*****HP****

1 week before their arrival at 4 Privet Drive

Severus Snape, his robes swishing violently as he hurriedly made his way towards the Whomping Willow, swore profusely under his breath. Had he not promised Dumbledore to assist the werewolf, thus keeping the student body from undue risk, he would have gladly left the flask of Wolfsbane potion back at the castle. As it was, his perpetually calculating mind could still justify his intent to forcefully cram the foul liquid down Lupin's throat upon reaching his destination.

Not only would Snape be turning over the escaped murderer Black to the Dementors, (as well as the added bonus of the werewolf that was obviously aiding him), he would be doing his utmost in protecting three helpless children, including the precious Harry Potter, by ensuring that Lupin's transformation did not take place in their presence.

Oh, yes. Every cloud had its silver lining. There may even be an Order of Merlin for this.

Within moments, he had reached the disagreeable tree. He glanced around briefly and found what he sought. Picking up the thin stick he prepared to push in the gnarled knot that would allow him passage into the tunnel when he noticed something else lying on the ground.

Could it be?

Picking up the shimmering fabric, he was smugly elated. It certainly was Potter's cloak. It was fitting that the object that had assisted his tormentors in escaping from justice the whole of their academic years would now assist him in bringing them to their own ruin. Yes, this would do nicely. His lip curling in amusement, he pushed in the knot and descended into the darkness of the tunnel.

Stopping just short of the room in which he had first glimpsed the furry little truth about Remus Lupin, he slipped the cloak over his head and gently pushed opened the rotting door to where the group he sought had gathered. Unseen, but not quite unnoticed to his chagrin, bloody Lupin and his suspicions, he stood quietly as the sickly looking DADA professor and the wretchedly wasted convict attempted to spew out the nauseatingly pathetic story of the Marauders' success in achieving Animagus forms.

Merlin, how he detested that quartet and their constantly puffed up delusions of self importance!

When he heard Black decry Snape's own presence at Hogwarts, as well as reveling the humiliating story behind the attempt on his life and the elder Potter's hand in rescuing him, the now truly seething Potions master decided that his silence had waited long enough. With a sneer, he threw off the cape and lifted his wand.

"That's right."

Snape glowered at Lupin and, for just a moment, lost track of his thoughts in the memory of his adolescent taunting. Recovering, he reached into his robe and produced the slightly tarnished silver flask.

"You forgot your potion this evening, Lupin," he sneered. The name rolling off of his tongue as if it were something profane. "It is a full moon tonight. Surely, you have no wish to endanger the son of your closest friend with your affliction, do you?"

Remus blanched. In his confusion and anger at seeing Peter's name on the map, he had completely forgotten. This is why I am such a danger to those around me, he thought with a heavy heart, the guilt weighing on him like ship's anchor. He grabbed the flask from Snape and gratefully downed the noxious thick concoction, grimacing as it slowly made its way through his throat.

He would not harm anyone tonight.

Snape was quietly laughing to himself in a frightening manner. A new wave of fear broke over Remus as he slowly realized that Snivellous was not there merely to assist a fellow teacher. Some things never change, he thought sadly to himself. Snape was eyeing Sirius maliciously and Remus' worst fears were confirmed when Snape spoke again.

"It's time to go back to the castle. The Dementors are longing to see you, Black. I would say that they will be so happy that you have been returned to them, they may want to give you a little…kiss."

Sirius went deathly pale and looked as if he was starting to cower in fear at the implication of that statement. Snape licked his lips in triumphant anticipation and his face broke out into a rare and genuine smile….

"Idiot!" Snape chided himself silently as the ragtag group made their way back up to the dark castle. "Why did you even take the moment to hear them out?"

He was furious at himself and seething outwardly, even as he pushed them all forward. He had allowed two of his sworn enemies to force the transformation of the Weasley brat's mutilated rat, only to be brought face to face with the detested Peter Pettigrew.

Only the face to face confrontation with the filthy rotten scourge responsible for Lily's death was strong enough to persuade him to participate in an action that would allow Black and Lupin to once again waltz away from a fate that he felt they richly deserved.

For her, he would see justice done.

With Lupin safely ensconced within the confines of the shack and Pettigrew temporarily petrified on a stretcher, Black had agreed to be bound to Snape for the return to Hogwarts to await the arrival of the Minister. Potter and Granger followed behind, supporting the injured Weasley as he hobbled brokenly on one leg.

The arrival at the castle produced chaos beyond measure. The Dementors had swarmed, intent upon their duty with their escapee. Only Dumbledore's firm and frightening presence, coupled with the timely arrival of the Minister and a good portion of the Auror department had kept them at bay.

Snape had graciously provided the necessary Veritiserum. With Pettigrew's forced confession all minds began to race with the implications of what the false imprisonment of Sirius Black would mean to the Ministry and the wizarding world at large. Snape was assured of the gratitude of the Ministry for his participation and, it was certain, an Order of Merlin was to be his.

Haunted by memories of the beautiful girl with the green eyes that he had worshiped beyond all measure, the token that he had been so eager for hours ago seemed empty and hollow now.

The trial of Peter Pettigrew (the Ministry would not make that mistake again) and the sensational exoneration of Sirius Black set the Wizarding world on its magical ear.

Witches and Wizards who had decried Black as the worst sort of fiend for more than a decade now championed his plight and suffering. Declaring to anyone that would listen (and a few that wouldn't) that they never suspected him at all. Their superior claims of justice run amok striking real fear into the hearts of those that quietly began to ponder how easy it may be to find themselves in a similar situation.

The concern regarding Black's callous conviction dampening what was otherwise a raucous and celebratory occasion.

Harry had desperately wanted to attend the trial of the man responsible for the deaths of his parents. He pleaded, cajoled and very nearly threatened Dumbledore and McGonagall into allowing his presence, all to no avail.

On the verge of jumping onto his Firebolt and fleeing the castle grounds on his own, it was a stern letter that arrived by owl from Sirius in his hospital bed at St. Mungo's with a very resounding NO! that finally dissuaded the boy from his planned escape.

Sirius had no desire to see his young godson immersed into the carnival type atmosphere that surrounded the trial of the rat. Harry Potter's presence would certainly stoke the fires of the media into an out-and-out frenzy with little regard to how much damage it created for the already broken child.

No, it simply would not do.

On the day it was announced that Pettigrew would be subjected to the Dementor's Kiss, Dumbledore had arranged for Harry to be slipped into Sirius' room at St. Mungo's and the two were happily getting acquainted when Peter Pettigrew had his last conscious thought. In the back of the courtroom, Severus Snape watched with great satisfaction as Pettigrew squirmed when the Dementor took his soul.

Harry had been reluctant to leave Sirius' bedside at the end of their visit. Already his godfather was regaining some of his strength, and now that he was significantly more cleaned up Harry could see fragments of the handsome man that had danced in his parents' wedding photos. When Dumbledore arrived to return the boy to his school, Sirius had taken Harry's face in his hands and looked him straight in the eye.

"I promise. Everything is going to be different now. I'm not going to ever leave you again."

Harry nodded. He wanted to believe him, but years of disappointment had taught him caution with believing in fairy tales.

It was with a heavy heart that he dragged his trunk off of the Hogwart's Express and bid his friends farewell. He had been hoping beyond hope to have spoken with Sirius again before returning to the Dursley household.

Even a short visit would have given him fortification to face the unpleasant trio that grudgingly called themselves family.

So it was with unbearable joy that he found himself face to face with his godfather at the end of the platform and was grabbed into a frantic embrace that he never wanted to be released from.