So It Goes On

Chapter 41: 15th June 1998

15th June 1998

On Your Own Heads Be It

Severus was exhausted. Not only was he still recovering from the end of the war, he'd also caught a nasty case of hypothermia almost two weeks ago and he could swear he could still feel the cold down to his bones. He knew that was why there was a fire burning in the grate even though it the weather didn't really necessitate one. Minerva had probably lit it, she had become just as much a mother hen recently as Poppy Pomfrey had always been and he wondered if the two of them had any hobbies other than nursing him anymore. It didn't seem likely.

"I'm sure you're all aware," Severus began, "That I despise staff meetings."

In the last year in which he'd been headmaster, he'd had less then five meetings. In one whole year. He was rather proud of that. No doubt at the time, everyone else had simply been pleased to stay out of his way but now things had to be different. He didn't want a repeat of last year. He didn't want to be the hated headmaster now even though he wasn't sure that it was possible to be anything else. He had to at least try.

"I think we remember, Severus, yes," Minerva scoffed.

"Therefore, I'll be brief," he continued, taking a breath and looking around him.

Since it was a staff meeting, they were all there, each and everyone of them had faced him for a whole year and had believed him to be a traitor. He knew this was not going to be easy. Some of them could even choose to leave after this and he wouldn't blame them. Rolanda Hooch, Filius Flitwick, Hagrid, Irma Pince, Horace Slughorn, Pomona Sprout, Septima Vector, Cuthbert Binns, Poppy Pomfrey, Sybill Trelawney along with Firenze, Argus Filch and of course Minerva McGonagall, were all sat around the room, staring at him silently and he suddenly felt like a nervous, inadequate child again.

What he didn't know, was that during his convalescence, the people in front of him had meetings of their own to discuss just what exactly they should do, and they'd already come to a decision. They couldn't simply leave the school not after everything they'd been through to save it and neither could they leave Severus after everything he'd done.

"...At the present time...I am still the headmaster of this school. No doubt...you're all aware of why I...of why last year had to be so..." he said, for once, struggling to find the right words.

"Secrets never stay secret for long at Hogwarts," Pomona rightly said, saving him the trouble as she looked at him sympathetically.

"That motto would be far better than our current one," Irma Prince scoffed.

"Whether you're aware of it all or not...I'm frankly surprised that you all bothered to turn up for this...farcical waste of time," Severus said. "Or even to stay here at all," he added.

"Were we supposed to resign?" Irma asked.

"Most people would," he replied.

"We must have missed the elf delivered memo," she said and he rolled his eyes.

Al things considered, Severus was very surprised. They weren't shouting at him, they weren't hexing him, in fact they all seemed quite calm.

"I was being perfectly serious," he told them. "I expect to be shipped off to Azkaban at any given moment regardless of what Potter told the Ministry. I'm hardly the best choice to stay here as headmaster, I never was."

"Wha' a load of codswallop," Hagrid said, "The Ministry ain't gonna arrest you, Professor."

"That remains to be seen," Severus said, simply.

"An' another thing," Hagrid continued, eagerly, "Yer a good headmaster 'ter boot."

"Yes, I certainly got that impression last year," he scoffed.

"Okay...yer didn't get the job in the...usual way, I mean...but we didn't know 'bout...everything."

"And you can honestly say you don't still despise me for it? The reasons don't change the fact that I killed Albus Dumbledore," Severus said, his voice hoarse. He didn't think he'd ever stop feeling guilty about it either.

"...Yeah...an' he shouldn't'a made you do it," Hagrid said and Severus sighed in frustration. Was a sob story really all it took for them to pity him instead of hate him? Even after everything he'd done.

"Look, we understand," Rolanda said. "You did what you had to do and I don't think I could have done half of it. It's quite likely that we're all alive because of you..."

"Then those who died are because of me too," he retorted.

"People die in war," Binns said, heavily, "It's tragic...but its true."

"It would have been a lot worse if the Carrows had been left in charge...alone," Minerva remarked.

"It was bad enough," Severus said, "They did...enough damage. I couldn't always be there to stop them..."

"We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter's the one, and Voldy's gone mouldy, so now let's have fun!" Peeves sang as he suddenly floated through into the room. He'd been singing the same song for months on end now and everyone was rather sick of it.

"Peeves! You bloody great bastard!" Severus growled at him and the poltergeist visibly shuddered. "Go away!" he ordered.

"...Ooooooh, the wee Death Eater is mad..." the poltergeist taunted, floating upside down and staring at Severus with a grin on his translucent face. "I thought we had a deal, sir," he said, mockingly, "I get to do all the singing I want if I..."

"Shut up!" Severus ordered, but Peeves didn't listen.

"...If I distracted stupid, evil Carrowses. I did that, I did. Peeves distracted evil Carrowses all year when Carrowses were punishing nasty little students so now Peeves can do whatever he wants, he can," he chortled.

Severus shot out a nasty stinging he'd at him but he kept laughing as he fled back through the stone walls. "Bloody menace," he grumbled, putting his wand back up his sleeve.

"Sounds like you made quite a use of that 'menace'," Minerva said.

"I didn't think I'd still be here by the time he upheld his end of the bargain," the headmaster admitted, morbidly.

"Now we have to put up with his singing and Merlin only know what else," Irma sighed. "A small price to pay I suppose," she shrugged.

"You won't be saying that when he destroys your library," Rolanda replied, smirking.

"Let him try," the librarian smiled back.

"Ridiculous," Severus shook his head, getting frustrated again. "The point is; if you want to leave I won't stop you and if you have any...objections...now would be the time to voice them."

"I do have one objection," Flitwick said seriously and waited a moment before he continued. "We don't have to cancel Christmas again, I assume?" he smiled. Last year of course, no one had been in the mood for Christmas and all things considered it hadn't been important.

"This year we should have an extra long Christmas to celebrate," Septima Vector said.

"Now that you mention it," Sybil began, "I did foresee a spectacular celebration..." she trialled off, no doubt imagining all the sherry she'd be able to drink.

"...You're all insane," Severus bemoaned.

"Well, of course we are. We work here," Poppy said.

"Can you just be serious for five seconds?" he asked, resting his head back on his chair in resignation. "If you stay, you know what you're letting yourselves in for?" he asked, "I'm not...Albus. I am not understanding. I'll never be jovial or kind or..."

"Severus, we've worked with you for years before the war...worsened," Pomona began, "And many of us taught you long before that as well. I think we know what you're like."

"But now you know what I'm capable of," he said.

"And why you're capable of it," she said, "I'm not saying it'll be easy, but I for one am willing to try...if you'll let me. Having thought about it...it's quite unforgivable to work with someone for so long and then expect the worst of them without waiting for an explanation."

"You were supposed to believe it and it wasn't all a lie. That's at least part of who I am," Severus told them.

"But not all," Hagrid said and the others seemed to agree with him.

"...Fine," he sighed, "But on your own heads be it."

"Always so dramatic, Severus," Minerva shook her head, smirking.

Chapter 42: 14th January 1999

Potions Gone Awry

14th January 1999

There were several, very good reasons why Severus Snape had been such a harsh task master as a teacher and, granted, not all of them had been professional. One was, of course, was that he simply didn't like children; they were impatient, silly and generally not interested in what he was trying to teach them. Another, was that he wasn't a good man, he didn't even think he was a nice man let alone a decent teacher and it hadn't been his passion for educating the next generation that had driven him to teach. It had been a necessity more than anything else in the grand scheme of things.

Probably the only professional reason, was that he was working with dangerous substances and one wrong move could cause an explosion which could devastate the castle. Students may not have been intelligent enough to fear a potential exploding cauldron, but they certainly feared him and it had served him well. In the long list of Potions teachers at the school, he was one of the few able to boast that never before had a student ruined a potion enough to cause a catastrophic explosion.

Until today. The irony being, he wasn't even meant to be teaching Potions anymore.

It had all started with Horace Slughorn's love of pineapple and his inability to tell a good one from a bad one. He'd eaten something he shouldn't, which was really very embarrassing for a potioneer, and so he was holed up in his rooms, lying motionless in his bed with an much used bucket nearby.

Minerva shook her head at the man and though she was sympathetic, he really should have paused long enough to realise that he'd been about to eat a bad pineapple. Apparently, potions were of no use to him now in his illness and the only solution was to allow nature, however repellant, to take its course. Now she was left with very little time to find a substitute to teach for the day and quite possibly for the week. Cancelling an entire week of classes was simply unthinkable but it didn't seem to bother the headmaster when she told him.

"You teach it," he snapped, "If it's so important."

"It is important. We need to show the Ministry that we can cope. If they see one thing go wrong...just one small thing, they'll use it against us and they'll interfere. As for me teaching Potions, I'm hardly qualified, likely the students would know more than me and I have my own classes to contend with."

"Tell the others to pitch in then. I'm sure you'll come up with something," he said, still reading a letter on his desk. He'd barely looked up at her once.

"You could teach...just until Horace is recovered enough to..."

"No."

"But, Severus..."

"No."

"For Merlin's sake, will you at least let me..."

"No," he repeated and she let out a sigh of frustration.

"But you already teach Defence when Remus is..."

"I said, no, Minerva, and I meant it," he said.

Despite that, about half an hour later, Severus found himself walking the familiar path to the dungeons, his robes as always, billowing out behind his quick strides. The students quickly moved aside for him, clearing a path without him having to say a word. They all looked just as surprised as he felt at his actually leaving his office in broad daylight since it was something he rarely did anymore.

He entered the Potions classroom just as he had done for years before, by slamming the door open noisily and striding in to stand at the front, turning to stare at the shocked students who were blinking at him in confusion. It was a third year class of Slytherins and Gryffindors. Fantastic. Why those two houses were still paired together at potions he'd never know. It was risky and dangerous enough without adding two feuding groups of adolescents.

"Professor Slughorn finds himself incapable of teaching you today, therefore this enviable task falls to me," he announced, siting at the desk to glance over the lesson plans.

After a moment, he pointed his wand at the blackboard and in his own handwriting, the words 'The Antidote to Uncommon Poisons' appeared in white chalk.

"What is this antidote intended to cure?" he asked them.

"M...Minor poisons...sir," a slightly shaking hand was raised in the air. It was a young Slytherin.

"Elaborate, Mr. Thomas."

"Erm...doxy bites?"

"Is that an answer or a question?" Severus sighed. "Either way, in essence, you are correct. The Antidote to Uncommon Poisons will cure doxy bites along with many other ailments. Your task today is brew it successfully," he said and the ingredients and the recipe appeared on the board. "Begin," he ordered and the scrambled to gather their things without questioning him.

"You're doing it wrong," a young, arrogant voice said, clearly trying to whisper and failing miserably.

"No, I'm not! Go back to your own table!" another replied and Severus sighed, resting his elbow on the desk. He hated having Gryffindors and Slytherins in the same class. It was always trouble. Why did it have to be the first class of the day?

"You stupid Gryffindors couldn't brew a potion if your lives depended on it!"

"Silence!" he ordered and the voices stopped. "Keep your childish house rivalry out of this classroom and get back to work," he said.

"Yes, sir," students said in unison and for a while all was silent.

After he'd more or less caught up with Slughorn's rather messy lesson plans, Severus was more or less up to speed with each year group and what they were doing but that was the precise moment that everything went wrong. He'd been looking up from the desk periodically just to check that the students hadn't been doing something stupid and when he looked up this time he saw one of the SLytherins about to trip one of the Gryffindors. Now, this wasn't unusual considering their rivalry, but what made it unfortunate was what the Slytherin was carrying and what lay on the desk in front of her.

"Stop!" he bellowed, pushing his chair back and standing up, but it was too late.

The Gryffindor girl, Aurora Philips had been carrying a bowl of fire seeds but what she clearly hadn't known was that these seeds hadn't been cooled down, also courtesy of the Slytherins, and neither had she noticed that she was about to be tripped up. The seeds fell all over the desk in front of her mixing with the other ingredients and the fires beneath the cauldrons.

Normally this wouldn't have been such a disaster but the precise mix of the ingredients and the fire proved to be nothing short of explosive. The desk itself caught fire and the students reared back in shock. The cauldrons exploded under the intense heat and everything mixed together in their improperly brewed potions to form a kind of thick, viscous substance which began to emit a foul smelling miasma.

The explosion itself really wasn't that bad and the fire couldn't have just been extinguished but for the toxic fumes that it produced which were the real danger. Normally, one would simply vanish the fumes, but these would simply be replaced by more fumes if he did, they were made that quickly. The only thing to do was allow the potion to exhaust its fuel and then vanish it all. But that would take time and its effects were instantaneous.

"Out!" he bellowed and the students scurried to do as he said. "Never mind your books, just go!" he added when some were foolish enough to take the time to pack away their belongings, despite the fact that they were already coughing and hunched over from the fumes.

Casting a shimmering mask around his face, he worked quickly to throw a few ingredients into the bubbling, simmering mess which was growing rapidly on the desk, scorching the old wood as it grew in size. He hoped it would weaken the process. But these fumes were truly volatile and they were even able to pierce through his magical mask in less than a minute.

At the same time, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Luna were walking towards the dungeons, not knowing what had happened until a flock of younger students came running towards them.

"Bloody hell!" Ron cried, "What's going on?"

"He's really mad!" one student said as he ran past them.

"Explosion!" another said.

"He tripped me, I swear it wasn't my fault!" a girl was crying to her friends as she ran.

"Oh bugger," Ron muttered to his friends. "Someone's finally gone and done it. They've blown up the dungeons," he said.

"Come on," Harry said, running towards the dungeons instead of away from them like everyone else around them.

By the time the got there, the place was deserted and the door was bolted shut but it didn't stop the fumes from escaping, making them cough as they neared it. But before they could foolishly open the door, it was wrenched open and Severus staggered out from behind it with his wand drawn. He was coughing worse than them and his eyes were watering a little as well as he leaned against the wall. He waved his wand in an intricate series of movements and the door shone a bright blue. The fumes slowly dissipated and he'd clearly sealed the room so that more of the gases wouldn't escape.

But the damage to his neck had unfortunately been done by his persistent coughing and his outer robe was smouldering slightly. He leaned back against the wall and fell to his knees, tossing aside his outer robe with great difficulty and with an air of unfortunate habit, he began to slow his breathing. He unbuttoned the top few buttons on his frock coat and loosened his cravat to gently massage the abused skin of his pale neck as his coughing subsided.

"Professor?" Harry asked, daring to take a step towards the wounded Slytherin. Severus reacted immediately, caught in a moment of unguarded weakness, his black eyes turned to glare at them in a mix of anger and confusion.

In the meantime, Luna picked up his robe and a glass vial fell out, she handed the robe to Hermione while she walked over to Severus.

"I think this should help, headmaster," Luna said, her voice soothing and songlike as always. She was standing quite close to him, holding out a vial of purple liquid. "It fell out of your robe," she explained, "From the looks of it, I'd say it's a Soothing Draught for your throat, sir."

He stared at for for a second before he nodded and took the vial from her, uncorking it and swallowing it quickly. "...You didn't...breathe in those...fumes, did you?" he managed to ask them.

"Only a bit," she replied, "In any case, they seem to have gone now."

"Not gone," Severus said, pushing himself upright against the wall. "Contained," he added.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"Severus!" Minerva called out, running towards them before he had a chance to say anything. "What on earth happened? There was a veritable stampede through the corridors to get here," she said.

"Bloody students will be the death of me," he grumbled, picking up his robe and brushing it off lightly.

"Someone said something about an explosion," Minerva remarked. "And..of course you are all here," she said, glancing at Harry and the others.

"We just got here," Ron said, defensively, "This time it really was nothing to do with us, honest, professor."

"Unfortunately, Weasley is right," Severus spoke as though it pained him to admit it and the young man himself looked surprised to hear it as well. "For once," the man added, suppressing a smirk.

"Well, what was it?"

"Slytherin and Gryffindor rivalry...as always," he told her, "And spiked Fire Seeds."

"Was there an explosion?"

"A small one."

"And the students?"

"You said yourself...they ran off."

"Are they alright?"

"Fine for now but they won't be when I get my hands on them. Bloody dunderheads."

"And Merlin...why is the door magically sealed?" she asked, glancing at the still glowing door.

From its creation, the Potions classroom had been designed with more protective wards to be able to seal it properly in case of such explosions. Hence why he was able to seal the fumes away now but not when he was inside trying to use a magical mask.

"Toxic fumes," he said.

"...I see," she sighed. "Really...I know the rivalry had gotten worse but...something must be done, Severus. This can't go on."

"What am I supposed to do about it?"

"Speak to the students yourself. You're the headmaster."

"You assume they'll listen to me."

"It's worth a try. We've never had an explosion in the lab before. The odd fight, yes, but it's gotten worse."

She was right of course. Over the last few months it had really come to a head. The Slytherins were isolated from the rest of the school because of what had happened in the war and they naturally defended their own. Including the headmaster. So when a student said something negative about him, a Slytherin would defend him and the rivalry was no longer contained to the Quidditch Pitch. There had already been several fights but this was the first time it had been this disruptive.

"I erm...we tried talking to the Gryffindors..." Harry admitted slowly. "I...we saw things were getting...tense...so we thought it was worth a try. I don't think a lot of them really listened though. They're just...angry..."

"At me. Perfectly understandable," Severus said, tying his cravat again and buttoning up his coat. He took his outer robe from Hermione without a word and pulled it on with Minerva helping him.

"We knew this wasn't going to be easy," she said to him, quietly, brushing off his shoulders.

"We'll discuss this later," he replied, gesturing to the four students still standing within earshot of them.

"Yes, I suppose we will," Minerva sighed. "You're alright?" she asked.

"Fine," he answered simply. "I managed to dilute the explosion, so the fumes should be clear in about twenty minutes," he said.

"While we're waiting you may want to see Poppy..."

"I'm fine," Severus insisted.

"All the same..."

"Stop fussing," he shook his head at her, "I don't need to be smothered."

She sighed but smiled all the same at him. "I'm sorry, Severus. But I worry," she said.

"Don't," he said, turning to walk away. He stopped and looked at the four students for a moment. "Obviously, your class will be delayed," he told them, waving his wand at the door.

A note appeared saying, 'Eighth year class delayed. Return in thirty minutes.'

Then he stalked off down the corridor without staring anything else.

"So...Snape's teaching potions again, is he?" Ron frowned.

A.N. Thank you to all you wonderful reviewers! I hope you like the new chapter.

Chapter 43: 15th January 1999 Part 1

Headmaster Snape Intervenes

15th January 1999 Part 1

It was generally Severus' prerogative to stay well away from the private lives of the students but seeing as he was headmaster, it was quite unavoidable at times. He couldn't skulk in his rooms forever and ignore the fact that there was a rather large problem that needed to be addressed. Unfortunately this was one of those times. The rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and indeed at times, the other houses as well, had become too disruptive to ignore, especially after the explosion yesterday in Potions and he simply couldn't leave it be any longer.

So, he stood behind the golden podium in the Great Hall, the teachers sat at the high table behind him and all four houses in front of him. Everyone had just finished their breakfast and he'd vanished the remnants with a flick of his wrist and ordered them all to be silent. Naturally, the students complied.

"Since you all seem to be so inept at following simple instructions, I've been forced to make some changes to your classes," Severus began. "The first classes of the day are to be cancelled and you will all return to your common rooms when you're dismissed. Slytherin will, until further notice, no longer take any lessons whatsoever with Gryffindor house. This petty rivalry has gone on for long enough and I will not tolerate it anymore," he said.

Even as he'd been eating his own breakfast only a matter of minutes ago, both houses had been engaged in a contest of 'who could throw the most things onto the other table.' It was ridiculous.

At his announcement, he was met with a sudden, raucous shouting of each house protesting their innocence but he didn't care.

"Silence," he ordered again and again, they did as they were told, eventually. "If you cannot keep your rivalry contained to the Quidditch Pitch, you will be separated like the children you are. Yesterday, because of your foolishness, what remains of the castle could have destroyed even further because you could not act with the intelligence of an amoeba in the Potions lab. I'm sure you're all well aware of what happened. In case you needed reminding, the war is over, now is not the time to start another."

"But they started it..."

"They were the ones who..."

"It's not our fault!" several voices called out bravely, at once but they were quietened with a glare once again.

"I don't care whose 'fault' it was, nor do I care who 'started' it. I am ending it," he snapped. "I didn't survive one war just to be entered into another and neither did you. You should consider that the Ministry was sceptical about keeping the school open before your little stunt yesterday and no doubt they'll hear about this too. You remember what happened the last time they interfered. Don't give them a reason to interfere again," he threatened, hoping that the mere memory of Umbridge and her Educational Decrees was enough to frighten them. "In the meantime, any student, from any house, who even thinks about causing trouble from now on, will be expelled," he said, "Is that clear?" he asked.

A murmur of agreement passed through the hall and Severus nodded. "You may go...all except Slytherin house...now," he said and three of the houses scrambled to return back to their common rooms leaving the prefects to lead the way and the teachers reminding behind him.

When they were gone, the Slytherin students shuffled in their seats as they looked at their former head of house in trepidation. "I'm disappointed, in all of you," he told them. "You are supposed to act with dignity and intelligence. Kindly explain to me how antagonising the other houses, however unintelligent they are in comparison, is a wise choice," he said. "That was not meant to be rhetorical," he added when they remained silent.

"Please, professor," one of the prefects began, standing up. "It really wasn't our fault. We didn't mean to start trouble. We knew it wasn't going to be easy coming back after...after everything that happened and they thought badly enough of our house before the war even started. They think we all want to...to...be...you know...like...him..."

"I'm well aware of the prejudice against Slytherin house," Severus replied, "But you cannot encourage them."

"We didn't, sir," the prefect replied, daringly.

"Really?" he asked, sceptically.

"But we can't let them insult us and just do nothing about it," the second prefect said.

"Correct, therefore I am doing something about it. We cannot expect them to understand our house, after all, we are more intelligent," he said, smugly and they chuckled. "However, we have made mistakes and because of those mistakes, they can see nothing else. While the Dark Lord may have originated in Slytherin, they forget that Merlin did too. I realise that I'm the last person with any right to lecture you about this, but you've left me no choice.

You cannot be blamed for what happened. Many of you were forced to support the Dark Lord because of your parents and I understand that. If you acted out of fear, I can understand that too, however, if you actively supported him of your own free will, I will warn you now, that those beliefs will not be tolerated here."

"Yes, Professor Snape," the students dutifully nodded.

"If you have any further problems, you will see me. You will not retaliate openly in class and endanger yourselves and this castle."

"Yes, Professor Snape," they repeated.

"In some cases, many of them have a right to be angry, certainly at me and at some of you..."

"Why, sir?" someone asked.

"Because, leaving the castle during the battle was hardly Slytherin houses' finest moment, was it?" he snapped.

"So we were meant to stay and fight? We'd have been killed," one student said.

"Quite right and I'm relieved you didn't fight, enough people died that day without adding to it. You did the sensible thing and you fled, the other houses aren't known for their common sense or their survival instincts but they don't see that. As Slytherins, you were in the definition of a no win situation. If you'd stayed to fight, it's very likely you'd have been assumed to be the Dark Lord's supporters and killed on sight, or targeted by the Death Eaters for not supporting them, but because you fled, you're called cowards."

"It's not just us they were insulting, sir," the prefect said, nervously.

"Explain."

"They were insulting you, sir," the prefect said. Clearly, despite the fact that he was a 'traitor' the Slytherins, or st least some of them, still respected him. That was a surprise.

"I..." Severus stared at him, shocked for a moment but he quickly recovered. "I don't need to be defended. I've been insulted before and those insults are not likely to stop any time soon," he said.

"But you almost died..."

"That doesn't matter and it won't matter to a lot of people. I could die a thousand times and it wouldn't make any difference. All you're doing, is making life more difficult for yourselves and believe me when I say it's going to be difficult enough as it is."

"Then what are we supposed to do, sir?" the second prefect asked and Severus sighed.

"I see no reason to give you false hope. Nothing I can tell you will make it any better, because it may never improve," he told them. He was well known in Slytherin house for his 'no nonsense' and blunt attitude and most of the time they were thankful for it. It was generally better than age old platitudes that didn't help at all. "I should say, prove that you are better than their expectations, but that isn't easy. So I'll settle for...don't destroy the castle," he said and they scoffed. "Attempt to confine your rivalry to Quidditch. I'd hate to see another house win this year considering that you have no reason to lose now...Now go away. Back to your common room," he ordered, dismissively.

After a minute or so of the benches scraping against the stone floor, the Slytherin students were gone, all except one.

"Sir?" a timid voice spoke and Severus spun around so quickly, his robes swirled around him and gathered at his feet.

He stared curiously down at the young Slytherin who had stayed behind after the rest of his house had left the hall. "I believe you were told to return to your common room, Mr. Smith," Severus said.

"Yes, sir...but I..." the boy shifted uneasily on his feet and avoided eye contact. It was the same boy who had tripped the Gryffindor girl yesterday in potions and thereby caused the explosion.

"What?"

"I just wanted to ask...I mean...I can understand why people are so angry...but...some of us didn't even have anything to do with...with You Know Who. Why do they think that..."

"You are in Slytherin, so they assume that you are a certain way."

"But why?"

"Because anger isn't clever," Severus told him, stoically and the boy sighed, heavily.

"...No, sir..."

"You were angry yesterday, weren't you?"

"...Yes...sir...I know I shouldn't have. I know I'd did something stupid..."

"You certainly did and in doing so you earned yourself four months detention...with Filch," Severus said.

"Yes, sir."

"Were the Fire Seeds your doing as well?"

"Sir?"

"They were untreated. The seeds must be treated before they can be used otherwise, the explosion you saw will happen every time."

"I...didn't know that, sir. I just tripped her...I swear, I didn't mean to..."

"I see," Severus said, staring at him with piercing eyes, "So why did you do it?"

"I...I just..." he trailed off, nervously.

"It was never going to be easy for you regardless of the war," Severus said. "You are Muggleborn. Half bloods have a difficult enough time of it in Slytherin let alone a muggle born from the north of England such as yourself," he said, knowingly.

"...H...how do you..."

"Your accent. Where's it from?" Severus asked.

In the last three years, he'd been a little too preoccupied to really take an individual interest in the Slytherins but he could spot a northern accent from miles away. But he also knew that the other students had been rather preoccupied with this one since he was muggleborn.

"Yorkshire...sir," he answered, sheepishly.

"You've already tried to get rid of your accent, haven't you? But badly," he observed. The boy still spoke like he was from the north but it was with an odd southern lilt to certain words and it gave the impression of trying too hard.

"...Erm..."

"Don't bother. It won't make any difference to them now," Severus told him.

He himself had arrived at Hogwarts with an accent and when he was finally taught to speak without it, courtesy of Lucius and Narcissa, everyone already knew he was from the north. All it had proven was that a northerner could speak like a southerner. Instead of applauding him for trying to 'better' himself, they'd used it as something else to mock him with.

"...How...how do you know, sir? I mean...it...it might help..."

"It won't," Severus reiterated. "You won't earn their respect by speaking like them, nor will you get from humiliating another student," he said.

"But other people..."

"Hmmm," Severus hummed, remembering his own youth and how he'd been told daily by his housemates that because he was a poor half blood from the north, he'd never fit in. Over time, he'd earned their grudging respect through his intellect and eventually, his ruthlessness, but it wasn't a path he'd want for any one else.

Severus slowly descended the few steps that separated the teachers' table and the podium from the rest of the hall and the boy blinked at him in shock.

"Do they respect you now, do you think?" Severus asked. Clearly, the boy had humiliated the girl in an attempt to prove his 'Slytherin-ness' to the others. He wanted to fit in and he was angry and confused as to why he didn't.

"...Erm..."

"I think the answer you're looking for is 'no'," Severus said.

"But I don't know what else to do."

"The only thing you can do is prove that you are smarter than them."

"I'm...not really that smart, sir," he admitted, quietly.

"The library is that way," Severus gestured minutely with a tilt of his head.

"...The library?" the boy furrowed his brow.

"Where the books are," the headmaster replied, sarcastically.

"...Oh, right...be smarter than them..." the student nodded. "Erm...isn't that gonna be hard?" he asked.

"Probably. So I suggest you get started," Severus shrugged. "Incidentally, your next Potions class will be about the Antidote to Uncommon Poisons again since your last one ended so spectacularly."

It took a moment for the boy to understand but when he did, his eye lit up and he nodded eagerly.

"Yes, sir," he smiled and ran off.

"...No running in the halls, boy, you're in enough trouble as it is!" Severus called after him.

"Sorry, sir!" the boy yelled back.

"You're just a big softie really, aren't you, Severus?" Minerva grinned from behind he goblet.

He turned to glare at her, but of course it had no effect, so he spun round again and stalked away.

Chapter 44: 1st August 2018

Melissa Dursley

1st August 2018

Dudley Dursley and his wife Evelina were just as ordinary as their respective parents, thank you very much. So too was their only child, the now eleven year old Melissa Dursley. Today had been her birthday and the happy young birthday girl had received a considerable number of presents and that night, she and her parents had two rather strange visitors as well.

"Are you...sure?" Dudley solemnly asked his cousin, whom he hadn't actually seen in several years.

They'd never be the best of friends, Harry thought, but they could get along tolerably well. They didn't go out of their way to speak to each other, but they sent Christmas and birthday cards for each others children, though it had taken some years to reach that point.

Harry nodded at him and the muggle sighed. "You had to have seen...odd things happening. Like when I was young," Harry said.

"Well...yeah...but I didn't think..."

"This is...all real..." Evelina scoffed, leaning back on the sofa. Being a muggle with no magic relatives whatsoever, she knew nothing of magic until Harry had explained it all to her. "And you knew it all?" she asked her husband.

"It's not like I could've told you anything. They make you take some kind of..." Dudley furrowed his brow.

"Protection Oath," Harry supplied for him, "It's to protect the children of muggles as much as the parents."

"And anyway, what was I meant to say? By the way, my aunt could do magic and so can my cousin and my parents don't want anything to do with him so..." Dudley rambled, quickly. "I really didn't think Mel would end up being...the same as you..." he muttered.

"Like it or not, the child is a witch," Severus declared, speaking for the first time. "As such, she is entitled to practice magic. It's likely that if you deny her magic, it will become impossible for her to control and anyone in the vicinity could come to harm," he said quite stoically.

"What?!" the mother exclaimed.

"Headmaster," Harry sighed.

"No," Evelina shook her head, almost frantically, "It all sounds too...it doesn't sound real. None of this can be real."

Loosing his patience now, Severus drew his wand from his sleeve and lit the fire without a word, he then began tidying away the presents that had been left scattered about the room from the morning's celebrations and then he vanished the remains of the wrapping paper left on the floor.

"Are you satisfied, Mrs. Dursley?" he asked, putting away his wand which she now eyed with fear and awe.

"Was that really necessary?" Harry grumbled at him.

The stunned woman swallowed nervously and looked to Harry, who at least was friendlier than the man sitting beside him. She'd only met her husband's cousin a handful of times but she'd never understood why her in laws seemed to hate him so much. Perhaps this was the reason. Perhaps they were afraid of his magic.

"...What...what happens now? To Mel, I mean?" Dudley asked.

"Well," Harry began, "I'll tell her what I've just told you and I'll give her her Hogwarts letter. She doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to, but it's best if she does. Then...you'll need to go to Diagon Alley to buy her school things. I can take you...or...or I can have someone else take you if you want."

"What about her schools here?" Evelina asked, quietly, "We had it all planned."

"Not anymore you don't," Severus remarked much to Harry's annoyance.

"But..."

"You'd rather ignore her accidental magic? It'll only get worse as she gets older especially since neither of you can instruct her about it," the headmaster said.

"But she...I don't want her in that..world. What about everything that happened to you? What if that all happens to her?" Dudley asked.

"The war's over," Harry said, "It's been over for years now."

"So...she'll be safe?" his cousin asked.

"I...wish I could promise that, Dudley," Harry replied, "But the Muggle world is dangerous too. At least this way, she'll be able to defend herself if she needs to."

"'Defend herself'?" Evelina repeated. "She's eleven! What do you teach at this school? She doesn't need to 'defend herself'."

"All students learn basic defence magic," Severus told her, "It's common sense."

"But..."

"You're perfectly within your rights to refuse and turn us out of your house," Severus said, quickly, "Just remember that when things get worse."

"Will she erm...you know what happened to Aunt Marge...will that sort of thing..." Dudley stammered, nervously.

"I really hope not," Harry sighed. "I was angry...really angry and I didn't know what I was doing. The Ministry modified her memory so at least she didn't remember anything."

"What happened to your Aunt Marge?" Dudley's wife asked, nervously.

"You're probably better off not knowing," Dudley answered her. "I think...Mel should decide. If she wants to go to...that school, then let her," he said, surprising both Harry and Severus as well as his wife.

"But..."

"It didn't do Harry any harm, did it?" he shrugged. "Mum and dad still think you're some kind of freak," he said to his cousin, "But you're not that bad, y'know."

"Thanks, Dudley," Harry said, genuinely.

"I'll...I'll go get Mel," Dudley said, standing up and heading for his daughters' room.

"I don't like this," Evelina remarked.

"You don't have to," Severus replied, simply and once again, Harry sighed.

He could hear the sounds of people descending the stairs now and he knew that he'd have to explain everything again to an eleven year old child who probably wouldn't even recognise him.

Chapter 45: 17th June 1998

17th June 1998

Changes at Hogwarts

Severus was sat behind his office desk with Minerva sitting comfortably in front of him and the ghost of Professor Cuthbert Binns floating beside her. After his first proper staff meeting of the year Severus was coming to terms with the fact that no one had any real objections to him staying at the school so now he could make some much needed changes.

"You wanted to see me, headmaster," the ghost remarked, confused.

"Yes," Severus said, "Its rather important and I can guarantee that you're not going to like a single word of what I have to say."

"Sounds ominous..."

"I'll come straight to the point," the headmaster said. "There needs to be considerable changes to History of Magic. The entire syllabus needs to reorganised, in fact..."

"Headmaster, really..."

"Let me speak first," Severus interrupted him. "It can't have escaped your notice, even when I was a student, that no one pays any attention to what you say in lessons. Very rarely do you remember the names of the students and on many an occasion, they fall asleep in your class and you do nothing. Mainly because you yourself have fallen asleep. You will always have a home at the castle just as the other ghosts do, but if you cannot fulfil your duties as a teacher, I will be forced to find a suitable replacement."

"Harsh words," the ghost sighed.

"But necessary ones. I said nothing last year because I had rather more important things to do and it was better to let the students rest in your class since they got very little rest all year."

"Ah."

"They need to be educated on more than the decedent Goblin rebellions and the Giant wars. They need to understand the far more recent wars, wars that actually concern them so that we don't have a repeat performance. The Salem witch trials would also interest them I think. The MACUSA have a very different way of dealing with things than we do so teach them about that as well."

"American history?!" Binns exclaimed.

"You are allowed to teach another country's history, you know."

"Yes...but..."

"If nothing else, teach them how the first war started with the Dark Lord. If you require an assistant, you can have one. You won't be the only Professor here with help."

"...What if I refuse?"

"I'll find another teacher. Tedious though your lectures are, you are not a stupid man. Surely you see the importance of this," Severus said.

"...Yes...yes I suppose I...I am rather...set in my ways. It happens, you see, to ghosts," Binns admitted.

"If you can rectify this, I have no problems with letting you continue to teach."

"My...lessons have never varied all this time. It will...take some time to create an entirely new syllabus."

"We have time and you will have help to do it."

"Thank you, headmaster," the ghost nodded.

"I shall be sorry to see the end of the Giant war lessons," Albus remarked when the ghost left. "They had become quite legendary in their ability to send even the most stubborn student to sleep," he said.

"You should have intervened decades ago," Severus replied. "If you had, maybe some of my Slytherins would have had more sense to blindly follow a madman they knew nothing about."

"...You are, of course, right, Severus," the old man sighed. "For what it's worth, you have my full support. Is this to be the first of many changes you are to make?" he asked.

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"Change isn't necessarily a bad thing," Albus smiled at him.

"Then why did you avoid it?"

"I didn't particularly avoid it."

"You were too set in your ways, just like Binns. I won't have another generation of stupid children starting another war. So help me, they will know what the last two wars cost and they won't be so eager to fight another."

"An excellent and commendable idea."

"In practice though it may be difficult. Ghosts don't find it easy to change," Minerva said.

"He gets one chance. If he fails, he'll be replaced," Severus shrugged. "I find it deplorable that no one thought to address this sooner," he said.

"Well, this is why the castle is fortunate to have a young man like yourself in charge. You are not afraid to make these changes."

"Hardly young," Severus scoffed.

"You're not even forty, Severus. By muggle standards you're relatively young and by wizarding standards, you're barely in your prime, my boy," Albus replied, his eyes twinkling.

"I've told him that before," Minerva waved a dismissive hand.

"And you're looking better by the day," Albus continued. "You could still stand to put on a little more weight though..."

"That's quite enough on that particular subject," Severus snapped. "Surely you have better things to discuss than my age and my appearance," he sighed.

"One day you might listen to us," Minerva muttered, shaking her head at him, fondly.

A.N. I've only just noticed, we've gone over 100,000 words. Whooh. That's a lot of words. Don't forget to let me know what you thought of the new chapter.

Chapter 46: 14th July 2001

The Headmaster Cooks

14th July 2001

Both Narcissa and Draco were standing at the door to the muggle kitchen staring in the pureblood equivalent of open mouthed shock. It really was a sight that they'd never have thought to see. It was as though someone had used Polyjucice potion and taken the wizards' place. Having only just yesterday been released from their Ministry 'safe house', they'd quickly disovered that living as muggles wasn't going to be easy and that there were many surprises in store, just like this one.

Severus was cooking, using an outdated muggle hob, with no magic at all as he lightly jostled the bacon in the frying pan. Not only that, he was wearing dark jeans, a faded, long sleeved shirt and black socks without shoes.

"Stop staring," Severus sighed, without turning around.

"Well...I'm sorry, Severus but...what on Earth...have you completely taken leave of your senses?" Narcissa demanded.

"Recently?" the wizard replied, stoically.

"Do be serious."

"I'm making breakfast. It's hardly cause for you to doubt my sanity."

"But...you're using muggle...things...and you're wearing..."

"I don't swan around all day in a frock coat here," he rolled his eyes, "There's no point."

"Well, I don't care either way," Draco shrugged after he'd overcome the shock. He walked to stand beside his godfather and peered over the hob at the food. "Is that done yet? It smells great," he remarked, moving to foolishly try and steal the bacon straight from the pan.

"Stupid boy," Severus smacked his hand with the wooden spoon he was holding.

"Ow! Uncle Sev!" the young wizard exclaimed, shocked.

"Go and sit down," Severus ordered him.

"But..."

"Go."

"Hmmm," the boy grimaced and strolled back into the living room, looking every bit like the spoilt child he was.

"You've got a lot to learn about the muggle world...and me...if this is all it takes to shock you," Severus told the witch after a moment.

"I thought Lucius and I did away with your muggle clothes wearing habit a long time ago," she replied. She herself was dressed elaborately and looked very out of place, even if her clothes had seen better days, they were still very fancy and not at all muggle.

"Surprise," Severus shrugged.

"I suppose this place is a bad influence on all our good work," she said.

"If you say so," he replied. He set out three plates and began placing the eggs, bacon, and beans onto them. "I...don't spend that much time here...so there's not much food around. I'll have to show you where the shops are...well, there's only one, really," he told her, handing her a plate as he carried the other two into the living room.

"...A shop? I have to fetch my own food?" she blinked at him.

"Yes," he nodded, giving an eager Draco the delicious smelling English breakfast and the boy began eating with gusto.

"Manners, Draco," Narcissa said automatically.

"The Aurors aren't going to do anything for you," Severus said to her. "They're watching this place and they always will be now, but they aren't getting paid to feed you or clean your clothes, so don't count on them for any help," he said.

"Clean my...I have to do that, too?" she fell onto the sofa beside him in shock, still holding her plate of food.

"It's not the end of the world," Severus scoffed.

He supposed he should have been a little more sympathetic, but really the Malfoy's had lived such a sheltered lifestyle. They were spoilt to the point of ridiculousness. He himself had never had anyone do anything for him. Since he'd been a very young child he'd had to clean his own clothes, get his own food and keep the house in some kind of order since his mother wasn't always to be relied on.

"Of course, you're welcome to go back to your Ministry 'safe house' if you'd prefer," he said after a moment.

"No, no, Severus, I..." Narcissa sighed. "It's all...just a shock, that's all. I've never had to even consider...ever...in my entire life," she said.

"I know," he replied, "But I'll help you. I know it's not what you were expecting but I don't have anything better to offer you. For now...this will have to do. In some respects you should consider yourself lucky. When I was younger, we were probably one of the few families who actually had an entire house to themselves. Some houses were divided up by rooms with an entire family in each one and the stove on the landing. Of course, there was probably no bathroom in the houses at the time either, so there was only an outhouse and a tin bath...shared, of course."

"...An...outhouse? And a what bath? And what...a family per room?! In one of these houses?! One room each...per family? But these houses are so..."

"Small?" he raised an eyebrow. "So what? As long as there was a roof over your head, you generally knew better than to ask for more," he said, "It's quite Victorian, I know."

"...I..." she trailed off, frowning as she finally turned her attention to her breakfast, not knowing what else to say.

Chapter 47: 15th January 1999 Part 2

A Visit to Gryffindor Tower

15th January 1999 Part 2

After more or less storming out of the Great Hall, Severus walked around the castle for about fifteen minutes before he made his way to the Gryffindor common room, mostly on a whim. After all, he'd berated his own house, he couldn't very well let the golden Gryffindors off the hook.

Because he was the headmaster he was admitted to the tower by the Fat Lady and the students seemed to be in an uproar inside. Mostly it sounded like they were bemoaning the fact that he'd blamed them as much as he'd blamed the Slytherins. They'd been expecting special treatment no doubt from Albus' many years of favouritism which still hasn't worn off.

It took a moment, but when he stood directly under the entry arch to the common room, word spread that he was there, a black shadow amidst the red and gold, and all fell silent. Minerva was standing in front of the huge fireplace and she glanced over him.

"Headmaster," she said, "I was just informing the students that any further conflict with Slytherin house will be met with the harshest of punishment."

"Which obviously met with astounding approval," he replied, silkily and she repressed a smirk.

"I have yet to give out their new timetables," Minerva added.

"That can wait," Severus said, walking to stand beside her.

The students looked at him as they always did, with a mix of fear, awe, confusion and in some cases, even hatred. "I've already spoken to the Slytherins, it's only right that I address your house as well...provided that you have no objections," he said.

"None, of course, Severus, go ahead," she replied.

"From what I heard," he began sarcastically, "You have given your overwhelming agreement to put an end to your petty rivalry. I don't care if you're angry at me, but when it comes to other students you are expected to act with a modicum of intelligence. You are not to take this grudge out on them," he said.

"But they're Slytherins!" one student said. Severus couldn't see who it was so they were evidently hiding from him. It was a surprisingly smart move for a Gryffindor.

"Slytherins and Gryffindors'll never get along!" said another.

"You will, or you'll find yourselves expelled very quickly. Unlike my predecessor I will not ignore this conflict nor will I encourage it. I'm not asking for miracles. I hardly expect you to start dancing around the maypole and singing 'Ebony and Ivory' together," he snapped.

Of course, many of the students wouldn't understand his references, but the point was clear enough. "But this rivalry ends now," he added in a tone that left no room for argument. "It's childish, petty and detrimental to your own education. You are students of Godric Gryffindor and though it pains me to admit it, at least the man himself wasn't completely stupid," he said, "So I'm sure you lot can act with at least half a brain."

"Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor hated each other," a student said.

"Perhaps at the end, yes," Severus nodded, "But by all historical accounts, years before Slytherin left the castle they got along rather famously in spite of their differences."

"...Is that true, Professor?" a young girl asked Minerva.

"Quite true," she answered.

"Regardless of that, none of you are not compelled by some kind of...inherited law...to continue their feud," Severus told them.

"But they all practice the Dark Arts!" someone cried.

"And all they care about is blood purity!" another added.

"And none of you do?" Severus sneered. "Leaving your ridiculous assumptions aside for a moment, I've heard many a blood insult come from a Gryffindor and many of you take an interest is magic which is, technically, Dark. There are students in Slytherin house who are half blood and even muggleborn just as there are in your own house. Poppy Pomfrey was a Slytherin for crying out loud and she's a Healer! She heals you lot on a daily basis regardless of your house or your beliefs. Not everyone who wears green house colours is destined to be the next Dark Lord but if you drive them to it by your constant attacks, they will be drawn to the Dark Arts if only to get their revenge on you!" *1

At this, they fell silent and they stared at each other in shock and perhaps a little shame as well. There was no objection shouted out now.

"Why don't you think about that for a moment, if you can spare the time...or the brain power," Severus said before he glared at them one last time and left the room.

"Any further questions?" Minerva asked after he was gone and the room was utterly silent. "No? Very well, we'll start with the first year timetables then," she said with a sigh.

*1. I don't think Poppy was actually a Slytherin. In fact I couldn't find any kind of official reference that she even went to Hogwarts as a student at all, so I took some liberties here. I also kinda made up the fact that Salazar Slutherin and Godric Gryffindor were, at one point, friends. I think it sounds likely that they could have been anyway. I didn't really do any research about it.

Chapter 48: 14th September 1998

14th September 1998

An Apology

Minerva McGonagall was beyond frustrated with the man sitting beside at the high table at breakfast that morning. If ever a man had mastered the art of eating angrily, it was Severus Snape. He managed to give the impression that the food had somehow insulted him. Every time he took a drink out of his goblet, he'd slam it back down on the table. When he went to cut up his food, he'd attack both the food and the plate with such force, she was worried that he'd break through to the table.

She hadn't seen him at all yesterday, neither had anyone else, that wasn't at all unusual but it made her wonder just what had happened to annoy him so much. Though of course, it didn't take a lot to annoy him.

"What on earth is the matter, Severus?" she asked him, quietly.

"Nothing," he muttered back.

To his left, Remus glanced at him with knowing eyes. He knew what had happened. After Harry's disastrous second Occlumency lesson two nights ago, the younger wizard gone to his quarters and told him everything. Remus wasn't surprised that Severus was still frustrated about it.

"The antique plate you're trying to hack to pieces would strongly disagree," she retorted.

He frowned, looked down at his plate and rather reluctantly, he relaxed his grip on the cutlery and set them down gently to then pick up his goblet.

"I know you hate being up this early," she smiled, "But that's no reason to take it out on the crockery."

"Better the crockery than a students' head," he muttered back.

"Oh dear," Minerva said, "Any student in particular?"

"Take a guess," he said and she sighed, her smile fading.

"Am I to assume...that the Occlumency lessons are a disaster again?" she asked, knowingly.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say that you were reading my mind," Severus said, sarcastically. "I shouldn't have bothered in the first place," he grumbled.

"It can't have been that bad, surely."

"Have the wolf tell you," he said, "I'm sure Potter told him all about it. After all, the two of them were in on this together."

"It really wasn't like that, Severus," Remus said, speaking up for the first time. "Harry only wanted to..." he tried to explain.

"I don't want to hear it," Severus said, setting down his now empty goblet and standing up. "I have work to do," he added before he left via the staff door.

"Here we go again," Minerva said, sadly and Remus nodded.

Harry had watched the teachers table as discretely as he could from the Gryffindor table as he picked idly at his breakfast. Clearly the headmaster was still seething and he didn't know what to about it. Remus hadn't known either. Snape was just such an angry person and his anger was frightening. He didn't want to make the situation worse by charging in like a bull in a muggle china shop but it was what he did best most of the time. It was only because Remus had advised him not to that he hadn't gone back to the Headmasters' office that same night to blurt out a poorly worded apology which probably would have ended in a shouting match.

He sighed again as he chewed on a piece of expertly cooked bacon and by now, Ron was getting annoyed.

"What's with you today, mate?" he demanded, still eating.

"I erm...I might've...made a mistake," Harry admitted, putting down his fork.

"Wha'? Get too much bacon?" Ron asked. "I'll fix tha'," he said, grabbing Harry's plate and sliding over to finish the food.

"Ron," Ginny shook her head and slid the plate back over to her grateful boyfriend.

"Thanks, Gin," he muttered.

"So...the bacon wasn't the mistake?"

"No," he answered.

"Oh...wha' then?"

"Occlumency lessons. I think I screwed up...big time," Harry said.

"Oh, that," Ron said, "Well, I told you it was a stupid idea."

"Yeah, you're right. I guess it was."

"It can't be that bad, Harry," Hermione smiled hopefully at him. "What happened?" she asked.

"So...what should I do?" he asked them after he'd explained everything. He'd been thinking about it all day yesterday so much so that he hadn't slept, but he still couldn't think of a solution. He hoped they'd be able to help him.

"Work on your shield charms, I'd say," Ron replied, seriously, "He's gonna kill you."

"...Thanks, Ron."

"You could write him a letter," Ginny suggested.

"He'd probably just toss it in the fire," Harry replied.

"And then come and curse you," Ron muttered and his friend scowled at him.

"It's worth a try, isn't it?" Hermione asked.

"I guess...but I wouldn't even know what to say. 'I'm sorry' never works with him and I think he's still mad at me...at all of us...for saving his life and I don't understand why," Harry lamented. "It's not like we could just let him die, right? And it's not like I tricked him into trying to learn Occlumency or spied at his memories again. I just wanted to try and get to know him. Is that so bad?"

"Well, tell him that," Ginny replied.

"...Okay," he sighed, "I suppose it's worth a try. I really don't want to spend another miserable year at Hogwarts. But...a letter doesn't really seem like enough, y'know?"

"What else can you do?" Ron asked.

Harry and his friends spent the better part of the night working on the letter in the common room and he send it to the headmaster via Fawkes, hoping that the man didn't just burn it before he opened it. After all, Snape knew his handwriting. The wizard remembered everyone's handwriting for some reason.

"What's the matter with you, you daft animal?" Severus snapped at Fawkes who was currently flying around his head, trying to get his attention.

The Phoenix let out a trilling chip and landed on the arm rest of the comfortable chair he was sitting in. The bird used its right leg to lower the book he was reading, rather rudely in Severus' opinion, and it held out a letter in its beak for him. He raised an eyebrow at the Phoenix and when he made no move to take the letter, Fawkes simply dropped it onto his lap with a chirp.

Sighing, he wrenched the book from the birds' clawed foot and set it aside to pick up the letter. It was addressed simply to 'Professor Snape' in black ink and he knew precisely who'd written it.

"You're Potter's messenger bird now, are you?" he asked Fawkes who looked quite smug. "What on earth makes you think I'm going to read it?" he demanded while the bird tilted its head at him. "No," he said.

'Chirp,' Fakwes trilled.

"No," Severus repeated, tossing the envelope onto the coffee table.

'Chirp,' the magical Phoenix said again, sweeping up to pick up the letter and depositing it once again on Severus' lap.

"Aren't you supposed to be on my side?" he snapped.

'Chirp chirp," Fawkes nodded and he sighed, finally picking up the letter in resignation.

Severus began reading it very reluctantly and then he read it again and then again. After the third time he'd read it, he looked up from the latter and stared at the Phoenix.

"He can't be serious," he remarked, sceptically, but as ever, the bird only chirped at him.

After much deliberation, Severus sent Fawkes back to Harry with a monosyllabic note in harsh, black handwriting, 'My office. 7pm,' was all he written.

"Good luck, mate," Ron shook his head at his friend, knowing that Harry would go no matter how daft the redhead thought it was.

"Remember, Harry, don't get angry," Hermione reminded him.

"Easier said than done," he replied, ruefully and she couldn't help but sigh in reluctant agreement.

At seven o'clock precisely, Harry knocked on the door to the headmasters' office and the door swung itself open with a quiet creak of its ancient hinges. He took tentative steps into the room and jolted in surprise when the door slammed shut behind him again.

"Will wonders never cease?" a deep voice drawled suddenly. "You are capable of being on time. It's only taken you seven years to learn. I hope you're not expecting house points now," Severus said.

He was sat at his desk, a black quill scratching at a piece of paper which he gently set down and then he over at the young Gryffindor.

"No, sir," Harry replied carefully as Severus continued to stare at him. It was rather unnerving but Harry held his ground. He was a Gryffindor after all. So, using all his Gryffindor courage, be walked over to the desk under the watchful eyes of the previous headmasters, all of whom were watching eagerly, one was even using his antique ear trumpet.

"I'm relieved to hear it," Severus remarked. He seemed quite calm all things considered, but Harry was expecting the man to start shouting at him any second. "Was the letter your idea?" he asked after a moment, "And don't even think about lying to me, Potter."

"No...no, it was Ginny's," Harry admitted and the man let out a quiet, noncommittal scoff.

"Did she write it for you too?"

"No. I wrote it."

"It's an excellent piece of fiction," Severus remarked.

"I meant it, sir, every word."

"I doubt that."

"But I did...I do mean it," Harry insisted.

"Don't...lie..to me," Severus sneered at him, hatefully, his anger now visible.

"I'm not lying," the younger wizard reiterated, walking towards, bravely. "Use Legillimency. It's not like like I could stop you...sir," he said.

"You think I would willingly spend more time inside your juvenile mind..."

"Then how can I convince you that I'm telling the truth?"

"You can't. Because you're lying."

"But I'm not!" Harry sighed, throwing up his hands in frustration. "Is it really so hard for you to believe that I wanted to...try and get to know you...just a little bit before I leave school? It's not like you'll talk to me about anything. I just thought that if it was about work or something then..."

"So you tricked me."

"No!" Harry exclaimed, "I just...here," he exhaled as he gently placed a smallish, leather pouch onto the desk. He waved his wand at it and it trebled in size.

"What...is this?" Severus furrowed his brow, confused.

"It's what's left of the Basilisk skin...from the Chamber of Secrets...and some of the bones, as well. I erm...I didn't know what to get you, really. But I heard this stuff's really valuable...and useful for potions, so I figured..." he shrugged, nervously.

"And why exactly..."

"To say 'thank you'...for everything. I mean, it's hardly enough...You saved my life more times than I can count and I..."

"So you've said."

"I really didn't want to trick you or make you angry or anything like that. I did want to learn Occlumency but I know I'll never be any good at it and I'm sorry. I really am."

"Yes...so you said," Severus repeated, still stunned.

"I meant it," Harry said, referring to his letter.

"If it needed repeating, there will be no more lessons."

"No, sir," Harry sighed.

"Consider yourself lucky that I don't give you detention every night for the year."

"Yes, sir."

"No, go away," Severus ordered.

"...Goodnight, sir," Harry sighed before he left, reluctantly.

When he was gone, Severus opened the bag on his desk and found that the Basilisk skin had been cut cleanly and precisely and the bones were clean, ready to be used in potions. It was a treasure trove worth a small fortune and the boy had simply given it to him.

"It must have taken Harry several hours to harvest that much skin and extract the decent bones," Albus remarked.

"Hours? You're exaggerating, surely," Severus scoffed.

"I don't think so," the old man smiled.

"Don't look so smug," the man shook his head at the portrait.

"Only if you stop looking so confused. Harry wanted to prove that he cares, that's all. There is no ulterior motive for you to be concerned about."

"There's always an ulterior motive."

"Not in this case," Albus told him.

"Especially in this case."

"Ah, Severus," the old man sighed, forlornly.

"Not another word."

"But I..."

"No," Severus glared at him before turning his attention back to the bag. It really was an impressive collection and it was also quite impossible for a Master Potioneer to refuse.

A.N. I still have plenty more ideas for new chapters, but does anyone have any suggestions?

Chapter 49: 20th December 1999

The Dark Lord's Wand

20th December 1999

"...No," Severus repeated, resting his head back against the pillows on his bed. His eyes were closed and he was shaking. He was as pale as a ghost and he barely had the energy to speak now so his voice was barely audible. If he was this bad, he hated to think how Lucius was coping or even if the man was still alive. Most of the Death Eaters had died from the Dark Mark now.

Minerva released a frustrated sigh as she held his hand with gentle, aged fingers. "Severus, you're dying," she stated.

"Yes," he just about managed to nod.

Around the room, Tonks looked just as frustrated as Minerva did and Poppy Pomfrey was frantically waving her wand over the headmaster, casting healing charms with Filius Flitwick, which were one of few things still keeping him alive.

Harry Potter was left sitting to the side of the room, out of the way feeling very much like a helpless child. He'd been woken in the middle of the night and brought from the Burrow by a nervous and jittery Nymphadora Tonks who'd then brought him to Hogwarts and explained, albeit poorly, that they needed him to save the now dying headmaster.

"Lucius Malfoy won't last much longer," Minerva said.

"...You don't...care about...him," Severus exhaled.

"But you do. He's your friend. You won't be able to help him if you..."

"He knew the...consequences..." the headmaster trailed off.

"Severus!" Minerva declined, shaking his hand. "Severus!" she repeated.

"...Don't...shout..." he muttered, wincing and everyone in the room let out a simultaneous sigh of relief.

"There's no other choice," Filius said.

"No," Severus reiterated.

"But Severus..." the Charms professor stressed.

"You...weren't supposed to...find out...about..."

"Well, it took longer than we'd have liked," Minerva said, gently patting his hand, "I'm ashamed it took us so long to..."

"You're not...experts on...Dark Magic...I am."

"And no doubt, you were counting on that," she sighed.

The door to the headmasters' bedroom was suddenly slammed open and everyone jumped, then turned to glare up at a heavily breathing Remus Lupin who now stood in the doorway.

"Sorry," he said quickly, closing the door much more quietly than he'd opened it. The portraits out in the office began shouting questions and protested loudly when the door closed on them again. Since there were no portrait sources in the bedroom, they had no way of knowing just what was going on anymore.

"Did you get it?" Tonks asked her husband, standing up and he nodded.

"Kingsley didn't even ask why I wanted it. All I told him was that it would save Severus' life and he gave it to me," he explained.

He was carrying a leather briefcase which looked innocuous enough, but on closer inspection, it had silver locks and intricate spell designs on it. Remus placed it gently onto a table and began peeling away the spells with his wand pointed at it. After a moment, he then opened it and took out the sinister wand which had once belonged to Lord Voldemort. It had been kept under lock and key at the Ministry, until today.

"You...bloody fool..." Severus hissed at him. He grimaced as he tried to sit up but he had no strength left to even look menacing anymore and he fell back down, weakly.

"We've explained everything to Harry," Remus said, "And he's more than willing to try."

"It will...kill you," Severus said to Harry.

"It might not," Harry replied, speaking for the first time.

"There's very little risk to Harry at all and there's more than a fair chance that it'll save you," the werewolf said.

"But if I don't even try then you'll..." Harry said but stopped when Severus turned away from them.

He was gritting his teeth again and his fingers clutched at the soft bedsheets as painful convulsions racked his already much abused body and left him with even less strength than he'd had before. Although the convulsions didn't last for very long, it was clear that he couldn't take much more. The Dark Mark on his forearm was moving rapidly over his skin, mocking him as much as them every time it inflicted pain.

As it faded, Severus relaxed and his breathing evened out a little bit but Poppy sighed, tiredly.

"There's nothing more we can do," she said, lowering her wand suddenly as Filius did the same.

"Any more Charms will finish him off before you've even had the chance to do anything with that...that wand," Filius explained.

"And he doesn't have the strength the take any more potions, either. One more...attack like that and..." the mediwich trailed off.

"So basically, it's now or never," Tonks remarked.

"...Yes," Poppy nodded.

Harry stood up and took Voldemort's wand from Remus. Immediately, he could feel that the wand hated him. It seemed to emit some kind of energy that simply repelled him and he almost dropped it but seeing Severus dying right in front of him, again, was enough to spur him on. This wand had killed so many innocent people and to hold it disgusted him more than anything. It was even worse than holding a Horcrux and hearing the eerie echo of a torn scrap of Voldemort's soul from within it.

"You understand the risks, Potter?" Minerva asked him, sadly.

She'd asked him that about five times already. She and Remus had been the ones to explain to him, in much more detail than Tonks had, about what he had to do. When he'd been brought to the castle, he'd had no idea that the headmaster was in such a bad way. He'd known about the curse of the Dark Mark but Severus had been so adept at hiding it, that Harry hadn't suspected a thing and it had all come as quite a shock when he'd entered the room after hearing the explanation.

Harry nodded at his former head of house as Severus managed to open his eyes and stared straight at him. The black eyes that stared back had the same resigned look as they had the night in the Shrieking Shack, without even a trace of fear in them. It was both unnerving and distressing at the same time.

"I didn't spend...seven...years...through all your...schemes," Severus began with great effort, "Keeping you...alive...stupid boy...just so you could..."

"Well," Harry took a deep breath. "With all due respect, Professor...I don't think you could stop me right now," he said, gripping the unfamiliar wand.

To his surprise, Severus actually smiled, "Defiant to the...end, Potter," he muttered.

"Gryffindor, sir," Harry shrugged, standing beside the bed now.

"Should I be...concerned?" the older wizard asked him. "This is the...second time...I've been dying...and you were there...both...times. I'm beginning to think...you're bad luck," he said.

"Or maybe I'm good luck," Harry replied.

"That...seems...unlikely," Severus scoffed, his eyes closing again.

"Minerva," Poppy said quietly, her wand which was pointed at Severus was emitting a very pale blue light. Judging from her expression, Harry presumed that it meant something bad. In actual fact, it was a light which was linked to the headmasters' heartbeat which was dangerously slowing down.

"Harry, remember," Remus said, "Whatever happens..."

"I know, I know," Harry replied, "I know the risk and I know I have to stay calm. I'm not backing out."

Without another word, Harry sat down in the bedside chair that Minerva stood up from and then he raised the wand. To his surprise, Severus still had enough strength left to move his branded arm away from him but he couldn't do much of anything else.

"Professor," Harry said to him.

"I said...no," Severus replied.

"Please let me help you," the younger wizard begged, "Enough people have died, I don't want you to..."

"So...what's one...more?"

"I won't let that happen, sir."

"Why?"

"Because you don't deserve to die."

"You...don't know what I deserve."

"You're a good man."

"I'm a Death Eater."

"Not anymore, you're not."

"The Mark...doesn't discriminate."

"Please, professor," Harry begged him again, "Please let me try."

"It won't...work..."

"It will work. It has to work," he replied and he reached out for the pale arm. Harry gently turned it over so that the Dark Mark was visible again. The magical brand seemed to hiss and snarl at him as it was revealed.

Whatever protest Severus was about to repeat, he simply didn't have the strength to say it any more and his head lolled back lifelessly against the pillows. His arm was slack against Harry's hand but the Mark was still moving against the pale, almost translucent skin.

"Potter..." Minerva breathed, stepping forwards but Harry wasn't paying attention.

He placed the tip of the wand against the Dark Mark on Severus' arm and began to say the words that Minerva and Remus had recited to him earlier.

According to their research, which they'd kept hidden from the headmaster all year, if Harry said those words and used Voldemort's wand, it should, in theory, remove the Mark. Naturally they'd known that Severus would never have allowed it but as Harry had so rightly said earlier, the man couldn't exactly stop them now. It was Dark Magic. But to defeat Dark Magic, sometimes you had to use Dark Magic. It had only been a few days ago that they'd been able to finalise their improvised spell and Severus had been weakening for about a month now. They'd been keeping it a secret from the rest of school and only the professors knew just how bad the situation had gotten.

What they hadn't known was that Severus had made the same discoveries as they had, only he'd made them long before they did and he'd chosen to ignore them. He'd known that because Voldemort had used Harry's blood to resurrect himself, that the younger wizard would have a chance at tapping into the blood magic that had gone into creating the Dark Mark and could potentially destroy it. But it would be risky and no one could predict what would happen. Even though they'd come to the conclusion that Harry would probably be alright, the odds weren't stacked so well in Severus' favour and it didn't sit well with them that they were risking Harry's safety to save the headmaster. But, when all was said and done, it was Harry's choice and Harry would never let anyone die without trying to save them.

The Dark Mark reacted instantly once Harry had finished the spell and they could hear an eerie voice all around them as a black shadow began to gather around the Mark and the wand. The smoke didn't seem to move far from the Dark Mark but it made the room feel cold and the candles and lamps all went out simultaneously as well.

"Is that...meant to happen?" Tonks asked, quietly.

With the end of the wand still resting against the Mark the voice around them grew louder and it screeched at them in anger. A warped face began to emerge from the smoke but after a moment, and after one final, ear spilling cry, it exploded and left the room in total darkness. They quickly lit the candles again and when the mist cleared they saw, remarkably that the Mark was gone but in its place was a horrific burn. The skin was blackened and charred, dry and peeling off in places and it looked extremely painful.

Harry dropped the wand and it rolled onto the bed, he felt tired and his hands were sore, like they'd been submerged in boiling water for too long but he wasn't visibly burned.

"Harry," Remus ran over to him and gripped his shoulders. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah...I'm fine," Harry answered him, rubbing his hands together. "I just...my hands feel...odd...but I'm...I'm fine. How's...did...did it work?" he stammered.

"He's still weak," Poppy observed.

"But the Dark Mark's gone," Tonks added, "Look."

"Yes...and its left a rather nasty magical burn in its wake," the mediwitch shook her head. "And if that gets infected, it could finish the job that the Mark failed to," she said.

"Severus?" Minerva asked when the man winced a little. He'd moved slightly on the bed but he didn't seem at all conscious.

"He won't be awake for a while yet, Minerva," Poppy said, "And that's probably for the best."

"But he'll be alright?" Harry asked.

"Too soon to tell," she answered, casting medical monitoring charms over the sleeping wizard. "Now, all of you, out. The headmaster needs his rest," she ordered, taking charge of the room as though it was her own hospital wing.

"Well done, Harry," Remus smiled at him, "You saved his life."

"He's gonna hate me for it."

"Probably," the man nodded.

"What about...Malfoy?" Harry asked after a moment.

"What about him?" Tonks asked, not taking her eyes off the headmaster.

"Well...since it worked I figured..."

"You want to risk it again?"

"I...we can't just...do nothing, can we?"

"After everything he's done?" Tonks asked him and he nodded slowly.

"If it wasn't for him...we'd never have been able to save Severus," Minerva sighed.

She was right. When they'd been trying to work out a spell, they knew that Severus would never have told them what they needed to know, so, they'd visited the ailing pureblood in Azkaban. It hadn't taken much convincing on their part for him to sing like the proverbial canary. Lucius Malfoy wasn't as resigned to death as Severus was. Of course, he'd only told them on the proviso that after saving Severus, they were then to save his life.

"I may not like the man...but we gave our word," Minerva said to Remus.

"Yes," he nodded, "We did."

"He may not even be alive," Poppy said.

"I have to try," Harry shrugged.

"He's still in Azkaban. The Ministry wouldn't take him to St. Mungo's. I'll take you," Remus said. "We'll be back as soon as we can," he added before he and Harry left the room.

A.N. So, there you have it, that's how they stopped the curse. I know, I know, I should have written it sooner, but it was a really difficult one to finish. There's still a few chapters I can add to this arc, like when the Dark Mark starts to get worse and when Remus and Minerva speak to Lucius in Azkaban, but I wanted to get this out of the way first since you've all been really patient with me on this. And, of course, I appreciate everyone who helped me come up with the solution and everyone who left suggestions. Couldn't have done it without you guys!

Don't forget to let me know what you thought.

Chapter 50: 1st April 1999

Wolf on Trial

1st April 1999

Remus Lupin knew from bitter experience that good things didn't tend to last very long; especially if you were a werewolf. Once the post war dust had begun to settle it would have been foolish to believe that people would simply stop being afraid of them. He expected to be feared. He expected the snide comments and the prejudice. He was used to it all really.

However, he didn't expect to be called before a group of rather biased Ministry officials and made to feel as though his very existence was a mistake. It was a new and entirely new and unwelcome experience for him. In fact, he'd had no warning at all. A letter had arrived for him that very morning, leaving him no choice but to report to the Ministry like a common criminal. Only his wife had known that he'd been summoned and she'd not been allowed to come with him, so he was sat before the sneering faces of dozens of witches and wizards, all alone.

That was until Severus Snape forced his way into the court room. The doors had been flung open with such force that they almost shattered when they hit the walls and three people who'd tried to stop him from entering the room, fell at his his feet when he pushed them aside.

He stepped over them with a sneer of disgust and placed himself between Remus and the Inquisitor at the front podium. The man standing there was wearing ostentatious red robes, he had a receding hairline and very tanned skin.

"Snape," he frowned. "I trust you have a good reason for assaulting my men and forcing your way into a closed Ministry Courtroom," he said, sounding either brave or very foolish.

"Inquisitor Marcus," Severus began, silkily, "I haven't seen you in years. I thought you'd retired...in disgrace."

"The allegations against me were never proven," Inquisitor Jonathan Marcus hissed, suddenly loosing his composure.

"The Ministry must be desperate indeed to need your help," the headmaster retorted.

"I..."

"I'd love nothing better than to...acquaint myself with more of your charming officials and discuss...old times," Severus drawled, watching as the three men picked themselves up off the floor and brushed down their robes. "However, I am here to retrieve my Defence teacher. I'm afraid his presence is required for a rather thrilling lecture with some second year Ravenclaws," he said, silkily.

"Your Defence teacher is on trial."

"On what charges?"

"He is a werewolf employed at a school. We are assessing the risk to..."

"He has been employed at the school since September. You had ample time to question my decision in that time. If you have no charges against my employee then you have called him here illegally and he is under no obligation to remain."

He was met with stunned silence then and the Inquisitor seemed to falter against this flawless logic. "So, I'll ask you again," Severus continued, "On what charge have you stolen my Defence professor?"

"...The charge of being a dangerous..."

"That is an accusation, not a criminal charge."

"It's enough grounds for us to..."

"To send a letter of caution to his employer, if there is one, under section twelve of the Protection of Witches and Wizards against Infected Magical Creatures Act," Severus said, taking a step towards the pompous Inquisitor who now took a reactive step backwards. "I am his employer. I received no such letter. Furthermore, you are obligated to give, at the very least, two days notice before calling someone to a Ministry hearing, provided that there are no legal charges. And...since there are none...I'm sure, that a law abiding man such as yourself would have sent those letters, wouldn't you? Perhaps...your owl simply lost his way...several times...Inquisitor," he said.

"Now, I..."

"After all...Hogwarts is very difficult to find, isn't it?" Severus sneered at him.

"You..."

"I'm sure you can appreciate that I'm a very busy man," the headmaster continued. "And I've no doubt that you are too. So...why don't I do you the very considerable favour of ridding your courtroom of this...clearly very dangerous werewolf...who, incidentally, is legally registered as such and is provided with the Wolfsbane potion every month which is brewed by a Master Potioneer."

"I..."

"Good day, Inquisitor," Severus glared at him and the man fell silent.

Then, the headmaster turned around, quickly, and gestured with a sharp move of his head, that Remus was to leave via the still open doors at the other end of the room.

"Headmaster Snape, you can't just..." someone called out.

"If you have any charges against either myself or Professor Lupin you are welcome to detain us, naturally...just bear in mind that there will be consequences if your charges are...unreliable," Severus replied, without turning back to face them.

When no one answered him, Severus left the room as dramatically as he'd entered it, his robes billowing behind him and with Remus following close behind him.

As always the corridors of the Ministry were packed full of people but they parted like the Red Sea when Severus began stalking his way through the throng of wizards. They kept their distance without even realising it but it allowed Remus to talk to him without having people bumping into him or having to keep track of his friend through the crowds.

"I can't help thinking there's going to be some trouble over this," Remus remarked when they'd gotten a short distance away.

"Hmmm," Severus scoffed.

"Thank you, Severus," he added, sincerely

"Consider my life debt repaid," the man said much more quietly even though he knew that this alone wasn't enough to repay a life debt. To really a life debt, you needed to save the other persons' life, hence the name. When Remus and Harry had found him collocates by the lake after the battle, they'd saved his life. He'd been too weak to survive outside for long and though he'd come down with a nasty case of hypothermia, he was still alive. *1

"I never held up any kind of debt between us," Remus replied, "I know you don't believe me, but I didn't. I don't. If anything, I owe you far more than I can ever hope to repay."

"...Idiot," Severus grumbled.

"By the way, how did you know I'd been..."

"Your wife. She was...very disruptive. She left me little choice," he answered. "And what on earth were you thinking answering their ridiculous summons like a pathetic little lapdog?" he demanded.

"Didn't she show you the letter they sent? They were all but threatening my wife and son with Azkaban if I didn't go."

"They don't have any grounds to send any of you to prison. You should have ignored them entirely."

"I have to play it by the book even if they don't...because of what I am," Remus said.

"Well, because of what I am, I don't have to play it by the book...and I don't intend to."

"Yes. You were quite impressive back there. I wouldn't be surprised to hear if that Inquisitor need a new change of robes. I think you frightened the life out of him when you slammed the door open like that," Remus chuckled.

"Probably thought I was his debt collectors," Severus grumbled, ignoring the compliment.

"What?" Remus laughed.

"He's a gambler."

"Really?"

"And not a very good one."

"Well," the werewolf did his best to stop laughing but he failed miserably.

"Last I heard...he'd lost a considerable amount of government money, including the pensions and payroll of his own colleagues as well as his wife's inheritance and her brother's savings. I seem to recall that he's wanted by at least five different creditors...all of whom would pay handsomely for any..."

"Severus..."

"Yes?"

"Is that wise?"

"Probably not," Severus replied, stopping at an empty Floo fireplace. "But you're forgetting one very important thing, Lupin," he said.

"And what's that?"

"Revenge isn't meant to be wise, it's meant to be fun," he replied. "You never used to have a problem with it, did you...Marauder?" he asked, not expecting an answer. He gestured to the fireplace, waiting for Lupin to go first. "My office," he ordered, looking back at the disgruntled Inquisitor Marcus who was now standing a short distance away having managed to catch them up. "And be quick about it," Severus added.

"Severus, I..."

"Go," the headmaster ordered and Remus nodded.

"Headmaster's quarters, Hogwarts," he announced and in a flash of green flames, he was gone.

Once both of them arrived in the fireplace in Severus' private living room, the headmaster closed the Floo connection in case Marcus chose to follow them and they both went through into the main office. Minerva was waiting with an anxious looking Nymphadora who ran at her husband in relief when she saw him.

"What happened?" she demanded, hugging him.

"Nothing, it was just..."

"A full criminal trial," Severus said, ignoring Remus. "Or at least, an attempt at one. Inquisitor Marcus is back," he told them. "I doubt you've heard the last of this. He values werewolves about as much as he does Death Eaters," he said to Remus.

"I'm used to being persecuted..."

"Not like this," Severus replied.

"They called you to a full criminal trial on the same day? With no charges?" Minerva asked and Remus nodded. "And you went?" she asked, stunned.

"I didn't have a choice. I have to obey the rules even if they don't," he answered.

"Well...what are we meant to do now?" she sighed.

"Hogwarts has a long standing history antagonising the Ministry," Severus said, "And I'd hate to disappoint."

"Severus, the last thing we need is to..."

"I will not kowtow to the Ministry," he told her, sternly.

"I didn't say that," Minerva shook her head.

"I'm with you, headmaster," Tonk grinned, eagerly, "Whatever you need."

"How reassuring," Severus deadpanned and she snorted as an amused Albus Dumbledore stared down at them with twinkling eyes.

*1 Reference to chapter 6

Chapter 51: 2nd April 1999

A Life Debt

2nd April 1999

Life Debts were considered a little archaic in the Wizarding World. Generally speaking, if a person saved your life you were extremely grateful and, if the opportunity arose, then you would certainly repay that same person. But most people didn't go out of their way to accumulate good deeds in an attempt at repaying such a debt. It wasn't meant to drive a person to act a certain way, unless that person was Severus Snape.

He'd given Remus Lupin and his wife a job, he'd let their son live in the castle with them, he'd even more recently gone out of his way to butt heads with the Ministry in defence of a man he claimed to hate. And Remus wasn't as happy about it as he perhaps should have been. Most people would have taken advantage if the fact that they had a powerful wizard in their debt, but Remus didn't. In fact, he'd gone out of his way to tell Severus that there was no life debt, but so far he'd been unsuccessful.

He was determined to change that now. So, he made his way up to the headmaster's office and found Severus staring into the Pensieve which was resting in its standing stone case.

"Severus?" Remus spoke, walking over to him.

"What?" Severus snapped, still staring into the Pensieve.

"If this is a bad time, I can..."

"Whatever it is, just say it," the headmaster ordered.

"Did you erm...well, I was wondering if Inquisitor Marcus had written to you..."

"On my desk," Severus said. "Take a look," he finally turned around to look at Remus who was picking his way through the jumble of papers. When he found the right one, he picked it up to read it.

It was a short letter stating simply, that Marcus would be pressing charges of assault against Severus for the men he'd forced his way past yesterday and that Remus should be very careful not to infect any of the students with his 'disease.'

"This sounds...fairly serious."

"My criminal record is already as long as the list of Potion accidents that Longbottom has caused in his entire Hogwarts career. What's one more charge?" he asked, slowly and carefully closing the doors on on the Pensieve's elaborate case, shutting away the pale blue light.

"But..."

"Calm down," Severus shook his head, "He won't press charges anyway."

"How do you know for sure?"

"Because if he does, then he'll need to explain why I was barred from entering a sealed courtroom in which one of my own employees was detained illegally...under his orders."

"Ah."

"He's angry and stupid...but he's not quite that stupid."

"So...he can't do anything?"

"Nothing legal."

"But he's...capable of acting...otherwise?"

"Aren't we all?"

"Severus..."

"He's quite capable of taking the law into his own hands like a lot of pompous Ministry officials. But I'd imagine he's on quite a tight leash after all that money he lost. The Ministry doesn't tend to retire its employees unless they have no other choice, so for them to do that and then bring him back...I'd rather like to know why."

"I could...ask around," Remus suggested.

"Discretely...if you can manage that."

"I'll do my best," the werewolf smirked.

"Was that all?" Severus asked.

"Not exactly, no. There was one other thing."

"And what was that?"

Without another word, Remus clasped Severus' right forearm carefully in his own and chose to ignore the headmasters disgruntled look

"I, Remus John Lupin, consider any life debt you believe is owed, to be fulfilled. Nothing you do in the future needs to equal it. Do you understand?" Remus said, calmly.

"...I do," the headmaster answered, still looking confused with an eyebrow raised at him.

Remus nodded, released Severus' arm but he didn't step away. "You squandered a valuable opportunity," Severus remarked after a moment.

"I don't think so."

"You would have taken advantage of it twenty years ago."

"It isn't twenty years ago and I don't want you to feel indebted to me," Remus replied, patiently.

"But it's alright for you to feel indebted to me?" Severus retorted. Remus had made it very clear that he felt that he did owe Severus a lot. It was an endless circle of life debts.

"...Good point," Remus frowned. "Well...then...why don't we start over? Wipe the slate clean? You don't owe me and I don't owe you and anything we do for each other from here is just...a friend helping a friend," he suggested.

"If there's no life debt, what makes you think I even need to keep you here anymore?" Severus asked, choosing to ignore the word 'friend' for the time being.

"So fire me," Remus shrugged.

"Don't tempt me," Severus replied, dryly. "So where exactly did you find that archaic little spell?" he asked, turning away and walking to his desk.

"The Restricted Section. No one really calls in life debts these days and certainly people don't tend to cancel them like that, so it took a while to find it."

"Don't expect anymore favours."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Remus smiled and Severus scoffed. "I'll see you in the morning," he said before he made his way back towards the door. "Oh, and by the way, Minerva managed to get a bottle of Ogden's finest for Friday and Pomona said something about some shortbread...they're your favourite, aren't they? 'Night Severus," he added and then he was gone.

Remus, Minerva and Tonks, and occasionally others, usually came to Severus' quarters on a Friday evening to talk and one of them tended to bring something to drink or to eat. Over the last few months, Severus had found that he really didn't protest about those 'meetings' nearly as much as he used to. He wasn't quite sure when that had changed, or why.

Chapter 52: 23rd December 2003 Part 2

First Hours of Freedom

23rd December 2003 Part 2

Lucius Malfoy, for the first time in years, felt like himself again, minus his magic of course. He was healed and wearing his own clothes and finally free from Azkaban prison. He was sat in front of an ornate stone fireplace which bore the Prince coat of arms and he was happily drinking from a glass of fine scotch as he looked across at Severus who seemed content to simply stare into the flames, drinking from his own glass in silence. But after years in prison, most of it spent alone save for Severus own visits, Lucius found that he didn't much care for silence any longer.

Outside Prince Manor, a considerable number of Aurors patrolled the grounds and neither man sitting there that night wanted to think about that either.

"This is going to take some getting used to," Lucius remarked, finally deciding to break the hated silence. He gestured to the metal band around his wrist with a disdainful sneer. "Do you know...I tired to summon my wand earlier...and I couldn't understand why it wouldn't work," he said. "It gave me a nasty little shock," Lucius added, rubbing that same wrist.

"You were warned," Severus told him.

"I can't change a lifetime of habitual magic in an instant," he protested. In prison it had been different, he'd been, well, a prisoner, but here he was meant to be free. In reality it was a prison by another name for a wizard who was still unable to use his magic.

"You'll have to."

"At least feign sympathy...for once in your life, just a little," Lucius sighed.

"Perhaps later," Severus retorted.

"You're feeling very charitable, clearly," the blonde grumbled.

"You're sitting in my house through my efforts, drinking my scotch and Narcissa is waiting upstairs for you after several years of endless pining...forgive me if I can't muster up any pity for you," Severus scoffed and downed the remainder of his scotch.

"Ah...there's the crux of it," Lucius grinned. "I have the beautiful Narcissa waiting for me but for you there's only an empty bedroom. You're lonely aren't you, Severus?" he asked.

"Grow up, Lucius."

"Surely there's no shortage of witches for you. You never had a problem before. You're a war hero with an Order of Merlin. I'd imagine that only helps matters."

"I suggest you stop talking," Severus glared at him but rather than being intimidated, his friend chuckled quietly.

"Fine, fine," Lucius shrugged, "I'm only trying to help."

"Well, don't."

Lucius valiantly stopped laughing and nodded his head in mock seriousness. "Pass the scotch," he said and a moment later, the glass decanter floated over to him steadily without even a word or movement from Severus. He filled up his glass and took a satisfying sip from it. "Ah, wherever did you find this. It's really very good," he remarked.

"The cellar. Apparently my great grandfather hoarded it."

"So there's more?"

"Plenty."

"How much more?"

"Enough that several decades of your famous Malfoy celebrations wouldn't even make a dent."

"Splendid," Lucius smiled, satisfied.

"You're not going to spend your days working through my scotch collection," Severus sighed.

"Well, what else can I do? I'm powerless now. I can't do anything. I have no status no money no...nothing."

"Get a hobby."

"Such as?"

"...Stamp collecting?"

"No," Lucius snapped and Severus shrugged.

"You'll have to do something," the headmaster retorted.

"I can't exactly go galavanting off to Paris like Draco now, can I? I can't even leave this house!"

"As I said before, you're welcome to return to Azkaban."

"Is it your mission today to annoy me?"

"I don't think you realise just how fortunate you are. The others who bore the Mark are dead, all of them I should think and before that, they spent years as the play things of the Dementors and the Aurors. You're not only alive, but you're out of prison as well."

"True," Lucius nodded, reluctantly, "But my life will never be what it was."

"Be grateful you still have it," Severus retorted and his friend pursed his lip. "I could have very easily let you rot in there. I didn't have to waste my time and effort on you. You certainly wouldn't have done the same for me," he said, harshly.

"You're right," Lucius sighed. "I've already proven that, haven't I?" he said and he couldn't help but think about all the times he'd left his friend to fend for himself against the Dark Lord, not just the time in the Shrieking Shack.

"Yes, you have. So unless you have something else to say beyond your pathetic whining, you'll shut up and drink your damn scotch."

"...Duly noted," the blonde sighed heavily and leaned back in his arm chair. "I'm not...ungrateful, really, I just..." he began but Severus stopped him.

"I've had two very long years of listening to your equally privileged wife say the same things that you, no doubt, are going to complain about now. I don't want a repeat. If you have problems, speak to Narcissa. She'll never be happy about it, but at least she's come to terms with it all. You've no idea how lucky you've both been in life...but then again, you never did. Did you?"

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Lucius demanded, haughtily.

"Oh, don't act so sanctimonious. You're a spoilt, privileged, self righteous bastard and you know it. You've had a lifetime of simply wanting something and being able to get it in an instant..."

"You've always been jealous of my wealth..."

"Damn right I have. I'd have given my wand arm for a fraction of what you had," Severus glared at him.

"Well, now we're on the subject, my life wasn't always perfect, you know!"

"Huh," Severus scoffed. "Yes. I know. You've told me. Your mother was a hypochondriac who rarely saw anyone and your father was a manipulative egotist and you saw him even less than your mother," he sneered. "What I would have given...for distant parents," he said, ruefully.

"The nannies I had growing up..."

"Oh, please, spare me," he rested his head back and closed his eyes for a moment. "You had nannies...as in plural...and you're complaining about them. Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound?" he asked.

"I..."

"I'm not getting into this debate," the headmaster sighed, his voice hoarse and rough. "Not again. It was bad enough having to explain it all to your wife. I don't think my patience could survive it a second time. Do you possibly think we could have a conversation...a civilised conversation...like adults?"

"I was having a perfectly..." Lucius protested but stopped when Severus stared at him. "Yes, alright, alright. I'll...I'm...sorry. I may need some time to...adjust. It's been...a long day and your patience is...appreciated," he said, slowly.

"I'll bet that hurt to say," Severus remarked, a little surprised that Lucius had relented so easily.

Lucius gave him a small smile and held up his glass before he drained its expensive contents.

"Do you remember...before the war," the blonde began after a while. "I've been wondering about it for a while, actually, nothing much else to do in prison but remember things and count stones. The Dark Lord...I mean, he wasn't always such a..."

"Manic?" Severus suggested.

"He was so...charismatic. So different. What changed?"

"Don't delude yourself," Severus snapped. "He was always...unhinged. I don't suppose being the victim of a rebounded killing curse addled his mind anymore than it already was."

"Ah...that's where it all went wrong," Lucius lamented.

"It went wrong long before that."

"No, it didn't. We were winning we could have easily taken on the Ministry and won but then he had to go after Potter and...that boy...it ruined everything."

"That 'boy' saved your life," Severus raised an eyebrow.

"To lord it over me at some point in the near future, no doubt," Lucius hissed.

"If you say so."

"You still think I'm a fool for thinking that we were on the right side, don't you?" the blonde asked him, "I can't change my way of thinking now. I'm too old."

"I don't expect you to change and I'm not optimistic enough to believe that a second prison sentence was enough to convince you otherwise. But if it's going to be a problem between us..."

"Merlin, no," Lucius shook his head, quickly. "I shouldn't have mentioned it, I know. I just...I didn't have anyone else to talk to about it and I just wanted to know why it all...why he changed so...dramatically. It wasn't fear that drew us to him in the first place but...it was fear that kept us there in the end. In spite of everything...I can't help but hate him even though I once looked up to him. You did too. That's why he marked us."

"The Mark is gone," Severus reminded him.

"Not exactly," Lucius said, gently rubbing a hand over his forearm where the blackened burn was hidden by his sleeve. When the Dark Mark had been removed by Harry it had left an identical burn scar on Lucius' arm as it had on Severus' and they would likely never heal.

"...No...and I know what you meant...about the Dark Lord. He did...change over time. I suppose it was the consequences of what he'd become and a...a side effect of his resurrection. He was...charismatic. He was a great leader. He inspired people to follow him in the early days and then he resorted to intimidation."

"I don't know how to live in a world that we were trying to destroy," Lucius confessed, "You make it look so easy."

"Easy? I still get letters laced with poisons and howlers telling me that Death Eaters deserve to die. There's an ongoing petition to have me removed from Hogwarts and for my Order of Merlin to be burned. There's still plenty of people who'd be delighted to see me behind bars, believe me."

"Maybe. But at least you can say that you were...a spy. You defied him."

"You left him too, in the end," Severus remarked.

"Out of fear," the blonde muttered, remembering the Battle of Hogwarts and how he had fled with his family. "When it was clear that we were loosing," he added.

"Yes, but you did it."

"If he appeared right now I can't say I wouldn't do as he asked."

"Because you want to or because you're afraid of him?"

"I...don't know."

"You've plenty of time to think about the answer," Severus replied.

"I suppose I do but that's not much of a hobby, is it?"

"I think I saw some golf equipment in the attic."

"No," Lucius sighed.

"Go upstairs to your wife," Severus said, sighing for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "Your little moral quandary and hobby hunting will still be there for you to pick at in the morning," he added.

"And the Aurors will still be outside, too," Lucius retorted.

"Yes, they will."

"That's just...brilliant."

"Isn't it just?" Severus gave him a sarcastic smirk.

"I hate Aurors," Lucius grumbled.

"And they hate us. We're a match made in heaven."

"Huh, if that's heaven, you can keep it," the blonde snorted, inelgantly. "I'll stick with this excellent scotch and my lovely wife," he said, setting down his now empty glass and standing up. "Have your house elf send us a wake up call in the morning for breakfast, would you? Some time after nine o'clock, perhaps," he added haughtily.

"This isn't a hotel," Severus told him but Lucius was already walking away.

The blonde raised a hand either in dismissal or acknowledgement, Severus wasn't quite sure which, but Lucius didn't turn around. His friend wasn't at all surprised. He had a feeling that learning to survive without magic was going to a lot harder for Lucius than it had been for Narcissa and the thought filled him with horror and very small trace of amusement. Lucius always did act like he was king of the world, if nothing else it was going to be entertaining as he discovered his new limitations.

Chapter 53: 24th March 2006

Augustus Granville's Publishing Debut

24th March 2006

"Augustus Granville?" Arthur stared at the name printed on the books.

"I didn't chose it," the headmaster sighed, "I told the publisher to use a pseudonym...clearly I took it for granted that they'd choose a decent one. By the time they told me what they'd settled on, it was too late to change it."

"I don't think it's a bad name," Molly said. She was flicking through another of the books with interest.

There were three textbooks in total, all of them updated versions of old and trusted books. Updating textbooks was a tricky business in the Wizarding World. Their society was generally resistant to change and most school books hadn't been updated for decades or even centuries.

Severus had written his own notes into the existing books and sent them to a publisher on Lucius' advice. Fortunately the publisher was an old friend of the wizards' otherwise they probably wouldn't have given him, an ex Death Eater, a second glance. Now, there was 'New and Improved Advanced Potion Making,' 'Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts for Beginners,' and 'Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts.' Why exactly Lucius Malfoy was on a first name basis with a publisher, Severus didn't know, and he didn't really want to know either.

For some reason, Molly and Arthur had been delighted when they'd heard about the books and they were overjoyed that they were now in possession of some advanced copies. The books were due to be released to the public in a few days and the marketing campaign had been nothing short of phenomenal. It wasn't often that books were updated after all.

"I could hardly publish them under my own name," Severus added.

"I don't see why not," Arthur shrugged.

"Well, I'm not expecting to become an overnight success, but I would like to sell them." Severus said, dryly.

"You'll sell them," Molly assured him, confidently.

"So my publisher assures me," the headmaster said.

"What made you change your mind about all this?" Arthur asked, curiously. "You didn't seem all that keen to publish a book, let alone three," he said, and he was right.

Harry had once suggested, several years ago, that Severus should publish his notes for the 'Advanced Potion Making,' though of course without some of the more sinister spells he'd written in his own copy. But at the time he'd been very reluctant. Now he seemed to have relented without much resistance. Over the last few years Severus had made some considerable changes to how things were run at Hogwarts, shocking some and delighting others. It looks like he'd turned his attention to the outdated textbooks as well now.

"Lucius...convinced me otherwise," Severus admitted.

"Oh?" Arthur blinked.

The Malfoy's and the Weasley's would never be the best of friends but they could just about sit in a room together without a feud erupting. They did it for Severus' sake if nothing else since he was their mutual friend but it was probably for the best all around if they kept as far from each other as possible.

"Apparently it'll make my fortune," Severus scoffed. "He's got nothing better to do than meddle in my affairs," he explained.

"Well, in this case, I have to agree with him," Arthur replied. "It's a good idea," he said.

"You're not charging a lot of money for them," Molly observed.

"I'd I did, I'd price myself out of the market," Severus said, smoothly.

The truth was, he didn't want less fortunate families to feel that they had to scrape together enough money in order to buy new textbooks for their children. He knew how difficult it had been as a child with little money having to buy a different set of books each year. It was easy enough when they were second hand but when they were new it was much more difficult. So he'd persuaded the publisher to make the books cheap. It wasn't like he really needed the money; he'd inherited a little along with Prince Manor and his Hogwarts salary was more than sufficient for his needs anyway.

"I'll bet that went down well with Malfoy senior," Arthur said and Severus scoffed.

"It comes from having been spoilt all his life. All my efforts to teach him the value of money seem to fall on deaf ears," the headmaster replied.

"You can use this one for your presentation to the Potion Masters Conference," Molly remarked, holding up the Potions textbook. "I bet you'd win. Where is it this year?" she asked.

"Venice," Severus answered.

"Lovely," she smiled, "I've always wanted to go to Venice."

"As I said last year," the headmaster said, exasperated, "You're welcome to come. Although I really don't see why you're so interested."

Molly and Arthur had expressed an interest in attending the Conference last year and the year before that. The Potions Masters were allowed to bring guests but Severus didn't see why why they'd be interested at all. They weren't exactly subtle about wanting to go with him though. As his friends, they were naturally curious about how he acted in a professional setting and a small holiday wouldn't go amiss either.

"I really don't..."

"We'd be delighted, Severus," Arthur said quickly before his wife could turn down another Conference. "And when you win, I'll open a bottle of Champagne. I found an excellent muggle brand a few years ago," he grinned, excitedly.

"You are aware that if I use the book publicly at the Conference, the fact that I used a pseudonym will have been a waste of time," Severus remarked.

"Surely...just to a few people there, it won't make a difference," Molly replied.

"And when they tell others?"

"Aren't they supposed to keep the presentations secret? Confidentiality and all that?"

"Like secrets at Hogwarts?" Severus said.

"Ah...yes, good point," she said, "It's a shame though."

"What are you going to present instead, then?" Arthur asked.

"The Wolfsbane improvements," Severus answered and they nodded. He'd improved it to the point of a mostly painless transformation now.

"Good choice," the red headed wizard nodded, "That'll be hard to beat."

"Let's hope so," the headmaster said.

"Remus is coming then? Since he was the..." Molly trailed off.

"Test subject?" Severus smirked a little. "I'm not running a holiday tour, Molly," he said.

"I never said you were," she replied, smiling fondly at him. Molly took great pride in the fact that she, along with her husband, were some of the few people that Severus actually called by their first name now, although it had taken a lot of gentle persuading to get to that point.

"I have to get back to the Manor," Severus said, "Malfoys' are easily bored easily and the last time they got bored, my unsuspecting library paid the price."

"Your library?" Arthur furrowed his brow.

"Don't ask,"'the headmaster sighed, standing up. He generally spent the weekends at Prince Manor trying to stop Lucius from destroying something else in his boredom or his frustration.

"Alright, dear," Molly said, shaking her head. "Good luck then," she added and then he was gone.

Chapter 54: 16th March 2007

Real Enough

16th March 2007

Firenze the Centaur still taught at Hogwarts alongside Sybil Trelawney and one evening after a rather remarkable discovery in the forest, which incidentally had interrupted his very important star gazing task, he made his way to the headmasters' office. What he hasn't realised was that Severus wasn't alone. He was in his private sitting room with Minerva, Remus, Harry, Pomona and Poppy.

"Firenze?" Harry looked over at him.

"Hello, Harry," the centaur smiled kindly at him before turning to Severus. "I was wondering if I might...have a word, headmaster," he said.

"Weren't you star gazing, tonight?" Severus asked.

Firenze had been talking almost non stop about his star tracking to everyone in the staff room and even to his students for weeks now and Severus had taken to simply rolling his eyes and drowning out the conversation whenever he was in the vicinity. Whatever was written in the stars didn't interest him at all. He'd made that perfectly clear.

"I was, yes, but...I...well, it's best if I show you...unless you are busy."

"Do we look busy?" the wizard scoffed, gesturing to his glass tumbler.

"Come in, come in," Pomona ushered him into the room. "The more the merrier," she said, happily.

"Ah, thank you, no," Firenze politely declined the glass that the enthusiastic witch held out for him. "I cannot stay. I must return to the forest. I am tracking the the alignment of the..."

"I hope you didn't come here to tell me about the ever so fascinating arrangement of the stars...again," Severus remarked, uninterested. Not even Minerva and Poppy's scowls could stop him from being, what most people considered, rude.

"No, no, I didn't," the centaur chuckled. "I know a lost cause when I see one. It's just that, well...I found something. Since it was on school grounds I decided that it would be best to come straight to you about it," he said.

"What did you find?" Severus asked.

"This," Firenze stepped towards him and held out the innocuous looking, but extremely powerful Resurrection Stone. "I know it's significance and I can sense its power," he said, "It would not be wise to leave it in the forest."

"The Resurrection Stone," Harry breathed, "I thought it was...lost."

"No longer," Firenze said.

"Did you...use it?" Harry asked him.

"I did not," he answered, solemnly. "For a moment I was tempted as I too have lost loved ones...but the price is too high. It is...a torment," he said and Harry nodded in understanding.

To be able to see your loved ones but not actually have them back with you was just as cruel as the Mirror of Erised; it showed you something that you could never have.

"I suppose...the only question is," Minerva began, nervously. "What do we do with it?" she asked. She, like the others, had heard from Harry just what the stone could do and she was very tempted to use it, as anyone would be and if given the chance she wasn't sure that she would be able to show the same restraint as Firenze.

Severus took the stone and examined it with a critical eye. Although he knew that it didn't actually bring the dead back to life, the thought of seeing Lily and even Albus again was impossible to ignore.

"Severus?" Minerva tried to get his attention and failed. "Severus," she repeated, louder and this time, he blinked up at her as if he'd been startled from a trance.

"It's still technically yours, isn't it, Harry?" Remus asked him, "Didn't Dumbledore leave it to you...in the snitch?"

"Yes...well, if it was even his to leave to me in the first place, but I don't want it," Harry shook his head. "I dropped it in the forest. I thought it was best if it never gets used again."

"Not an easy choice to make, I'm sure," Minerva said to him, sympathetically.

Before anyone could say anything else, Severus disapparated, leaving them all too stunned to move.

A second later, Severus was standing in the Shrieking Shack, staring down at the stone in his hand, he clutched it in his long fingers and waited. Then, without pomp or ceremony of any kind, he was suddenly joined by the first two people who'd ever cared anything for him in the world; Lily Potter and Albus Dumbledore. The only two people beyond the Veil that he truly missed.

They looked so real that it was almost possible to forget that they were dead. Lily looked so alive, so radiant and Albus looked just as powerful as he always had, his hand wasn't even cursed and his blue eyes were striking even in the dark.

"Hi, Sev," Lily smiled at him.

After all the years he'd spent wondering just what he'd say to her if he ever got the chance, for all the fact that he was renowned for his eloquence, for once, words failed him.

"Ah, Severus, my brave boy...I'd hug you if I could," Albus said, happily. "I know you dislike physical affection, but I must confess that I have greatly missed you," he said, gently reaching out to place his hand on Severus's shoulder.

Then, Severus found out why Albus couldn't hug him. The aged hand went straight though him, sending a shiver down his spine and the old wizard raised his raised his hand slightly so that it was hovering in the air just above the black clad shoulder. "Apologies," Albus whispered, and then stood back a little.

Severus had managed to progress to a point in his life now that he didn't weep uncontrollably at Halloween, neither did he drink himself into oblivion on the anniversary of Albus' death but it hadn't been easy. He'd always miss them both and the guilt he felt at their deaths was still there. Seeing them now was perhaps not his best idea and it brought back years of guilt and sadness that he couldn't repress.

Lily had died because of him and he had personally killed Albus. Nothing he'd done in the past and nothing he did in the future would ever change either of those facts. He'd go to his grave a murderer and he thought he'd at least come to accept that fact even if he'd never like it.

"I..." he breathed, trying to control his emotions. It was proving much more difficult than usual. His famed Occlumency shields, which were used to hide away his emotions, were on the verge of shattering into a thousand tiny pieces, threatening to take his iron clad control with them.

"Severus?" Albus tried to look through the curtain of long black hair which was obscuring the current headmasters' pale face. "Look at me...please," Albus pleaded but Severus just shook his head.

"I'm so sorry," Severus managed to say to them before he started to weep. "I'm sorry, Albus," he said, still hiding his face as tears fell from his closed eyes.

Despite seeing the man's portrait near enough every day, despite talking to him nearly every day, seeing the old wizard actually standing in front of him was different. He really hadn't expected it to be, but it was. It was even worse that he couldn't even touch him. Albus was always so demonstrative, be it a gentle hand on his shoulder or a soothing touch on his arm when the Dark Mark had burned, or even kind fingers raking through his hair when he was convulsing in agony on a hospital bed after a Death Eater meeting which had ended in torture. Albus, like any Gryffindor, wore his heart on his sleeve.

"I'm so sorry, Lily," Severus continued, "For everything...it was all my fault...all of it...the prophecy...you..."

"You made a mistake," Lily said, moving closer to him.

"If I'd listened to you...you warned me about them...and I didn't listen."

"You're stubborn," she said, fondly.

"How can you bear to look at me?" he asked, looking at her with eyes full of tears. "Are you even real?" he asked.

"Right now, I'm as real as you," Lily answered. "And I can look at you...because you're my friend. You always were and you always will be."

"But it's my fault you're..."

"Maybe, maybe not. He would have come after us at some point. We'd been openly opposing him and his followers. Maybe that's why he saw Harry as a threat...because we were too reckless."

"Now I know you're not real," Severus cried, "The real Lily would never say that."

"We're real enough, I believe," Albus remarked and watched sadly as the younger wizard shook his head in despair.

Severus leant back against the wall and looked away from them as he fell to the ground, sitting on the dirty wooden floorboards. He'd died in here once already and now it felt as though he was dying again, emotionally rather than physically this time. He wasn't quite sure which one was worse.

"...Should've known better..." Severus scoffed to himself. "Of course you're not real," he said, looking up at them.

"If we're not real, how would I know that my mum taught you to play the piano or that you could pick locks by the time you were six or that you used to smoke or..." Lily listed, desperately.

"Because you're..."

"Or you had your ear pieced at one point just because your dad told you not to and you hated it anyway, or you don't like chocolate unless it's chocolate orange..."

"Clearly..." Severus took a deep breath, "You are...figments...from my mind. You know...what I know and you tell me...what I want to hear."

"Well, you won't want to hear this," the red head put her hands on her hips. "You were stupid to join the Death Eaters in the first place. You knew what you were doing was wrong but you did it anyway. You were angry and scared...but that's no excuse."

As she spoke, Severus rested his head back against the wall, a look of resignation on his face. "You've done horrible things," Lily said, "And you hurt me...you joined the group that wanted to murder people like me just because of who my parents were."

"I never cared about blood purity..."

"But you still joined them knowing that that's what they believed. And you hurt me. I thought you were my friend and I was trying to help you back then. I tried to make you see sense but you...you called me..."

"...I was angry," he muttered, weakly.

"I know," she said, her anger seemingly fading away. "And I shouldn't have turned you away like that. Maybe if I hadn't...things would've been different," she said, kneeling beside him.

"No...they wouldn't," Severus sighed. "I'm...so sorry," he reiterated, "I'm sorry I ever called you...that name and I'm sorry that my actions lead to your...death."

"And I forgive you," Lily said, "If you forgive me for not accepting your apology all those years ago."

"You were right not to."

"No," she disagreed, "We were stupid children. Both of us. You're not a bad person, Sev," she told him, smiling, "You just forget it sometimes."

"You know everything I've done?" he asked and she nodded. He didn't think to question why or how she knew, she just did and that was enough. "Then how can you say that?" he demanded, "I've done...terrible things."

"Yes, you have," Albus nodded. "But you regret them and you went above and beyond to make amends. You gave your life to set things right. A lesser man wouldn't have done that."

"I killed you," Severus breathed, trying to calm himself. "You were the only person to give me a chance...and I killed you," he said.

"Because I gave you no choice. There are a great many things I regret myself and that is one of them. I always asked too much of you but you always delivered, no matter what."

"I..."

"You know this already, but I don't hold you responsible for my death," Albus continued. "It was my own fault. When I touched that cured ring I signed my death warrant and you were well aware of it. You did what was necessary when I no longer could."

"You're not responsible for my death, either," Lily said. "You didn't kill me or James. We didn't have to stay and fight. We chose to," she explained, "I could have escaped that night. He gave me the chance to stand aside while he killed Harry but I didn't. I couldn't."

"I begged him to spare you. He probably thought he was being generous because I was the one who told him the prophecy in the first place, so he...Well...it doesn't matter, it was still my fault. I only told him so that I could improve my own standing in his ranks. I didn't know that it meant your son at first...but I still knew that someone would die and I didn't care. I only defected because of you," Severus admitted, "If it had been someone else...anyone else...I'd never have left him."

"You don't know that," she said and he shook his head at her. "You don't," she insisted.

"I'm not a good man," Severus sighed.

"Maybe not, but as Lily has already said, quite correctly, you're not a bad one either," Albus said, "People are far more complicated than that and nothing is ever quite that simple."

"I'm sorry," Severus repeated. He'd lost count of how many times he'd apologised to them but he had to make it count. They had to see that he was truly sorry even if he couldn't change what he'd done.

"I know," Lily smiled at him, "And I forgive you."

Severus could only stare at her in disbelief, his usual emotionless mask had been cast aside in the face of her forgives. "I forgive you, Sev," she repeated.

"I loved you," he admitted, quietly.

"...I know," Lily said, sadly.

"I always will."

"Sev...you're my friend...and I loved you too, but..."

"I...understand," he said, his silent tears still falling, "I knew you'd never...you loved Potter. I'm not a fool."

"Sev, please..." she pleaded.

"Don't," Severus said, "Just don't. I just...I had to tell you, at least once."

"I'm s..."

"No, you're not," he stopped her before she could apologise. "And that's alright," he said, taking a deep breath to try and stop crying. "You were my friend...before I ruined it all. That's more than I deserved," he added.

"You deserved a better friend," Lily protested.

"So did you," he countered.

But now, he'd gotten his tears under control but it felt as though the slightest thing could set him off again. He gently wiped his eyes and looked at them again. "How long...does this...last?" he asked, running his thumb over the stone in his hand.

"As long as you're holding the stone," Albus answered, "But...like the Mirror of Erised...it's not wise to let these things linger. You must let us go, Severus."

"I...can't."

"You'll see us again," the old man assured him, "Although I hope...and please don't glare at me for saying this...I hope, that it's not for a very long time. Live your life, my boy. You've earned it more than most. You were doing a fairly good job before this...headmaster," he said, smiling.

"Headmaster Snape," Lily said, "Has a nice ring to it."

"It does, doesn't it," Albus agreed.

"You're both...mad," Severus said, managing to smile ruefully.

"...One day, you will see us again," Albus said kindly after a moment, "Just promise me one thing. This is the last thing I'll ever ask of you."

"...What?" Severus asked, resigned.

"Don't keep looking back. You have a good life now. You have good friends. You have a remarkable family. You're not alone. There are people who care about you. Don't torment yourself with the past anymore," the old man practically begged him.

"Easier said...than done."

"I know," Albus said, "I..."

"I...can't keep it, can I?" Severus asked, unclenching his fingers from around the stone.

"It would not be advisable, no."

"I miss you...both of you," he admitted and they knew how difficult it was for him to say such a thing, even if they were merely figments of his imagination.

"This is not the way to remember us," Albus said. "Let go of the stone, Severus," he added, quietly.

"Not yet," Severus replied, still staring at it, "Just...one more minute."

About five minutes later, the door was thrown wide open to admit Minerva leading the way, no doubt with a 'Point Me' spell lighting her wand and the others following behind her.

Severus was still sat against the wall but the Resurrection Stone lay by his side on the floor and he was no longer crying. His eyes were still slightly red, so clearly he had been and he took a deep breath as they all entered the room.

"Am I to assume...that you are not...figments?" he asked.

"Figments?" Minerva frowned, confused. She lowered her wand now that they'd found him and shivered. It was warmer outside than it was in the Shack even though it was night and so therefore, quite cool outside. "We are not figments, no," she said, patiently, "Are you alright?"

She and Poppy knelt on either side of him while the mediwitch quietly performed a medical scan with her wand.

"He's not injured," Poppy reported a moment later.

"Not physically," Remus said, picking up the Resurrection Stone in a handkerchief from his pocket. He didn't want to touch it and run the risk of being tormented by the souls of the dead as Severus so obviously had done. In theory, if it didn't touch his skin, then it couldn't be used, at least that's what he hoped.

"He used it," Harry sighed, knowingly.

"They're...gone," Severus muttered.

"They?" Minerva asked him and he just nodded once. She placed a hand on his forearm and she could feel that he was cold even through the thick layers he always wore. He seemed to be genuinely surprised that she was able to touch him where the apparitions conjured by the stone hadn't been able to. So evidently, they were real. "It's freezing here. Come on, let's go back to the castle where it's warm," Minerva said to him, kindly.

Severus sighed and seemed to consider the idea for a moment before he pushed himself up off the ground, aided by his ever present mother hens, Poppy and Minerva. He was shaking slightly, presumably from the cold since it tended to aggravate his old wounds.

"Can you Apparate?" the deputy headmistress asked him and again, he nodded. "You go on ahead, we'll see you back there..."

She hadn't even finished her sentence before they all found themselves back in Severus' warm sitting room. The headmaster himself was slumped in his chair and Poppy threw up her hands in frustration.

"Of all the reckless...irresponsible..." she furrowed her brow.

One of the perks of being the headmaster was that Severus could manipulate the Apparition wards which he'd just done to allow himself to transport more than one person without touching them. A draining task and not generally a good idea but it seemed to be a night for bad ideas.

"You're welcome," he grumbled as he shifted in his chair so that he was more comfortable.

"As thoughtful as that was," Minerva said, "Was it really the best idea?"

"Probably not," Severus admitted.

"Here, Harry," Remus handed him the stone, still wrapped in his clean handkerchief. "It's yours," be explained.

"What're you going to do with it?" Pomona asked.

"...I think...I'll destroy it," Harry answered, heavily.

"That's probably best," Remus nodded.

"It doesn't make people happy...it doesn't bring back the dead, it just..." the younger wizard trailed off, looking at the despondent Severus. "It just shows you what you've lost," he sighed.

"A cruel trick," Severus said, "They weren't even real."

"They look real...even if they're not," Harry insisted, "That's what's so cruel."

Severus was grateful that they didn't ask him any questions after that and they seemed to understand his need for silence for the rest of the evening. When they were gone, Minerva stayed behind with him, watching him sympathetically.

"Are you really alright?" she asked him.

"...I will be," he replied with rare honesty.

It was generally only on the occasision that something truly dreadful had happened that Severus was honest about his emotions. Minerva learned to appreciate those times and to value the fact that he'd come to trust her enough to be so open with her. Trust didn't come easy to Severus, understandably, and it had taken years for her to earn his to such a degree.

"What happened? Who did you see?"

"Albus," he answered, "And...Lily. They looked...so real. So alive."

"I understand why you did it," Minerva said, "Merlin knows there's enough people I miss enough to want to see them again, but...it doesn't being them back."

"No."

"We don't even know if what you see with it is real."

"No," he repeated, staring into the flames burning in the grate. "But...he...wasn't angry with me and she...forgave me," Severus said after a moment. "They told me...almost everything I'd ever wanted to hear. Surely...if they were merely figments...she would have said everything I'd wanted to hear...she would've told me that she..." he trailed off.

Minerva sighed and stood from her chair. She walked over to him and tapped her wand against his glass tumbler. She vanished the scotch and filled it with water instead. Severus drank enough when he was maudlin and she hated to encouraged his drinking when he was depressed.

"We can't prove if what the stone shows people is real or not," she told him again. "But I think...I knew Lily well enough to know that she would have forgiven you and I know that Albus cared for you greatly. As we care for you now...you do know that, don't you?" she asked.

"I believe...you may have mentioned it...once or twice," he replied with just a trace of his usual sarcasm.

"Yes, because I feel the need to remind you on occasion when you act as though you're hated."

"Habit," Severus grumbled, feeling like a child being scolded.

"Even if I live to be two hundred years old, I'll break that habit of yours. You mark my words, Severus," she said, confidently.

He could only scoff at her as she smiled the same smile she always had at times like this and he had to admit, the thought that people actually cared about him, was a nice one. He'd never get used it even if he himself lived to be two hundred years old, let alone Minerva.

A.N. I read that the stone was lost in the forest somewhere and so I don't think it's completely unreasonable for it to have been found again after so many years.

Chapter 55: 4th December 1999

Visiting Lucius

4th December 1999

Lucius Malfoy was in an even worse state than Severus Snape was and that was saying something. Severus was having daily attacks of pain now and sometimes they lasted for over ten minutes which left him too weak to do anything but rest for the remainder of the day. However, at least Severus had access to round the clock medical care, even if it wasn't always effective. Lucius had no such thing; he was a prisoner and prisoners in the Wizarding world had no rights at all, despite the recent reforms, and therefore he had no medical care whatsoever. Reform didn't tend to happen overnight afterall.

Minerva and Remus were standing in Lucius' dreary prison cell watching the pale, emaciated wizard curl in on himself like a small child as he fought to hold back his own cries of pain just as surely as Severus was doing in Hogwarts. He was haggard and gaunt, wearing tattered, dirty clothing and so contrary to the wizard that he always portrayed himself as, that it took a moment for his visitors to get over the shock.

"What...are you...doing here?" the wizard managed to hiss through his clenched teeth. It took him about a minute before he was able to rest back against the wall when the tremors had stopped and he was breathing heavily. "Is Severus..." he trailed off.

"He's alive," Remus told him.

"Then...why..."

"He's dying," Minerva stated, sadly.

"As am...I."

"We've been trying to save him," Remus told the wizard.

"I know...he told me...a while ago, actually. You're not very good at keeping...secrets from him."

They didn't exactly look surprised that Severus had known about their plans. The man was an ex spy after all.

"If you know anything that can help," Remus said, "We'd very much appreciate it."

"He did tell me...something..." Lucius ground out.

"What?!" Minerva demanded.

"You must...give your word...when you have saved Severus," the blonde spoke, "You will save me."

"Yes, fine, fine," Remus agreed quickly.

"Your...word," Lucius demanded and grit his teeth when the pain started up again.

"You have our word," Minerva sighed. She didn't like it at all, but they didn't have much time left and any information they could get would be useful.

"He told me not to tell you," Lucius said. "Said you'd...come snooping around about this...at some point. He's too...clever for his own good," he managed to scoff, "But then...why would he tell me...in the first place...if he didn't want you to know? I don't think...he thought we'd last this long...with the Mark. Neither did I..."

"What did he tell you?" Remus reiterated.

"Potter," the blonde spat, "Potter can...save us...has to be him...something about...blood."

"Voldemort used Harry's blood," Remus exclaimed after a moment and Lucius nodded.

"Therefore..." Lucius prompted him.

"Harry can...remove the Mark?" the werewolf surmised.

"With the...Dark Lord's wand...but there's no removal spell. Severus...gave up on...the idea...as soon as he found it. Don't know...why he told me, really."

"Can you make one?" Minerva asked him and he laughed suddenly.

"With what?" the blonde snorted, inelegantly, "I've no resources, no wand and no power left...He's probably in a...better condition than me."

"Then we'll make the spell," Remus said.

"You're not experts in Dark Magic."

"We'll learn."

"Foolish...words...spoken by a fool," Lucius retorted.

"Would you rather die?" Minerva countered.

"I'll die anyway, no matter what you do. You won't go through...with this...once you know..." Lucius broke off again as he clutched at his chains and let out a hoarse cry.

"Know what?" the witch demanded.

"Argh...you'll have to figure some things out...for...for yourselves..." Lucius panted. "All you need to know is...the boy...the wand...and a spell that doesn't exist. Simple enough. Save Severus and then save me...you gave your word...He'll make you save me anyway."

"I know," Minerva admitted, "But we gave our word and to some people, that means something."

"Ouch," Lucius mocked her, "I'm rather getting the feeling...that you don't like me very much."

"I wonder why," Remus muttered.

"Yes, me too, especially when one considers that you seem to like Severus very much," Lucius said, the pain clearly fading again. It left him weak but at least he was able to speak a little better. "For all the fact that he was...a spy...he still committed the same crimes as I did. For every reason that you hate me, you should hate him...and yet from what I've been told...you've befriended him!"

"And that's funny?" Remus blinked watching the man laugh despite the lingering pain he was in.

"Yes!" Lucius exclaimed, "It is...although I don't get much in the way of entertainment here and Severus doesn't do jokes. He doesn't understand you people and I confess, neither do I. You hated him all this time and now suddenly, he's a saint."

"He's no saint," Minerva replied, quickly.

"Oh, I know," the blonde said, gravely, "If you knew half the things he's done..."

"We know enough," Remus said.

"You really are a fool, aren't you? But...it works in my favour if it ultimately saves my life."

"Do you know anything else?" Minerva asked, in a brusque manner.

"I know that once he finds out I've told you about this...he'll kill me."

"You didn't tell us much of anything," she said.

"I mentioned Potter," Lucius shrugged, "That's enough for you to figure out the rest. But bear in mind...you don't have much time. Or rather, Severus and I...don't have much time."

"We are aware of that," Minerva sighed.

"So...you're very likely to be my last visitors...unless you actually manage to succeed. I don't imagine that Severus is in any fit state to visit me now. As much as it pains me to have to ask you people for anything..." Lucius grimaced, "I want you to deliver a message...to my wife."

"...Go on," she said. As much as she disliked the man, she couldn't deny him his last message to his wife, she wasn't heartless after all. How she'd actually be able to send the message was another matter since Narcissa and Draco were being kept under lock and key by the Ministry.

"Tell her...the third portrait from the left," he said, cryptically.

"That's it?" Remus asked, confused.

"What were you expecting, a sonnet? She'll know what it means."

"Very well," Minerva nodded, though she was just as confused as Remus was. "Goodbye, Mr. Malfoy," she added before they left him alone again.

Chapter 56: 2nd December 1999

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

2nd December 1999

Severus Snape was drinking, perhaps a little too much, but there were several days in the year when he simply couldn't help it. One was the day on which Lilly had died, but more often than not he'd been forced to abscond from drinking in favour of appearing at the feast on Albus' orders. A second day marked the anniversary that he'd taken the Dark Mark and a third fell on the day on which he had killed Albus. And now that the Dark Mark was causing him increasing amounts of pain, he tended to self medicate with alcohol since conventional pain relievers did nothing for him. The only problem was, aside from the possibility of a hangover, was that it proved difficult to keep his emotions in check even with his impressive use of Occlumency under the influence of too much alcohol. Minerva had already discovered this so she wasn't exactly surprised by what she saw that night, at least not about his slightly more emotional state anyway.

"Severus?" the deputy headmistress called out as she entered his office.

She found the room empty and the portraits were devoid of their inhabitants as well as Fawkes' vacant perch she began to think that something was amiss. The portraits never left the office all at the same time, it was tantamount to leaving the headmaster alone and they were extremely loyal to Severus and not just because they were magically bound to be, either.

Minerva knocked on the door to the sitting room and opened it even though she got no answer. "Severus?" she inquired, squinting into the dark. She lit her wand and frowned uneasily at what she saw.

The headmaster was sitting on the floor leaning against the stone of the unlit fireplace with an empty bottle of vodka at his feet. His left shirt sleeve was rolled up to his elbow, revealing the Dark Mark which was, as always, striking against his pale skin. The room itself looked as though it had been ransacked; the furniture was overturned, the curtains were closed haphazardly against the moonlight, the lamps had been shattered and the bookcases were knocked over with the precious books scattered all over the floor. Severus didn't value much in his life but she knew that he valued his books. For him to have treated them in such a way was simply unheard of.

"What on earth..." Minerva breathed as she stepped gingerly into the room, watching where she put her feet so that her robes didn't catch and cause her to fall.

"Go...away," Severus muttered, his voice hoarse and quiet.

"What have you...I mean...why would you...your books, Severus?!" she lamented, throwing up her hands in frustration as she stared at the fallen books.

"Yes...my...books...bloody things..."

She summoned the bottle that lay at his feet and then vanished it. "I've never known you to drink vodka," she remarked.

He just shrugged silently as she continued to make her way over to him and when she finally made it, she righted an armchair and sat in it so that she was close enough to touch him.

"Now, why on earth are you drinking vodka, alone, in your quarters in the dark?" she asked him, patiently.

"Well, quite obviously...I'm not alone," he replied, "For some...reason...you're here."

"Yes, because...well, it doesn't really matter now, you're in no fit state to discuss anything," Minerva sighed.

"If I can...brief Albus after a Death Eater meeting with...four broken ribs...internal bleeding and a broken leg...and Cruciatus damage...I'm sure I can..."

"No."

"Fine," he grumbled. He seemed quite lucid, at least in his opinion, considering the fact that he'd been drinking all night. "Drink?" he offered after a moment.

"In this case, I'd have to say no," Minerva answered and gave a slight wave of her wand. A second later, a small glass vial appeared in her hand and she gave it to him. "You'll need this," she said.

"Doesn't work."

"How can it not work? It's one of your own brews," she said.

"On me...it doesn't work...on me. Makes me...ill."

"Why on earth would a Sober up Potion make you ill?"

"Too much...wrong with me. Too much...damage now."

"Damage?"

"...In...ternal..." he stretched out the word and then released a deep, shaky sigh. "Besides, I'm not drunk. Not yet..." he said. He then rested his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.

"How much vodka did you drink?"

"...One glass...five...who knows?" he answered.

"Well, then, I suppose you'll just have to sleep it off," Minerva said.

"Would...if I could sleep," Severus grumbled.

"Is it the Mark?" she asked, looking down at his arm. The Mark itself was coiling on his skin and emitting faint hissing noises as though it somehow knew that it was being discussed.

"Hmmm," he nodded and then winced.

"Severus," Minerva said. She slid out of her chair and knelt in front of him. "I swear...we will find a way to save you," she said with confidence.

"Liar," he accused.

"Worse than that, I'm afraid," she retorted, smiling. "Gryffindor," she added.

He gave her an exasperated scoff and then abruptly turned away, hiding his face as the Mark hissed louder in defiance and sent a jolt of agony running through him. He shivered uncontrollably for a moment and tensed as he clenched his jaw shut to hold back his screams.

"...Not...again..." she heard him ground out through his teeth.

Minerva bravely placed her hand over the Dark Mark and recited the incantation of the spell he'd finally told her about to vanish the pain. Unfortunately, it was all but useless now and it barely dulled the agony anymore after so much time and nearly constant use.

"...D...doesn't...work..." he somehow managed to tell her.

Minerva sighed, her cool fingers still grasping his shaking forearm. "You're cold," she observed and lit the fire without even a wave of her wand.

"...Can't...get warm...anymore."

"Here," she said, summoning a thick blanket and some cushions. She arranged them on the old hearth rug which she cleared with another spell and somehow, she even made it feel comfortable as she gently guided him to lie down.

"Don't...mother me," he said in an attempt to sound menacing, but he failed.

"Shhhh," Minerva hushed him. She rested his head on a soft pile of cushions and brushed his hair back from his face.

Then, with one hand still touching the Mark, she waved her wand over the room and set all the damage he'd done to rights. The room was perfectly spotless and lit by soft lamp light in less than thirty seconds but when it was finished, Severus was still shivering both from cold and from pain.

"I'm sure the floor won't do your back any favours despite my best efforts to fix this old rug, but once this has...passed, I'll help you to your room. Merlin knows, you're in no condition to Apparate," she explained.

"...Don't need a..."

"Hush, Severus," Minerva stopped him.

"You can't...still believe you can...help me..." he said with great effort. His hands clutched at the luxurious blanket she had conjured for him as he threw his head back into the mountain of cushions and closed his eyes. He couldn't quite stop a small, feeble sounding whimper from escaping his lips now.

"Of course I do," she replied with a calmness that he was grateful for. Had it been anyone else in her position, they'd probably have been frantically calling for the matron by now, but she knew, like Poppy and Severus himself, that her medicine could not help him. All she could do was sit with him and ignore his attempts to drive her away. It got easier, she had noticed, to ignore the vitriol he frequently spewed if one just took notice of his actions and not his words.

The age old platitude of actions speaking louder than words could have been written for Severus Snape.

"Stubborn...woman," he scoffed. "Just...go away," he said at the same time as he grabbed her hand and squeezed as he tensed up again. He might not have even realised he was doing it in his desperation, but she didn't mind at all.

"I don't think so, Severus, I'm afraid you're stuck with me," Minerva said, soothingly. She placed her other hand over his and ignored the fact that he was still quite strong enough to bruise her despite the long months of the Mark sapping his strength.

"Then...you're fired...now...leave."

"You can't give me orders if I'm fired," she counted.

"I..." Severus began to say but stopped when a tortured cry came from him before he could stop it. It had taken him by surprise and he hadn't had a chance to prepare himself.

"I'm sorry," she told him, "I'm sorry I can't help you."

After a few minutes, Severus seemed to relax a little and he released an uneven breath as the pain started to fade. He was left feeling feeble and drained, unable to even open his eyes now, not that he wanted to see the pity that would no doubt be visible in her own.

"It's fading?" Minerva asked and he managed a barely perceptible nod. "They're getting worse...these attacks," she said, needlessly.

"Mmmm," he hummed, not trusting his aching vocal chords enough to speak.

"Can you move?" she asked. His silence and stillness was answer enough for her. "We'll find something...there has to be something to stop this," she said, carding her fingers through his hair, soothingly.

"...Isn't..."

"Yes, there is, there must be and if there isn't, we'll make one."

"There's...one thing..."

"What?" Minerva asked, eagerly.

"Put me...out of my...misery," Severus replied, forcing his eyes open.

"What?! No!" she exclaimed.

"Think of it...as...a...mercy killing..." he said.

"No, Severus. I won't. I can't kill you."

"I killed Albus...you kill me...poetic justice."

"No," she repeated, stunned by his suggestion.

"Look at me," Severus breathed. "I'm dying anyway...I've lasted longer than I...thought I would and...Lucius doesn't have...much longer left either. We're the last ones...with the Mark, I think."

"I still won't do it."

"Even if it spares my suffering?"

"I can't," she reiterated and he sighed. "I'm...sorry," Minerva added.

Severus just shook his head as he began to shift under the blanket, trying to sit up. It took him a great deal of effort and some help from Minerva, which he grudgingly accepted, but he managed it.

"You need to rest," Minerva said. "Come on," she said, helping him stand up on weak legs. She gently brought one of his arms to rest over her shoulders and she walked him through into his bedroom to let him sit down on the grand four poster bed. "I don't think...you can keep working like this," she added.

"What choice is there? Everyone knows that the Death Eaters are dying...even if they don't know why. If I suddenly come down with a mystery illness..."

"To hell with what everyone else thinks!" she said. "It can't be doing you any good to keep pushing yourself. I can manage by myself and in the meantime, you rest."

"While you...work on this cure of yours," Severus scoffed.

"Yes," Minerva nodded.

"Stubborn foolishness can only get you so far," he told her.

"I disagree."

"Clearly."

"Now...go to sleep and don't even think about attending the hall for breakfast in the morning. You need rest."

"So you've said," he muttered, resting back against the pillows with a quiet sigh. "There's no...shame...in admitting defeat," he told her, "Not for a Slytherin. We know when we've been beat."

"You're not beaten. Not yet."

"Look at me, Minerva. I'd be hard pressed to cast a simple 'Lumos,' the way I feel," he ground out and she knew just how difficult it had to be for him to admit that. He was a proud man, not to mention a powerful wizard and to have his magic hindered in such a way was no doubt very mortifying and embarrassing.

"That's why we're here," she said, "To do those things for you."

Severus let out a groan of frustration and rolled his eyes at her. "It's okay to rely on us, Severus. We're your friends and we want to help you," she told him, kindly.

"You can only do so much."

"We'll see about that."

Chapter 57: 12th August 2007

Another Wolf

12th August 2007

Assistant Professor Harry Potter had been teaching at Hogwarts for a year when he learned about a young witch called Rebecca Northcote. She had just turned eleven and should have received her Hogwarts letter but the Ministry had forbidden it on the grounds that she was a werewolf. Just before the war had ended almost a decade ago, Rebecca had been a baby but she had been attacked and infected. She had been registered as a werewolf since then but because of that, the Ministry refused to allow her to attend school. Her parents were magical, but because no one wanted to hire the mother and father of a werewolf, they were forced to work in the muggle world to earn a living. They'd written to Remus Lupin, a known war hero and werewolf and Remus in turn had gone to Severus.

Harry thought the whole story quite tragic and he'd agreed to accompany Remus so now, they were both sat in front of the headmaster's desk. Severus often stayed at the castle in the weeks before the start of term because he enjoyed the peace and quiet. Even if there wasn't a staff meeting, he could often be found wandering the halls or working at his desk even though Albus' portrait frequently scolded him for it.

"I know it's short notice, Severus..." Remus sighed as Severus put down the letter.

"Is this meant to tug at my non existent heart strings?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I..."

"I cannot overrule the Ministry's decision."

"You've done it before," Harry remarked. "You hired Remus," he said and the eyes of Albus Dumbledore's portrait gleamed and he smiled down at the be-speckled wizard.

"And I still receive angry worded letters from parents and the board of Governors about it."

"She's just a child, she deserves a chance to be like everyone else..." Remus said.

"She isn't like everyone else," Severus interrupted him. "She's a registered werewolf. What do you think her years here will be like when everyone learns about that fact? Not to mention the danger..."

"You brew the Wolfsbane for me, surely..."

"That won't stop..."

"It's not her fault she's a werewolf!" Remus said, uncharacteristically angry. There were too many parallels with his own childhood struggle for him to be calm about it. It was only because of Albus Dumbledore's defiance of the Ministry that he'd been able to attend Hogwarts at all and he wouldn't deny the same opportunity to another child simply because of a condition they couldn't control.

"It's not yours either," Harry told him, placatingly. "It'll be risky but if she's given the potion every month, there shouldn't be any danger, right? And besides...I think I've heard people say here that Hogwarts has a long standing tradition of ignoring the Ministry," he said to Severus.

"I think it's a splendid idea," Albus smiled.

"You brought a werewolf to the school once before, Albus and it nearly cost me my life," Severus said, turning round to glare at him.

"And yet, my dear boy, you brought him back."

Severus pursed his lip, unable to deny it as the old man continued to practically radiate happiness from his frame.

"I'll take responsibility if anything happens," Remus insisted.

"How would you do that when it's clearly my decision as headmaster?" Severus grumbled.

"I..."

"Regardless, it will need to be discussed in the staff meeting next week," he interrupted Remus.

"Thank you, Severus."

"I haven't agreed to anything yet, Lupin."

"No, but thank you anyway," the werewolf said.