Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit. Actually I don't own anything which you can recognise as someone else works: ie. Yesterday by the Beatles.

Preview: Named 'The Spy and the Red-head' for a very good reason. Severus and Mirzam learn whatever or not they are siblings. Regulus gives the kids another flying lesson. Severus and Regulus make first big decision concerning their duties as Head and Deputy Head of Slytherin House. Later Regulus meets one of his friends and pulls a stunt which leaves the merry bunch in awe and at the same time he tries to persuade Mirzam that he would be smashing godfather for Harry (which seeing what he had done for Harry might be quite logical outcome). Ron Weasley comes back and tries to get Harry and Draco into troubles but since Harry and Draco are good little Slytherins they know how to get out from troubles.

So read, enjoy and review (because I love to read your criticism and as long as you are logged in or I have your email I'm answering to your questions).

Thanks for such welcoming reviews. MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS - net had died and I couldn't update sooner (I nearly died too but it doesn't matter).


Chapter eight: The Spy and the Red-head.

The aura which was surrounding their hands was gold.

It was the final proof: he had a sister, half-sister but it was still a sister.

And suddenly his heart filled out with an emotion he hadn't felt ever since he learned that the Dark Lord assumed that Lily's child was the child of the prophecy. Panic. It was panic, the feeling, which he promised himself, that he will never feel again after Lily had died.

And suddenly she was there, in front of him. Lily. Her eyes so green, her hair so red … her face pale as it was in that moment when Dumbledore allowed him to see her body …

But it had disappeared as soon as it materialised in front of him. Lily was gone and now … now it was Mirzam's lifeless eyes he was staring into.

He bolted out, literally.

He had no idea where he was running, or how long had he ran. He just knew that at some point of time he had stopped running and he was back again in the small clearing in Forbidden Forest, alone.

It was beautiful place and when things were still good between them he and Lily used to come here for picnics and study sessions.

The air around him was still filled with Lily's soft laughter.

He dropped to his knees, all strength seemed to leave his body. It was cruel, utterly cruel … she wasn't there anymore. She was dead just like his mother … all women who ever mattered to him were dead. How could he be sure that Mirzam won't die someday, or even worse, die on him?

She wasn't Lily, he never expected her to be. But her death (actually the time when he thought that she was dead) pained him only slightly less than Lily's death did for a reason he couldn't name. He withstood the nightmares of Mirzam's imprisonment in Bedlam with the same patience he withstood recurring nightmares of seeing Lily dead. Two innocent women who had died by his hand, Lily indirectly and Mirzam … he had his wand pointed at her.

"It wasn't your spell," he heard her calm voice from behind and before he knew he was pulled in a warm hug and he breathed in the air which had a faint smell of irises. "Now I know that it wasn't your spell. It was the curse."

Mirzam had his arms wrapped around his shoulders and through her clothes he could hear her heartbeat. It was quick like she recently had to move very fast but it was solid and in a way so very reassuring that his own heart squeezed painfully in his chest.

"You had your wand pointed at me but you didn't had done anything and … when I felt it, the curse … You fled," Mirzam whispered.

"I'm sorry," he croaked into her shoulder. "For everything."

"Shh," she shushed him and he felt her hands running through his hair.

It was surprising feeling but at the same time so nice, so warm and so pleasing. His mother never had ran her hands through his hair and Lily only did it when they were in muggle world and only when she was daydreaming about future.

Hugs were even rarer and all of them were painfully short. His mother never hugged him and Lily did it rarely. Of course there were his aunts, each of them had given him a welcoming hug when he was coming around.

Suddenly he heard Mirzam's voice, full of softness caring through the air:

Yesterday,
All my troubles seemed so far away,
Now it looks as though they're here to stay,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly,
I'm not half the man I used to be,
There's a shadow hanging over me,
Oh, yesterday came suddenly.

Why she
Had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say.
I said,
Something wrong, now I long for yesterday.

Yesterday,
Love was such an easy game to play,
Now I need a place to hide away,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Why she
Had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say.
I said,
Something wrong, now I long for yesterday.

Yesterday,
Love was such an easy game to play,
Now I need a place to hide away,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.

"The Beatles," he mumbled.

"My mother used to singing it when something was troubling her," Mirzam replied. "I usually sang it when younger children in the orphanage couldn't fall asleep and when Sirius had his anxiety attacks. I always found this melody strangely soothing."

"It's soothing," Severus whispered.

"It's your song," Mirzam whispered. "Strangely I can picture you singing it."

"I can't sing to save my life," Severus snorted softly but he didn't moved from her embrace.

"Neither could Sirius," Mirzam snickered. "And he always used to bugger Abba songs in the shower. I remember once that I woke up because the shower was running but aside of that the bathroom was strangely silent."

"You found it endearing," Severus snorted in half-accusatory tone.

"It was just a small everyday trifle which always gave me comfort," Mirzam admitted. "Like a pair of rolled up, mismatched socks under the bed. Or half-burnt toast because he couldn't for the life of him prepare anything eatable which wasn't scrambled eggs. They are little things which keep irritating you to no end but in the end you feel grateful for them because it means that this person is there, with you. I miss him, Severus," she whispered.

"Well, I don't," he muttered. "I wish …" he paused to examine closely his feelings. Did he wished her to find her happiness with Black? He hated Black, period. But Mirzam was his sister and she had a right to be happy, especially after everything she came through. If Black made her happy … "I wish you that you will find happiness with him but don't expect me to show for every Sunday dinner, got it?"

"I know," Mirzam snickered. "I wouldn't torture both of you like that though I expect you to spend Christmas Day and Harry's birthday with us. Two days during the year instead of fifty-two isn't much, is it?"

"I will wait and see what your beloved will say about it," Severus mumbled. If he knew Black, then the mutt will save him from that obligations.

"If he still loves me he will tell you that as long as it would make me happy he would be prepared to spend every Sunday dinner with you at the same table," Mirzam giggled.

"Love makes fools of men," Severus snorted.

"Women too," Mirzam admitted.

They didn't spoke anymore until much, much later they found themselves in his quarters.

"Would you go with me to see my grandparents?" Mirzam asked suddenly. "You have your proof, I need mine. I bet that my hag of grandmother knows something about my parentage but she never had said a word."

"If you had grandparents then why you grew up in orphanage?" Severus asked curiously.

"They were abusive sadists, I wouldn't trust them even with a corpse of a cat," Mirzam muttered. "They hated me, I hated them, period. I preferred orphanage."

"How far the abuse went?" Severus asked as calmly as he could.

"Far enough to know that Harry should be removed from his relatives before they will break him," Mirzam said grimly. "Or kill him."

"They tried to kill you?" Severus gasped.

"Three times," Mirzam nodded. "They were obsessively religious and a granddaughter around who weird things were happening for them was Satan reincarnated. They thought that they could break me, they didn't."

"The potion wasn't enough?" Severus asked, he didn't wanted her to go.

"It was enough, for you," Mirzam said quietly. "For me it was just a tip of an iceberg. I'm coming in terms with the fact that my life was nothing but a lie."

"My father wasn't the most pleasant man in the world, Mirzam. If you have happy memories of your mother and her husband then live with that happiness," Severus whispered. "From my family you will get none."

"I still want to know something about myself," Mirzam sighed.

"If it will make you happy, I'll go with you. Just remember that I'm not doing it for anyone," Severus whispered.

"Thank you, Severus," she whispered. "Believe me I know and I'm grateful for it. I don't like facing them on my own."


Saturday morning had found Regulus preparing for another flying lesson for with the first years. He promised to make up the lack of Thursday lesson to them at Friday and he planned to keep that word today.

His talk with Dumbledore had proved nothing. Both had agreed that without Sirius they can't do much. And later he admitted to himself that they won't do much until Harry was removed from the Dursleys care, that's until Mirzam was going to have legal rights to take him in: ergo until Mirzam's half-brother was found the only thing they could do was looking for Pettigrew in households of random members of the Weasley and Prewett families. Besides that research could wait if he wanted to be in good touch with the kids. As much as he loved his brother he knew that having the kids on their side was far more valuable than Sirius's presence.

Regulus was mulling over everything which was discussed in last few days, absent-mindedly listening to Quirrel's stories from the Balkans but not really because at the moment the man could claim that he was a secret cross dresser with a weak spot for corsets and high heels and Regulus would only nod simply even if these kind of things usually scared him shitless after his encounter with Aurora Sinistra few years ago.

Speaking of Quirrel, during the last few days he acted like a bloody angel, as if he suspected that he was being watched. But Regulus's thoughts concerning younger man were interrupted by sudden appearance of Severus, who slipped into Regulus's usual seat and started eating breakfast with his usual methodical dignity but his body language indicated that he was in a good mood, which, considering that it was Severus, had meant that it was something big.

That made Regulus curious and made him switch the train of his thoughts. It wasn't so called weekend fever which Regulus learned to recognise over the years on most of his colleagues, who always welcomed the end of teaching week with open arms. Some of them were even so bad that if Regulus completely abandoned checking his watch and the calendar he could easily tell not only the day of the week but also the time of the day. But if he had to relay on Severus in this way he would actually loose the count after three days.

The only times when Severus was relatively happy was when Slytherin was playing a Quidditch match and the first match of the season (Slytherin versus Gryffindor) wasn't going to take place anytime soon.

Something had put Severus in a good mood and it was really surprising thing by itself.

"Did someone slipped an elixir which induces euphoria into your morning coffee?" Regulus asked curiously.

"No," Severus answered simply and he continued eating his breakfast.

"Slytherin plays with Gryffindor in the first match of the season on 9th November which happens to be two months away. Other than Dumbledore giving you DADA post is the only thing which could make you so happy," Regulus muttered.

"Can't a man be happy because he slept all night long and got his favourite food for breakfast?" Severus asked simply.

"You detest sausages," Regulus pointed out. "Plus you aren't a normal man who would be happy with such little things. Whatever caused your good mood is big."

"You are just being paranoid," Severus shrugged. "I need decent breakfast because I'm going out to run some private errand. Leave it."

Regulus dropped the subject and quickly finished the rest of his breakfast.


Harry was very excited about the flying lesson. So did Draco and every other boy in the dormitory except Neville who was just mildly excited. The girls however had different opinion which varied from 'I will go because we should stick together' (Hermione) to 'Sure. When?' (Daphne). Nevertheless after breakfast Regulus, once again accompanied by Professor Burbage, rounded them on the Quidditch Pitch and told them that they are going to have a small Quidditch match which caused Neville to fall from his broom.

Regulus however warmly reassured Neville that the bludgers will be charmed to not hit anyone with the full force which didn't seemed to help very much because Neville still looked pale but then Sally-Anne whispered to Neville that it was why Regulus was on the pitch, to prevent any accidents.

Regulus split them into boys versus girls teams with Draco as the captain and chaser, another chasers were Theodore and Blaise. Vincent and Gregory made the beaters. Neville with a sight of relief accepted being keeper and Harry was made the seeker. In girl team Daphne was the captain and chaser, together with Sally-Anne and Pansy. Millicent and Lilith made beaters. Tracey became their seeker and a very relieved Hermione became the keeper.

The match had lasted four hours which allowed Harry to improve his flying skills and watch his classmates playing abilities because Regulus let the snitch out about five minutes before lunch. Harry wasted no time and chased after the golden ball like he had a very angry dragon on his tail leaving Tracey somewhere far behind the tail of his broom.

With final score 900 to 300 for the boys Regulus let them go to Great Hall for lunch after they returned the brooms to the storeroom. After lunch they meet in boys' dormitory and started chatting about the match.

Draco pulled out a loose piece of parchment and started writing something on it.

"What you are writing?" asked Pansy curiously.

"Whom I would want in my team if I was the captain," Draco replied. "Potter, you aren't trying to wriggle out of it."

Harry snorted.

"Daphne as a chaser, you are born chaser," Draco muttered. "Neville as a keeper."

"Me?" Neville asked sceptically.

"You were quite decent during the match," Draco shrugged. "And once you started to not care about the high you just got better."

"I would add Gregory and Vincent as beaters," Harry added. "Quite a vicious pair they would make against other house.

"Agreed," Draco nodded.

"The last chaser?" asked Lilith.

"Theodore," Draco said simply. "We just need to improve our abilities and next year we can kick the competitions behinds into next century."

"You are forgetting that this competitions has probably more years of flying under their belts than we do," Hermione said sceptically.

"Ergo they can kick our sorry behinds," Harry added with a small snicker.

"Let's stick to the plan and next year we will see," Draco admitted.

"That's all you have to say?" Blaise snickered.

"If at least three of us won't make it to the team by next school year on the first Hogsmead weekend we are going to Honeydukes on my threat," Draco said solemnly.

"You know that you have thirteen witness for your statement?" asked Blaise.


Severus went up to Great Hall for breakfast in a very good mood. Sleepless night aside, he had great fun with Mirzam once he heard her idea for revenge on Sprout. She wasn't as brilliant as Lily was but she was smart nevertheless. But an opium and absinthe passed lust potion which was mixed with elixir to induce nightmares wasn't exactly something which would come to his mind. Mirzam knew Pomona's weak side and knew how to exploit that weakness.

The prospect of having a payback for his humiliation as well as scaring some close minded Muggles was quite enough to put him in a good mood. Though he wasn't at the stage where he could smile at everyone around – he never smiled at anyone unless his smile was a sadistic one – he felt content nevertheless. Even Regulus's curiosity didn't ruined his good mood.

He had meet with Mirzam outside the gates. She was wearing a black tailcoat with a matching black skirt and white turtleneck and black shoes. On the top of her nose were resting rectangular spectacles framed in black. On her arm was hanging big black leather bag. In overall she looked like a snotty Muggle lawyer and gave Severus good impression of his father's former boss.

Upon seeing him she raised one eyebrow daringly and with a swish of her wand his robes had changed into Muggle black suit with white shirt and black tie. With another flick of her wand his hair were pulled back in a ponytail.

"Stick to your role," she muttered before she waved her wand for the third time and on the top of his nose materialised matching to hers spectacles.

"Now we look like twins," he snorted in amusement.

"That was my purpose," Mirzam snickered. "Ms Elizabeth Smith and Mr Hubert Smith from Smith & Smith Notary Company. We are representing…"

"Late Isabella and Juan Verascez who wanted to found the descents of their lost son to pass their fortune to," Severus finished in a bored lawyer tone.

"Lend me an arm, will you?" she snickered as she hooked her left arm around his right.

"Don't push it," he warned her half-heartedly before he disapparated.

They apparated to a small back alley near Grimmauld Lane from where they went to the house under number thirteen. Mirzam knocked on the door and they waited.

The door had opened and Severus saw their host. It was a very old lady. If the lines on her face was any indication Severus would give her at least eighty years. Her white hair was pulled into impossibly tight topknot. Her face was heart-shaped just like Mirzam's was and her cheekbones were very pronounced. Her lips were drawn into a tight line. But what really surprised Severus were woman's eyes, almond-shaped and violet, but unlike Mirzam's eyes they didn't hold warmth, they were piercingly cold. The woman was dressed in black tail-coat. In her left hand she was holding a leash on which other end was a very small rat-like dog.

"How can I help you?" she asked coldly as if she was speaking to people who were lower than her which gave Severus a good impression of the female version of Lucius Malfoy.

"Mrs Benedicta Roberts?" asked Mirzam calmly.

"Yes," the woman replied calmly.

"My name is Elizabeth Smith and this man is my brother, Hubert Smith," Severus gave small, barely not existent bow. "We are from Smith & Smith Notary Company."

"Please, come in," the woman said and her tone suddenly lost it coldness and had changed to almost honey like consistency.

The woman stepped away and let them into the hall.

As far as the Muggle tastes went it the house reminded Severus of his Muggle grandparents house, snooty, tasteless and too strict.

Their host motioned at them to enter the living-room which had looked as snotty and tasteless as the hall.

"Please, do sit down. I will go fetch my husband from the library," said their host and she left the room.

"You lived in this house?" Severus asked in a whisper.

"Since I was five until I was eleven. Didn't changed very much," Mirzam whispered back. "And neither did she."

"Benedicta?" Severus asked curiously, still in a whisper.

"Said Severus," Mirzam muttered back. "Blame my great-grandparents from her side. They were as much religious as she was. She is coming," she added and quickly shushed him.

Their host had walked into the room with a man following her. The man looked a bit younger than his wife, thanks to fewer wrinkles but his hair were white and his green eyes sharp.

"Ms and Mr Smith this is my husband Benedict Roberts. Benedict, this young people came from Smith & Smith Notary Company," the woman introduced them to each other after Severus and Mirzam stood up to greet the man.

"So what exactly brings Smith & Smith Notary Company into our humble house?" asked the man when they seated themselves again.

"The last will and testament of Mrs Isabella Carmen Allegra and Mr Juan Miguel Fernando Verascez. I believe that your deceased son-in-law went under the name of Hubert Frances Verascez. At the age of nineteen he had married Ms Elizabeth Benedicta Roberts, your daughter," Severus said solemnly. "Together they brought up two daughters, Mirzam Mira Verascez and Gemma Francesca Verascez. Am I right?" Severus asked calmly.

"They did," the man nodded.

"If this is about the debts…" started the woman.

"Pardon me for interruption, madam," Mirzam said quickly. "But there is no need to worry about the debts. You see, Mrs and Mr Verascez were quite wealthy, their fortune is established on one million pounds, give or take five hundred thousands pounds in actions. Aside from Hubert they were childless and possessed no living relatives. When they had Hubert they were very, very young and very, very poor so after he was born they had decided that he will have a better life in the orphanage than with them. Over the years their financial status had changed but they didn't managed to find their son. Few weeks ago they had discovered that for a short time he and his wife had lived in Manchester and through your daughter we found your address."

"Since Mrs and Mr Verascez expressed their wishes for all their fortune to be given into the hands of one person we came here to find the current place of staying of Ms Mirzam Verascez. Of course our clients laid few exceptions on which young Ms Verascez will receive none of the inheritance," said Severus calmly.

"And these exception would be?" asked the woman eagerly.

"Pardon me for even suggesting that thought madam," Mirzam said quickly with a small apologizing smile. "But to receive the inheritance of her grandparents Ms Mirzam Mira Verascez has to be a blood child of Mr Hubert Frances Verascez. If there is a doubt concerning her parentage she will receive none of it. There is the same condition with the stability of her mind as well as her eventual marriage in which case her husband must have a clear record in the police archives."

"And if the exceptions apply?" asked woman and her tone was even more eager.

"Then the whole inheritance will go to the living family members of Mr Verascez and since his wife and other daughter are dead that would be you Mrs and Mr Roberts," Severus said quickly.

Hook. Line. Sinker.

The woman had propped herself on her armchair and sighed heavily, "It's hard to talk about it…"

"I understand," Mirzam said quickly.

"Our daughter when she was a teenager was quite a rebel," said the woman with a faked sigh. "She fell for one of my employees, quite a good lawyer but otherwise quite tasteless man, you should have seen his wife. Anyway," the woman pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket and whipped imaginary tears with it, "she was barely fifteen when she got into a love affair with him. I sacked him immediately and he vanished without a trace. But the damage was already done, my little Betty was expecting his child. Then came Hubert, he saw my daughter on the market with me and he fell in love with her. He didn't cared that Betty was with child and he married her eagerly. He recognised Mirzam as his daughter and treated her as such. But I tell you … she was the seed of evil. I'm sure that it was her freakishness which caused Gemma's sickness."

"Out of pure curiosity what was his name?" asked Mirzam calmly. "Perhaps young Mirzam would like to meet her father."

"Snape," said the man. "His name was Tobias Snape. Could be a great lawyer if he kept his instrument where he should. Actually, this young man here reminds me of him quite a lot," he added pensively.

"Perhaps because I'm his son?" Severus asked and he smiled wickedly. "My dear sister, here," Severus wounded his left arm around Mirzam's shoulders, "told me all about you," they had palled at that and Mirzam smiled wickedly.

"Get out from here!" yelped the woman and the little dog barked warningly. "I will c-call the police!"

"Brother of mine," Mirzam said cheerfully.

"Yes, my dearest sister, the fruit of my father's loins?" Severus asked in faked sing-song voice.

"Be my prince charming," Mirzam smiled widely.

"Your wish is my command, my lady," Severus smiled and pulled out his wand.

Four swishes of Severus's wand later they walked out from the house at 13 Grimmauld Lane laughing like they were struck by overpowered Cheering Charm.

"That was evil," Mirzam giggled after they had reached the Regent's Park. "Anti-fidelity charm on both and an oblivation so they won't remember our conversation. The sexual frustration is going to drive her up the wall and sinning … oh sinning."

"My pleasure," Severus snorted. "I meant to ask you before but I forgot. From where you got the wand?"

Mirzam's face turned more serious and she sighed, "I picked it up from the box which you keep at the bedside table. I'm sorry but I needed it. I will give it back to you as soon as we are out from plain view."

She took his mother's wand. Something akin to rage boiled in him but it died down quickly. His mother was dead, had been for years and she hadn't use it for years before she had died. What was the use of keeping her old wand in a box and allow it to gather the dust while it could work for someone else and in Mirzam's hands the wand had worked perfectly.

"Keep it," he whispered calmly. "Just take care of it," he added even more quietly. "It was my mother's wand."

She gave him small smile and to his surprise she hugged him tightly.

"Do you miss her?" she whispered into his ear.

"At times," he whispered back. "She could have gone very far if it wasn't for him, my father. He had killed her, legally. Killed her spirit, her magic, she was dead long before she had died. I had pitied her for years, I stood back while she was dying inside and I couldn't have done anything to help her. She died in my arms, she was thirty-six and had her whole life ahead but she died."

He felt the prickling in the corners of his eyes and he willed it to go away. He had never cried since he was five and his father had beaten the lesson that boys don't cry into his skull. Not even the pain which he felt, pain which had consumed him after he had found out about Lily's death didn't caused the tears to fall. He didn't cry back then and he won't cry now. He was stronger than that.

Mirzam had pulled away from him but she still had her arms wrapped around his back and she asked, "When was the last time you had cried?"

"Sometime twenty-six years ago," Severus replied. "One of the lessons you don't forget," he added grimly.

"Not even after Lily had died?" Mirzam asked gently.

"How … did you?" he mumbled, shocked by her question.

"Love is blind," Mirzam whispered. "Sometimes we think that we are hiding our love to someone very well but we do a very shitty job at it. Or maybe some people just see more than the others. You loved her," Mirzam said gently. "With all your heart and you had lost her, twice."

"How did … you?" he mumbled again.

"I can recognise the signs," Mirzam whispered. "Otherwise it's really hard to catch. When you think about her when you are absolutely sure that you are on your own your eyes lose their harshness. You wore the same expression to the Yule Ball in our fifth year. She was very nice woman, very intelligent, very talented but she was blind."

"Mirzam," Severus whispered.

"Love is something sacred, something which deserves to be cherished. Loving someone is giving your heart into the hands of that person and should never be something to be laughed for, a loving heart should never be stomped upon by the person to whom it was offered," Mirzam said fiercely.

"Mirzam," Severus whispered again.

"Heavens has no rage like love to hatred turned…" Mirzam whispered.

"I never hated her," he whispered. "It had pained me but I never hated her. I hated Potter. Never her."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mirzam asked compassionately.

"Not today," Severus whispered. "Some other day when …"

"When you won't need to keep up appearances," Mirzam finished. "But if you decide to do it sooner remember that I will be always there to listen."

Maybe she was right and maybe someday they would sit down and talk about his feelings. But that day won't come anytime soon. And even if a small part of him wanted to tell her everything about his past he knew that until she was an Occlumens (and a damn good one on that) nothing like that would happen.

It would be nice if he spent the rest of the day just with Mirzam only, of course with the prospect of another meeting with the Blacks later in the evening but clearly fate had different ideas.

"Severus Tobias Snape!" came a yell from behind his back.

He glanced at Mirzam quickly, she was standing with her mouth shut therefore she wasn't the source of the noise. He quickly turned around and flinched. There was coming his doomsday.

At time when he was bordering on the edge of the depression he created a mental list which he named 'Proofs that the world hates Severus Snape' and what was about to happen was number four on that list. Meeting his Muggle relatives.

Thankfully his grandparents had long ago left the world due to a car accident, his father was either death or as good as but that still left his annoying Muggle aunts who were as bad if not worse than his Prince aunts. Theresa and Charlotte Snape, the only sisters of his father, were both old maids who spent most of Severus's childhood and teenage years at travelling around the world but ever since Tobias Snape had vanished and Severus's mother had died they both came back to England and tried their best to take care of 'poor little Sevie'.

'Poor little Sevie' had a different views at taking care of himself than his damned aunts which lead him into putting Muggle repealing charms on his house on Spinners End (not that he spent a lot of time there) and avoiding showing up in Manchester at all cost. Sadly, he was still supposed to spend at least one Holiday every three years with them. Four years ago during Easter he had promised to spend another Easter with them in three years time but thanks to Regulus who suddenly got infected a very vicious case of Muggle chicken pox which due to the fact that several of his students managed to catch dragon pox (even if the git had dragon pox as a young kid) made Severus spent the whole Easter holiday at Hogwarts while he was looking for the cure for Regulus who turned green and red.

That's why he knew that he was doomed right in the moment he heard his name being called. At least now the only thing which would make it worse was the number three from his list: meeting his magical relatives.

"Severus Tobias Snape!" called out another voice, slightly different from the voices of aunts Theresa and Charlotte.

Oh, yes, the world really hated him. As if aunts Theresa and Charlotte weren't enough he just had to hear the voice of his Prince aunts: Jasmine and Rosemary.

"Do me a favour and kill me now," he muttered to Mirzam.

He barely had a chance to think about apparating away, leaving Mirzam in the clutches of the four harpies until very loud and very cheery calls 'Sevie!' stopped him.

Doom was a woman and it was standing all around him in its four forms.

"Severus, you little naughty boy. You promised to come for Easter and neither you came nor send a word," aunt Charlotte scolded him playfully.

"That's very unlike you my boy," added aunt Theresa.

"So that's how looks alike yours 'I'm very busy at the moment and I don't have a chance to meet with my favourite aunts'," said aunt Jasmine sarcastically.

"I'm afraid that there is a misunderstanding here, we are his aunts," said aunt Charlotte politely.

"We are his aunts too," said aunt Rosemary simply.

"Severus, perhaps you should introduce us to each other," Mirzam suggested with a small smile.

Great, fifth harpy.

"Excellent, Charlotte and Theresa Snape, my fraternal aunts, Jasmine and Rosemary Prince, my maternal aunts. Mirzam Verascez, my half-sister," Severus muttered grimly.

"Can you speak a bit louder young man because I don't think that I caught the whole sentence?" asked aunt Jasmine in amusement.

'Think about the Statue of Secrecy,' he reminded himself mentally and tried his best to smile at her which had ended as his usual sneer.

"Don't scowl at me young man because you will end looking like that," aunt Jasmine said warningly.

"Be sure that…" aunt Rosemary had started.

"Starch," Mirzam interjected quickly.

"What?" asked aunt Jasmine curiously.

"We use starch, don't we Severus?" Mirzam said sweetly.

"Lots of starch," he muttered quickly. "I like my bed sheets as straight as a plank."

"A nice …" aunt Rosemary started.

"Bit of starch here and there won't hurt," Severus interrupted here. "Just as long as we don't swallow it."

"Severus if you don't stop playing games right now I will h…" started aunt Jasmine.

"Hug me," he interjected quickly. "That's what I need, a big hug from my favourite older maternal aunt," he added and he hugged her quickly.

"Severus!" aunt Rosemary's voice indicated a warning.

"Where is your manners Seviekinns?" Mirzam asked sweetly. "Be a gentleman and invite your aunties for coffee in that nice coffee shop," she added as she pointed at small coffee shop on the other side of the lawn.

For a moment he had a big urge to hex her but it suddenly had changed to an urge to hug her. Coffee shop meant a way to escape the presence of all his aunts.

"Your aunties too, my dear girl," added aunt Theresa. "From one side but you didn't had revealed which one."

"Snape's side," Mirzam answered.

"That was less than expected," added aunt Charlotte. "Tobias couldn't keep his bird in his trousers even if the life had depended on it. Poor Eileen."

"You knew Eileen?" asked aunt Rosemary.

"We meet her on few family occasions. Nice girl but she had too much patience for Tobias, a well placed hit with a rolling-pin would set him straight about few important matters," answered aunt Theresa.

"She was too good girl for him, I always told her that," aunt Charlotte huffed. "Especially after that cow Roberts had sacked him. If he only kept Toby junior where it should be your situation would look much more different, Severus."

Thank you for stating the obvious, aunt Charlie.

"And you my dear, your mother's maiden name was?" asked aunt Theresa. "I assume that Verascez is the name of your step-father."

"Isn't that Roberts's granddaughter. Miriam?" said asked falsely cheerful voice from behind.

"My name is Mirzam, Double Bend Dick. Mir-cam," Mirzam said as she turned around and the expression on her face had indicated that the man was in great trouble.

Severus did too and saw a man of obese looking man of average high with longish balding red head and crooked teeth. He was smiling disgustingly at Mirzam.

"My name is Richard Benedict," the man said sternly.

"As I said Double Bend Dick," Mirzam replied simply.

"As I see you are still a freak," said the man as he started moving in her direction.

"Still consuming too much chocolate?" Mirzam asked sweetly. "I hope that the constipation is killing you."

Severus didn't liked it, neither the argument they were having nor the fact that the man was getting closer to Mirzam and she had done nothing to prevent it.

"Listen up…" the man said and he was very close to her. "Jesus. St Mary. Holly shit!"

From his position Severus couldn't see what Mirzam was doing but whatever it was it was causing the man quite a lot of pain.

"Stop it! Please!" the man yelped and his voice had sounded about an octave higher than before.

"Who is Double Bend Dick?" Mirzam asked sweetly.

"Bitch!" the man yelped and he fell on his knees holding onto his genitals.

"Do you want me to do the other one?" Mirzam asked sweetly.

The man quickly picked himself from the ground and tried to run away as fast as his injured privates allowed him to do it without too much of a pain.

"What was that?" Severus asked curiously.

"Something which you wouldn't like to try on yourself, I assure you," Mirzam grinned.

"That much I know," he snorted.

"He was a pervert for as long as I remember him and that was a payback," Mirzam said simply. "Just some useful stuff I learned over the years. The key is right grip, a very hard squeeze and a little turn."

Severus shuddered uncomfortably.

"You are Elizabeth Roberts daughter?" asked aunt Theresa in surprise. "That pervert, she was just a child."

"How about a nice cup of coffee?" Mirzam switched the subject.

Half of hour later Severus locked himself in the man's loo and sighed heavily. Dealing with the Dark Lord was easier than dealing with all his aunts put together in one room. It was a wonder that he and Mirzam managed to stop any mention about magic before his Muggle aunts could guess something.

"Are you fine there?" Mirzam knocked on the door.

"I will live," he called through the door. "As long as I'm within very far distance of all of them. Separately they are hard to stand but together they are…"

"Amusing," Mirzam snickered. "They had never knew about each other?" she asked.

"That was the best in it," Severus snorted. "Until today. It is just a proof how many sins I have. If I was a good man I wouldn't have to withstand their presence. Both families for a long time assumed that the other of my parents was orphaned and no one of them had bothered to set them straight."

"You aren't planning to apparate away, are you?" she asked suddenly.

"If I did I know that you will go after me and drag me back here," he replied.

"I wouldn't," Mirzam snickered. "Your Muggle aunts are right now looking very surprised, I need to interrupt something. I'll be back in a moment."

He thought about faking diarrhoea and claiming that he really needed to come back home.

When he left the loo ten minutes later he found Mirzam nowhere to be seen and his aunts gathered at the same table he left them earlier chatting happily.

"They are too busy to realise that we are gone," he heard Mirzam's voice from behind. "In two minutes the waiter will deliver them my note that we needed to do something but we won't mind seeing them some time later."

"Don't tell me that you thrust me into a dinner with them?" Severus groaned.

"Even worse," Mirzam giggled. "I invited all four of them to a dinner in your quarters by the end of the month."

"If I were you I would start to examining my food," he muttered grimly.

"Threat dully noted," Mirzam snickered and pulled him by the arm.


With Charity being busy with homework Regulus hardly had anything to do so he decided to bother Severus. The lack of success in their researches had put him in a little disturbed state of mind so he needed to occupy it with something else, like a game of chess.

Thankfully by the time Regulus had wandered into Severus's quarters the bat was back and was reading a book which Regulus couldn't define by the title. To his relief Regulus didn't had to persuade the man into a game of chess.

Their game was getting a bit more interesting when Regulus heard someone knocking on the door.

"Dumbledore?" Regulus asked without tearing his eyes from the chessboard.

"I rather doubt so," Severus muttered and he stood up.

He went to the door and let the intruder inside.

"What can I do for you Marcus?" Severus asked sternly.

"I came here to talk with you about the condition of Slytherin Quidditch Team, Professor," said Marcus Flint simply.

Regulus heard a swish of the door being closed before Severus came back to his seat and resumed their game.

"Professor?" Flint said cautiously.

"Keep talking, don't pay attention to Professor Lemeraude, he was asking for getting his bum kicked," Severus waved his hand.

"The game isn't over yet, Severus," Regulus snorted. "Keep talking, Marcus."

"As you know Professors we had a winning streak over the years," Flint said and they both gave a small nods. "But it isn't the best team we could have."

"What seems to be your biggest problem there?" Regulus asked curiously.

"Terence Higgs," Flint replied. "He is average seeker, plus its his last year at Hogwarts and I heard him muttering about N.E.W.T.s. My initial problem lies with him but so does with Miles Bletchley, sure he is a decent reserve but then again not someone whom I would want on team permanently."

"Pucey?" Regulus asked. "Topkins? Hurrlow? Gregson?"

"Hurrlow and Gregson would do decently if someone had knock into their heads that the Beaters are supposed to cooperate. Pucey and Topkins were our last resort," Flint answered with a shrug.

"So basically we should inform the house that there will be tryouts for all positions," Severus muttered. "Check."

"All except the Seeker," Flint admitted.

"You want Higgs to stay?" Regulus asked curiously.

"No," Flint shook his head. "I found my dream seeker and I will do everything to have him in my team."

"Let's hear it," Severus snorted.

"Harry Potter," Flint said quickly.

"Absolutely no!" Severus said firmly. "He is a first year for starters, secondly he didn't had a flying lesson…"

"With madam Hooch, Professor," Flint said calmly and then he grinned, widely. "But if you asked Professor Lemeraude about his performance on the broom he would tell you that the kid has a chance on becoming next Regulus Black with a lucky streak of not having another Mirzam Verascez around. The kid is amazing, flies like a devil and if we could give him a decent broom for a seeker he would be unbeatable."

"I second that opinion," Regulus admitted. "Harry is a naturally born seeker. I saw my shares of seekers before but he is like no one I saw and can please somebody tell me what is about Regulus Black because whenever I hear from the Slytherins the words: Quidditch, Slytherin and Seeker in one sentence then almost all the times I hear about Regulus Black."

"He was the best Seeker Slytherin had for ages," Flint said obviously affronted. "He could have gone professional if he wished."

"I'm not allowing Potter to play Quidditch," Severus stated. "He is a first year and he has a lot to learn besides it will be distracting him from his studies."

"Your funeral," Regulus mumbled. "So you want Minerva to have Quidditch Cup this year?"

"Get lost," Severus snorted. "There is surely someone else who could do it."

"Draco Malfoy," Flint sighed. "Through he would make far more better chaser, along with Daphne Greengrass. I saw them working against each other and if they can work together Gryffindor will have no chance for wining."

"You complained about Bletchey," Regulus stated. "Whom you would put in his place?"

"I was thinking about Neville Longbottom, Professor Lemeraude," Flint answered. "Sure he needs to be more surer about flying but he can defend the goalposts like an angry lion."

"Excuse me but I hardly think that Deputy Head of the Slytherin has something to say about it," Severus muttered.

"Draco and Daphne can write home and ask for their brooms to be sent to them but Neville and Harry are in much more tricky situation," Regulus muttered pensively.

A decent Cleanswaper number 7 would do for Neville, well maybe Nimbus 2000 but Harry was much more tougher case here. He would be a seeker therefore he needed the fastest and the safest broomstick possible.

Sommbers! Regulus mentally grinned. It was time to call upon a favour.

"I will take care of the brooms for Neville and Harry. I can surely persuade Augusta Longbottom to buy Neville at least a Cleanswaper number 7. But Harry's broom will be much more tougher to find," he said pensively.

"At least a Nimbus 2000, Professor," Flint said quickly. "Though Nimbus 2001 is supposed to be great but it won't come out until next spring and Potter would need a broom which would work for a long time for him."

"I will keep that in mind," Regulus grinned more to himself than to Flint.

"I have a feeling that you two are ignoring me," Severus stated. "How sure you are about their performance?"

"As sure that it is you I'm seeing here, Professor."

"You can't say that someone is going to be a great player if you just saw them once on a broom," Severus snorted.

"Twice," Flint corrected him quickly. "Potter has a great potential, Professor. I would hate to see his talent lost."

"You aren't going to change your mind on that?" Severus sighed.

"No," Flint shook his head.

"I see wheels turning in your brain, Lemeraude. What are you up to?" Severus commented.

"I need to call an old favour," Regulus grinned.

"Are you a friend with the director of Nimbus company?" Flint asked curiously.

"No," Regulus snickered. "Leave it this way, we will finish it later."

"What exactly you have in mind?" Severus asked sceptically.

"It's just a thought," Regulus shrugged.

"On your heads then," Severus sighed. "I didn't heard about it if someone asks, especially if it is Professor McGonagall."

Regulus left the castle rather quickly. He apparated away to small town in Wales where a former student of his was residing.

The house looked nice and cosy from the distance, a perfect house for a perfect family. White walls and green roof. Idyllic.

He went through the lawn and knocked firmly on the door. He waited about a minute before the door had opened and young man with blond hair had peeked out through the doorway.

"Professor Lemeraude, I haven't seen you for a long time," the man said cheerfully.

"Hello Robert, how is Mrs Sommbers these days?" Regulus asked cheerfully.

"Very well, little Jack is going to be born in a matter of few weeks. She is off visiting her Muggle grandparents in Cardiff," the man had said and he let Regulus inside.

"And how are you?" Regulus asked in concern.

"I didn't felt better since I remember. I know that it is getting old but I really thank you for helping me. We owe you a lot," Robert said earnestly.

"Good," Regulus smiled at the man. "How is your new project?"

"Splendid," Robert's face had brightened up. "I tested it myself again and everything is great. All charms work. Now is time for all ministerial approvals. That will take more than I expected to."

"How soon?" Regulus asked curiously.

"At best?" Robert shrugged. "Some time next year. At worse late spring or early summer of 1993. But I tell you that it is going to be smashing, Professor."

"How do you intend to name it?" Regulus asked curiously.

"I was thinking about Firebolt, Professor. Appropriate name for a broom, don't you think?" Robert asked. "Stream-lined. Superfine handle of ash, treated with a diamond-hard polish. Each individually selected birch twig. Great precision and unsurpassable balance. 150 miles an hour in ten seconds. Unbreakable breaking charm. Perfect for Quidditch."

"You bought me," Regulus snickered. "I never doubted your abilities for creating a flying perfection."

"I see that glint, Professor," Roberts grinned. "So whom you want to gift with the prototype?"

"How did you guessed that I came here about it?" Regulus asked surprised.

"You saw us just two weeks ago. You talk about Quidditch which is yours favourite topic whenever there is a match at Hogwarts about to happen or when you are inebriated enough by my wife's fine wine. School year had started about a week ago therefore a match isn't the issue. You are sober. Plus you came to a manufacturer who recently finished his creation."

"Guilty as charged," Regulus snickered. "I need the fastest and safest broom available. Something which will work for a long time for a young man who is about to start his career at Quidditch, at Hogwarts of course. The kid is talented but sadly he is an orphan and the brooms cost, especially good ones. My financial status is very good, I don't need that much money and I managed to save quite a lot over the years. I'm willing to pay for your work and the costs of production."

"You got me hooked," Robert admitted curiously. "Who he is?"

"Harry Potter," Regulus replied.

Robert swayed on his feet slightly and he breathed out, "You want to buy a broom from me for Harry Potter?"

"Well that was my initial idea," Regulus admitted. "I believe in you and I like to think ahead. Firebolt is going to be smashing so I don't intend to waste money on a Nimbus."

"I will give you a broom for him for free, Professor," Robert said quickly.

"No, I won't be imposing on you," Regulus shook his head. "I will buy one."

"Fine then," Robert admitted. "But you will swear that you are going to pay the exact price I give."

"Agreed," Regulus admitted quickly even if he had found it slightly suspicious that Robert gave up these easily.

"At the moment I don't have one ready yet, except the one I use for tests. That one is slightly tricky. Exact prototype and I can't give that one up but if you give me a week I will send you perfectly prepared broom. Though…" Robert glanced at him meaningfully.

"I had thought about it too," Regulus said quickly. "I would simply suggest to disguise it as an ordinary Nimbus 2000 until the Firebolt is going to hit the market."

"We are lucky that Nimbus doesn't use register code," Robert nodded. "It is going to be perfect, Professor. Out of pure curiosity, is Potter a seeker?"

"Not yet, about to become one but he has a great potential," Regulus chuckled.

"I will have it done in a week, maybe less. It is going to be a perfect broom, Professor," Robert smiled.

"And the charge?" Regulus asked curiously.

"I will send the bill together with the broom, sir," Robert snickered.


It was early evening, right after dinner when Severus's private quarters had been raided by the Black family again. Regulus settled himself in the armchair he was occupying during their earlier game of chess with a content smile on his face. Charity was seated on the left arm of the armchair while Mirzam occupied another armchair. Harry was lying on the floor in front of Mirzam and was flipping lazily through 'Transfiguration for Dummies'. Mr Black had settled himself on the couch. Severus after preparing himself a big cup of peppermint tea had settled himself on the other end of the couch.

The subject of Mirzam's brother was supposed to come out anytime now. Thankfully when Regulus and later Flint left his quarters Severus and Mirzam discussed the issue thoroughly. Giving all information was plainly stupid thing to do on which both mutually agreed. As far as Severus knew Mirzam's marriage only had to be accepted by her brother and no further issues could arose because of it.

"How is looking for your brother going, my girl?" asked Mr Black suddenly.

"I already found him. He doesn't want to do anything with me but at least he grudgingly admitted that he accepts my marriage," Mirzam replied calmly.

"It's not someone you would like to introduce, is he?" asked Mr Black.

"I rather not. He is not someone whom I would willingly consider as a friend and for all parties included it would be better if he had stayed away from us," Mirzam shrugged.

"At least we have what we need," Mr Black sighed. "Reggie, my boy, would you kindly stop pawing Ms Burbage and give your approval."

"I approve of my brother's marriage to Mirzam Mira Verascez," Regulus said quickly.

"That was anti-climatic," Mr Black snorted. "Can you do it properly?"

Regulus rolled his eyes and he stood up before he walked to Mirzam and said solemnly, "I, Regulus Arcturus Black, approve the marriage union between Sirius Orion Black and Mirzam Mira Verascez. Mirzam, from now on you are considered as a member of the family and you are supposed to be known as Mirzam Mira Black. Welcome in the family my sister."

"Th… Ouch," Mirzam yelped and she gazed at her left hand

"Ah, got to love Black family wedding rings," Mr Black chuckled. "Pure goblin-made silver. Very useful in deals. Each pair is different from the others and each acts like a key to every business which a man commands. For an instance if Mirzam here decided to buy an estate she would do it in the name of her own and her husband. From now on you have unlimited access to the Black family vaults and due to the fact that Sirius despite being blasted from the family tree is still according to the tradition the head of the Black family."

"Out of curiosity," Severus interrupted. "Why is that? Isn't the oldest member of the family supposed to be the head of the family."

"They are always two heads in Black family, my boy," Mr Black shook his head. "The oldest man and the oldest male heir, with Black family name of course. In certain cases when one of them and only one of them is unable of taking care of his duties all responsibilities fall on his wife, if he has one."

"So I can adopt Harry now," Mirzam said pensively. "But how it looks from legal angle?"

"Due to lucky coincidence Harry is already related to Black family. In that case we can omit the factor of pursuing legal adoption through the Ministry and we can use the blood rite which will keep in place old relations and add new one. To make it more clear we will make a blood adoption which will add another mother and father to Harry's family tree without removing the Potter bloodline from him. Therefore Mirzam and later Sirius are going to have a saying in what happens to Harry," Mr Black explained.

"So I don't have to come back to the Dursleys if Mirzam wishes me not to go?" Harry asked impatiently.

"Well that was the main idea," Mr Black chuckled. "In addition it will also make you the heir of the family though to have a legal saying in family matters you need to be of age in wizarding world which you will turn on you seventeenth birthday."

"So what do we need for the ritual?" asked Mirzam.

"A Potion Master," Mr Black snickered. "The potion used in the rite is heavily based on Blood-Replenishing Potion and Heritage Potion, since it wasn't used for ages and I didn't expected that you will succeed in finding your brother so soon, I don't have it on me but I will give it to you, Severus, my boy as soon as possible."

"Any idea how long it would take to prepare it?" Severus asked curiously.

"From what I read about it takes exactly twenty-five hours to prepare. There is also another useful factor which we can use in the potion," Mr Black mentioned.

"What about supposed blood wards on the Dursleys household?" asked Mirzam curiously.

"I believe that such wards doesn't exist but if you want to be safe there …" Mr Black muttered and then paused for a longer moment. "There is a way to use it but it is a very tricky way," he added pensively. "In Muggle world it is called transfusion. We need the blood which is supposed to protect Harry."

"Blood Replenishing Potion?" Severus asked curiously.

"It would be very long and painful process," Mr Black admitted. "For it to work Mirzam will have to be put in coma induced by the Draught of Living Death. Since the potion will put you in stasis we will be able to slowly drain your own blood and induce the blood which is supposed to protect Harry."

"You forget that we are talking about a Muggle, grandpa," Regulus grimaced.

Severus's memory had flashed to the day he saw Lily's body and whispered, "Not really."

"Unless you have the vial of Lily Potter's blood hidden somewhere I don't think that it is going to work," Regulus shook his head.

"And what if I have it?" Severus muttered.

"Blood protections can't work backwards," Regulus snorted.

"There is no need to think about backwards," Severus snorted. "What would keep us on the safer side, using Blood Replenishing Potion transfusion before or after adoption?"

"Before," Mr Black answered. "It would take all day."

"Thank you," Severus sighed. He had enough of Blood-Replenishing Potion in his stores, he always prepared more than Pomfrey asked him to.

He waited until the room had cleared out save from Mirzam.

"How did you do it?" Mirzam asked curiously.

"I have no idea, I just did," Severus shrugged.

"How soon?" Mirzam asked.

"As soon as you are prepared," Severus answered quietly.

"Give me a moment," Mirzam nodded.


Harry never thought that he would meet a boy he would hate more than Dudley but that was before he meet Ron Weasley. Being warned beforehand by Professor Snape to be exceptionally careful around everyone with surname Weasley he stayed away from Ron Weasley. But since these game needed two to work properly Harry didn't achieved much, Ron Weasley turned into his shadow, at first bothering Harry with the offer of friendship and when it was denied to him, few times actually, Weasley started ridiculing him. Thankfully Gryffindor and Slytherin shared only one class, Potions and Harry didn't had to see the squirrel more often. Or that he thought so until he spotted large notice on the blackboard in the common room.

Flying lessons will be starting on Thursday and Slytherin and Gryffindor will be learning together.

"Who came with the idea that Potions and Flying is something which Slytherins should learn with the Gryffindors?" he asked darkly during breakfast on Thursday.

"Professor Snape always says that it was for sure a Gryffindor," Grace Delano who was sitting on Harry's left replied. "Though the identity of the idiot remains unknown. You lot will need to watch out since Hooch is Deputy Head of Gryffindor."

"I wish that Lemeraude could take over the lessons," Draco sighed.

Their conversation was interrupted by a barn owl which landed in front of Neville who was sitting on Draco's left. At the same time Draco's eagle owl had landed in front of him and he grimaced at it.

"Sweets again," he sighed as he opened the package. "Wish that they could sent me a broom instead. Does someone wants Ice Mices and Liquorice Wands? I didn't finished the last box."

"Neither did we," Theodore snickered.

"Oi, Terry ask around if someone wants Ice Mices and Liquorice Wands," Draco called over to Ravenclaw table. "We are stuffed with them."

"We will trade for Pumpkin Drops," Mandy Brocklehurst called out.

"Deal," Draco called back and pushed the boxes in Harry's direction.

Harry picked them and handed them to Terry who gave him big box of Pumpkin Drops. After they exchanged the sweets their turned their attention to Neville's package. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

"It's a Rememberball," he explained. "If you think that you forgot something you hold it tight like that and if it turns red ... oh," his face fell, because the Rememberball had suddenly turned scarlet.

"Seems that you've forgotten something," Draco commented. "Let's check it. History of Magic?"

"Done," Neville replied.

"Charms?" asked Harry.

"Done too," Neville shook his head.

"Potions?" Hermione who was sitting next to Harry offered.

"Almost finished. I didn't managed to rewrite it though I wanted to do it after breakfast," Neville answered.

"It's kind of pointless," Draco muttered. "Why we don't ask Professor Snape or Lemeraude for a slip. It's not that we don't know how to fly?"

"You lot," said a boy which they learned was Marcus Flint, the Captain of Slytherin Quidditch Team. "Come to see me after breakfast in classroom number eleven."

"We can go now," Draco replied.

"Good," Flint said and he lead them out of the Great Hall.

He lead them to classroom number eleven and he firmly locked the door after they entered it. He settled on the top of the one benches before he said.

"I've already spoken to Professors Snape and Lemeraude and they agree with me. We have full squad this year but some are average players which I would like to change for someone better. Potter, you are going to be our seeker and under the pain of death you aren't supposed to refuse it. Malfoy and Greengrass, I want you to be our chasers, depending on your performance during the trainings you will be either reserve players or regular one though I'm leaning toward the later. Longbottom, I want you to start training as a keeper, you are good keeper but you need to be more confident with flying so for now you will be in reserve team. You two," he motioned at Daphne and Draco, "can write to your parents to send you your broomsticks. As for you two," he motioned at Harry and Neville, "Professor Lemeraude will be settling that matter with your grandmother Longbottom and he motioned something about a good source for a perfect broom for you, Potter. Ask him for the details if you want. As members of the Quidditch team you are excused from your flying lessons and luckily for the rest of you Professor Lemeraude managed to persuade Headmaster to let him teach you flying since he apparently has a little to do with his time. We are going to have first practice on Saturday, nine o'clock sharp. Don't be late," he announced and left the classroom.

"Me?" Neville mumbled. "Keeper? Is it just me or the earth started spinning in opposite direction?"

"Let's write home now," Draco suggested.

The rest of the day had passed without any incident and Harry allowed himself to spend some time with Mirzam, in Snape's quarters.

"That's great news," Mirzam said happily when Harry told her that he was made Slytherin seeker. "As soon as I can persuade my chaperone to let me out I will buy you the best broom on the market."

"I'm afraid that Reggie beat you to it. He already talked with Flint, the captain and he is taking care of that," Harry chuckled. "What do you think he is going to buy?"

"Actually beats me," Mirzam snickered. "I haven't been on a broom ever since I joined the Aurors but in my days I flew on Nimbus 1000. Good broom, excellent for a seeker, quick and easy to manoeuvre. They still have a good opinion and I guess that Reggie will get you the newest model, I think that it is Nimbus 2000."

"Would be cool if you could teach me few tricks," Harry chuckled. "Reggie is quite good but I heard that you were loads better."

"Reggie had a Quidditch Pitch all for himself for years and I didn't fly for at least thirteen years. But they are few tricks which I can teach you," Mirzam admitted. "When you are going to have your first training?"

"Saturday, nine o'clock," Harry answered.

"I will try to make it," Mirzam smiled at him.

"How is everything going on with the potions?" Harry changed the subject.

"The blood protection issue has been already taken care off someday soon we will do the blood rite," Mirzam answered. "I read about it and there is nothing to worry about. By the end of the week you will be having a true guardian," her tone was much more happier. "I can't believe that it is happening, you know."

"Neither do I," Harry admitted with a grin. "I love to have you for a mother but …"

"I don't expect you to call me, mother. To be frank I would be surprised if you suddenly started to do it, Harry," Mirzam nodded. "This situation is new to us and until we are all comfortable with calling each other different than our given names I think that name basis would work for us."

"I like your name," Harry admitted. "It's melodic. What does it means?"

"Harbinger in Arabian," Mirzam explained. "Or a roaring lion. Quite fitting name for someone extremely overprotective of those whom I care about, don't you think?"

"What about second name?" Harry asked curiously.

"Mira," Mirzam answered. "Worth admiration. Sirius always used to joke about it."


Harry was eating his lunch at Friday patiently and was discussing their ongoing project from History of Magic with Hermione when an unknown owl had landed in front of him. It was holding thin and long parcel. He was about to unpack it when another owl landed on the top of it. Harry opened the letter it dropped and read.

DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE!

It contains your new broomstick. I had been able to persuade a friend of mine who is preparing to launch new type of broomstick on the market. It is the Firebolt which I believe is going to get the name of the best broom on the market as soon as the sales will start, which sadly won't happen anytime soon so until this time if everybody asks you about it tell them that it is Nimbus Two Thousand. Come to You-Know-Where on seven in the evening and I will show you how it looks under glamour charms.

Yours,

M.A.L.

"It is wow …" Draco who was sitting on Harry's other side mumbled and was reading the message over Harry's shoulder. "Can I come too?"

Harry was about to answer 'no' since he knew that Regulus was referring to Snape's private rooms which wasn't exactly the best place to let Draco in since Mirzam was living there but he didn't had a chance because someone had snatched the parcel from the table.

"It is a broom," said Weasley with a sneer and he threw it back at the table. "You are in for it this time. First years aren't allowed to have brooms."

"Envious Weasley?" Harry snorted. "It isn't just any broom, it is Nimbus 2000. Your family will have to sell your house and you won't be able to buy even a handle of it. Bet that you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

"How dare you!" Weasley yelped.

"Truth hurts," Draco snorted.

"I challenge you on wizards duel. Midnight tonight, in trophy room. Who will be your second?" Weasley sneered.

"I will. Who will be yours? No strike that. You will need more than one to bring you to hospital wing," Draco commented.

"Finnigan," Weasley muttered and he turned on his feet.

"I don't think that it is wise …" Hermione stated calmly.

"You think that we are truly going to duel him, huh?" Draco chuckled.

"Aren't you?" Hermione asked sceptically.

"You will learn by tomorrow," Draco snickered. "I don't know where is that You-Know-Where but I'm definitely going with you."

Harry tried his best to lose Draco on his way to Snape quarters, he even made few detours and for a moment he thought that he lost him but in the moment he knocked on Snape's door Draco appeared by his side.

"What you are exactly trying to hide?" Draco snickered.

"That Professor Snape is my mother's long lost brother and we are trying to bond after lessons," Harry snorted.

"Stop kidding me," Draco snickered again.

The door had opened and Harry's breath caught in his throat. If Snape or even Regulus opened the door it wouldn't be a problem. But it was Mirzam. She was smiling warmly as she invited them inside.

"Stop making the draft for Merlin's sake, Mirzam!" came a yell from Snape's laboratory. "Because as much as I'm happy for having you for a sister I'm going to strangle you if I fuck this one up!"

"Language Severus!" Mirzam yelled back. "They are children in here!"

"I need to add a potion to cure your shitty eyesight to my list. Now you just started seeing double. Your brother-in-law isn't even here."

Mirzam was Snape's sister? What kind of fumes Snape was recently breathing in?

"Add one for Harry too!" Mirzam yelled back.

"I wasn't aware that Severus had a sister, Ms Snape," Draco mumbled.

"I'm his recently acquired half-sister," Mirzam chuckled. "I'm Mirzam Verascez. Strike that, I was Mirzam Verascez but I'm Mirzam Black now and you are …"

"Draco Malfoy …" Draco started but the sound of glass crashing coming from the laboratory interrupted him. "That Mirzam Verascez who always beat Regulus Black?" he asked when a list of curses came from the laboratory.

"One and only," Mirzam smiled. "Sit down. Do you want tea and biscuits? I hope that you like peppermint because one git spelled out the other tea jars. As soon as he shows up he is going to spell them back to open properly unless he doesn't likes his Quidditch equipment. One for you, Sev?"

"One oblivation for me," Snape's voice came through the doorway. "As long as you value your life of course."

"Why I have a feeling that it has something to do with me?" Draco asked.

"Perhaps it is the fact that despite being his sister," Mirzam gesture at the laboratory door. "I happen to be a Muggle-born and your family isn't exactly fond of my kind."

"My parents aren't," Draco admitted. "But someone tries to beat some sense into my head with a beater bat and I'm trying to see something in what he is saying. He appears to be right up to date and I would like to keep my head intact."

"What about Fidelius Charm?" Harry asked. "I don't think that this information should be passed around."

"We were about to perform it after you left," Mirzam admitted from the kitchen.

"So I wasn't supposed to know it?" Harry asked in slightly hurt voice.

"For obvious reasons," Mirzam said as she peeked her head out from the kitchen.

"But I know now," Harry pointed out.

"Then let's perform that damned charm now before your brother-in-law and his girlfriend shows up," Snape muttered as he approached them.

"Charity has a meeting with Flitwick so she isn't going to be here today," Mirzam snickered as she settled their teas on the coffee table. "You don't like her."

"I dislike many people and none of them are making a tragedy out of it," Snape snorted and then he looked at the parcel which Harry was holding. "She stares at me too much."

"Imagine her face if she learned that you are my brother," Mirzam snickered as she plopped down at the armchair.

"For your brother-in-law's sake I hope that she doesn't have a weak heart," Snape muttered.

"I'm going to be a Secret Keeper," Mirzam stated.

"Absolutely not," Snape objected. "I will be the Secret Keeper."

"No," Mirzam objected.

"Yes," Snape stated firmly

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"No. Yes. Damn you woman!" Snape muttered.

"My point exactly," Mirzam snickered.

"Fine you won," Snape snorted. "But not a word."

Snape stood up and wandered to Mirzam's armchair and held out his left hand, she held it with her left hand and her wand was pointed at it. For a short moment she was muttering something and suddenly their hands were enveloped by silver light which disappeared as soon as it appeared.

Snape stood up and turned to them as he said, "Now you two tell me my sisters name."

Harry opened his mouth and try to say it but he found out that something was holding his mouth from forming the words.

"Now we are going to wait until this menace shows up and fixes the tea jars," Snape sighed and he sat down on the other couch to the one where Harry and Draco were sitting.

"To use this time well, Professor. Let me tell you that Harry was challenged by Ronald Weasley into a wizards duel. I'm his second and we are supposed to meet him at midnight tonight in the trophy room."

"I hope that neither of you are planning to show up," Snape said simply.

"That wasn't our intention, sir," Draco answered.

"Good, I will be glad to send Mr Filch to trophy room at midnight. I will be surprised if he has something against catching Weasley in a place where he isn't supposed to be," Snape sighed. "So what exactly the menace had sent you, Harry?" he asked as he took as sip of his peppermint tea.

"It's called Firebolt, sir but it is disguised as Nimbus 2000," Harry answered and was surprised to see Snape chocking on his tea.

"Out … of his … mind," Snape coughed up and Mirzam swatted his back forcefully. "I know that he is acquainted with its creator, Mr Sommbers but that broom is supposed to be in the phase of ministerial tests before it hits the market for at least another year. That's all requirements which all new broom companies should meet. He is treating a dangerous line," he added sternly when he finished coughing.

"He is a Slytherin and a former Seeker," Mirzam pointed out. "He uses his knowledge in advance, Severus. Besides I heartily doubt so that he would want anything bad to happen to Harry. I say that if he picked out this broom then it is one hundred percent safe for Harry. Wonder how much it cost him?"

"Probably an arm and leg," Snape snorted.

"One galleon, actually," came a chuckle from the doorway and everybody looked at Regulus who was leaning against the door with a huge grin on his face. "I was surprised myself when I got the bill. I agree with Mirzam, the broom is one hundred percent safe. I tested it myself when Sommbers showed it to me in the summer."

"How did you get it on such a small price?" asked Draco curiously.

"I saved his life, did some matchmaking. People remember old favours if you are nice to them, Draco," Regulus explained as he sat down next to Harry.

"Before you do great reveal go to the kitchen and counter-jinx the tea jars if you value your Quidditch equipment," Mirzam snorted.

"There is no need to be hissy," Regulus chuckled and Mirzam raised her left eyebrow at that. "Okay, okay. I'm going to fix it," he said defensively as he stood up and wandered into the kitchen.

He remained there for a moment before he came back to the sitting-room. By that time the tea cups were removed and the parcel was laying on the coffee table. Regulus opened it.

Harry knew next to nothing about different brooms, thought it looked wonderful. Sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.

"Now watch it," Regulus said with a grin and tapped his wand on the broomstick.

It changed momentarily. The handle of ash was glittering as if it was just polished. It had a long tail of perfectly smooth, straight birch twigs and registration number '1' written in gold at the top of the handle.

"Wow," Harry mumbled.

"You are brilliant," Draco breathed out. "You how no idea how rare are first registered brooms, Harry. They cost a fortune, especially the one with number first. How much this one would cost in regular sale?" he asked curiously.

"The price is on request," Regulus shrugged. "Although the bare version is supposed to cost five hundred galleons. From what Sommbers told me it is the fully packed version which I haven't even slightest doubt will cost at least one thousand galleons."

"It's personalised broom," Mirzam commented. "It reads Harry J. Potter on the other side, see," she pointed on the other side of the handle. "Personalisation costs at least two hundred galleons depending on the broom, five hundred if we are talking about broom with full package. Already spoiling him, aren't you?"

"You are just hissy that you weren't first," Regulus stuck his tongue at her.

"At least you left me other Quidditch gear to buy him," Mirzam snorted.

"I rather doubt so," Regulus chuckled.

"You wouldn't dare," Mirzam narrowed her eyes at him.

"Hey, I'm allowed to spoil my godson rotten," Regulus snickered.

"What makes you think that you are going to be a godfather?" Mirzam asked ironically.

"I can see your brother who doesn't want anything to do with you being Harry's godfather, ditto," Regulus snorted.

Harry and Draco exchanged curious glances.

"In Black family tradition uncles and aunts were kids godparents," Regulus stated.

"If you are the uncle then Sirius Black …" Draco mumbled.

It took some time to explain Sirius's situation to Draco but Draco listened to it intently, nodding from time to time.

"I wouldn't even leave a cat in their care and it has nothing to do with the fact that they are Muggles," he said finally when all Sirius related explanations were finished. "You are right and Harry deserves to have much better home and if what you are telling about Sirius Black is indeed true then Harry is going to have a great home."

"Keep a sharp eye on a rat with a missing finger, you kids are more likely to spot one that we," Regulus sighed.

"Am I allowed to let other Slytherin first years know about the situation? Everybody likes Harry and they would love to help him and together we can spot more than alone. Though I have some information about a rat," Draco asked curiously.

"You can," Regulus admitted. "If you see one on a student just report it to someone from the Heads of the Houses or their Deputies as long as it isn't Professor Sprout."

"I don't think that it will be necessary if I'm right," Draco sighed. "I'm almost sure that I saw a rat matching to your description on Ronald Weasley, you know that Gryffindor menace who shares potions with us. It was on the train and the rat was lying on his knees, I thought that there was something wrong with one of his paws but I wrote it off until now."

"Try to check it out tonight," Snape suggested. "Weasley is going to be in trophy room around midnight and either me or Filch is going to caught him. If he is there I can give you a hour at the most. You two aren't allowed to step outside Slytherin common room. Did I made myself clear?" he asked sharply.

"Crystal clear, Professor," Harry and Draco said in unison.


Awaiting criticism - like always. I'm replying as long as you leave me your email or you log in while reviewing. Bring my ego down ;)


Sniffy's random ramblings:

(pokes her head from behind the couch and checks the coast) I hope that this chapter had matched your expectations ... It isn't one hundred percent perfect but it comes close to what I wanted to have in it. I'm sorry, again, for having so little of Harry's PoV - Severus's reaction to the news and visiting Mirzam's grandparents as well as meeting Severus's aunts in original version of the chapter were much more shorter and I had a lot of room to manuver (seeing that Severus's reaction in the first version of the chapter was non-existen, Mirzam's grandparents were much more duller and Severus's aunts weren't supposed to be there - I just wrote the piece with them one day and then the other day I cut it out).

But now as we have Severus and Mirzam arch out of the way we can spend more time at following Harry around (just let me catch Pettigrew and I can write you whole chapter devoted to Harry's point of vission ... but it won't be the next one, sorry :) )

I loved the title, I just hope that I will find nearly as adequate title for next chapter as I found for this one. This chapter not only deals with Severus (the spy) and his feelings for Lily (red-head obviously) but also mentions who had let the snitch out during Harry's last game (cough) Flint (cough) - another spy obviously and our other red-head gets Harry in troubles.


Next chapter: I'm still looking for the title ... Pettigrew gets caught, Mirzam adops Harry (without Sirius), Harry has his first training with Slytherin Quidditch team. Regulus plays the big, bad Death Eater... And if I don't cut it out Harry and the rest of the kids together with Mirzam are going to land in Broom Closet (sorry but pneumonia doesn't boast your creativity and seeing that I spent last five days at coughing my lungs out instead of writing ... I only hope that I will be able to finish the antibiotics before New Year, I actually want to drink something). Possible I will add Sirius's POV but I'm not really sure.