kbinnz - Harry's New Home

"Snape!" Sirius was hugging Harry protectively, and the boy was beginning to look worried. "What are we going to do about this?"

"Obviously this needs to be kept a secret," Snape replied, giving Sirius a killer glare. "And by that I mean a real secret. Not like your ridiculous animagus form."

"Why? What's wrong with talking to snakes?" Harry demanded.

"It is a very rare and powerful talent," Snape replied before either Marauder could. "The fewer people who know it, the more value it will be in your fight against the Dark Lord. Keeping it a secret is therefore in your best interests and will help you protect yourself and your friends better. You don't ever want to allow Him to harm Ron and Hermione again, do you?"

Harry shook his head, eyes wide. "I won't tell anyone. You won't either, will you?" he appealed to Sirius and Remus.

"No! Not a soul," Sirius swore, hugging him again.

"Not even Dumbledore?" Remus asked.

"NO!" Harry yelled, just as Snape shook his head. The Gryffindors looked at Harry in surprise.

"Why not tell the Headmaster?" Remus asked Harry. "Don't you like him?"

Harry shrugged awkwardly, looking at the floor. "He's nice an' all, and he always gives me lollies, but he didn't help Mr Black an' тАУ"

"Mr Black!" Sirius repeated in horror. "What did you call me that for?"

Harry looked at him nervously. "I'm sorry. What do you want me to call you, sir?"

"Sir! Did you just call me sir?!" Sirius' yell was even louder, and Harry began to look frightened.

Rolling his eyes, Snape stepped forward and pulled Harry away from Black. "Stop screaming like a first year Hufflepuff," he ordered brusquely, draping one arm over the brat's shoulder. "You never told the boy what to call you, so don't be alarmed when he demonstrates that he has been taught appropriate courtesy."

"Yes, but 'Sir' or 'Mr Black'?" Sirius demanded pitifully. "You can't be serious."

"No, that would be you," Remus put in, chuckling, only to be hit by glares from the others.

"Harry, can't you call me Sirius? Or Padfoot?" he asked hopefully.

"Erm, okay, Padfoot," Harry agreed timidly. "I didn't mean to make you mad."

"I'm not mad, Harry; it's justтАж I want to be your friend. Not some random adult in your life, okay? I mean, how many godfathers do you have?"

Harry smiled.

"And you can call me Remus or Moony, Harry," Lupin put in. "And we won't tell Professor Dumbledore anything, okay?"

"Thanks!" Harry exclaimed in relief. He still didn't trust Dumbledore not to ship him back to the Dursleys if he thought Harry was too weird for Hogwarts. "So when c'n I learn to become a snake?"

"Well, Harry, it doesn't exactly work like that. You don't get to choose your animagus form. Sorry," Sirius explained apologetically.

Harry pouted. "But what if my form is something stupid?"

"It's still wicked to be an animal, Harry," Sirius coaxed. "Not everyone can do it, you know."

Harry looked over at his professor. "Can you?"

"No," Snape admitted coldly.

"Then maybe we could learn together!" Harry said excitedly.

Snape nearly snorted in derision. Black, willing to teach him something? That would be the day!

"Yeah, okay," Sirius agreed, ignoring Snape's shocked expression. "Then you can help each other practice. It was easier for James and Peter and me to learn together."

"Um," a thought struck Harry and he glanced over at his professor nervously. "You're not still mad at my professor, are you?" he asked Sirius. "I mean, I know there are a lot of people you're probably still mad at for believing you did all those things the Ministry said you did, but Pr'fessor Snape's not one of them, right?" Becoming an animagus sounded hard and maybe a bit dangerous, and if his godfather was still annoyed with his guardianтАж

Sirius stared at Harry. "You mean he didn't tell you?" he gasped. Snape's head came up, but he wasn't in time to prevent Black's next words. "Snape's the one who broke me out!"

Harry's eyes bugged. Professor Snape?? His guardian had been the one to smuggle his godfather out of that prison that everyone said was impossible to escape? His guardian had been the one to break the rules like that? "But тАУ but why?" he gulped, staring at Snape.

Snape's hands itched to strangle the mutt. Black had the restraint of a kumquat! Was there anything he didn't spill on the spot? How could Lily have ever thought of using this idiot as their SECRET keeper?

"Now, Severus," Remus said, correctly interpreting Snape's rage, "we're all in this together. Keeping secrets among the four of us isn't really necessary, now is it?"

"In case you haven't noticed, Lupin, Harry is eleven years old," Snape spat. "He is a child. He is not to be burdened with keeping adults' secrets for them! He has enough to worry about without taking on additional concerns that are well beyond his power to control and equally beyond his maturity to consider rationally!"

"I am so mature enough!" Harry protested.

"No, you are not," Snape shot back. "While I do not dispute that you are at least as mature as Black, that is still not saying very much."

"Oi!" Black exclaimed, but Snape ignored him.

"He is a child, Lupin, not a co-conspirator. While there is no value in keeping him wholly ignorant of matters which affect him, it is equally dangerous to treat him as if he were a fully grown wizard with an adult's experience and judgment. I will decide what he is told, when and how. That is what I am here for." At least until Black replaces me, he added silently.

Harry started to pout, but then remembered he had even more interesting news to ask about. "Why did you help Sirius to escape?" he demanded, tugging on his guardian's sleeve. "I thought you didn't like him."

"I don't," Snape said shortly. Sirius rolled his eyes.

Harry frowned in thought. "When did you help him?"

"What difference does it make?" Snape snapped at the boy, hoping to head off the line of inquiry. Of all the times for Harry to finally be perceptive, this was definitely the most awkward!

"Was it before or after you said you'd take care of me?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"I can answer that," Sirius said sweetly, ignoring Snape's "SHUT UP, MUTT!". "It was just afterwards."

Snape slumped. This was what he got for hanging around with Gryffindors. Sure enough, the brat had put the pieces together and was staring at him with unabashed adoration. "You did it for me?" he squeaked. "You got my godfather back for me?"

Snape grumbled and muttered as the boy тАУ naturally тАУ hurled himself against him, further bruising his sternum and getting his robes all snotty. Black and Lupin looked on, beaming proudly at the mess they had created.

"All right, all right," Snape growled, finally pulling the boy away from him and mopping up all the splooge with a handkerchief. Did all children leak from happiness the way this brat did? "Now mark me well, Potter, you are not to mention your godfather's escape nor my part in it to anyone. That includes any of the Weasleys, Granger, the Headmaster, or anyone else. Do you understand?" Harry nodded vigorously. "You are also not to breathe a word about your idiot godfather's animagus form, the fact that Lupin is a werewolf, or that you are a parselmouth тАУ that you can speak with snakes. Do you understand? If you do тАУ"

"I know," Harry grinned through his tears, "you'll smack me."

"No, Mr Potter. You will put all of us тАУ and all of your friends тАУ in jeopardy from the Dark Lord." Harry lost his grin. "This knowledge is not being held secret out of a puerile sense of adventure. Rather, it is information that can assist us in the fight against You Know Who. If you reveal it, it will put people's lives at risk and impair our ability to prosecute our campaign against Him. Do you understand?"