**Quick trigger warning... talks of suicide and self harm are briefly mentioned in this chapter. **

Thank you all for the kind reviews and the private messages I've received. I am doing okay! I just needed a break in general from life and everything going on. I picked this story back up today and hope to continue on in a timely manner, we shall see if life takes it easy on me for a bit :)

-Jwall

Chapter 9.

The day was here. Albus glanced back at the parchment in his hand that held his summons to attend a trial. There, spelled out in front of him, were all his so-called crimes. One by one they listed each and every family that the elderly wizard had done things to that he didn't want known by the public.

"It was for the greater good!" he argued to no one.

"Was it Albus? Or was it for your own good?" a voice crept into the room from a ragged old hat sitting on a shelf behind the headmaster's desk.

"What do you mean Alistair? Everything I did, I did for the greater good of wizarding kind." Albus replied to the sorting hat. Very few knew his name, and even fewer have heard him talk when he wasn't sorting.

"I never claim to be wrong about any of my sorting's Albus, except when it came to you. You, very much like Harry Potter, could be placed within two opposing houses. With each of you I had selected the house you chose, because like it or not, each person has a right to choose."

Albus quirked an eyebrow at that, he didn't know Harry was fractioned between two houses.

"What was his other house?" Albus asked carefully.

"The same as yours Albus, Slytherin. Harry asked to be in any house other than Slytherin, so naturally I placed him in Gryffindor. You however should have always gone to Slytherin, you fought me on it, and in the end, you demanded Gryffindor in a very cunning and advantageous way. Almost like you read ahead of time that you could sway my decision, a very Slytherin move I might add."

Yes, but it worked. Albus thought to himself.

"Yes, it did work, but you are my greatest mistake. You claim you are the leader of the light; however, you are no better than Tom Riddle… Oh don't give me that look Albus, we both know I'm right. Riddle was sorted into the correct house and exuded the exact qualities that Salazar himself cared about. It was your meddling that pushed the young man over the edge into insanity and darkness."

Albus sneered at that, not even paying attention to the fact that the hat heard his inner monologue.

"I did no such thing! The young man was troubled, I tried my best to save his soul, multiple times I tried, and I'm continuing to try."

"YOU TRIED YOUR BEST?!" Alistair yelled.

"Was it your best when you ignored all the cut and dry signs of a love potion pregnancy?"

"Was it your best when instead of bringing the lad to a mind healer right away you used your own mind magics on him?"

"Was it your best when you ignored every single complaint against him by your staff and instead altered their memory of the lad to reflect him in a better light?"

Albus gulped.

"I can see into your mind Albus, I see things others cannot. There is no block against me in your mind Albus Dumbledore so do not attempt to lie to me. Even your Phoenix is not truly yours, Fawkes sticks around out of duty to your sister, his original master. Yes, he does things for you, but only things that are pure of heart, notice how he has done very few things for you recently?"

"That's not tr..." Albus started but was cut off by the hat.

"I am departing from your office for now Albus, do not attempt to look for me, you will not find me, do not attempt to track me, it will not end well for you. We will meet again soon I suspect, but until then farewell Albus."

With that Fawkes flashed out of the headmaster's office with the hat in tow.

Albus sat there staring at the empty spot, replaying everything Alistair had said. That hat could cause a lot of problems for him if it fell into the wrong hands, however with Fawkes assistance, Albus knew he stood no chance in tracking the hat down, even without its warning.

He glanced back down at the summons he got for the Wizengamot and sighed. He noticed a charge from House Longbottom that he didn't see the first time. Augusta is going after me now too? Damn those Potters.

Albus didn't think that anyone besides Frank and Alice could testify with any merit against him, and they were still in the hospital not knowing who they are. Well, that's one thing I'm off for, let's see about these others.

House Potter and Black are obviously on there, he noticed House Bones as well. Strange? What did I ever do to Amelia?

With that Albus started making a list on who owed him favors and his defense for what he thought would be brought against him by each family.

Little did he know that he would be very under prepared for the Longbottom's, Potter's, Black's and not even a clue that the Granger and Creevey families fall under House Potter now.

/*-/*-/*-/*-/*-/*

James and Lily and the gang had just finished up speaking with Ragnok about the basilisk that Harry slayed. They had gotten permission from Minerva to go down into the chamber when Albus was at the trial, Harry would pop over before the trial to open the doors and allow the goblins into the domain, then from there they would handle all the moving bits and pieces, including the sale.

The last bit that they had to do was have a conversation with Severus. It's been well over a month since the chamber incident that brought them back to life, and Lily had yet to speak with the man.

"Are you sure you want to do this alone dear?" James asked politely while Sirius and Remus looked on.

"Yes sweetheart, I'll be fine. He might not be, but I most certainly will be." Lily reassured.

"He's changed Lils, he holds the dark mark." Remus said trying to change her mind about going alone.

"Honestly Remus, I know that he holds the dark mark, but I also know that he was working both sides of the playing field. I'm meeting him on neutral ground at Hogwarts, and it will be held in Minerva's office, not his." Lily sighed.

She loved her guys, all of them, she knew when she started dating James that they came as a packaged deal. To love one means to love them all, it was something she had always known.

Lily shook her head of the thought and with a small smile in place tried to reassure her men some more.

"Besides, Minerva won't be far away, and I can promise you she won't let any harm come to me."

"Fine, but will you at least take a mirror, that way if something happens, we can be there in an instant." Sirius said seriously.

"Wow Siri, concerned is a weird look on you." Lily laughed, but she could tell he was being serious, but knew better than to call him his namesake.

"Yeah well, I've already lost you once, I don't think I could go through that again." Sirius said while looking down, "It would kill me."

Lily didn't laugh or poke fun at him, she knew their death hurt him, even if they didn't truly die. She simply got up from her seat and hugged the man who she loved like a brother.

Pulling back, she looked into his eyes, "I know Siri, I promise I will be safe, and I will take a mirror. I'm just going to talk with him, I want to get to the bottom of everything, and we won't get the chance to do that if you three are there and full of angst."

The three wizards took a moment to look at each other before nodding their heads at the same time, they understood.

"Would it make you lot feel better if I asked Minerva to stay in the room?" Lily gave in a little.

A chorus of yes's supplied her answer.

Merlin, do I love these guys, but man are they a lot of work. Lily thought as she walked out smiling to herself.

/*-/*-/*-/*-/*

She's here.. she's here and she wants to speak with me. How in Merlin's name am I going to explain everything to her. What if she hates me? Sweet Merlin I have been a complete brute to her son, well Potter's son, not that he isn't hers too, oh bollox.

Severus Snape's brain was flying faster than a Nimbus2000, swirling with thoughts upon thoughts of meeting his Lily again. NO, he thought, not my Lily, she isn't yours you fool.

He continued arguing with himself all the way to Minerva's office. He still couldn't believe she was alive, that they both were alive. He arrived at the door and had his hand raised to knock when the Scots voice rang out from behind the closed door.

"Come in Severus."

Severus took a deep breath and let it out, then opened the door. He immediately started to look around and upon not seeing the head of familiar red hair anywhere, disappointment set in.

"She hasn't arrived yet Severus, don't look so downtrodden." Minerva said while she moved a tray of tea and biscuits over from her desk to her seating area.

"Come sit down, I wanted to talk to you about a few things before Lily arrives." She requested, pointing to a seat opposite herself with one in the middle left empty for Lily when she arrives.

Nodding Severus took a seat and politely refused some tea. He looked to her to begin the conversation, seeing as his stomach was still in his throat, he wasn't disappointed when the older witch started her, he assumed, well thought out speech.

"Now, Severus, Lily has asked me, and I have agreed, to stay in the room while you two talk. This is non-negotiable. You have a past record with her son that she would like to discuss as well as a past with her husband that she wants to touch upon." Minerva paused here to look at him.

Seeing him nod she continued. "Without going into too much detail she has been privy to every word, facial expression, and trivial thing you have ever done, said, or dare I say threatened to her son. You will be facing the consequences of that today, both personally and through the school."

Severus gulped.

"That being said, as your deputy, I am appalled at what was conveyed to me, not only through Lily, but through Harry himself, I know there were instances brought up in first year against you from young Mr. Potter, and that Dumbledore swept them under the rug."

Minerva raised an eyebrow at the young professors blanched face.

"That will no longer fly Severus, frankly I'm angry at myself for not doing something about it sooner. Your attitude and grudge against any house outside of Slytherin will no longer be tolerated."

Severus looked her in the eye, he didn't say anything, but he knew she understood. He was sure this was only the tip of the iceberg, considering Lily hasn't even started in on him yet.

Just as he finished that thought Minerva's fireplace roared to life and out walked the beautiful red head that he missed with his entire soul.

Upon dusting herself off, Lily walked over to her favorite professor and gave her a hug. "Thank-you for agreeing to this Minnie, I appreciate it more than you know!"

"No worries dear, glad to be of assistance." Minerva untangled herself from the hug and took a step back, "Now, I've said my piece, you may have the floor, if you need anything just light the tip of your wand and I'll remove the privacy spells I'm going to place around you."

Taking a seat in her favorite chair in the corner, Minerva then proceeded to cast several privacy spells so that she would not overhear their conversation.

Lily took a seat across from the long-haired professor and sighed. "Hello Severus."

She watched as an array of emotions poured across her once upon a time friends face before he settled on one and spoke a soft "Lily".

It didn't appear that the fellow was going to continue on, so Lily kicked off the conversation.

"Now, I want to get a few things straight Severus, I'm not here as a friendly call to visit an old dear friend. You lost that title the minute you picked on my son in first year. What kind of bullshit was that anyway? Powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood, no first year would know that even if they had studied the damn book... well except for Hermione but she's a rare genius of a girl, not that you cared about that either. Then let's talk about your meaning, I very highly doubt that you regretted my death, if you did then you wouldn't be playing both sides of the fence right now."

Severus's face blanched at her tirade. "How..?"

"Never mind the how Severus, just realize that I know everything… Every. Single. Thing."

"I'm sorry Lily" Severus said while lowering his gaze from her face to his feet.

"Sorry doesn't cut it Sev, you had a potions prodigy sitting in front of you that day, in fact I wager to guess she's going to be the smartest witch of the era, and you spat all over her." Lily was more than mad at this point, her fair skin tone turning pink in anger.

Severus' eyes widened slightly at Lily's slip, hearing her call him Sev, brought tears to his eyes. He didn't think she realized or noticed his reaction either as she continued her tirade.

"Not to mention Neville was so scared of you and your class that he has a nervous tic when I teach him potions, or when your name is muttered."

Severus kept his head down.

"And let's talk about you giving Harry a detention for breathing too loudly, what kind of bullshit are you pulling by calling yourself a professor?!"

Severus raised his eyes to meet hers at that statement. "I was grieving Lily, I grieved every day after your death, I knew I caused it. I should have kept myself out of everything, never joined Lucius and the gang, I should have never taken this damned mark."

The man ripped up the sleeve of his robe and showed her the dark mark, several white lines criss crossed over it, lines that looked suspiciously like they were attempting to skin the mark off his arm.

"Severus?" She asked while looking.

"You can't remove it, no matter how hard you try it remains, tying you to a master. I should know, I tried. Dumbledore tried. I was setting myself up to join you Lily, but Dumbledore stopped me, he told me how you wouldn't want that from me, how I could make up for all the wrong I had done by simply working for him, for the light, by being a spy."

Severus pulled his sleeve down to hide his mark once more, never once removing his gaze from hers.

"I wanted to kill myself Lily. I blamed myself, I still do, even though you are here now; I still blame myself for everything. I overheard Trelawney give Dumbledore that blasted prophecy, I was on the path of joining the death eaters and needed a boost to gain recognition, I never knew the prophecy would corner you and Potter, and when I found out I tried to sway his judgement, I went to Dumbledore for help, but it was too late."

Tears were falling down his face, but he refused to break eye contact, he needed to get this out.

"I never wanted to treat your son differently, I just felt that I needed to. I couldn't unsee you in his eyes, the same thing with Granger, she reminded me so much of you in your youth, so smart and bright; but she was overbearing like James, almost demanding that I listen to her answers."

Shaking his head now he continued, "And Longbottom, he was an outlet, I'm sad to say that I was taking everything out on him, because it should have been him and his parents, not you!"

"I realize now that I had it out for all the Gryffindors really, but on those three in particular. I have no excuse, I don't blame you for hating me, bloody hell I hate myself. I never wanted to teach, I never wanted to share my love of potions with children. I was forced into this role for protection as I worked for Dumbledore."

Lily sighed. That blasted man had meddled in everyone's life and business. She was just about to speak when a bright flash of flames erupted between them. Lily gasped in shock as Severus simply backed up.

He was familiar with Fawkes entrances but didn't expect the Sorting Hat to flame into existence before their eyes instead of the man he hated.

Fawkes looked to Lily and nodded, then hopped up on her shoulder making sure to be extremely careful with her talons so as not to scratch the pretty lady.

Minerva seeing this commotion dispelled her privacy charms, "Fawkes? What on earth?"

"That would be my fault Minerva, my apologies." The hat spoke.

"Alistair?" Minerva questioned.

"My apologies to you all. I had asked Fawkes here to bring me to Minerva, but I didn't expect you to have someone I needed to speak with here, a happy coincidence I suppose." The hat paused for a minute as though he was gathering his thoughts before starting to speak again.

"I am not spying for Albus, Severus, so you might as well get that idea out of your head. I'm simply here to bring insight and warning to those who need it. Ironically you are one of those people." The hat chuckled while the two ladies present looked toward the hooked nose man.

"What do you mean by that?" Snape said nervously, not missing that the hat read his mind without being placed upon his head.

"I mean exactly what I said, I'm here to bring insight into something that was kept from you. Minerva if you could please place me up on a pedestal or something, I feel rather awkward having people look down on me."

Nodding Minerva transfigured her end table into a pedestal and placed the sorting hat upon it as she would at the sorting ceremony.

"Ahh, much better. Thank-you my dear." The hat let out a sigh before continuing.

"Severus, as I know you observed, I can hear people's inner thoughts, even without being placed on their head, a trait that even the headmaster didn't pick up on, although smart he is blinded by his genius at times."

Lily laughed, "I think you mean from his foolishness Alistair."

"Ah, Lily my dear, although you are right, we cannot deny that although senseless, the headmaster has a way with knowledge, even if that way is to horde it."

Lily nodded along with Minerva. Meanwhile Severus was in a contemplative state as the hat continued speaking.

"Now, after sitting within the headmaster's office for many years, I've seen both good and bad leaders. Mainly good, but I will admit we have had some errors in our ways."

Minerva was overly familiar with Hogwarts past, so she just nodded. Sirius Black's uncle coming to mind quite vividly during her last conversation with this particular hat, at her sorting all those years ago.

In fact, to this day, Minerva was noted as one of the longest hatstalls to date. Her and Alistair had quite a conversation, he was trying to place her in Ravenclaw, but she was determined to go to Gryffindor. During their discussion Minerva learned quite a bit about each house, their backgrounds and of course prior headmasters and their placements.

"As it turns out, Albus was very good at manipulating close to everyone he's ever encountered, including myself, I'm sad to say."

"What do you mean by manipulating?" Severus asked the hat quietly.

"Well look at yourself Severus, he started manipulating you when you were a student here. Do you think you were ostracized so easily? Dumbledore manipulated situations to great effect."

Severus contemplated the hats words. The hat knowing when he was ready continued.

"Sirius, James and Peter were rather careful when passing notes, in fact they only slipped up once, do you recall that so called slip up Severus?"

"The night of the full moon." Severus whispered.

"Yes, it was James who prevented you from getting injured that night, at the risk of his own life mind you. That was the night James grew up and started taking everything in life more seriously. It was also the night your hatred for the man cemented in your psyche."

Severus remembered that night vividly. He never understood why James stopped bullying him afterwards, why he would chew out Sirius or Peter when they tried, especially when he doubled his efforts to make their lives a living hell.

"Your hatred for James pushed you where Severus?" the hat asked.

"Into the hands of Lucius and his crowd. Into the hands of Voldemort." Severus said honestly.

Lily gasped, "That conniving rat."

"Yes my dear, speaking of rats, your rat was his doing as well, Albus always talked to Peter about power and how having powerful friends would benefit him greatly. Peter was obsessed with it, well that and his best friend's mom."

Lily, Severus and Minerva all shivered at that.

"Even you and your husband my dear, was a manipulation from the man. Mind you, it was the one manipulation that he got right. James needed to grow up and you needed him to ground you. If I give Dumbledore one thing, it is this, but only because you two were destined together anyway. Another happy coincidence I suppose."

Lily smiled at the hat but noticed Severus' grunt of disapproval.

"Severus, if you and James had not been pushed in such opposite corners, you two would have eventually gotten along I'm almost sure of it. Even though you hate him now, you still respect his knowledge and magic, and how happy he makes your friend. Admit it."

Severus, although he didn't want to, shook his head in agreement.

"And Minerva my dear, you will want to get checked out by Poppy and possibly someone over at St. Mungo's as I know of three separate incidents where your memories were altered by the fool."

Minerva nodded. She had gotten checked out when the Dursleys were brought in. Her and Poppy both had indications of memory altering. She let the hat know as such.

"Lily, I would like to stay with you and your family at Potter Manor for the remainder of the summer holidays, during this time I would like to meet with several people, the first being Amelia Bones, so that we can get documentation of everything."

Lily agreed, not even having to ask her husband. This type of information was too good to pass up.

"Excellent, Minerva, if you could go up to the headmaster's office, since he is currently away, and grab his pensive, the passcode is candy buttons. We will be borrowing that so that I can share my memories with everyone."

Minerva laughed as she got up to grab the requested item. She knew Albus would not be happy, but she found that she didn't care.

"Severus, I would like for you to also see a mind healer, you will find you have had many mind manipulation spells, as well as compulsion charms placed on you over the years. Many of which are starting to intermingle with each other, causing your paranoia, lust for Lily, and anger towards anyone outside of Slytherin house. I think you will feel a great sense of relief being freed of these."

Severus placed his head in his hands, he knew that Dumbledore was a little shady over the years, but he never expected it to this level.

"I'm sorry Sev." Lily said quietly while grabbing ahold of one of his hands and removing it from his face.

"You changed so dramatically; I should have known something was up." Lily confessed.

"No." Severus shook his head, "I should have known something was up, when it's laid out like it is now, everything was so obvious. He played us all. I'm sorry Lily. Now that I know about it, I can actually feel the compulsion to hate James kicking in, it's sickening."

Minerva walked in at the end of his apology. "I'm also sorry Severus, for my scolding earlier, and for not checking in on you and everyone else in this school when I discovered Poppy and myself had been mind altered. "

"Yes, yes, lots of apologies will be coming in the near future, even I must apologize for not taking action sooner, but let us focus on taking down two of the greatest evils the wizarding world has known hm?" Alistair stated, the disgust evident in his tone.

"Of course, lets head home Alistair." Lily said while picking up the hat and grabbing the pensive from Minerva.

"We will return before the start of the school year, hopefully, without Dumbledore." Lily said before departing through the fireplace.

"Shall we head to St. Mungo's Severus?" Minerva asked her potions professor.

"I would like to, yes, thank-you Minerva." Severus said as he took a deep breath, willing the compulsion to make a snide remark away.

His life is going to change, that was very evident, he just hoped he could survive the change.

/*-/*-/*-/*-/*

It was the morning of the trial, and Albus Dumbledore was finding it hard to cash in several of his favors at one time. He knew little to nothing about his own trial, not the official charges against him, not who would be taking the stand.

This is crazy! The old wizard thought to himself.

His trial wasn't due to start for another two hours, but he was already at the ministry attempting to try and piece together anything he could to prepare himself.

As it turned out, this was of great benefit to the Potters, who at this very moment were sitting down in Minerva's office having some tea and biscuits, as they waited for the goblins to arrive at the school.

"Are you sure you want to go back down there deary?" Minerva asked Ginny while handing her a cup of tea.

"Yes Ma'am. I need to do this, my mind healer said it would help if I faced my fears of the chamber once more, surrounded by family and friends." Ginny blushed as she looked towards Harry and his family.

It was Hermione who answered however, "You most certainly have that Gin, we are all here to support you!"

Everyone could see the appreciation on the small redheaded girls face as her own mother squeezed her shoulder.

Minerva nodded then turned to her other cub, "And you Collin? You're comfortable not only going down into the chamber but photographing the beast as well?"

"Oh yes Ma'am, Harry promised me a picture with himself as well! My parents are never going to believe that I am friends with THE Harry Potter. I can't wait to show them!" the energetic blonde hair boy rambled as Harry blushed from the look his father and uncles were giving him.

"Well okay then, gather up your things please, the Gringotts's crew has arrived." Minerva stated while looking at the map that was gifted to her from her favorite students.

The group of friends and family alike, filed out of the office and headed down into the girl's bathroom. Myrtle was warned ahead of time to clear out, as the snake and chamber made her anxious.

Once more Harry spoke in a hissing language, telling the chamber to open and to make stairs appear. The family was nervous, wondering if Harry would have lost that particular trait when the horcrux left his body. Everyone was pleased when they found out he still possessed the Slytherin trait.

The small army that the goblins sent followed the group down into the chamber proper. The round doorway into the actual chamber was sealed when they left, as Kingsley had noticed a preservation spell placed on the chamber itself, allowing them to leave the giant carcass of snake someplace safe without it deteriorating.

The goblins were very professional up until the point when they saw the snake. Multiple gasps could be heard along with several curse words.

"Bloody hell, I forgot how big the thing was." Severus added in.

"That, my lad, is what she said" Sirius chuckled at his own joke, while Severus just shook his head, a small lift of his lip spoke volumes of his healing.

"It's strange, right?" James asked Remus "Seeing Paddy and Snivel… I mean Snape, get along?"

"Good catch Prongs, and yes, seeing Siri joke with him is a little disturbing." Remus answered truthfully.

After the night he almost tried to murder the man, Remus felt horrible. He never blamed Severus for following them, he had fully blamed Sirius for that event. Even though the man denied ever writing a note to Peter.

Little did they know it was a set up by the bearded flea bag. Remus could see the manipulation towards himself now that he sat back and looked at the big picture with fresh eyes. He had felt indebted to Dumbledore, seeing as he allowed a werewolf to attend Hogwarts, and then covered up that little event as well.

Shaking his head, he looked into the eyes of his brother in everything but blood. "I can't say sorry enough to you Siri, for blaming you that night, not only that night but also thinking you would ever sell James and Lily out."

Sirius walked over to his friend and patted him on the back, "Water under the bridge Moons, water under the bridge."

Meanwhile, behind them Lily and Hermione insisted upon assisting Severus with his cultivation of the snake.

He was beyond surprised that Harry would allow him to harvest valuable potion ingredients from his conquest. He was even more surprised when the group of self-proclaimed marauders apologized to him and insisted, he come down with them right away, therefore allowing him to harvest the exact way he would want; instead of how the goblins would handle it.

With the ladies helping him, Severus was able to complete everything he wanted within an hour, giving the group plenty of time to head home and change for the trial.

James spoke with the lead goblin before departing, the size of the snake was well beyond their expectations, even with Snape harvesting, the price of the snake was well beyond even their calculations.

The goblin gave James an estimate and advised that they would slowly start to distribute the supplies so as not to flood the market, in turn causing a decline in price. Happy with everything James agreed to meet with the goblins later in the week, but well before the kids needed to return to school. Another discussion will be needed to divvy up the sum he was provided.

The pictures that were taken by Collin were developed right away per the Potters request. They wanted to bring proof of the snake with them to the trial and having pictures, as they say, is worth a thousand words.

Harry followed through with his promise on taking a picture with Collin, he also talked him into taking pictures with the group, ensuring that he got a few copies to add to his photo album. Collin was ecstatic, he even squealed when Harry signed his copy of the two of them.

Overall, the day was long, even though it had just started. The trial was set to take place in just under an hour, so the group set off to their respective homes, planning to rendezvous at the ministry for what the press was dubbing "The Trial of the Century!"

Dumbledore on the other hand, found no takers to his begging and pleading. No one allowed him to cash in his favors, nor did they advise him on anything pertaining to his case. Not even Fudge was budging.

The press box was packed, and the public stands were overflowing. Albus was now starting to feel a tad nervous. He once felt confident that he could talk his way out anything, but now, even that is starting to wane.

Albus was just taking his seat when he heard a gasp go up all around him. Turning to see what the commotion was, the elderly wizard nearly fainted himself when he saw Frank and Alice Longbottom walk through the doors, arm and arm, with their son and Augusta in tow.