The Lakes | ✔️

- 2 -

Harry laid awake trying to figure out the pieces of the puzzle his life had become. Each time he moved the chains grafted against his wrists and the wall behind him grated at the skin on his back. Snape had left the room many hours ago, hours that had been spent wondering what to do next and gazing around the room he'd found himself in to try to find any escape.
It was quite small, had rough, exposed fieldstone walls and had no natural light source. The wooden floor that he sat on had long since made his behind go numb. The door opposite him looked far too sturdy for him and had a peephole; the thought of what was watching on the other side made him shudder.

Snape paced up and down the kitchen. Now that he had him here, he was unsure what to do next. Sure, he had been planning this for years but it was so overwhelming for it to be finally happening. He knew what he wanted to do but he couldn't - not just yet. If he was honest, Snape was surprised at the boy's reaction - he told him he had saved him! He could at least be grateful of that! Perhaps it was the chains. Admittedly, they weren't the best course of action if he wanted Harry to believe he had been saved but he could make something up. Although he had told himself to leave him to sleep just a little longer, he found himself wandering towards his room.

The hallway to Harry's room was dark and reassuringly quiet - maybe his charge finally went to sleep? He cracked open the door slowly, peeking into the room delicately. He was not asleep.

"Good morning."

Harry did not acknowledge Snape, instead he kept his eyes trained straight ahead.

Walking carefully towards the young man, he said soothingly, "I know this has been a very big ordeal, dear, so I think you should have something to eat, okay?"

Losing his focus, Harry looked up at these words. With those doey green eyes staring up at him, Snape almost lost his train of thought but he pulled himself back to what he was doing.

"I am going to take these chains off of you but I need you to lift your arms up a little, can you do that for me?"

Confused at Snape's change of character, Harry silently lifted his arms as far as he could to let him unlock them. The older man rubbed his wrists gently then helped him onto his feet, letting his boy lean on him as they trudged slowly out to the kitchen.

When they got to the table, Snape helped Harry into a chair then turned to the food he had already prepared.

Harry did not miss his chance.

He bolted out of the kitchen and down the hall, not knowing where he was going but hoping he'd find the exit somewhere. Snape, who hesitated at first out of shock, did not let Harry get far. For he had much more energy than the one who had been locked up in a room without food or water for hours. He tackled him to the ground and straddled over him, pinning his arms above his head, barely out of breath watching the boy try to catch his. He stared down at him, his soft, gentle nature hidden away, now replaced by the fearful professor persona Harry had once feared.

Snape clutched Harry's chin and spat, "Do not dare try that again. I will not go easy on you next time - is that clear?"

Harry tried to wriggle his way out, tried to throw Snape off but he was powerless. Snape pressed down harder on the boy's wrists, bent down and whispered in his ears,

"You are not going anyway, okay boy? You live here now, so you would do well to let any thought of leaving out of your mind."

He pushed off of him and stalked back to the kitchen, banging cupboards and slamming down plates as he prepared food for himself, Potter's left abandoned on the side. Harry stared down the hallway in disbelief, he had just been thinking that Snape would be kind to him and he could convince him to let him go when he snapped. If he wanted to get out of this, he was going to have to play along.

Harry did not speak for the rest of the day, instead silently obeying everything Snape told him to do while carefully observing his reactions. Snape watched the boy intently, curious to see if he would attempt another escape or if this morning's ordeal had beaten it out of him; it seemed to be the latter, he thought smugly.

The day passed uneventfully in the cabin by the lake. Harry lay on the forest green couch staring up at the beams in the ceiling wondering what his life had come to. He traced the beams across the ceiling to the exposed wooden walls which were adorned with obnoxious hunting trophies and green accents. It only took six hours of staring at the same damn ceiling for Harry to crack.

"Why am I here?"

He asked, trying to sound strong but the lack of water cracking his voice.

Snape looked over sharply at his boy, noticing immediately the front he was putting up but pretending not to see it. He paused, took a deep breath and said, "You have made it clear that you are unable to adequately look after yourself and so it is my duty to fulfill that role."

"I'm not a fucking child!" he exclaimed, jumping out of his seat, "I'm not a first year - I'm an adult now and I can look after myself, thank you very much."

"Now, now Harry do not get yourself all worked up-"

"Don't tell me what to do, Snape." Harry stormed out of the room once again, this time knowing exactly where to go after studying the house all day. He made it to the porch and-

"What the fuck-"

They were on an island. An empty jetty jutted out of the rocks but apart from that the tiny island was just filled with trees and overgrown plants.

Watching Harry, Snape leaned against the cabin door, a smirk growing on his face. Harry looked around with growing panic as the realisation set in.

"Do you understand now? Have I made it through to that thick brain of yours or do you need another reminder?" He stalked towards, Harry, pushing him further and further down the jetty until he was only a step away from the edge. Reaching out to grab the collar of his shirt, he glowered down at him, pausing to let the fear creep in then turned, grabbing Harry's hand and pulling him back into the house.

Harry could not figure him out; one moment he was calm and gentle, the other he was dangerous and intimidating. How was he supposed to live with him if he had to walk on eggshells around him?