Author's Note: There were a few reviewers that felt the plot had been rushed and a bit confusing; I confess, I originally wrote this just for vampire snarry smut! However, efforts to eradicate most of that, I have created this chapter to explain a few of the questions raised. It won't all be explained since a good deal will be later discussed so be patient my loves. I hope this helps! Thank you again to all my reviewers that offered such wonderful suggestions and questions.

Mates

Chapter Seven

A year prior...

Severus was pacing as he had just spoken in length as to his suspicion of the Potter boy being connected to him in a way he was rather in denial of; he would rather send himself headlong onto a stake of wood than been connected with the spawn of James.

"Are you sure?" Albus asked calmly despite his obvious twinkling depths. "This could be a very good thing, my boy. We could use this to our advantage against Marius as it will enhance your already perfected skills. Yes, indeed. This could also be the connection in which to further your occupation in the coven."

"No," Severus bit out. "I will not involve anyone in the inner workings of the coven. I do this only for you, Albus, that I even associate myself with Marius."

"Oh but Severus," Albus smiled. "We could verify a great many things if you were to be bonded to a true mate. I am sure that Marius would give you a higher standing and it could be used to identify their true intentions with searching out the book."

"I will not. The book has not been found to my understanding and if it were, I am sure I would as I am now be asked to help with the potion he wishes to create with it," Severus spat. "I will not be swayed to bond with the Potter child, Albus. You would be taking a life of a child for the betterment of your spy. I may have loathed his father, but his mother was a dear friend to me."

"Yes, I do understand what you mean to suggest, but you would be giving him a purpose, Severus. The boy would hardly know of it," Albus replied smoothly. "He would not need to be informed of much."

Severus scoffed at Dumbledore's obvious witlessness. The old coot was losing his touch. Potter would be well informed in all matters as soon as Severus was forced to not only turn a child but bed and procreate with said child. No, he would have none of it.

"It is not confirmed," he said meaning to ended their conversation.

"And if it were," Albus questioned.

"If it were, I would still not bond to the child. I will not be forced into this, Albus."

"Then why did you see fit to inform me, my boy. I am sure there is a part of you that wishes to be bonded to your mate."

"He is not confirmed as my mate," Severus retorted angrily. "That is besides the point, Albus. I came to you to request you remove me from my post until the child has graduated Hogwarts."

"Your request is denied. Let us see if the boy is truly your mate."

A day prior to Severus's rejection of Harry...

Severus made his way into the coven's grounds. Deep within the heart of London, Marius and his very large, very powerful coven occupied a great deal of the region. The main manor sat just in the very center of that territory; Marius often referred to it as their headquarters. Severus scoffed at the word. Marius was a very old vampire; he was an incredibly arrogant and ruthless leader. Their coven had flourished underneath his rule, but the siding towards the darker side of dealings caused Severus a great deal of discomfort. He was initially introduced to the Dark Lord through Marius.

Over the past few years, maybe longer as Severus was not informed in great detail, Marius sought the Book of Mortem Resurrectionemque Potionibus – which literally translates to the Book of Death Resurrection Potions. The purpose was not yet known to him, but he had spent the better part of the last few years tracking their progress at Albus's urging. Albus had theorized Marius was looking to resurrect the Dark Lord. The potion would of course not be simple and would require sacrifices as it utilized dark magic. No doubt, Severus would be employed to help with the creation. It was their hope to recover and destroy the book once it had been found; however, after every resource had been utilized, Severus very much doubted the book's existence.

Marius was seated on his throne – a regal décor that Severus did not, in the least, care for. The man was hardly a king but demanded it as such. He believed his power beyond that of other covens and would often refer to himself as king of the covens. Very few had argued otherwise. Severus had all but distanced himself from the inner politics of the many covens in the immediate area.

"Severus!" the man cried, his features distorting into a look of pure joy. The shoulder length pale-blonde hair hugged over sharp contours of the man's face. Ice-blue depths, clear as glass, regarded him with amusement – no doubt he was congratulating himself on his ability to bring about Severus's return. "I have not seen you in a good many months. That old wizard has you under lock and key."

"Albus does take pleasure from imprisoning those who have been led astray in the past," Severus drawled as he bowed before Marius and kissed the pale, cold fingers. The elder vampire let out a small sigh before lifting Severus's chin.

"But you come with news, I presume," Marius said knowingly. "I suspect it is in regards to the newest instituted legislation?"

"Yes, sire," Severus responded evenly.

"I am afraid I have been unable to persuade towards overruling it," Marius replied with a grim face. Severus knew better than to fall for the guise his sire was known to implement. He was not a master occlumense for little reason; he knew their favored leader was rotten to the core. "You shall, however, be given the choice of many fine candidates in which to bond. Is that not an amazing gift, Severus?"

"I have no intention of bonding, sire."

"Ah," the elder vampire said with a disappointed expression on his brow. "I fear you must, Severus. You will have a choice in the matter, of which I will give you the remainder of the week to make. I will then expect your decision. It is my hope to bring you into my personal council. Is that not an honor, my childe?"

"Undoubtedly sire," Severus said keeping the sarcasm from dripping with his tone. He knew it was a stretch to beseech the man. Marius had, for a long while, been after Severus to hold a political position within his ranks. Severus had fallen back on the excuse of his unbound statuses to keep the leader at bay.

"Very good," Marius sang as he beamed his excitement. "I suspect that shortly following this week we will be closer to our search of the book." The gleam in Marius's eyes had Severus inwardly shuttering. It gave way to suspicious pondering on his part and a need of a conversation with the old coot. It would seem that Marius was close in on the location of the book.

Presently...

Harry returned to Severus's chambers later in the evening after getting specific instructions to take it easy and get some rest. His mind was elsewhere during the entire lecture Poppy had bestowed upon him. He was thinking of his body's cravings for the man standing only a few feet from him as the medi-witch listed to which she felt necessary before his release from her wards. The near-death experience after the elder vampire had all but tossed him aside for "his own good," as Dumbledore had once expressed after Harry had begun to recover, had all but stripped him of his desire to fight against his attraction for Severus. He could no longer deny himself of the vampire and would do practically anything to secure a future with the snarky potion's professor.

He had followed in silence as the taller wizard led him back to their shared abode. He had been told early in the morning they were to be bonded through the Ministry and then that evening, Severus would discuss the needed steps to initiate him into the world he was still very ill-educated on.

The air wafted with the familiar feeling of animal magnetism. Harry was already losing his ability to focus on anything other than the vampire a short few feet away from him. It had been a great deal of time –several days recovery- since they had last...coupled. He knew that Severus would need to feed, and he could feel his own body responding to that need. He crept forward, his head gone foggy, and his chest heaving with his exertion to keep himself from running and throwing himself at the vampire. Severus did not move, merely let him come as he climbed into the other man's lap and encircled the pale professor's neck with his arms. Emerald irises met onyx as the two shared a moment before lips were molding together in fervor and their bodies were moving against each other in vigor.

Harry moaned into the vampire's mouth, feeling his skin all but crawling with pleasurable sensations as their thrusts met together in a violent roll. He gasped as the curling in his lower belly threatened to unwind. Severus's hands tightened on his hips, slowing the pace as he trailed kisses along his jaw, neck column, and then rested on his pulsating jugular. He tilted his head to allow better access to the questing mouth, submitting himself to his mate's needs.

"You are barely recovered," he heard the man beneath him whisper against his neck. "But you are too delectable and I...too hungry with the need to devour you."

Harry vaguely wondered who the vampire was talking to because he didn't seem to mind that Harry was an unresponsive and wanton mess, mewling at the vibrations tickling his neck with each whispered word. He was not given another moment's thought as a sharp pain quickly followed by intense pleasure rippled through him and burned deep into his core. He cried out as his body trembled under the power of that pleasure. Renewed movements sent him colliding right into his orgasm as Severus drank from him.

He went limp against the other, breathing heavily to regain some semblance of feeling in his numb form. A few minutes passed while Severus closed the wound on the spot he drank and pulled him into a tight embrace. Harry's mouth was quickly dominated once more. Instantly, he was heaved up, as if weightless, into the arms of his mate and walked into the man's bedroom. He was light-headed with his pleasure as a tongue whipped against his playfully before retreating and then teeth nibbled at his bottom lip.

The soft, silky sheets met his backside as he was thrown to the bed. Severus snaked over him, trailing his hands beneath his jumper and skimming the sensitive flesh of Harry's torso. Bowing against the sudden feelings coursing the length of him, Harry let out an audible groan. Lips trailed sparse kisses over the exposed flesh, eliciting more gasps of surprised pleasure from Harry's throat. He felt out of control of both his body and voice as Severus continued his assault. His nipples were sucked into a hot mouth, rolled over with a moist tongue. Curling his hands into the sheets, Harry did his best to hold back his cries and closed his eyes tightly against the sensations.

The vampire quickly rid him of his trousers before pressing hot kisses along his navel and hip bones just above the waistband of his briefs. Harry bucked his hips as shots of pleasure hardened his awaiting prick straining below.

"Oh Merlin," he cried out as his briefs were removed deftly, and then his legs were jerked up and spread to expose himself to the other man. Harry covered his face with his arm, unable to hide the growing blush. It was the most vulnerable he had ever been. It was as if his body had tuned to the every brush of the man's fingers against his trembling thighs and every whisper of hot breath against his sensitive skin. There he lay open, submissive, and waiting for what ever Severus saw fit to do with him. To say that Harry was not scared would be a lie. Nervousness made his every nerve alert and ever breath labored. He berated his sudden vulnerability and reminded himself that this was not the first time they had been intimate. It felt different. Extremely so.

"Accio lubricant," his partner called out. Harry lost his ability to breathe as slippery digits ran along the crease in his backside, trailing over his virgin pucker. Oh gods, he thought as his heat increased in his cheeks. He was not entirely sure how two men...wizards...beings went about coupling but there was a definite hint as a finger prodded his entrance. "Relax, Harry," Severus whispered more gently, soothing Harry momentarily.

Harry was doing his best to relax, but his body was refusing to listen to him as the first finger penetrated him. He let out a small moan as the burning spread from below. It was bearable, but it was a rather odd sort of sensation. After the second finger, however, Harry was feeling a bit more pain coupled with a burning sensation. He adjusted awkwardly against the intrusion. Overwhelming heat swallowed his softening erection, and he was sent reeling backwards against the amazing pleasure. Soon he could barely notice the prodding until he felt a zing of pleasure in his backside. Startling, he looked down to see the small smirk of his vampire between his legs. The image alone of his potion's professor between his thighs was enough to make his prick jump with excitement.

"Merlin," he breathed against another slide and jolt of sensation within. "What..."

Severus merely curled the now, three fingers within him once more over that nub within. Harry was breathing heavily soon, body moving like a fish out of water and wiggling in his wanton pleasure. Severus pulled his fingers from him before he was divesting himself of his clothing. Harry regarded him with pleasure-glazed eyes as pale flesh was revealed to him. He watched the hard definition of muscles ripple beneath pale flesh and an amazing collection of scarring flow over strong curves. The dip of the man's navel underneath well-formed abdominal muscles was enough to hold his gaze; so much so that he missed the sizable erection being placed at his stretched pucker. The first push surprised him frozen before the blunt head broke past the ring and caused him to cry out in pain; he tried to move away from the source of it, but strong hands held him, keeping him from his escape. He was no where near ready for the feeling as he felt the slow progression of the length fill him. Tears streamed from his eyes as he bit at his lower lip and fought against the pain. The man above him was stalled in his progression and for the first time, seemed at a loss as to how to comfort the crying youth beneath him.

So they rested, allowing the new intrusion to settle into a dull burn, and when Harry finally nodded, did the man move within him. A mouth pressed against his own, moving gently as if comforting him from the pain in his rear. Harry wrapped trembling hands around the flexing biceps and lifted a bit to meet the other in the slow thrusts. It was a long while before Harry found any sort of rhythm with the vampire above him. He matched each thrust as the pain was overwhelmed in an angle hitting his nub. Jolts of electricity shook his form. Severus coaxed a few groans of pleasure from Harry with a few sound thrusts to his pleasure spot. Modesty and vulnerability forgotten, Harry was fully writhing in his pleasure, calling out as each thrust got him closer to his second orgasm. Severus thrust one last time, penetrating his neck again with his fangs, and the dual sensations were enough to send Harry flying over the edge of his orgasm.

It was the most intense feeling he had ever had before. It was as if he was out of his body, every nerve firing, and his voice an embodied sound amongst the growls from his partner. It had him on the brim of unconsciousness as he fell backward into the softness, a numb and limbless mess. He was beyond exhaustion but trembling with energy after such an enlightened experience. Severus was beside him, having pulled out and cleansing them of bodily fluids. Harry had barely registered if the man had come or not. The state he was in, all he could focus on was the need for uninterrupted slumber. As he slipped away, he barely registered the soft whisper of his mate.

"Forgive me, Harry."

Two days ago...

"So you will bond with the boy," Dumbledore said over his woven hands. "There is nothing to which you should be sorry for Severus. Harry need not know the reason in which you are affiliating yourself with the coven. Besides, as the connection has already been made, if you were to sever it, you would inevitably send him to an early grave."

"Do you not think I understand this, Albus?! Why did you seek to leave Harry ignorant to what was asked of him? Why did you entrust me to explain the details of our bonding?" Severus was staring at the man who had saved him many years ago from himself and pondered how the very same man could endanger a child within his care. Severus had his doubts for the true intentions behind the book Marius sought.

"I believed that regardless of the information," Albus started. "Harry would bond with you as was his destiny to. I do not know many of the workings of your coven's bonding ceremonies, so I saw it fit to allow you the honor of that conversation."

"Honor? Destiny? That is ludicrous and you know it, Albus," Severus spat.

"Regardless, my boy, you are to be bonded to the boy in a few days time. Poppy has projected a two to three day recovery for Harry. I am to understand that Marius has given you a deadline, and you will need to be bonded with the Ministry and request the proper authorities permission to change Harry to one of your kind. Therefore, when the boy wakes, we shall bond the two of you. I will give you the appropriate amount of leave for his transformation and your stay with the coven, however, I do expect you to return in a month's time."

Severus bit his tongue as he eyed the man who so calmly regarded their situation as any other menial task. It enraged him to the very core. He knew his place as the man's spy of sorts, but to drag along an innocent boy – even more so, the son of Lily – was beyond anything that had been asked of him.

Harry was his mate; he would protect the boy with his very last fiber. If bonding with the boy saved him from death, he would. However, as Albus had given him no other avenue of escape from his spying, he would be forcing Harry into a situation that could very well cost them both of their lives. Deciding he had had enough of the old meddlesome man for the day, he turned on his heels and fled to the bedside of his mate.

Presently...

Severus gazed at the slumbering adolescent beside him. He had originally meant only to prepare the boy for their bonding on the morrow. Instead, he had found that with the soft whispers and gasps, moans and writhing that the minx beside him had expressed, he had been unable to deny claiming adolescent.

The slender form beside him sighed deeply before rolling and molding himself to Severus's side. The dark lashes shadowed over soft, honey skin of the boy's high cheekbones and gaping kiss-swollen lips breathed soft sighs of sleep. Severus was staring at the beauty beside him, wondering to which god he should convey his gratitude for this gift. Severus allowed a moment of indulgence; he weaved his potion-stained fingertips through soft dark locks. He let a smile touch the sides of his lips as his hand snagged in its progression; the boy had severely unmanageable hair.

He feared for the morning to come. Severus was still very much in the dark when it came to both Marius and the old coot. He felt out of control – something he would never admit to. Control was his only means of survival.

His fingers trailed the soft contours of his mate's face, memorizing the curves and feel beneath them. In such a short time, he had come to care deeply for the boy. He slid his questing fingertips down the column of Harry's neck, outlining it before flowing over the curve of the boy's shoulder. He would protect that light that was so very much like his mother's. The spawn of James was quickly morphing into a likeness of one of Severus's closest and most cherished childhood friends; his only true friend.

Settling in next to the youngster, he pulled the comforter to encase their joined forms before allowing himself to slip into the darkness of sleep.

Hopefully this chapter answered some of the more pressing questions, but you'll get more answers soon. Love you guys! Keep reviewing...I live for your feedback!