A/N: Thank you all for the great comments, suggestions and theories! Keep them coming - they sometimes inspire me to write something totally different than what I had planned ;)

mizzrazz72: I read a really funny sentence about Molly in another fic and I believe it was totally fitting: "We don't need an army to win against Voldemort - we just need to send him a ranting Molly Weasley. He will give up without fireing even one curse" ;)

tefe203: First we need to finish Harry's interview - then the adults will be questioned ;)

Charm93: I'm sorry this is a sad day for you but I hope I can put a smile on your face with my story :)

randomplotbunny: The biggest group hug, cuddling session and being mothered by the bat of the dungeons anyone can imagine ;)

Zoysite: Jetzt bekommen sie endlich ihre gewünschte Zeit zu zweit - zumindest ein bisschen ;) Ja ich freu mich schon jetzt wenn sie alle das erste mal zur Burrow kommen und Sirius und Marvolo eine volle Dosis Molly abbekommen :D Versteh ich vollkommen - ist auch der Grund warum ich immer hier antworte und nie allen einzel PM.. das würde einfach zu lange dauern :P

Mephistopheles: Thank you! Ahhhh - now that I can understand. I bought my first phone from my own money when I was 11 and only got one as a present when I was 12. Enjoy the time you have because life will never be as easy again as it is while you are in school and living at home with your parents ;) And nobody cares if you have an email or not ;)

ThePhoenixandtheDragon: On one hand they will of curse understand but on the other hand they will be disappointed that they were not trusted with the information :) I believe the story was even harder on Sev since he knows that if he had read the letter none of it would have happened.

Guest: He may be but everyone needs support sometimes - it is just a matter of being willing to ask for that support or even having the option to ask for it.

Dixie.f.9: Yes it is. They all feel really guilty since they were all partly involved in Harry's placement with the Dursleys.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling - I just played a bit in her universe.

Thanks to miu-sama95 for prereading, betaing and helping with the storyline ;)

Chapter 43: Too much talking...

Words: 3440

He hated this. No, not this but himself. He was at fault for everything his godson had to go through at the house of those despicable muggles.

He already had a hard time dealing with his emotions after his long stay in Azkaban but this was just too much for him. He didn't know which emotion to follow.

There was anger at the Dursleys but the last time he did something in blind anger he had ended up in prison. Next there was despair and shock at what the teen had to go through. A part of him just wanted to hug Harry and never let him go again.

His emotions were so conflicted he was sure he would need a calming draught soon. He just wanted to be close to Harry to assure himself that the teen was alright but since the boy was already being squished between Severus and Marvolo that was not really an option.

Although… He had once heard of a muggle concept where special trained dogs supported their humans who had chronical diseases. If he changed he could really support Harry.

The other adults had been concentrating so much on Harry that they hadn't noticed the mutt's emotional struggle. Thus they all jumped a bit when he suddenly stood up an interrupted their talk.

"Sorry, Ami! I'll register ASAP!" He rushed out before a big black dog stood in his place.

Amelia was so surprised by the sudden transformation she just gaped at the dog with her mouth hanging open which the others found rather amusing.

Being a dog was much easier than a human. All his emotions were dampened and the need to express them was a lot more subdued. Now he just needed to support his pup.

With his tongue hanging out of his mouth in a dog-grin Sirius ambled over to the sofa with the Prince-Slytherins on it and jumped up on Harry's lap.

"Padfoot! What are you doing?" The teen exclaimed surprised.

"Woof!" The mutt barked and started washing his pup. This was great. Much better than before. After getting the boy to laugh at his antics, Snuffles made himself comfortable by laying down on all their laps, content with his accomplishment.

When Harry started scratching behind his ear he had to close his eyes in pure bliss.

"When…? How…?" Amelia stuttered out when she finally found her voice again.

"Black, Potter and Pettigrew learned to transform together during their years at Hogwarts. I don't know exactly when but in our fifth year they had already accomplished it." Severus told the surprised witch.

"Oh… What about Lupin? Weren't they a quartet?"

"That is his story to tell."

"Alright. So why did he change now? He knows I have to punish him now."

"If I may?" Marvolo interrupted. "As far as I could gather Black has had troubles controlling his emotions since his stint in prison. I guess he transformed to deal with them easier as well as support Harry better."

With a wave of his hand he drew the other's attention back to the teen in their middle to see him totally engrossed in petting the dog as well as totally relaxed for the first time since they started the interview.

"Makes sense." Amelia conceded. "May we continue?"

Since the teen still seemed oblivious to their talk Severus gave him a small nudge to get his attention.

"Huh?"

"Are you ready to continue, Snitch?"

"Oh! Yeah, sure. Sorry, Madame Bones." The teen said sheepishly. "Where were we?"

"You were telling me about your first year at Hogwarts."

"Oh, yes! Well except for getting headaches every time I had DADA and awful Potions lessons with this grumpy bat everything was okay for the first months. It only got really weird at Halloween."

"What happened?"

"Well during the feast Professor Quirrell ran into the Great Hall and screamed that there was a troll in the dungeons before fake-fainting."

"A troll!?" The witch exclaimed shocked. "How did I not know about this?"

"You didn't? I was surprised the authorities didn't come and question us but in the end I chalked it up to a wizarding world thing."

"That's not normal. The auror force should have been alerted and dealt with it. What did actually happen to it?"

"Erm… well… We knocked it out."

"We?"

"Hermione had barricaded herself in the loo after Ron made her cry after the last lesson of the day. She didn't know about the troll so we went to find her. Turns out the troll wasn't in the dungeons but rather in the girls' loo."

"Oh, my!"

"Quite. In the end Ron managed to levitate and drop the troll's club on its head."

"So that's what really happened?" Severus said surprised. "I knew you were lying that night but I didn't and still don't understand why."

"You'd have to ask Hermione since it was actually her lying."

"This is just unbelievable." Madame Bones muttered. "How did you manage to sneak out of the Great Hall to search for you friend? Didn't the teachers stop you?"

"What teachers? We were being led back to the dorms by our prefects while the staff 'dealt with the problem'. I actually always wondered who thought it a good idea to send the Slytherins back to their dorms if the troll was in the dungeons."

"That's one account of endangering the whole student population of Hogwarts for you, Albus." Amelia said before switching back to her professional mask.

"Was that all that happened during your first year?"

This prompted Harry to tell her about all the happenings of his first year in the land of magic. There was the dragon and the detention in the forest which led them to the unicorn killing monster.

Finding the mirror of erased and meeting Fluffy which led to Hagrid telling them how to get past the beast. He told her about how his broom had been cursed during quidditch and how they put the clues together and tried to get a teacher's attention.

Severus was surprised to hear that his son had actually tried to get help before they went themselves.

When Harry finished his story he was surprised to notice the sun was starting to set. He had lost himself in petting Padfoot as well as the memories of his first year in the wizarding world. That had been a crazy year.

"Wow." Marvolo was the first to break the silence. "I never thought Hogwarts could be that dangerous."

"I did not hear about any of these incidents. Neither in my professional nor in my private life. I cannot fathom why Susan wouldn't write to me about something like a troll and a corridor being off limits." Amelia admitted confused.

"I live in the castle and didn't know half of this." Severus commented.

Before they could start on Harry's second year Toppy popped into the room and addressed Marvolo quietly.

"Dinners bes served nows, Master."

"Thank you, Toppy." Marvolo said before turning to Amelia. "Can we invite you to dinner, Madame Bones?"

"Is it that late already? No, thank you. I need to get home to my niece. I already feel guilty enough for leaving her alone all day since she only came back from Hogwarts herself a week ago."

"Does that mean we are don here?" Harry perked up. This interview was taking its toll on him and he could feel a sore throat coming his way.

"For now. I'll be back tomorrow morning to continue. I need to know everything Albus has been up to in these past years."

"Then I shall accompany you to the floo, Madame Bones." Severus said and disentangled himself from under the mutt. "Try to get your godfather awake again, Snitch."

Once the two adults had left the room Harry slumped back against the couch and let out a breath he hadn't noticed he'd been holding in.

"Exhausted?" Marvolo asked.

"Yeah."

Marvolo chuckled which caused Harry to open his eyes again – when had he even closed them? – and glare at the older wizard.

"Come on. Let's get some food into you and then I think an early night is in order."

Together they woke Padfoot and got him the change back – thankfully the man had a better control of his emotions bow – before they all met up in the dining room with Severus.

"Madame Bones will be back tomorrow at ten for the rest of the interview. We also need to go to Gringotts for you second block removal."

"Alright." Harry murmured. His vocal cords were starting to hurt from all the talking he had had to do not to mention the puking in the morning.

It was a quiet family dinner and after the meal they retreated into the family room for a relaxing evening.

Harry knew he was bone tired and should have gone up to bed straight away but he just didn't want to be alone. All this talking about his mistreatment and all the awful things that had happened to him, especially thinking about his confrontation with Quirrell had him agitated. Back then it had been horrible and even all these years later it was still horrible. He was pretty sure there would be nightmares tonight which was why he was pushing off going to bed.

Severus was reading the latest Potions Monthly while sitting on the couch next to his son. He could clearly see the fatigue on the boy's face but since it was the holidays he didn't feel the need to order the teen to bed. Sooner or later he would fall asleep anyway.

Sirius had challenged Marvolo to a game of chess and since they were sitting in the armchairs opposite the couch they could both observe Harry's fight with sleep from the corners of their eyes.

Sirius found it endearing how his godson would nod off only to startle himself awake again. He knew the other men had noticed as well and were just humoring the teen's stubbornness but even that was gone once Severus laid his arm around Harry and started running a hand through his hair. From then on the boy had lost. His father's ministrations were just so comforting he was out like a light in minutes.

A few minutes after his son's breathing had evened out Severus carefully repositioned him so he was laid down on the sofa with his head in the Potions Master's lap.

When Marvolo next looked up after finishing his turn he found his son to be asleep and since his husband made no indication of moving the teen to his bed he simply got up and draped a quilt that had been out of his husband's reach over his son. He quickly kissed his husband before returning to his game of chess. Black was a good player but he was no match to himself.

The three men spent a quiet night together and before too long they also decided to get an early night.

At least this time Marvolo carried a sleeping son upstairs in to his bed – he had been doing that far too often in the last 24 hours – and not a sick one. Severus overtook him on the stairs and once he reached Harry's room he saw that his bed had been readied for him. He carefully set the teen down and after Severus transfigured the boy's clothes into pajamas they tucked him in and kissed him goodnight together.

Once they were out of Harry's room Severus nearly jumped into his arms.

"Take me to bed" We still have an open bill to settle!" The usually dour man commanded in between kisses.

Marvolo didn't need to be told twice. They had been interrupted far too often in the last days. He quickly hoisted his husband into his arms and hurried into their bedroom to make the most of their time until the next interruption. It was high time for a romantic getaway.

Sirius waited a few moments after hearing Severus and Marvolo's door close before he made his way down the hallway. There was no way in hell he would be leaving his pup alone all night after the day they had had. When he reached the room he was surprised to find Nagini curled up next to Harry with her head resting on his chest.

Shrugging his shoulders he changed into Padfoot and settled down on the other end of the bed. Neither of the other two occupants even noticed his addition and a few moments later he was also deeply asleep.

Amelia was very happy to finally get home. Even if they had stopped in the middle of the interview. She had seen how taxing relieving all of those memories had been on Harry. The teenager hadn't been the only one emotionally exhausted. She was sure that during his stories they all had felt a range of emotions and now that she was finally home she just wanted to cuddle up with her niece on the sofa.

"Sue! I'm home!" She called out once she had stepped out of the floo and dusted herself off.

Amelia made a straight line for her own room to change into something a lot more comfortable. Robes were actually really heavy and bulky. If you wore them correctly that wasn't a problem but they were not made for cuddling and slouching.

After years of searching Amelia had found that muggle yoga pants and a t-shirt were the most comfortable thing in the world. She quickly changed and threw her hair up into a messy bun before walking barefoot to her niece's room.

She knocked before opening the door and peeking inside.

"Auntie!" Susan exclaimed happily and scrambled off her bed.

"Hey Sue." The older witch said and gathered the younger one in her arms for a quick hug. "How about dinner?"

"Sure! I've been waiting for you to come home."

"Then let's go."

Together they made their way to the dining room where the elves had made them an excellent dinner.

Conversation flowed easily between them and Amelia was happy to forget all she had learned during today's interviews, at least for a moment. Susan could read her aunt like an open book and knew the woman had had an even harder day than the last week had already been.

She had made it her mission years ago to make sure that she would make her aunt smile at the end of every day, no matter how hard it had been on her guardian. That was why she was entertaining Amelia with stories about what she and her best friend Hannah had been up to all school year.

After a bowl of ice cream each they snuggled up on a sofa in the family room together. At first they talked a bit more about Susan's past year at Hogwarts before Amelia broached a subject she had been thinking about for a while now.

"Sue, I have a question." She began carefully. "I need you to answer me honestly and there won't be any consequences for you no matter the answer. I just need the truth."

"Oookay? Auntie what is this about?"

"In you first year at Hogwarts was there a troll in the school during the Halloween feast?"

Amelia watched her niece carefully as she thought back a few years. It took the teen longer than it should have to answer which worried the head of the DMLE greatly.

"Now that you asked, yes there was a troll. Did I never tell you about it?" Susan asked confused. Usually her aunt and she shared everything. They were very close since Sue's parents had died when she had been just a baby.

"Don't worry about it right now. You just confirmed my suspicions for a case."

"Oh. So nothing's wrong?"

"No. Everything is good. Come here and tell me more about that boy." Amelia said cheerfully and pulled her niece into a hug. She had to use her best occlumency shields to keep Susan from noticing how worried she was for the girl.

Minerva McGonagall had always been a very strict but very fair woman – at least she hoped she was – and now she had to admit that she may have helped her dearest and longest friend in a few not so correct things.

Since she had received the papers this morning and frantically packed all her stuff, she had written a letter to Madame Bones to inform her of her return to Hogwarts. She had also written that she would start sorting through all of the parchments on Albus' desk to see if she could find any evidence to unburden or condemn him. Since the headmaster hated parchment work this could take quite some time.

She had had enough time to think about all the little favors she had carried out for Albus Dumbledore while she made her way to the edge of the wards around the area she lived in. At first she didn't want to believe any of the lines written in the papers but the longer she walked the more memories came to the forefront of her mind where she had questioned Albus' decisions and only went along with them because he was her friend.

Once she reached the end of the village and thus the end of the wards she apparated to the gates of Hogwarts since all floos would have been shut off if nobody was in the castle.

The gates opened for her and only once they had closed behind her again did she make her way to the school.

It took her a good quarter hour until she reached the gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office.

"Sugar Quills!" She said and hoped that Albus had not had the time to lock his rooms down.

Thankfully after a moment the statue jumped aside and let her pass. Minerva rode the stairs to the top and took a quick breath before stepping inside.

When she had left her home she had had no idea just how much her friend had let things slide. There were rolls of parchment everywhere. Really everywhere.

She was also surprised to find a fully grown Fawkes sitting calmly on his stand while observing her with interest.

"Hello Fawkes. Albus is in quite a tight spot with the goblins so you shouldn't flash to him when he calls you." She told the bird while carefully stroking his feathers. As if he understood her he nodded before starting to eat the treats she had put into his bowl.

"Sorting through this mess will take me quite some time." She said to herself while having a goof look around. "Elf!"

"Yes, Perfesser Kitty?" An elf asked once it had appeared next to her.

"Please bring me a pot of tea and a few sandwiches."

"Of course, Perfesser Kitty!"

Moments later a stand-alone tray appeared in front of her with her requested food on it. Glad that the elves had noticed the lack of space, Minerva started on her lunch.

Since it had been her vacation she had had a late breakfast while reading the papers. Thus she had not eaten a lot before leaving and it had also taken her longer to get here than she had though it would.

She quickly finished before starting on all the parchments. It would be a long afternoon for her.

Minerva was sure that tomorrow morning Amelia and her aurors would be standing in front of the gates demanding entrance. She was actually surprised that they had not asked her to come back earlier but she guessed that everything had happened rather quickly.

With that visit in mind she moved to the fireplace to open up the floo so she could have them arrive by that method of travel and thus save them the walk from the gates to the school.

Just as she wanted to dismantle the wards she noticed the recording charm. Who put a recording charm on their floo? After a few more detecting charms she finally found out that it was a special floo recording charm that would record all incoming calls as well as messages if the caller wanted to leave one.

It looked as if the aurors would have to come through the gates anyway. There was no way she would take those charms down. There could be vital information on these recordings.

Also since she was the only person in the castle it was not possible for her to open one of the other floos. To do that she would need a second head of house or the headmaster himself.

TBC

Do you want to see Harry's side of all his years at Hogwarts? I mean everyone here has read the books or at least seen the films... Or do you only want to see small parts of each year?

I'm also planning on involving Remus in some of the upcoming chapters... not sure how tho.

I spent the last weeks re-reading my own fanfic to remember what I have written and what is still open to write :P Tell me if you think there is anything missing ;)

First posted on: 15. April 2018

Next update planned: 29. April 2018