Disclaimer: All characters, with exception of Setha Stuart, are not my invention but J.K. Rowling's. I'm not writing to make any profit but for writing's sake, and because I love the HP books.

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A Love Lost - and Refound?

Chapter 6 - Shadows of the Past

"Well Mr Potter, I hope you understand that I can't help you against Mr Malfoy at all times. It's not that I care about the opinion of my fellow teachers, but I have other obligations to attend to..." Setha was sitting comfortably behind her desk beaming down at Harry, Ron and Hermione. The three Gryffindors couldn't help noticing the sparkle in her eyes when she mentioned her 'fellow teachers'.

"Naturally professor ... never thought you would..." was all that Harry was able to say before Hermione asked Setha the question basically everyone who had witnessed the scene was pondering on. "Professor, not that I want you to take points of Gryffindor, but why did you think that Draco was, well, that he alone was responsible for all of this?"

Setha smiled wickedly before answering, "Well, I'm not as blind as you might think, Ms Granger. But I was just reminded of something from my time here. I can't tell you how many times I saw Harry's father and Lucius Malfoy having rows just like todays. And you never forget what house you were in."

"You knew my father?" Harry couldn't believe his ears. "But how can that be? I mean you can't be older than..." - "Older than what, Mr Potter? You should know something by now ... especially in our world never judge a person just by his outward appearance. Let me put it this way, a very dear friend of mine tried a certain charm on me..."

Ron turned from Harry to Setha. "Do you mean ... Were you at Hogwarts with Harry's parents?"

"As a matter of fact I was Lily's best friend. And, to answer your question Harry, yes, I knew your father as well. We were childhood friends and came to Hogwarts together. And before you ask, I also know Sirius and Remus", and almost inaudible she added "And Peter, the bloody traitor..."

"Well, then you might be happy to hear that ... well ... we sent a note to Sirius..." Hermione was shocked to see Setha turn pale suddenly. "You did what? A note to Sirius? And what on earth did this note contain?"

Ron continued for Hermione who had turned a brilliant purple. "Well, we were wondering why Professor Snape reacted so strangely after seeing you. We assumed that something was between you and thought that maybe Sirius..."

"Let me get this strait. You told Sirius that a certain Professor Setha Stuart has joined the staff at Hogwarts and further, that Professor Snape acts rather oddly ever since? How could you? Why couldn't you write Remus? Forget the question, because Sirius is Harry's godfather. You can't even guess what you did. This note of yours might rekindle a flame that should have been put out years ago. I believe you already know that Professor Snape and Sirius are on no good terms, but you have no idea what they are capable of." She turned to Harry. "Your father is no longer around to stop Sirius, and Remus can't hold him back. No one can!"

"What are you talking about?" - "You know that Sirius tried to kill Severus I have no doubt ... but he had a reason which I'm sure you don't know. Sirius had developed feelings that no one knew anything about until it was too late. He didn't want to finish off a spying, sliming Slytherin sneak ... he wanted to KILL a rival! And unfortunately the reason for their rivalry is right now sitting in front of you."

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in their seats as if they had just been struck by lightning. "You mean ... you mean that Sirius and Snape were both ... well, in love with you?" - "Brilliant thinking, Ms Granger. Yes they were."

Harry, who couldn't believe that Sirius would go this far just to get rid of a rival, came to right conclusion. "But that would mean that you had chosen..." - "Yes, I had chosen Severus. But I paid dearly for this choice. And being in Gryffindor doesn't give you the ability to search people's souls."

Setha got up and went to the window. Slowly she started to speak: "Still, Sirius can never do a thing as terrible as I. I was there when they arrested him. Seeing me broke him I know that now. Of all the people he knew, to realize that I believed him to be a Death Eater ... I can still see his face, nothing had prepared him for this. In one day he had lost his best friend..."

"And the woman he loved", Hermione added.

Setha turned, her eyes filled with tears. "Yes. I hated him for what he had done to me. And this hatred made me believe what everyone was saying. That he had betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort. Now I know he'd rather have died. All I could do was stop the Dementors from administering their kiss. But not to save Sirius ... no, I wanted to make him suffer and remember every little detail of his life, everything he had lost. But I should have known that he would have never been a Death Eater, not with Severus being one."

"I could write to Sirius claiming that I was mistaken", Harry suggested.

Setha smiled weakly. "He'd never believe you. But he has to stay away. Severus killed so many witches and wizards during his time as a Death Eater, before he turned spy against Voldemort. And he won't mind adding another name to his black list, especially if it's Sirius Black. And I believe that Sirius on the other hand won't care about any 'Unforgivable Curses' crap, after all, he's still a fugitive. We can only hope that Remus can hold him back, that Remus can stop him before he reaches Hogwarts. That's the only way I see."

"But how can Remus stop him? I mean, Sirius must be on his way already if you're right." Hermione looked almost scared now.

"Ms Granger, use your intellect. Sirius must travel up here as a dog, he can't do what Remus can ... he can't apparate into Hogsmeade. Sirius is being hunted by the Dementors still, and nothing could stop them from sucking the life out of him anymore. They are eager to kill as many good witches and wizards as possible ... still under the cloak of the Ministry. But it won't be long until they side with Voldemort openly." She looked into the three puzzled faces in front of her. "Dementors can sense what a person feels deep down inside of him. They feel if you're on Voldemort's side or not. Now, instead of torturing the few Death Eaters who are remaining in Azkaban, they are preparing their flight. Many an auror has come to this conclusion, but Fudge is still covering his eyes ... with both hands. He still denies the fact that Voldemort has indeed returned."

Harry was still trying to protect his godfather. "Honestly, do you really thing that Sirius would go this far again, if he met Snape again that is? As long as Dumbledore's here..." - "Harry, you don't know Sirius as well as I do, and right now my true fear is what Severus might do. He has committed too many crimes to mind another."

"But if you think that Professor Snape is dangerous, why don't you..." - "Because I can't be sure of anything currently. I don't know if either of the two still feels the way they did 20 years ago. That is why I need Remus to come here. Please leave me alone for the time being. Your friends will be wondering where you are."

Harry stayed behind while Ron and Hermione left Setha's office. "Professor, do you really think that history could repeat itself here? I don't think Snape has enough of a human left in him to do a thing this passionate as killing a rival of 20 years ago." - "Let me ask you something. Do you think hatred is a human emotion? You do, right?" Harry nodded and reading her mind he said: "And Snape hates Sirius still, they loath each other. You're right, they only need a reason to finish what they started when they were at school together."

Setha smiled weakly: "Yes, and that is why we need to keep them apart for as long as possible."