Author Note: Lily has a serious meeting with Sirus. Severus sees her finally and Peter just gets severed.
…...(Begin)
Luna, Hermione and the dog had arrived at the Ecars farm when Duke and King, the two younger coon hounds, came running over barking and growling at the new dog. He stood his ground and growled back.
Luna put her hand on Hermione's arm to stop her interfering as the three dogs circled around each other sniffing and studying each other.
"What's going on are they going to fight?"
"I don't think so. They just wanted to let him know this is their home. Challenge him to see what he's doing."
The two girls watched as the three dogs seemed to reach an agreement then with the mastiff looking over his shoulder they began to look for Harry. They found him in the shed working on his truck. The dog ran over and jumped on him licking him excitedly.
"Whoa. Whadafuck?" Harry shouted getting knocked on his butt by the force of the dog. "Where did this walking carpet come from?"
"We don't know Harry. We found him in the woods between here and town." Hermione said.
Wiping the dog slobber off his face Harry frowned as he examined the dog, "Seems healthy, no collar. Damn probably a dump."
"A dump? You mean someone threw him away?"
"Yeah. Might be someone got a cute puppy that grew up into this monster. So they took it out in the back country to get rid of it. Let it go natural or hope someone adopted it. It happens." Harry said with a shrug."
"So what are you going to do with it?"
Harry looked at Luna, she shrugged, "Duke and King seem to have come to an understandin about him. I still think there's somethin funny bout him but."
Harry raised his eyebrow, "Funny how?"
"I can't pin it down. He jus don seem right."
"Could he be a danger?"
Luna took a deep breath before shaking her head. "No I don't think so."
"Well we'll talk to mom about him when she gets home. I guess if he gets along with the others he can stay. Now how about the two of you." Harry said coming over to give Luna a hug and kiss on the lips.
After kissing Luna he turned to Hermione who smiled at him. He took that as permission so put his hands on her hips and gave her a kiss. "You look nice. Going native on us?"
"Luna suggested I try to blend in better. Plus get more practical clothing." She said sliding her own hands to his hips.
"Well you look good." He said looking at the shorts that came to her mid thigh, the cowboy boots she had been wearing were replaced with sneakers and she wore a plain white T-shirt with a white bra underneath.
Hermione kissed him again, "Thanks."
"So what do you two want to do today?" He said sitting on his work bench.
Hermione looked at Luna who nodded, "I was wondering if you could teach me how to drive one of these things." She said swinging her leg over the trike so she was sitting backwards on the seat. Her legs spread over the fenders.
Grinning Harry said, "I think I got a little bit of time to spare."
…...
Dumbledore glowered as he walked behind the inspector from the I.C.W. that he had been forced to allow into the school. Minister Malfoy had insisted that they had nothing to hide and the President of the School Board Amos Diggory had agreed with him. Welcoming international inspection to brag about how wonderful the school was, how safe it was.
Dumbledore glanced at Minerva as she walked behind him glowering for her own reasons that she had not revealed. Ever since Neville Longbottom had been killed their friendship had been over and their working relationship tense. He had offered her early retirement and a glowing recommendation to any school in the world, only for her to refuse as she said she wanted to defend her wee bairns from any further danger. As she lifetime tenure he could not fire her so he was stuck with her.
The inspector and Amos were discussing a few minor quibbles Dumbledore found pedantic. The tricky staircases. The point system not having a direct and quantifiable method of assigning, or removing points from students, nor having a way for students to contest any point removals. That would need to be adjusted to meet international standards of accreditation. Albus wanted to scream as Amos and Lucius both agreed that the point system could be abused and would have to be altered. He hated Hermione Granger even more than he had before she departed.
…...
Lily pulled into her driveway finding her husband's truck there ahead of her for once. Looking around she saw Thomas standing in the garage talking to Harry and the girls. Hermione was looking more comfortable in a pair of shorts and T-shirt which made Lily happy. She was even smiling at something Harry said.
What did not make Lily happy was when she saw the dog laying on the floor next Harry. She knew that dog far too well. She reached into the car, in the gap between the seat and door, to pull out a small wooden baton Thomas had given her before she told him she was a witch. Normally it was used to check tire pressures but could be used to check attitudes as well. She had hidden her wand inside it which allowed her to deal with mundanes without violating even the lax American secrecy laws.
Marching into the garage she saw Harry looking at her in surprise as she stood in front of the dog pointing the baton at him, "Alright you dirty mangy asshole. Come back to yourself right now or I will neuter you with rusty scissors!" She hissed.
"Mom?" Harry exclaimed in surprise.
"Back off everyone. The dog knows what I'm talking about don't you?"
The dog laid on the floor trying to give her sad puppy dog eyes.
"I can force you back dumbass. Remember that spell?"
The dog seemed to ripple and melt reshaping itself into a tall, male with Black hair flowing to his shoulders, a thick black beard and mustache. He was wearing a seventies bowling shirt and dress slacks with expensive looking oxfords. "Hi Lily."
Transferring her baton to her off hand she reared back and punched him on the jaw. "Sirius Black you fucking asshole!"
"OW! What the hell Lils?"
"MOM!" Harry exclaimed as the man was staggered backwards a step towards him. "Who is this?"
"That is Sirius Black you godfather."
Harry stopped looking surprised and glared at the man who was grinning at him. Harry punched him in the other jaw.
"OW! Would you people stop hitting me!" He shouted.
"Lily? This is the guy you was telling me about?" Her husband asked. Picking up a tire tool that was sitting on the floor.
"Okay. Okay. Can we all please stop with the hitting. I come in peace! Honestly."
"You wear his mark on your arm and you tell me you come in peace!" Lily had transferred the baton back into her main hand.
"Well it was either that or die. I do rather not like the dying idea." He quickly exclaimed. "Please let me explain!"
Sirius was holding his jaw looking around at the people in the garage. Harry was standing beside him with a hammer he had picked up from somewhere, the blonde Luna was sitting placidly looking at him, the girl named Hermione had drawn a wand from somewhere on her, the muggle was holding a tire iron and Lily had a small bat of some kind. All of them looked very unhappy and like he was going to not enjoy the next few moments.
Lily finally said, "Fine. In honor of the relationship you and James had I will let you explain. Keep your hands where I can see them and if you shift into your dog so help me."
"I know. I know. Neutering time." He interrupted.
"You will wish that is all I do." She declared with a dark forbidding tone in her voice.
Clearing his throat Sirius said, "Well tough room. Harry. I am your godfather. I was your father's best friend. His brother. He saved my life and I owed him everything."
Harry crossed his arms but did not let go of the hammer.
"Well you see we had this plan to capture his lordship and keep him prisoner. Only that went a bit ka-ka. And when it went off like that I lost my temper. I chased down Peter Pettigrew and found him. Got into a fight and wound up spending the last few years in Azkaban. Not willingly of course but I thought you were dead. It wasn't until after Voldy broke his crew out that I discovered you were alive."
"So why were you broken out?" Harry asked.
"I had convinced my dear cousin Bella that I was reformed, that if they took me along I could be useful. Head of the Black family and all that." He said with a grin, "Best con job so far. Get into the group, work from within. Find out all their dirty little secret handshakes and stuff then bring them down. Like a hot curry with no lager."
Lily did not look impressed. If anything she looked negatively impressed. Sirius was worried she was going to punch him again as she began to toss the baton from hand to hand.
"That's the most ludicrous plan I have ever heard, and that includes the Bristol incident."
"Hey that would have worked if the goat wouldn't have tried to eat his hat."
"Shut up Sirius." Lily growled. "I need to think."
"Sure take all the time you need. I got used to being patient back in Azkaban. You know solitary."
"SHUT UP!" Lily shouted hitting Sirius with a stinging hex.
Sirius stopped talking as he put the burned hole in his shirt out. "You know..." Sirius started to say then stopped talking as Lily glared at him.
"Lily? Is this guy a threat to you?" Thomas asked gripping the tire iron tightly.
She shook her head, "No. If he had wanted to hurt Harry he could have by now."
Sirius smiled whimsically at Thomas who glared back.
"So this is some of that magic stuff you ran from?" Thomas snorted.
"Unfortunately yes. How did you get past the wards I put up? They included anti-animagus."
"I know. They were a pain in the tail to bypass this morning and I had just finished when I heard Harry's Sapphoric friends there coming through the woods. So I shifted into doggie and got invited in."
"You bypassed my wards?" Lily glared at him, "Impressive and you better tell me how you managed it without setting them off or alerting me."
Sirius whistled, "It wasn't easy. I had to get rather creative with the non-euclidean redefinition of spatial referencing. So using a phase inversion protocol I managed to get it where I could slip in with no problems."
Lily looked at him, "You turned them inside out. So the wards would only activate if you tried to leave through them from inside, not outside."
"Yeah took me almost an hour to get that done. I must be slipping." he said with a shrug.
Lily snorted. "Alright. You're here. WHY?"
"Well he sent us to see what was going on with Harry. Maybe try and talk him into staying out of the fight over there." Sirius said offhandedly.
"Keep me out of the fight? Dumbledore wanted me in the fight." Harry declared in confusion.
"I know. And for the same reason. They both believe you to be the ONLY person who can vanquish the Dark Lord for neither may live lest the other dies."
"He got the entire prophecy?"
"Oh yeah. When Lucius got elected he invited the big guy in through the front door. Two thirds of the Ministry higher ups are outright Death Eaters. The Big V is taking it smarter this time around. Fewer midnight raids and more manipulations of the people so they ask to be oppressed. Apparently he had some time to think. Plus both sides are infiltrating the muggles."
Hermione frowned, "That's what he wants with my uncle."
"Your uncle? I'm afraid Harry hasn't introduced us."
"My name is Hermione Granger. My father is Baron Charles Granger, while my uncle is Paul Granger the 5th Earl of Tyndham."
"Swanky. Your dad actually outranks me even." Sirius sad giving a ornate and excessive bow.
Hermione scowled back at him. "We are not amused." She drolled.
"Right well. I have to admit my sense of humor is a bit off. Not a lot of practice in Azkaban."
"Among other things." Harry observed.
"Yes. Well you try spending the last 15 years locked alone in a cell while your creepy monster guards cause you to relive every nightmare you have ever had and see how stable your boat is. Trust me, with the life I had growing up that's a long time between repeats." He said earnestly. "But the Big V sent us here to check on you. Try to convince you to just sit tight and enjoy your life. As far as he's concerned there is no problem between you and him."
Harry irately shouted, "HE KILLED MY FATHER!"
"I know. And that's why we can kill him and rule the galaxy!" Sirius tried to intone but failed. Especially as he had another smoking hole burned in his shirt by Lily. "Would you please stop hurting me! Ow!"
"How did he know we are here?" Lily demanded.
"I dunno. You'd have to ask Snape. He's the one who brought it up."
"Severus Snape?" Lily said drawing each syllable out. "Do not tell me that, person, is here with you."
Sirius grinned as he nodded wildly, "Okay. I won't tell you. But you know he is no fun on car trips at all. I don't think he's getting the deposit back on the rental after what he did to the radio."
"Who's this Severus Snape?" Thomas asked.
"He was a boy I thought liked me before he turned out to be a horrible maggot. Fortunately James grew up and got mature unlike some people."
"You were going to say Sirius." Sirius waggled his finger before clenching it back when Hermione scowled at him. "She really reminds me of a younger you."
"Thank you." Lily and Hermione both said with a smirk.
"Harry. You know its not too late to run." Sirius turned to look honestly at him.
Luna sighed, "Oh yes it is far, far, too late fer him to run."
"Alright focus people. We have an asshole we need to interrogate." Lily emphatically declared.
Sirius looked around quickly, "Really where?"
"Sirius this is your last warning. I am going to strangle you with your own intestines if you do not stop this."
"Its kinda hard to stop." He said with his hand shaking and his face twitching, "The voices and talking to myself for so long. Its all kinda bent a bit."
Lily looked at him calming herself before she said, "Siri. We are going to leave here. You are going to go back and tell them we had already escaped. You don't know where we went."
"I know how to kill him for good." Sirius said staring intently at Lily. "As in no coming back."
Lily shook her head, "Tell Dumbledore. Let him take care of it. He created him in the first place."
Sirius said, "I've got Peter with me."
Lily froze. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at Sirius.
"He's nice and safe in the hotel. All ready to be wrapped up and do whatever you want with him." Sirius said soothingly.
"The man who actually betrayed mom and dad?" Harry asked.
Sirius nodded, "Yep. The one and the same. I bet you'd love to get back at him wouldn't you? Eh what do you say my dear Lily."
"Harry go to your room."
"Mom!" Harry protested.
"Harry take the girls and go to your room, now. I don't care what the three of you do just be in your room until I come for you." She used her most commanding voice. "You too Thomas."
"Hun. I'm not going to leave you alone with this nutcase." he protested.
"I used to be able to beat this nutcase in a duel when he was at the top of his form." She said staring at Sirius' throat. "I have a feeling that I can still take him."
"Why don't you take his wand though." Hermione suggested.
"Sirius. As a show of good faith." Lily suggested in a commanding tone.
He reached into the area under his shirt and slowly, carefully, by his fingertips pulled his wand out of its holster. Handing it to Hermione he smiled, "I would normally ask for a receipt for that, but you seem trustworthy."
Hermione didn't seem to want to accept that as a compliment coming from him but backed away slowly, Harry and Luna both carefully made their way out. Harry pausing by his mother who yanked her head indicating for him to leave.
"You too Thomas. I want to talk to my old friend alone." Lily said in an odd tone which made Sirius slightly uncomfortable.
"Lils. I know you're a badass witch and all that but do you."
"Thomas. Either you walk out of this shed or I teleport your ass out of this shed."
"You hurt her. I don't care if you turn me into a toad or something I'll do my best to get you before you do." Thomas said in as menacing of a tone as he could muster.
"Oh certainly. I wouldn't expect anything less of the man Lily chose to sleep with."
Thomas looked like he was going to take a turn punching the man but after Lily cleared her throat dropped the tire iron and left.
"Thank You Lily. That was very kind of you to make them leave so they don't witness you executing me." He said sincerely.
"I ought to gut you like a fish. You knew what the plan was. You were supposed to be there to back us up. Where the fuck were you?"
"I was chasing Remus. He wasn't at the rendezvous point. When I found him he was off in York saying he had some kind of supremely urgent mission James had sent him on. By the time I got him subdued and was coming back you were already on your way to the Lovegoods and Peter was running for his life."
"James never sent Remus anywhere." She growled.
"I sort of figured that." He said sarcastically. Lily glared at him. "Okay. Sarcasm bad idea right now. Got it."
"So what did you do with Remus?"
"Well since it was obvious he wasn't the spy I dropped him off with Albus then hunted down Petie and the rest is history." He said with a deep sigh.
Lily was frowning. She waved her baton and a silvery doe went shooting out into the night.
"Uh calling in the rest of the jury?"
She did not reply.
…..
"Harry why did your mother send all of us out of there?" Thomas asked urgently from the front porch of the trailer. He was watching the discussion in the shed carefully.
"I dunno. She has her reasons." Harry said.
"You think he's going to hurt her?"
Harry shrugged. "I doubt it. I don't know what he wants but I don't think its to hurt her."
Thomas scowled but settled into a lawn chair to watch the shed. "Tom. Mom will be alright. You need to just come in and relax."
"Harry. Who's the adult?"
"And who's the wizard?" He replied. Staring down the man he had known as his dad for the last several years.
"I am really starting to not like magic." Tom said following the teens inside, reluctantly.
"Harry I don't understand why we are leaving your mother alone out there with a Death Eater?" Hermione took up the argument.
"Because she said to. Now get inside." Harry said tapping several spots along the door after Hermione reluctantly entered. Luna was already inside patiently standing in the living room. There was a brief hum as wards activated.
"What was that?" Thomas asked looking around.
"Mom put some defenses on the trailer. She wanted us inside in case this was a distraction for an attack." Harry said calmly heading down the hallway, "Tom the blue box of shells for the shotgun mom told you not to use for hunting?"
"Uh yeah. She said they've got a special thing about them."
"Yeah go ahead and load them. Oh and put your alligator vest on."
Tom grinned, "Let me guess that ain't alligator."
"Not unless they can grow 60 foot long and breathe fire." Harry grinned back.
Hermione looked at him admiringly, "Oh. You couldn't say anything about this because if there were other Death Eaters around they could have heard you."
Harry nodded, "Yep. Looks like you have had some combat training." Getting under his bed he dragged two long guns out.
"I had to learn rather quickly, although why are we going to use muggle weapons? We have magic."
"How many times has your spells been parried or blocked?" he said handing the rifle to Luna who pulled the plunger on the tube under the barrel out and started loading red tipped rounds into the magazine. Harry took the shotgun and started sliding blue shells into the magazine under the barrel.
"Occasionally. I'm good but not perfect. That's just the nature of dueling."
"We ain't dueling. We're fighting. If we got to fight we fight to win. So we use anything to do that."
"Protego doesn't work against modern firearms."
Harry grinned, "Exactly. So soften them up with a bit of ol bang bang and then spell anyone left standing."
Hermione nodded, "I see. And what do you want me to do?"
"I guess what you do best and throw spells on people. They'll be expecting that."
"So they will focus on defending against spells and not firearms." Hermione smiled, "Smart."
"I ain't just a pretty face." Harry said.
Luna slid the plunger back into the tube, twisting the cap to lock it in. "We'll stay inside unless anything happens."
"So how will you know if anything happens?"
"Well the wards mom put on the house will let sound in but not out. So we'll hear." Harry said walking back to the living room where Tom was loading a shotgun and had a silver sidearm on his hip.
"You gonna let her have one." Thomas asked.
Hermione held her wand up, "I don't use guns."
Tom nodded, "Oh yeah."
"So now what?" Hermione asked breathing hard. The Adrenalin starting to flow.
"We sit and wait for the sign from mom." Harry said looking out the window at the shed.
…...
Lily stood staring at Sirius as her patronus ran for Pandora and Xeno's place. He was still underweight from his time in Azkaban she could tell, his cheeks sunken slightly, his hair had gray streaks starting to show in it. "So you wouldn't happen to know where Remus is would you?" She finally asked.
Sirius thought for a moment, "I'm not certain. We sort of lost contact."
"And your new friends don't know where he is?"
"Fenrir said he was getting in the way of his dealing with the packs. Like he had some kind of new religion or something he was spreading among them."
"Something Albus dreamt up no doubt." Lily scoffed.
"Nah. I do know he isn't working for Albus. Snape had him ask if we had turned Remmie."
"So he went out on his own?" Lily sounded impressed.
"I guess." Sirius shrugged, "He went away for a few years from what I've heard."
"Seems like Albus is just bleeding followers."
"He has been having some troubles with getting his followers to stay on message." Sirius agreed.
"Hello Sirius. You are looking older." Pandora said gliding into the room.
"Hello. You're still looking lovely Pan." Sirius grinned.
"Where's Xeno?"
"He is watching the Ecars. It does not appear there is anyone else around." Pandora stated calmly. Lily nodded her thanks.
"Well I would have told you that I wanted to come to meet you without the other two, but I had a feeling you might not believe me."
"Good feeling." Lily said. She turned and gave a quick synopsis of the conversation to Pandora who raised her eyebrow in surprise.
"Voldemort does not wish Harry to join the fight. This means he also believes Harry is the prophesied one."
"Yep."
"And what do you want?" Pandora looked at him in her soul searching way.
"I want to help kill all of the snake eating bastards and get to know Harry. Lucky kid by the way. Those girls are quite the pair. You know they.."
"I would prefer not to know you pervert." Lily snarled at him.
Sirius shrugged, "Okay. Still. Lucky kid."
Pandora tilted her head, "So it would be good to capture Pettigrew."
"Don't know why. Minister Malfoy and his picked court will never give me a trial."
"No but the American court system is not as biased," Pandora stated, then amended her comment with, "At least the magical one."
"So you think if I hand him over and myself they'll give me a trial here?"
"Maybe. We would have to capture him first. Where are they staying." Lily asked.
"Someplace called the schoolhouse inn."
"Okay. Go back there, tell them Harry wants to meet with them tomorrow at one o'clock. At the end of this road there is a dead end. A bridge out. Bring them there."
"Okay. That's it?"
"That's all I'm going to tell you until I trust your sorry ass again." She said.
"I love you too Lils." He laughed.
She rolled her eyes then gave a loud piercing whistle with her fingers. Harry and the girls came running followed by Tom. Harry and Tom taking opposite sides of the wide doors while Luna leapt onto the truck bed. The three of them pointing their weapons at Sirius. Hermione stayed behind them.
Sirius looked at the three armed people then whistled, "Nice. So uh, since I'll be leaving now may I have my wand back."
"Give the man his wand please Hermione."
"We're not going to fight him?" She asked.
"Not tonight."
Hermione tossed Sirius his wand from her position behind Lily. Technically it was more thrown at him like a dart but he still wound up catching it.
"Thanks. Nice throw. You've got a good arm, doesn't she Harry." he said with a barking laugh before shifting and running past everyone.
"Let him go." Lily said. "We need to plan."
…...
"So you made contact with Potter. Very good." Snape complimented him.
"Yeah he wants to talk to us tomorrow. He gave me directions to the place."
Snape raised his eyebrow, "He wants to talk to us."
"Well Lily didn't exactly trust me but Harry's curious to know more. Plus he really doesn't want to get into the fight for Dumbledore. Lily really turned him against the old coot." Sirius declared.
"I am not surprised." Snape said with a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Yeah her new husband is pretty nice though." Sirius said off handedly, "Hey where can I get a beer?"
"It would appear you would have to return to Cumberland to do so."
"What? No beer? What kind of hell hole place is this?" Sirius whined as he collapsed on the only bed in the room.
"Off. Of. My. Bed." Snape growled.
"Bite me."
Snape counted to ten before saying, "Sirius Black, please get off of my bed."
"Okay fine." He said dragging himself into a standing position. Looking around he asked, "Hey where's Peter?"
"I do not know. I believe he said something about exploring the kitchens."
Sirius snorted, "Gluttonous pig."
Snape did not argue.
…...
Snape drove the car slowly past the Ecars farm. He glanced over to see what sort of home Potter lived in and snorted. It looked like one more of the common rustic structures dotting the landscape. He could see a few pieces of older machinery with its paint faded near some of the buildings. He had a brief flashback to his childhood on the southside of Cokeworth. In the tumbledown worker's cottages of Spinner's end where he grew up.
They drove through a small valley with a field of corn tucked between the road and the creek on their right, and a field of tobacco tucked between the road and the hill on the other. The further they went past the field entrances the worse the road got as the car began to scrape and bottom out causing Sirius to wince. The constant swishing of the grass along the bottom of the car from the center of the road made Snape wonder what exactly they were getting into and it was only the sight of three people sitting on a guardrail ahead that prevent him stopping and trying to back out of this mess.
Stopping the car he saw Lily. Her auburn hair glinting in the sunlight as she casually sat beside what was no doubt her son Harry. On the other side of him sat a blonde girl of no importance. Snape sat studying Lily for a long moment. She was still healthy looking and if anything had become more lovely with a sense of athletic curves that showed she exercised.
"Well are we going to get out or just sit here and stare at them." Pettigrew hissed from the back seat.
""You are certain Lily has accepted your story?" Snape asked.
"Oh yeah. I laid the charm on her and she was putty in my hands."
Snape looked doubtfully at the man in the seat beside him but opened the door and moving casually, yet carefully, walked towards the three. Sirius and Pettigrew followed behind him.
"Hello Severus. Long time no see." Lily said calmly.
"Hello Lily. You are looking well. I am glad we could meet peacefully."
"It's been a long time, a lot of things have happened since then." She said looking past Snape at Pettigrew she said. "Hello Pete. Still molesting young boys?"
"Ha. Ha. No need to be crass when we have come here with an offer of peace."
She raised her hand to scratch her nose causing Severus to flinch as several simultaneous things happened. First he felt an anti-apparate field flare into existence, secondly there was a very loud crack from the hill to his left that caused Pettigrew's left knee-cap to explode into a fine red mist. As Peter dropped to the ground a second crack occurred causing his right knee-cap to explode.
Peter began to immediately scream rolling onto his back so he could draw his wand. The hand that held the wand turned into a mangled mess as a third crack exploded across the valley. At this point Lily took pity on the man and stunned him into unconsciousness.
Snape had dropped into a crouch as he realized the trap he had foolishly been led into had been sprung. He had been so focused on seeing Lily, on hearing her voice once more that he had ignored the tiny voice in the back of his brain that was screaming at him now.
The blonde girl carefully walked around him to bandage Pettigrew's wounds. Snape noticed she never put herself between himself and the hill on his left. Afraid to look closely he stood slowly, raising his hands in what he hoped would be taken as a non-threatening gesture.
"What the fucking hell was that?" Sirius barked out. "You never mentioned you were going to blow his appendages off."
"You should be glad I didn't tell Harry to shoot Peter's dick off. At least he'll live."
"So that is not Harry?" Snape studied the person standing in front of him and sneered, "Miss Granger I presume?"
"In the temporarily altered flesh." She smirked, "Sir." She added in an almost insolent tone. Lily waved her wand and Hermione shimmered and returned to her normal self. She was still wearing Harry's clothes though.
"Astoundingly brilliant as always Lily. I was a fool." He said.
"Get his wand, Sirius you too." Lily nodded to Hermione who walked carefully to the two men.
"Aww man, not again. I thought we were on the same side." he said letting Hermione pull his wand from the shoulder holster he wore under his jacket.
Snape said, "Mine is inside my left sleeve."
"I remember sir." She sneered pulling his wand out. Backing to the guard rail she held both wands in her left hand while keeping hers trained on Snape.
"Now. We are going to have a nice quiet talk since you actually did come here alone."
"I told you it was just the three of us." Sirius declared. "And wait how do you know we're alone?"
"This is a small town Siri. A car like that, out of state tags. That means trouble. Everybody and their brother was watching you. I got a phone call this morning from a friend letting me know about you." She smirked. "Why do you think I came here?"
"Fine. What do you plan to do? If you kill us he will just send more, and these shall not be as friendly as we are." Severus sighed.
"Severus, the day you are friendly is the day I kiss a rattler on the lips." Lily glared at him, "What's your game?"
Snape actually smiled slightly, "You assume I have a game? What if I am here as a loyal follower of the Dark Lord?"
"Then I will call bullshit." She raised her hand towards her face.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't touch your nose." Sirius shouted out. "Look. I wasn't joking. The big man wants Harry out of the war. Tell her Sev. C'mon."
Severus looked into the emerald green eyes that haunted his dreams since the days of his youthful obsession, and most bitter mistake. "I take it you have a way of discerning the truth of a statement?"
"Something that doesn't require veritaserum? Sure." Lily said.
"Then I will undergo that process to assuage any concerns you may have."
Lily nodded and tapped her ear twice. Sirius flinched but when nothing happened stood calmly. Until Pandora walked past him soundlessly. She was dressed in a leather skirt with bodypaint covering her pale upper body in swirling designs. She held a burning bundle of weeds in one hand and a bone with feathers tied to it by a red string around the other. She brushed the smoke into his and Severus' faces while singing some kind of song. Sirius did not recognize the words but liked the rhythm especially as the dance made her breasts jiggle. His mind began to fog even more than usual as the focus of his world narrowed to those creamy mounds.
Snape did not recognize the exact ritual she was performing but he realized he had no protections for this other than his basic legilemency. With Lily and the Granger girl both glaring at him he tried to clamp down as he began to feel a relaxed floating sensation creep into his mind. Lovegood was using the bone and feather totem to not only brush the smoke into his face but stroke his nose causing him to sneeze which made him breathe in the smoke. A desire to help and please Lily settled into his stomach. He felt the world get very watery outside of Lily. Lily was the one he needed to focus on.
Pandora stopped as both men stood weaving slightly in place with identical blank smiling expressions on their faces. She looked into their hooded eyes before smiling, "They are yours to do with as you desire."
"The only thing I want is some answers. Why did you really come here Severus?"
"I came hoping I could convince you to help me destroy the Dark Lord so I could be free."
"If you want your freedom why don't you just go hide in the muggle world? You grew up among muggles so know how to act."
"I am marked by the dark lord and Dumbledore has a vial of my blood that he can use to find me no matter where I go." Snape's flat calm voice intoned.
Lily mouthed the word fuck, "So why don't you go after him yourself or help Dumbledore take him down?"
"No one who wears the mark may turn on the Dark Lord. It is one of the bans he placed in it, Dumbledore would use the destruction of Voldemort to continue his manipulations and control of our world. I want to be truly free of both sides." He robotically said.
Lily scowled and drew Pandora and Hermione to her, Luna was finishing placing Peter into the trunk of the car, with her father, after binding his wounds so that he would not bleed out.
"Great. Figures Al would be just as deep into the control as Voldemort." Lily hissed looking at Hermione for any signs she would leap to his defense. She was looking thoughtful but not defensive.
Pandora though raised her eyebrow, "I wonder if he knows about the Horcrux that his master created?"
Lily looked at Severus, "So what do you know about Voldemort's Horcruxes?"
Snape intoned, "He made more than one. I do not know how many, neither does Dumbledore. Bellatrix though has slipped and claimed to have one in her vaults."
Pandora tilted her head at Sirius, "Sirius what do you know about Voldemort's Horcruxes."
"My brother tried to destroy one. Its in my house at Grimmould Place. Kreacher told me about it. Bella has one too as she told me during some pillow talk."
Hermione looked like she was going to throw up, Lily frowned though, "So that's two. Damn. How many of those things can you make?"
Sirius must have taken that as a question to him, "According to Bella the boss said he couldn't make any more. He'd hit his limit of a 7 way split."
Pandora smiled, "So that accounts for three of them. This diary you mentioned, the one Bellatrix has and the one Sirius has."
"Plus three more." Hermione pointed out.
"Yes. We will need to look into that further." Pandora agreed.
"Are you really here alone?"
"Yes."
"So why did he send you three."
"I do not know. He does not discus his decisions with anyone."
"Does Dumbledore know you're here?"
"I do not know. I did not tell him."
"How did he get the prophecy?" Lily asked.
"Lucius invited him into the Ministry." Snape said calmly. "He comes and goes quite frequently."
Lily stepped back to confer with Pandora and Xenophilus, who had joined them. "So what do you think?"
"It would seem that Harry is between a rock and an even harder rock." Pandora observed.
"Xeno?"
"There is another individual you have not interrogated." he pointed out.
"I know. I wanted him disabled quickly so he wouldn't run off."
"I gave him enough vitamin K to keep him unconscious until tomorrow" Xeno said calmly.
"So what should we do with these two?" Pandora asked.
Lily thought, "Hermione. Severus affected you too. Do you have anything you want to ask him?"
Hermione thought for a moment then asked, "Professor why did you give me a fertility potion?"
"Because Dumbledore told me to and I thought to would be funny to see you saddled with several little brats of your own."
"Why did you alter my memories?" she demanded.
"Because Dumbledore told me to."
"Why do you hate me so much?" Hermione cried angrily.
"I do not hate you. You are so irrelevant to me that I do not have any feelings for you."
Hermione looked sadly shocked, "Then why are you so cruel to me?"
"Because I am angry and frustrated. You are an easy target due to your lack of popularity. The only reason Ronald Weasley has any desire for you is because he is paid to do so."
Hermione stepped back looking hurt.
"Paid by whom?"
"Albus Dumbledore."
"That bastard. That rotten old bastard." She growled.
Lily patted her on the shoulder, "Sorry. Severus was never a very nice person."
"I know. I thought Professor Dumbledore was though. I trusted him like the grandfather I never knew."
Pandora interrupted saying, "The ritual will be wearing off soon so if there is anything else you wish to ask now would be the time to do so."
Lily turned, "What will happen if Harry goes back."
"Dumbledore will try to control him and Voldemort will try to kill him. No doubt Dumbledore will use his operatives the Weasleys, to try and befriend and influence them like he did with Miss Granger and the Longbottom brat."
Lily frowned, "Why?"
"I do not know."
"What do you want from Harry and I?"
"I want your help to free me from both masters. I want your forgiveness." Snape said with a tinge of sadness in his voice.
"Will you help me keep Harry safe?"
"I will do all I can." Severus said as his head began to loll.
"Sirius what do you want from Harry and I?" she repeated quickly.
"Forgiveness is good. I just want to make up for the mistakes I made. Please."
Lily considered the two men for a moment then said in resignation "Okay. Pan snap them out of it."
Pandora took a handful of dust out of a pouch on her belt and blew it into Snape and Sirius' faces. They blinked rapidly then started sneezing and coughing.
"What was that?" Snape demanded.
"Whoa! What a rush!" Sirius exclaimed.
Pandora smiled proudly, "That was a modified Native American ritual. Thank you for not trying to resist as I would have had to move over to the voodoo one. Which reminds me." She said reaching out like lightning to pluck some hairs from both men.
"Stop that! Is it your intention to hurt me every time I so much as breathe?"
Lily and Pandora looked intently at Sirius and said simultaneously, "Yes."
Snape snickered briefly until Lily turned her glare on him, "Are the keys in the car?"
Snape looked at her with annoyance, "why?"
"Because we're going to take you three to Pine Mountain and turn you over to the MACUSA folks. Let them deal with you." Lily explained.
"I am a little bit fuzzy on how that's going to help right now?" Sirius asked.
"It will keep you two from getting into trouble with your bosses and give me some time to talk to Harry and think." Lily explained.
Severus shrugged, "I have heard that the MACUSA jails are quite comfortable."
"Well they don't use Dementors as guards so that's a point in their favor." Xeno pointed out.
"The keys are in the car." Snape confirmed.
"Then I'll drive. Xeno you ride in back with Sev. Sirius you get to ride in the front with me. Anyone that complains can ride in the trunk with Peter. Got it?" Lily declared emphatically.
Sirius smiled widely, "Hey I like the front seat."
Severus merely looked like he had swallowed a lemon but nodded in defeat.
"Okay. Hermione give Xeno their wands. Pan will take you two back to the house." Lily said turning towards the hill and raising her hands over her head waving them back and forth in a slow crossing pattern. A moment later a green comet shot out of the forest to explode overhead. "Okay Harry will meet you back at the house."
"Are you sure Peter will be okay back there?"
Xeno smiled wickedly looking rather like a hippie Mephistopheles with his goatee, "Oh yes. He will live."
Sirius nodded worriedly as the adults entered the car. Once they were driving away Pandora led the girls to her jeep they had hidden.
…...
Harry met the jeep at the trailer, Pandora was still in her skirt and body paint as she exited the jeep. He was grinning with a scoped rifle over his shoulder on a tactical sling.
"That was some very excellent shooting Harry." Pandora complimented him.
"Thanks. Better not let Gramma see you like that. She'll have a conniption."
"I shall endeavor not to. Now if you will excuse me I need to use your shower."
"Sure you know the way." Harry said jerking his thumb. "Nice job you sure fooled em."
"Thank you Harry." Hermione said in a tired distant voice.
"You okay?" He said unslinging the rifle and leaning it behind the door inside.
"I always get this way after a fight. I at least don't throw up anymore." She said sitting on the porch floor. Harry and Luna sat beside her with their arms around her waist. She leaned her head on Harry's shoulder.
"Hey its okay. To be honest I almost threw up after that last shot. That was the first time I shot a person."
"He betrayed your family Harry." Hermione said softly, "He's a Death Eater."
"I know. That's the only reason I was able to take the shot. Thinking about how he knew dad was going to die when he betrayed him. After all dad did for him. Treated him like one of the family. How he tried to kill mom. How." Harry sighed deeply, "It still didn't make it easy."
"I'm glad to hear that. I was afraid that you would somehow be, cold. Unable to care or feel anything. That's how Dumbledore described you and your mother." Hermione said. "He warned me that I would have to be careful around you."
Harry snorted, "Damn fool." Harry muttered as they sat quietly thinking about what happened.
…...
Pandora came out wearing one of his mother's T-shirts and her skirt. Harry was sitting on the porch by himself quietly.
"Where are Luna and Hermione?"
"They went up to the house for Hermione to change clothes."
"Ahh. And of course you could not come and help them." Pandora said with a slight laugh as she sat on the porch steps next to Harry.
Harry chuckled with a shrug. "I think Gramma's patience might get a bit thin if I tried that."
"How are you handling the things that happened earlier?"
Harry thought for a moment, "Okay I guess."
"You are troubled by the recent turn of events though."
Harry nodded, "Yeah. I mean why now. Why can't he just do this himself? What does he need me, what did he need kids to do his dirty work for him."
"It is a common pattern of Albus Dumbledore's. He is a spider sitting in the middle of his web. Allowing others to take the risks while he reaps the rewards. He has done this for most of his life."
"Some hero." Harry sneered.
"That is true." Pandora agreed.
Hermione and Luna came rushing from the house, "Harry! Harry! The dark mark is over the town."
"The what?" Harry exclaimed in confusion. Seeing Hermione's terrified expression in the twilight though let him know it was something bad.
"The Dark Mark. The sign of the Death Eaters. Its over the town. I saw it from Luna's window."
Luna nodded, "Glowing big green and ugly."
Pandora stood, "Harry, stay here."
"No my friends might be in trouble. Mom might have gotten in trouble in town."
Pandora frowned, "Then we'll all go in my jeep."
…...
Meanwhile across the county at Pine Mountain Lily was trying to explain to the MACUSA Sheriff for Harlan county, Edgar Lewis what was going on.
"Dammit Lily. I cannot arrest these men for doing nothing."
"He threatened me and Harry." Lily said referring to Peter.
"Look. I know what you told me happened back in England. But I cannot arrest a dead man. I got no legal groundwork. Plus I know that them wounds was caused by Harry's big ass rifle you bought him."
Lily smiled, "Its not all that big Edgar."
"A little bit of rifle envy?" Sirius quipped causing Severus to roll his eyes.
"If you do arrest us I would prefer solitary confinement." Snape quickly said.
"Look all youse just shut it. The only person in this room I got a even shakey groundwork to arrest is Black, and that's just for entering the country illegal like" Edgar turned back to Lily, "And he's got a case to press charges against Harry for wounding him like that."
"Doc Taggert is a capable man and will have him healed by morning." Lily sweetly said.
"Lily. What chaos are you bringing to my job tonight?" Boggs said coming into the office.
"Sorry Randy. These men are."
Randolph lifted his hand, "Edgar gave me the lowdown when he called. Kay?"
"Then why did you ask?" Sirius said.
"Cut them all loose Edgar, and we'll call what happened to that Pettigrew guy a hunting accident if he complains."
Edgar nodded, "Sure thing boss."
"So you don't care that an innocent man went to prison?" Lily demanded.
"Lily. That was under the British Ministry laws. We do not have an extradition treaty and as of this afternoon the MACUSA Congress voted to revoke all diplomatic ties to the U.K. Ministry effective immediately. So we don't even have any kinda treaties with them. They recalled the ambassador and everything."
"So what does that mean?" Sirius asked.
"Well Mr Black, it means you and your legally dead friend in Doc Taggart's hospital bed are in a rather gray area. You are in this country illegally, and he doesn't legally exist. So while I could hold you for INS to come and deal with you that would mean doing paperwork and I really hate doing paperwork. So just go forth and do no sins my son and we'll both be a lot happier."
Sirius gave a barking laugh as he jumped up and down in excitement. "Huzzah, Huzzah."
Severus raised his eyebrow but merely pursed his lips.
"As for your friend I am going to remand him into your custody, so the same thing applies to him."
Lily smiled, "Since he's already dead you can't kill a dead man."
Boggs shook his head, "Lily. I am going to pretend I didn't hear that and so is Edgar."
Edgar looked at the ceiling whistling as he rubbed his ear with his pinkie finger. "What was that?"
Lily nodded, "Fine. If he has a hunting accident or finds an open mine shaft I won't know what happened."
Boggs looked like he was going to say something but the jangling of the phone interrupted their discussion. Edgar's expression changed to one of confusion then anger.
"What is it?" Boggs asked of him.
"Dunno. Some idiot launched a giant glowing green skull over Cady Creek."
The four former residents of the United Kingdom blanched, Lily grabbed Severus by the front of his shirt, "SO help me if you brought friends with you there will not be enough of you left to feed a frog."
Severus shook his head, "I have no idea what happened. I swear to you Lily. He said not to harm Harry."
"Bella. She wanted him to die, she even back talked her boyfriend over it."
Severus looked horrified as he nodded, "Yes she did. But I did not think she would disobey him that foolishly."
"Wanna let the guy who has the badge know what y'all are tawking bout?" Edgar said pulling a holstered sidearm out of his desk to strap around his waist.
"Death Eaters. That green skull is their symbol. I'm going to Harry. The rest of you can catch up." Lily said running out of the office to exit the anti-teleportation wards.
Boggs stood there staring for a moment before turning to Edgar, "Well go on git after her you blithering blob."
Edgar nodded and jogged out a side door to his cruiser. Severus, Sirius and Xeno ran out the door following Lily.
Boggs slapped his thigh in disgust, "Goldagnit! This is gonna mean a mile and a quarter of paperwork."
He turned and entered his office, calling his house first, to let his wife know he would be home late, he sat at his desk preparing to make the second call. This call would be to his superiors in Lexington so they could send a Marshal out.
…...(End of chapter 6)
Review Responses
…...
Freddie Rindklip: I'm glad you like it. As for Hogwarts Harry will wind up visiting there briefly, but he won't like it and they won't forget it. Lolol.
EP: Thank you. I appreciate that.
Stacygrrl2002: Sounds like some good memories I hope. I also hope you've enjoyed the chapters up until now too.
DennisUD: So far they are not coming out too well. As for the Marauders, let's just say they're going to have a rather painful welcome.
Spellboundfool: Oh yeah. My wife and I are cousins (sixth cousins twice removed) on Momma's side it turned out. We didn't know because we didn't meet until in college. Her family had moved away before she was born and her dad moved back for work. All the kids turned out fine so its all good. Lolol.
Kgfinkel: Yes. I have papers to prove it too. Lol. Tankya kindly though for the compliment. As for the NSFW oh yes. Those sort of experiences are quite enjoyable. (And yes I have been in a co-monogamous relationship.) And hope this chapter answers the Severus question. O course it gonna raise a dozen more...
Manwe Illuvatarian: Music touches the soul. Even one as troubled as Sirius. Glad you enjoyed the NSFW.
Wandamarie: Thank you and I hope to.