Chapter 9
Harry frowned at the letter.
"What's wrong?" Severus asked.
"I, uh. I told You-Know-Who that Greyback wanted to hurt Malfoy," Harry said carefully, "and that the reason I knew that was because Greyback and my uncle-"
Severus and Remus snarled in protective fury, while Sirius, Hermione, and Ron looked angry and horrified.
"I'm fine, it was a long time ago," Harry said quickly. "Anyway, he wants to know where my uncle is so he can kill him, too."
"I didn't know that Voldy hates pedophiles," Sirius said slowly.
"He does have limits," Harry said dryly. "But I don't know where Dumblefuck moved my relatives."
"Dedalus Diggle knows," Remus said. After he'd removed the blocks, Remus looked much healthier (and ripped), and also had longer hair and permanently gold eyes. Sirius had also gotten jacked after removing his own blocks, and no longer looked drawn and haunted.
Hermione's hair now reached her waist and was no longer bushy, but curly. She was lithe and curvy, and Ron could not stop drooling over her.
Ron's hair was crazier than Harry's now, and had changed to a fiery-red. His eyes would switch to fiery-red when he was angry. Ron still had a six-pack and thick arms, but was thinner, with the physique of a Seeker rather than a Keeper. He had also gotten taller, to Harry's annoyance.
"Right, Diggle wasn't that bad, so I don't want You-Know-Who doing anything to him," Harry muttered. "Sev, could you ask Lady Malfoy to talk to Diggle? I don't want Aunt Petunia or Dudley getting hurt."
Severus blinked. "Yes, of course," he said absently.
"What's up?"
"Lily was the last person to call me 'Sev,'" the man responded. Harry gave him a worried look, and he said assuredly, "I don't mind, it just caught me off guard."
Harry blushed. "Okay. That's.... good."
Ron and Sirius snickered, and Hermione and Remus smacked their respective partners. Severus smirked. "I'll talk to Cissa, then go find that thief," he told Harry. "Granger. Weasley. Lupin. Mutt." He swooped out of the room, ignoring Sirius' sputter of protest.
"What do we do in the meantime?" Hermione asked Harry.
"We've got all the Horcruxes here except the locket," Harry said slowly, "so we don't really have to do anything right now. Maybe you could introduce Ron to your parents."
Hermione looked upset. "Harry, I..."
"'Mia, what's up?" Ron asked in alarm, putting a hand on her shoulder. Remus and Sirius were looking confused and concerned.
"This was before Harry took his Magical Aura Test," Hermione said anxiously, her eyes full of pain, "so I didn't know we were going to help You-Know-Who, and my parents would be a target, so I... I Obliviated them and sent them to Australia."
"What?!" the four others in the room exclaimed.
"They don't remember having a daughter," Hermione moaned, turning and burying her face in Ron's shoulder. Ron wrapped his arms around her. "They think their names are Monica and Wendell Wilkins."
"I can restore their memories," Remus told her gently. "They don't have to come back here. Do you know where they live now?"
"I know where they work," Hermione said, sounding tearfully relieved.
"You four can go to Australia and see 'Mia's parents," Harry said, "and-"
"We're not leaving you alone!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Because Master Death and Severus don't exist," Harry deadpanned, earning a slightly hysterical giggle from Hermione, a snicker from Ron, and a soft chuckle from Remus.
Sirius pouted. "But I-"
"Shut up and listen to our cub, Sirius," Remus commanded, eyes flashing. Sirius went bright red and muttered something under his breath in a flustered tone. "I heard that."
Ron snickered again, and Hermione swatted his arm. "Ow, woman!"
"We can take you two to Australia," Remus said to Ron and Hermione, "and we'll be back before the school year starts."
Harry blinked. "Right, that's a thing." Sirius snorted. "Shut up, Uncle Mutt."
"Noooooo, he's turning into Sni-"
"Don't fucking finish that sentence if you know what's good for you."
Severus emerged from the Floo, but Narcissa wasn't there. Draco was curled up on the couch, asleep. Severus sucked in a breath when he saw that his mate was wearing a very tiny black skirt and a white button-down that was only buttoned halfway.
Draco heard him, though, and blinked sleepily. "'fessor?" he mumbled.
"It's Severus outside of school, Dragon," Severus replied. Draco blushed at the old nickname. "Is your mother at home?"
Draco nodded, sitting up and putting a blanket on his lap.
"Have you eaten today?"
"Yes, Mum made me breakfast," Draco yawned.
"Good. I'll be back in a moment," Severus said, turning back to the fireplace.
A moment later he was striding down the entrance hall of Malfoy Manor, having been told by a house-elf that Cissa was in the drawing room. Severus didn't pass anybody, and from the lack of powerful, stifling Dark magic in the air, the Dark Lord was still gone.
He found Cissa talking to her sister -- well, arguing -- over the drawing room pool table, with Lucius in the corner of the room, staring wild-eyed at the insane woman.
"Severus!" Bellatrix exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" she sneered.
"Bellatrix," Severus said boredly. "Lucius." The man nodded in greeting. "Cissa, the Dark Lord and I are in need of your assistance."
Bellatrix opened her mouth angrily, and Cissa snapped, "He killed Dumbledore, Bellatrix! The Dark Lord holds him in high regard! Are you really going to antagonize or question him?"
Scowling, the woman shut her mouth. Lucius looked relieved.
"Does he need my assistance as well?" the blond asked.
"No, just Cissa's," Severus replied. He swooped out of the room, and Cissa followed.
"Does the Dark Lord need help, or does Harry?" she asked quietly, once they were out of earshot.
"Both," Severus said honestly. "I'll explain once we're in my office."
Cissa nodded worriedly.
Draco wasn't in the living room when the two arrived. Severus could hear the shower running down the hall.
"Good, I don't want Draco hearing this," he sighed, feeling a flash of concern and anger.
"What is it?" Cissa demanded.
"Apparently," Severus growled, "Harry could tell that stupid wolf was a pedo at the end of last year, because that blasted Muggle uncle of his-"
The woman snarled, looking even more dangerous than Bellatrix.
"He asked the Dark Lord to kill the wolf, and telling him all this," Severus continued, "and the Dark Lord responded by demanding the Muggle's location.
"Harry, being the bloody Gryffindor he is, only wants his uncle punished, and not his aunt or cousin," Severus said irritably, and Cissa snorted. "And he also has no idea where they are. He would like you to get the location out of Dedalus Diggle, and only bring the uncle to the Dark Lord." He gave her Diggle's address and workplace.
Cissa nodded, eyes flashing. "And I'll have a word with his wife and son while I'm at it."
Sometimes, Severus wasn't sure whether he loved or hated Blacks.
"Severus," Cissa said thoughtfully, "who are you loyal to?"
Severus blinked. After a long pause, he said, "Harry. Apparently."
He hadn't been loyal to the Dark Lord since he'd killed his honorary sister, and he'd never trusted Dumbledore. Originally, Severus had been loyal to Lily, but now that he cared about her son...
The woman smiled fondly, and Severus rolled his eyes. "I have to talk to Mundungus Fletcher," he drawled, "begone, woman."
Snorting, Narcissa went back into the Floo.
Dung was selling stolen items in Knockturn Alley. Severus recognized a lot of them as Black's things. He swooped over.
"Snape!" Dung sputtered, trying to put everything back in his bag quickly. Severus froze him with his wand, leaving his mouth free to move, but not cast magic.
"Where. Is. The. Locket?" he hissed, moving his face inches from the bastard.
The man went pale. "Wh-wh-what l-locket?"
"The silver one with an S."
Dung moaned. "I have the worst luck."
"Where is it?"
"I sold it, just a few hours ago," Dung whined. "To a fat lady. She threatened to turn me in unless I gave her the locket for free."
Severus cursed. "By any chance did she resemble a toad?"
"Huh. Yeah, she did," Dung agreed.
"You gave Salazar Slytherin's locket. To Dolores Umbridge."
Dung blanched. "I didn't know-"
"That is not surprising," Severus sneered, "given your lack of a brain. Give me Black's things, now, and I won't tell the Dark Lord that you sold his possession to that foul woman."
The man fainted.