Chapter 2
To keep his mind off how much he missed Severus, Harry worked out three times a day. He had a room set up with all types of muggle equipment, to work on building his body up to making sure he was as fit as he could. The idea came to him after he seemed to get a growth spurt, at first he thought he would never grow anymore, but he did, he also filled out, so working would build his body up, give him muscles that he never thought he’d have. He never really liked exercise but he did want to feel better, plus it kept his mind off Severus. One thing he didn’t know about the property but was pleased when he found it was a small lake, so Harry would also swim every day. He was timid at first as he wasn’t a very good swimmer, never having swimming lessons when he was young, not like his cousin Dudley did. Whenever he wasn’t working out or learning how to make healing potions, Harry’s mind would constantly dredge up images of his time with Severus, his time spent in Severus’ bed. Harry would moan loudly as he remembered Severus’ hands and the way they would move and caress his body, making Harry quiver and beg to be taken. Harry knew just Severus’ look could ignite his body, but his touch would make him feel so alive like nothing ever did before. During this time Harry had to force himself not to give up, he knew when Severus was released that he would need help, physical help along with emotional help, Harry just hoped he had enough will and humanity to get his lover through the emotional torment he would go through once Severus was released because Harry sometimes felt that he was losing, losing his love, losing the will to care, losing his humanity, he just couldn’t bring himself to care anymore. Harry hated thinking about Severus in Azkaban, wondering if he was being hurt, being starved, maybe being subjected to the cruciatus curse. Harry swore so many times a day that if he found out someone had hurt the man he loved they would feel the sting of Harry’s spells and only Severus knew just how much of a sting Harry could give. After the death of Voldemort Harry’s power grew, it surged out of him so much so that Severus said that Harry was now more powerful that Albus Dumbledore using light magic and Voldemort using dark magic. They had tested Harry’s power and both men had been amazed at what he could do. He could manipulate the four elements as easily as he could cast a levitation charm, he was able to become an animagi on his first try and could also change his animal at will and had no limit to how often he could change. He was able to use any form as his patronus, but what surprised Severus was Harry could change into a patronus animagi combined which had never been done before. Other things Harry could do was become invisible, not like a disillusionment charm, but completely invisible, he also become a chameleon. One test they did was while Harry was invisible he apparated inside the ministry of magic, again something no one had ever done before.
Harry walked outside and down towards the lake, he stripped off his shirt and jeans ready to go for a swim when words reached him. He turned to stare in the low bushes a few feet from him when he saw a small snake with its heading sticking out.
“Hello little one,” Harry said in parseltongue.
“You speak snake talk,” the snake hissed.
“Yes, I can talk to snakes, I’m known as a parselmouth. Do you have a name?”
“Salus, do talker of snakes have a name?”
“Harry,” he smiled then squatted down but kept his distance, “Is there many snakes around here?”
“Just my family, my father said no one lived here anymore, but I have seen you bathe in the water.”
“I like to swim every day if I can. But my parents owned this place, but their friend lived here a long time ago, he died though.”
“Why are you alone?” The snake slithered out of his hiding place and approached Harry slowly who had sat down and crossed his legs.
“My friend had to go away for a long time, it wasn’t his choice, they made him go away so I wanted to be alone.”
“Why don’t you bring him back?”
“I can’t, they place they sent him too is protected to stop anyone going there.”
“But you are a talker of snakes, you can do powerful magic, surely you could go get him?”
Harry stared down at the snake, “It would mean I would get into trouble, but you know what Salus, I did a lot for the magical world and all they did was hurt me by taking the man I love away. Maybe I should use my magic to bring him here, but it worries me, it would mean he would have to hide forever and he deserves a life. Have you ever seen other magical people around here?”
“Not here where you have shelter, but down over the other side of those thick trees. They are strange, they wear coverings over their faces and I hear screaming sometimes.”
Harry stiffened and looked towards the trees, “You stay away from there Salus, those people are very bad, they would use magic to kill you, so tell your family.”
“Do talker of snakes know who they are?”
“Yes, I do, death eaters. There was a war going on for a long time, I killed their leader. But after my friend was sent away I decided I wasn’t going to help anymore and those people are still attacking.”
“I will tell my family to stay away. But since they have been here, there are no more rats, I came looking for food.”
“If you come with me to the cabin I will give you some food, then leave some down here every day if you want. I know it’s probably not as good as catching your own rats, but it’ll do until the rats return.”
“Thank you talker of snakes.”
Harry put his hand on the ground and the small snake slithered up his arm and settled on his shoulders and for the first time in almost a year, Harry smiled as he walked back to the cabin. He packed a small bag with food, then gave the snake a piece of meat that was left over from his dinner the night before, then they walked back down to the lake. Harry knelt down then placed his hand on the grass to allow Salus to slither down his arm, then Harry emptied the food right under the bush.
“So your family doesn’t get nervous, I’ll skip swimming today so they can come get the food, just tell them to be careful with those other people, they are bad.”
“I will tell them Harry, thank you for the food. I will come speak with you again.”
Harry smiled down at the snake, “I would like to talk to you again Salus, be careful,” Harry turned and went back to his cabin, but his thoughts were on the death eaters. He knew his place was protected, he found the charm to make it unplottable and how to do the fidelius charm, so he knew he was safe. He knew he could tell the ministry where the death eaters were, but he wasn’t going to, not after taking Severus away from him, so for now the ministry will just have to find the death eaters themselves.