Needless to say, Sebastian had been right about his prediction of his master reaction, he had hated that Sebastian though takingHarry along to Spinner End was acceptable. But Sirius was positively fumingand ranted for a while, however when he called Snape "snivellus" he found out just how serious the head of the household was about politeness. You see, he had decided he wanted to recruit Snape. And he had warned Sirius about being "polite to his allies", after all.

Sirius wasn't on board with this and it was their first great disagreement. If the man wasn't killed on sight for some of the things he said, was precisely because he was related to the demon. But he didn't get away scot free. Oh no. perishes the thought of something like that ever happening.

Sebastian stood in the middle; things didn't get worse because Harry was present. The baby crying got the two quarreling parties under a semblance of control.

Harry fuzzed even more that evening and didn't want to go to sleep. It didn't matter what they did, the baby won't have it. He won't sleep and keep crying at the top of his little lungs. They were actually worried and called the mediwizard to check him over. Nothing was wrong. He wasn't even teething yet, the man was as perplexed as them as to why Harry was crying.

This didn't help.

Desperate times called for desperate measures, right?

Maybe the baby touched something at Spinner End? Both demons deemed this as impossibility but they ran out of options.

That's how they found themselves doing this. The two demons completely confident in their capacity to do damage control if something were to happen.

…

Severus Snape must be imagining things. This had to be a dream, right? Otherwise how on earth is this to be explained? His tormentor and would-be murderer from his years in Hogwarts, Sirius Black of all people showing at his doorstep, with a baby in tow and somehow transformed in a woman. Even in that shape he was able to recognize him, for he absolutely despised him… if he didn't curse the… well, Black, into next century it was sorely for the baby´s sake.

A baby with green eyes and a lightning bolt scar in his forehead that had been crying his lungs out until he laid eyes on Severus. The toddler was currently extending his chubby arms to the potion master at the open mouthed expression of his godfather and the curious eyes of the demons hiding in the shadows.

Wordlessly and with his wand trained on his unexpected and unwanted visitor, Severus Snape stepped to the side to allow him entry in his flat. Ciel and Sebastian followed in the shadows but the man didn't have to know that.

It wasn't cheating as they were granted access by the home owner, even if unknowingly given it worked.

Convinced this wasn't some sort of dream- mostly a nightmare- he didn't know how to break the silence, Harry hadn't made a sound since they arrived at Spinner End, and had his green orbs fixed on Sn... ape.

His currently humiliating condition was a direct consequence of voicing his chosen name for his current host. Certainly the demon was unforgiving. And a bastard with some serious vengeance streak and particular sense of humor. Figures.

The two stared at each other for what seemed an eternity, the stone silence in the room only broken by Harry´s gurgles here and then. The two demons currently watching from the shadows wondered if they had to jump start the confrontation.

They didn't have to wait too much.

_ What are you doing here and how is it you got a hold of Potter´s spawn? -drawled Snape with murder in his eyes and some unreadable feeling dwelling there besides his palpable anger.

_ His name is Harry, and if you ever appreciated Lily as much as you claim, you better start using it. - Sirius answered, with a glower as powerful as the one Snape was dedicating him. - I don't know what was it she ever saw in you or how on earth she had Prongs convinced of making you godfather to their second child… not that it will happen anymore. - That last bit was said with crushing sadness.

That got a reaction out of the man, not one Sirius expected. He looked… well. Devastated. It was such a raw emotion that it ate at the sarcastic comment he was ready to fire away right after the one he had just delivered. He could do nothing but reluctantly empathize with his enemy. They both had lost someone important that night at Godric Hollow. It was easier to forget Snape had lost someone too. Lily didn't give him the time of the day after the whole "Mudblood" incident. That was a fact, but she still loved him in a sense, she convinced Prongs to have Snape appointed as a godfather, the power of love was truly astounding.

Snape stared at Sirius without averting his gaze, and Harry looked like he might start crying again any minute now.

_ For… - Sirius cut at mid-phrase, otherwise he might've gotten a curse or something worse from the undercover demons in the room.- Common Prongslet, be good for Padfoot, yes?

_ What´s wrong with him? - asked Snape, reluctantly.

_. If I knew I certainly wouldn't be here- Sirius was utterly sincere on that last utterance and the almost canine like growl on her voice gave it away.

_ How did you find me and how you knew I wouldn't call the aurors upon seeing you? - Snape had his wand trained on Sirius and Ciel just itched to snap it so it wouldn't be pointing at Harry. Lovely evening they were set on having.

…

After a couple of flying curses everyone settled in some kind of peace that precedes a storm. Everyone waiting for someone to suddenly flip out, baby Harry was out cold, he finally stopped crying—to his caretakers insurmountable relief- a tiny fist fast held on the lapel of one Severus Snape. To the infinite dismay of one Sirius Black who couldn't believe hi… her eyes. And of course all of this just contributed with the ever present amusement of Harry´s demonic caretakers.

An almost all-out war was prevented from happening just for the baby´s presence.

Severus Snape and Sirius Black loathed each other with a burning will that permeated the air and left a pleasant taste at least for the older demon. Lord Phantomhive couldn't be more unimpressed with their antics.

Being strictly fair, Ciel liked Snape well enough, but the man reverted to a 3-year-old whenever he happened to be near Sirius and he really didn't fancy having to endure their endless bickering. If they couldn't put their past behind them he´ll have to make them.

Ciel didn't have experience taking care of toddlers, when he was a living and breathing human he avoided toddlers like the plague. After he "died" he had even less of a chance to cross paths with a baby. But it just figures he´d end up being the guardian of not just any baby. Harry wasn't an ordinary toddler. This night cemented that fact.

Harry had stopped crying as soon as he was reluctantly handed to one Severus Snape, like when you pass a switch. The potion master was awkward as hell with a child and it really didn't help matters when he had Sirius eagle stare on him, like waiting for him to screw up or something…

After a silence that seemed never-ending and a long suffering sigh, Severus finally settled his glare on Black and… the demons.

He still couldn't believe that his ordinary evening had developed in something of this proportion.

It was not every day you received such visitors, two immortal beings that even Merlin himself wouldn't want to cross, and your childhood nemesis, one of the most obnoxious and arrogant beings you ever crossed paths with- in female form.

The warm little body currently nested on his lap felt like a ton of bricks, he didn't dare to even breathe deeply for fear of disturbing the child.

He hated James Potter even more than he hated Sirius Black, but even so he couldn't bring himself to hate a baby. Less of all Lily´s baby, this child was the only piece of her that still breathed… the reason why he accepted to sell his soul to Albus Dumbledore.

Having him here just drove the concept home like nothing else.

Why? How was this possible?

_ So let me get this straight. These two are demons and they got you out of Azkaban and are also responsible of your current appearance, they broke you out of prison to get incontestable custody of Harry. And somehow managed to make a fool out of Dumbledore and actually get Petunia and her whale of a husband to sign off their rights. What are you getting out of this? - this question he aimed it at the demons. He couldn't care less what his nemesis had to say, but… it weirded him out to treat Black as … Black with this new appearance.

_ That about sums it up, yes- Black agreed like this whole situation wasn't something that seemed straight out of an alternate dimension.

_ You're still wanted, even if people won't recognize you looking like that, someone that's supposed to be on the run and convicted of a crime can't be a suitable guardian for a baby. If Dumbledore is to be believed a lot of people wanted to raise him. I'm surprised a hushed witch hunt hasn't started already. - trying to pry the baby´s hand of his lapel proved impossible for the potion master.

_ That's why we´re currently working on getting all charges dropped, since he was just thrown in jail without a trial I say we´ve got a fair chance of getting a trial and even compensation.- Ciel decided to intervene- and of course our presence here has a purpose, one that includes you of course.

Giving the demon his full attention, Severus didn't allow himself to be fooled. This was an incredible powerful supernatural being that looked like a 12-year-old, that didn't make him less lethal. Somehow, he, Severus Snape, managed to catch this entity's attention.

Merlin helps him.

…

The Ministry was the picture of an owlery in utter chaos. Ministry workers, aurors, members of the Wizengamot and even administrative personnel were in the known. Everyone knew about the break out. The public didn't know yet and they counted their lucky stars for it. It was strictly forbidden to discuss about it, even with their families. At most, every ministry worker told their loved ones: Don't go out at night, and if possible, don't go out at all unless it's by portkey or flu. And they really couldn't risk more. Just uttering the last name "Black" was a one way ticket to unemployment, imprisonment or a long stay on Saint Mungo´s mental ward.

That Bellatrix Lestrange and Sirius Black managed to do the impossible, break out of Azkaban without leaving a single trace, unarmed and without external assistance utterly terrified and mystified them. Aurors were alarmed. They all remembered what Bellatrix did to a couple of their very best. Everyone else was petrified. They remembered what Sirius Black had done to a street full of muggles and one of his supposed best friends.

It fell on Amelia Bones and her department the duty of tracking them down with all the resources she judged necessary, she had everything she wanted for this case with just asking it, she ruefully thought how some of this resources might´ve help solve other cases, Merlin so help her, how she hated politicians!

The Minister himself said this was a priority and he barely could contain the news. God knows the vultures of the Daily Prophet died for news like these.

Now of all times Lucius Malfoy had to fake insanity and wash his hand with the Ministry, his galleons and particular style of dissuasion could've done wonders to prevent this whole panic to spread around. As it was they were just waiting for the article to be posted anytime now and for hundreds of howlers and hate mail to flood their desks.

Needless to say, Minister Fudge wasn't a happy camper in the slightest. Malfoy didn't give him any explanation for ending their profitable relationship. His parting words were "you´ll see" and he only gave a piece of advice: stay away from Dumbledore if you don't want to face your demise.

He looked death serious too. Whoever was responsible for this whole business was someone Fudge didn't want to cross.

And think of the devil, he shall appear.

Albus Dumbledore was here. On top of everything else on his plate, Cornelius Fudge was having an awful day.

…

If Minister Fudge was having an awful day, Madam Bones was having an awful month. It had been at least fifteen days since the Blacks managed to escape from their number one security prison and she had nothing to find them. Nothing worked! She interrogated all prisoners on the respective hallways and none of them was the wiser as to what happened. Not even Lestrange´s husband or brother-in-law, if anything they were vexed at being left behind and called her all sort of disgusting names she really didn't want to hear again. If she didn't loathe the other woman as much as she did, she´d empathize with her for having such crooks as family.

The dementors were restless and wanted to take part in the search but she won't have it. She even threatened to quit altogether if that were to be implemented against her objections. The last thing they needed was to have dementors of all things roam around and suck souls out of innocent people. The Patronus charm was something not a lot of wizards or witches could cast and she didn't have men to spare and send along with dementor parties, none of her agents will do it willingly either. Everyone with two fingers upfront wanted to stay as far as possible from dementors on any day. They won't be effective if they thought about self-preservation instead of suspect whereabouts. With all this on her plate she barely had time for anything non-related to this whole fiasco.

She could hardly pay attention to Susan and ended up feeling guilt-ridden about it… and her humor didn't get better when she found a black envelope on top of her neatly filled paperwork, innocently sitting on top of her last report as if it belonged there. Her assistant and every administrative worker they had knew hot it utterly vexed her if someone even breathed near her files, they all knew better than this. Even the owls dropped their packages or notes on the mail section she designated on her other desks, she implemented that after suffering some singed feathers and carbonized winged memorandums. Not to mention important documents damaged.

She only got angrier when no one could tell her how this appeared were it wasn't supposed to, no one had seen it until she pointed it out, enraged.

If something like this could happen in the office of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (DMLE) with everyone none the wiser; she really dreaded to think what could happen next. Possibilities were endless and…bleak.

Of course, people though she was making a storm out of zilch, nil, zero- something insignificant even- and of course that just infuriated her more.

The envelope wasn't poisoned, but it was spelled like nothing they´d ever seen before and that´s where they all started to take it as seriously as it deserved. You see. No one could open or hold it if it wasn't Amelia herself, even so, it didn't hurt anyone. Not even when they tried to open it forcefully.

Left with little choice, she decided to open the infamous envelope. In the Department of Mysteries surrounded by her very best and some of the finest of that Department as well- it really cost her a scream contest with Fudge and the Head of the Department of Mysteries but she won't take no for an answer- the letter read as follows:

Esteemed

Madam Bones.

It is to my understanding that you're the person I need to communicate with in regards to a most grievous oversight of your legal system- if not the government in which you act as an official that so far has a made a lasting bad impression on my person as a whole disastrous organization- it was recently brought to my attention that one of my distant relatives had been incarcerated without so much as a proper previous procedure.

Understandably I was completely astounded, as a law abiding citizen and subject of Her Majesty the Queen, this not only violates her decree and will, but it also represents a flagrant violation of every international human rights treaty ever signed by our country.

If that wasn't enough as to plead his case I humbly exhort you as the only public employee I judge competent and righteous to correct this atrocity that he´d be granted a proper trial that must be conducted by those fit to do so- there mustn't be anyone related directly or indirectly to his previous imprisonment for starters-. I write this missive and sent it directly to you with means I won't disclose and you won't find out; as a noblemen, head of my house and a part of the dark noblemen serving under the royal family since the reign of Queen Victoria I extend this courtesy, to allow the correction of this oversight of justice on your own system, abiding and submitting to your laws and jurisdiction- failed and biased as it has been with this man- as it is the appropriate thing to do. But if it turns out that my relative, one Sirius Orion Black was indeed incarcerated as an innocent man and if this procedure it's biased and tainted in any form, I vow to take all measures corresponding to cases such as this one and take it to its last consequences.

You, as acting head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement or DMLE can proceed to interrogate my relative, Mr. Black at your convenience and with as many experts and officials as you see fit.

You just need to write your answer to this missive, fold it and get it into the black envelope in which you received this letter.

Attached to this I include a copy of one of our family´s biggest treasures: a Royal prerogative of Mercy extended to the house of Phantomhive.

Signed

Earl of Phantomhive, Watchdog of the Queen, Aristocrat of Evil

Ciel Sirius Phantomhive

Await your missive

Scratch a bad month; Amelia Bones was facing the biggest stumbling block in her career and this could very well end her. For the love of Merlin she wanted to hex Fudge´s bollocks into the next century. Fudge and that damned Dumbledore with his twinkling eyes.