Prologue

October 31^st, 11:49 pm England

“Lupin!” Severus Snape scowled at the closed door, pounding hard and fast. “Merlin’s Balls you mangy bastard open this bloody door!” His knees gave way as the door slung open, Lupin glaring down at him, hair mussed, eyes crusted and yawning.

“Snape, you fucking bastard what do you...” He could tell when the man actually woke up, his eyes widening as he stared at the tattered and singed robes of a Death Eater. “Get in here damn it!” Thin hands descended on him, pulling him to his feet and through the door. “You can’t come here dressed like that! What’s wrong? Snape, what happened?”

His hands shook as he rolled back his sleeve, shoving his arm under the werewolf’s nose.

“He’s dead. He’s dead and gone, but Lupin, he found the Potters! I don’t… Lupin, I don’t know if anyone survived.” The wolf spun, his fist passing easily through the crumbling plaster walls as he howled. The sound made Severus shiver.

“Black, you fucking bastard! Why?” He watched Remus crumple to the ground, hands wrapped tightly around his knees. “Sirius, why?”

There is a moment in all lives where one sentence, one gesture will change lives, worlds, and futures. Where the choice between pity and pride, half-truths and honesty has to be made.

“Lupin, I…” He stared into the eyes of the monster and then down at the faded mark on his arm. “Lupin, get dressed and come with me, I don’t think it was Black, but we have to find him first to be sure.” Those copper eyes bored into him. “Get off your duff and move you flea bitten walking rug, we don’t have time for this!”

***

“You can have the bike Hagrid. I don’t think I’ll need it anymore.”

“Wait!” Severus hardly heard the drama of the reunion, instead he stood transfixed, staring at the shattered stones and ruined bits of the Potter home, Hagrid standing before it, a bundle in his arms. He made his way towards the large man, wincing as the smell of smoke filled his lungs. The half giant stared at him, eyes cold and blank.

“Ye look like you got caught in a collapsing house.”

“No you oversized idiot, I look like a crawled through an almost collapsing house to retrieve two bodies and two wands and a baby then brought the house down empty.” He bit his tongue as a ham-sized fist gripped his robes, pulling him off his feet.

“Damned if yeh did! I got the little tyke out of that mess myself!”

“Yes you blasted hair brained fool, because infants are known to survive their house collapsing around them and then falling through the second floor with an entire story worth of rubble falling around them and never get so much as a broken bone! I suppose his crib being on the first floor on the only level space in the kitchen is normal! Put me down you fool!”

“Rubeus.” They turned to look at Lupin, covered in soot and tear tracks. “Severus is telling the truth. If he didn’t rescue Harry, he would have died when the house collapsed. Put him down.” The half giant gave him a dark look and opened his fist, dropping Severus to the ground roughly.

“Doesn’t matter. Orders is still orders. Harry comes with me.” The way he drew his umbrella from beneath his arm was oddly graceful. “Dumbledore’s orders. Harry goes into hiding until we know what happened.”

Severus watched it all happen slowly, the werewolf, as hard to stun as a half giant, stepping between Black and Rubeus. The huge black dog where Black had stood that leapt and snatched the swaddled bundle from arm, the weak wobbly spells that Lupin hurled himself in front of with hardly a grunt. The two men vaulting onto the back of the motorcycle and Hagrid’s howl of anger and upset.

And then life snapped back to speed as he rounded on Severus.

The only one remaining. A perfect scapegoat. His hand clenched around his wand as he was hauled to his feet.

“Boy, I’ll see yeh kissed fer shur over this un!”

And seeing as how he had led Lupin to Black, and just lay stunned as they stole the infant who survived a killing curse, Severus thought it would be quite likely that the groundskeeper was correct.

***

“Albus, Albus, I know they took the child, but Severus says…” The headmaster turned and shook his head at Minerva.

“I know what Severus believes. I also know that he has been under much stress. More than any young man his age should undergo. I think, perhaps he is confused. The Potter’s told me, themselves, that Sirius Black was their secret keeper. And now the man who betrayed his friends has gone to ground with the boy who lived. And we must find them.”

***

October 29^th 1985 10:32 am Trinidad

“Moony! Moony, I’m stuck! Help me!” Remus rolled his eyes and carefully marked his page, stepping off the shaded front porch and staring around the yard. “Moony! Up here! Help me quick before I fall down!” Craning his head backwards the man narrowed his amber eyes against the sun and caught sight of his godson clinging to a branch, feet kicking at he stared nose to nose with a long black tree snake.

“Damn it Harry!” The boy scowled down at him and wiggled like an eel as he tried to swing his legs onto a branch. “What did Pads and I tell you?”

“That snakes is not for chasing for talking to!” He shook his head. No one could deconstruct English like his Harry. “But I didn’t chase her! She was singing a song about eating fat bats and said I could come learn it! It’s great Moony! It goes Fat little bat in the warm dark time fly in my coils and I’ll…oooh!” Remus stepped to the left, extending his arms and plucking the child out of the air. “Wrap close around you and love you to death, open my mouth as long as I can, swallow you down, and thank you for being a fat little bat! Isn’t that a great song Moony?” The wriggling five year old slithered out of his arms. “And she called me a man-egg cause snakes don’t have a word for kid, and then I kinda fell and you caught me and she’s poison!” Reflexively Remus grabbed Harry tightly and drew back from the glimmering black viper in the tree branches. “Moony! Let go! She wouldn’t bite me!” From the tree, the snake looked down and tipped her head to the side.

“No little man-egg, one says one will not bite the man-egg if the man-egg does not try to hurt one. One did not say one would never bite you.”

“Well, that was quite kind of her.” With a shift, he tucked the squealing child under his arm. “Now come on. We have to get you packed. You know what tonight is.”

“It’s Auntie Mya week!” Remus grunted as an atheistically flailing foot caught him in the kidneys. “I’m going to Tobago and I’m gonna swim with the mermaid and make cookies with the house elves and she said this year I could fly a broom!” Remus smiled as he lugging his alternating between going limp and squirming bundle in the house and back to his small bedroom, depositing him offhandedly into an empty suitcase. Harry giggled, peering over the lid at him as he turned to gather a weeks worth of clothing for Harry. “Moony?”

“Hmmm?”

“Why do you and Pads go away sometimes?” Harry’s favorite hideous neon yellow tee shirt slipped from his fingers. He’d known one day Harry would ask about the weeks he spent every year at the secret kept estate on the neighboring island of Tobago. He’d known one day Harry would want to know why he couldn’t say Massiah’s name to anyone outside the fidelus charm, no matter how hard he tried. He just didn’t think today would be the day.

“Well, do you want to talk to just me, or do you want to wait for Pads to get home first and talk to both of us?” All the child magazines he’d read said it was good to give Harry choices in his life. He was personally hoping Harry would choose to wait.

“You can do it Moony. You’re smart enough to tell me by yourself.”

Damn. He retrieved and folded the hideous shirt, sitting beside Harry on the low walnut bed, shoving aside an armful of stuffed animals to find a place to perch.

“Harry, do you remember when we talked about how some kids have mommies and daddies and some don’t?” The hard knot of hate in his gut grew tighter as a shadow crossed behind those bright green eyes.

“Yeah. You said someone bad hurt mine and they went to the nice place where good wizards go.” He moved his arm, making a place where Harry could curl up beside him and squeezed him firmly.

“That’s right. A place where they can watch you and love you. Well Harry, The really bad man, the one who hurt them the most is gone now, and you did that yourself as a little baby. You’re very special. But there was another man…” He hated himself as he felt Harry grow still and shudder under his arm. “He’s in England, which is why we don’t live there anymore, so he can’t find you. But Pads and I loved your mummy and daddy very much.” He tried to clear the tears out of his throat. “Loved them like we love you. And so every year we take you to Massiah’s house so we can look for the bad man. And we take you there because it’s a secret place. No one can see it if they don’t know it’s there, and they can’t know unless someone very special tells them. That’s why you call her Mya outside even though you know that’s not her real name.” He felt the messy little black head nod against his ribs.

“So I’m safe and secret at Auntie Mya’s house? The bad man can’t ever find me there?”

“Harry.” They both looked up to see Sirius in the doorway, clutching the doorjamb with white knuckles, his voice horse and thick. “No Harry. When we’re gone, the bad man will never ever be able to find you, and when we’re home, he can’t get close to you. Not ever.” Sirius pushed slowly from the doorway and rushed towards the bed, kneeling in front of them and pulling Harry into a quick fierce hug. “We promise Harry. He can’t hurt you when you’re with us.”

“Pads? What’s the Bad man’s name?” The fiercely protective looks in his mate’s eyes made the knot of hate loosen slightly, but grow warm. This year they’d catch him.

“His name is Peter sweetie. Peter the Rat.”

***

October 30^th 1985 7:19 am. Tobago

“Auntie Massiah!” Harry’s bare feet slapped loudly against the glowing wood floors as he hurled himself forward at the woman at the foot of the stairs.”

“Bebe!” Sirius smiled tightly as she scooped up the rocketing child and swung him over her head, twirling so that her sarong flared in a teal and gold circle around them. “Sissy!” A house elf popped into the space next to them. “Harry hasn’t had breakfast yet I bet. Get him settled into the kitchen with his favorites.”

“Fried ‘nanas and rice pudding!” Sirius winced at the idea as both child and elf disappeared down the hallway towards the kitchen. Massiah walked up to him and took his hand, kissing his cheek.

“Lecroix has coffee and food waiting for us in the sunroom.” Her toffee colored hair swung against her hips as she turned to walk. “Where’s Remus?”

“I was being assaulted by house elves for trying to bring Harry’s luggage past the doors.” Remus grinned sadly as they sat on the white wicker furniture and looked out at the ocean. “My, Harry might be a handful this time. He asked about Peter last night.” He watched the woman slam down her china cup of thick strong coffee and begin cursing low and long in the hodgepodge of languages that the islanders felt most comfortable speaking. He wasn’t sure about the Portuguese bits, but he was sure he caught the words castration in there somewhere.

“Nightmares about the bad man last night?” The both nodded wearily. Harry had woken up screaming at two in the morning and refused to sleep again without Padfoot curled into the bed with him and Remus guarding the bedroom door. She patted their hands softly. “I’ll arrange for one of the elves to stay in the room with him.” She let out a theatrical sigh. “Perhaps I can even arrange to go on an expedition with him today to find a nice baby boa to stay with him.” Remus groaned.

“My, if you let him keep a snake in his room with him we’ll have to do it too!” Her grin was bright and made her aqua eyes glow in her dark face.

“Because you’d rather spend the next year sleeping on the floor in his room?” Sirius leaned forward.

“A little snake Massiah! Can’t be any bigger than Harry is now by the time it’s done growing!” He winced as she smiled brighter and again as it left her face completely.

“Put a flower on their graves for me while you’re there. Get going guys and give him his goodbyes before he finishes eating. We have a lot of fun stuff to do while you’re gone.” She offhandedly smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles in her tunic. “Oh, and if you get the chance this time to catch him? I wouldn’t mind having a nice stuffed rat for my bedroom mantle.”

***

November 2nd 1985 8:37 pm England.

“You filthy traitor!” Remus dropped the lunch tray with a clatter and dashed out to the streets.

“Sirius! Sirius, no! Not here in front of the muggles!” His mate seemed in capable of hearing him, wand focused on the fat, sweating form of Peter Pettigrew. Peter who stared at Sirius with a smile on his lips and tears in his eyes.”

“You’re the traitor! You killed them! You killed Lily and James!”

It was a distortion in time. Perhaps someone too close to them had pushed a time turner past safe limits. Perhaps Peter was casting Tempus adagio. Or perhaps he was just frozen. Unable to think or react. Unable to stop it all from going shit side up. He could see the wand slid out of Peter’s sleeve behind his back. He could see peter point it, not safely at a target, but down. Down where the energy would deflect and seek out anything closest to it. He watched it, screamed, and could do nothing. Could only hope that maybe they could get back to Harry.

***

November 2nd 1985 10:37 pm Tobago

Massiah had rolled out of bed and grabbed her wand before her eyes were open. She was already running down the hallway before sissy stopped her and slung a robe at her. She burst into Harry’s room and found him clutching his black stuffed dog, the one that looked like Padfoot, to his chest and screaming.

“It’s the bad man auntie My! It’s Peter the rat bad man and he hurt Pads and he’s gonna come get me and I’m scared!”

Massiah perched on the edge of the four-poster and gathered the sobbing child close, ignoring the tiny albino python that slithered across her to wind firmly around Harry’s arm. She wanted to tell Harry that Sirius and Remus were fine. She wanted to tell him they’d be home in three days.

The dirty tight feeling in her guts wouldn’t let her lie to him.

She held him tightly until dawn, waiting for the floo to flare of the phone to ring.

***

November 6^th 1985 11:37 am Trinidad

Remus wasn’t sure why they let him go. He was a werewolf. He knew they didn’t believe he had been under imperious, no matter what Sirius told them as he laughed and screamed from his cell. He knew he was bait, a trap for them to catch Harry.

And he had to get him anyway. It couldn’t all be for nothing. He paced as he waited for the house elf to show up with Harry.

“Master Remus!” He spun in despair at the sound of Lucky’s distraught voice. The little elf was bloody and wobbling, like she’d just shaken off a stunner. She stumbled towards him, clawing at her face. “Master Remus, Lucky was a bad elf! Bad mens has little master Harry! Bad mens stunned Lucky from behind, kicked her, and took the little master! Lucky is a bad house elf and could not stop them and they hurt Lucky! Master must go find little Harry!”

“Lucky, go tell your mistress not to leave her house no matter what!” He spun off and threw himself into the trees, pelting towards home. Trinidad was completely muggle. All the neighbors knew them, knew Harry. They couldn’t take a boat off the island to a wizarding port in Tobago; they’d have to use the only floo connection on the island. The one at his home. His body flowed through the trees, the forest telling his blood where the openings were. If nothing else in this world loved his kind, the forests certainly did.

He could smell them before the edge of the woods. Harry, confused and scared, and a dimly remembered scent, one of the Order. Shit. Dumbledore was after them as well. His heart skipped a beat. He knew they were running from the Ministry, he knew they were hiding from Peter and the other Death Eaters, but somehow, some little glimmer of hope in him thought that perhaps Albus Dumbledore had been on their side all along.

Apparently, today was a good day for hope to die.

“Harry!” He watched the child spun from the form of a tall black man with one glinting earring. Shacklebolt, his mind said. He saw Shacklebolt grab Harry as tightly as he could and lift him off the ground. He saw the other men in their ministry regulated werewolf hunting gear appear and start throwing curses and jabbing at him with silver tipped prods. He only saw. He never felt. He didn’t feel the silver tips burning and cutting his flesh as he ran past them. He didn’t feel his nose break when a stunning spell knocked his feet from beneath him. He didn’t feel his face coat with blood. He just saw Shacklebolt holding his Harry. His Harry who was screaming for help, calling his name. His Harry disappearing in a pillar of green flames. He sat dumbly as an auror came up to him and wrapped the silver chains around his wrists, listing the charges. Kidnapping in the first degree, removal of a minor from the country, eluding ministry officials, being an unregistered werewolf in an all muggle population. The list went on and on and Remus continued to stare at the fireplace.

Today was a good day for hope to die.

Hero.

November 10^th 1985 7:03 pm Hogwarts

Harry glared at the old man with the long white hair, crossing his arms tightly over his narrow chest.

“Lemon drop?” The man asked him. Harry pressed his lips together as tightly as possible and continued to glare. He wouldn’t talk to any of these people. He had kicked the man who took him away and told the scary man, the one with the wiggly eye, that Pads and Moony had told him not to talk to strangers if they weren’t there. So far, he had resisted saying another word.

Even if the candy did look very good.

The old man shook his head and sighed.

“Harry, my name is Albus Dumbledore. I’m the Headmaster here at Hogwarts. Do you know what that means?” Tightly Harry nodded. Moony and Pads had told him all about Hogwarts. It was a place to learn spells, have fun, and sneak out to play tricks. Carefully Harry licked his lips and opened his mouth.

“Pads and Moony…” He carefully took a sip of water handed to him by the old lady next to the Headmaster. “Pads and Moony said you were a nice man. They said that…” His voice grew thick and he wiped his eyes on his shirtsleeve. “They said if I was by myself and scared to write a letter that said ‘Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts, my name is Harry Potter, please come help me.’ And you’d come help.” His voice broke and he buried his head in his arms and sobbed. “But you aren’t helping! The mean people took them away, they won’t let me go home, and I want my Auntie Mya! I’m supposed to stay with her when I’m not at home cause her house is a secret and the bad rat man who hurt my mummy and daddy is gonna come get me!” The old lady picked him and began rocking him back and forth, petting his hair softly.

“Harry, listen to me.” He ignored the headmaster, hiding his face tighter against the old woman’s neck. “Harry, there is no bad rat man. They weren’t telling you the truth. Sirius was the bad one Harry.” Harry stopped and turned his head slowly to glare at the man kneeling beside him. “He told the real bad man where your parents were and then took you away.”

“You’re lying!” Harry threw himself off Minerva’s lap and hurtled at the headmaster, tiny fists flailing. He felt a thrill of satisfaction one fist connected with the man’s arm. “You’re a bad man! You’re not nice! You want bad men to get me and I hate you! I hate you! I hope you’re stupid beard gets tangled and the bad man comes and takes your mummy!” Harry fell backwards as the man stood and stared down at him and reached for him. He did the only thing he could think of. He screamed, bit the wrinkled hand before him and ran screaming out the door and down the stairs.

***

Severus glared and paced back and forth before the gargoyle statue. He’d seen the child escorted in, tan and healthy, his green eyes snapping and glaring at the adults surrounding him. Looking, in his opinion, like a child who had led a normal happy life.

If Black had really been a death eater, there wouldn’t have been enough of Harry Potter to bring home in a sandwich baggie.

Not that anyone would take Severus’ word for it.

He spun as the gargoyle grated to the side and a tiny figure streaked towards him screaming and threw tiny arms around his legs.

“Pads! Take me home, these people are bad!”

***

Harry tore down the stairs, trying not to trip, and stopped at the base, staring at the tall man with long black hair and a short goatee.

“Pads!” He launched himself at his godfather, clinging tightly. “Take me home, these people are bad!”

***

“Harry?” Slowly Severus untangled the sobbing child from his legs, kneeling down to stare at him. His face was red and contorted with sobbing, his hands balled up into tiny fists. He watched the child seem to melt with disappointment as he looked into Severus’ face.

“You’re not Padfoot!” The wail was soft and utterly heartbroken. Severus held the boy firmly at arms length.

“My name is Severus Snape. I’m the Potions Master here.” The boy gave him a long look.

“No you aren’t. You’re nose isn’t big enough and you don’t look like you washed your hair in an oil spill!” Severus clenched his jaw. “I would know cause we had one and I helped auntie Mya wash the mermaids hair and tails!” Harry drew back suddenly and gave him a wary look. “Are you a bad man? Cause Pads said you were a bad word and Moony said you were a good man but a mean person and auntie Mya said they were both stupid and she and mummy thought you were a good man who was mean so no one knew you were sad.” Severus rolled his eyes and gathered the boy up in his arms, heading back towards the dungeons silently. “Well? Are you a bad man? Cause if you are, I’m gonna kick and bite you!”

“I’m a good man, who’s done mean things and known bad people.”

And that seemed to be good enough for Harry.

***

November 10^th 9:18pm Hogwarts.

Carefully he helped Harry out of the tub, settling him in the center of Severus’ own bed.

“So you see the Headmaster isn’t a bad man. He’s a very nice old man.” The boy looked up at him with wide confused eyes.

“But it’s not nice to lie, and he said Pads was the bad man. He said Pads told the really bad man where my mummy and daddy were. He didn’t believe me about Peter the bad rat man.” Severus stopped in the midst of tucking Harry in, his hands frozen on the duvet.

“Harry? Did you call the bad man Peter?” The child nodded at him earnestly.

“Yes. Peter the bad man who can turn into a rat and can’t keep secrets!” Severus bit the bottom of his lip and leaned close to Harry.

“Harry, would you tell this to the Headmaster? If I’m down here to make him listen, can you tell him about Peter?” Harry nodded.

***

Albus sank down into his chair, hands over his face. Minerva rested her hand on his shoulder gently.

“Albus, you couldn’t have stopped them. There wasn’t time. He…” Her voice choked up. “He didn’t even have a trial.”

“I could have listened to Severus, back when it all began. I was so sure and now…Minerva, they’re both gone. We both know it will take years to get Remus out of that facility, and there’s no helping Sirius now.” They both stared down at the official ministry parchment.

‘For the crimes of treason against wizard kind and the willful kidnapping of Harry James Potter, the boy who lived, was Sirius (xxx) Black condemned to receive the Dementor’s Kiss this 10^th of November in the year of Nineteen hundred and eighty-five, sentence to be carried out immediately.

Signed

Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic’

***

November 12^th 1985 9:05 am

“So until then, you can go stay with your aunt and uncle in Surry.” Severus scowled at the head of Gryffindor. “They have a son, just your age, named Dudley. You can play with your cousin, and go to school, and then when you’re old enough you can come to Hogwarts.” Harry gave the woman a distrustful look.

“But when Pads and Moony come back we can go home?” The woman nodded slowly.

“Yes Harry, when they come for you, you can go home with them.”

***

November 12^th 1985 12:05 pm 4 Privet drive

Dudley sat outside on the swing set and stared at the child lying face down on the grass crying. Mummy had always told him he had to be nice to the other children because their parents might be important. Slowly he made his way over and sat on the grass.

“Are you crying?” The messy black head nodded. “When you cry you have to yell and scream so they know you really want it. Then they always give you what you want.” Dudley smiled as the boy lifted his head to stare at him. The smile slipped away under the steady green gaze.

“Pads and Moony told me that wasn’t nice. They said that was a temper tantrum and the only thing I’d get would be a vacation to the corner.” Dudley’s eyes lit up.

“A vacation! I never got a vacation for crying before!” He frowned as the child laughed.

“No! The corner. When you’re bad you have to go stand in a corner of the room and stare at the wall and you can’t play or talk to anyone else until you say sorry.” Dudley gave him a look of open-mouthed horror.

“But they’re not supposed to do that!”

“Duddums! Get away from that…boy!” Both boys looked up to stare at Petunia Dursley as she rushed out of the house, her dishwater blonde hair sprayed stiff against all momentum. Harry stared in confusion as the woman gathered the other child against her chest, staring at Harry in disgust. “We don’t want you near that little freak, do you understand Duddykins?” Both boys stared up at her.

“But why mummy?” Harry took a step back as the woman shot him a glance of loathing.

“Because, his parents were useless and bad, just like him, and we wouldn’t want it to rub off on you. Now come inside Duddykins, mummy will get you a nice big piece of cake. And you,” She scowled down at Harry. “You stay here until we figure out somewhere to put you.”

“He could go in my other bedroom mummy.” Harry sank down into the grass as the woman carried her son into the house, her voice floating back in the wind.

“No no sweetums. If we did that, where would your toys go?”

***

July 29^th 1987 2:03 pm 4 Privet Drive

“Harry!” Harry shuddered under his blanket trying to make himself as small as possible in the corner of his cupboard. His shoulder ached, hot and throbbing, as if it were about to fall off his body. Perhaps this time, they wouldn’t find him. “Harry, dear, where are you?” His head lifted in surprise. No one called him Harry. No one had called him dear since he was five and lived somewhere warm and secret. His aunt’s voice carried from the den. “Well, it seems he’s not home. The dear must have gone to get sweets with Duddums at the grocers Mr. Snape.” Harry’s heart tripped in his chest. He remembered a man named Snape. Harry stood and knocked over a mop bucket. He heard a deep murmur and his Aunt’s high-pitched voice, sharp with stress. “Oh, no, I think we may have a rat. Nasty things rats, but they always get what they deserve.” Harry stood still, panicking. If he moved, if his aunt heard him again, he’d be beaten. The thought of another belt beating so soon after the one last night sent shudders coursing through his body. But if that was Mr. Snape from Hogwarts, he must have come to tell him Moony and Pads had come for him.

“Mr. Snape!” He bit his lip as all sound from the den ceased. The sound of footsteps towards the cupboard made him freeze.

“Madame,” The voice outside the door was hard and hot. “Your rats seem to have something to say to me.” Harry could imagine the look on his aunt’s face. The look that meant she was thinking quickly to get herself out of trouble and Harry into it. He began to wish he had kept silent.

“Harry! Oh Harry, is that you in there sweetie!?” Her voice seemed panicked. He heard the latch on the door being fumbled open. “Harry!” He tried not to wince as she grabbed him into a large hug, squeezing his sore shoulder extra hard. “We’ve told you boys over and over not to play in here! You know the latch can fall!” Harry tried to blink away the wetness in his eyes. Only sissy boys cried. And crying like a sissy boy got you a beating.

“Mr. Snape?” The man stood in the hall, looking at Harry with sharp eyes. “Mr. Snape did Pads and Moony come back? Can I go home now?” The man shook his head and Harry’s world crumbled under his feet. He’d made a sound when a guest was there, he’d been seen, and all for nothing. The look in his Aunt’s eyes promised a beating and his courage failed. He slumped boneless from Petunia’s grip and slid to the ground, darting around her and clinging to the trouser legs of the man in the hall. “Please take me home with you Mr. Snape! Please don’t leave me here; they don’t like me! They hurt my shoulder and I don’t want to sleep in the cupboard anymore! I don’t want to be bad! I wanna be good and not a freak and please take me with you!”

“You little liar!” He whimpered and dropped into a crouch as his Aunt swung out of the cupboard, stalking towards him. “How dare you tell such ugly lies when we have gone out of our way to feed and care for you…” The sound of her frightened gasp made him lift his eyes. The man before him had his wand out and pointed at his Aunt’s throat. His voice was a low hiss.

“Woman, if the world were a just place you would be moldering in the grave right now while your sister lived. Be glad your life is not mine, and ready your affairs. Someone will be in touch with you shortly about this child.” Harry hid his face again as they both turned to look upon him. “Harry, get your things. I’m taking you back to Hogwarts.” Carefully Harry stood, sliding against the wall as he slipped back into the cupboard to grab his secret things. Carefully he gathered a teddy bear missing both eyes and one arm, a scrap of faded neon yellow fabric, and a tiny bleached skull into his arms. His aunt shrieked as she spied the last addition.

“You horrid little ghoul! What are you doing with that?” Harry turned beseeching green eyes to the man.

“They put her outside in the snow and locked the door. She cried for me to let her inside to be warm, she kept asking to go home. She said she’d get better when she went home. This is the only bit I found big enough to take home when Pads and Moony come for us.” Harry blanched as the man said several dirty words under his breath.

“Come on Harry. The headmaster will want to see you.”

Number 4 Privet drive looked very small as they apperated away.

***

July 30^th 1987 12:03 am, Hogwarts

Severus stared at the tiny figure sleeping in a tight curl in the middle of the hospital wing bed and clenched his fists.

“Albus, I have held my tongue for years, nothing comes of clinging to the past, but this was avoidable. None of this would have happened had you listened to me.”

Next to him, the Headmaster sat in a chair, face hidden in his hands.

“I am old and a fool is that what you want to hear Severus? Do you want to hear how often I dream of the Potters, of Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin alive and trapped in that hell of a concentration camp they call a safe-house, and know I could have done better?” The tremble in his voice cut Severus deeply. He stood straighter and took a deep breath.

“No. I want to know what you’re going to do for this child. Who will take care of him? Who will love him?” His voice was low. “All children need love.” He faltered a moment before sitting. “Molly and Arthur…”

“Have seven already. Even with three here at Hogwarts, an eighth mouth to feed would be work.”

“The Longbottoms?”

“Frank and Alice have never really recovered. I think young Neville is enough of a challenge.”

“Kingsley.” Severus could hear the desperation in his voice.

“Harry would remember him as the man who took him away from his family.” Albus gave his a chiding look. “Severus, the Order was hit hard before this child saved us. We have no young members who can take this child. He shall have to stay at Hogwarts until we can find someone.”

“His secret keeper!” Severus felt the old eyes upon him keenly. “Albus, there was a woman; he called her his aunt, the one he said was a secret. He couldn’t be safer than if he were behind blood wards.”

“And how do you suggest we find her Severus?” The younger man leaned back into his chair.

“I have no idea. But it’s the best plan we have.”

***

July 30^th 1987 12:09 pm

“Now Harry, this may tickle a bit.” He giggled as the Headmaster pressed his wand gently against his head and something fluffy and shivery was pulled from his brain.

Mister, no Professor, Snape took his hand and led him next to a stone bowl full of swirling clouds and he stared, enraptured, as the fluffy shivery thing was placed in with the rest.

“Harry, what we’re going to do is put our faces in the bowl and watch your memory. We need you to tell us all about it. Anything you can.” He nodded and took a deep breath, leaning forward into the bowl.

***

“Professor, why is my memory all squiggly?” Severus looked down at the seven year old who clung to his hand and frowned out at the obscured memory. “See, right there where Auntie M…” The boy made a face. “M… why can’t I say her name?” The headmaster took two steps into the lush greenery and stared at the streaks and swirls of color where a house should be.

“Perhaps Fidelus is taking root more firmly in his mind as he ages. Harry.” The headmaster knelt next to the boy. “Don’t try to think of her real name. What did you call her normally?”

“Auntie Mya; but Professor Dumbledore, why is her house runny?” The headmaster took two steps towards the fuzzy boundaries of the memory and brushed his hand against it.

“Hmmm, not quite solid. Harry, touch this.” The child gasped, arms pin wheeling as no surface appeared to hold his weight. Severus stepped forward quickly and tugged him back onto his feet. “As I thought. Harry, we cannot touch or see and protected parts of your memory. Take our hands, and lead us through. Tell us what you remember.”

***

July 30^th 1987 12:15 pm

The Headmaster watched, as Harry was lead out of the office by Poppy for lunch and leaned back into his chair.

“Any thoughts Severus?” The potions Master glared at him.

“Albus, I feel I should warn you. I’m going to wring her slender little neck when I see her.” The Headmaster chortled. “I mean it.”

“Come now Severus…” The smile slipped from his face as the younger man stood up and kicked the chair he had just risen from.

“Albus, she let us think she was dead! She let the entire Order think she had fallen in battle so she could skulk away safely home. She let me stand in a church and by her graveside and mourn her death while she frolicked in the bloody tropics!” Severus ran a shaking hand through his hair and took two deep breaths. “So I feel it is only fair to warn you that when we accompany Harry to find Massiah, I may find it necessary to commit murder most foul.” Albus felt the pieces of his brain lock into place as Severus swept out of the office. “I’ll tell Harry we leave in the morning.”

***

July 31st 1987 07:23 am, Tobago

Severus stared at the stretch of jungle before him and then down at the child clutching at his hands.

“What do you see Harry?” The boy beamed up at him, prancing in place.

“I see a road! I remember this road Professor Snape! My Auntie lives this way! Come on Professor, come on Headmaster!” Severus bit back a wince as Harry yanked them towards a large tree. It was, he reminded himself, no worse than the first time he had crossed onto the platform for the Hogwarts express. His body shuddered with an unpleasant shock as he was pulled through the tree and into what looked like a thicket of thorns.

“Albus, Harry, stop for a moment.” He stood in the middle of the false thicket and pulled out two lengths of black silk. “The effects of being led through Fidelus will only get worse the more we can see of it’s obstacles.” He shook his head to himself as the Headmaster charmed his own scarf into a bright purple, spangled with stars and comets to match his robes. Every fiber of his being screamed against blinding himself, leaving only an emotionally battered seven year old to guide him along a road he couldn’t see either way. With only the slightest tremble in his hand, he tied the silk around his eyes. Slowly the unpleasant tingle of magic biting along his skin faded. “Now take our hand Harry, lead us to the house.”

Fidelus, Severus thought, was a tricky bastard. If he removed his blindfold, he knew he’d see the same impenetrable jungle he’d seen before. Blindfolded however, he could feel the sun beating down on his head and smell the ocean breezes. Harry was a contentious little guide, careful to announce where any bumps and dips may be. It was all going so well.

“Auntie My!”

“Harry, no!” Severus yanked his blindfold off as the tiny hand in his pulled away suddenly. He blinked in the bright sunlight, staring at the fish swimming around his waist and gaped as the child seemed to run into water above his head and disappear. He felt Albus’ hand close over his arm as he took a step in Harry’s direction.

“Think Severus! We could be anywhere. Wait for Harry to come back to us.”

“He’ll do no such thing.” The potion master clenched his jaw at the voice that floated towards them from nowhere. “Thank you Severus, Headmaster, for bringing Harry home, but I cannot let him bring you into my home.’

“Massiah, if I get my hands on you, I’m going to…”

“Really Ms. Douglass.” The Headmaster cut him off. “Such subterfuge is hardly needed among fellow Order members. Even ones we thought were dead.” Severus could feel the guilt in the woman’s voice.

“I am sorry. But when Lily and James asked me to set up my home for Harry if anything were to happen, how could I refuse? I’m taking Harry in the house now. It would be best if you apperated out. You could hurt yourself if you tried to walk. You can send Harry’s Hogwarts letter to the owl office in town. Harry, say goodbye to the Professors.” The child’s voice floated to them from all directions.

“Thank you for bringing me home Professor Snape. Pads was wrong. You’re a very good man!”

***

July 31st 1987 1:54 pm, Hogwarts

Severus sank down into a chair and crossed his arms.

“Well, that was a complete cock-up. What were we thinking, that could have been anyone.” Albus gave him a stern look as he shoved a cup of tea across the desk.

“No one but Ms. Douglass could have seen Harry inside those wards, as well we both know. No Severus, we have done all we could do to right six years of wrongs. Harry Potter will be safe and loved. We can ask for no more than that.” Grudgingly, Severus took the cup of tea.

“You knew this would happen, didn’t you? You knew I’d never get close enough to put that woman over my knee and give her the thrashing she deserved.” Albus’ eyes gleamed.

“Perhaps I had hoped to be spared a …passionate reunion between the two of you.” Choking on his tea, Severus set the cup down with a clatter. His eyes were sharp as he glared at the older man.

“Does anything get past you?” Albus smiled serenely and took a long sip of earl grey.

“Not much.”

***

September 1^st 1991 6:37 pm, Hogwarts

Severus felt a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth as he glanced down at his table. Harry Potter sat, clustered among his other new Slytherins, sending notes flying between his and the gryffindor table. The head of Slytherin sighed. His ‘aunt’ had been a bad influence on the boy. He was consorting with the enemy already. With a frown, he watched the boy break away from the prefects and dash up towards the table. He had to admit the years had been better to the child. He was sun darkened and well fed, even if he had grown to look alarmingly like James Potter.

“Professor Snape, Sir.” The boy grinned as he skidded to a stop in front of the high table. “My Aunt wanted me to give you this.” He pulled a thick square package out of his robe pockets. “Also, I wanted to say I know you couldn’t ever write me back, cause of, you know, my house being so hard to find.” Severus nodded, feeling absurdly proud that the boy could guard his tongue, even as he wondered what the child was babbling about. The boy grew fidgety. “So, yeah, um, here.” The package was thrust into his hands and the child began to back away. “I’ll see you tomorrow sir!”

***

Severus sat in front of the fire in his suite and carefully slit the edges of the brown butcher paper. A small slip of paper fluttered out. He could smell her scent before e picked it up.

‘Severus,

I spent the first few years of Harry’s life thinking how I would never be able to thank you enough for saving him and delivering him to me. Now I spend every day wondering how to thank you properly for doing it a second time. I am sending this to you as his head of house. I suppose I could be wrong, he could possibly go into Gryffindor like James and Lily, but Harry has his mind set on being a Slytherin, like you. He has never stopped thinking of you. He calls you his hero. He has written to you faithfully, once a month, since you brought him home to me. I wish I could have safely sent them to you, but we both know a determined mind can find a way around most things. I’m sorry they are late, but since I promised him that you would get them, here is every letter he’s ever written you, as well as a few things he’s done that I thought you might find interesting. Also enclosed is a small token of my appreciation. You will know what to do with it.

Massiah Douglass.’

Severus opened a smaller envelope and stared at the neat script that flowed across the page.

‘To Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore,

Massiah Douglass and Harry Potter live at The Phoenix Gate in Mermaids cove, Tobago.’

Carefully setting aside the secret of his new student for Albus’ eyes, Severus summoned a glass and a bottle of brandy and settled back with the first of a large stack of letters with their carefully addressed envelopes. The first was in large, carefully printed letters.

‘Dear Professor Snape,

How are you? I am very good. It is me, Harry. Thank you for bringing me home and saving me from the Dursleys. They were mean to me. You are a very good man and my hero. I want to be like you when I grow up. I have a nice green shirt and Auntie Mya got me my first magic book. It is called My First Book of Potions, with all big letters, just like that. I am making a potion for cuts and scrapes. I hope it works. I fell out of a tree today and scraped my knee. I will write you again because you are so nice.

Love,

Harry.’

All other thoughts set aside, Severus stared down at the letter and the picture of a smaller, smiling boy in front of his first tiny pewter cauldron waving up at him. Carefully he folded the letter and slid it back into it’s envelope. His hands only trembled a little.

It felt nice to be a hero.

Fins.