s where we start earning our keep, love”, he whispered, to feel Dan nod against him, “Aye”, it came out a bit muffled and world-weary, “Here’s where we really learn how good we are as actors, love. Fuck! I hope we can pull this off”. Alan kissed his brow, “We’d better, young Mr Radcliffe. This time our lives depend on it, not just our livelihoods”, and Dan had to agree.