Part Twenty One

Discussion Within Azkaban

In spite of getting a couple of hours more of sleep after Harry's screaming had woke him up earlier that day, Draco found himself still tired as he entered his godfather's class. He was walking alongside Harry while Ron followed them with Neville at his side; he had to admit he may not like Ron all that much but he was beginning to, slowly, warm up to the freckle faced Weasley.

It wasn't likely that Draco would ever see Ron as his friend but at least he no longer saw the youngest son of the Weasleys as an enemy.

Sitting down beside Harry, Draco rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he watched his godfather sweep into the front of his room, his black cloak billowing out behind him. As Snape begin issuing instructions, Draco found himself forcing down a yawn. He was unsure of what had kept him up last night after he had fallen asleep for about two hours.

Harry glanced at him. "Are you all right, Draco?" he asked as Snape finished giving the instructions and the class began to gather their supplies to start brewing the potion.

"Yeah just tired. I only got a couple of hours of sleep last night."

"I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault. I woke up two hours after you did and wasn't able to get back to sleep."

"Oh poor baby," Gregory Goyle sneered from where he was teamed up with Blaise nearby.

"Oh you're just upset because your buddy got suspended," Draco sneered back.

"That is not true. At least I'm not a big crybaby who wakes up screaming every bloody night," Goyle said with a sneer that was directed not at the Malfoy heir but rather at the boy that was sitting beside him.

Harry flinched slightly at that and Draco scowled. "It wasn't as if it was his fault," he snapped back.

"Can he not talk for himself? Are you going to be the Snape brat's mouth now, Malfoy?" Goyle sneered.

Snape, who had disappeared into his office earlier, walked out of it to check on the progress of his students at that moment.

Draco and Goyle were glaring daggers at each other and Draco was the first to notice his godfather's arrival while Goyle didn't seem to have noticed and continue to talking his mouth off.

Draco stayed silent until Goyle was finished. "Are you finished, Goyle?" he asked flatly in a tone that was very much like the tone his father often used.

"No," Goyle spat. "And I am not even talking to you, Malfoy. I'm talking to the Snape brat sitting next to you."

"Perhaps Mr. Snape is too busy focusing on his work rather than listening to you two interrupting the class with your bickering," Snape said smoothly. "Five points each from Slytherin for interrupting the class and distracting your classmates."

Some of the Gryffindors snickered at that while the Slytherins, aside from Harry, glowered at Goyle and Draco. Draco glanced at Snape. "Sorry Professor Snape," he said politely before he turned his attention to the potion that Harry was working on by himself. "Anything I can do to help, Harry?"

Harry nodded before pointing toward the herbs nearby. "Get those prepared; we'll need to put them in almost as soon as the color turns green," he said.

Draco nodded before glancing at the instructions on the board so that he would know what to do and immediately went to work while ignoring the glower that Goyle was delivering him. Snape noticed this as well and snapped at Goyle to get back to work and not worry about the other students.

Adding in the herbs when Harry told him to, Draco watched as Harry stirred the potion clockwise and it turned a faint orange color. As the two of them worked side by side with each other, they finally managed to brew a nearly perfect potion and earn back the points Draco and Goyle had lost with their bickering.

Nearby, Ron and the Gryffindor Seamus Finnigan had brewed an acceptable potion while Neville and his partner nearly melted their cauldron yet again. Snape was walking up and down the aisles, criticizing some work, especially Neville's, and praising others before handing out or taking points left and right. Harry had noticed since the beginning of the year that Snape, in spite of what others had said, was not being biased toward other houses and that certainly did not change today.

"Bottle the potion and place it on my desk," Snape ordered. "And remember the assignment that I gave last class will be due once winter holidays are over with. Class dismissed."

"Have you started on that assignment yet, Harry?" Ron asked walking over to join Harry as the two of them placed their vials on the desk and Draco started heading back to his desk but paused when he heard Ron's question.

"I only got about a foot of it done," Harry admitted.

"Oi, you have more than I got. Do you think you can help me?"

Draco noticed some other Slytherins and Gryffindors do a double take when they heard Ron's question; a Gryffindor asking a Slytherin for help? Draco could almost hear the question that was going through their mind.

What was the world coming to?

"Okay. Dad said that we'll be spending Christmas with your family anyway so I'll help you then," Harry said as the two of them fell into step beside each other and Draco followed them as the students left the dungeons.

"All right Harry," Ron said.

"How much of the assignment have you finished, Draco?" Harry asked glancing sat the blonde boy.

"About as much as you got done," Draco replied as the three of them continued walking next to each other unaware of the glares they were receiving from their classmates.

The winter holidays began the following day and Severus found himself wishing that he still had another week of school left to go. He was really not anticipating his journey to Azkaban to speak with one of the banes of his Hogwarts schooling years but he knew he would have to get it over with. The headmaster had scheduled the meeting the day before and, though it was a bit sudden, the warden had agreed to give Severus twenty minutes with Sirius Black.

As he watched Harry and Draco say goodbye to Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger, Severus found himself wondering how much things had changed since the school year began. For one, the house rivalries didn't seem to have affected Harry's friendships with Draco, Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger and they seemed to still be friends in spite of the fact that none of their houses approved of it.

Severus never really cared for the house rivalries and he was glad that Harry had inherited that from him. The Potions Professor knew for a fact that the houses would eventually have to put aside their rivalries when Voldemort returned after all. Severus really wasn't looking forward to that although he knew that Voldemort's return was inevitable. He only hoped it wouldn't occur for several more years at least.

Draco and Harry stepped back after saying goodbye to their friends before walking over to join Severus. "So are we leaving now, godfather?" Draco asked glancing up at the Potions Professor as Harry watched his friends board the Hogwarts Express and leave the school.

"Yes," Severus replied before adding grimly, "but I'll be leaving for a while once we reach Malfoy Manor."

"Why?" Harry asked glancing up at his father in confusion.

"Perhaps I'll explain at another time now come, we must not keep your father waiting, Draco."

Draco nodded before he and Harry followed Severus as the Potions Master led the way back to the dungeons.

The three of them floo traveled directly to Malfoy Manor and was greeted by Lucius and Narcissa immediately. Harry had finally managed to stay upright when he arrived at his destination while floo traveling so Severus did not have to help keep Harry from falling.

"Hello Harry," Lucius greeted Harry after he and Narcissa welcomed their son home. "And hello to you too, Severus."

Severus merely inclined his head in response. "I cannot stay long, Lucius," he said grimly. "The headmaster wants me to run a quick…errand but I will be back tomorrow."

"I will watch your son until then, Severus," Lucius said calmly. "What errand does the headmaster wish for you to run this close to Christmas time?"

"Long story," Severus admitted. "And I am a bit pressed for time." This was true because the meeting had been scheduled for an hour from now and Severus knew it would take time for him to get to Azkaban and speak with the warden.

He really wasn't looking forward to this.

"Very well Severus."

"Harry, why don't we go flying around outside? You can borrow one of my old brooms for the time being?" Draco said happily.

Harry smiled. "May I?" he asked Lucius politely and Severus felt glad that his son was still polite.

"Of course, go ahead," Lucius replied and Harry, grinning from ear to ear, dashed after Draco up the spiral staircase to the second floor of the manor.

"I will see you tomorrow, Lucius," Severus said before he turned around, stepped back into the floo and floo traveled to Prince Manor. From there, he walked past the wards surrounding his house and, turning on the spot, apparated to the Azkaban prison with a faint crack.

The warden was a robust man with blue eyes that met him at the gates of the prison and Severus had a feeling that this man was either a Ravenclaw or a Gryffindor when he went to Hogwarts. He was unsure of which however so he merely greeted the warden mildly.

"You have twenty minutes with him, Professor," the warden said after the greetings were over and done with. "And you may want to cast your Patronus, especially with the amount of dementors that are here."

Severus nodded.

"Come, he is being held in the most secure portion of the prison," the warden added before he led the way into the prison, after he cast his own patronus charm, an alligator, and Severus, casting his patronus and allowing the doe to encircle him, followed him. With their patronuses surrounding them, the dementors avoided them and Severus found himself entering the most secure portion of Azkaban. It felt cold and dark here and Severus shivered as he remembered the three months he had spent within this prison.

Black was likely to be in even worse shape since he's been here for more than a decade.

When they reached the cell, the warden looked through the bars. "Black, you have a visitor!" he called.

"A visitor!" a soft semi-calm voice sounded beyond the bars.

"Yes. I will leave you be now, Professor," the warden said before he walked away and Severus got a good look at what ten years in Azkaban had done to Sirius Black. Black looked haggard with longer hair and a beard and yet it didn't look as though Black had been affected much by the dementors of the prison.

Black glanced up. "Snape?" he murmured. "What are you doing here?"

"To speak with you, why else?" Severus sneered back. "I came concerning Lily and James's will actually and Harry."

"Harry?"

"Yes."

"Why would you be so concerned about Harry?"

"Because he is my son."

Black sat up sharply at that little bit of news. "That's not possible. James would've told me," he protested.

"Believe me, I did not know until less than a year ago," Severus said with a sneer.

Black shook his head. "That's not possible," he murmured. "Lily would never have done that."

"It happened before she was married to James."

Black let out a harsh laugh. "Yeah like that makes it much better," he growled. "My godson is the son of a Death Eater. Will wonders never cease?" That last was said sardonically and was followed by another harsh laugh.

Severus began to rethink his thoughts on how Azkaban had not affected Black.

"Black," Severus said finally. "In spite of how much I loathe to admit it, James did name you Harry's godfather and I cannot ignore that it was James who took care of Harry, even for only a year, when I could not. Therefore, I have agreed to let you remain Harry's godfather."

That hurt to say, Severus thought but didn't repeat his thought out loud.

Black let out another sardonic laugh. "Yeah but what good will that do while I'm in here and that bloody rat still roams free?"

Severus frowned; he had been about to approach what had caused Black to be tossed into Azkaban but this new information caught him by surprise. "What are you talking about, Black?"

"Peter Pettigrew," Black growled before he gazed at Severus and added, "Pettigrew was Lily and James's Secret Keeper, not me. He framed me! I did not kill those muggles, he did! I was trying to stop him! Oh why did I have to follow that bloody traitor?" He let out a whimper that sounded faintly like that of a dog.

"Lily had left proof of them choosing Pettigrew as your Secret Keeper within the Potter vault," Severus said smoothly. "And the headmaster admitted to me that you were never given a trial."

Black's lip curled in a sneer. "What good'll this do now?" he snapped. "I doubt the Minister is just gonna let me walk free."

"If you are innocent then he may. Either way, Albus instructed me to hear your side of the story although you seem to have already explained your side of the story."

Black let out another harsh laugh. "I never thought I'd see the day when Snivellus would offer to help me," he sneered.

"Don't try my patience, Black," Severus growled. "I am only helping you under the Headmaster's orders."

"And because you agreed to keep me as Harry's godfather."

"There's that as well."

Black snorted. "Fine," he said. "As I already told you, Lily and James chose Peter Pettigrew as their Secret Keeper not me because they felt that Voldemort wouldn't suspect him." He let out a harsh laugh. "Turns out they were wrong about that. Anyway, after Pettigrew betrayed the Potters, he then massacred those muggles and I chased after him. Naturally, he somehow escaped, most likely in his animagus form, and I was arrested and tossed in here."

"I take it his animagus form is a rat."

"Yeah."

Severus narrowed his eyes. "I'll tell the headmaster, Black, even though I'm unsure of whether or not I believe you," he said.

"Then give me veritaserum and I'll prove to you that I'm telling the truth," Black cried. "I did not betray Lily and James!"

"Your twenty minutes are up," the warden said walking back at that moment and Black sank back in his cell while Severus glanced at the warden.

Lowering his head in thanks, Severus walked away from Black's cell still thinking about what his rival during his years at Hogwarts had told him.

After spending half of the winter holidays with Draco and the Malfoys, where he spent most of his time either flying around on the Comet broom he borrowed from Draco or attempting to finish their winter holidays homework or playing games such as Wizard's Chess or Exploding Snap, Harry was now getting ready to floo travel to the Weasleys to spend Christmas over there.

Snape had been deep in thought for the last week since he had come back from the errand he had to run for the headmaster and Harry was unsure of what was on his father's mind. He glanced at Draco. "I guess I'll see you when school starts again," he said smiling.

Draco nodded. "Have fun at the Weasleys," he said with a slight sneer.

"I will," Harry replied before he stepped into the floo and took the floo powder Snape had handed to him. "The Burrow!" He called before tossing the floo powder down and the green flames enveloped him before he disappeared and reappeared in the Burrow.

"Harry!" Ron greeted him as Harry stepped out of the floo and Mrs. Weasley walked over to join and hugged him.

"Welcome back to the Burrow, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said as the floo flared to life and Snape stepped out of it. "And hello to you too, Severus."

"Molly," Snape replied inclining his head briefly.

Harry noticed that Fred, George, Percy, Ginny and one other that Harry didn't recognize where standing around the floo to greet them. "Hi Fred, George, Percy, Ginny," Harry greeted them.

"Arthur had to work late today so he'll be back in a couple of hours," Mrs. Weasley was saying to Snape but Harry was too busy examining the other red haired boy.

"Harry, this is my elder brother Charlie," Ron said gesturing toward the unknown boy. "He's visiting for the winter holidays from Romania; get this, mate, he deals with actual dragons on a daily basis."

"Wow," Harry said smiling.

"Why don't we go into the dining room for some tea?" Mrs. Weasley suggested and Harry noticed that it was about four in the afternoon.

Harry nodded before following the others into the dining room with his father just behind him.

The days leading up to Christmas went by quick; Harry spent most of it with his friends although he did go with his father for a couple of days to shop in Diagon Alley for gifts. He had been unsure of what to get Ron, Hermione, Draco, Fred, George and Percy for Christmas so he decided to get something Quidditch related for Ron, a new book for Hermione and he was still unsure of what to get for Draco.

He finally decided on something that he hoped Draco would like and then he wondered what he could get his father as well as the Weasleys and the Malfoys as well. It took him a while but he managed to figure out what to get for each of them although he had to stay for a while longer with Mrs. Weasley while Snape disappeared into the Gringotts bank for a bit after they were done shopping.

"You don't have to get me anything, dad," Harry said when Snape rejoined him and the two of them, along with Mrs. Weasley and the rest of the Weasley clan, went back to the Burrow.

"I wished to get you something, Harry," Snape replied.

"Thank you, dad, but…"

"Harry, you'll like it, I'm sure you will."

Harry nodded slowly before sighing. "Well thanks," he said quietly before he sidelong apparated with Snape back to the Burrow and were followed by the Weasley clan.

Christmas came quicker than Harry would have thought possible and before long, he and his father were sitting along with the Weasley clan getting ready to open their gifts. Hedwig was dropping off presents from Hermione and Draco while Mrs. Weasley was sorting through the gifts and handing them out to who they belonged to.

Harry was still getting used to actually receiving gifts when a little over a year ago, he was serving his aunt and uncle and forced to spend Christmas within his cupboard. He found himself glad that he had a father and would never have to return to the Dursleys ever again. Nevertheless, he received gifts not only from Hermione and Draco but also from his father, Ron, Fred, George, Percy, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and even Ginny gave him a small gift.

Fred and George had given him a prank kit and Harry found himself looking through the contents even while his father, scowling at the Weasleys, glanced at him. "If I find you that you've used that on any student while at school then you'll be grounded for a month," he said firmly.

"I know dad," Harry said with a sigh as he closed the kit and placed it aside before taking the gift from Mrs. Weasley and opening it up to find a green sweater in it that he lifted up and examined it.

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley," Harry said noticing that the sweater was really soft.

"You're welcome, sweetie," Mrs. Weasleys said smiling.

Harry then picked up the gift from Hermione and opened it up to find a book, naturally, and it was about the many mythical creatures of the wizarding world. A note was placed on it and Harry picked up the note before reading it.

I thought you might like to read this book; I found it interesting. -Hermione

Ron snorted. "Typical of 'Mione to give you a book for Christmas," he said not unkindly.

"She gave you one too," Harry reminded him pointing to the book that was lying beside Ron next to the sweater his mother had given him.

"True."

Harry picked up the present from Ron and found that it was another book and he glanced at his friend with a raised eyebrow. "You sent me a book?" he echoed.

"What? I thought you'd enjoy it," Ron replied.

Harry glanced at the title of the book. Quidditch Through the Ages it was called and Snape, after reading it, muttered something under his breath that Harry couldn't hear. He flipped through the first pages of the book before glancing at Ron. "Thanks, Ron," he said.

"No problem, mate. You like Quidditch so I decided that might be the best gift."

"I decided you mean, little bro," Fred said.

Ron scowled at his elder brother.

Harry laughed before he reached for the gift that his father had given him before he unwrapped it. Harry noticed immediately that it was a two part gift and the first turned out to be a emerald pendant attached to a silver necklace and he lifted up the pendant into his hand.

"Your dad gave you jewelry?" Ron echoed eyes wide.

"I think it's pretty," Ginny said quietly. "It matches his eyes." As if realizing what she had just said, and noticing the shocked look tossed at her from Harry, Ginny blushed before looking down at the unopened present in his hand.

"It belonged to your mother, I gave it to her about a month before we broke up," Snape said and Harry glanced at his father who was examining the pendant. "I didn't realize she kept it but I found it in the Potter vault when I went to Gringotts. It has a spell on it that will warn me if you are ever in danger." He then gestured to the identical pendant that hung around his neck.

Harry gazed at the pendant that belonged to his mother before he clasped it in both of his hands. "Thank you dad," he whispered eyes wide.

Snape looked uncomfortable before he gestured to the rest of the gift. "That I wanted to give you for your birthday but I was unable to find it until Cai found it after Halloween so I decided to give it to you now," he said.

Harry lifted out the item and he noticed immediately that it was a photo album and when he flipped it open, he gasped when he caught sight of who was on the first page. A woman with flaming red hair and emerald eyes laughing and waving in the moving picture.

"Mum?" he whispered glancing at Snape.

Snape nodded. "That's your mother, yes Harry," he replied.

Harry felt tears well up in his eyes as he gently touched the moving picture before he flipped through the album. He noticed there were plenty of pictures in it, most of them of Lily and Snape; some were moving while others were not as if taken by a muggle camera.

"There are empty pages so that you can fill it with your own memories," Snape said when Harry came to the end of the pictures. "But I thought it would be best for you to have it."

"Thank you!" Harry said gazing up at his father and hugging him with tears sparkling in his green eyes.

Snape gently hugged Harry back before releasing him. "You're welcome son," he replied as Harry returned his gaze to the pictures and smiled as he continued to gaze at the face of the mother he never knew.

A/n what do you think?

Blaze: and that was part twenty one

Darth: what's going to happen in the next chapter?

Blaze: Dumbledore will get the Wizengamot to finally give Sirius a trial

Darth: cool

Severus: ugh, now I have to deal with Sirius Black?

Sirius: (sneers in a very Snape like manner) I don't like it anymore than you do, Snivellus

Severus: STOP CALLING ME THAT!

Sirius: (smirks) not likely

Harry: who's this?

Severus: you'll find out in the next chapter

Harry: oh okay

Blaze: so please review and I will post part twenty two as soon as I possibly can