Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. All are © J.K. Rowlings

A/N: Sorry for taking so long, college is taking a lot of my free time
Anything with '' around them are what the character is thinking

Strange Days:

Chapter 3

News To Annoy

A light drizzle fell down on the heads of Harry Potter and his godfather, Sirius Black as they leaned against a stone wall, staring up at Snape manner. Harry was beginning to wonder how long they were going to just stand there, getting soaked. Finally he turned to his Godfather, "Exactly what are we doing here again?"
Sirius didn't bother looking at him, " We are here to give Severus a message from Dumbledore and to get some more wolfsbane for Remus."
"Oh," Harry looked back at the mansion for a second before turning back to Sirius. "So, why am I here?"
Sirius sighed, "Because there is no way in hell that I am going to go in there alone. I would be suicide."
"So."
"So, what?"
"Are you ready to go in yet?"
"Give me another minute."

A half hour later...
"OK. We can go in, now."
Pushing himself away from the wall, Sirius nodded his head toward the Snape manner. Harry sighed and shook his head, his godfather seemed very strange some times.
The two walked around the wall until they came to the gate, and pushing it opened they made their way up the walk way.


* * *

"Fine! Granger can stay in the guest room for the rest of the summer, but I don't want you getting any ideas. The moment I get word from her parents she will be joining them."

Sage grinned madly and Hermione tried her best to keep from jumping up and down. The two ran off down the hall to Hermione's temporary room, leaving Severus to glare after them.


'Ok, that's it. I'm going to my lab and I'm getting something to energize me. I can try that potion that I've been working on.'

With that Severus made his way down stairs to the main floor and was about to head into the basement when he heard someone knock at the door. Heaving a heavy sigh, Severus made his way to the door, changing as he moved. Pulling it open He glared at the people that he found on the other side.

"What the hell do you want, Black?"

"Nice to see you too, Severus."

'Damn him. He knows not to call me by my first name.' "Snape."

"Yeah, whatever. Look we are here because Albus.."

Severus slapped a hand over his face and sighed, "Just shut up and come in, Black."

Stepping aside, Severus let Black and Potter into his home. Both looked around a little wearily and jumped when Sniffles burst through the door in front of them.

"Oh, excuse me. I sorry, Master. I didn't come any faster."

"That's fine, Sniffles." Severus pushed past black and Harry and lead the way down to his potions lab, not really looking to see if they even fallowed.


* * *


The room was lit solely by numerous candles that lined the walls, ascended by the cold cement floor. Each shimmering flame gave a soft glow that accented the bottles of potions that lined the east wall. On the opposite wall was the cauldrons, beakers, and other tools used for the creation of the potions. Int the center of the wall was the door to the temperature controlled store room. In this room was all of the ingredients that Severus used. But not all of the ingredients where housed here. In a small cabinet in the south wall, was every last ingredient that was considered illegal by the Ministry of Magic.

Black couldn't help the whistle as he stepped inside Severus' main lab. Looking up at the high ceiling he felt as if he was back in the great hall in Hogwarts. Looking to at the wall of potions he could resist the thought of releasing a blugger in the room. 'I can just see old Snape's face as all the bottles shatter on the floor. I would pay to see that greasy git have a break down.'

Severus rolled his eyes at Black when he noticed him grinning like an idiot. But his attention on him was short lived as a wave of fatigue washed over him. He braced himself by grabbing the corner of the center table. He needed an energy brought and soon.

Ignoring Black Potter for a moment, Severus turned to his wall potions. After several minutes of hunting he found the right vile. He had been working on it for years, and it hadn't been until recently that he had final come up with the solution. It was a potion revitalization potion. It helped him after a very unpleasant interaction at his death eater meetings. He had yet to really test it, in fact this would be his first real trial of the potion.

Throwing that fact to the back of his mind, Severus pulled the cork and downed the vials contents. A wave of energy washed through him. He could feel the pressure of dark mark begin to fade.

Sighing lightly, He turned his attention back to Black and his godson. He nearly hit himself when he realized they were still gawking at the potions wall.

"You had something that you wanted to tell me."

Black jumped at the sudden noise in the quiet house. "Oh. Ha, yeah. Umm, Albus wanted me to inform you inperson the changes that will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

Severus crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Oh really. And why would he send you., an annoying ex-con.?"

Black continued, ignoring Severus' comment, "Albus said that the number of Heads of House is being increased to 2. The teaching position for Defense Against the Dark Arts has been given to Remus Lupin and his assistant. And finally Quidditch is going to be changed to a school vs school competition ."

"Wait just a minute," Harry shifted uncomfortable when Severus spoke. "What exactly do you bloody mean 2 Heads of house? Who are the new heads?"

Black cringed, he had hoped he wouldn't have to be the one to say this and he couldn't look Severus in eye. After shuffling his feet for several minutes Black found he couldn't take the stare any longer.

"The new head of house for Hufflepuff is Hagrid, and Ravinclaw now was Sinistra. "

Severus looked at him and waited for him to continue. Figures. Obviously this is going to be a bad day. "And?"

"Ummm, Gryffondor's new head of house is Lupin and Slytherin..."

"Yes?"

"Hooch."

The room fell silent, save for Harry and Sirius shifting their feet. Severus eye began to twitch slightly as he glared daggers at Black. After what seemed like hours to Black, Severus finally turned away and moved to the large fire place that sat next to the door. Grabbing a hand full of flu potter from the pot on the shell, Severus stepped into the fire place and spoke clearly. "Albus Dumbledore's office."

* * *


In the guestroom at snape manner, Hermione sat cross-legged at the foot of her bed, while Sage sat leaning against the headboard. On the floor in the corner, Sala sat reading a book and listening to their conversation.

"So, you were just in Knockturn Alley because, why?"

Hermione blushed and turned away from her new friend, she wasn't sure if she was ready to tell anyone why she had gone to Knockturn Alley that day. 'In fact I don't think that I should ever tell anyone why I had to go there. Or why I can't go back home. People will think that I'm...'

Sensing that Hermione was getting tense again, Sage thought best to drop the conversation. "Sorry, you don't have to answer that. Um, so, your in Gryffindor house?"

Hermione's face lit up once again and she was about to comment on how great her house was when she was cut off by a voice from the corner.

"What a stupid idiot. I can't believe they actually allowed this guy to write a book."

Turning to face Sala as she snapped the book she had been reading closed, Hermione and Sage took note of the book she was reading, Potions from the Potions Master, by Lockhart.

"This guy doesn't know jack about potions and how to mix them. What a joke. I can't believe someone would stoop so low as to want to buy this book."

"Where did you get it then?"

Sala turned her attention to her sister, "I found it in the trash in Daddy's lab. I thought it might be interesting, but now I can see why it was there. No, wait. It should be in the fire place, burning to smolders." Sala threw the book across the room and glared after it.

Both of Sala and Sage were then startled as Hermione suddenly began to giggle. Slowly the giggles turned to an all out laugh as Hermione tried her best not to fall off the bed. In the times she stopped to take a breath they could hear her talking. "I don't... believe ... Snape ...would have that book...in his home. Lockhart....made up most...of the things...in his books, ...and everything else...he stole from other people. Your father...absolutely hated him."

When the laughing subsided and idea popped into Sage's mind and an evil grin spread across her face. 'No that would be a great way to get back at father for making me go to school.' "I just got the most brilliant idea."


* * *

End Chapter 3


A/N Again, sorry for the lack of update. The next chapter is in the works and soon the family will be on the way to Hogwarts.


Please be kind review.