Title: Black or White

Summary: Harry has become Snape's apprentice. Snape is helping him to understand War, Magic and Voldemort. As Harry grows stronger, and his childhood friends begin to let him down he begins to discover that things are not black and white. SLASH. Graphic sex and Character death. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

World Summary: Harry Potter. Property of J. and Warner Brothers

WARNING: Semi-macabre, slash, lemon, original character violation, spell invention. If you can think of any more, please inform me. I have tried not to offend or mislead anybody. Spoilers for all books.

Plot Summary: Pairings: Severus Snape/Harry Potter (Main Pairing), Severus Snape/Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger. BDSM love story. Starts at the beginning of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts after Sirius' death. Note: Dumbledore knows nothing about the horcruxes.

Character Summary:

Severus Snape: Have tried to make him as like he is in Harry Potter but GAY. IF YOU ARE HOMOPHOBIC THEN PLEASE AVOID THIS FIC.

Harry Potter: Much more innocent and submissive than in the book. Also much stronger and more conscientious. Vaguely based on the young Dorian Grey, from The Portrait of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde. GAY. IF YOU ARE HOMOPHOBIC THEN PLEASE AVOID THIS FIC.

Ron Weasley: As in books. Hopefully.

Hermione Granger: As in books. Hopefully.

Dumbledore: Meddlesome and clueless. Minor character. Well-meaning but utterly left out of action.

Lupin: Portrayed as stupid. This isn't really my opinion of him, but him and Sirius really do bang on about James wayyyyyyyy too much!

A/N – Hi! Welcome to my new fic. If you have read some of my other work, this is more like the epic love story that is My Silacore than anything else, but this focuses more on plot and less on sex than that one. Hope to be posting about once a week. Do review if you enjoy it, I will endeavor to reply.

The stone rose in a great arc over the water and fell in the distant middle of the lake.

"Good shot, Harry," Lupin cried with over-emphatic good-humour. "Your father was great at throwing too. Maybe it's something to do with being a seeker. I remember me and him and S –." Lupin broke off and looked at Harry worriedly. Harry did not look upset, but a slight frown had crossed his features. Lupin was irresistibly reminded of Lily suddenly. He remembered the look she wore when something was bothering her, that same slightly puzzled frown. It suddenly occurred to him how little he had actually known about Lily, and equally how little he knew about this odd, quiet seventeen-year-old. After a moment Harry spoke.

"It's alright you know. Sirius and I didn't really know each other for long. I'll see him soon enough anyway I expect."

"Harry you shouldn't say that!" Lupin's indignation sounded strained even to him. Harry could well be dead within the year.

"It's alright Lupin. I've decided to stop wasting my time. I'm going to start training. I have all the information already. I know what I have to do." It took a moment for Lupin to ingest all this.

"So…you need a tutor."

"No," came the cold, even reply, "I have one already." Lupin could not help but feel slightly hurt. It was true he was very busy and couldn't teach Harry all the time, but Harry could at least have asked him!

"Who..?"

"Snape."

"Oh! Oh. Yes. I see." Lupin did. Who was Dumbledore's only confidante? Snape. Who knew more dark arts than anyone else in the order put together? Snape. Who knew more of Voldemort's movements than anyone else? Yes. It all made sense now. But…

"Harry, I thought you hated Snape?" To Lupin's surprise, and slight trepidation, Harry laughed blackly.

"I've got to go," Harry said, his laughter ending abruptly and leaving a horrible echo across the lake.

"Yes, of course, I'll walk you back."

HP/SS

Severus sat brooding over his tea. He was pretending to read, but he hadn't turned a page in the last hour. It was summer. He could hear whoops and laughs from outside. They did not come from Harry, he knew that, but he could imagine Harry's laughing face as he spoke to the wolf. Always his father's friends. It was a long time since Severus had admitted to himself that he liked the boy. Not because he was like his mother or his father, because he was neither. He was just simply so…There was a bang and to his great surprise Harry marched in grumpily and threw himself into a chair.

"How was your interview with the wolf?" Severus asked.

"When is he going to realise I'm not his precious James?"

"Maybe when you stop acting like him." Harry threw him a dirty look.

"Don't insult me."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Harry was draped casually over Severus' favourite armchair. His chest rose and fell under the thin white shirt. Severus could see the pulse in his neck. He looked alert and excited.

"So," he said after a short silence, "what are you going to teach me?"

"Occlumency. Spells. The ability to control yourself and your emotions." Severus allowed his lip to curl. "Perhaps a little common sense if we're lucky."

"Surely not." Harry said sardonically.

"There is hope yet Potter. Get up." Harry got up swiftly. Severus pointed his wand at him without preamble.

"Whoa…careful with that."

"You are in my power, Potter. What do you do?" Harry was beginning to look unnerved.

"I…I get out my wand."

"You'll be dead if try anything of the kind."

"Look this isn't funny…"

"What do you do, Potter, come on. My patience is waning."

"I…I beg?"

"No-o I think that only re-establishes my power over you. The important thing is not to be scared, Potter." Much as you begging me would be quite –

"I don't know what to do."

"Take your example from your enemy. What does he do?" Harry paused.

"Oh. I see. He lingers. He talks. He impresses the other person."

"Right. Can you do that?" Harry paused worriedly, then shook his head. Severus rolled his eyes and threw Harry his own wand. Harry caught it, easily and pulled out his own, replacing Severus' in his pocket.

"Now you're in my power," he chirped happily. Severus took a step towards him.

"No, Potter, listen. I know you're not going to kill me or curse me, so I'm not worried at all. When I had the wand, you weren't quite sure enough, were you?" He took another step as Harry shook his head again. "So until you get a bit tougher, Potter, I can simply reach out…" Severus reached for his wand in Harry's pocket and tried not to think about it, "…and take my wand back and Expelliarmus!" Harry grinned at Severus.

"Teach me," was all he said.

HP/SS