A/N: Hey all! I was hit with a terrible case of writer's block for every story I'm writing, but I've finally got this done! I wanted to do a much longer chapter, closer to 3,000-4,000 like I do for one of my other fics, but I felt like this was the place to stop. This chapter is, again, setting the scene a bit, but next chapter will begin the action!
Now, about the room...as Jake Crepeau pointed out, these are three guys. Their decorating experience...um, kind of non-existent. SO it will be a regular bedroom (but still a bit Hogwarts-themed). But there were definitely a bunch of others that I really liked!
Thank you so much to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed! If I never responded to your review...I am so sorry! I just started grad school and spent the last few weeks finishing up my undergrad (yes, Professor _ I'm looking at you), so I haven't had much time to go on this site. I will try to be more on top of things!
Enjoy!
Severus gracefully exited the fireplace into what used to be his grandfather's office. The first thing he'd done when the wolf told him he was cleaning the manor was to hook the Floo up to the one in his office at Hogwarts. To his surprise, the room he was now standing in was much cleaner than it had been the last time he was here. The house elves must have been working around the clock.
He pushed open the door to reveal a pristine hallway. From downstairs he could hear a low murmuring and correctly assumed it was Black and the werewolf. Descending the marble staircase, he turned right and entered the room.
"There you are." Black turned to him and offered a blue mug. "We have tea and coffee, whatever you want. We need to talk."
"I take it your meeting with Andromeda was successful?" Severus asked as he sat down and poured himself tea.
"It was...unexpected." Sirius looked over at Remus, who motioned for him to continue. "We're not the only ones suspicious of Albus."
The Potions Master raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"What do you mean, 'and'? You knew about this?"
"Of course not." Letting out an impatient sigh, Severus continued, "However, I cannot say I am surprised. Did you truly think the three of us were the only ones smart enough to figure it out? We are barely four years out of Hogwarts. You and I would not have our posts if not for the war and, I suspect, Albus's involvement. Certainly people older and wiser than us would have figured this out."
"Wait. Go back." Remus leaned forward, cupping his mug of coffee between thin, long-fingered hands. "Your posts?"
"I as a teacher in Hogwarts, Black here as a fully-fledged Auror. I may have grown up far from magic, but when we were first years Aurors were not twenty-one years of age. They needed much more training, as well as the fact that I know you, Black, took off a year between graduation and joining the Auror Corps." He shook his head. "And for me to teach student three to four years my junior? I am not an experienced enough Potions Master to warrant such regard."
"But why...spies." Sirius slammed his mug down on the table, making the other two men jump. "He needed spies in the Aurors. The older ones wouldn't give him enough information, they wouldn't believe in him that much. He needed James, Frank and I to do it, to give him the information he would need to move his pawns. And you..."
Severus shook his head. "Not as a spy. Most, if not all, teachers agree with him. As I have said before, he had me as a spy for the Dark Lord. When I found out that Lily was to be killed, he insisted that I take on the teaching position. Ostensibly to protect me, although it seems more likely that it was to keep his new pet under his control."
"Albus has a lot to answer for," Remus growled.
"He does. For now, however, we need to decide whether or not we will join forces with Mrs. Tonks." Severus inclined his head towards Sirius. "What was her verdict?"
"She has to discuss it with some of the others, it isn't just her decision to make. She said she'll get back to me when she has more information." Picking up his mug, Sirius leaned back against the sofa. "I suppose it's a waiting game now."
Remus raised an eyebrow. "It's good to see that you're thinking rationally now."
"I'm a Gryffindor, not stupid. You still need a plan." The dog Animagus took a sip of coffee. "I know when I was younger I was always good with coming up with things, thinking them through. I believe the change was because of Dumbledore and his potions."
"That would be entirely possible. I cannot imagine a Black being that stupid, even if you constantly tried to be different from your family." Severus turned to the werewolf. "How is Potter doing?"
"I wanted to discuss that, actually." Remus leaned forward to set his mug on the table and straightened up, facing the other two men. "We need him in some sort of day care or school. Severus, you're in Hogwarts, and Sirius, you're busy with the Wizengamot and other Black things. I'm still researching some of the Dumbledore influences. There's no one to watch over Harry during the day and I truly do not want to leave the house elves in charge of him."
"There aren't any magical daycares or primary schools. Traditionally women don't go out to work until their children are old enough to either stay home alone or go to Hogwarts."
Sirius spread his hands. "There's nothing out there."
Severus's eyes narrowed. "You mean...children have no background knowledge when they come to Hogwarts? Nothing about spells, proper potions preparation...even math?"
"Well..." Shifting uncomfortably, Sirius attempted to avoid Severus's hard gaze. "Whatever the mother teaches."
"So if the mother either doesn't know, or isn't good at, a subject, the children will be lacking in that area?"
"Yes."
"Lovely." The Potions Master shook his head. "This would explain why my younger years know nothing about Potions and basic math, and my older years having abysmal skills in those areas."
Remus ran a hand through his hair tiredly. "This is ridiculous."
"I will not have that child go to Hogwarts as ignorant as all other children. If need be, I will personally teach him what he needs to know." Seeing the other two men staring at him, he cocked a single eyebrow. "Yes?"
"You...you're offering to teach him?" Sirius stuttered.
"Yes. From what I have witnessed, he is not a dumb child and I will not have him grow up as one." He took a sip of tea before continuing, "However, that does not solve our current problem of taking care of him during the day."
"I suppose that I can still take care of him for now, until we come up with a better solution," Remus replied. "Maybe Alice or Frank will have an idea. Or maybe even Narcissa."
"Cissy is very traditional. I doubt you'll be able to get her to give up Draco." Sirius spread his hands. "But you're welcome to attempt to talk to her."
"Then I suppose that is a plan." Shifting in his seat, Severus cast his gaze upwards. "Is Potter asleep?"
Remus smiled softly. "Yes, he spent the entire day running around watching the elves fix up the Manor. He tired himself out."
"I'm going to go upstairs and check on him," Sirius announced, getting to his feet.
"Don't wake him up."
"I won't."
Taking the stairs two at a time, Sirius went up to the room he and Remus had chosen for his godson. He pushed open the door as quietly as possible and crept inside. Harry lay in the middle of the crib, his thumb in his mouth and his free hand wrapped around a stuffed wolf. Leaning over, Sirius gently ran his fingers through the thick black hair, making the child sigh with contentment.
Straightening, he looked around the room to see what Remus had decided to do in terms of decoration. Each of the walls was painted a lighter shade of each of the house colors and the furniture was a light, honeyed wood. Covering the windows were curtains with the contrasting color of the house – silver on the windows of the green wall and pale gold on the windows of the red wall. The sea green toy chest in the corner was propped open by the many toys the two men had purchased during their first day with Harry. It was a plain, simple room, but Sirius figured Harry could remodel when he was a bit older. For now, it would do.
He turned back to his godson to once more ensure he was okay. "We're going to make the world a better place for you, Prongslet," he promised quietly, cupping the back of the toddler's head. "For you, and Neville, and everyone else."
A/N: And there you have it! Next chapter will most probably be a continuation of the school thing with Narcissa and Remus, along with Alice (maybe), and if I decide to go long, I'll have Sirius and Andromeda meet up with some more details as well. I've noticed that Severus hasn't had very much spotlight time, but he is a teacher, and he should be busy. But does anyone want to see him around more? He'll more than likely be a big part of the school, seeing as he is, y'know, a teacher.
Until next time!
