Chapter 10

The next morning was spent at church before Severus Apparated to York's wizarding district where he would meet Lupin and Black, all three of them disguised. Lupin looked like a distracted landowner with his patched-up tweed jacket and corduroys. He was walking a big black dog. Severus mentally applauded the werewolf's idea of bringing Black in his Animagus form. He took both of them Side-Along to Cokeworth's river pathway from where they walked up to the back entrance of Severus' home. Val was in the garden cutting some chives while Harry stood in the kitchen door holding up Grace, who was standing, too, hold by the hands by her brother. The little girl started bobbing up and down in her excitement when she saw the big, shaggy dog.

"Wouf, wouf!"

"Yes, Gracie, that's a dog, clever girl!" Val praised her daughter, then turned to the guest.

"Hello, I am Valerie McGowan, Mr Black. Is Mr Lupin detained?"

"Good day to you, Mrs McGowan, Remus Lupin at your service. Mr Black will join us shortly, maybe we could go inside."

Grace was straining to pet the dog, so Severus picked her up, preceding his guests into the house. He led them to the kitchen table and bade them to sit down when Lupin got a good look at the little girl in his arms.

"Good God, Severus, congratulations! How old is your lovely daughter?"

"Grace was born at the end of March. Is it safe for her to pet Black?"

"Quite, quite. Snuffles, down!"

Harry was coming closer, earnestly explaining to his sister, "Now, Gracie, you always ask before petting a strange animal. And don't pull his ears or his fur." He showed her how to pet the dog and Grace followed, although with more enthusiasm. `Snuffles´ bore it calmly before looking up at Lupin.

"Alright, children, please back up a little, now we have a surprise for you!"

When the dog morphed into a well-dressed if still too thin man Grace started to wail. Black had the presence of mind to change back which dried the little girl's tears instantly. She kept looking at the dog's antics while finishing her lunch. When Val took her upstairs for her nap the Animagus finally could great Harry as a man rather than a dog.

"Hello Harry, I am Sirius Black."

Harry went over to shake Black's hand, "Pleased to meet you, sir."

"I feel old if you call me `Sir´, please call me Sirius."

"Seriously?" Severus had to snort at his son's pun and Black and Lupin laughed.

"That gets never old, does it? Yes, seriously Sirius, at your service."

Severus turned towards the cooker to stir the stew. He cut the bread that would accompany it and took the dishes from the cupboard, one ear always at the conversation behind him. Lupin seemed to have fed his friend the extra strong Calming Draught the Potions master had sent over in preparation for this visit. Harry was telling the visitors about his school, his friends and the school football team he had joined at the start of term. About the time the stew was ready and Val came downstairs again a pop in the garden heralded Antonin's arrival. The Russian was Glamoured with blond hair and blue eyes and wearing Muggle clothes, as was his usual way. Severus turned towards the table, withdrawing a parchment with the exact wording of the oath he wanted them to swear from his trouser pocket.

"Gentlemen, our binder has arrived. Shall we move to the living room for a moment?"

Harry was looking out into the garden and recognised Dolohov's jumper. He started to ask Severus about it but the man cut him short, "In a moment, Harry, everything will be explained."

"But I'm doing well, Sev, ain't I?" Old insecurities reared their ugly heads in the child's mind. Severus crouched down to the child, holding his shoulders loosely.

"There was never any question about that, Harry, you have been the best behaved nine year-old I ever encountered. In fact" – there he glanced at their guests – "everybody has behaved well so far, I trust that will stay so. Do you want to watch the vows or help Val set the table?"

"Will there be other colours than silver and gold?"

"No, there won't."

"Then I will help Val, vows are boring!" With that the reassured child hopped into the kitchen, winking at Antonin on the way, while Severus let out a relieved sigh.

"You care about him," Black stated. Antonin's hand on his shoulder prevented Severus from saying what he wanted to that asinine, moronic statement. He restricted himself to an eyeroll and extended his hand towards Remus Lupin before taking back the parchment with the wording of the vow from Black. Dolohov touched their joined hands with his wand while Severus asked, "Will you, Remus John Lupin, also known as Moony, vow to keep everything you learn today concerning Harry James Potter, also known as Peter Harrison Parker, and the war council against Voldemort, also known as You-know-who or the Dark Lord and his followers as well as the identity of all council members and Severus Snape's family a secret?"

"I vow." Golden light flared and Lupin stepped back. Black had glanced back at Val and had obviously put everything together. Nevertheless he presented his hand without fuss. His vow glowed silvery. Severus wanted to introduce Antonin but Black was quicker.

"Snape, I was horrible to you at school. I appreciate that you let me near your family and that I have a chance to be near Harry. I won't come between you, you have my word. And congratulations on the birth of your daughter."

"Thank you. I feel I owe it to Harry to stay civil in your company. The first test of your vows is when our binder drops his glamours. Toni, please."

Lupin and Black looked at the man but obviously did not recognise him.

"Come, Black, you were in a cell across from me."

"Dolohov!"

"Da. Sev, that stew smells heavenly. Let's put some food into our stomachs before getting on with saving the world."

"Hello, Uncle Toni!" Harry dragged Antonin towards the kitchen, looking over his shoulder for Lupin and Black to follow them.

They had lunch and then settled in the living room with tea and coffee. Harry was drawing and when Grace had woken up from her nap she crawled around the room, using the various wooden and human legs to draw herself up to a stand. If Black and Lupin were surprised that Val led the discussion about using Gringotts to drain monetary resources of Death Eaters they wisely did not let on. Even if he was not yet up to taking his seat in the Wizengamot Black contributed sensibly to legal and financial topics, having grown up in a Pureblood household he had the necessary training. When Harry presented him with a picture of `Snuffles´ at the end of the visit the former marauder nearly teared up. Severus counted the day as a success.

Dolohov brought Severus and Harry, both under Glamours, to an employee's entrance of Gringotts. They had an appointment with a goblin healer. Harry had looked forward to the excursion as he long had wanted to see the place his Uncle Toni had told him about, but then had picked up Severus' apprehension. He changed into a ritual shirt without fuss and lay down on the stone slate. The female goblin healer chanted in Gobbledegook and stones with runes in that language started to glow. Antonin at first kept a running commentary, explaining what happened, as much to calm himself as Severus. Then he stopped, studying the signs that appeared over Harry's prone body with a frown. The healer too was getting agitated. When the Russian next to Severus drew his wand the Potions master did so as well.

But nothing happened. The healer finished the exam, helped Harry down from the slate and presented him with a lolly. Antonin was addressing her in rapid Gobbledegook. The goblin looked tense for a moment but then nodded. Turning towards Severus she said, "I have to tell the director of my findings. Do I have your permission to tell him my patient's true name? It would be very much to his advantage to do so."

Severus had to clear his throat, "Yes, please, do so."

They followed their healer into the inner sanctum of Gringotts. Antonin whispered to Severus, "Please let me handle the discussion there, you need not fear for Harry, I have Healer Granrok's word on that."

After a short wait they were led into an office where a very old goblin was being waited on be three other goblins. He dismissed his attendants with a wave.

"Greatings, wizards, Healer Granrok. The child may play in the corner over there." With another wave of the director a miniature roller coaster with coloured carts appeared on a low table. Harry was reluctant to let go of Severus but finally relented to his dad's whispered plea to do as told. When he had reached the corner the goblin said, "He will hear that we are talking but can't understand what is said. Healer Granrok has dire news I have been told?"

The healer bowed low and began.

"Greetings, Director Sharpclaw. Cursebreaker Dolohov brought this child, Harry Potter, to me because a scan of his detected unknown dark magic. I did a class III diagnostic ritual and found something I have not encountered before. I humbly beg of you not to act rashly as I have given Cursebreaker Dolohov my word that the child will not be harmed today."

Severus did not like `today´ one bit.

"Thank you, Healer Granrok. I will see for myself."

Gringotts' director withdrew gemstones and a black tablet from his desk. He walked to stand in front of Harry. The boy looked apprehensive.

"Do not worry, child, you will feel nothing. You may keep on playing."

Chanting in Gobbledegok he let the gemstones fall on the tablet where they arranged themselves in a certain pattern. Sharpclaw moved the tablet around Harry while observing the stones closely. Then he put everything back on his desk and bade the two wizards to sit down.

"It is not the habit of goblins to mince words. I found magic of the darkest sort in the child's scar but not anywhere else. Wizards call it Horcrux when someone splits his soul by committing murder. It may be that the wizard who calls himself Voldemort had planned to make a Horcrux when killing the boy's parents. It is possible to destroy it, but we have never done it with such a vulnerable vessel. We need to do research and I ask you, Mr Dolohov, to be part of the team. Do not despair."

Severus felt as if someone was trying to squeeze his heart and tear it out of his chest. Harry a vessel for the soul of the Dark Lord! How was he to tell Val about this? What to say to Harry? Had Antonin known? The Potions master felt faint. The goblins brought the little group to a side-entrance and Antonin re-cast the glamour over Harry and Severus.

"Thank you, Healer Granrok, I will call on you tomorrow. Harry, I am going to call you Aljosha. How about some ice-cream?"

"Yes!"

Severus followed the pair towards Fortescue's, still in a daze, his son skipping along Dolohov, chattering about what kind of ice-cream he wanted.

After eating a staggering amount of sweet confection – the Potions master did not have the heart to confine the child to a sensible choice – Antonin sent him to wash his face and hands.

"Severus, do not despair! It can be done and it will be done. At the moment there is no danger for H- him, it is well-defined with no danger of bleeding over. It has to come out but he is still the same child we know and love!"

"I cannot lose him, I can't!"

"You won't. I can give you a vow if it makes you sleep better. You are a superb Occlumens, aren't you? You can start the boy on meditation techniques and you can show him the spells to visualize his magical core. That will help when we do the ritual."

It would also give Severus a sense of purpose. He drew his shields up – when with his family he usually let them down – and made an effort to calm himself.

"I will, Antonin. Did you suspect anything?"

The Russian took his time to answer.

"I suspected some residue of Dark magic, but nothing like this. I suggested the goblins because He dabbled in magics no one has ever dared to use before, I did not want to miss anything. The good news-" Severus scoffed at that term "-is that we know what we deal with. They are very well documented and rather straight forward to destroy. The only challenge is the vessel's tender age. A further bonus point for us is that it was made unintentionally and therefore will not be as strong as other kinds. And considering its small size means that it is likely the last of several, which may be the reason it's creator was so unstable as to be destroyed."

Harry had come back and wanted to explore Diagon Alley but Severus put his foot down there. He needed to go back, needed Val's calming presence and then some time to ponder the problem on his own, alone. They agreed on buying some sugar quills for Grace and Val before going home. Antonin took his farewell, he had research to do.