Chapter 25 – I Dream of Trixie

Note: Chapter Title is a play on the old tv show I Dream of Jeannie

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters.

Now that that's out of the way, let's begin…

Last time,

"Thank you, Sev."

"What is it you once said? 'Should you need help, even if you can't give details beyond the task, we're here?'" Remus smiles softly at him as he nods. "I'm here, Remus. Always."

Now,

Remus is glad to head back to Grimmauld Place after his conversation with Severus. He's less glad to find Moody, Mary, and Sirius all up and at the kitchen table.

"Rem, hey. Where've you been?" Sirius asks him as he walks in.

"Why are you all up?" Remus asks as he walks into the actual kitchen and pours himself some whiskey before walking back and joining them.

"You aren't the only insomniac around," Mary tells him with a small smile.

"Hm," Remus replies before he yawns tiredly. "In answer to your question, I went to see Severus."

"Why is he awake at four-thirty am?" Sirius questions.

"He's a zombie, Sirius, he doesn't sleep."

"Wait, what?" Mary asks.

"Did you not…?" Remus begins in surprise before he sighs, "Of course not, hasn't come up I suppose. So, a few years back there was a new creature that suddenly appeared. Started spreading like mad, Severus was one of the first few to get bit."

"Not that he told anyone, of course," Moody grumbles.

"Hey, he never bit anyone," Remus defends.

"Didn't he try to eat you?" Moody asks.

"Well, fair is fair. I've tried to eat him two or three times now. What's a little cannibalism between friends?"

"…why do we live lives in which that really isn't that much of a concerning statement?" Mary asks.

Sirius snorts, "Because we made the mistake of becoming friends with Remus Lupin."

"Oi! You lot are lucky to have me. I'm bloody lovable."

Sirius smirks at him, "That you are." He then grins and leans forward to kiss Remus who kisses back happily.

"Can't decide whether to coo over the cuteness or puke because of cuteness," Mary says, Moody snickers. "Right, to bed with all of us."

For once, they all actually do as they are told.

As Remus lays in bed he watches Sirius long after the other man falls asleep cuddled in beside him. He feels guilty, as he so often does, because he is lying to the man he loves. Lying to the man who trusts him above all else. Lying to him not just about his own allegiances but also about the safety of both his children.

Eventually, he too falls asleep.

"Hello Remy."

Remus looks up in shock at the voice, his eyes fill with tears as he sees who spoke. "Trixie? Ho-How are you here?"

Bellatrix giggles, sounding her usual levels of crazy rather than post spell crazy, skipping forward slightly. "You need me. Where else would I be?"

Remus feels the tears spill over, so very thankful that the fear he always feels at the thought of his lost love is not present now. "Trixie, what am I doing?"

Trixie shrugs, "What you've always wanted to. Destroying Dumbledore."

"I didn't want to destroy him."

"Really?" He frowns. She holds a hand out to a bird on a tree, the bird jumps onto her finger and she strokes it lightly with her other hand. "As I recall, you threatened to eat him several times."

"He kept messing with you, with us."

"So it's okay to want to destroy him when it's for our benefit, but when it is for someone else it's an injustice?" Remus' frowns deepens. "Remy, why didn't you like Albus when we were kids?"

"He was a threat."

"A threat to what?"

"My Pack."

Bella nods, holding her hand up. The bird flies off. She walks over to Remus, putting a hand on his cheek and stroking his face with her thumb. "And what is he now?"

Remus feels the pain in his chest intensify. "Trixie," Remus whispers, tears falling freely.

She leans her forehead to his. "You know exactly who he is now, what made him this way, the lessons he's learnt and the trials he has conquered. You know the mistakes he has made and the consequences he lives with every day. You feel sorry for him, you do not think he deserves more pain. You think he needs to be saved." Remus nods. "Some people do not want to be saved. Maybe you are right, maybe he doesn't deserve it. But he does need to be stopped, before he destroys everything in his attempts to make it right."

"And at what point am I just like him?"

Bella smiles sadly, "The point in which you forget why you started fighting this war. And I don't mean after Mary died, I mean every time in school you lifted a finger to fight. Remember why Remus, and you won't ever be like the man who tries so hard to forget."

"I love you, Trixie, I miss you so much."

"And I you, Remy. Always."

Remus wakes up with tears on his face to Sirius' concerned expression looming over him.

"Rem? Are you all right?" Sirius asks. Remus just pulls him back down beside him in the bed, buries his face in his chest, and cries. "Remus, hey, hey c'mon Mate, what's wrong?"

"Tri-Tri-" Remus tries to explain, but his sobs prevent the words from getting out. Sirius strokes soothing circles into his back as he holds him close, giving Remus time to get his words happening. "Trixie," Remus eventually gets out. Sirius panics slightly, knowing how quickly this subject can go downhill with Remus. Though, he's already having a breakdown. "She's dead," Remus adds before he sobs again.

"Ah," Sirius says quietly, pulling Remus even closer to him and holding him. "It's more than that though," Sirius says, debating his words carefully, "Bella's not just dead. She's free, Remy."

Remus clings to him as he cries, finally able to mourn.

When Remus and Sirius finally go downstairs they find everyone else in the house awake, and Jamie and the twins eating breakfast with them.

"Dad? Are you all right?" Jamie asks when she sees her Father's reddened eyes.

Remus smiles at her, and despite the sadness surrounding him, somehow he seems lighter than she's ever known him to be. She walks over to him and he hugs her close. "Yeah, Baby Girl, I'm okay. Just had an interesting dream."

Knowing she's probably pushing things a bit, Jamie pulls away from her father enough to look at him as she asks, "What about?" She bites her lip nervously, waiting for his reaction.

He sees it and smiles in remembrance before he leads her back to the table. "Your mother, actually."

Jamie's eyes widen, "Mum? W-What about her?"

"Oh, basically just her telling me to quite second-guessing myself like a fucking moron," Remus replies with a self-deprecating chuckle.

"Yeah, that sounds like her," Sirius says with a laugh, "Probably followed by some gross cutesy couple-y thing that would make me retch."

Remus rolls his eyes, "Just because you're a child," He says, then smirks, "Besides, didn't you kiss Severus to show that you were okay with us getting back together?"

"WHAT?!" Jamie squeals.

"Ugh, thanks for reminding me of that, Remy," Sirius says, wiping off his mouth like it had just happened.

"Just waiting for a time to bring that up," Remus replies with a shit-eating grin, "Always waiting."

"Hey, Dad?" Jamie interrupts as she sees her Uncle about to complain about whatever reference her Dad just made that went way over her head.

"Yeah, Baby Girl?"

"What was Mum like?" She asks, hoping she isn't about to send her Father into a panic attack. To her dismay, he freezes up, breathing becoming mildly ragged. She takes his hand and looks into his fear-widened eyes.

Remus looks at her sadly, "I'm so sorry Jamie. Y-You should know your mother, or of her at least b-but I just can't…" Remus trails off, accidentally squeezing Jamie's hand as his breathing quickens mildly.

"You don't have to say anything if you aren't ready to," She promises. Jamie hugs her father who hugs her back gratefully.

"You're amazing, you know that?"

Jamie smiles, "I get it from my Dad."

"Oi, Riddle," Draco calls to Harry who spins around in the hallway and raises an eyebrow at him.

"Riddle?" Hermione asks her brother.

Harry shrugs, "It is my name. He switches between that, Scarhead, and, on occasion, even acknowledges the fact that I have a first name."

"Well, in my experience you seem to hate it so, you know," Draco comments as he reaches them. "And given that I happen to know it was Uncle Re that came up with it, you should really appreciate it more."

"He did?" The golden trio all ask in synch. Draco nods, looking between the three, mildly creeped out.

"Did you need something, Malfoy?" Harry asks. The two aren't really sure anymore how close everyone thinks they are now that Harry is living with them and they're forced to interact at school anyway thanks to Pansy and Mio dating. So they're just acting awkward with friendly gestures which they assume is probably exactly what everyone would expect.

"Yeah, a word, not in a hallway. Your Weasel can come if he wishes."

"Oh, but I can't?" Hermione asks, looking unimpressed.

Draco rolls his eyes, "You are my sister, I thought it obvious that you were welcomed." Hermione instantly brightens up, Draco chuckles and throws an arm over his younger sister's shoulders as he leads them into a nearby secret passage.

"All right, what's going on, Dray?" Harry asks once they're away from prying ears and eyes.

"I found something that I think can help a seer recall a vision, or rather, they can see it again but in sort of a guided dreaming type of thing," Draco tells them.

"Meaning Snape could see the vision he had of the battle again," Ron surmises, Draco nods.

"Will he be willing to? From what he said to Ron, it sounds like it really shook him up," Hermione points out.

"He owes Inimicus. We made a deal, remember? I held up my end, he works for me now. He'll do it," Harry states confidently.

"Where are we going to do this? If we do it in the Graveyard, your cover is completely blown," Ron warns.

"Room of requirement?" Harry suggests, the others agree. "Brilliant. Draco, what do we need?"

Draco looks around awkwardly for a moment, "Weeeeell that's erm, the thing, isn't it?" The others look at him in confusion. "It's more of a ritual than a spell or potion. We need the fur of a changed Werewolf, viciously torn out under the light of a full moon. Remus is off doing stuff, as you know, so we can't get it from him. But the ritual won't work without it."

Harry's seems hesitant for a moment before he gets a hard look in his eyes. "Then we shall have it. When's the next full?"

Ron, Hermione, and Draco all sort of shrug and look uncertain. Then Draco pulls his enchanted paper out of his pocket, "Blaise will know."

Tutamen

When's the full?

Amans

Tomorrow night

Draco shows the response to the others before shaking it off.

"Then in three days we shall have it. What else do you need?" Harry asks.

"An owl heart and water blessed by a Centaurs body."

"Water blessed by a Centaurs body?" Ron questions.

Hermione screws up her nose, "He means their urine, Ron."

"Gross."

"Oh, speaking of gross, I also need the blood of the guilty and the blood of the tainted."

"Where the fuck did you find this ritual?" Ron asks in disbelief and concern.

Draco rolls his eyes, "Everything else I can get easily."

"What counts as guilty?" Harry asks.

"From what I gather, someone who's used an unforgivable," Draco replies.

Harry makes a mental note to tell Neville this, that connection between them could help him in his research. "And the tainted?"

"Someone whose soul has been touched by evil. Oh, and they have to come from different people."

"All right, I'll take care of it," Harry tells them before smiling at Draco, "Good work."

Draco flushes slightly, "Thanks."

After that conversation, Harry excuses himself to go to the owlery where he sits and tries to stave off his anger.

"Illa was right, I have to make this work," Harry tells himself, though he'd rather never send this letter.

Lillie,

I know this letter will seem out of the blue, I do hope you have not forgotten about me.

I know why you left, why you had to run. I have this Uncle, you see. He's like you, so I understand the fear your parents must have had for your future and the prejudice you would have faced here.

Above all else I want you to know that I don't care about it, you are everything you have always been and the bite did not change that.

Anyway, I need your help.

It's complicated and I can't explain but I need a tuft of fur from a Werewolf, viciously torn out under the light of a full moon.

I know from my Uncle that Werewolves have a tendency to attack themselves if given no alternative and while I hope you aren't being hurt, if you are, is there a chance there's some fur around?

I know that is probably insensitive and rude but the situation is rather dire and said Uncle cannot help.

Hank

P.S. I don't live with the Dursleys anymore so if you choose to reply don't send it there. As it is the school term, just send it to Hogwarts with Hedwig.

Harry's honestly not sure why he's so angry with Lillie and her parents. It's not as though everyone else hasn't hidden things from him in the past, Jamie is the only one to consistently tell him the truth. It's different though. Jamie is his cousin. Lillie was his everything.

But She's not his everything anymore, and those that are need his help.

"To Dubai, Hedwig. To Lillie Polka."

Benni sits in charms alone. He's used to this. Though several of his peers and some older students tried to talk to him after Danielle had 'died', Benoit finds their presence grating. He still sits with his friend Kayla during meals, but as she doesn't speak sign language, communicating beyond simple things Benni can convey with a nod or a gesture is usually more trouble than it's worth and Benni can't find it in himself to care.

He knows Danielle is all right, but he misses her terribly. They'd only known each other for twelve days, but Benni was sure he'd found a friend for life.

"Mr Lupin?" Benni snaps out of his musings at the sound of Professor Flitwick's voice. "Professor Dumbledore would like to see you." Professor Flitwick sounds rather exasperated so Benni can guess what this is about. He knows the interviews with students that Dumbledore has been organising. He'd been wondering when his turn would come. As one of Danielle's close friends, he's a little surprised it didn't happen sooner. But then, considering who his parents are, perhaps it's a surprise and show of his desperation that the Headmaster will speak with him at all. Benni gestures to his bag uncertainly, Flitwick gives him a gentle smile, "Best take it with you just in case."

Benni nods, grabs his things and heads to the Headmaster's office.

"Ah, Mr Lupin. Please, take a seat," Professor Dumbledore invites, Benoit looks at him uncertainly as he sits down. Dumbledore clears his throat, "Now, Benni, I'm sure you've heard about the things going on in the school."

Benni watches the Headmaster blankly, annoyed by the question but keeping that to himself.

"…right, well obviously the situation is under control, howev-"

Benni snorts derisively at that, biggest load of bullshit he's ever heard since the last time his Père claimed not to be an alcoholic.

Dumbledore looks at him in thinly-veiled annoyance, though a slight smug look fills his eyes as he says, "Something to say?"

Benoit glares at him, "Things happening around the school," Benni says to the absolute and total shock of the man before him. Well good. He takes care to make sure he is clearly understandable despite his French accent. "Things like how you're completely unable to control your students? Things like the accidents taking place that are dangerous and hurting people and you can't stop? Things like my best friend being dead because you failed to protect her? Yes, Headmaster, I've heard about the things going on in the school and in no way, shape, or form, are they 'under control'." Dumbledore sits in stunned silence, unsure how to deal with being caught so off-guard. Benni's expression grows more venomous, "I hope he kills you like he killed her." The truth of the matter is, Benni doesn't know how to wish anyone dead, but seeing as Danielle isn't dead she's just gone, Benni feels the statement holds true.

"Now Benni-"

"And don't think I don't know the way you manipulate and bully my Papa," Benni adds angrily, "My Père fails to see how truly mental you are because he is blinded by his hatred of you. But I see it and, evidently, Inimicus sees it as well." Benni can see it in Dumbledore's eyes that he knows he's totally lost control of the situation and Benni has him cornered. He feels pride swell within him as he smirks viciously, "I have nothing to do with Inimicus, Sir. But by hell am I rooting for him."

With that, Benoit rises from his seat and walks out of the room. Benni smirks again, That would be a great scene in a book. He thinks to himself, after taking the evil Headmaster to task, Little Benni Lupin stalked off down the hall, leaving Dumbledore spluttering in her wake. Benoit stops dead in the hallway at the bottom of Dumbledore's stairs as he thinks over his past thought. Her?

Benni thinks that over for a moment, it feels…right. Benni frowns. Then he shakes her-no, his head to clear all thoughts.

It's lunch time. I'm just going to go and eat lunch with my family.

Sirius and Remus are sat in the Three Broomsticks, waiting on Severus, Benoit, Harry, Hermione, Neville, Blaise, Draco, and Lucius. The ten of them decided to have lunch together, Benni getting special permission from Professor Sprout as his Head of House to go to Hogsmeade. Harry's pretty sure it's a scene taken directly from his nightmares.

At least his Father is not there as well.

When the eight from the school walk into the pub, they see the two canoodling at the table in the back corner that they've saved for them all, having pushed tables together to have enough seats.

"Damn that's weird to see," A voice says behind them.

Harry turns, a huge grin on his face as he runs at and hugs the person who spoke. "JAMIE!"

Jamie smiles, hugging him back, "Surprise, Cousin! It's good to see you, Harry."

"Oh, I see. Have a new favourite cousin, do you?" Draco asks with faux bitterness.

"Yeah, Dora will be so mad she's been usurped," Jamie replies, as though Tonks had been the old favourite and not Draco.

"Oi!" Draco complains. Benni laughs at him. "Double oi!"

"Don't worry, Dragon, you can be my favourite cousin," He tells Draco who nods, poking his tongue out at Harry and Hermione, both of whom roll their eyes in an identical fashion.

"Little Benni?" Jamie asks, eyes wide in shock. It's a look copied by everyone as who exactly spoke sinks in.

Benni flushes slightly before smiling at his sister, "Hi Jamie." Jamie has tears in her eyes as she hugs her brother close.

"C'mon, we better get over to the table, before they start actually snogging," Blaise suggests.

The group starts heading over as Jamie turns to her youngest brother, "So when did this talking start?"

"Ten minutes ago," Benni replies, "I…lost my temper at someone and the words just…came out. Throat's getting sore though."

"Disuse," Hermione tells him, "Get a soothing milky drink of some kind and make sure you keep a drink by your bed tonight. Have a sip any time you wake up or you'll be in a lot of pain in the morning. Aunt Mary's having the same problem right now."

"Who did you lose your temper at?" Blaise asks his brother.

Benni flushes again, scratching the back of his head awkwardly as they reach the table. "You know – err – thinking back it – um – may have – sort of – err…been Dumbledore."

"Benoit?" Remus asks, seeming as shocked as the others had mere moments ago.

"Bonjour Perè," Benni greets, "And hi, Uncle Padfoot."

"Man, you are really French," Harry states. Everyone looks at him like he's an idiot. "What? Jam hardly has an accent and Blaise doesn't have one at all, why would I be expecting a strong one from their brother?"

While everyone else concedes to his point and Blaise smiles happily at being included in that, Jamie's eyes fill with tears. "W-What did you just call me?"

Harry looks at her in confusion before he realises what he said, "Oh, Jam. Sorry, I don't know why I did that. It's just been on my mind since Sirius' trial."

"Didn't I used to call you that when I was a kid?" Draco asks.

"You're still a kid," Severus tells him. Draco rolls his eyes so Severus cuffs him over the back of his head.

"Yes, you did," Jamie answers, "You, and Harry, and Neville, and the tw-" Jamie stops speaking as she looks at Benni whose gaze hardens. "What did Dumbledore do?" She asks instead, taking a seat and jogging everyone else into doing the same.

"Was a twat," Benni replies.

Remus chokes on his drink, "Benoit! Where did you even learn that word?"

"Really?" Benni asks incredulously, "I'm pretty sure that's your pet name for Uncle Padfoot."

"I'm not appreciating that tone of voice, Benoit."

"Would you prefer I sign my sarcasm instead?" Benni asks irately.

"Benoit Lunaire Lupin, do not speak to your Father that way," Severus snaps at his son. Benoit crosses his arms, slumps in his seat, and sulks. Severus and Remus have a silent conversation for a moment that ends in Severus narrowing his eyes at his ex-husband who seems amused as he takes another sip of his drink. "Unbelievable," Severus mutters, "'Lead by example' he says. Honestly."

"So, never did get an answer to what the Headmaster did," Harry awkwardly puts in.

"You really and truly cannot handle having a question and not asking it," Draco says suddenly.

"Are you still on about the holidays? Just because you were raised to keep your mouth shut and accept everything fed to you on your bloody silver spoon does not negate the fact that some of us are only alive right now because of my tendency to obsessively question things."

"Be that as it may, it will get you killed one day," Draco tells him. Harry huffs and rolls his eyes.

"He tried to tell me things in the school are under control," Benni says after a few moments of tense silence. "Under control, as if Dannie wasn't important, didn't matter. He's an arrogant berk and I'd had enough of it. May have taken it a tad too far, but he started it."

"What did you do?" Remus asks him suspiciously. Benoit just glares at him.

"Benni," Severus says warningly.

Benni rolls his eyes, "I implied that I hoped Inimicus kills him."

Silence falls around the table again.

"When you say implied…?" Lucius questions.

"I told him I hope Inimicus kills him like he killed my best friend."

Remus smirks. Danielle had told him while he was there that she'd told Benni the truth, so he knows exactly why Benni said it like that. Remus tries and fails to hide his smirk in his glass.

"Remus, are you kidding me, right now?" Severus asks him, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

"What?"

"I know you don't like him but don't sit there encouraging our son to threaten one of the most powerful people in the world." Harry goes to protest that point but Draco grabs his arm under the table and digs his nails in. Harry hisses out a pained breath but, thankfully, says nothing.

Remus looks challengingly at Severus for a moment, maintaining eye contact as he says, "Neville, how's your toad doing?"

Severus glares at Remus, "May I speak with you outside for a moment, please?"

The two walk out the door, unfortunately visible through the window as they quite clearly start arguing rather viciously.

Blaise sighs, "You know, I sort of figured all the fighting would stop after they got divorced."

Jamie snorts derisively, "Those two? Not fighting? Damn, it's been so long I forgot they were capable of that!" She says in mock surprise.

"It's been two and a half years, Jamie. No need to exaggerate things," Benoit tells her.

"Yeah, Benni, Jaim and I tried to shelter you from a lot of it," Blaise admits.

"I am perfectly capable of hearing them shout from my bedroom, thank you very much. Nor did that slap go unnoticed by me. But as for fighting like I heard about building up while Perè was teaching here…it was not this bad before," Benni says, looking unimpressed at being treated like a child, as most eleven-year-olds do.

"…slap?" Lucius asks coolly. The three siblings exchange nervous glances.

"I-It wasn't exactly what that made it sound like," Blaise tells the others.

"It was Rin's bloody fault," Benoit mutters darkly, keeping an eye on the argument outside.

"Are you trying to tell me that, after being viciously attacked in their own home by someone they loved dearly, one of them slapped the other?" Lucius asks incredulously.

"He was trying to help! It got his point across," Jamie defends.

"Whose point?"

"We aren't going to tell you that," Blaise tells him, the other two nodding along.

Benoit's eyes suddenly widen at the argument going on outside.

"Erm, guys?" Neville asks quietly, nodding to the window where they see Severus looking as though he had just been slapped, and Remus seeming horrified about something. He then appears to attempt to apologise but Severus shakes his head and walks inside and back over to the table.

"I have some work I need to do back at the school, I'll see you all later," He states briskly before turning and storming off past Remus who still stands outside in the snow.

"So, that may have been worse than ever before…" Blaise says in concern.

Remus walks in, looking some mix between sheepish and pissed off.

Benoit stands up, looking at him angrily. "How dare you?"

"Benni, how many times do you have to be told not to lip read private conversations? It's rude and –"

"You want to talk to me about rudeness?" Benoit asks, looking angrier than anyone has ever seen him. "My Papa has stayed by you through every panic attack, every hospitilisation, every drunken night spent hugging a toilet bowl, every full moon, every PTSD hang-up, every magical mishap. How dare you act like he does not care about us?!" Benoit shakes his head in disgust at his Perè. "I may have my voice back, but don't think for a moment that I'll be talking to you. Not until you take that back." With that, Benni storms off after his father.

Remus takes a deep breath, sitting back in his seat and rubbing at his forehead. "No Fred and George, Jamie?" Remus asks, side-stepping any impending questions. Or, at least, trying to.

"Seriously?" Jamie asks, "That's what you're going with?"

"Jamie," Remus says in a pained voice that clearly conveys how much he does not wish to talk about this.

"You know, it's this sort of avoidance of things that ended your marriage to begin with."

"I'm not the one who committed the absolute worst betrayal of trust imaginable," Remus snaps.

"Aren't you?!" Jamie snaps right back. At the confused look that garners, Jamie scoffs. "Benni isn't the only one who can read lips, Dad." Remus sighs as Jamie walks out of the pub as well, Blaise frowning at Remus before following after his sister.

Remus drops his head back for a moment before he downs the rest of his drink, hands shaking slightly.

"Told you," Harry says, looking at his sister, "Absolute trainwreck."

"…okay but really, who slapped whom?" Lucius asks Remus who looks rather dead inside.

"In his defence, it was the only way I was going to snap out of my self-hating, guilt-ridden, spiral of despair," He replies.

"So Sev decided to slap you?" Sirius asks, "The one who literally went through nine months of an abusive relationship."

"Can we not rehash every horrible moment of my life, please?" Remus requests, getting up and going to the bar where he gets a very large drink, drinks it all in one go, and then gets another.

"Yes, that's going to help things," Sirius drawls.

"I'm not having this conversation right now, Sirius."

"You've been saying that since I got back from Azkaban," Sirius point out dryly, "The first time."

"Perhaps we should just do this another time," Lucius tentatively suggests.

"Or never," Remus mutters, taking a large gulp of his drink. Sirius shakes his head at him.

"Yeah, we'll see you later," Harry says, grabbing Hermione's arm and leading her out of the pub, the others following after him.

Remus watches them go before he downs the rest of his drink.

Severus goes directly to his office when he reaches the school, stopping for a moment before he picks up a recently cleaned cauldron and hurls it across the room.

"Severus? What is the meaning of this?" Severus turns to see Minerva in the doorway and…breaks. He drops to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. Minerva quickly charms the door shut before kneeling down on the floor beside him and putting her arms around him. "What happened?" She asks when he finally settles a bit.

"R-Re and I had a f-fight," Severus says, still sobbing lightly.

"What about?" Minerva asks, not intending to pry but unsure what on Earth could have rendered her colleague and friend to this.

Severus leads Remus out the front of the pub. "You're still going on about the toad? I've worked hard to earn Neville's trust after that, Remus. The last thing he needs is you bringing it up in front of him."

"You mean the last thing you need, right? After all, what's everyone else in the world when it comes to Severus Snape. He who knows all, controls all, fuck everyone else around the place."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Severus demands angrily.

"It means you betrayed my trust, Severus."

"I know, and I'm sorry that I told everyone about your condition. I know that –"

"I don't mean then!" Remus snaps, "We had an agreement when Jamie started at Hogwarts, against my better judgment I might add. First sign of trouble, first time Dumbledore does anything to put his students in danger, we pull her out."

"What's your point?" Severus asks.

"You spent a year, well aware of the fact that the Philosophers' Stone was sat in the lower layers of that castle. Aware of who was coming after it, aware that one of her Professors was involved. You literally told me you were doing something to do with him, so don't play dumb. You have no regard for the children's safety, you never have."

"Remus! That's not true and you know it! I couldn't tell you. Dumbledore –"

"DUMBLEDORE ISN'T HER FATHER! HE DOESN'T GET TO DECIDE WHAT'S SAFE AND WHAT'S NOT FOR MY DAUGHTER!"

"YOUR DAUGHTER?!" Severus shouts angrily.

"YES, MY DAUGHTER, BECAUSE WITH HOW LITTLE YOU APPARENTLY CARE ABOUT LOOKING AFTER HER, I'D HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF RAISING JAMIE ON MY OWN!"

Severus explains all this to Minerva, grappling to regain control of himself.

"Bloody fucking hell," A voice says. Severus and Minerva look over to see Sirius standing in front of the floo and wonder how they didn't hear him come through it. "Severus, I'm sorry. I-It was my fault. He and I had been arguing all morning about his drinking affecting all the kids and me remaining in Azkaban as long as I did and running off to begin with. I got him worked up on the subject. I'm sorry."

Severus shakes his head, "If I took better care of my children, he wouldn't have had anything to throw in my face."

Minerva sighs, "Do you know why I became a teacher, Severus?" Severus and Sirius look to Minerva in confusion as Severus shakes his head. "I had a child, a Son, Dougal. He was named after his Father, a farmer on the island. Both of them died when my Island was engulfed, first in flames and then by sea. No one survived." Minerva looks at her hands, sighing to herself. "I'd been here, at the request of Dumbledore. He offered me a job, I declined but, after the travesty, Dumbledore convinced me to reconsider. I became a teacher because I wanted to help shape students as they grow up, in a way that I can never do for my son. Believe me, I know it is hard sometimes, but you are not to blame for everything that happens to your children. It is often hard to remember, but I could not have prevented what happened. You protect your children as much as you can in a world you cannot control."

Severus nods. They are all silent for a few moments before he turns to Sirius, "Why are you here?"

"Your argument with Remus and his subsequent binge drink, which is still happening by the way so I can't stay long, it reminded me of something Remus said this morning. I, for once actually being calm, suggested that perhaps Remus should see a therapist. He refused, refused to tell me why as well. Only said that if I wanted to know, I should ask you."

Severus' eyes widen, "Shit." He gets up quickly, brushing himself off.

"What? What is it?"

"He pushed me away on purpose. He's spiralling again."

"How do you know?"

"Because the reason he won't go to therapy…I convinced him, shortly after th-…shortly after Benni arrived, to go see someone. He went for a while, trusted her, opened up, seemed to be improving. Then she found out he was a Werewolf and said he was right to want to die. Said he's a monster and tried to convince him to kill himself."

Sirius' eyes all but bulge out of his head before he jumps in the floo and goes back to Grimmauld Place.

"I'll cancel your classes this afternoon, go," Minerva tells him.

And Severus wants to, by God does he want to, but he shakes his head. "If Sirius can't deal with it, he'll get me. But Remus doesn't need me to tell him he deserves to live. He needs Sirius to convince him to tell himself. I could never do that."

Minerva strokes a hand on his back comfortingly. "You still love him, don't you?"

Severus sighs, "I don't think I'll ever stop."

Much like his cousin had a mere two hours earlier, Harry walks the corridors of Hogwarts heading to the Headmaster's office. Unaware that the already desperate man had just been pushed over the edge.

"You wanted to see me, Sir?" Harry asks as he walks in.

"Ah, yes, do take a seat, Harry." Harry cautiously walks forward and sits in the offered seat. "There's something I need to do, Harry. For the war. You understand?" Dumbledore asks.

No. "Of course, Sir," Harry replies despite his immediate thought.

Dumbledore nods gravely, "Then perhaps, one day, when this is all over, you'll find it in yourself to forgive me," He says. Harry tenses. "Far more than I will ever forgive myself."

"Sir?"

Dumbledore spins his wand in a tight, anti-clockwise circle while pointing it at Harry whose eyes widen. He tries to run out of the way. "Moribus ostendo sum!" Dumbledore casts. Harry isn't quick enough.

A solid beam of white light hits him, knocking him to the ground.

"Harry?" Dumbledore asks cautiously as the boy in question blinks awake, shaking his head to clear it.

"Y-Yes, Sir?" Harry asks.

"Do you trust me?"

Harry gives the Headmaster a genuine smile. "Of course, Sir. I trust you more than anyone."