This update is just for my reviewers. You all make me so very happy.

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Harry knew he was in the hospital wing before he opened his eyes. He could feel the crisp sheets around him and smell the cleanliness. He could hear the voices echoing slightly off the tall ceiling. He listened for a while, trying to remember what had happened.

"Albus, this boy has scars all over him. And most of them were healed by someone who had no idea what they were doing. The scar tissue on his abdomen is probably the only thing that kept him alive. Those cuts were deep. Aimed to kill, not wound, not frighten." Pomfrey's voice was as crisp and commanding as it had been when Harry had known her before.

"I know, Poppy. I just don't know what to do with Severus. He seems to be falling into darkness, and to expel him would only push him further." The headmaster's tone was tired and he let out a great sigh. "Well, I'll have to get back to the meeting. The teachers are discussing what we do from here. Please do let his friends into see him. I imagine it will do him good, I'm nearly sure they are all he has."

Harry continued to listen as two sets of footsteps exited the hospital wing. After a few minutes he knew his friends had been allowed in. He heard them whispering as they walked toward him.

"Do you think the expel Snape?" that was James.

"I don't know." Lily said. "There has only been one student ever expelled."

"Well Snape would deserve it." Sirius' voice was hard as steel.

"I've never seen so much blood." Lily continued not paying any attention to Sirius' comment.

"Me either," Remus broke in his voice was laced with fear. "Those cuts were so deep."

They had made it to his bed and Harry could hear the sound of them pulling up chairs. Harry felt the bed dip as Remus sat down. He opened his eyes and met Remus' immediately.

"Hey," Remus smiled a little. "How are you?"

"I'm fantastic. Good as new. Lets get outta here." Harry tried to laugh but wheezed instead.

Harry tried to sit up but pain seared across his stomach and made him dizzy.

"Harry. You don't have to sit up." Lily scolding slightly.

"I want to. Rem, help me please?" Harry looked at Remus.

Remus leaned over and pulled him upward gently. James reached behind him and arranged the pillows so that he could lay back on them.

"So, sectumsempra lovely little charm. Must have Snape teach it to me." Harry smiled and his bad joke got only sympathetic smiles in return. "So what's the damage?"

Harry looked at Remus who sighed, "The spell cut very deep, you lost a lot of blood. It nicked a lung, which is why it's hard for you to breathe or laugh. The cut on your abdomen would have killed you but for the scar tissue that you've got built up. You'll be in here for two days, Pomfrey says."

Harry nodded and shifted his eyes to Sirius, "And Snape?" Sirius hung his head a bit.

"Sirius bloodied him up pretty badly, but it wasn't anything Pomfrey couldn't fix. He's up in Dumbledore's office now. They're having a meeting about whether or not to expel him." Lily spoke quietly and Harry could tell that as upset as she was that he was hurt, it still pained her that Snape might be expelled.

Harry was quiet for a few minutes. He leaned his head back against the pillows and closed his eyes. The pain in his abdomen throbbed, but he'd felt worse.

"You and James, have the password to Dumbledore's office right Lily?" Harry said finally,

"Yeah, why?" She looked at him with a curious expression.

"Please go there and tell them not to expel him." Harry said.

Lily's eyes were shocked but she smiled, Remus allowed himself a small smile, but Sirius and James' had the same reaction:

"WHAT?" They both jumped from their seats.

They both began shouting and Harry could only understand every few words so mostly what he got from their diatribe was:

"KILLED YOU!"

"GREASY COWARD!"

"ALMOST DIED"

and "EVIL GIT"

Harry held his hand up. "I know. I know. He could have killed me. And maybe that was his intention. But, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. And from what I hear…Sirius…there was a time when you were in his shoes."

"That was completely different!" Sirius said but the passion had drained from his voice and he had paled slightly.

"Was it?" Remus asked quietly.

The boys sat down and a tense silence stretched over them.

"Also, I mean, I can't let him leave the school having got the better of me in a duel. My reputation would be in shambles." Harry winked at Remus, and everyone laughed a little.

"Lily, James…please go before they make a decision." Lily nodded and her and James stood. Lily leaned over and kissed him on the forehead.

"We'll see you in the morning. Pomfrey said we could have breakfast with you if you felt up to it." James said.

"Sounds good."

They left the room and Sirius moved to sit in Lily's seat so he was a little closer to the bed.

Harry looked at him, "So you roughed him up pretty bad then." He glanced at Sirius' bruised fists.

Sirius smiled a little, "Yeah. And for some reason Pomfrey refused to heal the bruises completely so he'll be walking around looking like a raccoon."

Harry laughed lightly. Madam Pomfrey bustled back in and Harry smiled at her, she looked young but just as fierce as ever.

"All right boys. You'll have to head out now." She set some bandages and a few vials of bright blue potion on the table next to Harry's bed.

Remus and Sirius nodded and stood.

Harry looked at Pomfrey. "Would it be all right if Remus stayed with me tonight? I don't fancy sleeping alone, that way if I need to get up and use the restroom or something…he could help."

Remus gave Harry a look of understanding. Pomfrey looked as if she wanted to argue but finally she nodded her head. "All right then. Mr. Lupin if you want to gather some things and come back after dinner. But I warn you, he needs his sleep."

"Of course, Madam." Remus gave Harry's shoulder a squeeze and he headed for the door. Harry caught Sirius' eye and was surprised at the hurt that was swimming in them.

"Sirius…" Harry began but didn't know quiet how to finish.

"I'll see you for breakfast then." Sirius said and followed Remus out the door.

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Madam Pomfrey had changed his bandages and given him a painkiller. A house elf had appeared with a tray of dinner for him and Harry was half-way through his meal when the door opened and Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Slughorn walked in.

They sat down in the chairs around Harry's bed.

"How are you feeling Harry?" Dumbledore asked and Harry wanted to laugh. How many times had Dumbledore asked him that?

"Still a little sore. But nothing that Madam Pomfrey can't mend." He smiled.

"Very well." Dumbledore returned his smile, "Now about Severus. Lily and James burst into my office adamant that you did not want Severus expelled."

"I don't." Harry stated and he noticed the strange look the other two professors were giving him.

"Harry. This is a very serious offense. You could have died." McGonagall's voice was as clipped.

"I know, Professor. It just doesn't seem right." Harry shrugged.

"Do you mind if I ask you what you mean?" Dumbledore said.

"I don't think it's right. He hasn't had it easy, I don't think." Harry said.

"Well, what do you think a suitable punishment would be?" McGonagall asked.

"I'm not sure. But I don't think expelling him is going to make him a better person." Harry said looking at Dumbledore who nodded in agreement.

"Quite right, Harry. Very mature. Well. We'll leave you to finish your meal and get some rest."

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Remus had come back an hour or so before dinner. He had brought Harry's homework and they had worked at it for the better part of an hour before Remus seemed to explode with his own curiosity. Harry was writing down the final answer for his charms assignment and was closing his book when he looked up to find Remus staring at him.

"Uh oh." Harry said and Remus rolled his eyes. "What?"

"It's just—I was thinking about your tattoo." Remus, unlike most people, didn't look away when he was asking a personal question.

"Yeah?" Harry set the book on the bedside table and faced Remus who sat on the bed next to him.

"It's just that…Kingsley…and it's not a very common name."

"Your mind is always working in overdrive, Rem." Harry closed his eyes, trying to decide if lying about something like this was as bad as it made him feel. "Today was the first time I met the auror. The Kingsley I knew was an entirely different person."

Harry tried to console himself for lying to his best friend. He told himself, if you looked at it from a timeline perspective it really was, the first time he'd met Kingsley. And the fresh young man, Harry had met today was a far cry from the war-worn hardened man Harry had known. Technically, it wasn't completely untrue, but only technically.

Remus nodded and seemed to be considering if he wanted to ask more questions. "Can you tell me, about your life before you got here?"

Harry sighed. "Rem. You're my best mate. And I trust you. But it's hard. I traveled a lot…and a group of friends that were a long with me…we got into some trouble. Came up against some people, who thought a lot like Sirius' family. They were perhaps a little more aggressive with their tactics. I did what I could, but I couldn't stop it. I couldn't save them."

"Oh." The word was small, and Remus was looking at him with a look that told Harry he understood and that he wouldn't press any further.

"I want a fresh start…away from all of that. I want to just be me. Does that make sense." Harry looked at Remus who nodded.

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The next morning the rest of the group showed up and the house elves brought them all a mini-feast. They laughed and joked and there was a general lightness in their conversation that had been absent the night before.

"So, I've been thinking. It's getting close to Christmas. We're going to need to come up with something spectacular before break. We've been slacking lately." Sirius said looking at James.

"Yea. I've been thinking that too. I'm just not sure what. It has to be something original…something that will really "wow" everyone." James agreed.

Harry laughed when Remus gave him a look of pleading and raised his hands, "Far be it from me to deny these gents some happiness."

To everyone's surprise it was Lily who spoke up with an unusual twinkle in her eye, "Well…I have an idea…"

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"Oh this is just too brilliant. Lily where have you been all our pranking days?" Sirius grabbed Lily around the waist and spun her around and she laughed before demanding he put her down. They were putting the finishing touches on their plan just as James came crashing through the door covered in snow.

"All right, Hagrid is in and so are the house elves." He said grinning wickedly.

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The next day was a flurry of activity. Everyone was running around Gryffindor tower packing and organizing. Clothes were flung around the room. Currently Sirius was half-under Remus' bed looking for a lost shoe, and James was sitting on his trunk trying to get it closed. Remus and Harry both already packed were chatting on the bed about their upcoming plans for finding a house.

Lily opened the door and shook her head when she saw the other two's chaos. "What is Sirius doing?"

"Looking for a shoe." Remus said.

"Oh honestly, are you wizards or not?" With a flick of her wand James' trunk slammed closed and locked itself and with another wave and a quiet accio Sirius' shoe flew out from the bathroom. Lily threw the shoe at Sirius and rolled her eyes.

"Are we ready then? The feast is starting soon." She smiled broadly and one look at James told Harry that there was no doubt in James' mind he was going to be marrying this woman.