I'm back again… this shall get out there in terms of not following canon and in theories. Hopefully by the end of this chapter we'll be on the Hogwarts Express, yes? Or beyond. This fanfic will feature 'nicer/redeemable' Snape as well as 'NOT cabin-fevered Sirius'. Alas 'too old too poor too dangerous' Lupin will be in effect… perhaps sooner than you think.

I do NOT own Power- Harry Potter, yeah, Harry Potter. Sorry, old habit, wot!

Chapter Two: None of the adults knew how to respond to that so they just kept eating.

Harry Potter woke up in a bed in the infirmary wing. Putting on his glasses he wondered if last night had been a dream. Then he saw Hermione's beaming face in the bed across from his.

"Good morning, Harry."

"Good morning, Hermione."

Madame Pomfrey bustled in, and clearing the two of them for return to Gryffindor tower. The still-sleeping Ron needed to remain though. Dressed in the fresh Hogwarts uniforms Madame Pomfrey had provided Harry and Hermione started out.

"I wonder how we'll explain everything…" mused Hermione as they went up a flight of stairs. "I mean, some of what happened is extraordinary."

"Potter, I need a word with you," came Snape's voice from the top of the stairs. The Potions master was dressed in his standard black attire, and seemed to be in his usual sour mood. Upon reaching him the two teens halted. He eyed Granger.

"Did I say Granger? You are free to go."

"You can get a heads start on the explanations," Harry suggested. Slightly biting her lower lip Hermione left. Resigned Harry faced Professor Snape.

"Yes?"

"Yes, sir," Snape corrected Potter out of habit. Before Potter could retort Snape found himself amending his own statement. "Well, I suppose you won't be calling me sir over the summer, now will you?"

"Huh?"

"Your current expression looks so intelligent," Snape observed sardonically. While Potter struggled to rearrange his features he continued, "I have offered Black the usage of my house for the two of you (and perhaps Lupin as well) for the summer. Other than a brief trip to your aunt and uncle's for anything you left behind, you will be living there."

Then Potter did something that took Snape by surprise. He hugged him.

"This is going to be totally wicked!" Potter beamed. Remembering himself, he stepped back with his cheeks flaming. Feeling rather odd Snape commented, "Well, that is all. Go on and brag to your little friends about last night's adventure."

"Thank you, Snape!" Potter shouted as he dashed off. Severus Snape was officially disturbed; it couldn't be that on the inside Potter took after Lily… right?

He went off to Lupin's office, where the werewolf seemed to be in the process of packing. He wore a tired brown suit complete with tie. His grey-streaked brown hair was extra limpid in the morning after the full moon. His brown-grey eyes flicked to Snape's brown-black ones.

"Morning, Snape."

"Lupin."

After a minute Lupin answered the unasked question. "Last night was… too close of a call. Besides, I just don't know… how will the students feel about me if they learn that I'm a werewolf?"

Snape realized to his disturbance that until last night he would have revealed the truth to everyone without a pang. Perhaps he was just as bad as the elder Potter. But hiding this, he said blandly, "Why, Lupin, I didn't know you were so sensitive…"

"Be quiet, Snape," Lupin grumbled, waving a shelf of books into an open trunk. "You know how it is. Most of us can't even help it… if we could, there'd be a lot less werewolves."

"Mm…" Snape continued, "I might not particularly care for you, Lupin, but I will say that having a fellow professor around my age was a nice feeling. It gets tiring, being the youngest."

Lupin laughed, "Are we actually having this conversation? Besides, it's too late. I already turned in my resignation to Dumbledore."

"Well, perhaps this year will be my lucky year," Snape shrugged. "I suppose you heard?"

"About your unexpected generosity? Yes, and thank you."

"Nonsense; I simply don't want you two to corrupt young Potter any more than he already is."

"Ah."

Snape got the distinct impression Lupin was hiding a smile. Snape commented, "It's not an especially impressive house but it will suffice."

"It'll be better than anything I've lived in since my parents' home," Lupin stated matter-of-factly. Snape couldn't refute that, knowing what kind of lives werewolves lived.

A minute of silence was broken by Sirius' entrance. Since last night he had taken a bath, trimmed his lank hair, and had been given new rust brown robes. Cheerily he commented to Lupin, "Did you hear, Moony? We're going to be staying with Snape here!"

"Moony…" it dawned upon Snape. The other two men smiled sheepishly. Snape just muttered, "I should have known. You're Padfoot then, Pettigrew is Wormtail, while Potter was Prongs."

"Yes," Sirius sighed, deflating at the thought of his best friend. Making a visible effort to perk up he commented, "Well, I've been cleared of all charges. I think the Ministry is grateful that I'm not suing them."

Lupin shook his head in resigned amusement. "Padfoot…"

"You know, I don't think we got around to telling Harry that part of the story last night," Sirius mused. "We ought to tell him soon…"

Lupin looked at the now-blank map on his desk. "Indeed."

"I'd think we ought to tell him stories about our pranks, hm? To even it out Snape can tell stories about how he and his lot got back at us…"

"Potter isn't one for pranks," Snape had to point out. "Trouble and cheek, most certainly. But pranks?"

"We'll just have to teach him then," Sirius hand-waved the matter. "And yes, that includes you Snape."

Snape did not know how to feel about that arrangement! Curiously Sirius asked, "So how much longer until the end of the term?"

"Not much longer; exams are over with," Lupin noted, resuming his packing. Sirius looked over at Snape in puzzlement. Succinctly he explained, "Lupin resigned this morning; partly out of genuine concern of hurting someone and partly out of irrational fear of his lycanthropy coming out."

"His furry little problem," Sirius corrected Snape. "That's what we always called it."

"Of course you did."

Lupin lifted his eyes to the ceiling. "You two are going to drive me insane by summer's end."

Both glowered at the werewolf. Quietly Sirius observed, "It'll be nice to finally really get to know my godson."

"I would like to get to know Harry better too," Lupin admitted. Snape conceded, "I might have to tweak my perceptions of the young Potter."

"He's not Prongslet!" Sirius sighed wearily. Then he looked thoughtful. "Prongslet. Then again, that's a good nickname for Harry, don't you think, Moony? And if you ever have a kid-"

"Me?"

"I can call him or her Moony-lite!" Sirius continued without heeding Remus. "And of course on the off chance I have a kid we can nickname him or her Padfootsie!"

"Prongslet I can live with, even Moony-lite. But Padfootsie?" Snape raised his eyebrows. Sirius pursed his lips. "You might have a point. I'll have to think about it…"

"So help us," Lupin murmured. Snape permitted himself a smirk. Maybe these two weren't so bad after all as Black started to badger Lupin about what was so bad about either of them having a child. At length Snape just slipped out as the two continued debating earnestly.

Soon it was the day the Hogwarts students left the castle for the summer holidays. The students had all received their exam results, most of them being reasonably pleased with the results. Lupin had already left the grounds, especially as he said he had to get his own affairs in order if he was to live with three black-haired nutcases. Neither Black, Snape, nor Potter was amused. After breakfast Black told Harry apologetically, "The first night you'll have to spend with your Muggle relatives, I'm afraid. Snape, Lupin, and I will pick you around nine in the morning, all right?"

Harry just beamed back. "All right."

Nonetheless Harry looked wistfully back at the castle as it disappeared from sight. From behind a book Hermione said, "Cheer up, Harry. I have no doubt this summer will be a good one."

"Or as good as it can be with Snape around," Ron noted darkly. But Harry simply shrugged. "Even Snape is better than the Dursleys."

Ron snorted to show his opinion of that. Curiously he asked, "Hermione?"

"Hm?"

"How were you getting to all those classes of yours?"

"It doesn't matter anymore… I've dropped Divination and Muggle Studies so that I'll have a normal schedule next year. So don't worry about it, Ron."

Ron looked put out. But cheering up he commented, "Hey, Harry, Dad usually gets tickets to the Quidditch World Cup from work- do you want to come with us?"

"I think it'll depend on how things are going at home," Harry replied, ruffling his untamable hair. "I mean, I want to get to know Padfoot and Moony… I bet they know lots of stories about my mum and dad!"

"Maybe you could play Quidditch in the summer for once," Ron commented hopefully. That reminded Harry; he turned to Hermione and apologized. Peering at him from over her book she questioned, "What for?"

"You were right; Sirius did send me the Firebolt. But he hadn't jinxed it!"

"I know that now," Hermione sighed. "But I really did think-"

"I know; sorry. Plus you did have the gist of the idea."

"Yeah, sorry," Ron chimed in. Hermione blushed from the attention. "It's quite all right now; I do have your best interests at heart, you know."

"Yes, death now outranks expulsion," Ron teased her. With a sniff Hermione returned to her book. As they left the platform Ron said hopefully, "Contact me about the Cup, all right, Harry?"

"All right," Harry beamed happily as the trio split up the summer. Not even approaching Uncle Vernon could spoil his good mood. As they walked back to the car the large, mustached man questioned the teenage boy harshly, "Why are you in such a good mood?"

"Because I'm going to be picked up tomorrow. You should be happy too; you won't have to deal with me for the rest of the summer."

Uncle Vernon snorted. "Who'd want you?"

"My godfather, a friend of my dad's, and a professor of mine."

"Huh. More of your kind then."

"Yes," Harry beamed up at his discomfited uncle.

After the Aunt Marge incident last summer Harry had left with what he had thought were all of his belongings. However once back in his 'bedroom', he had found a few odds and ends that had been left behind in the rush last summer. Below Dudley was sulking fiercely while Aunt Petunia tried to reassure him. Apparently it could no longer be denied- Dudley's weight had increased to the point where Smeltings didn't have a uniform in his size. So a new regime of food was being embarked upon. Now Harry was doubly grateful that he'd be leaving tomorrow.

Early that morning Harry double-checked his trunk and room to make sure he had brought everything; he had. So then he brought his stuff downstairs. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were all at the table eating grapefruit for breakfast. Harry got the smallest quarter, which he didn't mind. He'd be having lunch with Sirius, Lupin, and Snape.

Five minutes after nine an elderly station wagon wheezed its way to the front of Privet Drive, parking in front of the Dursleys' house. Snape got out from the driver's seat while Lupin had claimed shotgun with Sirius in the back. Harry was mildly surprised to see that all three were wearing Muggle clothes quite naturally- Snape in a black sweater and slacks, Lupin in another tired brown suit, and Sirius in a red T-shirt and jeans. He waved to them from the front door.

"Hello!"

"Hello!" Sirius waved back. Snape eyed the house unpleasantly as Harry dragged out his trunk and Hedwig's cage. Rapidly he said, "Here's all my stuff, we can go right away… I said good-bye to my aunt and uncle already…"

"You forget yourself, Potter. I would like to speak to Petunia before we depart."

Harry hadn't even known Snape knew his aunt's name. So he stared at Snape. "What?"

With an eye-roll Snape went into the house. Sirius scratched the back of his head. "I guess we'd better follow him."

But first Lupin loaded the trunk in the trunk while Harry placed Hedwig in her cage on the back seat. When they entered the kitchen they realized that in their short delay Snape and Sirius had somehow managed to completely terrorize the Dursley family. Harry groaned, "Didn't you guys hear? He didn't actually kill anyone."

"Yet," Sirius pointed out. This made Lupin close his eyes tiredly. Snape observed sourly, "Well then we'll just be going then. Have a nice summer."

Aunt Petunia sniffed haughtily. Awkwardly Harry said, "Well, good-bye then."

The three Dursleys all ignored him. His shoulders tense Harry left the house, followed by three wizards who were working on being in denial about the scene they had just witnessed.

Snape drove for a while, ending up in what looked like a fairly troubled area called Spinner's End. At the end of the street was a miserable two-story house with a yard of weeds and yellowing grass. Nonetheless Harry loved it on sight- mostly because it was the opposite of the prim and tidy Privet Drive house, but partly because at last he would be free from the Dursleys. He hopped out of the car, Hedwig's cage in hand, even before Snape had pulled in properly alongside the sidewalk. Harry dashed up to the dark brown door before realizing he didn't have a key. So he looked back at the three adult wizards.

"He's acting like Lily on the first night at Hogwarts," muttered Snape under his breath, wishing that it wasn't so, while Lupin and Black got out Harry's trunk. So he got out the key and unlocked the door, mentally preparing himself for a range of insults to hit him about the state of his home as he led them into his sitting room. The walls were hidden behind crammed bookshelves and his sparse pieces of furniture were threadbare. The only light came from a candle-filled lamp from the ceiling.

"Padfoot and I moved in last night," Lupin broke the silence, placing his half of Harry's trunk on the floor. "Snape gave us the two spare bedrooms so I'm not quite sure where-"

Snape pointed his wand at the back wall, revealing with a bang a narrow staircase. Tartly he said, "There's a small set of chambers up there, Potter. I'm sure they're not up to your standards but they will have to suffice."

With a quick nod Harry grabbed an end of his trunk and began to drag it up the stairs with Hedwig's cage in his other hand. Sirius noted, "He's being a tad quiet."

"Not all of us are as noisy as you," Lupin noted. Sirius very maturely blew a raspberry at the werewolf. Snape sighed, "I'll go make lunch."

"Right-o, Sevy boy."

Snape gave Black a very long look before stalking off to the adjoining kitchen. There he made spaghetti and meatballs, complete with warming sauce on the ancient stove/oven combination. Then he used the Sonorus charm, keeping his wand pointed at the side of his own neck.

"LUNCHEON!"

Sirius skidded into the kitchen, falling flat on his bottom due to the sleek linoleum floor. The expression on the wizard's face was priceless so Snape smirked down at him.

"Serves you right."

Sirius gaped up at him. Mindlessly he observed, "It is scary how much you look like Prongs at this moment."

"Take that back!"

"Not when it's true," Sirius sulked. Snape glowered. "For that you can set the table for four."

With a dark look aimed at the Potions master Black did so with a wave of his wand, the plates and pewter silverware clattering crossly onto the round oaken table. Snape just rolled his eyes, grateful he had been smart enough to not wear an apron. Merlin knows what would have happened if Black had seen him in an apron… nothing good for either of them.

A moment later, his nose in a book, Lupin appeared. Snape sighed, "Lupin, did I give you permission to read my books?"

"Erm…" A flushed Lupin closed the book. Snape retorted, "Well, at long as you don't ruin them it'll be fine."

"Thank you; sorry about not asking it just looked so fascinating…"

Before Lupin could complete his sheepish apology Harry ran into the room, making the exact same mistake as his godfather. However he collided with Sirius mid-slide. Snape exhaled. "I knew I was going to regret this…"

Bemused Lupin hauled the pair up by the backs of their shirts.

"Behave you two. It's time for lunch."

"Food!" beamed Sirius. Harry just looked an odd assortment of emotions. Snape dished out the spaghetti and meatballs and they began to eat.

Curiously Black asked, swallowing, "So does this mean a truce?"

"I suppose so," Snape sighed. "Just don't call me Snivellus."

Dubiously Harry commented, "You don't look like a Snivellus, Snape."

None of the adults knew how to respond to that so they just kept eating.