Petrified
Severus wasn’t Stupfeyied, no, Black needed him to be conscious to be allowed inside his wards, so he could retrieve him, and to that goal, Severus was Petrified. He could see and hear everything around him, he just couldn’t move, and Black was lucky he caught him by surprise, or he would be dead.
“I know you’re glaring at me,” Black told him from the stoop where he was still waiting, “I have all day, and I’ll let you like this no problem if someone comes our way.”
Severus couldn’t let that happen, it was his stupid fault, after all, he had felt Black knocking on the wards but ignored him, then he watched as Black paced in front of his house, which obviously he had to tell him to get lost, so he opened his door, and before he could utter a word he was petrified, Black even had the forethought of casting a cushioning charm, so he wouldn’t hurt himself when he fell.
“I am not here to hex or maim you, Snape. There are important things I need to talk to you about, but if you rather I can yell them from here, I am sure no one is spying on you,” Black taunted, and Severus sighed, internally as he couldn’t do it physically, he didn’t know what Black wanted but if it was his death he would have done it already.
Severus ordered his wards to let Black in, against his better judgment.
“Let’s get you back inside,” Black said taking his wand out to levitate him to the living room, making no snide comment on the house.
“I’ll be honest, you are the last person I wanted to see, especially today, but I made a promise to a little boy, and I will not go back on that,” Black told him, and Severus wondered which little boy he was talking about, the logical answer would be Harry but why would Harry Potter want Black to come to see him, he never met the boy, the second possibility was Draco, but that meant Dumbledore was right, Black was a Death Eater.
“I am not a Death Eater,” Black yelled, probably seeing the suspicion in Severus’ eyes.
Severus was proud of his Slytherin blank mask but when the only thing you can move is your eyes they tend to be more expressive and a dead giveaway, he would have to work on that.
Black rolled up his sleeves to show him, then took two parchments out of his pocket, one was a test from Gringotts showing he was never a Secret Keeper for anyone, the second was a probatory pardon from the DMLE, Severus disregarded it, but Black was clearly waiting for something as he didn’t remove it from before his eyes. That’s when Severus saw it, the pardon wasn’t for Black, in Golden letters in the suspect’s name line, Severus Tobias Snape was written.
“I see, I finally got your attention,” Black said and let himself fell back onto the couch, “it’s been a sad, disturbing, and tiring 24 hours. First, I would like to say, Peter...” He growled the name, “was the secret keeper for the cottage, we let Dumbledore talk us out of using me, he said He was a powerful Legimence and could extract the secret from my brain if he wanted to, so we told everyone I was the keeper to protect Peter,” Black took a few minutes to calm down as he looked ready to tear the door open to go after the traitor, and Severus had to admit if he wasn’t already petrified it would be the only way to keep him from killing the little vermin.
“Second, Dumbledore knew, but he still told the DMLE I was the Secret Keeper, he also didn’t go around telling them not to arrest you, just so you know, I am the one who told Madame Bones you were spying for the Order, I told her you used to be Lily’s best Friend and let her think you told Lily, and she told us, so it was all hearsay, and she’ll meet with us at Gringotts to question you, so you can confirm it,” Black explained and Severus was surprised by the length the man went to, to save him from Azkaban.
“As I said before, I didn’t do it for you,” Black told him enhancing Severus’ surprise. “Dumbledore took Harry to Petunia’s…” Before he could say anything more Severus tried to break the spell, Pettigrew was going to get his at one point and the later, the better so no one who suspect him but Harry shouldn’t be anywhere near that jealous bint, not even for a minute.
“Calm down,” Black told him with a deep sigh, “I said Dumbledore took him there, I didn’t say he was there, I would never leave my son with that crazy hateful muggle loving horse-faced bitch.”
Good, they were on the same page, Severus thought, then he wondered where Harry could be and the obvious answer was with Lupin, but it was the full moon the previous night, and that would be stupid, plus reports said no one had seen Lupin in almost two months.
“What I am about to tell you might sound far-fetched but I swear on my magic it is the truth as I know it…” Black went on to tell him about Sorcerer and a Ritual they were told never to use, a journal from the future, and a little boy who wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Severus had a hard time believing it, even with Black’s oath and the magic he still possessed, as shown by the petrification still in place. How could thing go so wrong, a group of young wizards, most of whom aren’t even Hogwarts age yet, would defy Dumbledore’s recommendation about the ritual. But then, Black was there, pleading to be believed, something he never thought could happen.
“I am going to do something I never thought I’d did,” Black said and stood in front of him solemnly, “Severus Snape, I swear on my magic, never to prank you with mean intent or to cause you arm ever again in my life, or in my death, so I swear, so it will be.”
Severus felt the magic of the oath settle on his own magic.
“I also need you to know, I never sent you to Remus that night, Peter thought it would help us and make us laugh if you were expelled for getting close to Remus’ lair, we made Polyjuice earlier in the month for a prank, and he kept some for this purpose, when Prongs, James went to help you, I went with Lily to see the Headmaster, he wouldn’t believe us at first, saying Madam Pomphrey would see you and send you back, and afterward he told us everything was dealt with, we only learned what he meant recently, Peter got a month of detention but Albus never told you he was responsible, he let you believe it was us, and we were left unpunished,” Black explained.
Severus was furious, oh, he remembered Pettigrew whining about being in Detention for a month when he needed to study for his OWLs and how it was unfair no one else got punished, but he had been told nothing would be done against Black and Potter, their family would crush him if he tried to contest it.
“The list of Albus Dumbledore’s offense is getting longer already and it’s only been 24hours,” Black sighed, “I’d release you but just in case you still want to curse me I’d rather wait until we are back with Harry, then he can blame you,” Black informed him.
“Noc!” Black called and a house elf appeared. “Pack everything and join us, but stay hidden for now, we live with muggles and I’ll introduce you when I can. Pack mine, Remus and Prongslet things out of Baskerville too, and tell Dewey he needs to pack the rest and the cottage if he can and to put everything in Gringotts vaults, I don’t want anything to disappear in raids from the Aurors, Dumbledore or the Death Eaters.”
Black cast a disillusionment charm on Severus, levitate him then activate a portkey to sweep them away. Severus knew where they were, although, from his position he would only see the ceiling, it was obvious, they were at Gringotts, the stones and marble were a dead give away. A rapid tour of Gringotts, and they arrived in an office, Severus felt a ward accepting him, a ward he couldn’t identify, a deep guttural voice asked, “Mr. Snape?” Black must have nodded “very well, I arranged for a meeting at 8 am on the 4th for us, and at 12 pm with Madame Bones and Head Director Levinson on the 6th, it should allow you enough time to resolve your issues with Mr. Snape and for Gringotts to go through the trunk, come back with everyone involved, including the already informed Muggles.” Something was handed. “It will take you directly to the Tower’s last floor, and from there to this office, the other one was changed to Baskerville House after you arrived.”
Black activated another portkey and soon they were in what appeared to be a muggle home, with electricity to power the lights.
“Se’vus,” He heard and although he wanted to cringe, he couldn’t help but hear the desperation in the little voice.