Harry Potter and the Calm Before the Storm

Chapter One

Lily took several deep breaths to steady herself. She didn't want to be here, she didn't want to be here at all but it was the only way to get the letters to stop. The first few she could ignore but they just didn't stop coming; more and more everyday until she felt like she was drowning in them.

Lily looked over the smudged words or the latest letter and sighed. The cold wind whipped around her and she pulled her cloak more tightly around her.

"Don't worry Mrs Snape, Minister, we're nearly there."

Lily smiled at the warmly wrapped up ministry official, with short cropped hair and thick gloves keeping his fingers warm. Lily knew they were nearly there; she could see the haunting figures of the Dementors hovering nearby. Fudge flicked his wand and a small Patronus flickered out.

Lily also flicked her wand and a small, silvery kitten appeared, sending the nearby Dementors scattering away from the small party. The little row boat gently bumped into the rocky mooring and came to a stop.

The ministry official climbed onto the seaweed covered rocks and helped Fudge and Lily onto the shore.

The huge tower of Azkaban prison loomed over them and Lily had to take several more deep breaths in order to give herself enough energy to walk through the doors. It was freezing cold inside, Lily could see her breath form a cloud in the pale light.

"Wands please." The ministry official said holding out an old, slightly mouldy wooden box.

"Excuse me?" Lily asked, holding tightly to her wand, "You want my wand Mr…?"

"Davis." The ministry official gave a tight lipped smile, "And yes, no wands are allowed in the building. It's a danger, you see, if one of the inmates were to get hold of one."

Lily gave a small nod and with trembling fingers put her wand into the box. The small kitten died quickly, diminishing the already terrible lighting and making the place somehow even colder.

"But if we don't have wands how will we protect ourselves from… well from the Dementors?" Lily pointed out.

"Don't worry my dear lady." Fudge said with a forced smiled, "They have been ordered not to attack us."

Lily managed to force a smile in return and greatly wished she hadn't turned down Severus and Sirius's offers of company.

They made their way through another set of large oak doors that slammed shut behind them. The Dementors may not have been attacking them but their attacks on the inmates around them chilled them to the bone. Lily kept her eyes forward and hurried along the old corridor, wishing that Fudge would hurry up; she was sure he couldn't walk any slower if he went backwards.

After two long staircases and never ending dark corridors they finally arrived at cell number 329. Fudge approached and the nearby Dementor floated menacingly away from them. The small brown rat that was cell 329's only occupant looked over a them and squeaked. It spun round and a thin, balding man with beady eyes was staring at them.

"Lily… Lily Potter… you came." He squeaked, looking creepily at her.

Lily stepped forward and put one hand on the bars to steady herself, "Peter… I… my name is Snape now."

"So it's true you married Snvillus? Severus I mean." Peter said moving closer to her, "Why?"

Lily moved back, "He's a good man Peter. That's something you wouldn't understand."

"I was scared Lily," Peter moaned like a child in a huff, "You didn't know the power he had, he would have killed me."

"Yes but you still shouldn't have betrayed us. You should have just died." Lily said, her voice catching.

"But the weapons… Lily you don't know." Peter said.

"I do know Peter." Lily snapped, "He used those weapons, to hurt our friends, to kill James, my husband and your best friend. He then tried to kill me and my son. We trusted you."

Peter scratched behind his ear and frowned in annoyance.

"What do you want?" Lily asked, "All the letters you sent."

"I was hoping that you would bring Harry." Peter said moving so he was almost pressing against the bars.

"Even if a pig flew, the stars aligned and I ever let you see Harry again, which believe me would never happen, I would never bring him or… I would never bring him here." Lily said firmly.

"Him or?" Peter said, "Or who?"

"My daughter." Lily said shortly.

"I didn't know you had another child." Peter said, "With Snivillus, James would be so happy." he said statistically

"Don't you dare!" Lily snapped, moving forward, "You lost all right to speak about James that way when you got him murdered because you were a coward."

Peter grabbed her arm through the bars and held her arm tightly, digging his fingers in, Lily was shocked at how strong he was despite how frail he looked.

"They might let me go Lily." Peter hissed, "They say I could get a reduced sentence, someone told the ministry that they had to look over my file. You have to help!"

"Excuse me?" Lily said, trying to pull her arm free, "Why would I give you anything to help you get free?"

"Please Lily, you don't understand, you don't understand how horrific it is in here!" Peter shouted.

Lily pulled her arm free and shook her head, turning to Fudge, "What's he talking about? Who wants the case reviewed?"

"We don't know Mrs Snape, we just received the request and it just gets lost trying to find which department approved it in the first place." Fudge said rather awkwardly,

"And… and all the letters you sent for him?" Lily said in barely more than a whisper.

Fudge played with his purple bowler hat for a few moments and coughed nervously, "Well if there is reasonable doubt..."

"What doubt?" Lily demanded, her temper flaring again.

"Well it has been suggested that possibly… well Sirius Black. He was suspected at the time." Fudge pointed out.

"I..." Lily looked around, her brain was struggling to think through the fog of empty hopelessness that filled the building, "I thought that he was in custody when Peter attacked the street? And besides that, I know that Peter was our secret keeper, James's blood is on his hands."

"We have to investigate, magic can make things complicated." Fudge said like Lily had never seen a spell in her life.

She gritted her teeth, "I'm not speaking in his defence, I'm sorry I can't." Lily shrugged, "I wont."

"Please Lily!" Peter screamed, "You were always kind, you were always good and did the right thing, please help me get out of here. I'm innocent, I was just scared."

"I want to leave." Lily said firmly, "I'm sorry Peter, there's nothing I will do to help you. You did something wrong, therefore you deserve to be here. I'm not going to help your case just because you're being pathetic."

Lily walked away quickly trying to control her emotions. She was panicked inside, unable to keep the raging, conflicting emotions that were bursting inside of her in check. She could hear Peter screaming after her and then he went silent, Lily assumed that he'd turned back into a rat to escape the torment of the Dementors.

Fudge was walking quickly behind her, "Mrs Snape, Mrs Snape please wait."

Lily stopped and took several deep breaths, "Thank you for setting up this meeting, I… I'm sorry, that I can't do anything to help. I would appreciate that you didn't send me any more letters from him, I'm sure you understand."

Fudge shrugged awkwardly and made a few strange clicking noises with his tongue, "Prisoners who's cases are being reviewed have the right to send letters."

"I understand that but unless there is a big development in the case I don't want to hear from him again, I have nothing else to add to the official record at this time." Lily said and began to walk down the grim corridors again earning a loud huff from Fudge.

Lily felt the breath leave her body as she was slammed against the wall and felt the happiness leave her body.

The Dementor's cold, scaly hand clutched around her neck as happy feeling after happy feeling was sucked from her body. She heard wind blowing painfully around her ears in what felt like years before the Dementor was chased away from her and she fell to the floor.

Lily focused on the pain in her knees to stop herself from passing out.

"Mrs Snape are you all right?" Davis asked as he and Fudge helped her to her feet.

She would have been angry if she wasn't so exhausted and desperate to leave.

"Yes, yes I'll be fine." She said. Lily managed to stand up by herself and rubbed her head, "I thought you said we were safe." She managed to glare at Fudge.

"Sorry my fault," Davis said, "I was locking up cell 329 and it's this that they know to stay away from."

He pulled out a small marble sized stone that was glowing softly, "It's spelled to repel them but you got too far away, normally they're not so bad but… well you were a bit upset." he gave a small sympathetic shrug.

Lily forced a smile, "Well I have to thank you, not sure I would have been all right for much longer there."

"And next time you know to stick together." Fudge put in, rather annoyed she'd walked away from him; twice.

"Believe me Minister, there will not be a next time." Lily snapped.

Davis put an arm around her guiding them towards the entrance, "Don't worry. I've got some chocolate in my office."

His 'office' was a small hollow in the rocks that formed the base of the prison. It had a single light hanging from the celling that was swaying slightly in the drafts coming from under the door. Lily tried to make herself comfortable on the musty, green sofa that had a spring trying to stab its way through the fabric.

She was handed a large chunk off a cheap chocolate bar by Davis and took a nibble. It was disgusting, clearly had been sitting out for too long but Lily knew she had to eat it.

"Sorry the place is a mess; I don't really use it, as you can imagine my office at the ministry is far more comfortable and I can't keep anything dry here." Davis smiled.

Lily looked around the dripping walls and wasn't surprised that nothing managed to stay dry. She felt cold and damp to her bones and wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and never wake up.

After a few moments Lily felt a hand, shaking her shoulder and dragging her out of her head. She looked up to see Fudge giving her over another piece of chocolate. She gave what she hopped looked like a smile and took the chocolate.

"We should get you home." Fudge said, rather worried.

"I… thank you." Lily said, standing up, "Home is for the best I think."

"I'll have to record this, they're not meant to attack visitors." Davis whispered to Fudge.

Fudge looked awkward and jammed his hat firmly on his head, "Yes well, if that's the protocol."

Lily pretended as though she hadn't heard as they made their way to the small boat off the island.

Harry dragged his head from the pensive and took several deep breaths. He knew he shouldn't have been in his mother's study, nor should he have been playing around with her pensive and memories but it had been a week since he'd seen her and it was his birthday tomorrow; he was worried.

It had been a week since she'd come back from a trip where she refused to tell him where she was going, everyone was being secretive and keeping it from him. The trip had left Lily crying and sleeping for a week and Harry was worried.

Now he slumped against the desk and closed his eyes. He could still see the Dementor's fingers clasped around Lily's throat and he shuddered. No wonder she was struggling.

After taking a few minutes to calm himself Harry heaved himself off the floor, put the pensive away and left the room exactly as he had found it. He made a quick stop at his room and grabbed the half empty box of chocolate sea shells before knocking on his mothers bedroom door.

There was a muffled response of come in so he did. Harry looked over, his mother was now out of bed and slowly brushing her hair, sitting at her large dresser.

"Is everything all right Harry?" she asked with a small smile.

"I want you to have these." Harry said, handing her the chocolate, "Partly to make you feel better and partly to bribe you not to be cross because I went into your office and now know why you need to feel better." he smiled as innocently as he could.

Lily laughed and held her arms open for a hug, "I'm sorry I've been so miserable. It's just… Well you know why now. I do think we're going to have to have a word about privacy though."

Harry smirked,(9) "I was just really worried about you."

"I know. You're a good boy." Lily sighed, "I know things have been difficult so far this holiday for you."

Harry shrugged, "I know why you don't want me to go back to school, it's just I love it there."

Lily nodded, "I understand that, but I only want to do what's best for you. Now go and help Lupin and Sirius clear out the rooms, I'll be with you shortly."

Harry grinned and jumped up giving his mother another hug and went up to the room on the third floor that Sirius and Lupin were currently clearing out. His mother had made a huge push lately to get the house sorted.

Harry knew why; things were starting to feel different, like there was something bad coming and Lily wanted everything to be as sorted as possible for when it hit. He knocked on the door and entered. It was nearly cleared, there was a large pile of bin bags filled with broken rubbish that was safe to go in the muggle rubbish bin.

Another, even larger, pile of bin bags that the ministry would have to dispose of. Mr Weasley had been round the first day of the holidays in order to arrange for a pick up. Even Harry, who'd lived nearly all his life in Grimmauld Place, was amazed at the amount of junk that had filled it.

"Everything in that corner is safe, if you want to start sorting." Lupin smiled at him.

Harry gave a salute jokingly and sat on the floor to start sorting.

"And if Kreacher comes back, don't let him near anything." Sirius told him, "He keeps wanting to keep stuff and all this is just rubbish."

"It must be hard for him," Harry shrugged, playing with a snow globe so old the water had gone cloudy and slightly green around the edges, "All this stuff, he must have known who it belonged to."

"I know." Sirius said with a smirk, "You sound like your mother."

"Lily wants it cleared though and with some of the stuff we've found isn't safe. Especially with Danica wanting to explore more and more now. How you ever grew up here without a horrific injury we'll never know." Lupin shook his head and gave a shoe box sized trunk a nudge with his toe, "Don't open this whatever you do."

Harry frowned and wondered what could be so horrific in the box but did as told and ignored it, getting back to sorting.

A week, another room cleared and Harry's first encounter with a Bogart (not that he was allowed to fight it) later, Harry flopped on the bed and listened to Danica squeal with happiness the floor above. A smile spread over his face; he couldn't imagine life without his baby sister and she had kept the family sane over the last few weeks.

Lily didn't want Harry to go back to school. He couldn't blame her, not really. It wasn't as though the last two years had been smooth sailing and Lily had always worried about his safety. Still, Harry loved going to Hogwarts; all his friends went and if he didn't he'd only be able to see them at the holidays.

Sirius had said that he would see what he could do but Harry hadn't heard anything since. He shook his head, he wasn't going to worry about school; not on the day of his birthday party. Instead he got up and put on his Slytherin T-shirt, clean jeans and headed down stairs.

For the first time ever Harry wasn't just having a meal in with the Malfoys. Instead, because all his friends could make it, he was having a movie night. Harry loved going to the cinema and now one of the newly sorted upstairs rooms was a mini cinema, at least for the night.

Also for the first time ever, Harry wasn't celebrating his birthday on his birthday but nearly a week later as it meant that Pansy could come as well as she'd just got back from America.

Kreacher opened the door as soon as there was a knock, with a low bow, "Welcomes to the Snape, Black, Potter residents."

Hermione gave a small smile, she'd never seen Dobby or Dusty so was rather taken aback to see a house elf for the first time.

Harry walked over and gave her a wave, "You found us then."

Hermione nodded, "Yeah, Harry this is my Mum and Dad."

Harry smiled at the two adults behind Hermione, they looked smart and proper sort of people, but kind, unlike Lily's sister.

"It's very nice to meet you." Harry said, holding out his hand for them to shake, "Mum and Dad are in the library with my uncles." he pointed to the library door.

"Thank you Harry." Hermione's mother said coming into the house.

Harry led them into the library and introduced them to one another. Three knocks on the door later and the library was filled with parents chatting causally and the six teenagers excitedly heading up the stairs.

"Not all the rooms are cleared out yet," Harry said once they reached the top of staircase number three, "So if you open a door, do so at your own risk."

"What sort of thing did the Blacks collect?" Hermione asked, both shocked and intrigued.

"It was mostly dark arts stuff. Sirius's Mother, the painting, was a huge fan." Harry explained, they could still hear the painting shrieking down the stairs.

Harry pushed open the door to the make shift cinema with a flourish, "Ta Dah!"

They walked into the room that was filled with several comfortable looking armchairs and beanbags. There was a buffet table to the side of the room filled with far more than you'd get in a normal cinema.

As well as a large verity of drinks there was a mountain of popcorn, sweets, and hot dogs, as well as sandwiches and cakes.

They helped themselves and got comfortable before Harry jumped up and pushed the large red button on an old projector standing at the back. The light shone against the large white screen on the wall.

The starting music of Men In Black filled the room and Harry jumped back into his seat.

"I love the top by the way Harry." Hermione smiled, "Where did you get it?"

"Mum and Dad got it for me for my birthday, I wish I was a fly on the wall at the shop they got it printed from, they must have thought they were insane." Harry laughed.

It wasn't long before they were sucked into the movie and watching too much to talk. As the credits rolled, Harry got up and flicked the light switch, blinding them all for a second.

"That was brilliant." Draco grinned, "I'm going to try and get Mother and Father to take me to the cinema."

Neville nodded, "It was amazing."

"The screens are even bigger in the cinema as well." Harry said gathering up the plates and putting them on the buffet table.

They finished clearing up a bit and made their way downstairs, arguing playfully on whether Jay was a Gryffindor or a Slytherin.

"He's really brave though." Hermione pointed out, taking a seat at the dinning room table.

"Are you saying we're not brave Miss Granger?" Daphne laughed.

"Well some of you are." Neville joked.

Danica ran into the room and jumped up to each of them in turn asking for a hug.

"Who is you?" She asked Hermione once she'd been around the table.

"Umm, I'm Hermione." she said awkwardly, looking to Harry.

"Very nice to meet you." Danica smiled and sat next to her.

It was definitely a full table, even now all the parents had gone home. Harry was grateful they had such a large dinning room.

Once everyone was sat and Kreacher had finished laying out a large meal of chilli and wedges, Lily stood up and cleared her throat.

"Well I hope you've all had a good day, I want to wish Harry a very happy birthday! These last thirteen years have gone so very, very quickly. We're all immensely proud of you." She smiled and raised her glass, "To Harry!"

"To Harry" the room echoed, as everyone took a sip of their drinks.

Harry grinned and thanked his mother. That night he fell into bed, exhausted but happy.