Snape's office was certainly in second place in Harry's list of Hogwarts offices he had visited, of course he'd only been in two. It was cold and grey and wherever you looked there seemed to be an ever more disgusting thing in a jar. If had been a few days since his meeting with Dumbledore and Snape had requested his presence, but had left him waiting now for fifteen minutes after the allotted time.

A few minutes later the Professor finally swept into the room, and took the chair opposite Harry.

'Did something keep you Professor?' Harry mocked.

'I have no time for your cheek Potter.' Snape sneered back, they hadn't started on a good foot. 'And in future, I will be arranging no meetings between you and anyone, since you have clearly abused my trust by using such a meeting to attempt to extract political concession from the Headmaster, and multiply his worries.'

Harry shrugged, defiant.

'I'm sure I'll be able get meetings without you Professor.'

Snape leant forward over his desk.

'Not if your spending every, waking, moment, in detention you won't, Potter. You have no idea of the scale of the request and threat you made to the Headmaster, do you?'

'No, probably not, but I'd still do it anyway, I'm not going to give up on my friend.'

'Is there a snake across the table from me? Or a lion, or perhaps a badger? You have a certain low cunning Potter, but for what purpose? What do you do with it? You show a blind loyalty to your friend, even if it means attempting to get one of the most powerful wizards in Europe to sacrifice his political career on a murderer!'

The last word was shouted, the first time he had ever heard Snape raise his voice, and Harry could not pretend he did not feel a little fear then.

'He's never been convicted, and so what if he did it?'

'You think killing witches is fine, Potter? A little baby extremist, maybe you'll turn out to make a good Deatheater after all?'

'There is only one Deatheater in the room Professor, and its not me.'

'Never convicted Potter, just like your precious murderer friend, and yet in some sense clearly guilty, just like your murderer. And what a grand reward you offered too! Sirius Black on the Wizengamot!'

Now Harry was confused, on top of being angry.

'What's the problem with my Uncle?' Harry knew they didn't get along, but surely if Snape was really on Dumbledore's side, then having a vote on the Wizengamot was way more important.

'Your 'Uncle' is the biggest hothead the world has ever seen. One of the reasons that Dumbledore has not pursued his presence in the Wizengamot as rigorously as he could is that Black is sure to alienate people. People like Lady Longbottom are only loosely tied to Dumbledore, having Black bouncing around the chamber like a cannon ball is certain to put the moff.'

'He's really not that bad, he mopes more than anything else.'

'Maybe he's grown in the last few years, but I somehow doubt it. Do you why your 'Uncle' went to Azkaban?'

Harry opened his mouth and then realised he didn't really.

'Killing Peter I guess, but I assume your saying it wasn't that.'

'His crime was on that fateful day, but wasn't anything he did to Peter. Rather when the Aurors arrived to the house where he'd killed him he attacked them in a blind rage, so furious it took them a while to stun him. He went to prison for common assault. Black is worse than his little boyfriend Remus during the full moon.'

'What do you mean?'

'Oh, they haven't told you yet Potter? I suppose you are just a child, even if you refuse to act like one. Remus is a werewolf.'

Harry gaped at Snape.

'First off, I don't care what kind magical creature Remus is, he's still Remus. Secondly, Severus, you are a total bastard.' Harry said standing. 'It was Remus' right to tell me when he wanted, and thought I was ready, and you've just gone and fucked that up out of spite.'

Harry turned and marched to the door, ignoring Snape's stony expression. He reached up to open the door, but it wouldn't move.

'You are dismissed when I say you are Potter.'

'Open the door.'

'I merely wanted to inform you that the Headmaster has accepted your request, against my advice he will be marshalling his forces in favour of Zabini, you best be swift with your adoption request.' He smiled thinly and Harry heard the door clicked behind him. As he opened the door Snape spoke again. 'I'll be seeing you every Saturday and Sunday afternoon Potter for the rest of the year.'

Harry stormed out without giving a reply.

Harry was still fuming when he got back to the Slytherin common room, and if Draco hadn't waved to him he probably would have marched straight to his room.

'What's wrong Harry, did Dumbledore say no?' Draco asked as Harry slammed himself into the seat next to the other boy.

'No he said yes.' Harry ground out between gritted teeth.

'Then what's wrong?' Draco asked, confused.

'Its Snape, he…' Harry stopped and took a big breath. 'Actually it doesn't matter. So what are the numbers looking like now?'

'Better, so much better really. There's three nailed on progressives in the Wizengamot, Abbott, Prewett and Weasley. Plus one for Black, and then the three remaining patriarchal families have indicated they will also vote against, Avery, Lestrange and Nott. So that's seven voting against.'

'Seven is not many among twenty seven.'

'If everyone voted then yeah, but I spoke to my sisters and Daphne and my mother, Lady Greengrass, Parkinson and Blustrode all plan to abstain.'

'Abstain? Is that the best you could do?' Harry asked sharply, the anger not having gone out of him.

'Yes.' Draco replied plainly. 'Anyway, let me finish Potter. There are six families nailed on to vote in favour, the 'Conservatives' led by Crouch, so that's Fawley, Macmillan and Yaxley, and Slughorn and Selywn, and obviously six is less than seven. The problem is with the leaners, only four families might vote against, Shacklebolt, Ollivander, Carrow and Flint, while six families might vote for, Longbottom, Burke, Yaxley, Rowle, Rosier and Travers.'

'Longbottom? I thought she was a progressive?' Harry said, thought Snape had just indicated otherwise earlier.

'Not really.' Draco said shaking his head. 'The Longbottom's are an old, wealthy, traditional and matriarchal family. Augusta Longbottom just hates Voldemort and the Deatheaters, and is a fan of Dumbledore. Dumbledore tries to keep her close, but she isn't going to vote away her wealth or power, which is an essential part of the progressive agenda.'

'Right.' Harry said, feeling slightly overwhelmed. 'When did you learn all this stuff?'

'This stuff? In the past few days. Political stuff in general? Since I could walk Potter.'

'Right, of course.' Harry said, repeating himself. 'And what do you think our next move should be?'

'I don't think there is a next move Harry, you've already done something crazy, threatening Dumbledore like that. Yeah maybe if you talked to Lady Longbottom you could convince her, but its way more conceivable that you fuck it up and alienate her. Harry were eleven, we can't do everything.'

Harry opened his mouth to disagree but then closed it.

'Yeah, maybe you're right. Anyway, should we go tell Blaise?'

Draco nodded.

'Yeah, lets.'

They stood, leaving the crowded common room behind, and starting up the stairs. As often was the case these days Harry was greeted to the sight of Blaise's drawn curtains, though there was no sounding coming from them, so if he was crying he was doing it silently.

'Blaise, come out, we've got something to tell you.' Harry called as he and Draco stood by his bed.

'I'm busy.' Came the slightly trembly reply.

'No you aren't.' Came the much more definitive reply from Draco. 'Come out Blaise, you'll want to hear what we have to say.'

Blaise opened the curtains, it didn't like look he'd been crying, but with his darker skin it was harder to tell, for Harry anyway.

'What is it?' He asked, suddenly sharp.

Draco glanced over at Harry, and when he gave no indication he was going to speak, opened his own mouth.

'Harry convinced Dumbledore, his faction is going to support your Father's appeal, he can win this now.'

Blaise's whole demeanour changed and he nearly bowled over Harry with a hug. As his friend babbled incoherent thanks into Harry's shoulder, Draco gave him the thumbs up. It really felt like they had achieved something.