"So," Sirius said, looking around the Dursleys' entryway. "This is… homey."

"I don't like it here," Elizabeth said simply, wrapping her arms around herself.

"It's certainly quiet," Sirius said, attempting to keep his voice bright. "No screaming portraits." He put an arm around her shoulders. "It's only temporary, beautiful. I'll be here the whole time, don't worry."

"Are you really allowed to stay?"

"Your father has been banned, but no one said anything about Remus and I, other than we're furry and untrustworthy," he grinned. "It was the only way to keep your father from committing a crime," Sirius looked toward the kitchen. "You think they're not home?"

"It's the middle of the day," Elizabeth fiddled with the wand that the court had grudgingly returned to her. "Uncle Vernon is at work, Dudley and Aunt Petunia are shopping if school hasn't started yet."

"When do Muggle schools start?"

"Depends on the school. Dudley probably goes to Smeltings now, Uncle Vernon's been talking about it since we were babies."

"Well then, we might as well make ourselves at home. Where was your room?"

Elizabeth pointed at the door under the stairs.

Sirius looked confused. "Upstairs?"

"No," Elizabeth went over to the door and pulled it open. "Dad told you I lived in a cupboard."

"I thought he meant the room was small," Sirius slammed the door shut again. "Never mind, we'll just do some remodeling."

"Uncle Vernon is awfully touchy about the house."

"Uncle Vernon can kiss my—

"What are you two doing standing in the foyer?" Remus popped out of the air.

"Trying to decide where to set up camp," Sirius said, starting toward the stairs. "Might as well see our options."

"Remus," Elizabeth looked at her godfather, the question clear in her eyes.

"He's fine," Remus assured, smoothing her hair absently. "Mad as an insulted hippogriff, but he's fine. You'll see him just as soon as we get this worked out."

"What if we never get it worked out?" Elizabeth asked quietly.

"Have you met Severus Snape?" Remus chuckled. "Come on, let's get you and Sirius settled." He prodded her up the stairs. "Hurry," Remus said loudly, "he's bound to have set the place on fire by now."

"Have not!" Sirius called from Dudley's second bedroom. "Though this room might benefit from it." When they reached him, he was scowling at the broken toys. "Haven't Muggles ever heard of a rubbish bin?"

"It's Dudley's stuff he doesn't want anymore," Elizabeth said, as Sirius poked a one-armed robot. "He gets lots of presents, but he mostly breaks them. Though I would have guessed that he'd have grown out of it by now."

"Spoiled children are always spoiled," Sirius said, looking quizzically at an empty aquarium.

"You would know," Remus joked, tossing a deflated rubber ball at his friend.

"I," Sirius said regally, "was not the spoiled one and you know it. James, yes."

"Just a joke, my friend," Remus pulled out his wand. "So this is rubbish he doesn't want?"

"I don't think he even comes in here," Elizabeth shrugged. "Or at least he didn't when we were kids."

"You're still a kid," Remus waved his wand, banishing all the contents. "It can stay in Sirius' basement until we don't need this room."

"They aren't going to like that," Elizabeth made a face. "They aren't going to like that the freaks are here."

"A few hexes ought to help change their minds," Sirius conjured a set of beds. "I can be very persuasive with a wand."

Remus looked disapprovingly at Sirius before looking back at Elizabeth. "Worst case, you can stay in here for as long as it takes," he said.

"Great," Elizabeth grumbled. "How long do you think it'll take Voldemort's informants at the Ministry to tell him where I am?"

"Doesn't matter," Remus shook his head. "The wards are strong. This has always been the most protected place for you. People blood related to your mother hold the greatest power in protecting you, at least magically."

"I think Fudge wants me dead."

"I agree," Sirius said, experimenting with magical paint on the walls.

"I doubt it," Remus shook his head again. "He's afraid, and he's letting his fear overtake his judgment." He grimaced. "It doesn't help that he's got some pure-blood maniacs in the Ministry."

"It doesn't matter," Sirius shrugged. "It'll all be over soon. There's no way that they can saddle Snape as an unfit parent, not now, at least. Anyone who's seen him with Elizabeth knows." He frowned at the room. "Perhaps we need to enlarge the space. Give us a bit of an apartment, yes?"

*S*S*

"Why don't we take a tour of the house?" Madam Knight-Ramos said, clipboard in hand.

"Certainly," Severus squeezed the words around clenched teeth. He led her on a quick tour of the kitchen and living room, then upstairs to Elizabeth's room. He hoped that the house looked lived-in, even though most of Elizabeth's personal possessions had been moved to Headquarters.

"What time does your daughter go to bed, Professor?" the witch peered through her spectacles at the parchment on her clipboard.

"Nine thirty at home," Severus said, fighting to stay civil. The idea that this woman was in his home to determine if he was a fit parent for his child… it was unconscionable. What was the woman going to base her decision on? That he sent Elizabeth to bed at the right time? That he fed her?

"And at school?"

"Curfew is enforced by her head of house," Severus answered smoothly. "However, Elizabeth knows the expectations, and I haven't seen her poorly rested in class."

"You don't see her in class every day, do you Professor?"

Severus grimaced. "Either my mother or myself see her in class every day," he said tightly. "She is well rested."

"And well fed?"

"Yes."

"She's small for her age, isn't she?" Madam Knight-Ramos scribbled on the parchment.

"She received poor nutrition as a young child from the very relatives you placed her with," Severus bit out. "We've spent the last few years trying to correct the problem."

"We?"

"Her godfathers and I."

"Ah." More scribbling. "Does Elizabeth have any female role models in her life?"

"My mother," Severus frowned, heading out into the hall in a clear gesture that the woman should also leave, "and every female staff member at Hogwarts." He thought of the Divination professor and winced a little.

"Hm," the witch wrote something else.

"There are plenty of single parents out there," Severus said quietly.

"I suppose so," she tucked her clipboard under her arm. "I think I have all the information I need."

"Well?" Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Well, what?" Madam Knight-Ramos stepped toward the floo.

"What is going to be done with my daughter?"

"I will make my recommendation to the Ministry," the witch said simply.

"And what will that be?"

"I'll need to review my notes." And with that, she bid him good day and disappeared through the floo.

Severus cursed, staring at the diminishing flames as if they would give him answers. When none came, he settled for sitting on the sofa, staring at the fireplace until it roared to life again.

"Hey," Remus stepped through, sitting beside his friend. "You shouldn't be here. It's safer at headquarters."

"Have you seen her?"

Remus sighed. "She's fine," he assured. "She and Sirius are set up, and I waited until Petunia got home to make sure that Sirius could take her if necessary."

"I swear, if she or that idiot she's married to do anything—

"They won't," Remus soothed. "I made it clear that I would recommend their neighborhood for all of 'our kind' if they did anything I didn't like. And that I would severely injure them, which didn't seem to be as threatening as losing their perfect little suburbia."

"I want to see her."

"You know you can't do that," Remus leaned back. "But you can send her a note if you want. I'll get it to her. You should. She's feeling guilty."

"Why?" Severus' brow furrowed.

"Because she knows how horrible yesterday was for you, and she caused it."

"It wasn't about the underage magic," Severus sighed.

"You and I know that. But she's 15."

*S*S*

"You'd better keep that bloody bird out of my way," Vernon Dursley growled as Hedwig perched herself on the windowsill.

"She won't bother you," Elizabeth said, rolling her eyes.

"I thought we were done with you," Vernon went on. "But you're back, with another freak, no less. Your father didn't want you either, eh?"

Sirius lazily flicked his wand, vanishing the kitchen table.

"What are you doing?" Vernon roared.

Sirius smirked and put his arm around Elizabeth. "Every time you say something I don't like, a possession of my choosing will be donated to the a needy wizarding family," he explained. "I'm rather sure that someone would enjoy your wife's china next."

Vernon's face purpled beyond anything Elizabeth had ever seen, and she had to hide her laughter in Sirius' robes.

"Meanwhile, my goddaughter and I will be upstairs in your recently renovated spare bedroom. We'd appreciate remaining undisturbed." With that, Sirius, his arm firmly around Elizabeth's shoulders, marched up the stairs to their magical mini-apartment.

"He's royally pissed," Elizabeth laughed, when Sirius had shut the door.

"Your father would wash out your mouth," the wizard smirked. "But you're right. Muggles don't explode or anything, do they?"

"Not on their own," Elizabeth grinned. "What do we do now?"

"Summer homework?" Sirius said, straight-faced.

"Sirius!"

"What?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I'm already bored."

There was a sudden knock on the door, and Sirius opened it to reveal Remus. "Why are the Dursley's throwing everything they own into suitcases?" the werewolf asked. "Are they moving?"

"It's a long story," Sirius waved his friend in and closed the door.

"Did you see Dad?" Elizabeth asked eagerly.

"I did," Remus affirmed, settling in an oversized armchair and pulling Elizabeth to sit with him. "He sent a letter," he handed her the parchment and dropped his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. "Go ahead."

Elizabeth leaned into his side. Sirius was always fun, and he'd been brilliant with the Dursleys, but he wasn't the steadying influence that Remus was. She pulled open the seal on the parchment.

Dear Elizabeth,

The Ministry is reviewing our situation. Don't worry; I'll see that it is resolved soon. In the meantime, stay out of Petunia's way as much as possible. Let Black run any interference that you need.

Please understand that this situation has nothing to do with you or anything you've done, hatchling. The truth sometimes causes fear. It doesn't mean that it shouldn't be said. Know that I am so proud of your ability to stand up for the truth.

I'll not be able to send another letter, I'd expect. Sending this one was risky to our situation. Burn this.

I love you, my child. With luck, I'll see you soon. Until then, stay out of trouble as much as you can.

Dad

Elizabeth turned her face into Remus' robes and tried to breathe deeply. "I want him here," she said softly.

Remus tightened his arm around her. "You tell him that when you see him," he said gently. "I think he'd like to hear that."

Elizabeth glanced at the Peace of Mind on the table beside the chair. All the inhabitants were glowing, but the Severus-figure was a little dimmer, standing off to the side.

*S*S*

"Since you have a bit of time on your hands," Albus said casually in the dining room of Sirius' house, looking at Severus, "I thought you might want to finish an errand you started for me long ago."

If Severus was startled, he didn't show it. "If you remember, I stopped performing your 'errand' due to the presence of my daughter. Just because I am legally estranged from her right now does not erase her presence."

Albus shook his head. "She is safer now that she ever was. It's time for you to ensure the downfall of Voldemort in the way only you can. Slipping back into his ranks wouldn't be difficult, some false memories and a story about how the Muggles at Hogwarts must have been infecting your mind."

"Even if I was willing to do something that foolish, the likelihood that I would be allowed to live would be low. Even further remote would be the chance that I'd remain in his inner circle. I would imagine that your aims wouldn't be served by someone on the fringes."

"So give him a reason to believe that you are indispensable," Albus said, his voice firmed. "You want to protect her? This is the way."

*S*S*

"Booklist," Sirius said, holding up the letter. "Fancy a trip to Diagon Alley?"

"We can go?" Elizabeth brightening, having been stuck in the house for days.

"Remus and I will be your security detail," Sirius grinned, brandishing his wand at unseen attackers. "Get back, you lot!"

Elizabeth pretended to be terrified, then turned her excited eyes back to him. "Can we go to the Quiddich store?"

"We can go there instead of the bookshop, if you like," Sirius laughed, glad to see something picking up the teen's spirits.

"Dad probably wouldn't like that," Elizabeth said, tying her shoes. "Can we go? Please?"

Sirius laughed again. "Hold on, beautiful, let me ask Remus. He could be busy, you know."

"Remus is never busy," Elizabeth frowned at her hair in the mirror.

"Elizabeth…"

Elizabeth held up her hands. "I'd never say it to him," she said seriously, before sitting on her bed. "Call him!"

"Yes, ma'am," Sirius cast his patronus, which dashed out of the open window. Then, as if on an afterthought, he cast another.

"Who's the second one to?"

"Just thought we should let your dad know," Sirius lied smoothly. "Go brush your teeth."

*S*S*

At Headquarters, Molly Weasley bustled into the sitting room where Remus was examining a very old book.

"Sirius says he's taking Elizabeth to Diagon Alley today," she said without preamble.

Remus nodded. "I'm almost through here, and then I'm going to apparate to Surrey and join them."

"Sirius asked if we wanted to go as well, but we can't until Arthur gets his check at the end of the week. However," she looked at the door, "I have a certain young man that might wish to accompany you, even if he can't get books today."

Remus smiled. "Tell Fred I'm leaving in ten minutes."

"Thank you, Remus," Molly patted his knee. "He's been… distant without her."

"She's been the same," Remus sighed. "Do you know how terrifying your son is to us, Molly?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Severus should just be glad that he only has one," she said, a little wickedly. "Honestly, I supposed it would be Ron, but at any rate, I knew she'd be a Weasley some day."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Remus cautioned. "She's only 15."

Molly smiled knowingly, "Whatever you say, dear. I'm going to fetch Fred." She patted his shoulder and disappeared again.

Remus was rubbing his temple when the door opened again.

"Severus?" He looked up as the black-clad man entered the room. "I thought you were going to Hogwarts for the day."

"I can't move about as I please?" Severus snapped, crossing his arms.

"Of course you can," Remus spoke in a voice usually reserved for enraged animals. "Have you heard from the Ministry?"

"I've been told that I should be patient," Severus growled, pacing the floor.

"It's alright, Sev. She's fine."

"Albus thinks that he can get an answer by tonight," Snape pressed his lips together. "You've seen her?"

"Every day," Remus assured. "She's fine. She misses you, but she's okay."

Severus started to respond, but was cut off when Fred vaulted into the room.

"I'm ready when you are, Professor."

"Fred, you don't need to call me that," Remus shook his head. "I'm not your professor any longer."

Fred shrugged, dropping his eyes a little. "It's just easier, sir. Oh," he started a bit as he noticed Severus. "Hello, sir."

"Hello, Mr. Weasley," Severus said tightly. "Where are you two going?"

Remus grimaced slightly. "Diagon Alley."

"Hmm," Severus was quiet for a moment. "Tell her to buy new uniforms, would you please? Her skirt was much too short at the end of last year."

Remus let out the breath he'd been holding. He should have known that Severus wouldn't think that he and Fred were having a friendly jaunt into London together. "Sure, Sev. Whatever you want."

"Thank you. You'll make sure she has everything she needs?"

"Of course, don't worry," Remus assured. "Everything will be fine."

Severus looked for a moment as if he wanted to say something else, but he changed his mind.

*S*S*

"So, Fred," Sirius said as they walked down Diagon Alley, "Elizabeth says you and your brother are talking about opening a joke shop."

"Yes, sir," Fred grinned. "We might have to have real jobs first, unfortunately. Money, you know."

"George said you'd come into some money the other day," Remus said, gesturing the group into the bookshop.

"He was mistaken," Fred said, looking at Elizabeth.

"Fred…"

"We're not talking about it today," he said, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Let's just have a good time."

"I'm missing something," Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"It's nothing," Fred said, holding up a Potions book. "Fifth Year Potions, anyone?"

"Dad'll have one," Elizabeth shook her head. "He has a whole closet of books."

"Defense then," Fred moved on.

"Hey," Remus pulled her to the side as the other two moved toward the Defense section. "What's the story?"

Elizabeth grimaced. "I gave George the Tournament money," she explained.

"And Fred is upset you didn't give it to him?"

"No," she shook her head. "Fred is upset because I gave it to George after he told me not to."

"I'm glad you ignore everyone, not just us," Remus sighed, squeezing her shoulders. "Your dad says you need new uniforms," he said, changing the subject.

"Probably just skirts," Elizabeth shrugged. "He doesn't like how short they are, and he's already stretched them as far as they'll go."

"The man said uniforms, you're getting uniforms," Remus said firmly, pushing her toward the rest of their group.

"Did you see him today?"

Remus nodded. "Do him a favor and get new uniforms."

"He's usually worried about money," Elizabeth took the book Sirius handed her.

"That's because he was a monk in a former life," Sirius picked up the conversation. "I'm assuming we're talking about the dungeon dweller?"

Fred looked uncomfortably at Sirius, then around the bookshop. Surely, Snape had the power to appear and smite any who slandered his name. But the black bat was nowhere to be seen, meaning, in Fred's opinion, that 'dungeon dweller' must not be insulting enough to draw the man's ire. It wasn't possible that Severus didn't have the power of omniscience.

"Clothes," Remus said, taking the Defense book from her. "Go find The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, and then we'll go to get new uniforms."

Elizabeth and Fred trotted off, and Remus glanced down at the title of the book he was holding. "Defensive Magical Theory." He frowned, holding it up for Sirius to see. "Isn't fifth year a bit too advanced for theory?" He flipped through the book. "Elizabeth can perform most of these spells. In fact, she's been doing them for years. What crack-pot did Albus hire for the Defense job?"

Sirius shrugged. "Severus really might pull her out of class this year. Wouldn't blame him, myself. She has a bad track record with Defense teachers, and you're right," he gestured to the book. "She could have written that."

Across the shop, Fred slipped his hand around Elizabeth's. "So… anything interesting in with your Hogwarts letter?"

"What? Like an expulsion notice?" Elizabeth snatched the book she needed off the shelf.

"No," Fred shook his head. "Like a prefect badge?"

Elizabeth froze for a moment. She'd completely forgotten that she had reached the prefect year. "No, I didn't get one."

"Really?" Fred looked genuinely surprised. "I thought you were a cert," he frowned a little. "I mean, Ron of all people got one. Do you think there was a mix-up?"

Elizabeth paused, then shook her head. "I'm too much trouble, I suppose."

"Well, you definitely are that," Fred laughed, leading her back toward Sirius and Remus. "Mum's estatic, going to buy him a new broom and everything."

Elizabeth grimaced a little. "Dad'll be disappointed, but I'll bet it's Hermione."

"Dad will be disappointed about what?" Remus said, taking the book she held out and leading the whole group over to the checkout.

"I'm not a prefect," Elizabeth shrugged.

"Why would he be disappointed?" Remus asked. "He wasn't a prefect."

"Moony was, though," Sirius said, his voice tinged with amusement. "Goody two-shoes, he was."

"I dare say that Albus thought that I could exert some power over my best friends," Remus looked at Sirius with mock sternness. "I need scarcely say I failed dismally. Anyway," he thanked the cashier and tucked the books into his robe. "I don't know that you had a chance against Hermione. And Merlin knows you're not what we'd call a rule-follower."

"She's a maverick," Fred snorted, draping one arm around Elizabeth's shoulders.

*S*S*

"What exactly do you want me to do?" Elizabeth said, a little exasperated later when they'd returned to the magic-created apartment in the Dursleys' house. Remus and Sirius awkwardly excused themselves, aware that an argument was brewing between the redhead and his Snape-tempered girlfriend.

"I want you to put that money in Gringotts," Fred sat in one of the armchairs in the "living room".

"I. Don't. Want. It." Elizabeth enunciated, crossing her arms, standing in the middle of the room.

"You don't want it now," Fred reasoned, clasping his hands in front of him. "But that feeling won't last forever, Betsy. I don't want you to regret it, and I don't want you to resent me because you need it one day and you gave it to me."

"I didn't give it to you," Elizabeth tapped her foot. "I gave it to George. And I won't regret it. This feeling will last forever. Cedric's dead body will be etched in my mind forever, and I don't want anything to do with that money."

"Or anything it's used to buy?" Fred challenged. "What happens when you can't set foot in the joke shop, eh? Or when you can't wear jewelry I bought you because it all came from that money?"

"You've never bought me jewelry," Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.

"Because I've never had money!" Fred said, exasperated. "Take it back."

"No," Elizabeth shook her head stubbornly. "I want something good to come of it. If you have to, think of it as an investment."

Fred gritted his teeth. "From my girlfriend."

Elizabeth snorted. "So it's that, then, is it? Is this a 'I'm a man' temper tantrum you're having?" She made a face. "It's like the time Uncle Vernon went spare when Aunt Petunia wanted to get a job. 'I provide for this family!'" She mimicked her uncle. "You can just put your caveman club away, Fredrick Weasley."

Fred pressed his lips together. "Elizabeth."

"What?" She snapped, cocking her head to the side and leveling him with her father's best "what could you possibly say to me?" look.

"I love you."

Elizabeth laughed. "That's not the way to end an argument!"

"I'm not trying to," Fred said quietly. "I'm saying that I love you, and you know how much I want you to be happy… I'm just afraid this won't make you happy."

Elizabeth sighed. "You're an idiot." She sat on the arm of his chair and put her hands on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her. "I've been deciding what I want for fifteen years, Mr. Weasley. I'm rarely wrong. So, how about you trust me, just this once?"

"Just this once?" Fred smirked. "I never have to trust you again?"

Elizabeth socked him in the arm, and he grabbed her off the arm tickling her until she begged for mercy.

"Should I trust that you really want up?" Fred grinned down at her, sprawled over his lap.

"Yes!" Elizabeth gasped.

"Alright," Fred helped her sit up and kissed her. "But just this once."

"You'll keep it?" Elizabeth leaned against his shoulder.

Fred sighed. "Under duress. With full 'I told you so' rights."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, caveman."