Severus took the stairs two at a time. He was beyond furious. His initial promise was to keep Lily's son safe. And now it seemed to have made that promise to the one man who seemed set on ruining the boy's life. Petunia Evans was always a jealous vindictive little girl. He had no hopes that she had improved with age.

'Snape….Snape….SNAPE!' Sirius yelled from behind him, 'Stop for a minute, for the love of Merlin.'

At his request, Severus stopped at the top of the stairs to the lobby. He was breathing heavily, his fist clenched, his knuckles white with anger.

Sirius caught up with him, shocked over the anger that the usually emotionally unreachable man was exhibiting.

'Thank you.' He said. 'I'm all for charging off into battle, but I'm afraid that's what got me into this mess in the first place.'

Severus took a deep breath, centring himself. Black was right, charging in like a dunderheaded Gryffindor wasn't going to help anything. A part of him was horrified that he needed to be reminded about this by Sirius Black of all people.

'Yes, yes you're right. You're much better suited to that than I.' He said, eyeing the man in front of him. 'We need a plan of attack.'

Sirius nodded in agreement, running a hand through his hair. It came away with bits of plaster and brick dust, at which he pulled a face at.

'I think I may need to clean up a bit first.' He said sheepishly.

Severus rolled his eyes before smirking at Black's discomfit as he became aware of the state he was in.

'Come on,' he drawled grudgingly 'We can head back to mine. I'm assuming that Dumbledore has access to your home?'

Sirius nodded his assent.

'Well, something helpful may have come of me being an untrusting Slytherin after all. The old man's being trying to break into my place all morning before I sent him on a goose chase. I'll need to go ahead to allow you into the wards. But he won't be able to get to you after that' He concluded with a smirk.

Sirius laughed

'I'm pretty sure that Dumbledore would expect hell to freeze over before we worked together. He isn't going to know what's hit him.'

The two men shared an equally Slytherin smirk, before pushing across the lobby to the wall of fireplaces. Severus disappeared in a whirl of green flames. A few minutes later Sirius Black repeated the same phrase, and disappeared from view unnoticed.

Back at Spinners End, Sirius had the good grace not to mention the borderline derelict nature of the house. Severus ushered him straight to the bathroom.

Assuming Black's clothes would be beyond repair, he pulled out another set of slacks and a shirt, before transfiguring them slightly for the shorter, but more built man. With a quick flick of his wand, the clothes were sent to the bathroom.

Heading to the kitchen, Severus prepared tea. Slumping down at the kitchen table, he replayed the important facts from this morning, and their unnatural correlations to the dream he had the night before.

Dumbledore was obviously the puppeteer.

If that dream was anything to go by, Lily's son would never know freedom, and would eventually pay the price to the tune of whatever Dumbledore demanded.

Obviously Dumbledore was playing many fields. He had probably wanted Severus as a pet Death Eater. What he could possibly have to gain by manipulating Black into prison, he could not know. But it obviously related to the boy.

He sneered

Dumbledore had a long history of ignoring abused or neglected children, himself being one of them. Black, in a way, was as well.

The only way to circumvent Dumbledore's machinations was to keep their plans as far onto the straight and narrow as they could without giving the man too much of a heads up of their actions.

If they could gain legal guardianship of the child, Dumbledore would have no claim.

Black was the child's godfather. More likely than not, he would have been awarded guardianship by Lily and Potter in the event of their death.

His head hit the table with a thump. Of course they would have. But that would have been null and void in the event that Black was imprisoned.

At that moment, Black chose the chance to reappear, towelling his damp hair, wearing the clothes that Severus had provided. Giving him the once over, Severus couldn't help rolling his eyes and giving an exasperated sigh at the obvious fact that Black had charmed his white shirt to a deep, Gryffindor maroon. Black shrugged cheekily in response.

'What particular reason did you have for trying to knock yourself out this time?' he asked.

'Oh nothing in particular – more the realisation that Dumbledore wanted you incarcerated so you couldn't claim guardianship of the boy, so that he could abused for his formative years.' Snape snarked in response

Sirius blinked a few times before growling under his breath and gaining a look in his eyes that suggested he wanted to break everything in sight.

Severus pushed a cup of tea towards him. Sirius looked at it in mild disdain

'Tea? Given the events, I seriously think something stronger is in order.'

Severus snorted

'While it may not make any difference if your brain is addled, due to the lack of them in the first place, let me assure you we will need our wits about this.' He said with a sneer

Sirius mimicked his sneer, before sticking his tongue out him.

'Still can't stop the Gryffindor bashing, can you Snape?'

'No more than you refuse to believe that there are colours that exist beyond maroon and gold.'

Their bantered lacked the intent to hurt that might have been the aim in their school years.

'So what now?' Black asked.

Severus sighed

'The obvious starting point would be to have Lily and Potter's – '

'James's' Sirius interjected

' – Will read' , Severus glared 'if indeed they had one.'

Sirius nodded

'They did. Dumbledore', he spat 'was witness. So god knows what is in it.'

The men assessed each other, both secretly surprised.

'Gringotts?' asked Snape.

'Gringotts.' Sirius confirmed.

Finishing their tea, the men stood, and with a resounding crack, apparated away.

2 and a half hours, 4 swearing matches, broken glass paperweight a copy of James and Lily's will and an unopened envelope addressed to Severus later, Sirius and Severus emerged from Gringotts. Sirius had an odd look on his face, a mix of fury and elation.

Severus opted for a rather angry sneer.

Luckily Dumbledore hadn't seemed to have tampered with the contents of the will itself. Everything was left to Harry, as it should have been.

And Harry was supposed to be brought up Sirius and the as yet absent Remus. The reason it had taken so long, was that the witness to the will had insisted on adding numerous charms and clauses for the opening and reading of it.

Sirius, Severus had learnt, still had a temper that could explode at a snap of his fingers.

'Can we go get Dumbledore now? String him up by his garish coloured robes and leave him to be pecked to death by crows?'

Severus rolled his eyes

'No, we can't'

'I can't believe we went along with all that he said. All he was doing was manipulating us for his so called 'Greater Good'. Who's 'Greater Good is it anyway..''

'His, undoubtedly.'

'Well, he's cost me my two best friends, if he thinks he can get away with taking my only godson away from me as well, he has another thing coming. I just want to take that Merlin forsaken beard and choke him with it, so he can never eat those damn lemon drops of his again – '

'Such a tragedy for him, I'm sure.'

'- and that blasted twinkle in his eyes never twinkles again.'

Sirius finally paused for breath.

'While that would be, I must say, rather entertaining, we do have a more pressing matter at hand.' Severus drawled.

Sirius furrowed his brows in confusion. Severus resisted the urge to find the nearest blunt object and beat the former Gryffindor over the head with it.

'Your godson, you know, Harry? The one you weren't going to let Dumbledore take away from you? Good god man, do you have the attention span of a gnat?'

'Says the man who obviously can never remember to wash his hair.' Sirius snapped back.

Both men froze with the insult, Snape's ever so slightly relaxed demeanor around Sirius evaporating, his blank faced mask firmly in place. He pivoted on his foot, sorely missing the usual swish of his robes that accompanied the movement as he continued on towards the Leaky Cauldron. Sirius watched him go, before snapping to attention and racing to catch up.

'Snape! Snape! Dammit….SEVERUS' he said, catching the other man by the arm 'I'm sorry. It …it just slipped out, as a force of habit. I'm sorry. I really need your help, I have no idea where to look for Petunia Evans.'

Snape just looked at him for a solid minute, before sighing.

'If you slip back into your school ways with me Black, I will not be helping you find your godson.'

Sirius nodded contritely.

Severus hesitated before continuing.

'I have no idea why Lily left me a letter, but I would like to know the boy, spitting image of Potter that he may be. And I would like him to know how his mother grew up, as I'm sure she would have. All I ask is that you do not cut ties once the boy is with you.'

Sirius looked surprised at his request, but agreed, knowing full well he may never find out where Harry was without him.

'Hold on to me. I'm apparating us to near where Lily's parent used to live. Hopefully the nosy I neighbour I remember is still in residence.'

And with that, the two men were gone.

The streets were much the same as Severus had remembered, as Sirius gaped in wonder at the surrounding muggles.

Striding purposely forward, Severus sent a silent thank you to whatever the powers that were, as he saw the particular nosey neighbour that he was hoping for.

He waved a hand at Sirius, indicating for him to stay put.

'Mrs. McCarthy?' he inquired, softening his countenance and tone.

The older lady who had been occupied pruning her roses looked up.

'Why, if it isn't young Severus. I haven't seen you round these parts in years. And look at you all tall and strapping.' She clucked, pinching his cheek.

Severus struggled to keep the kind smile on his face as he heard Sirius smothering his laughter behind him.

'It has been a while, hasn't it?' he said airily 'I was in the area, and I thought I might stop by and see if anyone knew where either of the Evans girls ended up? We fell out of contact a while ago, and I do miss their friendship.'

Mrs McCarthy beamed at him

'You always were such a good boy Severus, despite that father of yours. Bring that handsome friend of yours inside, and we'll have a nice cup of tea and I'll bring you all up to date.'

As she bustled towards her house, Severus turned round to see Black pulling an over-exagerated look of horror. With a smirk, Severus gestured for Sirius to follow as he headed towards the house as well.

An hour and a half, 8 cheek pinches, 4 cups of tea, a couple of unwillingly eaten scones with jam and cream and I small scrap of paper with Petunia Evans, now Dursley's address on it later, Sirius and Severus all but ran from the property. Mrs McCarthy stood at the door waving her handkerchief after them.

Making their way to the nearest deserted corner out of sight, they stopped for breath

'God that was awful. Please tell me not all muggles are like that?' Sirius gasped holding his stomach.

'No, thank merlin. Few witches like that too though – have you ever met Molly Weasley?'

Sirius just groaned

'I never want to see another scone again.'

Severus leaned back against the wall

'Never though Petunia would be the type you'd want to marry, but there you go.' He sighed, 'I guess we're headed to Little Whinging then.'

Sirius nodded. 'I know an owl post office not too far from there in Surrey. Shall I apparate us there?'

Severus grimaced, hating side-along, but nodded his confirmation. Grabbing Sirius's arm the two men once again disappeared.

-SS—

Once in Surrey, and a visit to another local Library for directions, Severus and Sirius found themselves on Privet Drive in Little Whinging.

Severus eyed the meticulous front garden with disdain, not liking the idea of having to deal with the horse faced harpy that was Petunia Evans.

'Let me take the lead on this. She isn't going to know you from Adam, but she will at least have a few pertinent memories of me that might make negotiations easier.'

Sirius frowned

'If you think that'll help….but who's Adam?'

With a roll of his eyes, Severus ignored the question. He wasn't even mildly interested into delving into muggle phrases right now.

'Ready?' he asked

Sirius nodded

Severus approached the front door of Number 4, with Sirius a few steps behind him. Steeling himself, he knocked on the door.

He heard the click of heels on the floor and a baby start to cry in the background, before the door swung open.

The woman looked older than the 23 she supposedly was, but was perfectly manicured from head to toe, and not looking the least bit pleased. She gasped in shock at seeing who was on her doorstep, hand rising halfway to her throat.

Severus let a mildly feral smirk over take his face as he looked her directly in the eye.

'Hello, Tuney.'

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has followed, and is reading or continuing to read The Remorse of Severus Snape. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Also, thank you to bluecat, kin2cat, Domna, NatNicole, geetac, adenoide,wiccanjs1984, notwritten and RebeccaRoy.

Please keep letting me know what you think!

PLV