Author's Note: So, it's been several years since the last update to this story. I recently found the old draft and decided to continue where I left off. Chapter eight is nearly complete and will be up sometime soon. I plan to continue writing and update now that my old notes and progress has been found. I hope you enjoy the story and, even if you don't, thank you for reading.

Callidora.

Chapter Seven

Harry and Draco woke up early the next morning to find that Neville was already awake. Their Gryffindor friend was sitting up in bed, reading a book while he waited for Harry and Draco to wake up. In a heartbeat, Harry and Draco were out of their bed and perched on the side of Neville's. Harry immediately set to work raising privacy wards while Draco set up an alarm ward that would alert them if Dumbledore or anyone loyal to him approached the Hospital Wing.

"What do you remember, Nev?" Harry asked.

"Dumbledore came to Gryffindor to get me himself. I didn't even have a chance to alert Minerva. When I was in his office, Potter immediately started attacking me. I was nearly unconscious when I heard Dumbledore say that he was sorry to have to obliviate me but that I couldn't have knowledge of what my parents had done. He tried to obliviate me but Lord Slytherin took control of my body and used his own occlumency shields to protect me." Neville said.

Harry nodded. "He told us that he'd possessed you for a few moments to ward off the obliviation attempt. I'm glad it worked."

Draco slipped off the bed and shoved his feet into his shoes. "I'm going to fetch Severus. Can you two hold off on attacking anyone until I return?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "We're not going to attack anyone just yet, Draco. Go get Severus."

The blonde hurried from the room after glancing back at his friends. Harry and Neville gave identical snorts of amusement. They both wanted to go after Potter and Dumbledore but they knew it wasn't a good idea. Instead, they sat silently as they waited for the Potions Master to join them. Which he did a few minutes later, Draco hot on his heels. More privacy wards were set and Severus pulled a chair up beside Neville's bed.

"We have thirty minutes before Madam Pomphrey has to fetch the Headmaster." Severus said.

"It was Dumbledore who obliviated me. Or tried to at the very least." Neville rolled his eyes. "He'd found out that I knew what my parents did to the Lestrange family and he wanted to take away that knowledge. The Potters were there to see how much I knew about them but they left empty handed."

"Did you hear anything else?" Severus asked, voice tight.

"They're trying to find a way to get Harry back. But we already knew that. Dumbledore insisted that he'd fix everything soon."

Harry scoffed. "If they somehow manage to pull off a miracle and force me to live with them again, I'll murder them." He said.

Draco rolled his eyes, perching on Neville's bed again. "You'll not do anything of the sort, Harry, because they can't force you back there. We've got the bloody Minister of Magic on our side. As well as Amelia Bones, the Head of the DMLE."

Severus cocked his head. "How on earth did your father manage to sway her?" He asked.

Draco grinned. "She was friends with Aunt Petunia. They met in Diagon Alley before their first year and kept contact through the years. She's not Light and she only pretends to be so that she can help us when we need her." He informed them.

Severus rolled his eyes. "All right you three, I'm going to take Harry and Draco to my office while Poppy fetches Dumbledore. I don't want you three anywhere near him. As soon as you're released, Neville, I want you to join us."

Neville nodded. "Of course."

Harry and Draco followed Severus out of the Hospital Wing. They were silent as they hurried into the Potions Master's office. Severus hurriedly shut the door and placed heavy wards upon it as the boys threw themselves into chairs in front of his desk.

"Dumbledore's going to attempt this again, you know." Harry said when Severus finally took a seat in front of him.

"Of course. The man thinks he's some sort of deity." Severus snorted. "We'll have to talk to Minerva about protection for our Gryffindors." He paused. "Especially the Weasley's."

Draco cocked his head. "What's happening with the Weasley's? Father's been a bit too busy to talk much."

"Custody has been transferred to Bill Weasley. Molly is currently facing charges related mainly to child abuse in regard to her actions against Percy." Severus smirked. "Arthur is beside himself with fury. Apparently, she's been using a love potion on him since they began dating. He spent the weekend at St. Mungo's and is now filing for divorce. He's staying with Bill for the time being."

Harry nodded. "I've always wondered why Arthur practically kneeled at her feet. Lord Slytherin said that Arthur was almost one of ours."

Severus nodded. "He was scheduled to take the Mark just before his first date with Molly. We were all a bit confused."

"Well, at least we have hope now." Harry said, looking at Draco.

"Getting back to the topic at hand," Draco drawled. "We shouldn't go anywhere alone for the time being. Especially the Gryffindors. If we stick together, they're less likely to attempt an attack. I want one of the older Weasley's or Wood with Neville at all times."

"What about Lyra? She's probably in danger as well." Harry asked.

"She's usually found with us or the Weasley twins so she should be fine. Regardless, we'll tell her to stick with someone we trust at all times."

"Lord Slytherin said he'd stick by the Gryffindors at all times as well. Should something happen, he'll send someone for help and then take action himself." Severus said.

"Good." Harry's eyes grew dark. "Now we discuss retribution. Dumbledore and the Potters hurt one of our own. What are we going to do to them?"

Severus grinned, a bit feral. "Don't worry about it, Harry. Sirius and I were up half the night discussing things. We've got a plan and it's a good one. It also won't get our students in trouble."

"What are you two planning?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's best that we not give you any indication of what we're planning. That way you can't be questioned about it."

"Severus, we have Occlumency shields." Draco said, raising an eyebrow.

"I told you they'd say that, Sev."

Harry glanced up to see Sirius Black coming out of Severus' private quarters. He was in his pajamas and was grinning at Severus. Severus rolled his eyes as Sirius slid into a seat beside him, sitting rather closer than he usually would. Harry raised his eyebrows at his godfather and favorite professor.

"We'll not talk about our love lives, Harry." Severus drawled out, smirking at them.

Harry shrugged. "Then tell us what you're planning. Draco and I have occlumency shields. You needn't worry about us being caught."

"They've got a point, you know." Sirius pointed out.

Severus sighed. "Impertinent brats." He muttered. Then he looked at Harry and grinned. "Albus' has a portrait of his younger sister in his office. She hasn't moved in years but there's a spell that we know that will make her move again. We're going to use this spell and then another one that will cause her tell her brother what she really thinks of him."

Sirius grinned. "It's going to tear him apart and he won't know who to blame."

Harry gave a startled laugh. "Well then. We don't need to worry about retribution. Should've known you guys would have it in hand." He said.

Draco nodded. "Agreed." He stood. "I need to send a letter to Father. Let him know that everything's okay. He and mother have got to be worried by now."

Harry nodded. "Tell them hi from me."

Sirius stood and followed Draco from the room. "I need to get a hold of Regulus!" He called back to Harry and Severus. "He told me to come as soon as I woke!"

Severus looked at him. "You're in your pajamas, Black!"

"Don't care!" Sirius shouted back as the door slammed behind him.

When they'd gone, Severus let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. "If you'd have told me in our school days that I would have anything to do with Sirius Black outside of brutally murdering him… well, I would have probably laughed in your face." He told Harry.

Harry smirked. "This is a thing I know very well." He said.

Severus was on the verge of replying when his office door slammed open. They glanced towards it and Harry immediately went very, very still. Lily Potter stood in the doorway, her long red hair falling free around her shoulders. Severus growled under his breath, something about uppity mudbloods, before looking to Harry. The question in his eyes was obvious. Do you want to leave? It said. Harry shook his head. He could handle the bitch that had birthed him.

"What do you want, Potter?" Severus asked in a voice like sharpened ice.

"Really, Sev? You're still angry with me?" Lily asked.

Harry almost laughed. Almost because Severus looked like he was ten seconds away from killing the mudblood bitch.

"I'm not angry with you. I simply don't want my office smelling of mudblood." Severus said in a dry tone. "Tell me what you want so I can get back to my conversation."

Lily's eyes slid to Harry and then quickly away. She set her shoulders and raised her chin before she spoke. "I need your help in regaining custody of my son." She said.

Severus glanced at Harry then, his eyebrows raising. "What do you think, Harry? Do you want to go back to Potter and his mudblood?" He asked.

"Nah. I'm good with the Malfoy's." Harry drawled before rolling his eyes.

Lily Potter narrowed her eyes and glared at Severus. She raised her wand and pointed it at Severus. Before she could shoot off a curse, Harry stepped in the way of her wand and raised his own. He sent off a spell of his own, sending her flying out into the corridor. The door slammed behind her and Harry looked at Severus.

"I need to go to the Common Room." Harry said.

Severus nodded. "I'll walk you there. Don't want her stopping you on the way there." He said.

Harry nodded and they slipped out of the office together. Severus led him towards the Slytherin Common Room. Outside, Harry thanked him quietly before slipping inside. It was empty inside, only Draco sitting on a couch.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Draco asked as Harry slipped into the seat beside him.

Harry told him what had happened with Lily Potter. When he'd finished, Draco's face was cold with anger. He wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders and sighed.

"What bothers you about it?" Draco asked.

"She was my mother. I… it isn't that I want her to love me or anything. But I… I don't understand what I did that was so wrong." Harry said, hating himself for the way he felt.

"Harry. You did nothing wrong. Nothing. Lily Potter is an uppity mudblood who isn't fit to kiss the ground you walk on. She follows Dumblefuck around like a damned sheep, Harry. This isn't on you." Draco said fiercely.

Harry shook his head and was about to speak when the common room opened and Asterion stepped into the room.

"We need you two in Severus' office." He said. "Something massive has just happened." The older Malfoy looked shocked, an expression that Harry rarely ever saw on his face.

"What's going on, Ast?" Harry asked as they hurried down the corridors towards Severus' office.

"Can't say out here. The walls have ears." Asterion hissed.

When they finally reached Severus' office, Asterion hurried them inside before slamming the door and locking it behind them. Harry and Draco looked around and saw that Lucius and Narcissa were there along with Sirius. There were two other men in the room, one that Harry recognized and one that he did not. Aberforth Dumbledore was Albus' younger brother. He stood beside a tall, rail-thin man with long black hair and a hooked nose. A man that looked very much like Severus. Severus was standing in front of the man, his jaw dropped open.

"What's going on?" Harry asked, quickly assessing the situation and realizing that this was serious.

"Aberforth has discovered Severus' father, Gideon Farce, locked in Dumbledore Manor." Sirius said, catching Harry's eye.

Harry flicked a glance at Aberforth. "How?" He asked.

"I've noticed that my brother has been travelling to Dumbledore Manor more often these last years. Unfortunately, I was never able to get in there to see for myself. He left the wards down the last time he went in, however, and I was able to slip by long enough to hide inside the manor. I discovered Gideon locked in a basement room. He's been there since his supposed death." Aberforth said.

Gideon snorted. "Albus kidnapped and locked me up two weeks before Eileen and I were supposed to marry. He knew that, if I married her, he would no longer have control over her. So, he did something about it."

Severus frowned. "My mother didn't even know Albus Dumbledore. She always told me that she'd never met him outside of school."

"That's because she didn't." Gideon frowned, his fists balling. "Albus Dumbledore knew Tobias Snape. Contrary to what you've always believed, Tobias was a wizard. He was one of the many in Dumbledore's pocket. I have no doubt that Albus put him in place to take control of your mother because he knew who you really were. You're the heir to both the Prince Fortune and the Farce fortune. As long as he had your mother – and eventually you – in his pocket, he was the one in control of those vaults."

Severus' face paled. "Grandfather Prince didn't even like Dumbledore." He said, his tone soft.

"Tiberius Prince would have put strict measures in place to stop him from being able to access the vaults or any other part of the Prince estate. It's unlikely that Dumbledore was able to access any part of it. And I put such measures in place as well. Therefore, it's likely that he's simply waiting to try and steal them from you using some other tactic." Gideon said quietly.

Severus nodded and looked at Aberforth. "Take my father to Prince Manor. The head house-elf there is Jix. Tell him to come see me immediately for orders."

Aberforth nodded. "Certainly, Severus."

Aberforth led Gideon over to the Floo and Flooed to Prince Manor, Severus' estate. A few minutes later, a small house-elf appeared in front of Severus.

"Master Severus calls for Jix?" The small thing asked.

"Indeed, Jix. I have sent my father, Gideon Farce, to stay at the Manor. You are to take care of him and listen to his orders as you do my own." Severus paused. "Raise all protections on the Manor and let no one aside from those you are certain I trust inside. I will send Narcissa out this evening to check on things."

"Yes, Master Severus."

"That is all, Jix."

The elf popped away again and there was silence for a few moments. It was broken by Lucius and Narcissa seating themselves. Slowly, everyone else followed suit. Lucius had just begun asking Severus what he thought of the current situation when Lord Slytherin's shade appeared in the doorway.

"Lyra Lestrange has been attacked. Albus Dumbledore is attempting to halt Madam Pomphrey from calling for Lucius." He said.

The Malfoy family – including Harry – stood up and raced out of the room, Severus hot on their heels. Sirius stayed back in the office, not wanting to alert Dumbledore to his presence just yet.