All Hail the Dark Lord, Or Something Idiotic Like That

Adding to the Inner Circle pt4

A/N: Not my story! Original available on ao3

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What the hell was happening?!

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"I have not heard of you before, and I know most brewers in this country who could competently make a potion as complex as what you are attempting. Are you a member of the ancient Black family here in England? And just what is that mastery in if not Potions?" Snape continued to trail behind him with that light smirk that was almost a smile.

"Hmm," Harry placed his basket on the counter and took out his Gringotts bag to pay, sparing a bright smile and thanks for the elderly owner who seemed to only speak French. "Yes, I am a member of House Black; however, I'm from a minor line and have been doing quite a lot of traveling. We don't get discussed often here in England, probably for the best with the general family history and all. As for my mastery, let's just say I studied in Amsterdam and my degree did not transfer over to Britain," he added with a raise of his silver studded eyebrow to convey just why it might not have transferred.

"Ah," Snape nodded and paid for his own ingredients next, a wider smirk that was almost definitely a smile forming on his mouth. Harry thought he might be having a stroke at the shock he was in. Weren't you supposed to smell burnt toast or something if you were having a stroke though?

They exited the store and Harry was awkwardly wondering how to escape to Percy's flat without being rude. "Hadrian," Snape turned his intense gaze on the other man, almost purring the name. "Would you care to stop by Diagon Alley and get a drink with me? I would love to continue our discussion about the effects of the moon on potion ingredients."

Right, well, time to go. Harry shrunk down his bag and put it in a pocket. "I'm sorry, Severus," he said, almost choking on the name. It was taking every ounce of his Occlumency training to keep from either dying laughing or just taking off at a run to not have to deal with this situation. "Erm, I'm actually in a relationship," he told the man firmly. "I'm heading to see my partner now. I'm sorry to disappoint."

Snape's look fell infinitesimally before he gave a short nod. "Another time then...maybe with your partner, as friends? There are not many whom I believe share similar interests here in Britain where potions and certain forms of magic are concerned."

At least who aren't murderous terrorists, Harry thought to himself and just barely stopped his mouth from adding. What he really couldn't stop his mouth from saying was the: "I'd really like that. I'm sure my partner would as well. He has some similar views even if his experiences might be different and more specialized."

What was he thinking?! Was he actually agreeing to get dinner or drinks with Snape sometime to talk about the dark arts?!! Did he just volunteer Percy to join as well? Merlin, his partner was going to kill him!

"Owl me when you are free, and we can meet in either Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade. I teach at Hogwarts during the year but will be happy to leave the school for an intellectual dinner," Snape remarked before he gave Harry a short nod and that expression that was bordering on a smile and left back towards Diagon Alley.

Yep, he was probably having a stroke or a mental break. He knew it would happen eventually with his insane life. It was an inconvenient time though, he mused as he dazedly continued his walk to Percy's flat. Once he started laughing, he just really couldn't stop. It started as a chuckle and turning into a hysterical, side-splitting laugh just as he knocked on the door to Percy's small but very comfortable home.

"Should I even ask?" Percy, thankfully looking like Harry was used to seeing him without his glamour, looked at him in amusement while Harry continued laughing into his flat and crashed on the couch.

"I don't even know!" Harry shook his head and really did try to stop the giggles. "I think I just got hit on by someone!"

Closing the door, Percy made his way over to sit beside his partner, pushing a basket a little farther from them. "Ok...I don't see how that's amusing, but erm...congratulations? I hope you told them you're taken."

"What? Yes, of course!" Harry finally did stop laughing to turn to his partner conspiratorially. "It was Snape! Can you believe that?!"

Percy just looked at him incredulously. "Are you sure you interpreted the situation correctly? You're not really that good at reading the signals well or at all...frankly, I'm not sure how we even got together."

"Because I just told you I liked you one night and asked if you wanted to shag," Harry rolled his eyes but couldn't disagree with his partner. "Yeah, I'm not good at these things, but I'm fairly certain in this instance. Regardless, he does know about you, and we might be committed to having to get dinner with him as friends at some point. I used the Hadrian Black name as usual."

"Well, you did want to convince him to join us. This might be a good opportunity, or the best we'll get anyway," Percy nodded instead of being upset like Harry had really dreaded.

"Oh good," he sighed in relief. "I hate committing you to things without asking first, but my mouth was talking, and I couldn't get it to shut up."

"That does tend to happen with you," Percy smirked at him fondly. "At least it usually leads to good ends. Do you want your present now? How much time do you have before you'll be missed?"

"Not long," Harry winced. "I followed Snape into this amazing apothecary you have just down the street. Have you ever gone in? They have excellent dark ingredients!"

"Really?" Percy leaned forward in interest at that. "How are the prices? Madam Teague's is robbery without your discount."

"Very reasonable," he nodded happily and kissed Percy firmly on the lips. "I do want my present now though. Pleease!"

"Great, well, my project didn't quite go as planned," Percy explained as he pulled the basket around and then stood to pick up what looked like a pet carrier from behind the couch. "It was successful...but maybe more like 80-85% successful. Regardless, I hope you like it."

"Erm...Percy, love...what is it?" Harry frowned into the carrier at the naked, wrinkled thing that strongly reminded him of the baby Voldemort horcrux he'd seen in the afterlife, and it didn't help that he could feel dark waves of soul magic coming from the thing.

Harry's eyebrows shot up when the thing in the carrier gave a tiny: "meow."

"Wait...is that some kind of cat?!" He asked incredulously with wide surprised eyes.

Percy chuckled and opened the crate door for the (maybe?) cat to come out. The thing immediately began to snuggle up around Harry's legs. He couldn't tell if it was very loving or just cold, but it was still kind of nice in a bony, wrinkled skin way. "It's a kitten actually, or rather half cat/half kneazle," Percy explained while Harry bent down to get a better look at the creature.

"Why is it naked?" He softly scratched the odd textured skin behind the kitten's overly large ears and the tiny thing just melted into jelly on top of his left shoe.

"Er...well, that's what I meant by 80-85% success," Percy shifted awkwardly and cleared his throat. "Erm, it started out with hair but something with the magic interacted, and it was an odd side-effect, I guess. I'm not sure just yet what the interaction was. I'm still studying the data. Hairless cats or rather Sphinx cats are a thing though, so it's not too odd."

"Right, so its hair all fell out when you did some kind of magic on it?" Harry now picked up the little wrinkled thing that was starting to worm its way into his heart. Honestly, it was just so ugly it was cute!