Prison of Misery

*****A Month After He Left Cordelia*****

Severus no longer woke up reaching for her. He no longer expected to see her anywhere. For a few brief months, he had real happiness, and he threw it away. His reasons seemed good at the time. He knew that Voldemort would return, and he could not leave Buffy defenseless again. Of course, she had her friends and her father. She was not alone. Cordelia only had Angel and two humans to protect her. She was practically defenseless in comparison to Buffy. What had he been thinking? How could he have been so stupid?

It took him a week of missing her to regret his decision.

It took him a second week to realize he was an idiot.

It took him a third week to realize that he had made the biggest mistake of his life.

By the fourth week, his misery had turned into anger. He was angry with himself and angry with the idiots he had to teach.

Buffy, though, was not putting up with it. She was in potions third year since she barely got through last year’s class. He was yelling at Neville.

“Stop being a mean bully, Uncle Severus,” she told him.

“I have told you time and again that is Professor Snape when we are in class,” he said, glaring at her. “Ten points from Gryffindor for your insolence and disobedience.”

“You are just miserable because you shouldn’t be here, and you know it,” Buffy said in a low voice. “You should be with Cordelia.”

“My personal life is none of your business,” he told her.

“It is when you start taking your misery out on the rest of us,” she replied.

“What do you think they’re saying?” Ron asked Harry.

“I am sure he is yelling at her, and she is doing what she normally does,” Harry said.

“I don’t think so,” Ron said, looking concerned. “He looks like he might throttle her.”

“Go sit down, Miss Malfoy!” Professor Snape ordered.

“Fine,” Buffy said. “You are very grumpy today.”

“And you are very insolent. I suggest you shut your mouth unless you want to serve detention with me cleaning cauldrons for the next week,” he told her.

She rolled her eyes but said nothing as she sat back down.

“Please stop, Buffy,” Neville whispered to her.

“I hate bullies,” Buffy said.

Neville groaned. It was going to be a very long semester.

For Harry, it was a life-changing one as he learned all about his godfather when Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban. When school started, things were tense and not just with Snape. First, he heard that his godfather was trying to kill them.  Then Remus Lipin, an old friend of his father, came to see him and assured him that Sirius Black loved his parents and had never betrayed them.

“He would not hurt you, Harry, for anything,” Remus told him.

A month into the school term, Harry could hardly focus. Willow could tell that her student, who was the most talented in Defense of the Dark Arts next to Buffy was struggling.

She made him stay after class.

“Harry, Xander and I were wondering if you were okay?” Willow asked him.

“I’m fine,” he said, surprised at the new professor’s concern.

“Are you sure, bud? You seem very distracted,” Xander said. “Drake insulted you in class, and Hermione elbowed him, and you didn’t even notice.”

“Oh,” Harry said. He and Malfoy got a long much better these days. Buffy’s arrival had changed a lot of things. He was sweet on Hermione, so that took care of most of his ugliness.

“What’s wrong? Anything we can help you with?” Willow asked.

“I don’t think you can,” Harry said. What could they do?

“Is it about your godfather escaping from prison? You’re safe here, Harry,” Willow assured him.

“I don’t think he would harm me,” Harry said.

“Is that what’s bothering you?” Xander said.

Harry nodded. “I spoke to a friend of my dad who knows my godfather,” Harry shared. “He said that my godfather is innocent. That he was declared guilty without even a trial.”

“Really?” Xander said, surprised. “Is that normal?”

Harry shook his head. “No. Especially not for purebloods who have titles and money, which he does,” Harry said.

“That is odd,” Willow said. “Reeks of conspiracy and betrayal.”

“You think so?” Harry asked.

“Probably,” Xander agreed. “If the other guy knew all the players and his vouching for him after all this time, it has to mean something.”

Harry felt comforted by this belief.

Days later, when his godfather revealed himself to him on an outing in Hogsmeade, he did not pull out his wand and heard him out.

“I was never the secret keeper, Harry. I swear,” Sirius told him.

Harry heard him out as Remus stood guard watching for anyone that might notice them.

The hope that Harry might have some family filled him as he walked back to the castle. He couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Buffy, though, noticed his distraction.

“What’s up, Harry?” she asked.

Buffy had the unique advantage of having been an adult and then de-aged, so Harry saw her as someone that he could trust and get advice from. He told her about his encounter with his godfather.

“God, Harry, that’s really messed up,” Buffy said. “But I’m glad you got to talk to him and learn the truth. I’m happy for you.” She knew how much it hurt him that he had no real family that loved him. It always broke her heart.

“But what good does it do me if he’s wanted for all those murders? I can’t ever be with him,” he pointed out.

Buffy thought about. “I wonder why Dumbledore never made sure he had a trial?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Harry said. “That’s a very good question.”

“Well, you know since he’s a Black, he’s actually related to me. He’s my mother’s first cousin,” Buffy said. “We should just get Father to fix this. He has the money and influence to fix anything.”

Harry looked horrified at the thought. “I could never trust your Death Eater father, Buffy!” he exclaimed.

Buffy glared at him. “That’s former Death Eater!” she reminded him. “Maybe if he does this, all of you will stop doubting him. His story is too easy to prove. I mean, come on, Harry! They have spells to show you what your wands do and to read your mind in this world. It’s just plain stupid that he was put in prison all those years! It’s not right, and you need someone with money and influence to fight for him. Since the headmaster chose not to for some insane reason, my father can. And I know if I ask him, he will. He never tells me no about anything.”

Once Buffy got an idea in her head, there wasn’t much a person could do to stop her. This new thing distracted her from nagging her godfather about Cordelia, so he was left to suffer in peace.

She wrote to her father that she needed to see him and her mother that weekend. Could they come to the school?

Her parents were surprised at the request and worried that something was wrong, so they left Dawn to be watched over by the house elves and headed to Hogwarts.

Buffy was called to the headmaster’s office, and she grabbed Harry to go with her.

Hermione looked at Draco. “What’s going on with those two?” she asked.

“I have no idea,” he said as they were walking out of the dining hall for breakfast when their head of house gave Buffy the message.

She looked at Ron, who shrugged. “Me either,” he said. “They’ve not gotten in trouble. Well, outside of Buffy and Snape. However, Snape would never rat her out to her parents, and Harry wasn’t involved in that.”

The mystery would make Hermione nuts, but she had to wait to find out.

Inside Dumbledore’s office, a reluctant Harry was reciting his encounter with his godfather.

Narcissa gave her husband a pointed look. Sirius was the cousin that she was forced to forget when he was placed in Gryffindor as her parents had disowned him. She had tried to reason with her unreasonable parents. The hat placed him; it was not his fault. However, her parents, her mother especially, were never reasonable and neither had her insane sister been. Growing up, Sirius had been a favorite playmate of hers as they were close to the same age. He was only a few years ahead of her, and she had hero worshipped him as a child. He always paid attention to her. It had hurt her to have to ignore him in school; she hadn’t understood why really.  Not at first.

“I am sure your father will be glad to help my cousin as I am sure he knows that Sirius is innocent,” she said, looking at him with that steady gaze of hers.

Lucius sighed in resignation. Damn it. Did it have to be this? He knew that he had a lot of repentance to do, but Sirius Black? “If he stays a criminal, Draco can inherit his title,” Lucius pointed out.

“Seriously, Father?” Buffy said. “Harry is his godson and heir, and Draco already has a title that he will inherit. Don’t be lame!”

Lucius hated it when his daughter used American slang to insult him, and she glared at him. “Fine,” he said, relenting. “It was Peter Pettigrew. I know it as I was there and heard him tell the Dark Lord myself. Sirius was never the secret keeper.”

“You would testify of this?” Albus asked him.

“I will go to the Wizengamot,” Lucius said. “However, I think we should go to the press first. Get the public on his side.”

So that was what he did. He called his favorite reporter from The Daily Prophet.

It came out in the Monday morning edition, and Hermione was reading it.

“Good Merlin, Harry! Did you read this? Your godfather is all over it!” she handed it to him.

“Buffy, your dad is in this,” George said, handing her a copy.

In the interview, Lucius said that in light of Sirius Black’s escape, he could no longer stay silent with the truth that he knew. As he had been foolish in his youth to follow he-who-cannot-be-named, the return of his daughter had made him really do soul searching.

“I must set a good example for my children, especially my son, Draco,” he said. “I have known that my cousin-in-law, Sirius Black, is innocent for many years. Fear of reprisal and judgment kept me silent. However, getting back my daughter, Elizabeth, and knowing she was taken by the very man I had once followed reminds me that I owe him and his followers no allegiance. It was Peter Pettigrew that was the secret keeper for James and Lily Potter. I saw him with he-who-cannot-be-named shortly before their deaths.”

“It’s right there, Harry!” Ron exclaimed. “In black and white. Your godfather is innocent!”

Buffy, though, was a bit concerned about the last question the reporter asked her father:

“Are you worried about Death Eaters who will target you and your family for finally coming forward?”

“Of course,” he said. “However, they won’t find me or my children easy marks. I am very prepared to defend myself and my family. Anyone who comes after us does so at their own peril.”

Buffy hated that her father had made himself a target and worried for her mother and Dawn. What had she set in motion?

After that, things happened very fast, however. Lucius was called before the Wizengamot and gave up his memories to be examined. Narcissa went also and testified as a member of the House of Black, telling the council that it was wrong that a lord was thrown in Azkaban without a trial.

“An injustice has been done to a member of my family. I demand restitution! Since when do we allow lords in our community, upstanding members of our community, to be thrown in such a horrible place without a trial? Fear of Voldemort has driven some of you mad!” she said angrily, saying the man’s name without hesitation as her daughter would be ashamed if she did otherwise.

Several members were unable to hold her gaze. Others looked offended. Some, though, nodded clearly in agreement with her.

They agreed to pull back the Dementors that had been looking for Sirius. The orders that it was okay to question him without hexing him went out.

Remus and Albus convinced Sirius to go before the Wizengamot. “Trust Malfoy? You must be insane!” Sirius protested at first.

“He is a changed man,” Albus told him. “His daughter, Elizabeth was taken and not killed by muggles. Voldemort kidnapped her in retaliation for his refusal to kill Neville. She was raised in another dimension and called as a vampire slayer. There, she died saving that world and all other worlds. Because of her sacrifice, the powers of that world let her come back home. Gave her back a few years. She was twenty when she died.”

“Is that the Buffy in his house Harry was talking about?” Sirius asked.

Albus smiled and nodded. “Yes,” he said.

“She’s quite special, Padfoot,” Remus said. “And she’s a relative you will be happy to claim.”

“Another Black lion, huh?” Sirius said, grinning at the thought.

“The purest you have ever seen,” Albus told him, smiling. “She’s shattering all barriers in our school. The divisions in the houses are not allowed around her as she tends to physically assault anyone that tells her she can’t be with her brother in the Slytherin house.”

“Snape allows that?” Sirius asked, surprised.

“She’s his goddaughter, who he adores,” Albus said, chuckling. “He lets her get away with a lot.”

Sirius laughed. “Okay, I can’t wait to meet the girl who gets away with beating up snakes,” he said.

“She is quite extraordinary, and she convinced her parents to go to the Wizengamot on your behalf,” Albus said. “Her father already gave his testimony. If you know where your wand is, they will examine it to see if it killed anyone, and your memories. Then you will be exonerated.”

Sirius could not believe it would be that simple, but he told Remus where his wand was at. He took a leap of faith.

His prison of misery was at an end.

Buffy convinced her parents to let her attend the proceedings. Of course, they had to remain outside the courtroom. However, Harry convinced Dumbledore to let him also be there, so he could see his godfather.

When it was over, a smiling Sirius came through the doors, his arm hooked in his cousin’s.

He held out his hand to Lucius. “I am still shocked that you would risk yourself for me, Malfoy, but I am very grateful. Thank you,” he said.

“You are welcome,” Lucius said, shaking it. His daughter gave him a beaming smile.  “This is my daughter, Elizabeth Anne. She goes by Buffy. You can thank her as it was her idea.”

Sirius looked at the blonde beauty, who his godson looked at with puppy love, and smiled.  This was a heartbreaker, but her grip was incredibly strong.

“Thank you, Buffy. I am very glad to meet you,” he said.

“It wasn’t right that Harry didn’t have any family that loved him,” Buffy said. “Those people Dumbledore makes him stay with don’t even feed him enough and are abusive. I hope you can provide a better place.” She gave Albus a critical look, one Sirius never saw aimed at the headmaster before. “Headmaster, you’re in charge of the wizard courts, right?”

“I am Chief Warlock, which simply means I preside over the proceedings,” Albus said. “I am not really in charge of the court.”

“Why didn’t you do this for Sirius years ago?” Buffy asked. “He should not have ever been arrested and thrown in a place to be tormented by the creatures the slayer in me wants to slay. Did you think he was guilty?”

“No,” Albus said.

“Then why did you not insist his wand be examined at the very least?” Buffy asked.

As Sirius had wondered the same damn thing, he waited for Albus to answer.

Albus realized that he would have to confess a great shame because Buffy Malfoy was the most relentless student that he had ever known. “I had thought to use him as a double agent,” he admitted. “I had hoped to get him out after a few years, but I had not anticipated how great the fear of Death Eaters would be. Nor how unreasonable Fudge would be when I approached him about it. I did do so—I promise you, Sirius. Without another family to back me, I could not get Fudge to give him a trial. If I had tried before he was cast in Azkaban, it would have been different, but I miscalculated. Sirius paid the price. I am very sorry, Sirius.”

Sirius gazed at the man who he had always admired and looked up to and was incredibly angry.

“Sorry? You’re sorry?” Harry asked in outrage.

“Old men in power, Harry, often think they know what’s best,” Buffy told him. “Back in my old world, the Watchers Council was like that. They almost got my adopted mother killed once giving me this test that suppressed all my powers. Then they trapped my mother in a house with a crazy strong vampire. I barely got to her in time to save her and kill the vampire.”

“How did you do that with no powers?” Harry asked.

“I used cunning,” she said, smirking over at her father, who flashed her a proud smile. He had not seen this particular memory. “The vampire had been conditioned to take muggle drugs with water, so I switched his water with holy water. When he drunk it, he exploded.”

“Glad to see there’s a bit of snake in you after all,” Lucius said, putting his arm around her and hugging her to him.

“That’s brilliant!” Harry said, grinning.

Sirius laughed. “Well, I am ready to go home,” he said.

“Can I see where he lives before we go back to Hogwarts?” Harry asked Albus.

“Yes, because I think Buffy might have some luck with his house elf. The house is a mess,” Albus said. “As she is a Black by blood, maybe she can have some success with Kreacher, his house elf.”

Sirius groaned. “Kreacher is still alive? He is a bad a bigot as my mum,” Sirius said.

Lucius didn’t trust his daughter in the Black home alone, but Sirius didn’t trust Malfoy in his home. In the end, Narcissa and Albus accompanied the children while Lucius returned home to Dawn.

Number 12 Grimmauld Place was a dismal place, and Buffy felt sick almost instantly. “There are many dark objects in this house,” she said.

“How do you know?” Harry asked.

“I can always tell,” Buffy said.

“She has an allergy to them,” Narcissa explained.

“Really?” Harry asked, fascinated.

“No, that’s just how my mother explains me,” Buffy said, giving her mother a fond smile. “The slayer in me reacts to the presence of evil. When a lot of dark objects are together in a place, it makes me physically sick.”

“Fascinating,” Albus said. She would make an amazing auror. Then again, the Department of Mysteries could use someone with her skillset also.

“Kreacher, come!” Sirius called out.

A very overweight and ill-kept house elf appeared. “Oh, the blood traitor is back. Kreacher is so not happy to have you home,” he said.

“I am back, and I am your master. This house is filthy,” he said.

“Really, Kreacher, why have you allowed your home to fall in disarray?” Narcissa asked.

Kreacher looked at her, recognizing her. “Forgive Kreacher, Mrs. Black-Malfoy. I have no one here to care for. Kreacher grows very sad,” he said.

“Hi,” Buffy said, smiling at him. “I’m Narcissa’s daughter, so I’m a cousin. It’s nice to meet you, Kreacher.”

Kreacher looked at the blonde beauty and felt very afraid even though she was smiling at him. “Why do you fill Kreacher with fear?” he asked.

“Because I am a magical creature like you,” Buffy said. “I am not only a witch. I slay evil creatures. Are you evil, Kreacher?”

Kreacher’s eyes widen, and fear grew inside him as she looked at him. “No! Kreacher is not evil! Kreacher be good! Kreacher promise! I will take great care of the House of Black!” he vowed, throwing himself at Sirius’ feet.

Sirius stared at Buffy in surprise. She looked perfectly harmless to him, but she had terrified his house elf. He didn’t understand it at all.

Remus had traveled with him. “You should tell him to get something ready to eat, Sirius,” Remus suggested. “You have skipped too many meals.”

“Kreacher, prepare some food for us, please,” Sirius told him.

“The children need to return to school, however,” Albus said.

“Can I spend the holiday break here?” Harry asked Sirius.

“I hope you will. I’ll have the house ready,” Sirius said. “Write me.”

“I will,” Harry said, giving him a hug.

He thanked his cousin and Buffy once more as they left.  When Kreacher brought something to eat, Sirius asked him, “Kreacher, why were you so afraid of Buffy?”

“She fills Kreacher with great fill and dread,” he admitted.

“Why? She seems very harmless to me,” Sirius said.

Kreacher’s eyes widened in surprise. “She is very dangerous. Her eyes tell Kreacher that she can kill Kreacher very easily. She has killed many, many times,” he said.

Sirius laughed, not believing him.

Remus, though, had researched vampire slayers. He knew that the girl had probably killed countless monsters and vampires if she had been an active slayer for five years in the other world.

Buffy Malfoy was a very good friend for Harry Potter to have. If Voldemort managed to return or his followers came after Harry, they would find Harry with very powerful friends like Buffy at his side. It made Remus smile at the image.

******A Few Months Later******

Severus Snape was going to kill Buffy Malfoy.  The brazen chit would not leave him alone in his misery. He knew that he messed up. Severus should have stayed with Cordelia, but it was too late.

“Why do you keep tormenting me? I know I was a fool, but it’s done! I am here, and she is there. Stop reminding me of my mistakes!” Severus yelled at her after she stayed behind in class to make yet another pointed comment.

“It is never too late Uncle Severus,” Buffy said. “All you have to do is ask Father to get you back there.  Willow can go see her parents for Hanukkah that’s coming up, and you can spend the holiday break with Cordelia. Xander and Anya can go check on Giles. It’s a great idea. I’ll tell father!”

Before Severus could even respond, she skipped away to go write her father. Lucius, of course, was happy to grant her request.  Then she let her friends know that they could return to the other Earth for the holiday break if they wanted to.

Tara didn’t want to leave her aunt, but Minerva was very curious about the hellmouth Buffy always talked about. Plus, she wanted to see more of the muggle world her niece was from, so she decided to go with them. Buffy’s home was being taken care of by Angel and Connor, so there was room there if Willow’s parents weren’t welcoming. Willow didn’t know what her parents’ schedule was like, so she wanted a backup plan.

Severus could not believe it. His maddening goddaughter just went about making arrangements just expecting him to go along with it. When he tried to balk at her manipulation, she put her hand on her hip and glared up at him.

“Why are you determined to be miserable?” she asked him.

“I am quite comfortable with the state,” he answered honestly.

“This is my fault,” she said softly, her eyes filling with tears. “You didn’t want to leave me in case that stupid Moldywart showed his face. I know it is, so don’t deny it. You broke Cordy’s heart and your own for no good reason! It’s not right, Uncle Severus! I’m very protected. I have all my friends here. As much as I love you, I don’t need you to keep me safe. I need you to be happy!”

Severus could see how upset she was, and he finally nodded.

 His goddaughter was a force of nature, and she was not going to be denied.

The term was over before he knew it, and Buffy had presents for Giles. Anya was excited to check on the money at the store while Xander’s mom decided that she wanted to go home for a visit. Lucius agreed to have the demon Al open the portal back up in two weeks.

“Are you sure you want to come, Aunt Minerva?” Tara asked, worried that her aunt would be unhappy.

“Of course,” Minerva said. “I am a lion, after all.” She was excited to have an adventure at her old age.

Severus was nervous but followed after the group, the last to cross over.

They were by Buffy’s house, so they knocked on the door.

Faith answered and blinked to see the large group at the door. “Red? Damn! I heard you were long gone,” she stepped back to let her in and the group in.

“We came in for the holidays,” Willow said.

“They let you out?” Xander asked.

Faith nodded. “Two months ago, it finally happened,” she said. “Angel said that B wanted me to stay here.”  She looked anxious as she made the statement.

“Yes, she does. Giles said he is getting the Council to pay the bills for the place, so you won’t have to worry about that,” Willow said. “Anyone else staying here?”

“Spike is in the basement, and Connor is in Buffy’s old room,” she said.

“So Dawn’s room is open? I was hoping Tara’s aunt Minerva can stay here. She’s a witch, a professor at the school we work at now,” Willow said.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Minerva said, smiling at the young woman.

“This is Faith. Faith is the vampire slayer,” Willow explained. “You remember, Tara?”

“I do. Good to see you,” Faith said.

“This is my wife, Anya,” Xander said. “This is my mom.”

“You took your mom to another world? Damn! Congrats about the marriage,” Faith added.

She eyed the tall man dressed in black. “Who’s that?” she asked.

“That’s Severus Snape, another professor, and Buffy’s godfather. He’s here to see Cordelia,” Xander said.

Faith’s eyes widened, and then she grinned. “Oh, well, you’re in for a surprise,” she said.

“What does that mean?” he asked.

“I’m not going to spoil your surprise,” she said.

Severus glared at her. He looked at Minerva. “Be careful here, Minnie. This town is very dangerous,” he said.

“I appreciate your concern, Severus, but I can handle myself,” she said.

He nodded. “I will see you in two weeks,” he said. Then he apparated out of the room.

Faith, though, was startled. “Holy f***! He just disappeared!” she exclaimed.

“He can teleport,” Xander explained. “They call it apparating. When witches and wizards turn a certain age, they have to get a license to do it. It’s a hard spell to master.”

“That’s awesome!” Faith said, grinning.

“Aunt Minerva can turn into a cat,” Tara said, smiling.

“That’s nothing,” Minerva said. “Lots of witches have other forms.”

Faith grinned. “I can’t wait to take you patrolling!” she told her.

“We’re going to borrow the car and take Mom to see her sister,” Xander said.

“Okay,” Faith said. “Keys are in the kitchen on the hook.”

“I’m going to go home and see if my parents are there. Will you two be okay here?” Willow asked Tara.

“They’ll be fine,” Faith assured her. It was nice to see the old gang. Everyone had changed a lot, and they all felt different. After Willow left, Xander, and Anya left, Faith followed the two women upstairs as Tara showed the room to Minerva. “It’s not too big.”

“Oh, I can make it bigger if I want,” Minerva said, giving her a wink.

“No shit?” Faith asked, her eyes wide.

“Magic in her world is amazing,” Tara said, smiling.

“Do you want to get a Christmas tree later when Xander gets back with the car?” Faith asked. “Joyce’s decorations are up in the attic.”

“That would be wonderful!” Tara said, smiling.

Faith was excited. Although it was great to be out of prison, it was kind of depressing to have a vampire and Angel’s son only around. Tara was always so warm and pleasant to be around.

Maybe this would be great Christmas.

*****Los Angeles*****

Severus apparated to Cordelia’s home and not her work as he did not want all her friends there when he first saw her. Dennis appeared and glared at him.

“I know. I have been gone too long, but I am here now,” he told the ghost.

He wrote on the board Cordelia kept by the couch. “She cries a lot.”

“I was a fool, and I have been equally miserable,” he told Dennis.

He waited a few hours for her to return from work.

When the keys could be heard in the door, he stood, feeling incredibly nervous. Was this a mistake?

Cordelia was used to seeing a person in her apartment since Severus made Dennis visible, so she didn’t get startled to see a body in her line of sight. However, she quickly realized that it was not Dennis.

“Sev,” she said softly, taking in his appearance. He looked like he had lost weight. His hair was overgrown again and ill kept. He was wearing, though, one of the outfits that she had bought him. It made her smile to see, and then her eyes met his.

“I was a fool,” he said. “I am sorry.”

She waited a moment to see if he would notice anything new about her appearance.

He moved closer, wanting to embrace her.

“I have been utterly miserable without you. I missed you so much,” he admitted as he reached out and grabbed her hand.  Then he finally noticed that she looked different and took in her appearance.

“Yes, Severus, I am pregnant. Your child will be born in about four weeks or so,” she told him.

He took in a very pregnant Cordelia Chase in shock.

*****To Be Continued******