Disclaimer: Snape, Remus Harry and the other character are still not mine and will never be. I'm only borrowing them from J.K: Rowling for the fun of writing fanfiction. There will certainly no money be made by my feeble attempts at literature.

5 Harry

Remus was right, of course. Severus had been out of his mind when he had told his neighbour's son that he would turn up in wizard's robes and he dreaded that party, but there was no way out of it now. Anyway, he there was no time to ponder on his thoughts any further as he had reached Harry's office in the meantime.

It wasn't the first time that Severus visited Harry in his office, although it didn't happen very often. Every time he came to see his former student to discuss a matter the fomer Potions professor would know about - mostly about potions or about members of death eater families or whatever Harry had to deal with - he observed that the room had become smaller. Due to an overload of files, books and parchments who were piled in every free space around the auror's desk, there was hardly any room to work, let alone have a visitor take a seat.

'Good afternoon, Harry', Severus greeted him. They had been on first name terms since the days of the Dark Lord's downfall.

'Oh, hi Severus', Harry answered even less formal, 'have a seat, if you can find one'.

After a questioning and slightly disapproving look Severus cleared a chair which had less paperwork piled on it than the other three which could be seen in the room and put the files on the floor, then he sat down.

Harry interpreted Severus' look correctly. 'Not as accurate as down at the registry, I suppose. Well, as you can see, my work mainly consists of paperwork. If I had known that before, I would probably have picked another job,' he said jokingly.

'Well, as long as you are still able to find what you are looking for I cannot find much fault in your system,' Severus lied politely, as he had always been irritated by people who worked in a surrounding which looked more like chaos than anything else.

'Well, most of the time,' Harry was grinning, 'and if not, I still have got the house elves. And you can sort the stuff until you find the right file, can't you.' With that, he flicked his wand which was lying on his desk and a huge stack of files started sorting itself and was swaying rather dangerously in the process.

Severus flinched a little. Seeing people doing magic in front of him that openly was still hurting him, although he had worked hard the last three years to convince himself that you didn't really need magic for everyday tasks.

Harry must have anticipated that because he quickly changed the subject. 'Would you like some tea?' He asked and took a red coloured file from one of the smaller stacks on his desk

'Yes, please.'

Harry put the file down, got up from his desk and in doing so pushed the said file a little bit in Severus' direction. Just far enough that the older wizard could read the name on it which stood out in bold black letters: 'Snape, Severus, Death Eater'. The last two word were crossed out, as well as the 'Professor of Potions, Hogwarts'. In a smaller scribbling there could also be read 'Order of the Phoenix' and, even smaller, 'Order of Merlin, first class'. These informations weren't crossed out. The last line, now again written in typed big letters were 'Registered Squib'.

Severus felt as if somebody had just slapped his whole life into his face. Why Harry had left the former Potions master's personal file on his desk deliberately for him to read he had no clue, but it was as well. He would have a look while Harry was busy with his 'tea preparations' in a small adjointed room.

He opened the file with mixed feelings. Most of the things in there he should know as it was his very own life, wasn't it? It began with the report on his arrest, he shuddered as this memory was closely connected with that of the months he had spent in Azkaban before Dumbledore had given testimony in favour of him in court. Then there were reports on him from his career as a teacher at Hogwarts. Parents' complaints, Umbridge's report and some others whose names didn't mean anything to him. He wouldn't be much surprised if he had been spied on by Fudge's people during his time at Hogwarts. He hadn't been the only spy during that time. He quickly overturned the pages which gave a detailed report on the last battle against the Dark Lord. He didn't want to recall the memory of Dumbledore dying in front of his beloved school. It was living on in his mind quite vividly anyway.

There were even photos. One showed him and the other members of the Order after the ceremony when they had received the Order of Merlin. His picture self who had his arms crossed and was trying to look indifferent quickly looked away when he realized that the real Severus was watching him. He remembered that he had been quite touched at that moment, even happy. But that had been before they had taken him to St. Mungo's.

The relevant documents followed closely. He wasn't quite sure anymore if he really would like to know, but then he decided that he simply had to and turned the page. There wasn't much, actually. Only two letters. One was from Fudge. So the Minister had thought Severus' case so important that he had taken it upon himself to deal with it. Severus didn't know if he should be flattered by that. In the letter the Minister asked the healers of St. Mungo's if it was possible to remove a magic tatoo which had been bound with dark magic. The answer had been that they would probably be able to do it but that there would be a risk. A risk to harm the person who had the tatoo on him ... 'and because we would be forced to interfere with the person's magic there would be a high risk to damage his magical capabiblity'.

Severus gulped but read on to find anything about a reaction from the Ministry's side, but he couldn't find any. That letter from St. Mungo's had been the last document in his file. Naturally, his hospital file would be in St. Mungo's. But still, now he knew, that they had known about the risk and hadn't told him. Scandalous, really. He felt anger slowly boiling up inside him, but the confirmation of what he had already guessed didn't really help him, know, after three years. It would certainly not help in any way to get his magic back. He sighed and wanted to close his file when he saw that there was something written on the back of the letter from the hospital. He turned the page and read in what was the Minister's own handwriting: 'We have to take that risk. Fudge'.

Furious, he snapped the file shut and slammed it onto Harry's desk vigorously, nearly causing the auror, who had been standing close for quite a while, to drop the tea tray he was holding.

'What did you want to achieve, giving me that to read? Huh? This is only adding up to my misery. I had a suspicion yes, that's true, but I had been hoping that it had been an accident. Now you've shattered my last hope of the Ministry being a decent institution', he ranted.

'There now, Severus, don't be unfair. Not everybody in the Ministry is ...' Harry tried, looking very embarrassed.

'No, there you are right. Most people who work here are intelligent and competent and probably willing to serve the wizarding community. But, unfortunately, the most incompetent, selfish and paranoid idiot of a wizard I've ever met is the head of this noble institution. He has ignored danger when it was already kicking his shin and then went looking for it in the most impossible places, ignoring the fact that he himself would be the greatest danger of all ... '

'Severus, please', Harry who had finally put the tea tray down on his desk, managed to cut into Severus' word flow. 'Would you keep your voice down, please. You may not be aware of it, but this floor with all the aurors' offices is kind of a security zone. I don't want to give my colleagues any reason to storm in, their wands at the ready.'

'Why? Are you afraid they would question your working methods?' the older wizard sneered and waved his hand to indicate the stacks of files. He had gone over to his much practised method to change from anger to sarcasm, which sometimes helped to regain his composure.

'No. Their offices look similar to mine. We're overloaded with paperwork.'

Before Harry could go into more detail the door opened indeed. But instead of some aurors ready to battle with an unknown threat, there was only one auror peeking around the door cautiously.

'You've got a visitor, Harry? Good afternoon, Professor Snape. I don't want to disturb but I was wondering if you had the muggle obliviation files from last month?' Neville Longbottom asked. He was the only one of the former members of the Order who didn't call him by his first name and, given their shared past, Severus couldn't blame him.

'No idea, Neville. Go, have a look yourself. They're probably in the stack by the fireplace. No, not that one, the other, the one which has collapsed against the wall.'

Severus, now somewhat distracted from his anger, found this highly comical. Although, to be honest, it was also a bit sad. The Ministry was an institution most witches annd wizards generally believed and trusted in, and this were there working methods. Even muggles did organize better. And these people had magic at their hands.

His musings were suddenly disturbed when Neville caused the said stack to collapse.

'Oh, ... sorry, I am really sorry, Harry.' Neville blushed and looked very embarrassed. 'I'll sort that for you ...'

Although Neville wasn't the short plumb boy of his schooltime anymore, his actions stil seemed clumsy at times. And now was such a time.

'No. No, Neville. It's ok. I had to sort that lot anyway. Never mind. I think the file you are looking for is right here on my desk. My fault. Really.'

Harry handed his fellow auror a blue file. Neville took it and made that he got out of Harry's office before the other wizard could change his mind about the sorting.

'Now. Please, Severus, don't comment. Not right now, ok? I know, it's chaotic in here.'

'I wasn't going to comment. Honestly. I was just wondering if I could get another cup of tea. Just in case this is going to last a bit longer, you know. Not that I've got particularly much to do, but ...' Severus tried to bring Harry back to their line of conversation. Harry did a refilling spell on Severus' and his own cup, before he answered.

'Mhm. Yes. Right. How to begin... You have seen yourself, what we are actually doing, or better, not doing here in our offices. We don't even have time to get out to check on suspicious things we come across. Every time we want to do that, we have to fill in an application form. The head of our department is always afraid we will cause costs if we are outside on the street, you know. Percy Weasley really is a pain in the ... Well, the point is that we, meaning a small group of aurors, including Neville, Ginny and me, have thought that it would be a good thing to have somebody outside the department to do some small observation jobs for us. We can't pay anything and it would be kind of ... well, not illegal, but not strictly to the rules, you see.' Harry paused, looking speculative at Severus whose look had darkened while the younger wizard had given his explanation.

'And that, I suppose, that is where I come in?' Harry's former professor was now wearing an expression Harry knew only to well from former times at school. Severus was looking dangerously close to losing his composure again. 'What a brilliant idea,' he sneered, 'why not ask the former spy who is used to that kind of job. He is bored, isn't he? So we will probably even do him some good! Do you think it was fun, the spying, risking my life every day, pretending to be someone else and at the same time trying to teach you important things at school?' He was yelling now. Harry didn't dare to answer.

'I know very well that it had been my own decision, because then I was thinking I could pay something back, part of my guilt, which wasn't possible, of course. I want my peace now, do you understand? And I don't want other people making decisions for me, alright? And what is more, just in case you've forgotten: I am a squib! A fine spy I would make, without magic. Have you thought of that?' He was standing in front of Harry's desk now, fuming with rage.

'Yes Severus, I see I've made a mistake. Sorry. I should've been more subtle. I just thought ... '

'Ah, yes. Subtlety has never been a distinct trait of yours. Has it?' The former Potions master was still furious but somehow his anger was leaving him, as he realized that he was behaving quite ridiculous. A similar feeling he had often had when he had have one of his outbursts in Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore had been an expert in triggering these outbursts in Severus. After that Severus had always been quite ashamed, but they had been able to talk together sensibly. So Severus had always thought that Dumbledore had done it on purpose. As he had had the talent to trick other people to make them do what he wanted them to in most cases.

'Well', Severus added, now calmer, 'maybe I've been unjust, but it's like ... you know, I want to be asked before you make a plan and include me in it. Sorry for the yelling, I don't know what came over me. Maybe it was Neville's presence. Always makes me nervous. I am surprised that he talks to me at all.'

'Neville is the forgiving type. A real friend, you know. I would've never thought that we would build up such a close friendship. I'd have always thought, that that kind of relationship was reserverd for Ron, but as he isn't working for the Ministry and we don't see each other very often, he with his big family and all his kids ... Maybe I should have taken his kind of job. He is always out and about, organizing Quidditch games,' Harry was trailing off the subject.

'Just out of curiosity: What would my job be?' Severus cut in.

'Yes, right,' Harry continued on his former topic. 'You see, it would only be observing certain people and reporting back to me about their doings. With whom they meet and where. If possible, also about what they talk. You would certainly not be obliged to get in direct contact with them, let alone participate in their actions as a spy.'

'I see.'

This didn't sound very difficult. By now, Severus felt a bit stupid that he had allowed himself that childish outburst before Harry had even had a chance to explain his plans. His observational skill had always been something he was proud of. And as such it had very often helped to save his life. In his current situation it could prove to be a welcome distraction. And if he could help to provide the aurors with important information for their work to keep the wizarding world in order, all the better.

'Well, actually, I think I could do that. And if it's only to keep my mind busy with something more than those boring files in the registry. What kind of people are those I would have to spy on?'

'Some muggles, and, unfortunately also some wizards. I can give you the names, descriptions and even some addresses. We think, that there is a group out there, plotting something. If it's against the muggles or wizards we don't know, but it would certainly put the wizarding world at risk.'

'Well, if it turns out to be really that big a threat, the risk I am seeing here is to just send a single wizard, on top of that one void of magic, for surveillance.'

'Oh, I forgot to tell you another thing. We thought, you might like to work as a team with Remus. It was his idea, anyway. You, see, he has got quite a lot of free time in his job and most of the time he is out of the Ministry. An ideal combination.'

'Ah yes. I should have known that this was a Gryffindor plot,' the older wizard commented dryly. But he didn't mind. Remus was actually the only one of his acquaintances he could imagine working with as a team on a long term basis. 'But don't worry. I'll do it anyway. Anything is better than getting crazy or dying of boredom down in the registry basement.' Maybe this will turn out to be just what I need, he thought. Something sensible to do, but not too dangerous.

'All right then.' Harry beamed, looking quite relieved about the fact that he had accomplished the difficult task to convince the irritable Slytherin to work with them. 'That's settled. Shall we say that we'll meet in three days, together with Remus, to talk things over. I think he should have recovered from the full moon by then. But I can provide you with a list of the persons in question before that. Let's say the day after tomorrow after lunch. Or would that be inconvenient for you?'

'No, no. That'll be fine. See you then.' Severus got up to leave.

'Oh wait. Just one thing,' Harry hold him back. It's rather a bit personal. If you don't mind .'

'Ah, there is a drawback. What is it? Do I have to dress in an embarrasing disguise for the task?' Severus asked mockingly.

'No. It's about Remus,' Harry explained carefully. 'We, I mean, a lot of people around him think that he is not looking after himself properly. You know what I mean. He is probably not eating enough, I don't know. Have you noticed how painfully thin he has become?'

'Sure. What did you expect? He is a werewolf. Lack of appetite is one of the common symptoms of his condition. You know the old saying 'the moon eats the werewolf'. As far as I recall it, he has always been very thin,' Severus stated noncommitantly.

'Yes, I know. But I thought that maybe you could talk to him, or, well I don't know.' Harry made a helpless gesture and looked questioningly at the older wizard.

'Let me tell you what, Harry Potter,' Severus said sharply. 'You may have persuaded me to do that job for you and the other aurors. I will be doing this to prevent me from freaking out down there in the basement and perhaps to do something useful again for the wizarding society. But don't expect me to do any kind of 'wolfsitting' on top of that. Remus Lupin is old enough to look after himself. Of all people why should I be the one to have any particular influence on him, anyway?' he asked. 'I can't just pour some cream in his bowl from time to time to fatten him up, can I ?'

'Yes. Sorry, you're probably right. I just thought . . Just forget about it. It'll be fine if the two of you get along with each other and that some useful information will come out of it.'

'I guess so. See you in two days then.' Severus nodded curtly and strode out of Harry's office.

The young auror was right, though. As far as Severus could judge, Remus was certainly underweight. But what could he do about that? He snorted. Maybe he should invite the werewolf for dinner. Since he had been living in his muggle flat he had been doing a lot of cooking. Always for himself alone, of course. He had never been the social type. The idea to invite some of his wizard acquaintances or even the muggles in his house had simply never occurred to him. But in general, it wasn't a bad idea. Yes, why not. He made a mental note to ask Remus.