"Expello corporis alienum. Expello corporis alienum. Expello..."

Sirius chanted the spell over and over again, with his gaze fixed on Snape's back, which, incidentally, would have been a very nice back, had it not been marred by pearl white scars. Sirius was familiar with that type of scars; he had plenty of them himself: a relic of his "loving" mother.

A muffled moan escaped from Snape's mouth each time a shard was removed. Soon, the operation was completed and Snape sagged in Remus' arms. Sirius then proceeded to apply a healing salve on Snape's back, to minimize eventual scarring and accelerate the healing process. Then, he bandaged throughly the Potion Master back, who was still semi-unconscious in Remus' arms, and stepped away to clean his hands.

"Moony, I'm done. I think it would be best if you put Snape on the other couch on his belly, to avoid over-exerting his back." Sirius said, heading to the bathroom.

"Ah, sure Pads."

Remus was trying to reach the pocket where he had hastily put his wand, once Severus had drunk the pain reliever, while simultaneously sustaining Severus' dead weight, when the Headmaster coughed.

"Remus, allow me to help. After all Severus shielded me too, and I haven't done anything to help, yet..."

Dumbledore swished his wand and levitated gently Severus on the couch. A couple of minutes passed in complete silence, the only sound coming from Severus, softly breathing on the sofa. Even Harry had stopped giggling and was once again playing with Dumbledore's beard.

Sirius came back and sat next to him on the couch, lifting Harry from the Headmaster lap and placing him on his. Remus sat across them on the armchair, vanishing the stool Dumbledore had previously conjured.

"So..." Sirius began.

"One moment Sirius, if you would. For how long should the pain reliever put Severus to sleep?"

"Oh. Yeah, errr... about fifteen minutes or so since administration? Maybe longer; it depends on his habitual dose." Said Sirius, shrugging.

"I see." Dumbledore's eyes where once again twinkling.

"Now, I believe you wanted to ask me something?"

"Yes we were wondering why..." Lupin was reluctant to ask, but Sirius didn't have his patience and he burst out: " Why the hell did little Harry call Sniv-Snape 'Uncle Sev'?!"

"He's never seen the git before! Why would he call Snivellus 'Sev'? It doesn't make any fucking sense!"

Sirius was becoming increasingly agitated, so Remus stepped in.

"We wanted to know why Harry seemed to know Severus well and why he would be inclined to ask him for errr... cuddles..."

Finished Lupin, awkwardly.

"Ah yes, I thought you'd ask... But I believe this concerns all of you; Severus please stop pretending to be asleep." came the amused request of the Headmaster.

"Mmmmmph" grumbled Snape. "I wasn't pretending, I just woke up. Besides, Black could wake the dead with the racket he was making."

The young man sat up, however; and positioned himself carefully so that his back wasn't touching the sofa. Dumbledore only chuckled.

"Now, boys, you must understand this isn't my story to tell... Severus will you explain?"

"Sirius, Remus don't interrupt him, or I will have to silence you; forcibly if I must. Do you understand?"

Both men hastily nodded, their eyes fixed on the Headmaster.

Severus grimaced.

He had been dreading this moment since he ha been told he must confess his actions to the two men now sitting opposite of him.

"It all began on a rainy day of March, earlier this year. The Dark Lord had told me Dumbledore would be interviewing a potential candidate to teach Divination at Hogwarts. He wanted me to spy on the meeting and then to propose myself for the Potion position. Slughorn was retiring at the end of that year and He needed a spy inside the enemy's lines. I, having recently completed a Potion Mastery in record time, was the better qualified to apply for the position."

So, I went to the Hog's Head to spy on Dumbledore and Trelanwey: the woman bragged to be a direct descendant of the famous seer Cassandra, cursed by the gods to not be believed until the prophecies came true, so my duty was to ascertain wheter or not she had any talent and then report it to the Dark Lord and also to learn from her how to conduct myself in a way that wouldn't arouse suspicion during my own interview. The interview was not going well, however: the woman was obviously a fraud.

Dumbledore had by then lost his patience and had just finished to tell her very politely that, sadly, she didn't meet the requirements for the teaching position, when she fell in trance.

At first, I thought it must be a parlour trick, but when she spoke, her voice was different and had a dreamy note about it that would be impossible to fake. Dumbledore realised it quickly as well and stopped, listening intently.

Then she uttered the first words of a prophecy that would forever change our lives: "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..."

I couldn't hear the rest: the pub's barman caught me eavesdropping and hauled me out forcibly.

I had failed my mission, but I had overheard something valuable, which could spare me the punishment the Dark Lord doled out to the followers who displeased him: sometimes he tortured or killed them himself, but more often than not she would let Bellatrix have her way with them. She liked to play with her victims, like a cat might do with a mouse; the Carrows and the Lestranges often helped her, like the dutiful minions they were...

I reported the prophecy to the Dark Lord upon my return. He declared me worthy of his inner circle: worthy enough to be one of the most trusted servants. For a while, I thought He had forgotten the prophecy, but after a few weeks it became clear he was obsessed by it.

He was constantly trying to decide wich, between the Longbottoms and the Potters' children was destined to defy him."

Severus paused to inhale deeeply.

"I didn't want to place the Potters in danger and I hated myself because I had betryed the only one I have ever... called a friend. So I went to Dumbledore and I begged him to protect her.

To protect them all.

I offered to do whatever it took to keep her and her child safe.

I've been spying for the Headmaster since then.

Meanwhile He convinced himself that the Potter child was the one of whom the prophecy spoke.

Althogh, by then it was too late: the Potters and the Longbottoms had gone into hiding and couldn't be found.

His anger grew each day and we feared his displeasure greatly. One day, a spy came to us. He was the Potter's secret keeper. His identity remained hidden from us.

I'm not proud of what i did, but I begged Him to spare Lily. He agreed to, as a reward for my services.

I was content, until the Dark Lord told me that Lily wasn't so special and that if I had a... preference for readheads I could satisfy my... needs with some respectables pureblood. I lied and said I agreed.

He killed them on Hallow's eve.

I went to Albus in my despair and he said that if I truly loved her, then my path forward was clear: I could help protect her child.

I made an Unbreakable Vow that night, I promised that I would protect Harry with everything I had, even my life."

A tear escaped his eyes as he finished his part of the tale.

"Today I came here because Dumbledore wanted me to 'clean my soul' and I came because I..." know I deserve whatever you will do to me in revenge" owe him my freedom. I'm sorry.

Dumbledore observed the men's reactions.

Lupin only growled.

Sirius was shaking with rage, the only reason he hadn't drawn his wand was because Harry was asleep on his lap.

He gently lifted the child and put him in Remus' arms. Then he stood and walked towards Snape.

"Stand. Up."

The Potion Master stood.

Sirius grabbed him firmly by the shoulders, then brought his knee switftly to Severus' groin. It collided painfully.

Severus fell on the ground, curling up on the floor. Sirius didn't spare another glance to him and went back to sit on the couch.