kbinnz - Harry's New Home

And now, looking at the front page of the Prophet, Snape saw the results of his labors. He had to admit, Black looked good. Lupin and the house elves had managed to reverse many of the ravages of Azkaban, and Black now looked the picture of noble suffering, gaunt but still ruggedly handsome rather than filthy and emaciated. No wonder the European paparazzi had gone wild. He was rich, handsome, young, and single: every young witch's dream.

Snape grimaced at the thought of how women were surely fawning all over Black. Knowing the mutt, he would quickly realize how effective a "tortured by Dementors" spiel would be in attracting the witches. Leave it to Black to use languishing in Azkaban as a means of picking up chicks.

Remus was in Switzerland as well, though he was following orders and keeping a low profile. He'd be better able to portkey back and forth that way, continuing to hand out Marauder justice to the Dursleys and negotiating with Bones at the MLE on Black's behalf.

Snape hastily Vanished his copy as a tentative knock sounded on his door. "What?" he snarled, opening it to reveal a rather apprehensive-looking Dumbledore.

"I just wanted to make sure you were all right, my boy," Albus said soothingly. "I have already remonstrated with Rolanda for springing the paper on you in such an abrupt fashion."

"I am entirely uninterested in Black's whereabouts or condition," Snape said coldly. "If those Swiss dunderheads are willing to shelter Death Eating scum, they deserve everything they get."

Dumbledore sighed. "Yes, well, it appears that there may have been anтАж error."

Snape's eyebrows rose. "What?"

"Although it has not yet made the newspapers, my contacts at the Ministry inform me that Sirius has made copies of his pensieved memories available. They are being examined by Unspeakables to ensure they are genuine and unadulterated, but if true, it appears that a dreadful mistake was made." Albus abruptly looked every one of his many years.

"You mean he didn't betray the Potters and Pettigrew?" Snape demanded, playing his role.

Dumbledore closed his eyes for a moment, and his voice was heavy with guilt. "No. It appears he did not." He opened his eyes and looked at Snape almost pleadingly. "It never occurred to me that Lily and James would change their Secret Keeper without telling me, but according to Sirius, the three of them decided that Sirius was too obvious a choice. They changed to Peter Pettigrew but kept it a secret, thinking that any attacks would continue to concentrate on Sirius. They decided to tell no one, not even me," he added with unconscious arrogance. "When they died, I naturally assumed Sirius was responsible, and when Peter manufactured that alibiтАж I never questioned it. I knew Peter had never been capable of constructing elaborate plots, and so it never occurred to me to question why Sirius would turn Dark like that. Of course, Peter wasn't acting alone тАУ he'd had the Dark Lord and Death Eaters guiding him тАУ and he obviously learned his lessons well. Well enough to be able to frame Sirius and ensure that none of us spoke up on his behalf." Albus' expression was haunted with self-reproach. "I wanted to keep Harry safe and to put the whole wretched tragedy behind meтАж And so I condemned Sirius to ten years of torment."

"Considering he had condemned me to seven years of torment, you will forgive me if I do not join in your orgy of guilt," Snape cut in acidly. "Perhaps it will make you feel better to remember that attempted murder is often punished by a decade in Azkaban. Thanks to your intervention, Black was granted several years of freedom after nearly luring me to the werewolf, but things seem to have worked out satisfactorily in the end."

For a moment he thought he had gone too far, as Dumbledore's eyes briefly blazed with fury, but then the Headmaster's shoulder slumped and his eyes were merely tired and sad. "Ah, poor Severus. You are the most injured of us all, aren't you?"

Insulted, Snape started to protest, but Dumbledore held up a hand to silence him. "I did not come here to debate Black's imprisonment with you, Severus. I am merely here to warn you that Sirius' memories are likely to be shared with the press within the next day or two. Harry will surely hear of it, and if тАУ as seems increasingly likely тАУ Sirius is exonerated, he will doubtless seek to visit his godson."

Snape shrugged as carelessly as he could. "Fine. Let him take over the little brat's guardianship. I would consider it a welcome release."

Dumbledore's expression told him that he had not been fooled by Snape's remark. "I doubt it will come to that, Severus, but I do think Harry should be prepared for the news and for the eventual meeting. Perhaps being introduced to Sirius sooner rather than later would be in his best interests, and it would also show Sirius that he need not sue for guardianship in order to see the boy."

Snape glared at the Headmaster. "If you think I am going to accommodate that bastard Black in any way тАУ"

Dumbledore looked stern. "I expect, Severus, that you will do what is best for Harry." And with that rebuke, he turned and left the quarters.

Snape glowered at the door for a few moments, purely for effect, then penned a quick note. Summoning a house elf, he instructed the little creature to fetch Harry's owl from the Owlry and glanced over the scroll while he waited.

Stage one successful. Advise press conference with pensieved memories within one week. Demand a meeting with boy immediately thereafter. Encourage Padfoot to play in traffic.

When the elf re-appeared with the owl perched on its head, he handed the scroll to Hedwig. "To the wolf, if you please," he said curtly. She hooted and eyed him expectantly.

"Extortionist," he grumbled, giving her an owl treat. "You're every bit as manipulative as your master."

She gave him a look that could only be described as a smirk and he turned to the elf. "Return her to the Owlry." The bird could hardly leave from the windowless dungeons.

The elf happily squeaked, "Yes, Master Potions Professor Sir!"

That afternoon, Snape was walking through the corridors, enjoying a rare moment of student-free existence, when he overheard boyish sniggering. He turned the corner to find Harry and several other first years poring over the day's paper. They had obviously finished with the cover story and were reading the profile of Black on the inside pages.

Harry looked over Seamus' shoulder, elbowing Vince and Greg aside. The two behemoths obligingly made room for him, while Draco held the paper up a bit higher.

"Isn't he your godfather, Harry?" Neville asked.

"Him?" Terry Boot asked, his tone acutely envious.

"Here, wait тАУ he's doing it again!" Ernie Macmillan tittered, pointing to the picture.

Harry watched as the tall, dark haired man in the picture grinned at a large and admiring group of young witches, several of whom held up signs that said, "I LOVE SIRI". An object came flying at him from out of camera range, and Sirius caught it, then twirled it around his finger while looking directly at the camera and waggling his eyebrows suggestively. His audience of girls screamed and sighed.

"What is that thing?" Ron asked blankly.

"A thong," Snape answered repressively, covering Harry's eyes with one hand and plucking the paper from Draco with the other.

"Hey тАУ " Draco's loud protest abruptly cut off as he twisted around to see who had confiscated his newspaper.

Snape glared around at the boys. "If you are so lacking in activities that you must turn to pornographic pictures for entertainment, I am happy to assign as much detention as you require."

"N-no, sir!" Draco assured him hastily, tugging at the other boys who were still trying to puzzle out what he had said. "We don't need detention!"