Harry Potter couldn't believe that he'd just finished his last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Well, he'd finished six years; the last one had been on a mission to destroy object that held pieces of Voldemort's soul. Regardless, Harry had just completed his final exams, the N.E.W.T ones, which he'd have been learning about through his seventh year, if he had attended it. It had been a long seven years, but Harry survived and destroyed the dark lord once and for all with help from his friends. It was amazing how the time had gone by, how many friends he'd made. Harry was happy to take the next step in his life beyond school; get a good job, end up married with a couple kids. Yes, with his life calmer and definitely safer; he could enjoy his future. Today was June 31st, 1998. Harry was home with Sirius Black, his godfather, and Remus Lupin, his unofficial uncle; getting unpacked and settled at the most ancient and noble house of Black; Twelve Grimmauld Place. While Harry worked at unpacking his things; his mind went over the last seven years of his life and couldn't help but smile at all the good that had come with it, even in the darkest times.
During first year, Harry learned he was a wizard and that his parents had died to a dark wizard who had wanted to kill him. Harry found out why he was so famous, which was because he was the boy who lived. Everyone knew who he was, except himself. Also during first year, Harry met Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger on the Hogwarts Express as they were all going to Hogwarts for the first time. Aside from some craziness, Harry fought Voldemort, who had possessed the back of his Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's head; all this was to protect the Sorcerer's Stone, which Voldemort was after to live forever. In second year, Harry returned to Hogwarts and had to deal with Voldemort again, but his younger self that was preserved in a diary he left behind. Voldemort, the heir of Slytherin, returned to open the Chamber of Secrets and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work, or so Voldemort had claimed he was doing. Harry destroyed the diary, preventing Voldemort from getting his body back and saving Ron's little sister, Ginny Weasley. In third year, Voldemort was pretty quiet but Harry learned he had a godfather, Sirius Black, who had escaped from Azkaban prison.
Harry also met Remus Lupin, who had become the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for Harry's third year. Over the year, Harry learned Remus was one of his father's best friends and that Sirius Black was his godfather, and completely innocent but having spent the last twelve years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Harry learned that a third and former friend of Sirius and Remus's was the one who sold out Harry's parents to the dark lord; his name was Peter Pettigrew. Sirius broke out of prison to get Pettigrew and clear his name because Pettigrew killed thirteen people when Sirius tried to get him the first time after the Potter's had been killed in 1981. And Pettigrew had cut off his own finger to fake his own death. In all this, Harry learned Remus was a werewolf too. The year ended with Remus leaving Hogwarts, but promising to keep in touch, and then Sirius went on the run but would do everything he could to become a free man. In fourth year, Harry ended up a competitor in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, which was hosted by Hogwarts.
The competing schools were Durmstrang Institute, where Viktor Krum was picked to represent his school, and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, where Fleur Delacour was chosen to represent hers. There had been two Hogwarts champions chosen, Cedric Diggory, a Hufflepuff boy, and of course, Harry Potter. Harry hated the whole thing because he never put his name in the Goblet of Fire, someone else did, but it didn't get him taken out of the competition. Harry had to compete and ended up the winner, but at the cost of Cedric Diggory having been killed by Peter Pettigrew on Voldemort's orders. This was also the year Voldemort returned to his physical body with an old dark magic ritual and he had tried to kill Harry right away, but Harry escaped with Cedric's body. That was a hard year for Harry. Going into fifth year, Harry had to deal with the media plastering him and Albus Dumbledore, his headmaster at Hogwarts, as liars about Voldemort's return. As such, a ministry official, Dolores Umbridge came to Hogwarts to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. Not that she taught them anything of use, so Harry went behind her back to start a club where he taught all students who wanted to learn how to defend themselves.
Eventually, Harry was caught, but Dumbledore took the fall for the small army that formed to rise above and defend their school from Voldemort. As it happened that year, Harry ended up at the ministry to retrieve a prophecy about him and Voldemort. Harry had gone under the threat that Sirius was captured and Harry wanted to save his godfather. Harry learned that he had the power to vanquish the dark lord, and was marked as Voldemort's equal. Also that neither could live while the other survived, so that told Harry that there would be a final showdown where and Voldemort duked it out in a battle to the death essentially. Despite the battle at the ministry having been a setup for Harry to get the prophecy for Voldemort; Sirius came to protect Harry, but Harry is the one who saved Sirius. That was the year when Albus finally gave Harry permission to live with his godfather. Sirius was proven innocent and cleared of all charges. In sixth year, Harry made an assumed guess that Draco Malfoy, a bully of his since first year, had been marked a death eater and he'd been right.
In sixth year, Harry learned about the horcruxes that Voldemort made and how he'd managed to live all these years without a body. Harry found out that the diary of Tom Marvolo Riddle he had destroyed in second year had been a horcrux, then Albus located Tom's mother's ring, which was another one. Also in sixth year, Draco had been given the mission to kill Albus Dumbledore, and Harry did witness that take place only it hadn't been Draco to deliver the final blow; it was Severus Snape. Harry's Potions Professor at school. Harry and Severus never saw eye to eye, but until fifth year when Severus tried to teach Harry Occlumency, Harry didn't know the hell his own father and Sirius had put Severus through during their own years as Hogwarts students. Now, the two still had some resentment towards one another, but Harry did understand Severus saw Harry as his enemies son, so Harry tried not to annoy him. Severus had saved Harry over the years, little things that no one picked up except Harry that his potions professor had protected him during his time as a student.
However, Harry lost all respect for the man when he saw Severus use the killing curse on Albus. After Dumbledore's funeral, Harry said he wouldn't return to school for seventh year, that he had to finish the mission of finding the horcruxes and destroying them so that Voldemort could be destroyed once and for all. The mission was hard, but it took several month just to destroy the first one Harry had gotten with Albus, which was a fake, but led them to the real one; Salazar Slytherin's Locket. The second was found in one of Voldemort's death eater's vaults at Gringotts bank; it was Helga Hufflepuff's cup. And then another was at the school itself, a tiara belonging to Rowena Ravenclaw. The locket was destroyed by Godric Gryffindor's sword, which Harry used in second year to kill the Basilisk down in the Chamber of Secrets. The cup and diadem(tiara), were destroyed by a Basilisk fang, from it's corpse down in the chamber. Ron and Hermione destroyed the cup while Harry located the diadem and destroyed it after the group saved Draco Malfoy, and his friend Blaise Zambini from a Fiendfyre spell in the Room of Requirement. Gregory Goyle set it off, and the fool couldn't control the raging flames; he was consumed by them and died.
The last horcrux they knew of had been Nagini, Voldemort's pet snake. But this is when Harry learned that Severus Snape had been a double spy and always on the Light side of the battle. Severus is the one who made sure Harry found the sword of Gryffindor in the Forest of Dean when Hermione and Harry had been alone. Severus made sure Harry hadn't been found on the Astronomy Tower the night Albus was killed. Severus made sure none of the death eaters had hurt Harry after Harry chased them out of the castle. Severus had always been there to protect him. So when it came out that Voldemort was going to kill Severus to make the Elder Wand work for him; Harry rushed to save the man. The rules of wand-lore were that some wands could be won in battle, so Voldemort believed that because Severus killed Albus; he was the Elder Wand's true master and Voldemort needed to kill Severus to make him the master. It had been wrong, the won's allegiance was transferred to Draco Malfoy when the boy had disarmed Albus on the Astronomy Tower prior to being killed. And Harry had disarmed Draco during the small battle at Malfoy Manor, when Hermione, Ron, and Harry were captured and brought there.
Draco too was helping Harry; he didn't sell Harry out to Bellatrix or the other Death Eaters when asked if it was Harry, who had been slightly disfigured because Hermione hit him with a stinging jinx just before capture. Harry did as Drack why he didn't say anything, and never got an answer until after the final battle. When Severus laying dying, he had Harry take some of his tears and instruct him to view the memories in the pensive, that it would tell him everything. Severus did pass out and Harry made quick work of saving the man and keeping him hidden in the school to recover so Voldemort wouldn't know he was alive. Harry learned that Severus may have hated his father due to the bullying, but he loved Harry's mom, Lily, who had been his first friend and crush. It was way more than a crush, Severus had loved Lily. However, Harry also learned that he was a horcrux himself. That the night his mother cast herself between Voldemort and Harry; the killing curse rebounded from that sacrifice and a part of Voldemort's soul lived inside Harry.
Knowing all this, Harry knew he had to die by Voldemort's hand for Voldemort to be killed. Harry had bid his friends goodbye and went off alone. Voldemort ended up killing part of himself, but Harry was able to come back to life and he showed up when all seemed pretty hopeless to the Light side. Remus and Sirius were more than upset about Harry being dead, so were Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, who Harry had fallen for and she, for him. However, Harry knew he'd been alive when Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother, came to check on Harry after Voldemort killed him. She asked if Draco was in the castle and alive, when Harry gave the slightest head nod to her question, she turned and lied right to Voldemort's face that Harry was dead. When they went to Hogwarts, Draco was the only one from Hogwarts' side to walk to Voldemort's, at his parents insistence. Neville Longbottom, another good friend of Harry's, had gave a power speech that Harry didn't die in vain, but Voldemort would and the battle wasn't over.
That was when Harry jumped down from Hagrid's arms and Draco left his parents side to throw his wand to Harry to use to fight and Harry attacked Nagini, then ran off as Voldemort chased him. Lucius and Narcissa joined their son in defending Hogwarts, so did Severus. The battle broke out and ended up with just Harry and Voldemort in the courtyard with everyone around and watching closely as Voldemort used Avada Kedavra and Harry used some red spell; they blasts were held in the middle, neither beating the other. However, Neville used the sword of Gryffindor to kill Nagini with one cut and Voldemort felt it in him that he was no longer safe. When Harry and Voldemort's wands met again; the Elder Wand refused to fight Harry and rebounded, allow Harry's blast to hit and take the wand from Voldemort's hands and then Voldemort just faded away into ash. That was the end of the battle, which took place May 2nd, 1998. Despite the losses, and rebuilding; Harry, Ron, and Hermione got to take their NEWTs and all passed, officiating their graduation from Hogwarts.
The Malfoy family, and Severus were all pardoned from prison because of their assistance to the cause of defeating Voldemort, and Draco got to take his NEWTs too. And that is what brought Harry back to reality; he was a Hogwarts graduate and back home at Grimmauld Place to plan out the rest of his future. Right now, he still had very good friends and was dating Ginny Weasley, who still had one more year of school to go. Beyond that, they might move in together and end up married. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were still living off their money, never needing to work and Draco went into business with Severus; they know had a potions shop in Diagon Alley. Severus had left Hogwarts as potions master and headmaster after being pardoned from jail. All was well in Harry's life, there was peace and happiness; he couldn't ask for more. And he was going to be eighteen in a month. Nothing could be better. Harry kept smiling as he unpacked his things; he'd see his two uncles for lunch, or dinner.
"What are we going to do for his birthday, Remus?" Sirius inquired.
"He's going to be eighteen, it should be something big." Remus suggested.
"I think he's had enough big for the rest of his life," Sirius chuckled. "How about…Meaningful? What's something the would mean a lot?"
"His parents back, but I'd rather we don't venture into that darkness." Remus stated. "I know he wants to know them better, outside of little stories and pictures."
"That's it!" Sirius exclaimed.
"What?" Remus blinked.
"We'll get him memories! Of his parents growing up and over the years before they died!" Sirius told his best friend.
Remus's eyes widened. "You mean…Get him a pensive and donate our memories of James and Lily?"
"Yes! And we could get others too. Minerva, Slughorn, Filius…They all have memories of us in school. We have memories of time in school and when Harry was born…The year before James and Lily were killed." Sirius nodded.
"It would mean a lot to Harry…" Remus agreed. "Alright, let's do it!"
Sirius and Remus grinned, immediately beginning to plan on getting a pensive and then making a list of everyone who they needed to talk to about getting memories of James and Lily.
. . .
It was now July 26th as Remus and Sirius moseyed their way to Cokeworth, on Spinner's End to visit Severus Snape, much to their dismay about the whole idea. But this was for Harry, so they would deal with the unpleasantness of this visit. Remus knocked on the door and stepped back next to Sirius.
"Can't believe we added him to the list of people to ask." Sirius muttered.
"Like it or not; he was Lily's first friend and he probably has a lot of memories regarding her." Remus sighed.
"I don't like the idea of owing the greasy git anything!" Sirius folded his arms.
"Now, remember Sirius…We're not his favorite people, so let's remain respectful and-," Remus had started as the door opened to reveal Severus standing there.
"Black…Lupin. To what do I owe the displeasure?" Severus asked.
"Most people greet guests with a Hello, or how can I help you?" Sirius stated.
"I greet people I don't mind with such. Now what do you want?" Severus glared.
"We've come to ask a favor…" Remus began after glaring at Sirius to stop.
"I already brew your Wolfsbane, for free, despite not longer being asked by Albus or working at Hogwarts. What more could you want?" Severus folded his arms.
"And I immensely appreciate your continued brewing of that potion for me, Severus…This favor isn't for me, though." Remus informed.
"May we come in or not, Sniv-Severus?" Sirius held off from using Severus's old nickname from him and James back in their school days.
"Severus? Who is there?" A woman's voice asked.
Sirius stared. "Is that my cousin, Narcissa, in there?"
"What's it to you?" Severus scoffed.
"Severus, your tea is getting cold! Bring whoever is there inside, I'll make more." The woman stated.
Severus rolled his eyes and sighed before stepping aside to allow them inside. "Thank you, Severus," Remus smiled. Severus closed the door and led them into the main area where the Malfoy family said.
"Sirius," Narcissa said, surprised.
"Cousin Cissy." Sirius remarked.
"And here I thought only Bellatrix called me that." Narcissa smiled gently.
"Everyone called you that when we were kids." Sirius reminded.
"True." Narcissa agreed as she sipped her tea.
"Whatever have you come here for?" Lucius asked Remus and Sirius. "Unless Severus has forgiven your…Earlier years."
"Never." Severus remarked.
"Hold on…Cousin?" Draco arched a brow.
"Sirius Black is my cousin, Dragon…" Narcissa informed. "I was a Black before I married your father." She added.
"Oh." Draco replied, understanding better. "Hello, Professor Lupin." He greeted.
"I'm not your professor anymore, Draco. Haven't been since the end of third year. You may call me Mr. Lupin, or Remus, if you like." Remus told him. "I'm sure you know by now that Sirius black is not only your mother's cousin and technically yours, but also Harry's godfather. I'm an unofficial uncle," He chuckled.
"We knew that back in third year when he broke out of prison…" Draco stated.
"Prison that I never deserved to be in for twelve years." Sirius mumbled. "I was trying to protect Harry from Pettigrew."
"Sirius, calm yourself." Remus sighed.
"Even if Pettigrew framed him for ratting out the Potter's to the dark lord, he's guilty of attempted murder of me…" Severus glared.
"Oh, come on. You're not still on that, are you?" Sirius asked.
"You tried to kill me!" Severus snapped.
"We were kids." Sirius sighed.
"You were fifteen, Black." Severus reminded. "You were old enough to know that sending the person you bullied after your werewolf friend was wrong. If Potter hadn't come when he did, I'd be dead."
"Potter? As in…Harry's father?" Draco inquired.
"Yes…Despite all his bullying with Sirius Black over the years since we started at Hogwarts; he knew Sirius sent me to find Lupin on the night of a full moon and knew it was wrong and dangerous…So he came after me before I reached Lupin and told me to leave so I wouldn't get hurt." Severus explained.
"Wow. You were an ass, weren't you?" Draco folded his arms over one another.
"It was not one of my finer moments," Sirius admitted. "From Harry's stories, you assumed that position in your own generation, Draco, against Harry and his friends."
"It was not one of my finer moments," Draco mumbled.
"Indeed…" Sirius remarked.
"Well, since you're here…Would you like some tea?" Narcissa smiled.
"Just…Get on with why you're here? What favor do you need to ask of me?" Severus questioned.
"It's for Harry, actually," Remus said.
"Then Potter can come here and ask me himself." Severus claimed.
"No, we're asking a favor of you for his sake…Not on his behalf." Sirius stated.
"I've done enough for that boy to last me a life time!" Severus glared at them.
"I knew this was pointless, Remus. He's not gonna do it…" Sirius folded his arms.
"We haven't even asked yet. Just be quiet, Sirius," Remus sighed.
"Quiet yourself, Remus," Sirius responded firmly. "He's the same dungeon bat he's always been."
"Sirius!" Remus scolded. "That's no way to talk to Severus when it's him we need the favor from, so do me and hopefully Harry a favor and shut it."
Sirius sat back, arms folded still. "What do you want, Lupin?" Severus asked. "I don't owe you or Potter anything."
"Technically, you owe him your life…" Sirius reminded.
"I do not." Severus countered. "I owe his father one for saving me from finding Lupin in our fifth year, but not Harry himself."
"Actually since you never paid back debt to James and he's dead; it transfers to Harry." Remus corrected. "And you do owe one to Harry too, Severus. Harry saved your life in the battle just last month."
"What? He did not. I survived and was in the hospital wing. Someone found me after Potter took the memories I was told to pass onto him." Severus remarked.
"And who do you think took you to the hospital wing you ungrateful git!?" Sirius stood up. "You didn't see what Harry did after you lost consciousness in the boat house!" Severus stared at him. "Harry held your wound closed. Harry used a spell he saw you use when he cast that curse at Draco to heal you. He levitated your unconscious body under own invisibility cloak and hid you in the infirmary until you woke up later on and joined the fight. Harry saved you, Snape."
Severus paused from speaking, taking it all in. "It's true, Severus. Harry told us he saved you, Hermione and Ron backed up the story as they were with him." Remus informed. "So rightfully…You owe him two life debts…" He added. "Not that I think he knows about them."
"Good for me then…" Severus commented, still shocked by the news, but keeping his facial expression as stoic as possible.
"Do I owe him one?" Draco asked.
"Why would you?" Lucius inquired.
"Harry saved Blaise and I in the room of requirement after Goyle set off Fiendfyre. Weasley, Granger, and Harry were all making a break for it on brooms…But Harry looked back and saw Blaise and I on a tower of stuff. We would have died if left in there…Harry turned around and grabbed me. Ron got Blaise. He saved my life…Do I owe him a life-debt?" Draco asked.
"You probably do, but again; he doesn't know. He's never asked about the lives he's saved. If you want technicality…All of Britain owes him one; he did destroy Voldemort and save the people." Remus shrugged. "Harry isn't the type to go seeking out payment for what he did, though."
"Whatever…Let's just ask Severus what we came for and go." Sirius huffed.
"What is it you want from me for the boy?" Severus questioned.
"Your memories of his mother." Remus said calmly.
"No." Severus refused.
"I told you he'd say no!" Sirius looked at Remus.
"Would you shut it!?" Remus remarked.
"To cure my own curiosity…Why do you want them?" Lucius inquired.
"The one thing Harry wants is to know his parents. Sirius and I have been planning Harry's eighteenth birthday, and we decided to go with something…Meaningful he can always use. We chose getting him a pensive, and we've been going around to everyone who knew James and Lily throughout their life to ask if they'd donate their memories for Harry to see." Remus explained. "Severus…You have the most of Lily before Hogwarts, and through most of it as you two were best friends for many years. We came to ask if you would give a copy to Harry? Well, to us to present with the pensive next week."
"That is a sweet idea. Harry would love it," Narcissa agreed. "I wish I had some of Lily or James; I'd donate. Unfortunately, Lucius and I were both already in fifth year ourselves when Severus and Lily came to Hogwarts. James too."
"Again, why should I give the boy anything from my life. He's already seen my friendship with her; he knows." Severus stated. "What's his happiness to me?"
"Severus, you know you care about Harry. He wasn't just James Potter's only son and your student." Remus tried.
"That's exactly what he was to me. Spitting image of his father, in fact. Same personality too." Severus scoffed.
"He was not!" Sirius yelled.
"He was too. Lazy, arrogant…Every bit of his father." Severus argued.
"I won't let you talk about James that way, Snape!" Sirius drew his wand and Severus did the same.
"Enough you two," Remus got between them. "Sirius, stop. This isn't why we came here…"
"I won't let him talk about James like he was some kind of criminal, Remus and you shouldn't either!" Sirius told him.
"Sirius, you need to understand that you and James were awful to Severus in school; he's never going to forgive you two for it. Yes, I love James and Lily like family…But I won't disgrace them by fighting with Severus over this. You are the one making this difficult, constantly fighting with him. What would James say of how you reacted? What would Harry say?" Sirius flinched. "Regardless of how we treated, no…You, Pettigrew, and James treated Severus; Harry doesn't hate Severus and wouldn't want to find out his godfather went and attacked him over this." Remus remarked. "This isn't why we came."
"If Snivellus ever cared about Lily at all, he wouldn't stand there and lie to our faces that he doesn't care about Harry!" Sirius lowered his wand.
"I don't." Severus stated, lowering his own, but kept it out and at his side. "I played my role over the years. I've done enough, life debt or not."
"It's your fault his parents were killed!" Sirius glared. "You and your big mouth to Voldemort, telling him about the prophecy! If you had shut up and not told him; James and Lily would still be alive and Harry wouldn't have had to grow up without them because Voldemort wouldn't have targeted them to kill the boy prophesied to destroy him!" He yelled. Severus went quiet. "It's your fault, Severus. If you won't ever forget the bullying when we were kids…I won't ever forget that James and Lily are dead because of you! Pettigrew might have sold them out, but you told that dark bastard that a boy born at the end of July would be the one to destroy him. You put that target on Harry's back, and his parents died to protect him! Harry know it was you too, by your own admission just not that Harry saw what you showed him. You told Voldemort about the prophecy, you begged him to spare Lily and when you knew he wouldn't; you turned tail and went to Dumbledore to hide her. Hide them all. Harry told us everything." He reminded.
"Sirius, you made your point." Narcissa said softly.
"No. No, I don't think I have because he still doesn't get it because he's in his own denial of how much he actually cares about Harry." Sirius stated. "Lie to yourself, Snape. Lie to everyone around you…But you can't lie to me or Remus. You love that boy as you love your own godson, that you'd do anything for him. You love Harry as your own son! I won't stop until you admit it. Harry SAVED your life, Severus. When everyone else called you a dirty, murderous, traitorous death eater; Harry saved you because you've always saved him. Who was the first person at Godric's Hollow the night they died? You. Ignoring James, but going right to Lily…Holding her body while Harry cried in his crib after everything. You stayed there until you heard me show up on the bike; then you made a getaway when you knew Harry wasn't alone anymore." Sirius remarked. "Who saved Harry in first year when Quirrell was jinxing his broom during the quidditch match? You. Who taught Harry his signature disarming spell? You, in second year during dueling club. Who heard I was on the loose and trying to get to Harry, so you followed him and his friends to the shack to keep them safe. And again when Remus forgot his potion and went werewolf? You put yourself between Remus's claws and Harry with his friends. Twice, Snape. Twice."
Severus stayed quiet. "You are the one who found Harry and I passed out by the lake after the dementor attack and took us to the school. You made sure Harry got to the infirmary before you handed me over to the dementors to be taken back to Azkaban. You went back into spying when Voldemort returned to his body, acting like a death eater to get information to Dumbledore to keep Harry safe. You tried to teach Harry Occlumency to keep Voldemort out of his mind, if ya had been less of an ass about it; he might have learned it. You called Grimmauld place to check on me after Umbridge caught Harry in her office and when they didn't come back from the forest, you called the Order to let them know. You put a fake sword in Bellatrix's vault and used your patronus to lead Harry to the real one…WHICH YOU PLACED CLOSE TO WHERE HARRY AND HERMIONE WERE ON THEIR MISSION TO FIND THE HORCRUXES! All because you knew it was one of the only things that could destroy them." Sirius pointed at him. "It's always you, Severus. You protecting Harry! Don't you dare stand there in all your occlumency shields up and tell me to my face you don't love that boy. If Harry was every in trouble where Remus and I couldn't help him; he'd turn to you and you wouldn't turn him away."
"I promised Albus I'd protect him from the dark lord." Severus stated calmly.
"You promised Lily, cradling her dead body, with Harry in the room that you'd always be there for him! I heard you!" Sirius accused. "And even though Harry knew you caused everything; he saved your life! He saved you because your life means something to him. He knew you weren't the Elder Wand's true master, he didn't believe you should die for nothing! And your cowardly move to tell make him look at you and tell him he has his mother's eyes. He knows you loved his mother. He know you always cared about him. You weren't just playing a role. Everything you've done in the last seventeen years has been for Harry your desire to protect him out of your love for Lily! Get the stick out of your ass and admit it, Severus. Don't be a coward…What would Lily think?"
"Don't you use her against me, mutt…" Severus glared.
"Don't make me have to because that's the only thing that's gotten a response." Sirius said. "We only came to ask one thing of you, for Harry's sake, or learning who his parents are through memories. Do you detest the boy so much you'd keep those memories to yourself? Not share them with Harry when it's his own mother?"
"Sirius…" Remus put a hand on his shoulder. "Enough now. Severus has made his choice..." He informed. "Severus, forgive us for stepping in. We'll go now." He bowed his head and pulled Sirius out of the room, then they left the house.
Lucius, Draco, and Narcissa were quiet, staring at Severus, who hadn't said a word since Sirius's rant about Severus caring for Harry.
"Alright, I'm gonna say something…" Draco remarked. "Maybe don't admit it to everyone else, Uncle Sev, but don't lie to yourself. You care about Potter; there's no denying any of what Sirius said. You have always looked out for him, like you have me. You can openly admit I'm your godson and you love me, would do anything for me…What's one more being Harry?"
"I think perhaps we should go. I don't believe Severus is any longer up for visitors." Lucius informed.
The three of them got up and left peacefully as Severus finally sat down and closed his eyes. Curse it all to hell, he couldn't deny it. Severus had always protect Harry and cared about the boy. Now, Severus had to decide what he was going to do. Keep the memories of Lily to himself, or share them with Harry?
. . .
The day had come, July 31st, 1998. Harry was officially eighteen years old today. A party was being held at Grimmauld Place in the drawing room and everyone had come that Sirius and Remus invited. Hermione, the Weasley's, Neville, Luna Lovegood, who was another good friend Harry had made in his fifth year. Other guests were Nymphadora Tonks, now Lupin as she married Remus back in 1997, and they had a child, Edward Remus Lupin, or Teddy, born back in April 1998. Nymphadora was Andromeda Tonks's daughter, but Andromeda was originally a black and one of Narcissa's sisters. Bellatrix was the third one. Surprisingly, Narcissa had reached out to Sirius to ask if Draco and she with Lucius could come too since Harry and Draco had put aside their differences and became friends after the battle. Sirius allowed it, of course.
"Alright Harry…This is from Remus and I, but there were other…Contributors." Sirius smiled as he and Remus gave Harry a large square box.
Harry opened the box up and saw a floating, shallow dish. Harry moved the box away as the object floated in front of him. "A pensive?" Harry asked his two uncles.
"I'm sure you know what it's used for?" Remus smiled.
"Of course, but…Why do I need one? Not that it isn't cool." Harry stated.
Sirius smiled as he used his wand to bring over another box to Harry, and flicked it open. Harry looked at all the vials of blue wispy stands. "We wanted to give you something meaningful for your birthday this year. Remus and I have said many times that you're the perfect combination of your parents, that it's not fair so many people got a lot of time with them…But not you, Harry." Sirius said.
"You always mention wanting to know them better, so…That's what this gift is for." Remus motioned. "These vials are donated memories from people who knew your parents throughout various stages of their lives. Teachers at Hogwarts, Sirius and I…"
"So you can always look on them, see your parents and learn more about them." Sirius smiled.
Harry couldn't believe at all the memories before him, and he could see them whenever!? This was great! "Thank you…" Harry said gently. "It's…Amazing." Just then, the fireplace roared with green flames as Severus Snape walked into sight.
"What do you want you greasy-," Sirius sneered.
"Sirius!" Harry scolded.
"But pup…" Sirius began.
"Never mind. Don't you pup me. You're a grown adult, there's no need for name-calling as if you were still a kid. Don't be mean to Professor Snape; he doesn't deserve it." Harry informed. "I'm well aware of how you and my father treated him; it's no wonder he's hated me all these years. But also loved my mom, so also stuck his neck out to protect me? It's still an odd concept, but regardless…No giving Professor Snape a hard time." Remus snickered as Sirius almost pouted at being scolded by his own godson. "But what are you doing here, Professor?"
"I'm no longer your professor, Potter. Nor even a teacher at Hogwarts. You may call me Severus." Severus told him.
"Alright, but only if you stop calling me Potter with such disdain cause I know I look like my dad…But I am my own person. Think you can call me Harry?" Harry questioned.
"I suppose I can allow such a small request…Harry," Severus responded.
"Thank you…Severus." Harry replied. "So, why are you here?"
"I heard it was your birthday, and caught wind what you were getting." Severus mentioned, motioning to the pensive. "I was asked, as one of the people who knew your mother, to donate my own memories of my time with her for you." He held out brown box and opened it to reveal more vials of memories. "As you know, I knew your mother as a child myself. I have many of her until our friendship ended because of my…Foolishness and anger towards your father."
"But, I've seen you memories, sir?" Harry reminded. "Just before the final battle; they were the ones to show me I was a horcrux myself."
"Well, those were just to show you that I've always known your mother and how much she meant to me, also pass the message Dumbledore left." Severus informed. "These are more of our time as friends." He gave the box to Harry.
"Thank you, Severus," Harry smiled.
"I'd also like to reveal something to you, a secondary gift," Severus paused as Harry nodded for him to go ahead. "I never hated you, Harry." Severus said. "The resemblance to your father is uncanny, and you had some of his more…Annoying traits such as a certain disregard for the rules," He remarked. Harry shrugged a little. "But you are every bit of your mother, including her eyes."
"Everyone says that…I have my mother's eyes." Harry stated.
"My revelation is that when I saw you, Harry, while you look like your father…I always focused on your eyes. I saw her love, and kind spirit. Her abnormally large heart. You had traits of your father, but you are all your mother. Every time I saw your eyes, I thought of her and my guilt would consume me. It is my fault Voldemort targeted you and your family, the reason your parents got killed. I was hard on you because when I saw you; I only got angry about what I'd done. My regrets." Severus explained. "Do you remember your first year in my class, the question I asked you about adding two ingredients together?"
"What would you get if you added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Harry asked.
"Yes. Do you know what it means?" Severus pushed.
"I'm still awful at potions, sir. So no…" Harry admitted.
"I was never asking that question for you to identify a potion mixture, Harry. I knew you'd been raised by muggles, hadn't a clue about the wizarding world until your eleventh birthday. Hagrid informed the teachers after dropping you at King's Cross Station." Severus informed. "My question had a hidden message in it, one I had hoped you'd have gone and looked up to realize that I never singled you out over hating you."
"What…Does it mean then?" Harry looked at him seriously now.
"There is said to be a language of flowers, and asphodel is a type of lily meaning my regrets follow you to the grave. And wormwood means absence, also typically symbolized bitter sorrow. The entire message was I bitterly regret Lily's death. It was my condolences on losing your mother, ten years later, and also my apology for being the reason you lost her and your father. I never hated you, Harry; I just could not stand being so close to you knowing what I did. I did not deserve you saving my life last month for the things I did." Severus stated softly. "Everything you had to go through with Voldemort over the years was because of me; I set everything in motion and you will never know how sorry I am."
Harry stood up, setting the box aside as he approached the man. "Severus…Maybe you set everything up, but you did everything you could to redeem yourself. I saved your life once when you saved my trouble finding ass every year at school. You tried to stop Quirrell's curse on my broom. You went after Quirrell the night the troll was let loose to stop him from getting the stone. You taught my most used spell. You put yourself between a werewolf and me after I'd literally attacked you. You caught onto my message about worrying for Sirius and went to check on him; I know you did. It was in your eyes." Harry paused. "You kept me hidden on the Astronomy Tower the night you killed Dumbledore because if the others had known I was there; I'd be dead or captured and taken to Voldemort, who would have killed me before I could kill him because we didn't have all the horcruxes yet. You let me get away that night, you got me the sword…" He stopped. "You saved my life far more times that the one I saved you."
"Harry," Severus said.
"I know about the life debt you owe my dad for him saving you from Sirius's childish pranks back in your own fifth year. I know it transferred to me after he died; I never brought it up because I consider it paid with one of the many times you saved my life. Same with me saving you from certain death, no debt, Severus. You kept me alive all those years, and I know it's because of your love for my mom. And your way of paying the debt to my dad after his death was protecting me all these years." Harry continued. "You don't have to say it, and I won't make you…Just know that I know."
Severus stared at him, surprised. "You know?"
"I know," Harry smiled. "I feel the same way about you, though you were a right prat to me in school. I forgive you," He chuckled. "Mom does too."
"You don't know that." Severus said.
"I do, actually." Harry informed. "Mom forgives you and Dad is sorry."
"How do you know that for sure?" Sirius muttered.
"Something I didn't tell you before I went off to my death against Voldemort…Dumbledore left me the first snitch I caught during my first game. It had told me it opened at the close, so it opened as I went to meet Voldemort in the forest." Harry said. "Inside was one of the three Deathly Hallows…The Resurrection Stone." Everyone gasped and went silent. Severus's eyes widened some. "Before I met Voldemort, I held it in my hand and was able to see mom and dad appear to me as spirits. We talked quickly, and before they vanished, Mom asked me to tell you that she forgives you. And Dad says he's sorry he was such a bully to you in school. Both of them say thank you for protecting me all these years."
"You're…Not lying to me, are you?" Severus asked.
"I would never, Severus." Harry informed. "Do you want me to go get the stone and bring them back to hear it yourself?"
"You still have it?" Hermione asked.
"But you also have the cloak and the wand! Harry mate, do you know what that means?!" Ron exclaimed.
"That I'm the Master of Death? I know." Harry replied.
"And he's so nonchalant about it," Draco snickered.
"It's nothing to brag about. It's a lot of power that I don't need or want. I defeated Voldemort on a power he didn't know I had; that was enough." Harry remarked.
"What power, cub?" Remus questioned.
"The same thing that protected me all these years," Harry smiled. "Love."
"Love?" Lucius asked. "Love defeated the dark lord?!"
"Well, yeah…Tom was born from a loveless marriage. His mother used a love potion on his father, and I think Severus can confirm that usually kids born from love potions are incapable of feeling love themselves and understanding it." Harry informed as Severus nodded. "Voldemort was unable to feel love. That's the power I had he didn't know about. I had the love of my parents, my family, my friends…I had what he didn't. That made me stronger than him."
"Harry? Can I see her again? Your mother?" Severus asked. "Please?"
Harry held out his hand as the stone came flying to him from the other room. Harry closed his hand around as the room darkened some and then James and Lily Potter appeared before the group.
"Harry sweetheart…" Lily smiled.
"Hi, Mum," Harry replied. "Hi, Dad,"
"I thought we agreed not to use the stone for random visits?" James laughed some.
"Prongs!" Remus and Sirius exclaimed.
"Mooney…Padfoot. So good to see you both again," James said. "I trust you've been taking care of my boy?"
"You know it, as you expected us to when he was born." Sirius smiled.
"He's in good hands, and has a large family between us all." Remus assured.
"I knew I made the right choice to name you godfather and uncle." James nodded.
"This wasn't for a random visit…I'm doing this as a favor to Severus," Harry told his parents, motioning to Severus next to him.
"Sev," Lily greeted. "I see you haven't changed much, my friend."
Severus flinched at the title of friend. "You still see me as such after the awful things I did?"
"You were angry, with good reason," Lily said. "I know you never meant to call me that name, Severus. I only stayed away because of your sway to dark magic. I felt like you were pulling farther away and no matter what I said; you'd made your choice."
"I was young, and foolish. If I could go back…I'd never have done it, Lily." Severus told her.
"Hush now…All is forgiven." Lily smiled. "You made up for the things you did by protecting Harry all these years; you did exactly as I hoped."
"What do you mean?" Severus inquired.
"You took care of Harry all these years while Remus was gone and Sirius was imprisoned wrongly." Lily stated.
"Lily…I-I didn't raise Harry. I protected him when he came to Hogwarts, but…He was raised by your sister and her family." Severus informed.
"WHAT?!" Lily and James yelled.
"Harry was never supposed to go to your awful, magic-hating sister." James looked at his wife.
"Dumbledore said they were my only family left." Harry interjected.
"Oh, my poor boy…I hope they weren't too hard on you?" Lily said.
Harry was quiet. "Harry…What did they do?" James asked.
"Nothing. Doesn't matter anymore." Harry said.
"Harry James Potter! You tell me right now, young man!" Lily scolded.
"Alright, jeeze. I was treated like their slave. I got Dudley's hand-me-down clothes and kept in a cupboard under the stairs until I was twelve. Then got Dudley's old toy room, only had a cot and a nightstand in there. Sometimes I got beat, sometimes I didn't eat." Harry admitted.
"I'm going to haunt her!" Lily screeched.
"Why didn't Harry go to Severus?" James asked.
"Why would he go to me?!" Severus pushed.
"Lily named you second godfather if Sirius had ever been unable," James stated.
Severus blinked a few times. "M-Me? Harry's godfather? Or one of them?"
"Yes, Sev. That's why I said I had hoped you did what I wanted. I hoped you'd realize your mistake of becoming a death eater and if we couldn't be saved…That you'd take in Harry and raise him. If Sirius was unable, or that you two would work together. I know you love my son, James and I were there, watching when you showed up to the house. I know you held me…But then you held Harry to calm him down until Sirius came. You even changed his diaper and fed him." Lily informed.
"I-I never knew. Albus is the one who had Hagrid meet Sirius in Godric's Hollow and say that Harry would be safer with his muggle relatives. That prompted Sirius to go after Pettigrew…" Severus mentioned.
"That meddling-!" Lily yelled. "I'm gonna give him a piece of mine. It's specifically in my will that Harry was to NOT be placed with my sister under any circumstances." Lily grumbled.
"It doesn't matter," Harry said. "Severus cared for me from a distance." He added.
"That's true, son," James nodded. "Severus…I do hope you'll one day forgive me for the way I treated you. It wasn't right, I was a spoiled brat…I am eternally sorry. And you have my endless thanks for protecting Harry all these years."
"I suppose I can forgive you, Potter." Severus remarked.
"Now I know where that nickname came from." Harry rolled his eyes.
"And Severus, I forgive you for everything. You're still my best friend. Always." Lily smiled.
"Thank you," Severus bowed his head. "Always."
"We should go. I need to yell at a certain old man…" Lily remarked. "I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too, son." James informed.
"Love you guys too." Harry replied.
"Padfoot…Mooney, don't cry. We'll always be right here," James promised. "Just as you've told Harry. The ones who love us are never really love us. They can be found-,"
"In here," James, Sirius, and Remus all put their hands over their hearts.
"Saps," Lily rolled her eyes. "Keep taking care of my boy, Sev."
"You have my word, Lily," Severus said.
"Good. Then we're off." Lily grabbed hold of James's arm and Harry released his grip on the stone as they faded.
"Told you," Harry said to Severus.
"Yes, you did." Severus nodded. "I guess I have two godsons now. Draco and you." He added.
Harry looked at Severus with a smile. "You don't have to say it, as I told you before. I know, Severus."
"I'm glad you do. Always." Severus replied.
"Always." Harry chuckled. "This has been an amazing birthday."
"Happy birthday, Harry!" The group yelled.
Harry smiled wide as he looked at everyone around him. This was a great day and no matter what; he'd always remember it. What he gained today was nothing short of a full family, and that was definitely going down in his book as an overall unforgettable gift.