Are we ready?!

-/+

Christmas!

Christmas!

Harry didn't even wait for himself to awaken completely before he rolled out of bed, barely landing on his feet, and dashed across the room. He was too excited to see clearly! It was Christmas, who needed glasses?!

Harry threw open Ron's curtains.

Aww the boy was still sleeping, all rolled up like a warm burrito. So cozy and so asleep. Harry threw a glance at the window, well the sun was just coming over the horizon… maybe he should let the boy sleep?

Ha! Just kidding.

Harry took a running start and jumped onto the snoring lump. Ron let out a startled squawk and flailed, rolling instinctively away from his attacker. Harry laughed, it was too late for that! His limbs wrapped securely around the boy and they went rolling off the bed. Luckily (and as planned) the fluffy Ron landed on the floor first, Harry still laughing on top of the redhead.

"Harry!" Ron gasped, panting hard. "Blimey, you nearly gave me a heart attack, you berk!"

"It's Christmas, Ron!" Harry cheered, not even hearing the complaints. He leaned down and rubbed noses with his friend which the boy protested immediately.

"Argh! Affection!" Ron, his face now redder than his hair, attempted to twist in his prison but Harry was heavier than he looked and quite willing to take advantage of this fact. So he was trapped, unable to fend off the love his friend was giving him. Like the big, warm forehead kiss!

Ron grew up with six siblings and two very loving parents so he was not a stranger to kisses and hugs but that was when he was a baby! He was practically a grown man now, starting Hogwarts and making his own way. Ron had accepted that, upon coming to school, that his siblings wouldn't let him be killed or anything but they also weren't going to go out of their way to interact with him. They had their own lives after all!

He was prepared, Ron was really prepared, to leave all that lovey stuff behind but Harry was ruining that! He was constantly and suddenly hugging him, giving mindless kisses and cuddling! Harry cuddled! It was torture good enough to make him wanna cry.

It was a terrible Heaven and Ron hated (loved) every minute.

"Oh, I've been replaced."

Ron whimpered. Thank Merlin, someone was saving him. He twisted his head as best he could and met thoroughly unimpressed dark eyes.

Ooh Merlin, it was Severus of all people!

What if he was one of those crazy jealous siblings? Severus has never seen Harry loving on him because Severus was the main source and receiver of affection. What if he cut off Ron's dick?! No matter how many times Harry told him it wasn't true, he wouldn't believe him over the grapevine. The grapevine exaggerated but it didn't lie and, if there was one student who didn't need any exaggerations, it was Severus Potter! Severus Potter was, like, absolutely barmy and Ron wanted to stay only on his good side. If he hadn't befriended Harry and really liked the green eyed boy he wouldn't want to be on any side of the redhead. Good or bad. Just complete avoidance.

"Severus! It's Christmas!" Harry shouted, jumping to his feet. He tackled his new target though he twisted their bodies to soften the blow. As soon as they were stable he started to rain kisses on the pale face in front of him. Severus hooked an arm and leg around him and flipped him into his back. He returned the kisses much to Harry's delight then began his tickle attack.

"Ack! Not fair!" Harry laughed, arching and twisting away from the cold digits. Laughs were forced out of him, mixing with Severus's own evil cackles. He could do this for as long as it took, until Harry could hardly breathe and his face was wet with tears. Until any bad memory before his twin was completely forgotten.

"Don't… don't just stand there!" Harry spotted his friend out of his blanket cocoon and a confused, sleepy eyed Neville standing beside him. Severus didn't pause in his attack, expertly using his weight to pin Harry and his faster fingers dodged his hands' attempts at protecting him, but he did turn his head to look at the two boys. His eyes were narrowed, daring them to even try it. Then, as if a challenge, leaned down and blew a loud raspberry on the trembling, tan tummy.

This was ridiculous.

"Get 'im!" Ron shouted his best warrior shout, gathering all his courage and praying to Lady Magic to protect him.

Then it was war.

Knobby elbow to the gut.

Wayward knee to the shoulder.

Love tap to the chin.

Slightly less love to the back of his head.

Twisty.

Bendy.

Fast.

So fast.

"Ha," Severus scoffed atop his twin.

"How is… he… so… flexible?" Ron panted.

He and Neville had retreated, taking refuge behind the closest bed and peeking over. Harry was back to being attacked with tickles and kisses, looking none the worse and absolutely delighted at the game they now played.

The game that they would win over Severus.

No magic.

Just strength.

It was three… Ron threw a small glare at Harry… it was two against one. They could take that tiny little thing. Ron rubbed his jaw. Okay, they couldn't take that tiny little thing but that was because he was surprised! He knew that the boy was a formidable opponent but he had thought that was with magic, not with his fists!

"Hello?" A new voice. An ally!

Ron whipped his head around to greet the new voice and found himself frowning. It was Malfoy. Ugh. He hated all the rich Slytherin purebloods, he really did. If it wasn't against what his mum taught him, Ron would try to beat the smug little ferret every time he saw him. He was so smug and conceited just because his family had all that money—dark magic money, may Ron point out! Even now, all of them were in their pajamas and looking ruffled and rumpled (Severus too) but Malfoy, Malfoy was fully dressed like he was going to a grand ball. His hair was brushed properly and he even—was that a tie? Stuffy, stupid… Ron looked to Severus and Harry.

Dammit.

"Psssttt," Ron hissed.

Malfoy dragged his eyes from the two and to the redhead, adopting a stupid bored look like he was used to this. Ron would bet every bit of money his entire family had that the blond wouldn't know affection if it kissed him right on the lips! Which, okay, now that Ron said it, sounded absolutely terrible. But it wasn't time for heavy thinking, it was war.

"Yes?" The blond drawled all cool and snobby. Argh! Not cool! Just snobby.

Ron blamed Harry for the thought. No one was really privy to the fact that Harry was a really, really Possessive brother. Capitalization necessary. Harry had ranted for hours when the blond first appeared then he cried and worried that his brother was going to leave him then he seethed about how suave Malfoy was then there was the espionage. Ron groaned just thinking about the hours wasted following Malfoy. That was a rough month but then the twins made up and all was good. Now Harry had a 'keep your enemies close' attitude which was better. Less spy work.

"Um, hi, um cousin," Neville grinned nervously. Malfoy glanced at him from the corner of his eye and gave a tiny, snooty sniff. Ron bit on his tongue to not say something rude (but true), not surprised that they were cousins. Neville was technically a rich pureblood too—all Noble house of such and such connecting to blah and blah. Lots of mumbo jumbo.

"Happy Yuletides, cousin," Draco drawled then nodded to Ron, "Weasley."

"Severus is fast and surprisingly strong but he's not actually stronger than us," Ron launched into his plan at a low whisper. He needed an ally and this was the best he had. "He's left handed but he underestimates us so he uses his left primarily. He also made it a point to not leave off top Harry. It is a game so I don't think he's in the mind to actually hurt anyone."

"And what makes you think I'm going to participate in this foolishness?" Malfoy sniffed. Ugh, did he need a tissue? Ron wrinkled his nose, prepared to kick the boy out and adjust his strategy.

"Don't be a spoiled sport, Drakie," Harry called from his spot tied to the wall. Ron did a double take. What the what? Harry was now bound by the wrists against the wall, Severus sitting on him like one might imagine a dragon would to his horde. His arms had been drawn high and seemed stuck as, every once in a while Severus would sneak back a hand to tickle the exposed tummy and his wrists stayed where they were despite his light struggles.

"Yeah, spoilsport," Ron agreed, poking the blond in the forehead. Hard.

"It's going to be fun," Neville tried to encourage his cousin, giving the boy the fastest hand touch he could. Technically they were cousins but it was only by blood. He and his gran weren't even invited to the functions anymore which was fine with Neville. There was always something so creepy about cousin Malfoy's house.

"I won't hold back," Severus gave his own form of encouragement.

"Si, loosen up, Drago," Blaise agreed, ruffling the perfectly brushed blond hair.

"Argh!" Ron fell backwards, away from the Slytherin. It was bad enough it was one but now there were two! Wait, that was even better.

"No, amore mio," the Italian boy waved off his suddenly cheerful look, "I only play to win. So I'll be over there. Tesoro, the Weasley knows you're using your right hand purposely!"

"Why didn't I know that was an option?"

Ron threw Neville a look of utter betrayal. He expected that from Draco, not him!

"Now we're going to win," Ron grumbled darkly under his breath. Maybe it's because he was the only one (minus the obvious twins) with siblings that he understood the gravity of this game. Maybe it's because he had a secret competitive side. It didn't matter. This was war and by golly Ron and his team of three was going to win! He clapped his hands loudly, startling the other two. "Focus!"

It was a hard but swift battle.

Neville was the largest and, out of the three of them, more likely to garner sympathy from Severus so Ron sent him in first. Due to his size it was harder for Severus to fight him one handed so he had no other choice than to keep the battle a little ways away from his hostage. Blaise, a tall but skinny boy stood no chance against Ron who spent his life wrestling his older brothers and constantly getting his butt kicked. Then it was up to Draco to save Harry.

Of course it didn't go that smooth and Ron had to scramble from Blaise to jump in Severus's path when he managed to wiggle away from Neville. And he was surprised that the dark skinned boy was actually tougher and much too excited about this game. Ron was very sure that the teeth he felt in his shoulder was from Blaise.

But after the dust settled there were three trussed up Slytherins and three panting Gryffindors standing proud and beat up above them. Well, not Harry. He didn't have a scratch on him.

"And why am I with them?" Draco demanded, struggling against his bindings. Oh yeah, that was a good question. In all of the chaos he had forgotten that the blond was on their side.

"No good deed goes unpunished?" Harry grinned. After all he was the one who tied up the boy, launching himself at him as soon as he was freed. His startled yelp was more than a symphony to his ears. It was like a balm to his soul. It was his honest opinion that Draco missed the funness of roughhousing. His hair was barely mussed! Draco grumbled something about revenge and fake noble Gryffindors but it was all just for show.

"What say Princess Harry on the punishment for these kidnappers… and ally?" Severus drawled. He was only slightly miffed that he had lost but he reassured himself it was because this was a game and in games the dragon is slain and the princess is rescued.

"Am I a kidnapper? I think I was just an innocent bystander," Blaise chirped, smiling innocently with all his pearly whites.

"Pretty violent bystander if you ask me," Ron rubbed at his fresh bite mark.

"Traitor," Draco gave his friend a light kick.

"I didn't expect the weasel to have a brain," the boy shrugged. Ron choked on his spit, was he the weasel? And, hey! He had a big brain in his head! A huge one! Maybe not to be number one in his classes but he could wipe the floor with just about any of them at any strategy game. He was an absolute beast at chess! Which was a smart game!

"Silence! I have decided on their punishments!" Harry announced loudly. All eyes turned to the green eyed boy and his cheerful grin with its evil edge.

"Harry, I apologize. It will never happen again," Severus suddenly said, trying to garner favor.

"I believe you Severus, I do," Harry nodded in fake sympathy, "And I am a benevolent prince. Your punishment will be the same as your crime."

"Death by tickles!" Harry crowed.

Then the victors descended.

-/+

"What do you think is taking them so long?" Hermione asked, leaning slightly against one of Pansy's legs. The girl had grumbled and mumbled and fussed at her until she sat on the pillow on the floor and allowed her access to her hair. With surprisingly gentle and knowledgeable hands she parted, detangled and was now braiding Hermione's thick locks. Her hand was slapped but she felt that it was actually coming along pretty well.

"Knowing boys, it's something stupid and violent," Pansy scoffed.

"Why are you nice to me?" Hermione blurted. She stayed facing forward and the fingers manipulating her hair didn't even pause but she was sure she felt Pansy tense then relax in the next second.

"You're smart and stupid," Pansy deadpanned.

"I'm not stupid!" Hermione protested. She was the first in all of her classes and memorized every single book she's ever read. She didn't mean it as a brag when she (silently) said she was a genius. She was the exact opposite of stupid!

"You know classes very well, sure," Pansy agreed easily enough, "But with people you are so stupid. It's akin to watching a baby doe take its first steps… except that you never stop taking those first steps. Just a couple words from girls you don't even like and you are done for the day. It's cute."

"Cute that I cry?" Hermione jerked forward to give the girl a real piece of her mind but was jerked just as fast back when she remembered that she was basically a captive.

"Cute that you care. I'm rich and beautiful, why do I care about the opinions of worms? I suppose I have an unfair advantage. There's power in knowledge," Pansy sighed, finishing one braid. It was quite nice if she did say so herself.

Pansy's father had married quickly after her mother's death and Pansy did everything she could to not like the woman (woman was a stretch, she was barely out of her teenage years when she first arrived) but, well, they were both in the same boat so why make unnecessary enemies? Not only that but whenever she helped the woman with her hair or shared any news with her she would go on and on about what she's heard amongst the other socialites. She didn't treat Pansy like she was a kid and dished every bit of dirt, no exception. She guessed it was like hanging out with an older sister.

"Brown's dad is a known trollop with fifteen illegitimate children. Fifteen. Her little sidekick a year above, Cassandra? She's got three brothers, all squibs. It's rumored that the reason she has magic is because her mother found a man with viable seed."

"What?" Hermione didn't mean to laugh, she didn't! But the way Pansy just casually, dryly… she couldn't help but laugh.

"Babies come from—."

"I know!" Hermione interrupted the Slytherin quickly. She wasn't embarrassed by the subject but it was still fresh on her brain when her mom had sat her down and spoke to her about females, males and where babies come from. There were slides.

Pansy chuckled and guided her back into a proper position to receive her second braid. The silence didn't last, Hermione couldn't let this go. She knew that, while Harry did like her, Harry also wanted her for a purpose. A fun purpose involving mystery and shenanigans (that would not get them expelled) but still a purpose.

"Is… is that the only reason? Cause I'm self conscious?"

"Also because I wanted to," Pansy smiled gently, glad that the girl couldn't see her. Something about the muggleborn with her muggle way of thinking was so fresh to Pansy. She just wanted to be friends with Hermione so she did so. Was it without consequences or easy or convenient? No, but it was a choice of Pansy's and she didn't regret it. She should send Lupin an apple or something, he was the reason she ever interacted with the muggleborn.

"At first I was concerned that our shared grade would slip but then I almost died and I realized that I don't do much just for myself. I cut my hair this short because Father thought it fit my face better. I'm going to marry some rich pureblood after graduation and pop out at least two kids, boys preferably. I'll spend my years drinking wine in the day, shopping with my other wine day drinking wives and taking out my frustrations and lost dreams on the House Elves."

"You're… you won't go on to be a healer?"

"A lady has no business working," Pansy recited dutifully. She paused and tilted the girl's head to look her in the eye. Hermione was a muggleborn, a mudblood. She didn't understand the duties one had to family, to bloodlines. She didn't understand that sacrifices were made or that Pansy was lucky that she could complete all seven years and not be pulled out come her fifth. Pansy's own mother, despite having such a fantastical and powerful gift of healing, didn't even get to come to Hogwarts. Everything she learned was through tutors and governesses. But she did her daughter one last favor before she died and compelled her father to let her attend and graduated.

"I enjoy our friendship and will enjoy it the next seven years. Please enjoy it with me," Pansy implored. In a perfect world she'd stay Hermione's friend until they were old and wrinkled. In a perfect world they would go to secondary school together, rooming together like poor people and having nightly chats and braiding each other's hair. They'd be bridesmaids at each other's grand weddings, they'd have kids that were friends just like them.

A perfect world would be nice.

But they didn't live in a perfect world, now did they?

"Even if I become tough and jaded from all these arses?" Hermione tried to joke, searching the girl's eyes for something, anything that would let her know what to do now.

"I wouldn't let that happen,"Pansy smiled and went back to her task, "I've got dirt on everyone in this school, even Potter." She mentioned not the seventh year Slytherins that had taken to harassing her. They were nothing but peons, not that Pansy had seen them recently now that she thought of the insignificant rodents.

"Which one?" Harry chirped. Much like Hermione, he had on pajamas.

"How do you sleep in these things? It's like a burlap sack!" Draco complained loudly, following behind Harry and in someone's pajamas. If Hermione had to guess he was in Ron's pajamas as he was closest to the boy's size but still slightly bigger.

"Sorry we can't all afford clouds," Ron snarked back.

"Luckily Harry has delicate, fine tastes." Blaise sighed, wiggling in Harry's pajamas, buttons undone and torso exposed, "Not silk but definitely not whatever that is."

"Thank Sev, if it was my choice we would be running around naked," Harry flopped besides Pansy. The girl let out a soft noise when warm lips pressed against her cheek and arms wrapped around her for a brief second, "Merry Christmas, Pansy!" Harry did the same to Hermione though from a much more awkward angle. "Merry Christmas, Hermione!"

"Did you want to change too? I've got a clean nightgown," Hermione offered when Pansy finished. The Slytherin looked around the room. When they arrived Draco and Blaise looked as she did, hair brushed and fully dressed, jewelry included. Now it looked like the boys had gone through a whirlwind leaving her the last one looking as one should on such an important holiday.

Pansy shrugged, when in Rome, she supposed.

-/+

Ron didn't think he was going to present the best gift, didn't even think he was going to be top three but he also didn't expect to be the third worst! The first worst was Hermione because she gave out dental stuff. Then came Neville who didn't know anyone really well so he got them all little trinkets at random. Except Severus who got a personalized bag of jellybeans big enough to feed five families for a month and hair ribbons.

"You, uh, push back your hair a lot?" Neville smiled nervously when fixed with the curious look.

Completely unfair but Ron digressed.

As stated third worst was Ron. Everyone had gotten a sweater personally made by his mum and all the love she could muster for six extra kids she didn't even know. It had been so embarrassing writing her about his new friends and even newer, Slytherin… friends. Ugh, it tasted bad just to think about it! Not that any one made him think they didn't like it. The snooty purebloods merely glanced at each other before sliding them on, faces showing obvious surprise by how soft the fabric was. Ha! His mum made excellent sweaters! Stitched perfectly. And each fit like she measured them herself! That last part was partially due to Harry but never mind that.

Tied for fourth was Blaise, Draco and Pansy because, apparently, they were all the same person and each gave out pouches though Pansy handed Hermione a book instead. At first Ron thought they would be filled with baby teeth or snake eggs or something equally weird but no, shiny gold stared back at him. Oh, it was money.

Oh it was money! Ron gaped down at the three Slytherins. It wasn't like a couple of galleons, this was a lot! In each of them. Just one of them was heavy enough to brain someone. He could probably buy the next three years of school supplies in advance or all the candy… in the entire world.

"Do I look like I have time to figure out your likes?" Pansy glared, a small blush on her face at the wide eyed look he was giving her. She had a hard enough time getting Hermione's gift—a rare book titled Mages of Olde—so to have to come up with all these other idiots? No, thank you. The pureblood Slytherins agreed that they were receiving enough gifts from their parents to not have to give them to each other but Severus insisted that they bring something for the Gryffindors. So she gathered all the money her father gave her and then the money her stepmother had slipped her and split it evenly between the Gryffindors.

"Is it not suitable? My mother gives something similar to me every year," Blaise tilted his head. He was genuine in his gift and rather excited for all this hoopla, never having a real Christmas like this. His parents were hardly around, not that he minded but it was times like this that he thought that he might be missing out on something. "I can owl for more if you'd like."

Blaise liked the muggle dental care items and he absolutely adored this handmade sweater and he would treasure this stupid trinket. It was a ring that brought about light cheer, like hearing the disjointed laughter of invisible children. Quite lovely indeed. He could get another twenty or so galleons first this warm feeling he had spreading through his chest.

"M-more!?" Ron was going to faint. On Christmas.

"You'll break him, Blaise," Draco shook his head. He was confused by the reaction as well. After all, their groups didn't interact very often except in the joint presence of the Potter twins so how was he to pick an acceptable, well received gift? Money was so simple and easy to give.

"Next year we will be better friends and I'll make a doll of you," The Italian boy promised, patting the boy's pale hand.

"Like this one?" Severus plucked the hand sized doll from its neatly wrapped package. It was made of wool with shiny brown jewels for eyes and dyed unicorn hair. They all agreed that, while highly creepy, it looked exactly like the fiery haired boy.

"Or this?" Harry displayed a very similar doll in his image. Once again, very creepy but also very well made.

"Yes! Exactly like those!" Blaise nodded cheerfully, quite proud of his gift. He had already given one to Pansy and Draco long ago, when they were around eight years old. Blaise rather liked dolls and he liked his best friends so why not combine them?

Moving on, Harry decided to blow everyone out of the water with highly personalized gifts that left mouths open and a few tears at his thoughtfulness. Ron himself knew that he was choking back tears at the limited edition, fully colored, mega sized poster of the Chudley Cannons.

"How did you know what she looked like?" Pansy hissed, gripping the portrait so hard that Harry almost launched himself across their breakfast to snatch it back.

"You showed Hermione a picture and I painted it from her description. Please don't destroy it, that took me hours!" Harry begged. He hadn't meant to offend the girl but he also didn't know what else to get her.

"I wasn't going to destroy it… I was just surprised. Thank you," Pansy swallowed, looking back down at her mother. Harry had painted her amongst colorful flowers, face scrunched up in a big smile. It was an expression she never recalled her mother making and she decided that this was her favorite portrait. Sweet Merlin, now she had to get to know these idiots better and get them a proper gift next year.

If Ron didn't know better the boy was looking pretty smug at all the thanks and emotions and it only got worse when he pulled out a portrait similar to Pansy's put a wave of his wand later and it was the size of a proper mantle painting. This one was, obviously, presented to Severus.

Of course they all had to gather around and gaped at the massive masterpiece. If Harry didn't become a Quidditch Star then he definitely had artistic talents that would take him far. Four adults, two obviously Lily and James Potter and another two strangers to the rest but meaningful enough to cause a light sheen to cover Severus's eyes. Harry and Severus were sitting in the middle with the women on either side and the men behind them. Although the painting was live, it was set on a loop, them laughing and occasionally rearranging their seating positions like a photograph.

"Is this why you've been asking about them?" Severus swallowed hard. He touched the painting with gentle fingers, eyes glued to his ma's laughing visage. She had the wild shock of blue hair that he loved so very much and eyes blacker than ink. His pa Harry had used the square jawed, dark hair and dark eyes combination Severus described the most. He reached out blindly for the boy, bringing him in for a tight hug. "You draw joy so well. Thank you, Harry"

"You're welcome!" Harry squeezed his brother nice and tight.

Ron wasn't sure how Harry could be topped. But then Severus was bringing forth a bag of clinking glasses. Ooh, potions.

"Is this…?" Hermione sniffed carefully at her potion. She carefully poured some of the liquid out, pink and slippery and singing. "It's singing bubble bath!" Squealed. Hermione actually squealed. Ron wrinkled his nose, he didn't know that Hermione was into girly stuff like that. But it made him curious about his potion.

"Hmmm, I think yours let's you live out your dream fantasy," Hermione leaned over, taking a deep smell of the potion.

"Like playing with the Chudley Cannons?" Ron straightened, eyes sparkling. At Hermione's nod he reached over and placed a hand on Severus's shoulder. "I love you, mate."

"Hey, that poster was hard to find with only an owl and a few rumors!" Harry complained but the smile on his face was just too big to take seriously. He finally opened his own potion. Immediately his nose was filled with rain.

"It's not quite the glove of Zeus but it will allow temporary—."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Oh, look at that. They were tangled on the floor again but this time it was Severus being attacked with affection. It only lasted a couple of seconds before Harry was scrambling to his feet and towards their rooms. "I'm gonna go zap a bunch of stuff! I need to get dressed! I'm the lightning king!"

-/+

Peter was an idiot.

An absolute, complete idiot.

He sat, trembling before Dumbledore like an errant school boy. His sleeve was still rolled up to reveal the cold, inactive dark mark. As soon as the possessed Quirrell half mumbled, half slurred 'his' idea the animagus came running to Dumbledore. It wasn't that he didn't believe in the man, it's that he knew that he had no fucking chance against those two monsters. Yes, Harry was a monster too. There was something about that boy that wasn't right, wasn't right. When his master was whole he would throw all of his weight in that direction but for now that… that thing that was a mere shadow of his liege stood zero chance even with Peter's help.

Peter was such an idiot.

He burst into Dumbledore's office and threw himself to the carpet and immediately started to wail. It was the only way he could describe the way he screamed both his guilt and innocence. Tears and snot had poured down his face and was messily wiped away from his face with his robe sleeves.

Peter was a dead idiot.

He tried to weave his words in a way that took responsibility but he made sure to put most of the blame on Sirius Black. The man was a good scapegoat to his panicking mind. He painted a story of Black falling down the path of darkness and actively recruiting him to the darkness. They knew of his sick mother because of Black and they promised to cure her if he joined. He never did anything more than spy on people in his rat form. He's never taken a life (lie) or harmed anyone directly (also a lie) but he knew that the information he gathered was used to harm others.

Or perhaps he wasn't.

Peter blinked away the rest of his tears as he noticed that the old man did not look angry. In fact he looked disappointed and maybe sad. Like a parent learning that their kid is doing drugs.

"Q-Quirinus threatened me all year but now he's after the stone and please help Harry!" Peter clasped his hands in front of himself. He didn't care about that brat, as soon as he walked through the door he was nothing but trouble for Peter. Eleven years. For eleven years he managed not to get tortured or slapped around. As soon as those Potter gremlins came? Tortured. Slapped. Forced to spy again. Threatened. Bullied.

Revealed.

Severus knew he was a Death Eater. He didn't suspect it, he truly knew if his half crazed master was to be believed. Peter would have ignored him, he really would have but then Remus came to him suspicious. Somehow that ugly brat turned his best friend against him. And that ungrateful wolf-bitch! Peter hoped his trembles looked like fear instead of anger.

Remus was the topping of a very large shit cake. Did he not understand all Peter did for him! All the times he protected that stupid beast at school, in life. All the times he stopped Fenrir from ripping out his stupid traitor throat? That was him whimpering to the wolf that that was his best friend. That was him providing little kids to that bloodthirsty monster in exchange to keep Remus's spying a secret. Without him Remus would be nothing more than a fur pelt! And yet the stupid beast had the audacity to approach him with not love but accusations and grabbing hands.

"I've been trying to keep him at bay this entire year, I swear I have. Please believe me Albus, I didn't want to hurt anyone," Peter whimpered and whined.

"Oh my boy. I do believe you but I must take precautions," Albus sighed and pulled out a vail with clear liquid. Peter didn't relax, thank Merlin he didn't relax because if he did he would have smiled.

After all every Death Eater had a false tooth filled with a suicide poison. Peter had replaced his with the antidote to truth serum.

Maybe Peter wasn't so dumb after all.

-/+

TBC

It was time for a feel good! I hope we all feel good after that wholesome bunch! I like Pansy. Maybe I just like all the kids.

We're close enough to the end that I'm brainstorming titles for the next segment. Of course y'all wanna see my ideas! Ahem! So I have:

'Harry, Severus and the Rude Second Year'

'Harry, Severus, A Snake and A Dog'

'Harry, Severus and Too Much Drama'

'Harry, Severus and The Year of Too Much'

'Harry, Severus and The Diary that Talked'

It's gonna be one of these for sure.

Stay safe!

See y'all soon!