Disclaimer: I am poor, I don't own it.
A/N – Well, I looked this over and the only thing I really wanted to change was the last sentence, so here it is, sooner than I thought.
Thank you to my loyal and longsuffering readers and reviewers. I love you all. (I just happen to be evil so it doesn't show.) *Gusha rolls her eyes and shakes her head.*
Gee I love writing cliff hangers. If you hadn't noticed, I like prolonging the agony. So, we pick the story up…
*****
Last time: Sirius sat, hard on the floor and howled into his arms. It was hard to tell if he was laughing, screaming or crying…
"What?" Asked Snape and Lupin together.
Sirius looked up and drew in a huge breath. "When I visited Harry this summer, he read our tea leaves. His cup was all about an inverted or negated enemy." The words came out in a gasping rush.
"What nonsense…" Lupin began.
"Is this true, Harry?" Snape cut in, turning to look at his son.
"Well, yeah." Harry shrugged. "But you can't take that stuff seriously. I mean, its just tea leaves."
Severus laughed aloud. It was a strangely full bodied sound for someone who had not truly laughed in years.
"Well, Severus," Harry said, bewildered. "If that is all it takes to get you to laugh, I would have offered to read the leaves for you ages ago."
Severus wiped his eyes on his sleeves. "Do you have plans for this weekend, Harry? I need to introduce you to someone."
"What a change of subject." Lupin mused. "This is not going at all like I expected."
"At least they are not beating each other up." Harry offered.
Lupin nodded. "Sirius? Are you all right?" He was still on the floor, mumbling.
"I'm fine. My cup said 'upheavals, a bit of danger, and a life changing shock requiring the rethinking of old grievances.'" Sirius said. "My life has embodied the first two for a long time. I have been waiting for something big enough for the third. Well, this qualifies." He shook his head. "It is definitely not what I was expecting. But, I have been preparing myself for it."
"Um, Sirius…" Lupin started.
"Yeah, I know. If you look for the fulfillment of a prophetic statement, you will find it somewhere…More than once." Sirius sounded very much as if he was quoting something.
"I really don't take the leaves seriously, honest." Harry broke in. "I had pretty much forgotten about your reading, Sirius."
"The leaves are serious, Harry." Severus broke in. They all turned to stare at him. "Just not in the way that most people think. Their purpose is mostly to get the person thinking about their life in a new way. At least, if they are done properly."
"An oracle." Harry supplied.
"Exactly. They do not usually tell the future. Not like crystal gazing or water skrying can. The leaves, like the tarot, and casting the runes make people think. Occasionally, the castor can enhance the reading through magic. It takes a certain talent, which, as my blood kin, I expect you have."
"What?" Harry gasped. "You're kidding."
"No." Severus' mouth quirked up. "I'm not. That's why you should meet my Aunt Rose. If you would like to, that is."
"I would definitely like to." Harry said firmly. "I'd love to get to know her. Can we really go this weekend?"
Severus nodded.
"Hey," Sirius broke in. "Could she take him in over the holidays? I hate leaving him with those terrible Muggles, and we all know I can't take him in on the run."
"I had intended to ask her to." Severus agreed.
"Well." Sirius said, "While we seem to have reached some sort of unspoken truce, I would like to apologize for something."
All eyes were suddenly on him. He hurried on before anyone could speak.
"I never meant to send Snape to his death." He pressed on despite exclamations from Remus and Sirius.
"He never would have gotten as far as the house that night. I was watching him very closely on my copy of the Map. I was waiting for him just off the edge of the map. When he got half way down the tunnel, he would have met a huge black dog." He shrugged.
"I was going to chase him back up to the willow. I never got a chance, because James saw him enter the passage and stopped him. I would like to apologize for letting you think I was trying to kill you, but you deserved it, you greasy git!"
Sirius stopped then and glared at all three of them.
Remus looked from Sirius to Severus.
"I still wish you had left me out of your feud. That incident has haunted me for years." He frowned at Sirius.
"I'm sorry, Moony." Sirius said contritely. "I truly felt bad about how hard you took it."
Severus was staring at Sirius with an odd look in his eye, "Perhaps I would have deserved the joke as you had it planned. I think I might have mistook you for the Grim. On the other hand, what's to say I wouldn't have hexed you out of the way?"
Sirius laughed. "When I was glowing with a green aura and my eyes were as bright as lumos spells?"
Severus' eyes widened and he let out a short bark of laughter. "Right." He shook his head. "Yes, that was suitable revenge for the…er…broom incident."
"I sure thought so." Sirius said. "You nearly killed me. I still have nightmares about rampaging broomsticks. It took me months for the ministry to approve my motorbike."
"I was very careful." Severus insisted. "I put a height limit on it first. You wouldn't have gotten high enough to kill yourself."
Harry had been watching them bicker; now he spoke. "Who started all of this anyway?"
"He did." Sirius and Severus spoke at the same time, each pointing an accusing finger at the other.
"You did." They said, again together; scowling and growling.
"Stop it, both of you." Remus said. He stepped between them and pushed them apart, until they were both at arms length.
"Neither of them started it, Harry." He glared from one to the other. "James started it."
Both of the black haired men deflated and stared at Remus.
"What?" Sirius demanded. "James?"
Remus shrugged. "He got Severus good with a Fading Inkbomb. Severus blamed it on you, Sirius, because you were the most verbally offensive. Things just…well…escalated from there."
He shook his head. "Culminating in the life threatening after four years of back and forth. Do you think you two can put it behind you now?" He crossed his arms.
The two looked slightly sheepish.
"Well, since neither of you got the last laugh." Harry said. "Admit that."
They nodded.
"Good then. It's over." Remus said. "Lets just all be friends, then."
Severus and Sirius looked at each other skeptically.
"O, civil acquaintances then." Remus amended. "Surely you can manage that for Harry's sake."
"All right." Severus growled. "If you're telling the truth about…"
"I certainly am. I so wanted to see your face when you saw me." Sirius grinned. "Civil, then?"
"Civil." Severus agreed his lip curling. They shook on it.
"Well, that is a relief." Harry said, looking at each of the adults in turn. "Now, I think most of us have classes to go to."
Just then the bell at the end of lunch sounded.
"Quite true, Harry." Severus said. "Sirius, Remus." He turned and swept out.
"I think you have been a good influence on him, Harry." Lupin said. "I have a few things to say to Padfoot here, so I have a feeling you will not be later than your teacher." He winked.
Harry grinned and hurried off the Defense classroom, filling Zinnia in on what had just happened.
*****
A/N – A note about Zinnia: She is currently a lot shorter than the lengths Harry mentions in the last chapter. It is almost the end of October, and so she is less than two months old. I would guess she is less than three feet long and very skinny around. I know very little about snakes of any kind. I am not a snake handler. Please excuse any mistakes I may make about this topic.
ashley (and jessica) – what a profound compliment. I am honored. Truly and deeply
Darth Stitch – I hope this fits the bill. *grin* Voldie in a tutu? *twitches slightly* What an odd thought.
By the way, brownie points to anyone who can tell me Aunt Rose's full name before I post the chapter where we meet her. He he he. (It is still not typed, and I think there might be an unwritten segment still in between.)
A/N – Well, I looked this over and the only thing I really wanted to change was the last sentence, so here it is, sooner than I thought.
Thank you to my loyal and longsuffering readers and reviewers. I love you all. (I just happen to be evil so it doesn't show.) *Gusha rolls her eyes and shakes her head.*
Gee I love writing cliff hangers. If you hadn't noticed, I like prolonging the agony. So, we pick the story up…
*****
Last time: Sirius sat, hard on the floor and howled into his arms. It was hard to tell if he was laughing, screaming or crying…
"What?" Asked Snape and Lupin together.
Sirius looked up and drew in a huge breath. "When I visited Harry this summer, he read our tea leaves. His cup was all about an inverted or negated enemy." The words came out in a gasping rush.
"What nonsense…" Lupin began.
"Is this true, Harry?" Snape cut in, turning to look at his son.
"Well, yeah." Harry shrugged. "But you can't take that stuff seriously. I mean, its just tea leaves."
Severus laughed aloud. It was a strangely full bodied sound for someone who had not truly laughed in years.
"Well, Severus," Harry said, bewildered. "If that is all it takes to get you to laugh, I would have offered to read the leaves for you ages ago."
Severus wiped his eyes on his sleeves. "Do you have plans for this weekend, Harry? I need to introduce you to someone."
"What a change of subject." Lupin mused. "This is not going at all like I expected."
"At least they are not beating each other up." Harry offered.
Lupin nodded. "Sirius? Are you all right?" He was still on the floor, mumbling.
"I'm fine. My cup said 'upheavals, a bit of danger, and a life changing shock requiring the rethinking of old grievances.'" Sirius said. "My life has embodied the first two for a long time. I have been waiting for something big enough for the third. Well, this qualifies." He shook his head. "It is definitely not what I was expecting. But, I have been preparing myself for it."
"Um, Sirius…" Lupin started.
"Yeah, I know. If you look for the fulfillment of a prophetic statement, you will find it somewhere…More than once." Sirius sounded very much as if he was quoting something.
"I really don't take the leaves seriously, honest." Harry broke in. "I had pretty much forgotten about your reading, Sirius."
"The leaves are serious, Harry." Severus broke in. They all turned to stare at him. "Just not in the way that most people think. Their purpose is mostly to get the person thinking about their life in a new way. At least, if they are done properly."
"An oracle." Harry supplied.
"Exactly. They do not usually tell the future. Not like crystal gazing or water skrying can. The leaves, like the tarot, and casting the runes make people think. Occasionally, the castor can enhance the reading through magic. It takes a certain talent, which, as my blood kin, I expect you have."
"What?" Harry gasped. "You're kidding."
"No." Severus' mouth quirked up. "I'm not. That's why you should meet my Aunt Rose. If you would like to, that is."
"I would definitely like to." Harry said firmly. "I'd love to get to know her. Can we really go this weekend?"
Severus nodded.
"Hey," Sirius broke in. "Could she take him in over the holidays? I hate leaving him with those terrible Muggles, and we all know I can't take him in on the run."
"I had intended to ask her to." Severus agreed.
"Well." Sirius said, "While we seem to have reached some sort of unspoken truce, I would like to apologize for something."
All eyes were suddenly on him. He hurried on before anyone could speak.
"I never meant to send Snape to his death." He pressed on despite exclamations from Remus and Sirius.
"He never would have gotten as far as the house that night. I was watching him very closely on my copy of the Map. I was waiting for him just off the edge of the map. When he got half way down the tunnel, he would have met a huge black dog." He shrugged.
"I was going to chase him back up to the willow. I never got a chance, because James saw him enter the passage and stopped him. I would like to apologize for letting you think I was trying to kill you, but you deserved it, you greasy git!"
Sirius stopped then and glared at all three of them.
Remus looked from Sirius to Severus.
"I still wish you had left me out of your feud. That incident has haunted me for years." He frowned at Sirius.
"I'm sorry, Moony." Sirius said contritely. "I truly felt bad about how hard you took it."
Severus was staring at Sirius with an odd look in his eye, "Perhaps I would have deserved the joke as you had it planned. I think I might have mistook you for the Grim. On the other hand, what's to say I wouldn't have hexed you out of the way?"
Sirius laughed. "When I was glowing with a green aura and my eyes were as bright as lumos spells?"
Severus' eyes widened and he let out a short bark of laughter. "Right." He shook his head. "Yes, that was suitable revenge for the…er…broom incident."
"I sure thought so." Sirius said. "You nearly killed me. I still have nightmares about rampaging broomsticks. It took me months for the ministry to approve my motorbike."
"I was very careful." Severus insisted. "I put a height limit on it first. You wouldn't have gotten high enough to kill yourself."
Harry had been watching them bicker; now he spoke. "Who started all of this anyway?"
"He did." Sirius and Severus spoke at the same time, each pointing an accusing finger at the other.
"You did." They said, again together; scowling and growling.
"Stop it, both of you." Remus said. He stepped between them and pushed them apart, until they were both at arms length.
"Neither of them started it, Harry." He glared from one to the other. "James started it."
Both of the black haired men deflated and stared at Remus.
"What?" Sirius demanded. "James?"
Remus shrugged. "He got Severus good with a Fading Inkbomb. Severus blamed it on you, Sirius, because you were the most verbally offensive. Things just…well…escalated from there."
He shook his head. "Culminating in the life threatening after four years of back and forth. Do you think you two can put it behind you now?" He crossed his arms.
The two looked slightly sheepish.
"Well, since neither of you got the last laugh." Harry said. "Admit that."
They nodded.
"Good then. It's over." Remus said. "Lets just all be friends, then."
Severus and Sirius looked at each other skeptically.
"O, civil acquaintances then." Remus amended. "Surely you can manage that for Harry's sake."
"All right." Severus growled. "If you're telling the truth about…"
"I certainly am. I so wanted to see your face when you saw me." Sirius grinned. "Civil, then?"
"Civil." Severus agreed his lip curling. They shook on it.
"Well, that is a relief." Harry said, looking at each of the adults in turn. "Now, I think most of us have classes to go to."
Just then the bell at the end of lunch sounded.
"Quite true, Harry." Severus said. "Sirius, Remus." He turned and swept out.
"I think you have been a good influence on him, Harry." Lupin said. "I have a few things to say to Padfoot here, so I have a feeling you will not be later than your teacher." He winked.
Harry grinned and hurried off the Defense classroom, filling Zinnia in on what had just happened.
*****
A/N – A note about Zinnia: She is currently a lot shorter than the lengths Harry mentions in the last chapter. It is almost the end of October, and so she is less than two months old. I would guess she is less than three feet long and very skinny around. I know very little about snakes of any kind. I am not a snake handler. Please excuse any mistakes I may make about this topic.
ashley (and jessica) – what a profound compliment. I am honored. Truly and deeply
Darth Stitch – I hope this fits the bill. *grin* Voldie in a tutu? *twitches slightly* What an odd thought.
By the way, brownie points to anyone who can tell me Aunt Rose's full name before I post the chapter where we meet her. He he he. (It is still not typed, and I think there might be an unwritten segment still in between.)