AN: Please bare in mind that the only reason Severus is in any way different now is because he has a daughter. If he didn't have a daughter he'd still treat Harry and co like crap.
Harry got up the next day and decided to write a letter to Severus explaining things. He felt it would be best to explain himself. He got out a parchment piece and his ink and quill set and began writing.
Dear Professor Severus Snape, My name is Harry James Potter and as you may know already I have a new guardian Mr Rivers. I am writing to tell you I look forward to getting to know you and my half sister Pansy or Violet whichever name she prefers will do. Also I want to sincerely apologise to you. While going through my vaults in great detail Mr Rivers found some memories pertaining to my father and I insisted I watch them alone in case I became too emotional. He agreed and what I saw made me sick to my stomach. I am not now nor will ever be my father. If he was alive now I'd be most ashamed to be related to a cowardly bully like him. Please do not say I cannot call him a coward as a cocky man who has an ego like his was to his detriment as it got him killed. I will know from now on never to be too sure of anything. Over confidence is ridiculous and I refuse to be anything like him. I wish I could take away all the years you suffered at his hands but alas I cannot.
I promise here and now I will never be anything like him and I give you full permission to kick my arse if I ever get too confident. I am not above being taken down a peg or two. In fact actually no one is really. I don't know much about you but I know for sure I am not my father and I would hope that in the future at some point as Pansy's/ Violet's father you could become a sort of uncle for me. I'd like to have a proper family and I think you could be part of that. Besides it would do me good to be able to prove that not all Potters are arrogant, overconfident, swine's like my so called father. Some roll model he turned out to be. His overconfidence in his own abilities got him killed hence my earlier phrase about being taken down a peg or two. It's called reality and he's clearly not seen much of that.
I am not sure if Mr Rivers informed you but Albus Dumbledore had many different spells on me blocking any natural talents and my magical core. He has reversed them and please try not to be mad but when I discovered about Pansy/ Violet I thought he might have charmed her as well so I asked Mr Rivers to remove any enchantments he had on her when he saw her. I only did this to protect her as she and now you by extension are family and I've already lost enough family to go through that again. Punish me if you feel it is necessary but know it was just for her protection. You should know that like me she is a natural occlumens and has natural healing abilities. While I have photographic memory she has an extreme potions success ability. I was delighted to discover that I have a sister and hopefully an uncle in you. I should let you know that Mr Rivers overheard a plot to have a Mrs Molly Weasley whoever she is apprehend me at the train station and to have her son Ronald attack me at school. I don't know who these people are but I am worried about it none the less. Please if you could just keep an eye on him whoever he is as I'd rather not have to look over my back each time. Please reply as and when it is convenient for you, Signed Harry James Potter.
He sent the letter off with Hedwig. It reached Severus in his house in an hour. He was sitting reading when the note arrived. He read the letter in shock. He became emotional to discover that Harry even at this young age was still trying to protect everyone even when he didn't have to. How could he be mad at Harry for getting Mr Rivers to unblock his daughter. He was very angry and embarrassed at the point made about the memories. He could see Harry meant no harm but it was a different thing to have him casually say that his own fathers ego had caused his death. Lastly he was most touched that Harry would want an uncle in him and set about writing his response to the young boy immediately.
Dear Mr Harry James Potter, This is your Professor Severus Snape replying to your letter. I was very angry about the memories you mentioned but only because they caused me mass embarrassment. I do not hold it against you and I am most surprised that you came to the conclusion that it was his ego that got your father killed. That is not entirely true as there was a prophesy also but that was a lot of it too. I am surprised that you wish to consider me family considering I really did hate your father for how he treated me. I ashamed to admit I wished to hate you too but I then realised he treated me that way and not you. Also Mr Rivers explained that you lived with your abusive Aunt and Uncle because Dumbledore manipulated you and put you in an abusive environment for years. I would imagine you have suffered enough and we really should move on instead of focusing on the past. I am not through with Dumbledore myself and as I know the potion and spell combinations to remove blocked memories I shall be confronting him with it in my own way.
He will not be getting away with how he treated you either however I gather from Mr Rivers that the four heirs of the Founders of the school have returned and shall seek their own vengeance against him as well. I presently teach potions and I am head of the house Slytherin. You should note that whether or not you are in my house you will always be considered family to me. I am so very sorry that you've had to live with the guilt of what your father did and or that you felt you needed to apologise to me for him. He should have apologised but he did not which is not your fault. I will be happy to get to know you more. As for what you have said to me about the Weasley family I understand. I know you don't know them but they are a pureblood family who unfortunately do not have a lot of money and would do almost anything bar killing someone to get it. I know you will have a lot of money as left to you by your parents when they passed away and Mr Rivers has informed me that your mother left money for Pansy in a trust fund which her parents know about. I would advise against a friendship with the youngest Weasley son no matter what anyone tells you as I have spent time around that family and he in particular is easily brought to bouts of sputtering rage and jealousy.
I will leave that decision firmly in your own hands. As a word of advise there are a few families whom I recommend becoming friendly with. They are the Longbottom's, Lovegood's, Patil's, Greengrass', Corner's, Thomas' and lastly the Finnegan's some Irish friends of mine. Any other friends you make will be fine too but I must insist that if unsure about someone you always ask me first. I only insist that you ask me first as someone else who didn't have your best interests at heart would tell you to be friends with someone even if they were not trustworthy. I trust this letter has found you well and I look forward to seeing you in a few days when school starts up again. Best wishes, Professor (Uncle) Severus Snape.
He tied that to Hedwig's leg and sent her off but not before giving her an owl treat and some water. Harry was at home planning his prank when the letter arrived for him from Professor Snape. He had genuinely been proud he could save him. Snape was always someone he'd regretted knowing because of how awfully he'd been treated at James Potters hands. He was in the process of planning his death eater nation wide prank when a thought occurred to him. Not all people can eat or even like cupcakes! Luna came in the door and he turned to her smiling. "Luna I've been thinking of pranking Voldermort by making sure he has no death eaters. The people would still be alive but just be regular purebloods but I do need your help!"
"What a fantastic idea Harry. How can I help you?" she asked him kissing him deeply. "Well I wondered if there is an available charm to count the number of people with a certain brand or tattoo that we could key into the dark mark. I would also need this charm to be able to deliver something to all of these people. Since you're the charms expert you'd know" he said happily. "Yes well it is as you say my area of expertise. There is such a charm but it doesn't count what you're suggesting however I can have it do that. Stand back I'm going to cast it now. Quot imaginem rerum?" After she said the spell a list of two hundred and fifty names appeared on a parchment in front of them. "I'm going to see Tom the Leaky Cauldron bar tender I'll be back" he said leaving quickly. He went to the Leaky Cauldron smiling brightly. He was now in his Grimm persona. "Good Afternoon I am looking for Tom the owner of this pub?" he said to Tom who smiled at him. "That would be me sir. How can I help you?" "Good afternoon my name is Mr Grimm and I was wondering if you'd like to make a lot of profit today, you see I have a huge work function and I wanted to give each of my fifty workers a bottle of firewhiskey to thank them for their hard work throughout the year. Would you be interested in supplying me with them. I mean I could go elsewhere but I've heard that your establishment is the best and I want the best for my employees as you can understand of course."
Tom looked like all his Christmases had come at once. "Wow Mr Grimm that would be an honour for me but will cost you a lot of money. I mean fifty bottles would cost you twenty five thousand galleons. Are you sure you can afford it?" he asked nervously as he worried that this money would be taken away from him before he had the chance to even get it. "I have my Gringotts card here. I'll take them now oh and make that twenty six thousand. I want you to take one thousand for yourself that doesn't go into the business. Please don't argue that point with me as it will upset me and when I'm upset I don't usually want to do business with the person who upset me. I like you and wish to continue my business here in future." He presented his card and Tom felt his pockets fill with the thousand galleons as his till was full to near bursting. He quickly tapped the till with his wand and tapped a card he had produced and the money seemed to severely lessen. It was obvious that he'd transferred it to his account at Gringotts. He placed the order in a box and minimized it so it could be easily carried out of there.
Harry aparated to where Hermione was in persona now at her own pub in Diagon Alley. When he saw her he knew who she was being. "Mrs Williams please can I have a word with you upstairs?" "Oh Mr Grimm of course right this way" she said eyeing his parcel oddly. Once they were upstairs he re-sized the box. "Hermione I am here to ask for your help. I need your pub to supply me with a further one hundred bottles of firewhiskey of which I will pay for of course. I'll be getting one hundred more from my own pub and paying them there as well. I'd also like to know if there is a way we can fool potion detection methods. I ask because I want to put an even mixture of basilisk venom and phoenix tears in each bottle to send to the death eaters but I want to be sure no one can detect the basilisk venom. I don't care about the tears as they are often seen as a sign of extreme good luck so no one will mind them being present." Hermione smiled at him and pulled her wand out muttering an incantation over the bottles. "Harry you may cast the gemino curse on these items until you have the number required and then I shall remove it upon which time you will be able to put the items in the bottles and reseal them undetected."
He performed the gemino curse and added the ingredients to every bottle. He added a compulsion charm to instantly want a drink from the bottle when the person received it. He then set about writing the letter to attach itself to each one.
Dear _, I am proud to say I am one of your new bosses and will be taking over at the Ministry and how things are run there. I'm not supposed to go for favouritism but I don't really care about it. The fact of the matter is I've been watching you and I greatly appreciate your efforts at the Ministry. This is why I am sending some luxury firewhiskey to my most select employees if you catch my drift. As I'm not supposed to have favouritism please don't tell anyone you've received it as you are one of the rare select few who did. We appreciate your efforts at the ministry. Thank you and we hope you will work for us for many years to come yet. Please enjoy your complimentary firewhiskey, signed your new bosses.
Harry chuckled as he added in everyone's name and sent them all off to the appropriate people. Lucious Malfoy was at his home office when the parcel arrived. He eyed it suspiciously and read the letter grinning. Finally someone who thinks like me, that I am select and rarely special he thought as he poured himself a glass. I really am the best in the ministry, to me! He thought raising his glass in toast to himself. Due to the charm on it he downed the more then normal sized glass he'd poured himself and started screaming. His wife ran in looking highly worried. "Lucious what's the matter oh my god your arm! Can I help you?" she said sobbing slightly as he screamed once again and passed out. When he woke up ten minutes later he threw the bottle of firewhiskey in the fireplace and watched as it burnt viciously. "Some new boss of mine thought he'd try to poison me the damn fool could have killed me!" he shouted in rage. "B...b...but Lucious y...y...your a...arm!" shouted Narcissa looking seriously at him. "Oh for the love of god woman shut up about my damn arm!" he said looking at it and shrieking himself.
"The dark mark is gone! What is the meaning of this? I swear I'll kill the one responsible who disrespected my great master in anyway!" he shouted but then looked at his wife who seemed happy. "I love you Narcissa and I always will. I am relieved to be free of it but for the sake and principle of my master I must find out who did it just so I know even if I never do anything about it!"
Elsewhere Harry and Hermione who had now been joined by Neville and Luna watched the parchment as all the names in black who had previously had the dark mark turned gold or the normal colour they should have been in the first place. Harry had explained about Snape and his experiment and why he knew it would work. Even the Minister of Magic who had no dark mark was now gold. He had been dark for always accepting lies and bribes from people. Harry had another brilliant idea and disillusioned himself as Mr Grimm before popping away to Dumbledore's office. Once there he isolated the memory of Sirius' trial day or shall I say the day he was sent straight to prison and he extracted the memory while Albus had slept without his knowledge and then erased the memory from his brain altogether. He returned and asked Winky to retrieve his pensive for him. He then set about altering the memory without it being noticeable to the authorities. He aparated outside Madame Bones office and knocked.
"Enter!" "Madame Bones my name is Lord Charleston and I have come to bring forward pensive evidence of a serious miscarriage of justice that you will correct if you have any sense. Please contact Cornelius Fudge as he needs to be present for this. It pertains to the fact that one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore admitted under truth serum I administered to him that Lord Sirius Orion Black was innocent and that for the greater good he made sure he never ever received a trial and was innocent all along" he said watching her. She laughed but soon stopped as she saw his seriousness. Fudge was called upon and they all watched the memory in interest.
"Albus I have given you truth serum without your knowledge but it was necessary to do so and for that I must apologise. I want to know who was the secret keeper for James and Lily Potter as I am trying to find out as much about them for my book as I can?"
"Peter Pettigrew was. We all thought it would be funny if Sirius Black their best friend tricked everyone by saying he was the secret when he was not. People of course believed him and it just seemed to fit the situation perfectly".
"Is Peter Pettigrew dead? Where is he?"
"Peter Pettigrew sliced off his own finger and blew up the street killing all those muggles as he left. He is currently the pet rat of Ronald Billius Weasley. He is not registered as an animagus which is why no one will know that."
"Why did you blame Sirius when he was innocent?"
"You must understand I had no choice. It was for the greater good and he would have inhibited my plans for Harry Potter. He is never to be out of prison because at least there he can never interfere with my plans for Harry."
"But he was innocent does it not bother you that he received no trial and was sent to prison anyway?"
"As it was I who made sure that happened no it will never bother me. He was nuisance and he would have tried to take Harry from his aunt and uncles where I left him to be mistreated so I could then rescue him."
"Why was it important you should rescue him? I've heard he no longer lives with his aunt and uncle and that his parents left him a guardian in their will."
"Because there is a prophesy concerning him and Voldermort that must be fulfilled. He must die at the appropriate time so that I may kill Voldermort myself. If he does not die Voldermort will continue to torture and abuse innocent people and it will be on Harry's head if he does. Also I know about his new guardian and I am most ashamed Lily and James betrayed me as I specifically said to them make me Harry's guardian in your will if you ever have one and they didn't listen to me. No matter though I am Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and I can immediately refuse to acknowledge this person's legal rights to watch over Harry and have him back in his relatives where he belongs!"
"You seem pretty sure Voldermort is not dead why is that and can you prove it if necessary?"
"When the killing spell rebounded and hit Voldermort a part of his soul latched itself onto the only living thing it could find Harry himself. Hence forth the scar he has. Besides which Voldermort created seven horcruxes one of which is the cup of Hufflepuff which can be found in Bellatrix LeStrange's vault."
"How do we destroy them?"
"The only way to destroy them is using either the sword of Gryffindor which I will never give anyone or basilisk venom but no one knows that part."
"what are the rest and where are they?"
"There's a ring located in Gaunt Manor belonging to Tom Riddles father. He has a diary he had in school which is currently in the Malfoy Vault at Gringotts. It has his name embossed on the outside of it. There is Ravenclaw's lost Diadem in the Room of Requirement here at the castle. There is his personal snake which he has now left inside Bathilda Bagshot at Godrics Hollow. I've already explained the cup before. The last one is Slytherin's locket currently in Possession of Kreacher the current house elf for the Black family. He doesn't know how to destroy it but has tried many times."
"What would happen if they were all destroyed?"
"Well of course then Voldermort would be once again mortal so I could kill him and get all the credit. I mean it is after all as I say for the greater good and don't worry about Harry as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot I can see that Sirius stays in jail forever if I want to and that Harry goes back to his relatives."
"I have now given you the antidote and remember deleting your memory will not help you as I have the evidence here on me. Goodbye Professor!"
They all came out of the pensive looking shaken. Madame Bone's requested everyone stay in her office as she aparated away. She returned moment's later with a sleeping rat in a cage. "I have replaced Ronald Weasley's rat with a new one. He will not notice the difference. Now if what Dumbledore says is true I should be able to cast the animagus revealing charm and he should change back. If not I'll just kill the rat and move on!" she said seriously.
They were both horrified when the sleeping rat changed to a sleeping man. Peter Pettigrew was not dead. She put a forcefield around him and woke him up. "Come on now wakey, wakey Peter!" she shouted as the man jolted awake. "Who are you where am I?" "You're in the Ministry Peter and you have been arrested for not legally announcing you were an animagus and as such will be questioned under veritas serum for your crime. Don't worry you'll probably just suffer a fine or something!" she said ramming the truth serum down his throat before he could object.
"Please state your name for the purposes of our records."
"I'm Peter Andrew William Pettigrew."
"Can you explain how it is you have come to be alive after we all thought you were dead?"
"Yes I can. The night I told Voldermort that James and Lily were staying in Godrics Hollow and where he could find them I realised that unfortunately I had not been alone and that Sirius Black my friend had seen me. I then proceeded to cut off my finger and blasted that street full of those stupid muggles while escaping. People thought it had been an accident but it had not I meant those stupid muggle scum to die! I realised that after Sirius had gone after me and Dumbledore had seen him do it he'd instantly presume Sirius and shove him in jail which is what he did. He is however not aware that I would know he would do that. Dumbledore's main weakness in his extreme addiction to power and I knew once Harry had survived he'd have to get his hands on him!"
"Who was named as Harry's legal guardian in their will?"
"Oh Sirius was of course but with him rotting in jail on the orders of Dumbledore I knew Harry would never get to meet Sirius. That in and of itself suited both myself and Dumbledore for obvious but different reasons!"
"Peter Andrew William Pettigrew you have confessed to helping Dumbledore illegally imprison an innocent man and for that we shall forego the Dementors. Your Order of Merlin First Class is rescinded and is to be awarded to Sirius Orion Black upon his release. You are now to accompany me, Lord Charleston and the Minister of Magic down to the veil room to receive your immediate death sentence!" she ordered as she led them down the veil room. Once they arrived he was pushed towards the veil of death. "Peter you have been found guilty of willingly killing muggles and wrongfully imprisoning an innocent man. You are now to die, may god have mercy on your soul!" she said as peter was pushed into the veil and to his death. An idea then struck Harry as he imperioused the minister but made it look as though he was fine.
"Amelia I'd like to be in charge of the punishment for Albus Dumbledore. I know what will upset him the most which is loosing power. Having him in jail would do him no good so I will propose the following. I am removing him as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump of the IWC. He can remain in charge of Hogwarts and Hogwarts only. Also here is a signed and authorised permission slip giving full and total legal custody of Harry James Potter to Sirius Orion Black. As Lord Charleston here was the one who uncovered all of this it is only fair that he accompany us to see us formerly release Sirius Black. Before we go though call an immediate press meeting now! They are going to hear from the horses mouth as the muggles would say what happened."
In twenty minutes all the important people in the wizarding world as well as everyone working for the Ministry were awaiting his probably rousing speech. "Amelia I will handle this my own way so agree to whatever I say next and trust me when I say it will not be bad. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, Ministry workers in total I have a confession to make. Earlier in the day yesterday I became sick of all the crimes not being followed up successfully after more and more were committed so I said rather brashly that the next person to break a rule or law no matter what it was, was to be questioned under veritas serum whether they liked it or not. Earlier today a young man I believed originally to be dead turned up after breaking the law when he didn't register himself as an animagus and was questioned under the serum. As it turns out this young man was called Peter Andrew William Pettigrew."
"While under the serum he admitted to framing Sirius Black for his murder and the murders of those muggles when actually he was the one who killed them himself. He then went further to say he had revealed the location of James and Lily Potter as he had been their Secret Keeper and not Sirius Black. He said they all came up with an idea of pranking everyone by lying and saying Sirius was the secret keeper when in fact he himself was. He betrayed their location to his master or should I say Voldermort. He is the reason Harry Potter is without any parents. Also because of the untrustworthy things he has claimed about certain people Albus Dumbledore has been removed as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump of the IWC but will retain his position as headmaster of Hogwarts. Unfortunately because of our own secrecy laws I am forbidden from telling you what Peter said about these people but I can assure you Albus is safe as are the rest of the people in Wizarding Britain right now. My new Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot will be Amelia Bones as I trust her with my own life."
"Given what Peter has confessed to Sirius Black is now free of all charges and as a way of deeply apologising to him for our serious misconduct and misguided evidence. We will be awarding him the Order of Merlin First Class with all the compensatory money that comes with it. Lord Black is now and ever shall be the sole guardian of Mr Harry James Potter as specified in his parents will, which had up until this moment been mislaid. I warn you now Sirius is an innocent man and any attempts on his life or anything that would tamper in any way with him will be met with the most serious of all punishments. I will not tolerate Bigotry in my Ministry. I think it is only fair to tell you that Peter has provided us with a way of permanently killing Voldermort. I say Voldermort as fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself and is quite ridiculous. As of this morning for his crimes Peter Andrew William Pettigrew was killed. That is all good day to you!" he said as everyone was left most stunned. It started with Arthur Weasley and soon everyone was clapping and cheering for their Minister.
In a cold cell in Azkaban sat Sirius Black who was contemplating either pulling all his hair out or suicide. He was shocked when his gate was opened and in stepped the Minister for Magic with two other people. "Lord Sirius Orion Black please stand. On today August the 29th nineteen ninety one at precisely two pm in the afternoon one Peter Andrew William Pettigrew was sent through the veil to his death after he admitted having a hand in your wrongful imprisonment. Suffice to say also as a result Albus Dumbledore has been stripped of his titles of Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump of the IWC. Lord Sirius Orion Black you are today released from prison and all black marks removed from your records. I am pleased to give you the primary custody of your godson Harry James Potter as per the wishes of his parents as stated in their will which Peter had hidden with the help of Dumbledore. Lastly you are to receive the Order of Merlin first class and the sum total of nine hundred and ninety nine billion galleons as compensatory monies for your wrongful imprisonment. Follow me please back to the Ministry where we can have our healers check you out for mind and magical blocks and such. Also you can't be seen like that as you look terrible dear fellow. We'll provide you with the finest robes!"
Sirius Whooped then as he'd not whooped before until the shock got to him and he fainted. They escorted him to Ministry. At last Sirius was a free man!