Jack appeared in Hogwarts's infirmary with Draco in his arms, along with a worried Harry clinging to him, a little out breathe having ran from the cemetery in Hogsmeade straight for Hogwarts. Inside, a worried Poppy greeted them, "Albus said you'll be here with Malfoy. Let me look at him,"

At that same moment, Severus, Albus and Minerva burst through the Hospital Wing's door. Albus quickly head for the bed; all of them looked as though they had just returned from a battlefield, "How is he? I asked Fawkes to grab the boy and bring him somewhere Malfoy cannot get to," He noticed Jack, "I'm so sorry for bothering you, Jack,"

Jack shook his skull, "Never mind that, what happened?"

Harry nodded, "Draco looked like he just came out of a burning house,"

Minerva answered, "Och! That's because the manor was on fire when Fawkes manage to get him out of the house!" She glared at Severus, "Must you blow the manor up?"

Severus growled, "That boy was suffering! He begged for help through a House Elf!"

Harry gasped, "What happened to him? What did his Da do?"

Severus glared at the floor, his black robes looking like he too just came out of a burning house, "Cruciatus curse, bone breaker and several other tortures…and that was the gist of it. The boy was physically harmed as well," He looked at Minerva, "I knew Draco since the day he was born! Do you really expect for me to keep quiet?!"

Minerva glared back at him, "We could have just go to the authorities!"

Severus snorted, "Lucius bloody Malfoy have every single one of the higher ups in his filthy rich pocket! What and who will help Draco? The boy has no other way out! He'll be dead before next term! And Lucius and Narcissa already started planning a new heir!"

"How would you know?"

"I saw them in their fucking mind!"

Harry's eyes widened as Severus roared, tears falling down his eyes. He held back sobs, "They were planning to teach him a lesson but Lucius already willing to sacrifice Draco to bring back the Dark Lord," He palmed his face, "Draco overheard them. That's the reason he asked Dobby to help him get help from me,"

Minerva sighed, "But must you go there dressed as a Death Eater?" She pointedly looked at the mask almost forgotten in Severus's hand. Harry looked at the mask and blinked at the revelation. Severus chuckled, but it wasn't out from amusement, "I confronted the Dark Lord, remember? He knew I'm a snitch," He sneered, "Might as well go with a bang,"

Minerva sighed, "Oh Merlin…" She looked ready to faint so Albus quietly conjured a comfy chair for her as she thankfully fall into its embrace, "Good Lord…what are we getting into now?"

Harry stared between the two professors and looked at the mask in Severus's hand, "Prof Snape was a Death Eater? Aren't they the Dark Lord's supporter?"

Jack looked at the Potion Master that Harry admired. Severus gulped, realising that his answer will define the changes in their friendship, "Harry…" He started but looked away, part of him cursing his foolhardy past self. Albus looked up, "Mr Malfoy is mending. Also, Harry, Prof Snape was a spy for an Order that battled with the Death Eaters,"

Harry's eyes sparkled, "A spy? You mean like James Bond?"

Albus chuckled, "Nothing so…adventurous, I assure you," He shared a look with Severus who fell silent before sensing Jack watching them. Albus sighed mentally, knowing that a long discussion will be held between him and the Lord of Halloween. Severus turned away and excused himself, "Good night,"

Minerva looked at Albus, "You do realise that Lucius will try to get Severus thrown into Azkaban, right?"

Albus nodded, "I know…we need a distraction," He turned to Minerva, "A really good distraction that they will ignore Lucius Malfoy completely," He snapped his fingers, "Ah! I think I can ask someone from Azkaban to distract the government, at the same time making his escape!"

Minerva frowned, "What are you talking about, Albus?" Her eyes widened as his words returned to her, "Wait! You are saying that you are going to help a criminal escape Azkaban? Are you out of your bloody mind?!" She nearly screeched the words, her eyes flashing dangerously. She started to think that maybe its high time that Albus get a long vacation…perhaps a permanent retirement from anything like wars or politics.

Jack stared at him with wide eyes, "If I'm not wrong and my memory serves me well, isn't Azkaban the prison for magical criminals?"

Albus nodded, "Yes, yes, but!" He raised his finger, "There is one that I have been desperately seeking to release and give proper trial. The Ministry refused and rebuked my wish for the last five years,"

Minerva glared at him, "I understand Severus, so who?"

"Sirius Black,"

Minerva whipped out her wand, "That's it! Poppy, help me tie him to one of your bed! I'll ask Severus to do some mind healing with him!"

Poppy would have piped up for them to quiet down but knowing Minerva and Albus, she decided to just place a sound proofing dome over Draco's bed. She looked between the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress, "I think I'd rather stay out of this. I'm a Healer, not a fighter," So she wrapped her arms over her chest and looked at them nonchalantly.

Minerva rolled her eyes and got ready to cast a spell when Jack stood between the two of them, "Alright, Minerva! Calm down, let us listen to what Albus have to say?" He looked at her with his eyes sockets pointedly. Minerva gritted her teeth, "You don't understand Jack! Sirius Black is a traitor and a murderer! He's the reason James and Lily died!"

Jack stiffened and turned to Albus, "I do hope you have a good reason as to why you wanted this Black character on the loose. Even for a diversion, don't you think that is stretching it a bit far?"

Albus sighed, "James and Sirius came to me one evening, planning to change the Secret Keeper. I took an oath to keep it secret,"

Minerva paled, "Please not the Unbreakable Vow,"

Albus nodded, "That you don't have to fear, my dear. I took a simple vow…" He looked at Harry, "Your father James and his three friends are very close. Now, one of them is a Werewolf and these three became Animagus to accompany him during full moon, all behind my back of course. They were famously known as the Marauder while in school. You must also understand Harry, that James…well let's just say Prof Snape hated him beyond all reasoning,"

Harry nodded, "Okay…so Sirius Black is a family friend?"

Minerva corrected him, "Was a family friend,"

Albus cleared his throat, "So when they go into hiding, they were hidden by a special spell called the Unplottable Barrier. People under this barrier will seem to just simply vanish but they also tie this barrier to a willing person called the Secret Keeper. Anyone the Secret Keeper told the place of their hiding will be able to see, locate and enter the Unplottable Barrier. Your parent chose Sirius Black,"

Harry stared at him with wide eyes, black murky tears falling down his face as he became confused. Jack held him close as Harry asked, "Why would he tell him?"

Minerva sighed, "No one knows, they were so close too…almost enough to be called brothers," She sniffed, hiding her misting eyes. Jack sighed, "Some people Harry…only they know the reason behind such heart rending actions like betrayal," Jack looked at Albus, "So why do you fight for him to have fair trial,"

Albus nodded, "I remembered Hagrid telling me on the night I left Harry to the Dursley. He told me that Sirius went after Peter Pettigrew, another family friend. It jolted a memory but I believed at that time hidden by Obliviate,"

Minerva looked at him, "What?"

Albus nodded, "You do recall that Sirius Black never get a fair trial and was simply locked up? We only heard stories from the witnesses, never his side. I've been petitioning to talk to him if not for a single trial to proof his crime or innocent,"

Minerva sighed, "Albus, what more proof do you want? He killed thirteen Muggles in his mission to kill Peter!" She looked at Jack, "Nothing was left of the boy but his index finger!"

Harry leaned tighter against Jack, "He killed his friend too?" Harry bit his lower lip, looking at Albus, "Why do you think he's…innocent?"

Albus nodded, "It was five years ago when I finally broke through the Obliviated memory…Sirius wasn't the Secret Keeper the week James and Lily got killed by Voldemort,"

Minerva gasped, "What?"

Albus sighed, "They Obliviated me so to keep the Potter's where about and identity of the Secret Keeper absolute, a sort of a failsafe. They convinced me that no one would suspect Pettigrew, they will all chase after Black, even calling it the Marauder's greatest 'prank',"