A/N: Hi all! Sorry for the wait! I know I said that I'd try to post at least a couple of chapters over winter break, but I'm not quite sure where that went...I spent the first two weeks interning and messing around, the next week at a job fair I had to go to, and the last week sick :( So basically, nonexistent break. But here's the next chapter! I do hope to get something up at the very least towards the end of the month, but we'll see how the semester goes. So far so good, but you never know...

Thank you so much to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed! If I didn't respond to your review, I sincerely apologize, but I do occasionally miss review emails and don't check my reviews very often! (If I ask for opinions, I take them down as I see the reviews)

Enjoy!


"Good…morning, Severus," Remus greeted hesitantly, seeing the other man standing beside the couch neatly folding a blanket.

"Good morning. I apologize for barging in on you like this, I did not trust myself to Apparate home last night." Severus set the blanket on the back of the couch and turned to face Remus. "I shall make my way back to my quarters now, I suppose."

Remus shook himself out of his surprise. "Oh – no, there's no need for that. You should stay for breakfast. We have plenty of food, and – "

"And what would Albus say if I were to miss breakfast at Hogwarts?" Severus pointed out, his usual sarcastic tone absent from his voice. "Professors are expected to be by at least two meals a day. Missing even one meal brings up questions I'd prefer not to have to evade."

"Right, right I forgot about Albus." Sighing, Remus ran a hand through his already messy hair, bringing to mind James Potter. Severus suppressed a laugh. "Will we see you tonight? Sirius seems sure that Andromeda will owl us today."

"I shall do my best to come by. As of now, I have no detentions or obligations this evening. Of course, if some of the Gryffindor dunderheads decide to drop something into their potions – "

"C'mon, it can't only be the Gryffindors. Are you really telling me that the Ravens and 'Puffs do nothing?" Sirius asked, entering the kitchen with Harry in his arms. "Everyone has an off day, and all houses have their troublemakers."

"I find that Gryffindors are the worst. Most Gryffindors have the Slytherin prejudice instilled in them from a young age and therefore do not listen to me. Some of them do not even bother to read the directions I put on the board." Severus raised an eyebrow at Harry, who was watching him with wide green eyes. "Yes, child?"

Harry turned his head away and burrowed his face in Sirius's shoulder, making the Animagus gently pat the back of his head. "Severus isn't scary, Harry. He's just in a bad mood. Like, all the time." Sirius gave Severus a glare. "Don't scare him, he's already in a bad enough way as it is."

"Of course. I…apologize." Resting a hand on Harry's back, the Potions Master waited until the child looked up before continuing, "Don't be frightened. I won't bite."

"You remember Severus, Harry. He owns the house that you liked exploring." Remus set his spatula to the side and came over to the small group. "Speaking of the house…not to be pushy, but is there any word on how the work is progressing?"

"Yes, that is part of why I stopped by last night," Severus replied. "My house elves say that we should be able to move in by tomorrow evening. If you would like to, that is…"

Remus took up his spatula once again and turned to the stove. "Of course we would. There is nowhere near enough room here for two men and a toddler. If you're still alright with the three of us moving in – "

"The manor is entirely too large for one person. I certainly do not mind having another three people living there." A small, uncharacteristic grin tugged at the corner of Severus's lips. "Considering the size of the house, I do believe that should we wish, we would never have to even see each other."

"Do you not want to see us?" Sirius asked as he sat at the table, settling Harry into the high chair beside him. "I mean, I do have the Black fortune, I guess I could see if I have any house elves left to clean up a property – "

"It was a joke, Black." Severus shook his head. "Honestly, how you can reach twenty-one years of age and still not know what a joke is boggles the mind."

Sirius groaned. "I could say the same about you, you know."

"We can all say many things about each other, but let's not. Severus, you need to get back to Hogwarts before Dumbledore begins to suspect something is wrong." Turning to Sirius, Remus continued, "Padfoot, go get yourself dressed in case Andromeda comes by or owls and needs you to come over as soon as possible. I'll keep an eye on Harry and make breakfast. Does that work for everyone?"

"Yes, Moony." Snapping off a crisp salute, Sirius ducked Remus's mock slap and raced from the room.

"I'll head over to Hogwarts. It is already past the time I normally go down to breakfast." Severus awkwardly looked at the toddler, who was staring at him. "Have a good day."

"Say good-bye to Severus, Harry."

Harry looked up at Severus, making the man inhale sharply. Until now, the child hadn't met his gaze. Now, faced with the full force of Lily's eyes, he found that he couldn't turn away. "I – "

"Are you alright?" Remus's face was etched with concern. "Severus?"

"I – yes, I'm fine." Shaking his head, he pressed a hand to his forehead. "May I use your Floo?"

"Sure." Still, the werewolf scrutinized him carefully. "Are you certain you're alright? You can tell Albus that you are ill."

Severus shook his head again. "It is nothing. I will see you this evening."

"Good luck." Remus watched him leave before turning to Harry with a sigh. "That man…he's going to kill himself one day. He needs to let loose and relax a little."

"Huh?"

He looked down at the toddler, who was staring at him with wide eyes. "Nothing, Harry. Don't you worry your head about these things. The adults will take care of everything…I hope."

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Sirius read over the parchment in his hands for what felt like the hundredth time. It still made just as little sense as it had the first time he'd read it.

Sirius Black,

I regret to inform you that we have decided to not allow you to return to the family. You have disgraced us and do not deserve the chance rejoin our family. You turned your back on both the Black family and myself. The Tonks home is not open to you.

However, I will not keep you from your childhood home. Grimmauld Place is open to you, of course, as it is your inheritance. I will ensure that it is free and clear by eight o'clock this evening. No one will bother you should you choose to arrive then.

Sincerely,

Andromeda Tonks

"What is it?" Remus finally asked. "You've been staring at the letter for a good ten minutes already."

"I...She won't let me back. Andy says that what I've done is too terrible and she can't let me into her life." His blank stare looked over the paper again, still not accepting the information. "I can't believe it. I thought of all people, she would accept me again."

"Let me see that." The werewolf easily plucked the paper from Sirius's unresisting fingers. Reading through it quickly, he let out a quiet laugh. "You're an idiot sometimes, you know that?"

Sirius's head snapped up. "I am not!"

"Yes, you are. She's trying to tell you when and where to meet up with her." Remus set the parchment on the kitchen table and flattened it out. "Grimmauld Place, tonight at eight."

"I – really?" He leaned over and read the letter once more. "How d'you figure that?"

Remus shook his head. "Really, Padfoot. Andromeda met with you earlier, do you truly think she would suddenly decide not to have anything to do with you? I assume she wants to protect the message if it's intercepted. If Albus sees this, he'll assume you don't have any familial support. If he thinks you're alone, he'll think you're vulnerable. It takes any suspicion off of you."

"But – "

"Don't you see? Andromeda's trying to protect everyone involved." He rested a hand on his friend's arm. "She doesn't want to see you hurt. This will keep us all safe, including Harry."

"I understand." Sirius gave the parchment one last look before resting his hand on it. "I wish she would be clearer on these things."

"It's to keep Albus from figuring out that something is going on. I think she has the right thoughts about this." His head shot up at the sound of a quiet cry. "Harry."

Sirius pushed himself off the table to stand straight. "I'll go get him. Do you mind owling Alice and asking her if she'd take Harry tonight? Or watch him, at least?"

"Sure. I – you think I should come along?" Remus's self-consciousness over being a werewolf made him feel as though he didn't deserve to be there, something Sirius knew he had to take care of already. He just hadn't been sure whether this was due to Dumbledore's potions or if it was Remus himself. "Are you certain?"

"Moony, you have to come along. You're the one who figured out that something was going on. I'm sure Andromeda meant for both of us to go to this meeting."

Remus nervously twisted his fingers together. "If you're sure…"

"I am. One hundred percent." Sirius clapped his friend on the back. "You take care of Alice and I'll go get Harry."

"Alright."

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

The instant his final class ended, Severus hurried along his students to finish cleaning up. It was an odd feeling for him. Normally he didn't care much about when he finished up his classes. So long as they didn't take forever cleaning, he didn't mind if they took their time. At the end of the day, someone had to clean the cauldrons and supplies, and it may as well be the students.

But now he had something to look forward to. Working with Sirius and Remus was affecting him positively. He had more to his life than simply going from school to his quarters to meals and repeat. He had Harry, and the case against Albus.

As soon as the students finished cleaning up and left the classroom, Severus gathered up his things and headed down the secret passageway to his private rooms. One thing Horace Slughorn's laziness was useful for: the man had set up many passageways so that he would never have to encounter a student outside of class unless he specifically arranged a meeting. Severus did have to admit it was nice not having to worry about a student attacking him for help between classes. More importantly, it meant that Albus couldn't waylay him and make him late for his meeting with Sirius and Remus.

He had a couple of hours before dinner, so he figured he'd go over to the pair to check in. If Andromeda Tonks had, in fact, responded to Sirius, he would need time to organize his thoughts. Setting the basket of potions vials on the end table, he quickly straightened his robes and headed to the fireplace to Floo over to Remus's apartment.

"Afternoon, Severus," Remus called from the couch.

"Good afternoon." Severus looked down to find Harry sitting on the floor close to his feet, his face upturned. "Good afternoon to you, too."

"Hi."

Severus felt his eyebrows jump. "He speaks? To me?"

"Sure he does, why not?" Entering the room with a handful of ties, Sirius held the bunch out to Remus. "Which one should I wear?"

"I doubt anyone will care. The meeting is too important for that." As he set his newspaper on the end table, Remus rose to his feet and turned to the Potions Master. "Andromeda owled Sirius today. She'd like us to meet her tonight at eight in Grimmauld Place."

He cast a glance to the toddler sitting at his feet. "And the child?"

"I owled Alice to babysit him. She said she would come pick up Harry at around six." Remus raised an eyebrow at Severus. "He does have a name, you know."

"Hawwy," the child in question offered, looking up at the man. "I Hawwy."

"Yes you are." Sirius entered the room and scooped up his godson, chucking him under the chin and making him laugh. "And you're amazing. I suppose you'll be joining us to meet with Andy, Severus?"

"You suppose correctly."

Remus began to head towards the kitchen. "I'll put together some sort of tea from what I have in the house. We can discuss what we will and will not discuss with the group over tea."

"Thanks, Moony," Sirius called after him. Turning to the Potions Master, he continued, "Do you have some sort of official record of the potions, by any chance? Concrete evidence will help prove that what we say is true."

It took a moment for Severus to regain his speech. He wasn't used to Sirius presenting such a sensible idea. "I – yes, I do. The spells I used on your blood sample creates a parchment with signs that are impossible to counterfeit."

"Great. Can you make a copy we can give to Andromeda and whoever she chooses to have us speak to?"

"Of course." He cast a swift glance towards the fireplace. "The parchment is in my rooms at Hogwarts, I will collect it when I go back for dinner."

Sirius gave him a genuine smile, something Severus couldn't remember ever receiving from the man. "Thanks, Severus."

"You're…welcome. I'm happy to help," Severus found himself saying. It looked like Black really had changed.

Maybe this partnership would work out, after all.