A/N : Hello all! I hope everyone likes this chapter, you get a lot more insight into Sirius's past and why he hates Snape so much and I really liked it so have fun and read...and review. Don't hate me for the Partonus thing, I just like it better this way.
...and I don't own Harry potter.
FORGET THE THING IN OOTP WHERE THEY PRACTICE THE PATRONUS CHARM!!! Thanks.
It was Rinoa's birthday and it was rather obvious that she was dreading it, before breakfast Hermione had to actually break into her room to get her out of bed. This was no easy feat, the portrait guarding her room was a rather prim and proper young lady with long black hair, and it took them twenty minutes to convince her to let them in. When they finally got Rinoa down to the Great Hall her mood improved from what it had been earlier in the week, and she occasionally cracked a smile at one of the many jokes Harry and Ron were telling. After breakfast it was decided that since it was a Saturday the group would go up to Rinoa's room and she could open presents.
When the five were seated in a circle by the fireplace (Luna and Neville wanted to go to Hogsmeade with the rest of the students) Rinoa began to open the pile of gifts in front of her. Birthdays at Hogwarts were much like Christmas; all of the gifts were brought up and piled by a house elf for the person to open up on their own.
Rinoa opened up the various books, trinkets, and supplies given to her by her friends until she reached a small box wrapped in a thin green paper.
Ms. Sarrisson,
Before he left Severus asked me to send this to him, he had hoped to have it engraved and ready for your birthday. Well, it is ready and I see no reason why you should not receive it. His sister willed it to him many years ago and he never had the heart to take it with him. I am glad that he found some happiness with you my dear. You must have meant a great deal to him for Severus to even consider giving you this. I hope you will take care of it. The rune is Nordic and it means strength. I imagine you must be a very strong woman to have gone through all that you have, and I hope that this necklace helps you to stay that way. Gook luck my child.
Emily Snape.
Inside the box was a large black stone with a rune carved in it, the gem was held by a winding silver decoration on the top and looped through a silver chain. It was beautiful.
"Who gave you that?" asked Hermione with interest. It was quite a gift and Hermione found herself wondering if all of Ginny's theories about Rhin's secret love affair really had a base.
Rinoa didn't answer her right away, she continued to look at the necklace in awe, her eyes never leaving the shining black stone. It was perfect for her, just the thing that she would have picked out and she knew Severus had thought the same thing. However, the gift was bitter sweet. While it did make her think fondly of him she found herself longing for his presence all the more.
"Well," continued Hermione, "Who gave it to you?" Rinoa finally looked up at her with a sad face.
"No one." The line of questioning was closed right there, no one (not even Harry) had the nerve to continue and soon everyone had left wishing her a happy birthday to finish their homework assignments. Harry was the only one left.
"I never gave you my gift Rhin. I didn't want the others to ask questions about it." Harry handed her a thin box with a small red bow tied around it. When she looked up at him he responded with, "I don't wrap things, sue me."
Inside the box was a black silk armlet, one black silk armlet. It was simple and had a green ribbon to tie it closed (think like a corset). When Rinoa looked up at Harry she had a scared expression on her face.
"I didn't think you remembered that part."
"It sticks with you." Harry walked over to her and pulled up her left sleeve exposing a gruesome black brand in the shape of the Dark Mark on her forearm. He placed the armlet on and tied the ribbons on the side for her.
"It won't get dirty and it's water proof so you never really have to take it off."
"Thank you Harry," it was the first real smile she had shown in a month and Harry was eternally happy that he was the cause of it. The two stayed in the room for a while and spoke of their plans for the upcoming holidays. Everyone in the Order was staying at Grimmauld Place and they expected a very crowed (but lovely) holiday.
December 5th...
The holiday season came faster than anyone had anticipated and with it the dreaded exams. Teachers were upping the difficulty levels in their classes and the students found themselves with similar problems in the extra DADA lessons. Sirius and Rinoa had not spoken about the incident earlier in the year and rarely even said a word to each other anyways. This caused a tense atmosphere in the room that the others could feel and had made many lessons rather uncomfortable.
"Today we're learning the Patronus charm. This charm will expel Dementors and takes the form of the thing or person that you consider your protector," explained Sirius. "I want all of you to try it for a while and then we'll see how everyone is doing."
By the end of the lesson everyone could produce the charm except for Rinoa, it seemed to Harry that she was having problems producing a happy memory and it was frustrating her. Sirius had everyone perform the charm in front of him so he could critique them. Ginny went first. Everyone knew what form her patronus would take, they just weren't expecting the way it turned out. A very pale and wispy Harry Potter came out of her wand. However, it was not the Harry that everyone knew and expected her to produce. It was a small boy, twelve, with the sword of Godric Gryfindor in his hand. His glasses were askew and he was filthy, but he was Ginny's hero, this was the boy who had saved her in the Chamber of Secrets. She was blushing until Harry came over and kissed her cheek in front of the rest.
"I'll always look after you," he whispered into her ear.
When they were done 'awwing' over the couple Hermione went next. When Sirius had explained about the charm taking the form of a protector the whole group knew exactly who or what most people's would take. Hermione's would be Ron. When Ron came out in his cloudy form he was atop a giant horse and was only eleven years old. It seemed that the forms were taking the moment when they had first seemed heroic, or protected the person. Ron's freckled face broke into a grin and winked at Hermione from his elevated position and dissipated into air after a moment.
Ron's Patronus was by far the cutest of all of them. Little eleven- year-old Hermione was there with wand in hand. Her bushy hair was everywhere and her eyes were wide. No one really knew what she would do if in contact with dementors but she was very cute. Hermione was hiding her face in her hand when the group came on her trying to pinch her cheeks and grew a bright, Weasley red.
Sirius made Rinoa go next, and after three unsuccessful tries Harry came over to help her.
"You're not thinking of a happy moment."
"I know."
"Think of something that would make you incredible happy, if you can't think of a happy memory."
Her next attempt was successful and rather astounding to say the least. A very tall man emerged from the tip of Rinoa's wand, his arms were crossed in front of his chest and he looked menacing. However, no one could see his face. He was covered with a hooded cloak, hiding his head and had a tall staff in his hand. When he realized that there was no one there to fight he became air again.
The lesson went on and when they were walking back to Gryfindor tower Harry asked Rhin what happy thought she had thought of.
"When I kill Lucius Malfoy."
Exams came and went and soon the group (excluding Neville and Luna who went to her family's for Christmas) was at Twelve Grimmauld Place.
It was late one night and Harry was sleeping fitfully. His scar had been bothering him all day and he had felt a sense of foreboding following him. He awoke from a frightening dream to find himself screaming.
The door to Sirius's room burst open and Harry Potter stood panting in the doorway. Sirius was the only person that Harry could think to go to.
"Harry what's the matter?"
"I need to talk to Dumbledore!" Sirius had a confused look on his face but led Harry to the kitchen floo and called for Dumbledore.
"Albus Dumbledore's office." The headmaster's head appeared in the green flames and Harry immediately burst into explanation.
"Headmaster you have to check the gates! Now! Something happened with Professor Snape! Their leaving him as a message, but he's not dead yet. You have to find him now before it's to late!"
"Calm down, Harry. Are you sure?"
"YES."
"Alright we will comb the grounds immediately. Harry, do not speak of this to anyone!" and with that he was gone and the flame turned orange again. Harry was shaking from the various images and emotions going through his head and Sirius was getting concerned.
"Are you alright, Harry?"
"Not really."
The two sat up all night waiting for word from Dumbledore about Harry's vision, and because neither of them could sleep.
Hospital Wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
"Where was he found, Albus?"
"By the front gate."
"It's a miracle you found him now, if he had been out there much longer he would have died on our front steps."
"I fear that is what Voldemort's intension was, Poppy. For me to have found him in the morning and wish I had gotten there sooner."
The next day dawned on a very tired Harry and Sirius asleep on the kitchen table at Grimmauld Place. When Molly found them she couldn't help but smile until Arthur told her why they had stayed up all night. He had just received a message from Albus telling him of Harry's vision and their retrieval of one of their own.
It was at this point when Sirius awoke to hear Arthur telling Molly about his departure to Hogwarts and extracting a promise from her not to say a word to the children.
"Is he awake?" However concerned the question implied he was, Sirius's tone was sharp and cutting.
"Yes Sirius, he's awake. Remus, is there right now, but I don't think it would be a good idea for anyone else to see him at the moment." It was to late, Sirius had already walked to the fireplace and flooed to Hogwarts. Arthur had his head in his hands and Harry along with Mrs. Weasley was looking worriedly towards the recently used fireplace.
"Do you think he'll do anything rash?" asked Molly.
"Are you kidding?" asked Arthur in a tired tone.
Hospital Wing of Hogwarts...
The headmaster, Remus Lupin, and Madame Pomphrey were huddled together in a group towards the entrance doors in the hall discussing the patient's condition when Sirius Black burst in to the room. The old doors made a horrible 'clang' noise and startled everyone in the room, with the exception of the patient himself, who sat in bed unfazed by the outburst. Sirius angrily stormed over to the prone and weak form of Severus Snape and began what will go down in history as one of the scariest rants ever seen.
"You disgusting old pervert! Do you think I don't know what you've been doing to her? What you did to her? She's only a child and she was your student! I can't wait until everyone hears about this, the press are going to have a field day and you will finally be gone from this school!" Throughout the rampage Snape did not say one word, he simply stared at Sirius with a sad and tired look upon his face. He made no move to stop the verbal attack and showed no signs that he even heard Sirius.
"Are you listening to me you greasy BAT?!? Answer me!" By this time Remus Lupin had made his way over and was trying to calm Sirius down.
"Sirius, you need to calm down. This isn't what you think it is."
"I know exactly what it is Moony! He seduced a student. Do you know how upset she's been since he left? She's been distraught and it's his fault! He should be arrested and put into Azkaban! It's his fault she died just like it's his fault Evangeline died! He should be rotting in a cell at the Dark Lord's hand, not sitting here in this school! He's a murderer and a Death Eater. Look at him. He's a disgrace. He won't even argue about it because he knows I'm right!"
"Sirius he's not arguing with you because he's not able to speak." Snape's head dropped at Lupin's words and he sadly stared ahead of him at the beige walls. Sirius however, stopped struggling in Remus's arms and stared at him in shock.
"What do you mean 'he's not able to speak'?"
"I'll talk to you later, just go home and make sure that none of the children find out about this. Especially Rinoa. I don't think Severus wants her to see him like this and if she even found out that he wasn't in Voldemort's clutches anymore she'd be out looking for him the next second."
Sirius didn't say anything to him, he just nodded, glared at Snape one more time, and left. Albus and Poppy went into her office to discuss something and Remus sat down in the armchair by Snape's bed. The man did not look good. He was scared very badly (not like Moody, but badly). In fact, it was this scaring that led Remus to figure out what had gone on between Severus and Rinoa until his suspicions were confirmed with Albus. Severus had a scar on his right cheek in the exact same shape and spot that Rinoa had one. Of course there were other scars identical to the girls as well and with Remus's knowledge of the founders and Severus's background he came to the correct conclusions.
When Remus sat down Severus looked over at him with a grateful glance that was easily deciphered. The man wasn't going to die, but he was weak and having someone yelling at him wasn't something he needed right now.
"How are you feeling?" asked Remus. Severus's hand waved through the air and the words 'like hell' appeared in sparkling green in front of him.
"Good trick."
'I thought so.'
"I'll try to get Sirius to calm down some before he does something rash again. I should have been there to stop him from coming. I apologize for his behavior."
'I deserve it. He has every right to feel the way he does towards me.'
"That's not true and you know it. What happened to the both of them is not your fault."
Severus did not respond after that. He took on a look of defeat and stared at his hands. Remus knew that he didn't believe him when he said it wasn't his fault. It wasn't though. Not what happened fifteen years ago and not what happened in October. No matter how much Sirius wished that it were all Snape's fault it just wasn't true.
A few hours later Severus was in a healing sleep and Remus was able to get back to Grimmauld Place to speak with Sirius. It was actually a good thing that he did because at that point Sirius was pacing around his room and mumbling to himself, Remus feared that had he been any longer the man would have gone back to Hogwarts.
"Sit down Padfoot."
"How could you take his side! He's the reason that they died!"
"Sirius, it is not his fault that they died! They both died for someone and something that they believed in. AND Rinoa is fine, she recovered. You need to stop blaming him for what happened to Evangeline, it's not his fault and you know that!" By this point Sirius was a bit hysterical, he wasn't even talking about Rinoa anymore. He was so wrapped up in the past that everything he had to re-live in Azkaban was coming out, particularly the reason behind his hatred for Snape.
"She's dead, Remus. She's dead, and I had her back for a split second until she was gone again. The same thing is happening with Rhin, he's going to suck her in and the same thing will happen. I will not stand by and watch as an innocent child is killed this time!"
"That's just it Sirius. She's not a child, she's 18 and he hasn't sucked her in. It wasn't his fault that this happened. You knew they were connected, and she saved him. She's brave and she gave up her life for the person she loves. Very similar situation to someone else I once knew. I very brave girl who died for the man she loved. Do not let her sacrifice go to waste Sirius! Right now I don't see the man that she loved. You're not being rational, you only see the similarities between the girls. You're overlooking the relationship. Think about everything that you went through, all of the prejudice, all of the stupid Gryfindor/Slytherin rivalry, how hard it was to be accepted. Imagine how much harder it would them, they have an age difference, he's her teacher, there are so many more obstacles for them. You need to help them, not persecute them."
"He's her teacher, Moony."
"She's an adult and it's not illegal as long as it's consensual and the student is of age."
"It's still wrong."
"Sirius, do you honestly think that they've done anything serious. As much as you hate him Severus is a good man and he would not let anything happen while she was still a student. Hell, I don't think he'd let anything happen until they were married if I know him at all. He's a man of honor. You need to get over this. If Vange were here she would have punched you ages ago." Remus left the room and let Sirius stew in these new thoughts about the situation. The man was to hung up on what had happened to realize what was going on.
A/N: My fingers hurt so I'm stopping there, you can wait and see what happens with Snape.
Nightwing 509: Thank you. I appreciate it.
Caroline E.M.A. Melbourne: tee hee that makes me all happy like. Thanks for adoring it.
Two Ideas: I fixed that, it was a typo. Thanks for the review. She's 18 right now so she was almost three when Voldemort died.
Bitterhoney002: thank you. Don't die ok.
MsMissProngs: your reviews are always so cute.
SlytherinGurl176: I didn't have it like that when I first came up with it. The whole godfather thing has a HUGE back story that I plan on writing at some point this summer.
Samyjoc: I'm glad it cleared some stuff up for you.
