Growing Up Snape
By Teacherbev
AN: This story will not make much sense unless you read "Snape's Invisible Friend" before reading this. The story begins directly after the conclusion of SIF, summer 1985, just before Shaun/Harry turns five.
AN: I will answer questions if you will leave them in a review for me, and I thank all of you who have read and reviewed all of my stories. I appreciate each and every one of you (well maybe not the flamers). I have corrected a couple of minor errors that were pointed out to me in the last two chapters and I thank the reviewers who pointed them out to me.
AN: To answer a question, OOTP states that Luna's mother died as the result of a badly developed spell when Luna was nine. I am assuming that Luna was just slightly too young to begin in the same year as Harry and the others, so in my fiction she is four years old now and will turn five just after the September 1st cutoff for beginning school with the others; thereby making her back by one year.
Chapter 3: A Sirius Matter
When the Snapes joined the rest at the table for breakfast in the Great Hall the next morning, Albus immediately turned to Shaun and with a twinkle in his eye, he asked "Shaun, how did my phoenix, Fawkes, come to be sleeping with you last night?"
Shaun looked down at his pancakes and bacon, shame turning his cheeks scarlet as he stammered an answer. "I…sort of popped…into your office. When I was scared, I mean, when Uncle Moony…stunned…that rat, I was so scared that I kind of… popped."
Albus lifted the small chin with his hand and looked deeply into the small boy's green eyes. "And?" he encouraged.
"Your baby chicken was all alone, without his mommy, and he was… lonely and…" Shaun's voice trailed off while several of the staff members tried to recover gracefully after either choking on a bite of food or spitting a drink at the thought of Albus' magnificent phoenix being called a 'chicken', let alone a 'baby chicken'.
Albus' eyes were twinkling merrily as he again encouraged the boy. "And…"
"I put him in my pocket and took him home so he wouldn't be all alone. And then he said he wanted to sleep with me….so we did." Shaun tried to lower his head so he could hide from his grandfather's piercing gaze.
Severus was watching closely, after the day the boy and everyone else had had yesterday, he wasn't sure how far Shaun could be pushed before he would completely disappear. So he didn't miss the quickly gone flash of interest and astonishment that appeared and then disappeared from Albus' face, when Shaun had said something about Fawkes 'saying' something to the boy.
"You can talk to Fawkes, child?" Albus' voice was soft but direct. Very few people could withstand a direct question from the powerful wizard when he looked directly into your eyes and used that soft but compelling voice, and Shaun was no exception.
"Yes, sir, but it's kind of like talking to a little baby. He just says stuff like, 'hungry' or 'sleepy'. I guess …when he gets older… he'll be able to talk better maybe, I think?" Shaun didn't like to be subjected to such intense scrutiny from anyone, even those he loved and trusted like his grandfather. He was showing signs of panic that Severus had gotten very good at reading over the past year. Severus caught Albus' eye over the small black haired head, and quietly shook his head 'no' at the older man. Understanding flashed through the blue eyes as Albus backed off and smiled at the child.
"Well, it's obvious that Fawkes likes you and you did a wonderful job of caring for him yesterday. Perhaps I can ask you to take care of him again today since I will have to be out of the castle and I don't know when I will return. Would you like that, Shaun?"
A large smile graced the boy's face, lighting up his expression, and making his strikingly beautiful and large green eyes glow with excitement. "Yes, sir, and I will take the best care of him. You can count on me, grandpa!"
Shaun turned to his father and began excitedly babbling to him as Albus touched Remus' hand where the man was sitting beside him on the other side, moving his food from one side of his plate to the other in a vain pretense that he was actually able to eat anything that morning. Albus looked at the nervous man in sympathy, "Shall we go then, Remus? It is a long journey to Azkaban, and I know that you are most anxious to retrieve your friend. Do you have the clean robes for him?"
Remus patted a small bag sitting at his feet in response. "Yes and a pouch of potions that Severus thought would be most helpful until we can get him back to Poppy in the infirmary." His voice shook with emotion as he tried to get his feelings under control, anger at the betrayal of a man he had thought a friend and a dead hero, guilt at the four long years he had thought another friend a betrayer and murderer, and the hope and anticipation at the immanent release of that friend. And the genuinely frightening concern that there might not be enough of that friend's mind left to make his release meaningful.
The two stood and left the room, buoyed by the hopes and best wishes of all those who remained. Severus stood up and led his son back to their rooms, quietly contemplating on the long talk he would be having today with Shaun about exactly who the man yesterday had been, and who the new man coming to the castle was. He was not looking forward to his day at all and was grateful that Fawkes would be there to help.
Remus and Albus strode purposefully and quickly down the path towards Hogsmeade, too intent upon passing the anti-apparition wards to even see the beginnings of a clear and beautiful early summer day spreading the promise of sun on the neatly manicured lawns of the castle. A slight haze of mist still hung to the ground, already turning to thin wisps where the long fingers of the dawn sun touched it. The dew still glistened on the leaves of the many rare and magnificent species in the Forbidden Forest but they went unseen by the pair as they silently passed; each deeply lost in their own thoughts.
The giant squid floated languidly, shooting spouts of lake water at Fang as he ran around Hagrid who was busy catching fish to feed to several of the more 'innerestin' creatures he had acquired to teach about the next term. With only a mumbled greeting to the half-giant, the long legs of the two wizards carried them swiftly past the pastoral beauty of the castle nestled in the Scottish highlands, through the towering, magnificent iron gates and to the closest apparition point to the castle. With a duet of almost silent cracks, the two disappeared, only to reappear instantaneously in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic itself.
Mad-Eye Moody, his artificial magical eye spinning in a bizarre and slightly nauseating fashion, stood firm on his wooden leg beside the familiar figure of Auror Gumboil who looked more like an apple in his official red robes than an imposing menace of a trained wizard constable. His short stature, round belly, double chins and pale, balding head stuck up over his bright red robes made him a more fitting ad for a diet plan than an imposing figure of authority! But Albus knew that if Moody had selected him to accompany him on their trip to Azkaban that the man's looks must be deceiving.
"Ah, Albus, right on time. I have the paperwork all signed and ready to go. We'll need to go down to the ministry processing center to catch a portkey directly to Azkaban. And I have one for the return trip that will take the three of you directly to the hospital wing at Hogwarts."
Albus greeted his old friend warmly, grabbing one of his hands in both of his, he shook them while exclaiming, "Thank you, Alastor, that is most appreciated. I know that Remus is most anxious to retrieve Sirius, so if we might be on our way?" He gave the man's hand a final squeeze and patted it gently before letting go once again.
The two aurors, one so intimidating that people instinctively moved out of their way and the other looking like he belonged sitting in a booth drinking a pint of stout at the Leaky Cauldron, turned together and led the way to a bank of elevators that were standing in one corner of the atrium. Moody flicked his right arm, his wand sliding almost instantaneously into his grip and touched the tip of it to a slight indentation in a brass plaque beside the farthest left elevator. This elevator appeared to have no controls, but it opened instantly at the touch of the old, battle-scarred Auror's wand.
As he waved the others in first he explained to Remus, "Direct express down to the courtrooms and the processing center for aurors and prisoners only. We've got permission from Madame Bones herself to use it so we don't run into any reporters or busybodies from Minister Fudge's office. Seems they want to do damage control this morning and make it seem like Fudge was responsible for 'freeing an innocent man from his horrendous fate' or some codswollop like that. More like covering his ass, but it ain't gonna work, too many people and too much paperwork over the year that proves he and his cronies blocked every attempt to give Black a trial."
Albus nodded sagely, "We left before the Daily Prophet and the Quibbler were delivered; how is this being received by the public?"
Gumboil snorted, "Cornelius Fudge will be lucky if he isn't standing in the docket with Malfoy when the trial begins in ten days. Both papers published the entire transcript and it seems that some slick reporter found a couple of memos that Fudge had signed just a couple of months ago saying that Black was so obviously guilty that there was absolutely no reason to go to the fuss and expense of a trial."
Remus perked up for the first time since entering the ministry, "They got Malfoy then? How about the other four?"
Moody looked like Christmas had come early that year, but his big smile looked frightening and just wrong with his scars, wildly spinning piercing blue eye, and a big chunk gone from the end of his nose. "They grabbed Malfoy before the ink was dry on that warrant and had him in custody and drinking Veritaserum before tea time yesterday. He not only gave up the four that Pettigrew knew of, but did him one better and named five more that we didn't know about, including three that worked here in the Ministry, two of them were even aurors, Blackstone and McNally. They were both called into an 'emergency' last night and captured without a word leaking out. So we got all of them, and now we are going after the new ones that old Lucius named."
Gumboil nodded in satisfaction, "Yes, sir and the vaults of all those named were frozen at Gringotts pending the outcome of the trials, which are already scheduled to begin in just ten days. So there will be no buying their way out this time, not that they could after taking Veritaserum." He sounded inordinately pleased with the accomplishments his department had managed in the last two days.
Moody laughed out loud, "I expect old Fudge would try to plan a big press conference and claim all the credit while he gives Lupin a Medal of Merlin for finding Pettigrew if it wouldn't kill him to have to pin one on a werewolf!"
"I might even accept one from that fraud just to see his face!" Even Remus managed a smile and a small laugh at that.
The filigreed brass doors of the elevator opened at that moment and the four exited into a long cold, stone passageway. They were deep within the bowels of the Ministry of Magic, almost a mile under the very heart of London. Flickering torches spaced every 20 meters provided only a dismal light, barely enough to keep from tripping on the imperfections in the granite floor, the center was worn smooth from the thousands of feet that had trod it over the centuries, but the edges were uneven in their wear and could trip the unwary visitor.
Moody led the way confidently and quickly through the maze of corridors until they came to an incongruously brightly painted red door. He knocked twice briskly and the sound echoed within. Footsteps behind the door heralded it being opened long before the handle began to turn, and the four shuffled into a plain square room. It was simply furnished with a single desk, covered in old newspapers and empty coffee mugs with a single canted dining room chair sitting in front of a dilapidated metal filing cabinet that leaned crazily to one side; its drawers loosing the ability to be completely closed decades ago, folders and individual parchments sticking out at crazy angles. In the center of the room a small oval table, legs carved and turned in delicate patterns sat looking totally out of place, a meter long rope with a large knot tied in each end lay on its intricately inlaid surface.
Moody nodded his head at the grizzled old guard whose hair and beard were the same faded grey as his stained and tattered robes, "Everything okay, Jacob? Do you need to check Mr. Lupin's bag before we go or is my visual scan okay. I see a pouch of healing potions, and a set of clean robes and undergarments; as well as a big slab of Honeyduke's best dark chocolate."
"Nay, you's okay to go. Jus' grabs hold of the rope over on yonder table, and I'll count ye down." Jacob grinned, showing more gum than teeth; those few teeth left were rotten and coffee stained and made Gumboil, who was nearest to him, flinch at the wash of bad breath that hit him.
Remus pushed both arms through the straps of the small backpack and all four of the men grabbed tightly to the rope. Moody's maniacally spinning blue eye checked everyone's grip and finding everything satisfactory, he nodded at Jacob who began counting, "Three, two, one…activate!"
With a tremendous jerk behind their navels, the four men spun and swirled in a nauseating twirl of colors and flashes of light and dark before their feet slapped down on the uneven ridges of a small rectangular wooden room. The few specks and streaks of paint still attached to the walls testified that the room had once, many years ago, been painted white, but now the wooden walls had faded to an uneven grey. There were no windows and only one small door with a small barred opening at eye level height. The sounds of waves hitting the shore and the smell of salt water, dead fish and miscellaneous rotting sea plants and creatures, caused Remus to involuntarily gasp as his werewolf senses were almost overpowered.
Moody yelled out, "Moody, Gumboil, Dumbledore, and Lupin to accompany the release of prisoner Sirius Black."
A deep voice yelled back to be heard over the noise of the sea, "Hey Moody, what did you eat at my house last Tuesday?"
"Fish and Chips and the best chocolate cherry cake I ever tasted. You sure married above yourself, Roger!" Was the chuckled answer.
The door opened and a tiny little man with shoulder length dirty blonde hair tied back into a ponytail walked in, complaining bitterly, 'Dang them bureaucrats, never have gotten around to making it possible for me to see through that bloody peep hole. Hey Moody, you got the paperwork ready?" The deep melodious voice coupled with the tiny little man would have made the others laugh if the incongruity hadn't been so shocking.
Moody handed a thick sheaf of parchment over to the small man as he led them out into a small guard shack set on the end of a long dilapidated wooden pier. The glorious day that began in Hogwarts was now overcast, drizzling and dreary. If they hadn't known it was the end of June, you would have bet it was February or March by the cold and wet weather. Remus and Albus both involuntarily shivered in their summer robes as they looked around at the depressing vista.
Roger, just glancing at the official parchments before leaving them on his desk under a large rounded grey rock, opened the outer door and motioned the four to follow him to a large wooden rowboat that was tied to the very end of the pier. He waved his arms to dislodge several large seagulls as they walked, treading carefully on the wave slick surface. Roger climbed down into the boat, sprightly and surefooted with long experience, he reached back and assisted first Alastor and Albus into the second bench seat and then Remus and Gumboil into the third one. He left the first and the fourth benches empty to keep the weight more evenly balanced. He climbed back out, deftly untied the tie-downs and with a shove from his foot and a wave of his wand, he sent them on their way.
Severus sat on the couch in their quarters, Shaun snuggled up on his lap, and Fawkes curled up in Shaun's lap. Shaun's hands never stopped petting the phoenix that had the beginnings of soft gold and crimson feathers today and was looking much better than yesterday. Fawkes was trilling very softly and Severus could feel the gentle wash of calm and tranquility the bird was giving to his son. He made a mental note to ask Albus what the phoenix's favorite treat was, because he was earning the potions' masters undying gratitude today.
"So your Mummy and Daddy James had to hide from the evil wizard. But that man yesterday that Uncle Moony stunned? He knew where they were hiding and he told the bad wizard where they were." Severus was holding Shaun close to his chest with his left hand, his right hand was absentmindedly stroking through Shaun's almost shoulder length black hair. The baby soft but thick hair glistened with health as the gentle strokes soothed both father and son while they continued to talk.
"Why Daddy, why did he tell the bad man?" Shaun cocked his head back over his shoulder so he could see his Daddy's face; as Fawkes trilled a little louder.
"I don't know why, child. Some people just do bad things and nobody knows why. But he told the evil wizard and that wizard killed your Mummy and Daddy James and made the scar on your forehead. And then because your Mummy and Daddy James were dead the man yesterday ran away and no one knew where he was. So the man your Mummy and Daddy James wanted to take care of you, your godfather Sirius, he was mad at that man, Peter, and he went to ask him why he killed your parents. Do you understand so far?"
"I think so, that man Peter, wasn't he in my book? The one that you read to me sometimes about Mummy, Daddy James and me?"
"Yes, but everyone thought that your godfather, Sirius, had told the evil wizard and that Peter was dead trying to help you. And then yesterday, we found out that Peter was the bad man and that Sirius wasn't."
"So Uncle Moony and Grandpa Albus went to go get the good man, Sirius, that everyone thought was a bad man and put in jail?"
Severus sighed with relief; Shaun understood this better than he had expected him to. He thought about what he was going to say next before beginning. "Yes, child, and they are going to bring him back to the castle today. Because he has been in jail for so long, he is very sick and they will bring him to Madame Pomfrey to make better. Then after he gets better, you may go and meet him if you would like. But you don't have to if you don't want to, I won't make you, child."
Shaun nodded as he scratched Fawkes under the chin. "Maybe, I don't know yet. Uncle Moony was crying last night, is he afraid of this man?"
Severus chuckled, "No, they were best friends with your Daddy James. And you used to know Sirius before your Mummy and Daddy James died and you went to live with your Aunt and Uncle. He was supposed to be the one to be your new daddy, but the ministry put him in jail because they thought he was the bad man, but we found out yesterday that he wasn't, Peter was."
Shaun turned and looked up at his Daddy in concern, "I don't have to go now, do I? You're my Daddy and I don't want anyone else!" There were tears threatening to spill down the pale cheeks as his lip quivered in fear. Severus could feel his small body start to tremble even with Fawkes still trilling on his lap, singing louder and louder as he felt the small boy's distress mount.
Severus wrapped his arms around his son in a fierce grip and rocked him back and forth, "NO, Shaun, you never have to leave me. I am your Daddy now and forever. If you find you like Sirius, he can remain your godfather. He can be much like your Uncle Moony, but if he makes you afraid or scared, we can tell Moony not to have him come around when you are there. But we don't have to decide anything today or even anytime soon. We will take it one day at a time. Remember, you will always be my gift, my Shaun and no one, no one can take you away from me!"
'And if he ever tries they won't find enough pieces of him left to ever pin a murder on me!' he thought as he kissed the top of his son's head, fiercely protective and defensive of what was now HIS! He would allow Sirius to visit his son while the boy was in Remus' quarters if he had to, but the man would never take his son from him if he had to poison the miserable git!
The four wizards pulled their cloaks tighter to themselves as the rowboat shuddered and tossed through the waves splashing them with grimy salt water spray, as they moved closer to the ever nearer and more depressing sight of the looming dark stones of Azkaban. The ancient fortress radiated misery and doom from every dark stone and turret. The hopelessness and fear almost radiated in a palpable manner as they traveled close enough for the icy chill despair of the Dementor guards to shoot through them, removing any happy thoughts and feelings and leaving behind anguish and depression. Remus pulled the small navy blue backpack off his back and reaching in, he unwrapped the huge block of chocolate, and broke off a piece for each of the men; receiving grateful nods of thanks as they each allowed the warmth of the intense chocolate flavor to dispel some of the despair.
"What is it like in there, if this is how bad it is when the Dementors have gone off the island to allow us to land and remove Sirius?" Remus wondered aloud.
"Aye, lad, you don't ever want to experience the island first hand if you can avoid it. I just hope that Sirius hasn't given up. If he could cling to the thought that he wasn't guilty perhaps there is some hope that he will recover in time." Moody wasn't very encouraging.
Remus spoke so softly that Albus wasn't sure that he had heard him correctly, "But what if he blames himself for trading secret keepers?"
It had seemed as if an eternity had passed as the rowboat traveled the way through the choppy seas to Azkaban, though in reality it was less than 20 minutes. They all heaved a sigh of relief as the dark smudge on the horizon grew to be a large black blotch, then a tall imposing black edifice, and finally a narrow wooden dock came into view on the lee side of the island. They all scrambled out as a nameless house elf scrambled to tie the boat to the rickety, slightly leaning dock. The elf turned and waved at them to follow it into a small open door in the base of the nearest tower. Remus leaned back as they entered but was unable to see the top rising high above them.
Luckily they only had a very short distance down a dank and slimy hallway before they came to another open door. The large room was depressingly dark, lit only by a few irregularly spaced torches and the dim light filtering in through a series of small very dirty windows nearly at ceiling height. A pair of human guards stood at either end of the room, watching the single sitting occupant. A gaunt, almost skeletal form sat rigidly straight at a tall armed chair in front of a square blocky table. The chair was equipped with straps and chains but they were lying un-used on the floor beside the almost catatonic figure.
Remus gasped and ran the few steps forward to kneel at the side of his old friend. He reached up one hesitant hand to stop just inches from the matted, greasy graying waist length black hair. Unnoticed tears trickled down his cheeks as he searched the immobile unblinking countenance of the man he had thought lost to him forever. He dropped his hand and called softly. "Sirius, it's Remus. We caught Pettigrew. We've come to take you home, Padfoot."
Cracked lips split apart only a fraction as a voice, creaking and cracking from disuse murmured softly, "It's not real… it's not real… it's not…"
Albus had stooped to the other side of the chair and added his soft voice to Remus, "It's real, child. We've come to take you back to Hogwarts. Perhaps some chocolate, Remus?" Remus fumbled into the backpack and handed a small chunk to Albus to feed to Sirius as he pulled out the pouch of healing potions that Severus had sent with them.
Moody and Gumboil had gone over to the two guards to sign the paperwork and then the two uniformed guards left to return to their shielded quarters; deep underground away from the effects of the Dementors.
Albus was breaking off slivers of dark chocolate and forcing them into Sirius' mouth letting them melt on the man's tongue before sliding in another piece between the slack and unresisting lips. Remus handed Albus a pepper-up potion mixed with a very strong energizing potion and then stood up and leaned his friend's filthy head back against his chest he held him still with his mouth open as Albus gently and slowly dripped small sips down his throat, thankfully he swallowed them without choking. Moody picked up the bag that Remus had left and searching through it; he handed several more potions to the two men as they continuously fed potions to the man they were talking to so softly and encouragingly.
Between the potions and the chocolate, Sirius' eyes began to lose their glazed over appearance and he started to take deeper breaths until finally what was happening to him and what they were repeating to him over and over began to register on his Dementor fogged brain. He turned his head slightly against the warm chest that was holding him close, and looked up in awe at Moony's gentle smile; traces of his tears unnoticed and unconcernedly still upon his face.
He blinked several times in wonder before licking dry lips and struggling to speak, "Moony, are you real?"
"Yes, Padfoot. And as soon as you are able to walk, we have a boat outside to take you back to Hogwarts with us." He hugged the man's head close and kissed the filthy forehead that was tilted up at him in disbelief. "If you can stand, we have clean robes for you too; you can leave those prison robes behind."
Sirius nodded slowly as if trying to process all the new information threatening to overwhelm him. Without a word he put both hands upon the sturdy table in front of him and with the help of a hand under each of his arms he stood, wavering slightly as he got his balance. Moody, as the senior Auror the only one who had been allowed to remain armed; drew his wand and with a flick the old robes had been removed. A simple Scourgify cleaned most of the filth off of the emaciated frame, and another flick covered him with clean undergarments. Gumboil came in front of where Remus and Dumbledore were holding Sirius up and gathering the folds of the heavy woolen robe, as if to dress a small child, he put the clean warm robes over Sirius' head and then Albus and Remus helped him find the armholes and he was dressed in clean robes for the first time in nearly four years. They sat him back down and Remus removed the thin slippers that were issued to prisoners and pulled thick woolen socks and then tied sturdy leather boots on his best friend's dry and cracked feet.
The two men sat him down in the chair again and Moody handed them another revitalizing potion followed by a small chunk of chocolate. "That should be enough to keep him going until we get him to Madame Pomfrey."
"Pomfrey?" was accompanied with a look of utter disgust even as he ate the chocolate that Gumboil was offering.
The four men laughed, a sound seldom heard within the walls of Azkaban, and agreed with Sirius about the overzealous hospital matron of Hogwarts.
After the chocolate and potions, with Albus on one side and Remus on the other, Sirius Black walked out of Azkaban on the last day of June, 1985, one thousand three hundred and thirty seven days after he arrived.
AN: I have jury duty all next week and have to be there before 8 a.m. so it might be a week or more before I can update again. This is the third time in two years, but I usually don't pass the first questioning of the attorneys so wish me luck! Several of my reviewers have stated they are not native English speakers, so for them, I have been called up to be in the panel of ordinary people that make up the jury. The two attorneys can ask you questions to find out if you will be favorable to their case. I am not in trouble, nor am I charged with anything. They just makes lots more people show up than the 12 they actually need for the jury!