Harry locked the door after he had heard the noise that indicated Ron and Hermione had apparated. It had been a long night. James and Lily would wake up soon. He wanted to catch a bit of sleep before that. Little Albus had been very reluctant to go back to sleep but could be persuaded after being told that Prof. Snape alias Sam Ashworth would not be pleased with a disobedient child. Harry chuckled to himself. Stories of an unhappy Father Christmas who would not bring presents had never made an impression on Albus. But tell him his big hero would disapprove of his behaviour and he was as good as a lamb. He would have to remember that. He went up stairs and looked into the boys bedroom again. What a relief. He would wake up later as if nothing had ever their family could go back to their normal little life. It had been such a shock. After all these years that he had lived in relative peace, if you disregarded his job as an Auror, which was just that, a job, and therefore to him a calculated risk, suddenly this old and familiar fear of possibly losing someone he loved to unseen forces of evil had been back. This gripping and terrifying constriction that laid itself across his chest just like it had done back in the days of the Dark Lord had returned. He had so wished he had left those days behind. And of all precious people in his life this time it had effected one of them he wanted to protect more than any other: his children.

But Harry would not just forget this. Somebody had attacked his family and he would find out who had done that and make sure it wouldn't happen again. Whoever thought it appropriate to attack his son, Harry would find him and make sure he'd spent enough time in Azkaban to convince them that attacking little children was a very bad idea.

And who would have thought? Snape was alive! He smiled to himself. That old bat had managed to fool them all. No surprise there though. If anyone could pull such a stunt off it would have to be Snape. He was the most intelligent man right after Albus Dumbledore Harry had ever known. And just when they had needed him most, he had been there and saved his son. An unbidden image of Snape in a friendly fairy costume came to Harry's mind and he had to stop himself from laughing out loud. Snape would not be amused if he knew … and that made not laughing even harder. What a night.

Harry went over to the bedroom he shared with Ginny and found her just getting under the covers.

'Is he sleeping?'

He smiled again. She knew him so well. She had anticipated that he would check on Albus before he would come to bed.

'Yes, Love. He is. And he is back with us.'

'Yes.' She smiled back happily at him.

'I am so happy. And who would have thought. I mean, of all people it was Snape who brought him back.' She shook her head in disbelief. 'Did you know he was still alive?'

Harry sat down on the foot of the bed heavily and shook his head.

'No.'

'No seriously, Harry. Did you know he was alive?'

He turned around to her and laughed.

'No, Ginny. Really. I had no idea. I was… I just couldn't believe my eyes. I saw him there in Germany and ...I don't know. I was so shocked. I mean, of all the people we lost and all the people who helped me… he was the one that was always there. He always protected me and I always hated him. And when I realized that, I had to carry that around with me all these years. Merlin, Ginny, he is alive and I finally have a chance to make it up to him.'

'You heard what he said, though, didn't you?' she asked worriedly.

'What? Oh yeah, yeah sure… I won't start stalking him or something.'

'You better not. He is still far from being a benevolent grandfather.'

Harry laughed again.

'Grandfather? Ginny, don't let him hear you!'

'I sure won't. You heard him. He wants to be left alone and I think we should respect his wishes.'

'Yes...sure.'

'I mean it, Harry.'

'Yes. I won't bother him. I promise.'

Harry got up and emptied the pockets of his trousers. The contents he placed on his bedside table and then started to undress.

'But if he should need me, I will be there.'

'Need you? Harry, you heard what Hermione said. By know Snape is probably the most powerful wizard in Britain. What should he need you for? And no one in there right mind would try to mess with him anyway.'

'I'm just saying. If he calls on me, I'll be there.'

He went into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

Ginny picked up her book and started reading. She was immersed in new magical cake recipes when she noticed a faint glow coming from her left side. She looked over and saw something shining on Harry's bedside table.

'Harry!...Harry, there is something glowing on your bedside table.'

'Wha..?'

Harry looked out of the bathroom with his toothbrush in his mouth.

'Something is glowing on your bedside table.' she said pointing in the direction of the faint light.

'Oh!' he nodded and disappeared again to come back a few seconds later with his mouth rinsed and clean. He went through the stuff on the table and finally saw what was emitting the light. The coin. He picked it up and held it in front of his eyes. No doubt. Snape had pressed the coin.

'Speaking of the devil.'

'What?'

'Oh… nothing. It's Snape. He is calling for us.'

'WHAT? No way.'

'Yep.' he smiled happily and rushed to get dressed again.

'Harry, it must be a mistake. He will have pressed it accidentally. He can't be needing you now...or it's just his sick idea of a joke.'

'Or he wants to test if I'll be true to my word. And I will be true. I'm going to call Hermione and Ron. And then I'll apparate over and check on him.'

'Harry, we're talking about Germany here. You cannot just apparate over.'

'I know. But I won't let him down.'

'You wanted to get some sleep, remember?'

'Ginny, he saved our son. This man saved my life and now he saved our son. And even if all he wants is a cup of freshly ground coffee, I will get him that coffee.'

'Your nuts. Just you see. He will make you his personal slave.'

'Even if. That's alright.'

'You should open up an fanclub with Albus, you know.'

'Who knows. I just might.' he smiled brightly and left the room to contact Hermione and Ron through the floo network. But when he entered the living room, Hermione's head was already there.

'Harry? Harry, the coin.'

'I know, I just came down to contact you.'

'You think it's a real alarm? Ron says Snape is probably just playing a trick on us.'

'That old prick just wants to see if he can chase us around.' Harry heard Ron call from the background.

'No, I think we should go and check. Or at least one of us should. I'll go and let you know.'

'No, I think we should all go.' He heard a loud groan from behind her.

'Ronalds Weasley, I have told you earlier: Snape would never risk discovery just to play a trick on us. And he is doing just that by calling on us. If he pressed that coin, he needs us. And we still don't know who poisoned Albus or why. We cannot risk to take chances here, especially not just because you are tired!'

'So you think he is really in danger?' Harry asked. He had not really thought Snape could seriously need them.

'Harry, I think you should send Ginny and the kids to Molly and Arthur. Rose is there already. But as I said, something is fishy here and we should not take risks. Snape has been living in hiding for almost twenty years. And you heard him. He wants to be left alone. He never liked us. He would not call on us if he he thought he had other options. If he pressed that coin he is in serious trouble.'

Hermione's words shocked Harry. But she was right. He had just chosen to ignore that little voice of panic in the back of his mind.

'Give me a moment to talk to Ginny. I will meet you in 15 min on the cliff at St. Margret's. From there we can apparate to France and then on to Germany. Same way we took yesterday.'

'OK. We'll wait there for you.'

He ended the connection and rushed upstairs. Ginny wasn't going to like this. But better safe than sorry. And he would get to the bottom of this.