A/N : Thank you soo much for the amazing love you've shown to this fic. It warmed my heart truly! Here is the next chapter for you awesome guys, and I sincerely hope that you like it. I do not own Harry Potter; it solely belongs to J.K. Rowling!

Warnings: Drama, sarcasm, language.

Fleamont Potter was upset. Actually, no, cut that.

He was enraged at his son's behaviour. Never in a million years could he have imagined that his little boy, his little James, would grow up to be a fucking bully.

James had always been a kind-hearted child. He didn't care about their blood status and whatever nonsense the society spewed about. Euphemia and Fleamont had never taught him such prejudice. He respected others. He was always taught that everyone is perfect just the way they are, and he should accept them as such.

He always helped others; he took care of them as a true leader should.

Like the Heir of Godric Gryffindor and the Noble House of Potter, should. It seemed that Fleamont had made a hasty decision in that department. Because James had gone to Hogwarts as a youngling and came back as a changed man.

One, they couldn't recognise anymore.

Euphemia and Fleamont thought that his hatred towards Slytherins was just a phase, something that would pass eventually. Perhaps, that was where things had started going downhill.

It was their fault, as parents, for loving him too much and ignoring his mistakes. They never recognised when his harmless pranks became painful for others. And the price of their ignorance was paid by an innocent boy of the Snake house.

The floo roared with green flames, indicating the arrival of guests of honour. James, Sirius and Remus stepped out of the fireplace, dusting their clothes while heads still bowed, both in shame and fear. The trio knew that angering Euphemia Black-Potter had been a grave mistake.

"Where's Mr Pettigrew?" Euphemia asked in a deathly calm voice from where she sat at the head of the office table.

"Mother, father." James tried to move to embrace his parents in greeting but was immediately stopped in his actions.

"Heir Potter, I asked you a question, and I want an answer." Addressing James by his formal title showed the trio that there was no escaping this time.

Straightening his spine, James answered, "Peter had to go home this weekend. It was an urgent family matter."

Fleamont finally turned to acknowledge the boys, from where he was standing near the window and staring outside. He looked at his son, dead in the eye, trying to detect any traces of lie; he found none.

"You may sit," he ordered. The three boys scrambled towards the seats, still avoiding eye contact.

"Do you know why you have been called here?"

"Nor, sir," Sirius spoke on their behalf. He was scared about whatever the hell was happening because he didn't want them to kick him out of their house. He didn't want to be homeless at the tender age of sixteen. Since he'd run away from his 'home', the Potters were his family. He couldn't lose them.

"Okay then. Let's hear your reasoning first." Fleamont rounded the desk and perched his hip at the table. His arms crossed over his chest in an intimidating manner.

"Is it because of what happened in the Defence class? I swear Professor Nicholas is a drama queen, mother. You guys have never been called in before," James questioned. There was no reaction from their parents.

"Did something happen at the hospital? Did Madame Pomfrey say anything serious?" Sirius asked next, both of them guessing the actual reason. Remus, though, remained silent. He knew what was about to happen, and honestly, they had it coming for them.

"I'll cut you some slack here, James, because time is imperative here. I've already had a lengthy conversation with your new Professor, but I want to hear your point of view as well." There was a scary look in Fleamont's eyes, daring James to not even think about lying.

"I just..." James struggled to put his thoughts in words. The anger he'd felt at that time was indescribable. "I just saw Sirius not getting up and lost control of my actions. I wasn't thinking, father."

"Would you have done the same thing had there been any other Professor instead of Professor Grey? Would you have acted the same way?"

What the actual fuck? What was his father implying, and why did this whole meeting turn into an interrogation?

"Of course, Father. I just wanted to save my friend, that is all," James muttered while casting his eyes down. Fleamont's eyes softened hearing those words. Remus nodded as well, silently backing up Prongs.

No matter the situation, he knew that James, Sirius and Remus would have defended each other. Their friendship, their brotherhood, had seen a lot of hardships already. Both Fleamont and Euphemia were proud of their boys, but right now, the trio needed guidance.

"Your intentions were pure, Jamesy, and the courage you showed to save your friend, was admirable," Fleamont moved towards his son, patting his shoulder in assurance. "But it still does not give you the right to speak to your Professor that way. Professor Nicholas is a fine duelist, and an even more respectable teacher. What he is teaching you is no joke, my sons. He is preparing you to face the world, for a war that is right at our doorsteps. He wants your well-being even if he does not show it. The least you could do is respect him and listen to him, rather than acting like a bratty know-it-all."

Their heads did not move up; they were still staring intently at their laps, fidgeting with the fingers in nervousness.

It was true; they should not have talked in the class. And what Professor Nicholas did to teach them a lesson was harsh but understandable. After all, the Marauders were not compromising as well.

"You all are friends. Friends do help each other, stand up for each other. But they also stop each other from getting harmed or doing something wrong. If Sirius did something wrong, does it not become the responsibility of you two to stop him?"

Remus sighed. He was the brighter out of the three; he should have stopped Sirius and James.

"You're right, Mr Potter. We are sorry, and we do accept our mistake," Sirius spoke in a timid voice.

"We'll extend our apologies to Professor Nicholas the next time we see him," Remus promised on their behalf.

A flare of hope rose in James' heart that his parents would now forgive him. They had never been this upset with him before.

"Okay, then, that's settled. Let us move to the next topic. What about your pranks on Mr Snape?" Euphemia asked in a no-nonsense tone. Her elbows were resting on the table as she leaned forward, eager to hear their response.

"What about him?" James spat in disgust, that flare of hope diminishing at the mere mention of Severus. The action was obviously not liked by his mother. There was clear anger blazing in her stormy grey eyes; she looked brutal.

"When are you going to apologise to him?" Euphemia pried further.

"Why would we apologise to him, Mrs Potter? We haven't seen him this past week or bothered him? He is just a stranger to us." Sirius took James' side on this, while Remus looked ready enough to diffuse the tension.

"Really? A stranger? Is that why you've been bullying the boy for the past six years because you didn't know him? Is that the reason that he was almost always one of your pranks, hmm?"

There was no response from either of them. They did not know how she knew everything.

"And don't you dare deny it. I have heard it with my own ears when you would spend the summers at home. How that boy was pathetic and should grovel at your feet! I should have taken action right then, but I thought you would be better than this. I'm ashamed of all of you."

"Those were just silly pranks, aunt Euphemia. Really," Sirius pleaded.

"I'm a Black, Sirius, and I'll speak to you as one. I know how the environment of your home is," Euphemia started in an understanding tone, trying to make them comprehend their mistakes. "Now imagine that Hogwarts was the only escape you had. No friends, no family to support you, only allies whom you could not fully trust. Basically, no one to rely on o. And then you started getting bullied there everyday—not just hurtful words, but getting physically harmed as well. How would you feel? What would you do when the only place you deemed safe turned out to be an actual hell for you?"

Sirius was gobsmacked. No, this cannot be true. He hadn't harmed Severus like that, had he?

"What kind of question is that, mother? Sirius has us! And why are you taking Snape's side in all of this?"

"Son, I'm only trying to help you. He is not a bad person. He's just alone and was only defending himself from you. We know everything about those pranks from Madame Pomfrey—about the innumerable times he had to visit the hospital because of you. They are in the past, yes, but you need to apologise to him for what you did. You laughed at him, hurt him, even tried to make him believe that his life isn't as important as yours." Euphemia moved from her chair towards his son who was shaking in anger.

"Why do you hate him so much, Jamsey?"

On the other hand, Sirius and Remus were deep in thought as they remembered everything they had done to Severus. It all seemed so pointless and childish now.

Why were they hurting him?

"He's a Slytherin, and Slytherins cannot be trusted," James answered her mother's question.

"Don't forget that I'm a Slytherin too, son. You tried to take away Severus' only friend when it was never your decision to make," James looked sharply at his mother at the mention of Lily Evans.

"And you stalked that poor girl, James. Do you realise how wrong that is on so many levels? You intruded on her privacy," Euphemia emphasized.

"What do you want me to do, mother?" James asked in a threatening way. Euphemia was quick to notice the changes in his behaviour. Professor Nicholas was indeed right in his observations.

"I want you to leave that girl alone. If she does have the same feelings for you, James, then I wouldn't mind. But till then, you stay away from Lily Evans or I'll have to take strict actions against you." Euphemia ordered as she stood up alongside her husband.

Her son thought hard upon it. What she was saying was doable, not that Lily was giving him any responses so far. She had been nothing but rude towards him when he'd only spoken out his heart. He nodded his head in agreement, and the two of his friends sighed in relief.

"And, I want all three of you to issue a formal apology to Severus Snape, promising not to harm him any further. We have already decided on your punishment and..."

James stood full force from his seat with a roaring 'NO!'.

"I will not apologise to him!" Remus and Sirius were quick to stop him before he could destroy the office.

"JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER! You will not talk to your mother in that tone or else there will be consequences," Fleamont shouted at him in a warning.

"I'll talk to her however I like. It's my life. You must be daft to even think that I would bow down before that snake," James shouted in an equally loud voice. He was yanked behind roughly by his shoulders, only to be met by his friends' furious faces.

"Prongs, don't" Sirius whispered lowly. James had crossed all the boundaries this time.

"What is wrong with you?" Remus questioned simultaneously. At that moment, James realised what a grave mistake he'd made. The anger was replaced by shock and fear. He never realised when he'd shouted back at his mother!

How foolish could he be?

"I'm...mother, I.." No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get the words out of his mouth. With guilt consuming him, James ran out of the study as fast as he could.

"Prongs!" Sirius tried to run after him but was stopped by Remus.

"Let him go, Padfoot. He needs to be alone right now." With a defeated sigh, Sirius obliged his request. Both of them turned towards the furious parents, ready for a possible lashing out. They were wrong, though.

Fleamont and Euphemia seemed as tired as they were angry. James had never acted like this before.

"You both should go back to school. I'll write to Professor McGonagall that James will stay back home for the weekend," Fleamont told them in a quiet tone.

"As for your punishment, I want the Invisibility Cloak back," Fleamont said as he sat on his desk to write that letter.

"Sir?"

"We are not negotiating here, Sirius. You will do as told. You should be thankful that Professor Nicholas decided against writing a letter to your grandfather. We both know how that would have ended up," Euphemia warned him.

"Okay, Aunt Euphemia. But we do not have the cloak with us right now."

"Don't fret about it. I have some business at Hogwarts, so you can expect me there tomorrow."

"Yes, Uncle Fleamont." Remus sighed.

"And boys, I expect better from you next time. Don't let us down." Both boys nodded in acceptance and were about to leave when Sirius turned to face them again.

"He'll be okay, right?" There was fear in Sirius' eyes that something would happen to James.

"He will be fine, son. Now, off you go."

Remus and Sirius left the Potter Manor with a heavy heart. One thing was sure—today was one of the worst days of this year.

The next day came quickly, and Fleamont was ready for it. He had written a letter to Augusta Longbottom and Arcturus Black—two other members of the Board of Directors beside him—and sought their permission to take notice of what was happening at Hogwarts.

They had taken a mutual decision to take action only if they had evidence to present in front of the Board.

For this, they sought the help of a neutral party, and Professor Nicholas proved to be the right person. He had proven that he genuinely cared about the safety of the students. And more so, since he'd recently joined Hogwarts, his opinions would provide a fresh and unadulterated point of view to them.

Thus, Fleamont's meeting with Professor Nicholas was of utmost importance and was ordered to be kept a secret until further notice.

Fleamot Potter arrived at his destination—Professor Nicholas' personal office—dusting away his clothes and stepping out of the floo. He was careful to avoid apparation, and thus, the unwanted prying eyes.

"Good morning, Mr Potter."

"Good morning, Professor Grey. Thank you for agreeing to meet me." Fleamont said with a firm handshake.

"Not at all, Mr Potter. It's my pleasure to help you in any way I can," Nicholas replied as they sat at the table and poured him a cup of tea. Although, he was curious to hear Fleamont's reason for the sudden visit. His letter had been cryptic, to put it simply.

"How is James doing now?"

"Oh, he's okay for now." Fleamont couldn't keep the worrying tone from his voice.

"Is it something serious?"

Fleamont contemplated on spilling the details to Professor, but he seemed concerned for James. Besides, he needed Grey's help at the moment.

"James' blood reports are still not back. They said it will take another week or so because the poison was in minuscule quantities. But the healers have started with his treatment. They have recommended a mild basic antidote and calming draught for his anger issues. Both of them have to be administered daily so, I have to schedule a meeting with Professor McGonagall and the head matron as well. Euphemia is worried, though, so we thought that maybe he should spend the weekend at home."

"That's wise and understandable, Mr Potter. I will personally make sure that his physical and mental health is taken care of," Nicholas promised. It was just a move to gain the Potters' trust for the future.

"Thank you, Professor. That would be much appreciated."

"Now, how may I be of assistance to you today?" The conversation suddenly turned serious.

"Before leaving Hogwarts that evening, I got the chance to speak to Mr Lupin about these 'pranks' that have been played for years. Not to mention the bullying that has escalated as well over the years—one incident I witnessed, myself, on Friday evening. I wrote to some members of the Board of Directors; it is decided that an investigation is pending."

"Forgive me, Mr Potter, but where do I come in between all of this?"

"You are new here, Professor, and as much as we would like to assume otherwise, we do not know where the rest of the staff stands. Their loyalty to Dumbledore might prove to be a hurdle in this matter."

"Is Professor Dumbledore also under suspicion?"

"Unfortunately, yes. He had failed the students, and it has resulted in a fight that is going too far. If we gather enough evidence against him, he will be removed from the Headmaster's position."

Now wasn't that cherry on the cake! Morgana, he didn't even have to do anything but fake care about these blithering idiots, and bam! An opportunity just landed on his lap.

Trying very hard not to show his smile, Nicholas masked his emotions, "Of course, Mr Potter."

"Good then, I want you to select three students whom you trust, and..." Nicholas listened to him carefully. Doing as requested, he wrote three quick letters and transformed them into birds with a sensing charm on them. No one besides the one it is addressed to would be able to open the letter.

Now, all they had to do was wait for the students to come.

It was a wonderful and calm evening. Well, as calm and sane as things could get at Hogwarts.

The birds were chirping, students were roaming lazily on the grounds, the hurrahs from Quidditch pitch were quite clear where the Ravenclaw team was preparing for their upcoming match against Slytherins. And most importantly, the Marauders had not pranked or annoyed anyone.

It had been a week since that incident, but since then, the four Gryffindor boys hadn't been seen together. The school was filled with gossips about their falling out, ranging from Sirius being a death Eater to Peter being secretly gay and announcing his undying love for James. The best one so far, though, was where they were pranked in return by the Slytherins and had learnt their lesson of not messing with the Snakes.

Whatever might be the matter, Severus was content.

Plus, there was no pending homework.

Thus, he decided to spend his Saturday by finishing the book he has been trying to read for a while now. Thankfully, Lily hadn't spilled any spoilers and ruined the book for him.

Lazily reading from one word to the next, Severus' head fell back on the tree trunk as he adjusted his sitting position.

There were sounds of crunching leaves nearing him, but he ignored them because of the sheer number of students who were passing their time as well.

"Severus, hey man!" And, just like that, his peaceful bubble was broken. It was Regulus coming for him, more like running towards him. Beside him was Harriet with an equally concerned face as Reggie's. The only one missing from their little group was Barty. They had become quite an odd trio in a short time. And it surprised a lot of people because of Barty's evil and Regulus' closed-off reputation. Harriet, though, seemed to have befriended them rather quickly. Her sassy remarks kept Barty in line and her quiet nature complimented Reggie's introverted behaviour as well.

Harriet had also, particularly, gained Sirius' hatred these days, because of her increasing closeness towards his brother. Sirius believed that the girl had bewitched his innocent Reggie and was trying to force him into darker magic.

"Regulus, Harriet, what's wrong?" He sat up straight from where he was lounging comfortably under the tree shade.

"This came for you," Regulus said, passing him a note. That was odd because he never received any letters or notes from anyone. Especially not his parents.

"I got one too. Thought would open it together," Harriet said, showing him a similar piece of parchment. Severus nodded, plucking it from Regulus' hands and tearing it open.

"Well?" Regulus' patience ran thin as the duo took their sweet time. How slow did they read?

"It's from Professor Nicholas; says to meet him in his office sharp at six."

"Mine says the same."

"But why would he call you both?" Regulus asked, cocking his brow.

"Maybe it's something related to that leadership thing?" Severus suggested.

"Possible," Harriet nodded. If it would have been something important, Marvolo would have mind-linked her.

"Let's get something to eat first; I'm starving. Then we'll go to Professor Grey's office," Regulus groaned at his two friends. In the absence of Lucius, Barty had gone crazy with the Quidditch practice, for the match next week.

"Alright," Severus said. His peace was already interrupted. Might as well fill his belly now and continue the book later.

"You're coming with us?" Harriet asked as they made their way towards the kitchen.

"Of course. Lucius' strict orders to not let any Slytherins roam alone." It was true; all the Slytherins roamed the halls in pairs as a precaution. It was sad, to be honest, but a necessity.

"We're two, Reggie," Harriet pointed out with a smile. Honestly, she didn't mind spending time with him. He had a very refreshing view of life. Regulus simply shrugged and continued his way towards the kitchen.

The trio reached Professor Grey's office in record time, after their quick snack stop. As they were about to knock, they saw Frank Longbottom entering the classroom as well.

"Good evening," Frank greeted them as he reached them. He was one of the few Gryffindors whom the Slytherins actually liked.

"You got the note as well?" Harriet asked and got a nod in response. She knocked once, and they didn't have to wait long before Professor Nicholas opened the door wide and ushered them inside. He did raise his brows when Regulus casually strolled in but didn't stop him. As much as he reminded Nicholas of his bratty brother, the young boy had the potential to be helpful.

The four students were startled to see Fleamont Potter occupying one of the chairs. Regulus' smirk faded, and his face hardened on seeing the replacement Sirius had chosen over their father.

"Mr Black, what are you doing here? I don't suppose you received the note as well."

"We thought it was about the leaders of the DADA club, Professor. He only wanted to accompany us," Harriet easily covered for him. She could practically feel the anger rolling off him.

"Very well. Now that you're already here, can we trust you, Mr Black?"

"I think we can," Nicholas replied on his behalf. He then turned towards his students and spoke, "As you are aware of the increasing bullying incidents at Hogwarts, the Board has decided to take much-needed action against it—not only for the students but the staff as well."

Harriet listened and she was a bit happy that something was being done. She heard Frank utter 'FINALLY!' under his breath, and couldn't keep the smile off her face. Marvolo caught her and gave her a stern look.

"But, of course, we can't do anything without proof. So, we have decided to take your help in this case. You three..."

"Four!" Regulus shouted with his hand raised, retreating it immediately when he saw them all, giving him weird glances.

Nicholas took a deep breath and continued, "were chosen because we trust you. This meeting will be kept a secret. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." There was no humour in their eyes.

"Here is what you have to do. You will talk to other students about whether they have faced such issues at school. It doesn't matter if it was four years back or five years back. It doesn't matter if it had been a teacher who had turned them down for help or another student or faculty member who had abused them in any form," Fleamont said while looking especially at Severus, which made the boy squirm a little. Harriet, noticing this, held his hand in comfort.

Fleamont took out some quills, passing one to each student, "These are enchanted quills to make sure that their complaints are not tampered with, and also that their identities remain anonymous. We want to be as discreet as possible."

It was more serious than Harriet had thought. She looked over to Marvolo who gave her a firm nod in reassurance.

"Talk to as many students as you can, assure them that no action would be taken against them. Some may hesitate; in that case, Professor Grey and Professor Flitwick would assist you. They have been assigned to the same tasks as well."

The four students relaxed a bit.

"You all have two weeks. You may hand over the reports to either Professor or keep them to yourselves. After two weeks, a special team of the BOD will come and further investigate. They would interact with all the houses. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Any questions?"

"No, sir."

"Good, thank you all for your cooperation. You all may leave now, except for Mr Snape," Fleamont said. The four of them stopped, but Frank was quick to leave, sensing the tension in the room. Harriet and Regulus stood on either side of Severus, not wanting to leave him alone, but also not wanting to disobey Mr Potter.

"I would like for Harriet to stay," Severus spoke, surprising all of them. Nicholas nodded and Regulus reluctantly left.

"Thank you, Severus. I don't know how to say it, but the Noble House of Potter does owe you an apology. I'm truly, truly ashamed of what my son has done to you over the years. I'm very sorry for that."

Severus stood frozen in his spot as Fleamont Potter apologised to him. He didn't know how to react; no one had ever said 'sorry' to him or accepted their mistakes. He had always been shoved aside, and so, Severus had grown the hard exterior wherein no one could hurt him.

Yet, the man standing in front of him seemed earnest.

A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts, and he looked at his new friend, who wore an encouraging smile. Somehow Harriet always knew how to cheer others. How weird!

"I know this wasn't how it was supposed to go, but…" Fleamont chuckled heavily. Tears gathered in the corner of his eyes. Suddenly, he looked a lot older and a lot more tired.

"It's our fault, actually. James is our only son, and we spoil him too much. Anyway, "he cleared his throat once again. "Euphemia and I wanted to do something for you. After an extensive conversation with Professors Nicholas and Slughorn, we learned about your excellent Potions skills. Here," Fleamont said, passing him a neatly written letter.

"What is this?" Severus asked tentatively.

"This is an invitation letter to their annual scholarship programme, by Mahoutokoro School of Magic. They would love for you to complete your Potions degree from there. If you would like, you can further continue your Master degree in Potions under the programme."

What the fuck? What the actual fuck?!

Was this really happening?

"How would he manage that?" Harriet asked right away. There was a wide smile on her face, telling them that she loved this gift.

"The degrees, in a certain subject, in all Wizarding schools are interchangeable. The Mahoutokoro degree will work just fine if he wants a job in Britain or anywhere else. Also, Mahoutokoro works a bit differently than other wizarding schools. They do have day-boarding facilities for scholarship and exchange students. A proper boarding school is for the permanent students there. I would recommend Mr Snape to attend the weekend classes there and be back here for the weekdays. This way, he can schedule his time easily and not get tired because of travelling."

Harriet looked at him with a 'what are you waiting for' face.

"I'm sorry, Mr Potter. I can't take this. It's too much." He gave the letter back to Fleamont with a heavy heart.

"Sev?"

"Plus, I can't afford it. " His reasoning made Harriet's hopes drop as well. The scholarship was funded, but what about his books and everything else. It would cost a lot.

"You don't have to worry about that, son. The scholarship requires your previous years' scores and two recommendation letters. They were already sent in by Professor McGonagall and Professor Nicholas, each. On top of that, each student of Hogwarts has a trust vault in their names at Gringotts. A 30% of your yearly fees go in that vault. As for books, you can always borrow them from the library. You do not have to worry about money at all." Fleamont assured him.

Severus felt like he was on cloud nine. His dreams were coming true. He'd always wanted to be a potioneer, and now his future was literally in his hands.

He just had to say yes, but…

Two firm hands held his shoulders, and he saw Fleamont's understanding gaze peering down at him, "I understand your hesitation, son. But this is not a pity gift. I gave this letter to you because I see immense potential and talent in you. I see a bright future potioneer in you. I, being a potioneer myself, know the hardships that come with it. But we all are here to support you, son—your friends, your teachers," Fleamont said, and Severus' gaze shifted to Harriet and Nicholas, respectively.

"You earned it, Severus."

A few moments went by in utter silence, until they were broken, "For Salazar's sake, say yes, Severus."

Fleamont let out a booming laugh, while Nicholas' shoulder shook in amusement as well. Harriet and Severus looked at the door from where the voice had come.

"You can come out now, Me Black. We know that you heard everything," Nicholas asked in a soft tone. Few seconds went by, and a very sheepish looking Regulus came out of his hiding place

His cheeks were dusted in pink, in embarrassment, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Mr Black. We didn't really expect you to leave."

Professor Nicholas looked back at Severus, waiting for his answer.

"You don't have to answer right now. You can always take time."

"No, I do want to answer now, and…" Severus looked at his friends one last time before muttering, "I accept."

Two bodies collided hardly with his own making him groan.

-A/N: Let me know what you guys think about this one! Reads, followers, favorites and reviews are always appreciated! Good day to all! :)