" We did nothing to her! She wanted to get back at Snape for what he said to her, what he called her! "
" That boy had been nothing but kind to that girl ever since they set foot in Hogwarts. I'm well aware of what he said to her that day. I also know she was upset with him, I also know that he would never call her that filthy name. "
" It must've been Peter. Because James and I were just as shocked that he'd call her that awful name. We may have hated him, "
" Still hate from what I can see. "
" But we weren't that cruel. "
" Oh? Says the one that nearly got Severus killed at 15. Something happened that day more than just mean words being said someone had to have cursed Severus to say those words to Lily and then curse Lily to not forgive him, she was a forgiving girl just like Harry is. "
" Even those who forgive have limits. "
" So you two did do something to her? Lily wanted nothing to do with James Potter almost since day one at school because he and you picked on Severus, who was her friend and you know protective Harry is of his friends, Lily was the same way. And to start dating him later? No that doesn't sound like the Lily I knew, she knew something was wrong as well, she wouldn't have come to me with her concerns if she didn't. Whatever spell, hex, potion, or Jinx she was hit with or ingested wasn't done very well for her to notice things, not to mention the memory lapses. "
" Sounds like an unforgivable curse to me. " Mad-eye interjected, the two had forgotten about the others being there along with the rest of the children.
" You mean a Imperio Curse? "
" Imperio Curse? " Ron asked.
" It's a mind control spell. There are three all together that unforgivable, The Mind Control Curse, Imperio. The Torture Curse, Cruciatus. And, " Hermione began.
" Go on girl, the third. " Mad-Eye encouraged.
" The Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra. " She finished.
" Very good! "
" Are you saying that someone had put an Imperio curse on Lily? " Kingsley asked.
" I would never do that to Lily neither would James! It had to have been Pettigrew! I know that Remus, James, and myself would never do that! Or another slimy Slytherin! "
" Need I remind you that Pettigrew was from my house as you, James, Remus, and Lily were? And that it was a Slytherin that helped us win the first war? And all for the woman he loved, a love that you dare mock in his face! She cared and loved him too Sirius, I could see it. "
" Why would Lily love... " Sirius started.
" Love Severus? " Minerva asked.
Sirius went quiet.
" Snape and Harry's mum? " Ron asked.
" Makes sense. He never brought her up before and he never insulted her. "
" He already did that! "
" Not of his own will Sirius. If Lily was under an Imperio, Severus could've been too, as Minerva said, it wasn't like him to do that and it wasn't like Lily to get back at him by going out with James when he wasn't the best person at the time. Was James acting strangely? " Albus said.
" Are you accusing... "
" No, merely asking in case he was also under the curse. "
" No, he was happy that Lily was finally showing him attention and not Snape. "
" Sounds like jealousy if I ever heard it. "
" No, James would never... "
" If not him then maybe he asked Peter to do it? "
" You can't be serious Remus! "
" I'm sorry Sirius but I'm with McGonagall on this one, Harry too. What happened that day was too coincidental. And out of character for both Severus and Lily. James was smirking the whole time. "
" I refuse to believe that James did anything of the sort! Yes he fancied Lily and he may have been jealous that she'd be with Snape, but he would never...! "
" Then perhaps Pettigrew did it thinking he was doing James a favor? "
" It could still be James. "
" Well you can't arrest a dead man now can you? Pettigrew is still alive and he did do that, he'd never admit it. Not unless we torture him. "
" Don't talk like that Sirius. "
" Alright, let's take a breath and settle down, we will discuss this later. We all could use some rest, it has been a long night. We have other matters to attend tonight. "
" Your right Albus, we also have some arrests to do as well. "
---
Unbeknownst to them, Harry had heard everything, but he used his Occlumency training to foreign indifference when Remus came to check on him later. He hadn't gone to sleep, afraid that he couldn't be able to keep his shields up.
" Alright Harry? " He asked.
" Yes, just trying to get some sleep. "
" It's probably the adrenaline. It should wear off soon. "
" I hope so. "
" Do you need anything? "
" No, I'm alright. I'll probably crash once the adrenaline wears off like you said. "
" Alright, but if you need something, I'm just a shout away. "
" Well, there is something I'd like to know if you can answer it for me. "
" What Harry? "
" Why does Sirius hate Professor Snape? "
" Well, I actually don't think it's Severus he hates, its more of the house he was in at school. "
" He hates him because he was in Slytherin? But wasn't Snape and my mum friends? "
" Yes they were. But Severus commented on the train that he liked to be in Slytherin because his mother was in Slytherin, Sirius' family were all Slytherin and well, they aren't the nicest of people. "
" But not all who go into Slytherin are bad. Professor Snape's a good man, he just looks like he'd be the bad guy. He's saved me twice now. "
" I know, but Sirius, he hates all Slytherins because of what their house means or rather what is said about it, it doesn't help that most that come out of Slytherin end up doing bad things. "
" Professor Snape did bad things for what he thought were the right reasons. He didn't want to be hurt anymore so he went somewhere where he thought he could get stronger than the people that hurt him so they wouldn't hurt him anymore. He's had a rough life too Remus, almost like me with the Dursleys and please tell anyone I said that. "
" I won't Harry. You have my word. "
" Thank you. Good night, Remus. "
" Good night, Harry. "
---
Severus returned at the end of the week as promised to be there with Harry when Albus came to take him to the Ministry for the court session against the Dursleys.
He looked alright, but Harry could tell that something happened, he was moving too stiffly like he was in pain, but he never let on, just like how Harry would if he was hurt, so someone must've done something to him at Voldemort's order.
And to think his father and Sirius thought him to be weak. He's the strongest man he knows and the bravest to be doing what he's doing.
" Professor? " He began but stopped, knowing that Severus wouldn't want the attention.
" Shall we get going then? " He nodded to Harry, which Harry understood that he was alright, or that's what he was telling him so that he wouldn't worry.
Harry nodded back and schooled his features, something that his friends found peculiar. More Ron than Hermione as she thought it fascinating and had been reading up on the book Harry had with about Occlumency and had been helping practice and even started doing it herself, which Harry was going to tell Severus about, he might teach her more of the subject alongside him.
" It'll be alright Harry. " Hermione whispered to him as she hugged him. "
" I hope so. "
---
The trial was a secret one, but he went as Harry and Severus predicted, the Dursleys all denied ever laying a hand on Harry, but his handwritten statements, as well as his memories and verbal recollection of the abuse and neglect at their hands was enough to send them to Azkaban for a good ten years Dudley was sent to a muggle juvenile institute and the charges added to his file he would spend the remaining years as a teenager there until he was 18.
They were also ordered to pay back the money given to them by Albus for Harry's care to which it was put in his vault to use for school. Harry was also given full access to his father's vaults due to Albus' mistake.
And much to the surprise of Harry and Severus, it had been discovered that should Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Albus Dumbledore, or Minerva McGonagall were found unfit or unable to take care of one Harry James Potter, he was to be taken into the care of Severus Tobias Snape.
Harry saw Severus flinch at his middle name and he knew it wasn't because of his full name being said, he hated his middle name because Tobias was his father's name.
Albus questioned why that was and it was found to be in Lily Potter nee Evans Will that she made shortly before her death in October 31th of 1981. There also no mention of Petunia being granted the custody of Harry in either of the Wills. Albus was then reprimanded for going against the last wishes of both James and Lily, they understood it not being safe at the time to place Harry with Severus given that he was a spy for the Light side of the war, but there was spells that could've been used and that Severus was, is, a very capable and powerful wizard, he would've had no trouble protecting the boy.
He was ordered to apologize to Harry and not to come within a 100 feet of him starting today and for the next two years.
---
Both Harry and Severus was in a daze afterwards for different reasons. For Severus it was that Lily had trusted him to care of her son if something were to happen to her. And it further proved to him that something was wrong about how both he and Lily were acting that day and afterwards. Meaning she had to have been cursed and was breaking through it returning back to herself.
For Harry, he was shocked that he would've gone to Severus had something caused Sirius or Remus not to take care of him, of course Remus being a werewolf he was already considered unable to care for him because of the transformations and him not being able to afford the potion needed to make him less of a danger.
Not only that, but that Albus went against what his mum wanted, she trusted him and he went against what she wanted. The two year restraining order was well deserved until he was able to come to grips with it all. He didn't know if he could forgive Albus for this one.
" How did it go? " Hermione asked once they entered Grimmauld Place, hugging Harry again.
" I'll tell you up stairs. " He replied.
" Why is the headmaster outside? " She asked.
" He was ordered to stay 100 feet away from me. "
" What? "
" I'll tell you upstairs. "
" Don't take too long, Dinner will be done shortly. " Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen.
" We won't! " Harry called back, leading the way upstairs.
" Are you staying for dinner Severus? " Molly asked.
" Yes. There's much to discuss and the Mutt needs to hear what was said. " Severus smirked, he can't wait to see the look on Sirius' face when he told him and the others of what was said in court today.
---
" What?! " Sirius exclaimed, " No, I won't stand for it! "
" You have no say in the matter. Lily made me Harry's godfather as well so deal with it. Which further roves to me that something was wrong when she refused to talk to me and go to Potter, it tells me that she was being cursed and was breaking through it, she knew something was wrong which was why she made the will in the first place. You are a criminal on the run, who currently in hiding, Lupin is automatically out due to him being a werewolf. And they found Albus unfit to care for him. "
" So they let a Death Eater take him? "
" How many more times must I tell you Black, I am not one of them. I never was. And I never will be. I had personal reasons for joining them and not for their views of muggles, half-bloods, or muggle-borns. "
" Hmph. "
" Sirius, please. " Remus pleaded with his friend.
" Fine, I'll let it go, for now. "
" Is he sick? " Severus asked seriously.
" I'm fine. I just don't feel like having my ass handed to me again. "
" Oh good, for a moment I thought you were someone else. "
---
Ron of course was appalled by what Harry had told him, Ginny, Fred, George, and Hermione, the four of them were actually happy that Harry had someone to look after him that wasn't a stranger and that someone would actually take care of him.
They got into it again, Ron and Harry. To the point that Ron stormed out of the room.
When they were called down for dinner, Harry and Hermione sat on one side of the table with Harry sitting next to Severus, much to Sirius' displeasure. And Ron sat on the side and away from them. Wanting to as far from Snape as the table would allow.
Harry was still upset with Sirius for earlier that week and hadn't really spoken to him that much.
---
Later that night, Sirius came down for a glass of water, he found the light to the kitchen already on, coming in he found Snape, wearing a black sleeveless under shirt and black sleep pants, eating bowl of ice cream of all things.
" Don't you wear anything other black? " He asked him, not in a hateful manner for once, he'll blame on his lack of sleep. He walked behind him, his eyes caught sight of scars sticking out of the sides of the under shirt along with a few on the back of his arms, they were old scars.
" Something on my back? " Severus asked taking another bite of his ice cream, he knew Black saw his scars and he didn't care.
" No. But I am curious as to how you got those scars. " Sirius replied taking a drink of his water.
For a moment Severus didn't answer him, he finished his ice cream and got up to put the bowl in the sink, Sirius saw more scars sticking out of the shirt on the other man's chest. One was a bit jagged.
" You can thank my father for them. " Severus finally answered him leaving the kitchen and going back to bed. But not before checking in on Harry to make sure he was still sleeping soundly.