Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything you can recognise from any books or TV series or movies. I do however take liberties with the plots or mentions provided by JKR or other writers. The only profit I'm getting out of it is improving my English.

Title: Secrets & Keepers – Entropy

Rating/Warnings: R/M [AU; Manipulative Dumbledore (therefore not Dumbledore friendly); profanity; canon typical violence; frank discussion of past child abuse (Harry but not only) and of past child abuse of sexual nature (not Harry); not very detailed descriptions of torture (not Harry); Black family feels; identity crisis; pureblood politics; good Slytherins]

Characters and pairings: Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Regulus Black, Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Bathsheda Babbling. As well as Hermione Granger, Arcturus Black, Larry Lawrence (OC) and Josephine Turner (OC). The rest of characters will appear as the story progresses.

All adults are more or less paternal towards Harry or grandfatherly towards Hermione as well as generally friendly or at the very least civil towards each other once they sort out their differences.

References to past and present relationship of sexual nature between Snape and Babbling. Occasional mentions of one sided Sirius/James, not one sided Sirius/OFC (the woman of many names). Contains mentions of Remus/Tonks, eventual allusions to Larry/Josephine and background Arcturus/Melania. No Harry or Hermione pairings because they have a lot on their plates and won't have time for teenage nonsenses for a longer while (at the very least through PoA timeline).

Spoilers: All seven books with occasional, brief references to ground work for HP & CC main plot as well as Secrets & Keepers – Collision Course and Secrets & Keepers – Supernova.

Summary: Harry & Hermione learn that as weird as everything become in the aftermath of learning devastating news is that the life actually goes on. There's a Dark Lord to destroy, a manipulative Headmaster to overthrow, family bonds and new friendships to establish and old ones to maintain. Direct sequel to S&K - Collision Course and S&K - Supernova.

Chapter summary: The mystery of Severus's locked box gets answered.

Word count: About 7000.

Author's note: I'm so, so, so sorry for taking so long but life kind of imploded and one of the things being my beta and I agreeing to part ways on amenable terms. I had chapter 12 ready way back in April but it wasn't sitting right with me for a lot of reasons so over past two months I've been steadily rewriting it into something I'm content with. Luckily next chapter is almost done, so updating that isn't going to take me next two months.

On that note, you won't believe how long I've been sitting on the concept of this chapter and yeah it was that early on as way back in I think 2nd chapter of Collision Course. Over 400 k words in total and it's finally open.

Next chapter will be posted within a couple of days.

I hope that You will find this story enjoyable. I would be the most grateful for constructive criticism.


Being sorry for myself is a luxury I can't afford.

~Stephen King

Secrets & Keepers – Entropy

Chapter twelve: Queen's Gambit

Harry Potter, 13th August 1993, 12 Grimmauld Place, London

Falling into a new routines with a house full of adults that each in their own way cared for his physical and mental well-being had been quite easy once Harry claimed that he preferred taking whatever calming draughts he was on without them being slipped into his tea.

Sirius and Regulus had a decency to look chastised at his statement and Snape grudgingly admitted that strictly speaking he wasn't on calming draughts rather than a very mild variant of an anti-depressant. Further discussion on the subject led to conversation about side-effects of thereof and to his surprise Harry discovered that the potion he had been on wasn't store bought rather than one of Snape's own inventions.

That in turn, together with what Snape had mentioned a couple of days ago about the Potions curriculum had prompted him to spend last couple of days in Potions books, not only his Mum's but also his own and the reference books from Snape's lists which he managed to find in the library. His notebook quickly filled with information about metallurgy of cauldrons and knives used in preparations of the ingredients.

It was a very time consuming process but when he compared his notes on the very first potion from his own Magical Drafts & Potions grade 3 without consulting Mum's book he was insanely proud of himself that he got it right. The book itself, along with the other third year books he found in his bedroom when he headed to sleep after the talk about anti-depressants. Who he should thank for that he had no idea and when asked Sirius only shrugged that he needed them and that he got them.

Not that the Potions consumed all of his time. Occasionally whichever minder that had been with him at the time got him to talk about their favourite subject in relation to the third year material. Then there were meals and although the progress (non-existent at the moment, considering the languages in which majority of the books that Sirius brought from the manor were written) of Horcrux related research had been discussed the conversations afterwards tended to stray to the academic interests. It occasionally led to snipes how, who and why was a moron for not having a complete grasp on this or that subject.

Tonks as it turned out sucked at any stealth spells, something at which Sirius, Regulus and Snape excelled. Snape's grasp on healing spells was the most advanced of all of them. Babbling found her match in Regulus when it came to wardwork but wiped the floor with him when it came into separating the spellwork into neat components. No one's knowledge on Potions could have compared to Snape's, although Regulus appeared to be most well-versed in Potions right after him. Also Snape's knowledge in Dark Arts rivalled and possibly supressed (although that was still the subject of an ongoing debate) that of Sirius and Regulus. The only person whose knowledge of Transfiguration could have rivalled Sirius's was Tonks but only in the area of self-Transfiguration. Lupin in turn had the most consistent and resourceful education in Charms and defence against the dark creatures.

It was all so fascinating that afterwards Harry found himself making notes on the subjects discussed. Particularly about Potions and Transfiguration. In so far he didn't struggle with Charms and Defence as much as he struggled with Potions and Transfiguration. He wasn't the worst of the class in both but deep inside he knew that he could do better in Transfiguration.

Somehow that admission about his struggles with Transfiguration was met with materialisation of 'A Beginner's Guide To Transfiguration' and 'Intermediate Transfiguration' on his desk. Upon leafing through them he discovered that pages of both were filled with quite neat handwriting that sometimes contradicted the instructions given in the book.

When he brought them, along with the Potions books, to the library and showed them to Lupin who sat himself on the couch in front of him Lupin gestured towards Sirius who was seated at the desk by the window with a very thick book.

He figured out that staying with the adults would keep Sirius satisfied that someone had an eye on him and keep all of the adults busy with their own work. So he stayed with them until lunch and returned with them to the library once it ended.

They all worked in a relative silence until early evening, a bit too early for dinner since Kreacher announced that they will be having a roast and that it would be ready at half-past seven. It was a little past half-past six when Sirius asked, "Would you mind if I opened a window?"

His question was meet with a softer or louder 'no' and minimal haste in securing the lose parchment and opened pages before everybody returned to their own work. Busy with his own summer essay from Transfiguration Harry only heard Sirius's footsteps, with the following sounds of window being opened, followed by Sirius's deep exhalation and then…

"Take of your shirt," said Babbling suddenly.

That in turn made Harry look at her and from her at surprised Sirius who was standing by the window with his arms stretched out over his head that he was slowly lowering as he turned towards her.

"What?" he mumbled. "Why?"

"Just take it off," said Babbling as she stood up from the narrow table on which she spread out her books.

"Why?" asked Sirius again.

"Humour me," she said quickly.

Sirius sighed and removed his long-sleeved cotton shirt over his head and dropped it on the desk with a quirked eyebrow and question, "Satisfied?"

"No," replied Babbling. "Now turn around."

Sirius stared at her but after a moment he complied. Babbling in turn stared at his back for a couple of seconds before she muttered 'morons' and dashed out of the room.

"What was that about?" asked Sirius once he put the shirt back on, directing the question at Snape.

"I have no idea," replied Snape without taking his eyes of the book he was reading. "What you have in there?"

"An old tattoo," replied Sirius simply.

"Anything ancient or relevant to our problem?" asked Snape, still without taking his eyes of the book.

"Ancient somewhat, relevant not so much," sighed Sirius. "Mirzam done it for me during the summer after fifth year."

"I hadn't seen anything on your back while we were at school," said Lupin pensively. "You sure that it was back then?"

"Very because once she was done with me I made the same one on her back," replied Sirius. "It's…"

In that moment Babbling ran back into the room and almost dropped a heavy box on the table.

"Cannis Major," she breathed out. "And I've been blind moron all this time," she added with a huff. "Severus, if you would mind," she added to Snape.

"Mind what?" asked Snape as he looked up at her. "Why did you…"

"Just open it and stop whining," grumbled Babbling.

That in turn caused all of the occupants to raise and approach the table. Harry made his way to stand between Sirius and Regulus, opposite to Snape and Babbling, Lupin and Tonks squeezed themselves between Regulus and Babbling.

The box was rectangular in shape and made out of polished dark wood, most likely mahogany. It was about a foot long, about eleven inches wide and about five inches high. The top of it was craved with two triskelions surrounding a menorah.

"I'm not sure…" started Snape sceptically.

"Please," Babbling interrupted him. "Don't be difficult, Severus."

Snape snorted softly, rolled his eyes and opened it.

Inside the box there was a couple of pendants and a couple of vials and another smaller box. It was made out the same polished wood and about half of the size of the bigger one. Its lid was covered with small dots that were arranged without any pattern that Harry could recognise.

"How did you get this?" breathed out Sirius.

"From Lily," said Snape slowly. "For my twenty-first birthday. I found it on my kitchen table with a note wishing me happy birthday."

Harry looked up at Sirius just in time to see his frown.

"What's inside?" asked Sirius cautiously.

"I have no idea," replied Snape with a grimace. "I wasted a couple of years at trying to get it open, even given her the free reign to do so," he added, gesturing towards Babbling, "but we couldn't even made a dent in it," he paused for a moment. "It's yours, isn't it?" he asked suspiciously.

"The box yes, not the contents though," admitted Sirius pensively. "Mirzam…" he started and swallowed thickly, "Mirzam made it after the first pregnancy scare. We had been joking that before the next one we should have some family stuff prepared. But instead of starting to collect baby clothes she started making this. It's a jewellery box but she was never a big fan of it, that's why it's so small," he added wistfully. "After she died I couldn't stand the sight of it so I gave it to Lily, I never expected to see it again."

"Could you do the honours then?" asked Babbling gently.

Sirius nodded slowly as he reached out and placed his hand on the box. But nothing happened.

"That's weird," muttered Babbling. "It should have opened."

Harry agreed but then a thought occurred to him. It was Sirius's box but it was sent to Snape. That was a fact. Why would his Mum want it with Snape and why neither Snape nor Sirius could open it.

"Separately," the word flew out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

"Your point, Potter?" asked Snape as he quirked his eyebrow at Harry.

"I…" started Harry and licked his lips. "I wouldn't have gotten to Philosopher's Stone on my own. You can't open it on your own. What if you tried to open it together?"

"Considering their mutual animosity at that time I have no idea how Lily would have tried to compel ei…" started Lupin but stopped immediately when Snape placed his hand next to Sirius's on the lid.

The click that could be heard in the moment Snape's palm touched the wood was nearly deafening.

"Well that was…" Sirius breathed out.

"Surprising, five points to Gryffindor," muttered Snape.

"It's summer and school is not in session," sighed Harry.

"Take it or leave it," replied Snape, his eyes fixed themselves on the box.

Although the box was open both he and Sirius still had their hands on the lid.

"Children," snorted Regulus. "If I may?"

Sirius and Snape looked at each other and they both nodded slowly before they removed their hands from the box. Once their hands fell away Regulus very slowly opened the box.

From where he was standing, and not exactly at the similar height to the adults Harry could only see a small stone basin inside the box and a couple of vials. Regulus, who was taller and a bit closer pulled from the depths of it a sealed piece of parchment.

"Objections to Bathsheda reading that one out loud?" he asked as he looked from Sirius to Snape.

Both had shaken their heads and the parchment ended in Babbling's hands. Very gently she unfolded it and started reading.

My dearest friends whose names I'm not putting down yet because I know you two and I know that you would start squabbling right away over which one of you is the most important one to me.

Allow me to state first that both of you are equally important to me and that it would mean the world to me if you managed to put away your differences and your mutual animosity for long enough to listen to what I have to say. I'm not disillusioned enough to believe that what I have for you will fix all wrongs of the past couple of years…

All I can beg of you is to be patient, with me and with each other. It's something that I know you're capable of. So please, one last time, for me?

This package comes with couple of memories and I beg you to view them first before proceeding with reading this letter further. I'm including a pensieve to make viewing them easier for you.

Babbling stopped reading and gestured at the box as she said, "Should we do as she says?"

Sirius looked at Snape and then at the others.

"The viewing order is on the vials," said Babbling.

Regulus fished out from the box a small vial with '1' scribbled on the label. He uncorked it and poured it in the bowl. As soon as the vial bottomed out a silvery mist started to engulf the room.

"That's not how pensieves are supposed to work," observed Lupin.

"Normal ones, yes," Sirius commented with a small huff.

"That's a Black family pensieve," muttered Regulus.

"Are they rare?" asked Lupin curiously.

"Shut up," hissed Sirius quickly.

The room in which they all found themselves was tiny and judging by the furniture it was a nursery. There was nothing cheerful and colourful about it. The wallpaper looked like it had seen better days and was peeling off in a couple of places. But Harry quickly abandoned examining the room when his eyes fixed himself on a young man seated in an armchair with an infant in his arms.

That it was younger Sirius and most likely his infant self he realised in the moment his own Sirius wrapped his arms around his shoulders. At the same time the younger Sirius shook his head slightly and moving a bottle that he was feeding the infant with to his other arm he tucked a loose strand of hair that fallen onto his face.

A moment later young Sirius put the bottle away and hoisted the baby in his arms. Most likely to burp him which followed shortly after. Once he was done very gently he hoisted himself out of the armchair and very gingerly approached the crib.

He placed the baby on its back but it promptly rolled over to the side as Sirius reached for a blanket.

"Of course," said younger Sirius with a soft chuckle before he covered the baby with a blanket and looked up at the wall.

He drummed his fingers a couple of times against the railing of the crib before he took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Gingerly he turned on his heel and left the room.

He passed between them like a ghost and headed down the corridor to a similar looking room on the opposite end of the hall.

The room looked like a barely put together study. It had a rickety looking desk with a couple of chairs around it but Harry lost all the interest in the room the moment his gaze had settled at the occupant of the chair behind the desk.

His Mum looked just like she looked in the photographs Harry had of her, with maybe a bit messier hair that were pulled back into a bun. She completely ignored Sirius's entrance and continued to leaf through the books that were spread out before her.

Harry only spared younger Sirius enough attention to see him approach the window and they stayed like that for a longer moment.

"I've been thinking," younger Sirius said suddenly.

"Did you hurt yourself?" his Mum asked without raising her eyes from the book she was reading.

"Very funny, Evans, very funny," chuckled Sirius softly.

"Well, last time you have been thinking I had to regrow all of the bones in your left forearm so pardon me for being wary," replied Mum as she raised her head and turned to look at younger Sirius.

Younger Sirius meanwhile, still standing by the window turned towards her before he said, "You grew up here."

She nodded slowly before she added, "Not in this house exactly. We lived on the other side of town," she paused briefly, "in the nicer neighbourhood. Dad wasn't an upper management strictly speaking but he was the planner and just high enough on the food chain to get a bigger house. Came useful while Grandma was living with us. Why are you asking?"

Younger Sirius shrugged simply, "It's just something that had been on my mind for a while."

"Would you prefer to wait for James?" she asked.

"Merlin, no," sighed Sirius. "I love the man, you know that, but he wouldn't be able to comprehend it."

"It?" Mum repeated softly. "And what exactly has been nipping at you, Paddy?"

"Our extraordinary stroke of luck with evading the capture," replied Sirius with a grimace. "Last night would make it what… eleventh time?" he asked.

"We were lucky when many others hadn't been," said Mum quietly.

"I agree," said Sirius with a nod. "But at the same time while I can write off one such an incident as a stroke of luck, hell, even two or three. But more than that doesn't really feel like luck, Evans."

"Well, Dumbledore's spy is a good one," sighed Mum. "We owe him or her a lot."

"Everything," Sirius corrected her calmly. "Not a lot, everything. And I cannot help but wonder who would risk His Evilness wrath to risk last minute warning for… It was really an eleventh hour save, Lily, you cannot deny that."

"What are you thinking?" asked Mum softly.

"This house, this whole town, and on Christmas, right after that daring escape," said Sirius pensively. "This place isn't one of mine," he added with a grimace. "Dumbledore suggested it and I'm guessing that he had done so on someone's recommendation."

Mum remained silent but she was watching Sirius intently.

"How many likely Death Eaters you know that would have risked saving you again and again and again?" asked Sirius pointedly.

"Us," said Mum quickly. "Saving us, Sirius."

Sirius snorted softly at that before he replied, "How many?"

Mum sighed heavily and after a moment shook her head before she replied, "I don't know."

"Seriously?" snorted Sirius. "I know that you had been under a lot of stress in the last couple of months, years even, but you're too smart to lose half of your marbles overnight," he added with a grimace. "Try harder, Evans."

"I really don't know," protested Mum with a soft huff.

"I think you do," said Sirius simply. "But you're too afraid to even consider the obvious. This neighbourhood, in your hometown, an emergency safe house after a surprise attack. How many likely Death Eaters would have risked their life for you?"

"I don't…" Mum protested weakly. "You're right, I don't want to think about it because if I start then I will start hoping and when I do…"

"Then you will start believing that all of this wasn't coincidental," finished Sirius calmly. "It wasn't. It hadn't been from the moment we first started hearing whispers that His Evilness wants you all, dead or alive. Someone has been deliberately getting in his way, someone who is as vested into keeping you alive as I am. Not a former enemy, not someone who suddenly grew conscience, but someone who knows you, someone who values your life above his own. Who I'm talking about, Evans?"

Mum shook his head violently as she whispered, "It can't possibly be him. You know that."

"Oh you of little faith," snorted Sirius. "Lily, I hate the guy, you know that, I hate him with a burning passion and that feeling is very much mutual but that I can imagine him risking his arse just to save you and you don't is just…" he added with a grimace.

"I pushed him away, Sirius and many years ago on that," she sighed.

"Well, he either didn't get the memo or it wasn't far enough," replied Sirius with a shrug. "I'm telling you, Lily, it isn't coincidental. Not after last night or this place."

"Have you told James?" she asked pensively.

"Are you kidding me?" asked Sirius with a huff. "If I even breathed out Snape and safe house in the same sentence to James you would spend next couple of days camped out in my bathroom. Or more likely I would spend next couple of days in my bathroom…"

"Are you planning to tell him?" she sighed.

"Not until I'll run out of options," said Sirius with a grimace.

"And how many you have?" she asked quietly.

"With or without Dumbledore's help?" asked Sirius grimly.

"There's a difference?" asked Mum pensively.

"With Mr Moral High Ground?" asked Sirius with a snort. "There's always a difference, Lily. The question is, what matters to you the most, your morals or your survival?"

"You know that it isn't about my survival, Paddy," she replied stiffly. "But I would do anything to keep Harry safe."

Sirius took a deep breath and let it out before he took another and said, "There's a townhouse in Dublin to which I have an access. I didn't put it on the list of safe-houses because it's a Black family property. It's a home which used to belong to my Uncle Alphard and one that he rarely used. It's under a death Fidelius which means that you cannot access it alone. But if the worst comes to worst and I will run out of options to hide you I want you to take Harry there and hide. You will find in there a book about recasting the Fidelius and binding it to blood of a Black."

"Which Harry and I are not," Mum interrupted him.

"Not literally," agreed Sirius. "But Harry is close enough relative to make it past the wards and as long as you will be holding him so will you. Make no mistake, your presence will be known immediately to my grandfather which is why recasting the Fidelius is very important and needs to be done fast. That property has no elves which is why you will need someone you can trust."

"Someone who isn't you," she whispered.

"Or James or Remus or Peter or any of the people Dumbledore and His Evilness know as your friends," continued Sirius briskly. "In fact neither of us can be aware where you are and whom did you trust. So once we're done you will have to wipe my memory of this discussion and be very thorough about it."

"You're trusting your greatest enemy with my life and Harry's?" she asked softly.

"His Evilness is my greatest enemy and right after him my bloody murderous cousin. At the moment Snape is hardly in the top ten," replied Sirius with a snort.

"That's very mature of you," she said with a small smile.

"Or foolish," sighed Sirius. "But even if you cannot bring yourself to trust him you can still flee to Dublin. It's just if you do you will have to put your trust and yourself at my grandfather's mercy and I can't see you doing that."

"What do you have in mind?" she asked pensively.

"I'm his heir, I'm unmarried and childless and I most likely will die as such," said Sirius with a grimace. "My last will and testament claims Harry as my sole heir in blood and magic. It's my last will and even if he wished to my grandfather cannot argue with that."

"And you want me to surrender Harry to him?" she asked incredulously. "Won't he hand Harry over to Vol…" she paused.

"He won't," replied Sirius simply.

"Why wouldn't he?" she pressed.

"Because unlike my idiot brother," that comment earned a soft snort from Regulus, "and majority of my demented relatives he's an old Black. Grindelwald's politics had been right down my great-grandfather's alley but he never swore allegiance to him," answered Sirius.

"To protect his arse?" she supplied.

"No," replied Sirius crisply. "Because a true Black never kneels, never bows his back before other's in fear, only in subterfuge because his duty is protecting the family. Harry is family, by his own blood and by my will. If there's one thing I can trust him with is that he isn't marked and that he will remain as such. Thing is if you chose to go to him you will be going against both Dumbledore and His Evilness."

"You bow before Dumbledore," she pointed out.

"Only out of respect and that has been steadily diminishing with every discussion over morality. We are at war, Lily, it's not a time for showing mercy to these that wouldn't hesitate to kill us all," replied Sirius sourly. "Mr Moral High Ground is not the one who carries out death notices. He isn't the one that consoles new widows, who explains to little children why mummy or daddy or both won't be coming back home. He's not out there on the streets putting himself in the harm's way so someone could return home tonight. He's a bloody general throwing orders left and right but he isn't a soldier," he added ferociously. "And I'm mortified by the thought that one day he will decide that he wasted enough of his resources on you and that it would be easier to just sacrifice you at the altar of his greater good."

"Oh, Paddy," Mum whispered as she stood up and approached Sirius.

She pulled him into a tight hug and was quickly wrapped in an answering one, just as tight.

"How long have you been feeling like that?" Harry heard her asking. "Since Mi.." Sirius didn't let her finish pulling her head even closer to his chest.

"Promise me that you will think about what I told you," rasped out Sirius. "About protecting yourself and Harry. Don't worry about James, I will keep him safe, or as safe as I can keep him."

"You can't," came a mutter before she pulled away from the hug just far enough so she could say it to Sirius's face. "You know that you can't. He's too bloody stubborn to play a princess locked in a tower."

"And too much of a Potter to recognise how his own ignorance places him at risk," added Sirius with a small sniff. "In spite of being repeatedly told that it does. If I have to bury any of you…" he sniffed again. "Promise me that you will keep yourself and Harry safe."

"I promise," she said solemnly. "And thank you, Paddy. You don't know how much it means to me. All of it. Your loyalty, your dedication, your understanding, your willingness to let go of your prejudices to give me back my friend," she added and she hugged him tightly.

"I'm not letting go of old prejudices," replied Sirius with a soft snort. "I still think that he's a twat, just as I'm certain that he considers me as one. But we're a pair of twats with the same goal. Which is why I'm letting you erase it all, so he can keep protecting you until one day his luck will run out. But for your sake I cannot afford to be the source of that risk."

"I know," she sighed. "And I hate that you know that."

"Speaking of which," added Sirius and he bend over to whisper something into her ear, likely the location of the house.

"Okay," she said briskly. "Where have you been earlier?"

"Feeding Harry, he went out like a light," replied Sirius.

"Let's go back then," she said as she pulled away and Harry saw her grabbing a small vial from the desk and a wand.

"Why do you need that?" asked Sirius as she pulled him towards the nursery.

"Because there might come a time when you can't be wandering around with that hole in your memory," she replied.

Younger Sirius appeared to be less convinced but when she pushed him towards the armchair he sat down. He also patiently waited for her to collect sleeping baby Harry from the crib and readily accepted him into his arms before he leaned back and closed his eyes.

Mum meanwhile reached for her wand and placed the tip by Sirius's left temple.

And with that the room returned to its normal state.

Very cautiously Harry looked around the room. Snape was looking at the basin with an unreadable look on his face. Babbling also was glancing between the basin and the letter she was holding. Lupin and Tonks looked sombre and were leaning into each other while looking at Sirius, as did Regulus.

Sirius meanwhile lowered his hands from Harry's shoulders and stepped away until he collided with the desk which made Harry look at him. He was drastically pale, not that he had much colour in his complexion to begin with, hell, even Snape, while still sallow-faced looked somewhat tanned when compared to Sirius but what little colour he managed to gain in last couple of days had simply drained from his face. But what made Harry a bit anxious and made him want to run up to him and hug him while simultaneously knowing that it was probably a bad idea was the vacant look on his face.

"Padfoot?" Lupin prompted gently. "If you need…"

It had taken him a longer moment but finally Sirius mumbled, "Actually…" he hesitated for another, "no," he added more calmly than he had any right to sound. "Proceed," he told Babbling but he did not step away from the desk. "I'm fine," he added after another moment when nothing happened.

"What comes next?" asked Snape softly.

It turned out that next came another memory. Much like the first it had taken them into the small study in the house and that prompted Sirius to walk back to Harry to once again wrap his arms around Harry's shoulders.

"I'm quite certain that right now you're both feeling very surprised and quite rattled," said Lily slowly. "Especially you, Sirius," she added after a moment as she looked almost straight at Sirius even though she was alone in the room in her own time. "I cannot imagine how much it all had to cost you. Choosing to surrender your memory for the sake of Severus's continued protection. And on the top of giving up on James. I know that over the years he had given you plenty excuses to do so and that you only did so because you value Harry's safety more. That said…" she paused and for a longer moment stayed silent.

The tension that followed that pause was almost palpable.

"I won't follow through with it. Not because I don't trust you, Sirius. I do trust you, and on certain days even more than I trust James," Lily continued slowly. "But I've seen what your perceived guilt in losing Mirzam had done to you and as your friend and one that…" she paused. "I can't add to that. Not when I need you at your best," she paused again.

"Severus," she added after a moment, looking a bit to the side, still a little off from where Snape was standing which, not really surprising prompted the man to step into her line of vision. "I have no doubt that all of this has been vexing your patience. The mystery of all of it as much as Sirius presence. I'm not asking for you to forgive Sirius any of his misdeeds. He has his own conscience and his own mouth and he can use both when he decides that he has been in the wrong," she paused for a moment and looked away towards Sirius before she returned to looking in Snape's general direction. "That said you're big boys and capable of sorting out your issues like adults, though preferably I would like you both to be still breathing afterwards because I need you."

For a longer moment she stayed silent before she repeated on a soft exhale, "I need you. Both of you."

She took a deep breath and repeated, a little louder, "I need you. Both of you. You," she added looking towards Snape's general direction, "my dearest and oldest friend and you," she added glancing in Sirius's direction, "my brother from another mother. You are the only people I can trust with the most important thing in my life: my son."

Harry could feel everybody's eyes settling on him.

Meanwhile Lily had taken a deep breath and continued, "Dumbledore believes that the reason Lord Voldemort," she grimaced briefly as she spoke the name. "Pardon me for not using that aristocratic moniker again," she added with a huff. "According to Dumbledore His Lordship is pursuing Harry because of a prophecy made by some lunatic. He hasn't been very forthcoming with the details and I only know that it concerns a child born at the end of July. So I have no idea what fancy powers my poor son is supposed to have," she paused and breathed out. "As his mother and someone who spends the most time with him the only power he has in so far is a knack for levitation, mostly toys, sometimes our cat," her lips twitched in a small smile for a brief moment. "To Himself's utter displeasure and that only lasts for a couple of seconds. So it isn't exactly a power that would wipe a self-proclaimed Dark Lord out of this world. Not until he will graduate to large rock formations which isn't going to happen anytime soon and I'm worried that I might not have that much time."

She paused for what felt like ages before she continued, "There it is. I don't put stock in prophecies, I'm too much of a Muggle at heart for an abundance of faith in divination. What I do trust is gut feelings and my gut is telling me that with His Evilness persistence I will most likely not see how Harry grows up. James most likely won't see it either."

She paused for long enough to take in and let out a deeper breath before she looked from Sirius to Snape as she said, "If you finished agonising over that admission and don't you dare to deny that you didn't, you twats…" she paused to snort softly. "We are at a war and everybody dies, such is the course of life. Like my papa used to say, what came in must at some point come out although I'm quite certain that what he meant was the change that Tuney swallowed by accident when she was five. That's a funny first childhood memory to have…"

Sirius and Snape snorted almost in unison.

"And that probably was the only time the shit she had done was actually worth something to someone," she added sourly and snorted. "Speaking of which. I said it couple of times and I will say it again. Under no circumstances my son is supposed to end up in Petunia's care. Ever. She's my sister and even though I still love that cunt I don't want my son to experience her jealousy and small-mindedness. If she chooses to foster a familial bond then fine but as a distant relative and not someone on whom Harry's care depends. And I fully trust your judgement to know better, Sirius."

She paused for another deeper breath before she continued, "Here is what I need from you. Severus, I won't ask for more than what you're willing to give and seeing that most likely it's my dying wish it's a huge favour to ask but for Harry's sake I need someone of your talent to do it the right way and safely. If I'm dead, and most likely I'm dead unless somehow you managed to meet the conditions of the release mechanism… Not that I wouldn't put it past you, it's just, I cannot imagine a scenario in which all conditions could occur without me being dead," she paused for a moment. "If I'm dead then most likely it happened by His Evilness hand and hopefully if I played my cards right Harry is still alive and unharmed. And I would very much like to keep it that way, preferably for a century if you don't mind, although I will settle happily for adulthood."

She looked at Sirius as she said, "You know what it entails, Sirius. I know that you agreed to it by becoming Harry's godfather and by choosing that particular wording during the ritual. I know that you will protect him with all your ferocity and your life. It's also what's at stake here so consider it wisely. If everything worked in my favour His Evilness either perished or had been heavily handicapped by an ancient ritual that ensured that he cannot cause any harm to Harry."

And turning her head towards Snape she added, "I'm sorry Severus. I know why you had chosen to risk your life and I know that it wasn't for James's sake and most probably also for Harry's. I forgive you for that because I've done the same and manipulated you into it. But I beg you, for old times' sake, to do this one last act of friendship and help Sirius ensure Harry's protection. You're the only person I can trust with it and so has Sirius."

"The ritual in question comes from Magicae Sanguinem and I could include its name here but I also know that you will know what it is when you will find it in the book. And I also know that you can access at the minimum two if not three copies of it. All that I can tell you right know without getting into details which you can find elsewhere is that it concerns blood wards and mother's sacrifice," she continued. "Petunia could work for a little while but because she isn't magical herself she wouldn't be able to offer the same level of protection which my own blood can offer and it will have to be constantly reimbursed by someone very powerful as per the ritual's instructions. And I really don't want Dumbledore involved in that."

"Well, that ship had sailed," muttered Snape with a soft snort.

"It's not that I completely distrust him. It's just I don't trust him to not turn my son into a martyr to be sacrificed on the altar of his greater good. You were right Sirius, he's too much of a general to get out and sort out His Lordship on his own. Harry is just a child and who knows maybe one day he will grow up to be a powerful wizard who will have enough power and resources to sort out His Lordship if required but we both know that it won't happen if he won't be raised in a different way than his father. That's your job Sirius, make sure that he would grow happy and carefree for as long as you can let him but also make sure that he's prepared for what might come."

She paused briefly before she continued, "If I seem reluctant to bring up what I consider the best, safest and solid method to protect Harry it's because while it's the best, safest and air-tight method of ensuring his protection it isn't exactly…" she hung her voice and sighed heavily.

"For me," muttered Sirius.

"I have no right to ask this of you, Sirius, not beyond the duties you already had taken upon yourself. If you chose to not follow through I will understand…" she added slowly. "But if you chose to go through it you will ensure Harry's continued protection and maybe just maybe gain something to protect Harry better."

"And I already can see the wheels turning in your brain, Severus," she said after a long pause. "It's exactly what you're thinking which is why I need you to assist Sirius. You're the only person I know capable of maximising the odds of his survival and therefore the success of the process," she paused briefly. "For the sake of Harry's continued protection. Please, for me…" she whispered.

The pause after that was the longest yet but eventually Mum continued, "What you need is teip fola. I mean not the disease itself, Merlin preserve you but rather than that the cure…"

"I…" started Regulus.

"Shut up," muttered Sirius.

"We talked about it and how the cure is nearly as lethal as the disease. I'm not going to sugar coat it that it should be and will be a painless process. But you're young and healthy and if Severus will agree to help you it might skew the odds in your favour even further. And if not…" she paused and added shakily, "then I'm sorry but I have no idea how else I can help you. But if you chose to follow through then everything you need is in the box. My notes as well as the most important ingredient. I wish you well, both of you. I also included separate messages to you both to view at your discretion."

And with that the memory had ended.

"What's teip fola? And why she thinks that the cure for it will help," asked Harry hesitantly, feeling that he wasn't going to like the answer.

"Blood disease," replied Regulus grimly. "Highly lethal even if diagnosed in early stage. The closest Muggle equivalent I can come with is leukaemia. It's exceedingly rare, at the very least in theory but mostly because people don't live long enough to get diagnosed with it."

"Most often it's diagnosed in a very late stage when the body of the person affected is on the verge of shutting down. The cure for it isn't as lethal as people think but if successful it has one side-effect," added Snape pensively. "And one that doesn't sit very well with old bloods."

"Meaning?" pressed Harry.

"It works similar to bone marrow transplant but not only on a biological level but also magical and creates a very strong blood and magical link between the one who surrounds the blood for the cure and the one affected by the disease," explained Snape calmly.

"And why you don't like the idea?" Harry turned to Regulus.

Regulus opened his mouth to reply just as Kreacher popped into the room and announced that dinner was ready.

"Come on," said Sirius as he started ushering Harry out of the room.


Next: Hermione meets the Greengrass girls.