A Dog's Diary

Harry Potter: Harry's Many Moods - G

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:49:38 GMT

Title: Harry's Many Moods
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: 672
Rating: G
Pairing: Snarry
Summary: "Every now and again Harry would, for one reason or another, find this burst of bubbly excited happy energy. He would be all smiles, bouncing around the house singing loudly or attacking Severus in the study, playing with the kitten, Nyx, or generally anything that came to mind."
Warnings: An excessive amount of fluff.
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.
A/N: Happy holidays?

Harry was having one of his days, again, Severus decided as he opened the front door and was assaulted by light and music and the vague scent of something delicious emanating from the kitchen.

It wasn’t an unusual occurrence, really. Every now and again Harry would, for one reason or another, find this burst of bubbly excited happy energy. He would be all smiles, bouncing around the house singing loudly, or attacking Severus in the study, playing with kitten, Nyx, or generally anything that came to mind. He would laugh at the smallest joy, and would let out a sort of high pitched squeak should Severus even do anything that could be even slightly strewed as “romantic.”

It was completely baffling, but it was by far one of Severus’ favorite “Harry moods” right next to “Horny” (which he would state rather straight faced) and “Introspectively Cuddly” (which he would never admit to-and not to be mistaken with “Recovering Illness”).

This mood, this “Happy Harry”, was especially prevalent around the holidays. Severus would never call himself a man who enjoyed Christmas; however, it certainly had its benefits. Something he quite readily admitted to himself as he moved through the entrance hall and towards the kitchen, gently fingering a string of fairy lights as he went.

Harry was performing a rather spectacular rendition of “Jingle Bell Rock” with the radio as a pan of freshly poured chocolate fudge cooled on the counter beside him. As the song wound down, he giggled madly and inspected his hand intently, licking off a stray bit of chocolate. Severus leaned against the doorjamb watching, the corner of his lip slightly curved.

“Any good?” he asked, smirking as Harry yelped and jumped to look at him. Harry gasped at seeing Severus and gave him an exasperated look for scaring him before shaking his head and smiling.

“It’s all right. You probably won’t like it, though. I’ll just have to eat it all,” Harry replied. Severus chuckled and moved into the kitchen towards Harry who remained where he was.

“Oh really? That terrible? How noble of you to subject yourself to the tortures of your own cooking to spare my sensible taste buds,” he teased, stopping right in front of Harry. Harry’s eyes glittered as the radio announcer stopped speaking and started playing a more slow tempo jazz rendition of another song.

“Hi,” Harry whispered, staring up at Severus, a smile threatening to take over his face. Severus hummed and brushed a stray lock of hair out off of Harry’s forehead. Harry’s eyes fluttered close briefly as his head followed the touch of Severus’ hand. Severus cradled Harry’s head in his hand and waited until Harry’s eyes were fixed back on his.

“Hello,” he replied quietly.

“I made fudge,” Harry whispered. Severus arched an eyebrow and smiled.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” he replied. Harry grinned and swayed towards Severus, slowly lifting up on the balls of his feet.

“I lo—“ Severus put a finger to Harry’s lips silencing what was coming. The three words that Harry said so often that Severus always found hard to return out loud. Harry’s brows furrowed, and his eyes filled with a silent question as he backed off just slightly. Severus stared at him intently, and the music from the radio filled the silence between them as they stared at each other.

“I love you too,” Severus whispered quietly. Harry’s eyes went wide and a smile took over his face. Severus let his hand drop as Harry bit his bottom lip then squeaked, throwing his arms around Severus’ shoulders. He squeezed tight as Severus lightly wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist. Harry pulled away just enough to stare at Severus, letting out a gust of breath before kissing Severus several times in quick succession before burying his head in Severus’ robes with a sigh. Severus rocked them gently back and forth with the music.

“Merry Christmas Harry,” he muttered.

“Merry Christmas Sev’rus,” Harry muttered back into his robes, tightening his arms one more time.

Harry Potter: Roxanne - R

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:21:55 GMT

Title: Roxanne
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~500
Rating: R
Summary: Harry fills the void left after the war.
Warnings: Prostitution, Dark
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.
A/N: Not my usual type of story. Feedback would be great. Have happy fluff on hand for afters.

Harry screamed, his body arching, his hands flying to the pillow his head rested on, clawing at the material. He twisted and turned, twitching and thrashing about on his mattress, pulling his knees up.

The panic attack soon subsided and he lay motionless staring up at the ceiling with dull green eyes. Slowly he rolled out of the tiny bed and hit the dirty floor on his knees. He crawled forward, ignoring the pricks of splinters from the old wood, and reached the only other piece of real furniture in the room besides his bed, a depilated old chair. He scrounged around in a pocket on the jacket that rested on the chair, and pulled out a pack of smokes. Quickly bringing the fag to his lips, with a blink it was lit and after the first inhale, his shoulders slumped in relief.

He stood, and stumbled to the closet, pulling out an outfit no honest working human would ever be caught in. He pulled on the tight jeans; covered in strategically placed tears and the mesh shirt easily, and then fought with the leather boots he aptly called his “Fuck Me Heels.” A quick pass of his hand in front of his face ensured that his ever present make up was no longer smeared down to his chin in the aftermath of his earlier attack.

Within minutes of waking, Harry soon stood on his street corner, waiting for the first passerby.

The dull ache in the empty hole in his chest had been slowly growing worse since Harry rolled off the beaten down mattress, and he was impatient, glancing around and over his shoulder for the first sign of interest.

A car rolled up and the window rolled down. A man stared at him.

“Any limits?” he asked casually. Harry didn’t think twice before answering.

“Not for the right price,” he stated just as casually. The man smiled and Harry smirked at the sound of the car door unlocking.

“Get in.”

It must make a sad sight, Harry thought idly as he opened the car door. The Hero of the Wizarding World, the Boy Who Lived, the Most Powerful Man Alive, dolled up and allowing a stranger to take him anywhere he pleased for whatever he wanted. The Defeater of Voldemort was no more than a common whore, in a big city, where no one knew his name. He would spread his legs; scream your name, anything, for a wad of cash to be thrown on him with a look of disgust.

Yet as the man drove, Harry felt his heart begin to race, and the dull ache, the empty void was quickly filled as he began to wonder what the man would demand, and what Harry would willingly give him, tonight.

Perhaps, tonight, he thought desperately, would be the night he would die.

Harry Potter: Innocence - PG-13

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:23:13 GMT

Title: Innocence
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~1500
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Remus/Sirius
Summary: A battle in the war is won, but at a high cost.
Warnings: Marauder Era
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.
A/N: I keep going back and forth on whether I like this piece or not. We'll see. Let me know what you think!

Remus stumbled through the smoke and ashes, mouth covered and wand out as his watering eyes scanned the ground for friend and foe alike.

“James?” he called, coughing shortly after that.

“Remus! Over here!” Lily’s voice wafted through the air, and Remus immediately felt the relaxing effect of it as he picked his way over craters and remains of trees and buildings near by.

The battle hadn’t been much. It was simply a little scrimmage between a small group of Death Eaters and a few Order members. Aurors had shown up quickly and the Death Eaters who could, fled. The rest of them…well they were being taken care of.

Remus stumbled upon Lily and James, both on the ground. James was using Lily’s lap as a pillow and clutching his arm, in obvious pain, as she performed some simple cleaning and healing spells over them. Remus crouched down next to them.

“Everything all right?” he asked quietly. James groaned and Lily tried to blow some hair out of her face. Remus reached forward and brushed it back for her. She smiled at him in appreciation before looking back down at James.

“His arm has a nasty gash in it, but he won’t move his hand, so I’m getting rid of the smaller wounds. I don’t really have the skill to heal it anyways.”

“Kill me Moony,” James moaned. Remus rolled his eyes.

“Oh let me see you big baby.” He grabbed James’ hand and pulled it away from the wound, Lily gasped and looked away as the bone showed through the gash.

“I didn’t realize…” she whispered hoarsely. Remus sighed.

“Lily, I need you to hold his other arm down for me. Prongs, you’re terrible. That’s nothing compared to what I get every month. Merely a scratch you big baby,” Remus said lightly, moving to the other side of James and pulling out a small satchel from inside his robes.

“Piss off you God damned werewolf, it hurts,” James replied. It had become a game between them to compare injuries to lighten the mood. Albus Dumbledore had encouraged them to always find the light of situations, to not let their spirits get down. It was hard, but they tried.

“Look the other way,” Remus instructed. James turned his face away from Remus and clenched his teeth. Lily stared at his wound in a sort of morbid fascination as Remus first cleaned it with his wand and then pulled out a potion of some sort.

“I’m sorry Prongs…” Remus whispered, pouring some of the potion on the wound. James roared in pain as the wound steamed and Lily closed her eyes and looked away swallowing hard.

“Make it stop! Stop it! Stop it!” James cried out, thrashing. Lily leaned away from him and Remus quickly cast a full body bind on the man. Whimpering, tears leaked from James eyes, mirroring those in his wife’s.

“Almost done Prongs, promise, Marauder’s Honor,” Remus stated as he capped the potion and pulled out another potion. He poured some of it on James, who sighed in relief, before wrapping the wound in a bandage. Lifting the hex off James he handed him yet another potion.

“What’s this?” James asked gruffly sitting up.

“Drink it. It’ll help the flesh grow back.” James grimaced and did as instructed, tossing his head back in an attempt to lessen how much of the foul tasting potion touched his taste buds.

“Disgusting,” he groaned, handing the empty flask to Remus. Remus packed up the supplies and put them away. Lily stared at them.

“You’re not a healer Remus…” she whispered.

“But I am a werewolf. If I don’t heal myself, no one will.” Lily shook her head and looked away.

“I’ll replace that stuff Moony, except the burning one. Don’t know how you stand it,” James assured standing up. Both Lily and Remus followed suit.

“I don’t.” Remus replied. James hummed and looked around the smoke filled area.

“Where’s Sirius?” Sirius’ face flashed through Remus’ mind and he faltered slightly before replying.

“I don’t…I don’t know exactly…” James stared at him, fear creeping into his eyes.

“Remus? What happened?” Remus looked up to the sky, hoping, maybe, that he’d be able to see the sky. He couldn’t, he was incased completely by grayish-black smoke. It was stifling, he felt faintly claustrophobic.

“He used…another one…”

“An Unforgivable?” Lily gasped. Remus nodded, still staring at the sky.

“Merlin…I…I’ll go find Alastor, or Dumbledore, or some one,” she said before frantically running off. Order members were only allowed to use Unforgivables as a last resort, and they were to inform some one immediately. The curses were far too unstable, the emotional, mental, and physical damage they did to a person could make the wizard and their magic just as unstable. James stared at Remus.

“Which...which one this time?” he asked quietly. Sirius had only casted one Unforgivable before, the Imperius Curse, on a lowly Death Eater while trying to save James. Remus stared at James.

“Cruciatus.” James swore and looked around them, as if Sirius would suddenly appear.

“On who?”

“Bellatrix. She…came out of nowhere. He was fine before that, we were back to back and doing exactly what we always do, keeping each other in check and bantering to keep the mood light. She cast it on him first before I got her with a jelly legs, it was the only thing I could think of. It knocked her concentration and he jumped up…His face was…he just cast it right back. She screamed James. I didn’t…it was such a shock, I couldn’t think. I stared at his face and…he…was grinning. He was enjoying it. I couldn’t take it anymore so I tackled him. Begged him to stop. He almost got me James. Bellatrix was having difficulty standing up, he put so much hate into that curse…I bound her and when I turned around Sirius…he was…gone.” Remus looked to the ground, biting his lip.

“James, what if he’s…” he trailed up and looked at his friend, eyes watering. James shook his head.

“No. Not Sirius. Any one else, not Sirius. He wouldn’t.”

“James you never know. They could have him on Imperius! He could…”

“NO!” James pulled out his wand and pointed it at Remus, shaking.

“They could have you too. Have you feeding these lies to me.”

“James! You know I can throw the Imperius off, the wolf—“

“Then you’ve joined them of your own free will! Sirius wouldn’t. Sirius isn’t.” Remus backed away, staring at the hysterical James Potter and shaking his head.

“James please…please think about this…” he whispered.

“Stop it! Stop it!” he seemed to have made up his mind and Remus began to fear for his life.

“I’ll…I’m going to…You. Not Sirius.” James aimed and Remus looked away. He could easily block the spell. He could easily charge James and take away his wand. He could a number of things, but he wouldn’t, he couldn’t. James was his best friend, and he didn’t want to risk that. If he fought, it would give the wrong impression.

“EXPELLIRAMUS!” James wand flew from his hand. Both men turned and looked as Sirius slowly came forward out of the smoke.

“I don’t care if he said he’s a Death Eater, James Potter, you do not turn on your best friend like that,” he hissed, tossing the wand back. His eyes seemed empty, devoid of something. Remus shivered.

“Sirius,” he whispered stepping forward. Sirius stared at him with his empty grey eyes. Remus stopped and stepped back swallowing.

“He accused you, Sirius,” James growled. Sirius stared at James.

“He had reason. You had none.” Remus swallowed as the image of Sirius’ face as he tortured Bellatrix flew through his mind; he looked like he was ready to laugh.

“Sirius…” James started. Sirius held up a hand.

“Go find your wife James, we’ll talk later.” James realized he was going to get no where with his cause at the present time, and with Sirius so recently casting such powerful curse, he didn’t want to risk angering the man. Shooting Remus a cautious look, he went off in the direction his wife disappeared to. Remus stared at Sirius carefully, before stepping forward towards him.

“Are you okay?” he whispered. Sirius shook his head and stared down at his hands.

“It’s hard…it’s so hard,” he mumbled. “Trying to keep your sanity and everyone happy at the same time. Not even the Marauder’s Oath has held through, we’re all doubting each other, aren’t we?” Remus swallowed and nodded.

“We are. We have to. The Oath wasn’t meant for a war. Nothing can survive it.”

“Love can.”

“Perhaps.” Sirius looked up at Remus, a look of longing on his face.

“Let’s run away Moony. Let’s just go, me and you. I might be Voldemort’s spy, you might be, and I don’t really give a damn. Let’s just go. Pick up our stuff and disappear. Get away from this insanity. Please,” Sirius pleaded. Remus shook his head and stepped next to the man, cupping his face in his hand gently.

“We can’t, Sirius. You know we can’t.”

“Why not?” Sirius whispered.

“Because, we love them too much, we can’t leave them to die. We can’t just run away all the time.” Tears fell down Sirius’ face as he rested his head on Remus’ shoulder.

“I’m not the spy,” he whispered.

“Neither am I,” Remus replied. The smoke swirled around them and started to lighten. Some one was casting a spell to dispose of it to help a quick and speedy clean up process. Sirius’ arms wrapped around Remus’ body and his wand dropped to the ground as he broke down, the draining results of the curse taking its toll. Remus closed his eyes and tried to think past the cruel laughing face, tried to push away the incessant fear in his heart that he was holding a murderer, that Sirius spoke nothing but lies. He tried to think back to being in Hogwarts, and being happy. He tried to remember the scent of the grounds and the way the Giant Squid splashed lazily in the lake on a warm spring day. He tried to remember his bliss back then. He remembered his ignorant innocence, and cried realizing, finally, that every trace of it was gone.

Harry Potter: Baby Mine - G

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:16:05 GMT

Title: Baby Mine
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~1000
Rating: G
Pairing: Remus/Sirius; mentions of Remus/Tonks
Summary: Remus has a lullaby that he sings when things get hard.
Warnings: Mentions of canon character death.
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.

Remus had almost grown out of wanting to be tucked in by his mother when he had gotten bitten. He was a grown man, at the age five, and grown men weren’t tucked in.

But then he’d been bitten, and he realized he wasn’t a grown man like his father at all. Most importantly, however, his mother’s songs kept the nightmares away. There were days that Remus was convinced his mother was, in fact, a witch, and not a Muggle. Only magic could explain the way her songs seemed to help him through the night, as easily as his father’s wand made the china dance into their places on the table.

He was nine before he realized that sometimes when she sang him to sleep, she cried.

When he was ten and received his Hogwarts letter, with Professor Dumbledore’s written word that even a werewolf could attend, Remus decided to stop having his mother tuck him in.

Every now and then, he could hear her singing softly when he woke up from nightmares.

Sirius had never had anybody sing him a lullaby growing up. Sometimes if he was upset, Andy would hum. But Andy was tone deaf, and Sirius usually asked her to stop. Sirius also never really had nightmares while growing up, but after receiving a howler from his mother on his second day at Hogwarts for the first time in his life ever, he supposed it shouldn’t be so much of a surprise that he’d start having nightmares.

They were strange. Filled with dark and tall shadows whispering at him things he couldn’t understand while his mother, demented and warped screamed things at him and his cousins laughed at him while his brother stared on silently.

He lay in bed staring at the ceiling, gasping for breath when he heard the soft song filtering from one of the other boy’s beds. It was the quiet one. Romulus or something. The song was soft and Sirius wasn’t sure the words made sense. But for some reason he felt it extremely relaxing, and soon was asleep again, with no dreams.

“Budge over,” Remus whispered. Sirius did exactly that as the curtains opened and the sixteen year old boy crawled into his bed. Sirius immediately wrapped himself around the other body, trembling slightly as Remus hushed him, rubbing his hand down Sirius’ back.

“Regulus…” Sirius gasped out, trying to explain, trying to make Remus see what was wrong. But the other boy hushed him and started singing his nonsense lullaby again.

Sirius had asked him about the words once. They never made sense and always changed. Remus had sheepishly admitted to forgetting the words, no matter how many times his mother recited them to him.

However tonight, Sirius didn’t care about the inconsistency. He was just glad to have the lullaby back. It had been so long. Ever since he had told Snape…

But that was past now. Now Sirius was homeless, in a sense, living off the Potter’s charity. And he was hurt. And Remus had forgiven him.

Sirius walked into the flat and stared at Remus, sprawled on the couch with two untouched glasses of Firewhiskey on the coffee table. Sirius kicked off his shoes, dropped his bag, and pulled of his robes, before going to cuddle up on top of Remus. One of Remus’ arms shifted and his fingers entangled in Sirius’ hair.

Images of death and destruction lay behind both of their eye lids. Of people they had grown up with, people who had helped them grow up, friends, family, some with them and some against them. Dead before their eyes.

Sirius shivered violently and clutched Remus tightly.

Remus started to hum quietly. There were no words. Sirius was glad. It would be like singing a dirge.

Remus stared at the house in slight bewilderment.

Which room would be Harry’s?

There was a light filtering from one of the windows upstairs. It flicked off and another flicked on, before all the lights downstairs turned off.

He wrapped his arms around himself, shivering slightly in the cool autumn air despite his worn leather jacket.

Which room?

It was hard to imagine the small infant in a house so unfamiliar to Remus. The house seemed too clean on the outside, he’d hate to see it on the inside. Would Harry’s favorite blanket be spread out on the floor? With his favorite toys? Did his relatives find a good replacement for the lion they had bought him for his first Christmas?

Tears welled behind Remus’ eyes as he sang quietly before he left, a sense of long term desperation settling in his heart.

“Fuck off,” Sirius growled from the couch. Remus sighed heavily and went to pry the bottle from the man’s hand.

“You’ve had enough I think,” he stated, pulling the man up. Sirius leaned against him heavily as Remus navigated them up the stairs and to the other man’s bedroom.

He helped him strip down to his pants and then tucked him into bed. He started to pull away when Sirius grabbed his wrist and pulled him down.

“Moony,” he whispered into Remus’ ear. Remus sighed and kicked off his shoes, crawling under the blankets with Sirius. They wrapped their arms around each other and Remus sang.

“You’ve got the words down,” Sirius murmured before passing out as Remus kept singing quietly.

He was dead.

The boy screamed and started running.

He was dead.

Remus wrapped his arms around Harry to keep him from following. On instinct he almost started to hum an all too familiar song.

He choked on the words. The song died before it could pass his lips.

Remus stared down into the crib silently. Teddy slept soundly, blissfully unaware of the turmoil in the world around him and the turmoil in Remus’ heart.

Remus reached a hand out to gently push some of the long blue hair away from Teddy’s face. Grimacing as it shortened and turned black.

It wouldn’t be until he was older and had more control over himself, Nymphadora had explained, that they would be able to see his true form when he slept. Until then, his magic was getting used to being alive.

Remus sighed and stared at Teddy.

At least he wasn’t a werewolf.

As if the thought had woken him from his deep slumber, Teddy’s eyes opened and he stared at Remus. His eyes a familiar and piercing grey, framed by black hair. Gasping Remus took a quick step back.

Teddy wailed. Remus rushed forward quickly, hushing his son and picking him up, making soothing noises.

“No, no, don’t cry,” he pleaded quietly, lightly rocking Teddy. He pulled back from the boy, whose hair turned brown while his eyes turned amber. Remus swallowed hard and managed to smile at the small creature in his arms.

Without warning the intense desire to sing welled up inside of him and Remus quietly lulled his son back to sleep with the soothing tune his mother had taught him.

The battle raged on and Remus gasped for breath, dodging and ducking and yelling out spells and hoping beyond all hopes he’d catch a glimpse of Harry.

He twisted as he heard his name shouted and saw the green whizzing toward him.

Most people, he reflected with a caustic grin in his final moments, saw their lives flashing before their eyes.

He heard a song, and saw a kind motherly smile, as gangly limbs pulled him into a warm bed.

Harry Potter: Kew Gardens - PG

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:03:37 GMT

Title: Kew Gardens
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~3000
Rating: PG
Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Summary: A nice day out at the Kew Gardens turns into a horrible chance encounter.
Warnings: EWE
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.
A/N: I'm kind of going through and clearing out all of my old crap, and I keep finding these fanfics I wrote and never posted...or finished. This is sort of a hybrid. I'm sure there's tons more to the story here, but whether or not it will actually be written--well that remains to be seen. Anyway. I hope you guys all enjoy this! Leave a comment

“You are going to fall, and you are going to fall into the water, and you are going to get me kicked out of here,” Severus griped as Harry managed to laugh with an apple in his mouth. His arms were stuck out straight on either side as he precariously balanced on the ledge of the between the walk way and the lake. He attempted to speak, but that was a bit harder than laughing, and Severus gave him a nasty glare. Harry stopped moving and took a bite of the apple, holding it loosely in his hand.

“Oh lay off it Severus, I’ll be fine. I’m as nimble as a Kneazle!” With that Harry started to stumble. Severus’ eyes grew wide and he quickly grabbed the front of Harry’s t-shirt, dragging him down off the ledge to the dryer side of things. Harry clutched onto him, giggling madly.

“Only you could manage to trip over your own two feet while staying still,” Severus growled as Harry started to laugh harder.

“That was brilliant,” he gasped out, oblivious to the curious looks of passersby around him.

“That was stupid. Let’s keep our feet on the walk way from now on, yeah?” Severus retorted sharply. Harry chuckled as they continued to move on, his hand slipping into Severus’.

The Kew Gardens were simply magical this time of year, with nearly everything—it seemed—in bloom. Strong scents assaulted the senses, along with a cacophony of colors. But the silence—it was like they weren’t even on Earth any longer. The only thing that convinced Harry that they were, in fact, still in England, Planet Earth, was the tourists.

But best of all, it was a great place for the two wizards to go together. While Severus looked carefully at what the Muggles couldn’t see, or couldn’t understand, getting a sense for the quality of this years various potions ingredients, Harry got to indulge in his secret joy of gardening—the one thing the Dursley’s taught him that he didn’t mind so much, so long as it was on his schedule, in his wild tangled mess of a garden, and never in the scorching heat.

Even better, however, was the noticeable lack of Wizards. Not to say there were none. There was an entire portion of the gardens devoted strictly to Magical plants. But as far as days out and paparazzi shots went—Kew Gardens were rather far down on the list of Places to Go.

Harry breathed in deeply and let it out in a hum before biting into his apple once more as they walked in a companionable silence hand in hand.

It was nice taking a day off with Severus. They always managed to find the exactly right thing to do, and today was going to be perfect. They had started out bright and early, with Severus cooking breakfast.

This, in and of itself, was not unusual. However, Severus decided to put all of his skill back into play and Harry was convinced he could’ve died a happy man after that meal. It was a breakfast good enough to rival that of Hogwarts.

Afterward they got ready for the day and headed out, straight for the Gardens. They had walked all day, with only a few short stops for tea and lunch, and had seen almost everything there was to be seen. There was only maybe an hour left of their casual tour before they’d leave, apparate to a fine restaurant, eat an early dinner, and then go to the Globe Theater. It was going to be the perfect ending to the perfect day—assuming Harry didn’t spill sauce on himself at dinner like last time. It wouldn’t have been so embarrassing if he had noticed it before he had gotten up to give a speech at the Gala Event for Orphans of the War. Harry huffed slightly and bit into his apple almost viciously, glaring at the five year old who started to reach for one of the Azalea’s.

“Stop thinking about it,” Severus muttered, breaking Harry out of his trance as the toddler’s mother quickly slapped her hand away with a stern word. Harry blinked and looked up at his partner.

“Pardon?”

“Whatever you’re thinking about—stop.”

“Oh.” Harry nodded and smiled brilliantly at Severus. “You know me too well.”

“I should certainly hope so,” Severus replied with a roll of his eyes and a slight smirk. Harry laughed and leaned into the taller man. They stopped walking as Severus stared down at him. Harry grinned and started to reach up to kiss him.

“Oh Vernon, do be careful!!” The shrill voice pierced Harry’s ears like a dog whistle. A look of absolute horror crossed his face as he stared into Severus’ eyes.

“Ruddy stupid gardens. I don’t know why that boy insisted we all meet here.”

“Now, now Vernon, this is supposed to be exciting! Our Diddy-kins, all grown up and getting married!”

Severus looked puzzled as he stared down at Harry who was mouthing the word “no” over and over again, while shaking his head slightly.

“We still could’ve gotten off at the Main Gate rather than this. Now we’ve got to walk!!”

“Oh but Vernon, now we get to see some of the sights before we see Dudley and meet the girl’s family!”

“Bloody flowers is all they are. You want flowers, I’ll buy you a dozen of ‘em and you can look at them at home.”

“Oh but Vernon, look! Like those pink ones, right next to that couple!”

Please let there be another couple, please, please, please. Harry’s mind whirled trying to find a way out of the situation.

“Harry--?”

“Which couple where?”

“There Vernon!”

“That’s not a couple, that’s a set of queers!” Vernon declared loudly. Loud enough, in fact, for Severus to finally hear and look up and away from Harry.

“Excuse me?” he sneered.

“Severus no!” Harry whispered, as the man’s grip on him relaxed and he started to move towards Vernon. Harry grabbed his arm to stop him, but Severus was not daunted, grabbing Harry’s hand and storming towards Vernon.

The man hadn’t changed much. He was larger then ever, purple faced, and panting for breath. His aunt seemed slimmer, however, if that was possible. Her neck more strained, and had far more wrinkles then any woman in her age range had any right to have.

Harry kept his head down and flattened his hair over his scar to the best of his ability with one hand in Snape’s grasp, and the other occupied by an apple.

“You heard me, you poofter,” Vernon groused.

“Vernon, dear,” Petunia stuttered, laying a bone thin hand on his oversized shoulder. He immediately shrugged it off and puffed himself to his full height. Severus was not intimidated at all, having years of practice against Dark Lords, sycophants, school children, and meddling old fools.

“I must insist you retract your statement and issue an apology to me and my partner immediately,” Severus growled. Harry quickly turned away from the Dursley’s as his Aunt gave him a curious look and towards Severus.

“Sev, leave it, let’s just go,” he murmured, his head down.

“No, I will not leave it, Harry,” Severus snapped at him. Petunia gasped sharply and Harry cringed.

“You!” she shrieked loudly. Harry whirled around quickly and forced a smile to his face.

“Hello Aunt Petunia. Fancy seeing you here,” he managed. Severus made a choking noise as Vernon’s face went from its normal purple, to pale, to red, to an even deeper purple then before.

“Harry—“ Severus murmured. Harry stepped away from him and continued to smile in a strained sort of fashion.

“Sev, this is my Aunt and Uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley,” he said. He turned to the Dursleys to start to introduce him to them when Severus interrupted.

“Petunia? Petunia Evans?” he asked. She glared at him.

“Do I know you?” Severus stared at her in shock.

“Oh probably not!” Harry interjected quickly, laughing nervously. “Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, this is—“

“Severus Snape!” Petunia spat unkindly. “I remember you! Always with my sister, filling her head with all sorts of nasty ideas. I remember the time you—“

“Since when do they let freaks like you out in public?” Vernon barked angrily, glaring at Harry. Harry shrunk into himself, his forced smile disappearing. Severus took his eyes away from Petunia, the remnants of shock on his face and glared at Vernon.

“And what is so wrong with us being out together, like every other couple on this planet?” he snapped. Vernon’s glare turned on Severus and he started to open his mouth to speak when Harry interrupted.

“He doesn’t, necessarily, mean queer, Severus,” he said quickly. The other man looked at him. Harry sighed and looked at the ground, muttering, “He means wizards.”

“But it goes for both,” Vernon huffed. “Thought being a freak wasn’t good enough, eh, boy? Had to go tack on queer to the beginning of it. Always knew you’d end up bad.”

“Weren’t you in love with my sister?” Petunia snapped at Severus. He glared at her.

“That is none of your business Tuny.” Petunia bristled at the way Severus said the nickname, with all the spite and anger in the world.

There was a fight brewing. Harry looked desperately between Severus and Petunia, glaring daggers at each other, and Vernon, glaring daggers at him.

“Severus!” he exclaimed. “Severus, we need to go. Now!”

“But—“

“Now!” Harry snapped. Severus looked down at him and saw the desperation in his eyes. He nodded and backed down, as Harry smiled tightly at his relatives.

“It was really nice seeing you guys again. Let Dudley I said hello, and congratulations—he’s getting married is he?” Neither one of them replied and Harry nodded.

“Right then, well. Goodbye.” He turned and grabbed Severus’ arms, quickly starting to walk away.

“Don’t. Say. A. Word,” he instructed. Severus nodded tightly.

“Mom! Dad! Did you get off at the wrong gate too? Look Abby! It’s my parents! And—Harry?” Harry groaned as Dudley came towards them. He stopped and smiled.

“Hello Dudley.”

Where both of his parents settled for extremes, Dudley seemed to have finally balanced out. He had a jovial look on his face, and he seemed, while not in perfect health, rather fit. There was a pretty young girl at his side, maybe a year younger then him, in about the same physical condition, wearing a sundress, her brown hair in curls.

Dudley gave Harry a strange smile.

“It’s good to see you, how have you been?” he asked, sincerely. Harry shrugged.

“Oh you know. Living.” Dudley nodded and his fiancé coughed politely.

“Um, Dudley?”

“Oh! Oh right! Harry, this is my fiancé! Abigal. And Abby, this is Harry Potter, my cousin.”

“Pleased to meet you,” she said, smiling brightly. Harry smiled and nodded.

“And you.”

“Oh and here come her parents!” Dudley exclaimed excitedly. An older couple neared them and smiled.

“Mike, Rebecca, this is my cousin, Harry. Harry, these are my future in-laws. Mike and Rebecca Vaughn.”

“Hello,” Harry greeted to their nods, his grip on Severus’ arm increasingly growing tighter.

“Mom! Dad! What’s with you two? Come on over, meet Abby’s parents!” Dudley exclaimed at his parents, who were staying as far away as they could from Harry and Severus and who both looked still rather angry.

“Exciting isn’t it?” Mike asked Harry with a grin. Harry nodded.

“Yes, yes, I only just found out, actually. My Aunt and Uncle filled me in.”

“Will you attend the wedding?” Rebecca asked.

“Oh, oh I don’t think so,” Harry stated, shaking his head. “I’d really like to, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to.”

“Didn’t you live with Dudley when you were small?” Abby asked, with a piercing gaze. Harry swallowed and mentally applauded Severus for remaining so quiet and putting up with this.

“Yes, yes, I did. My parents died when I was a baby. So my aunt and uncle graciously took me in.” At this point the Dursley’s had finally managed to be convinced by their son to join the small group. Harry avoided looking at either of them and smiled at Abigail.

Severus snorted loudly.

Harry stepped on his foot.

“Dudley! We really must be going!” he exclaimed.

“Oh? So soon?” the Vaughn family chorused almost completely in sync. Harry stared at them, trying not to remark on how strange it was, as Dudley nodded.

“Yeah, yeah of course,” he stated, glancing nervously at his parents and then apologetically at Harry who shrugged slightly.

“Congratulations, to both of you. It’s really great that you’ve both found some one,” Harry stated. Dudley smiled brightly, putting an arm around Abby who flushed.

“Yeah, you too,” he replied, with a pointed look to where Harry’s hand still gripped Severus’ arm. Harry blinked and then relaxed, a real smile blooming across his face.

“Thanks Big D.” Dudley laughed.

“Any time Scar Head,” he replied, the name that was once a malicious taunt now used as an apology.

“Dudley,” Petunia warned. As her husband murmured profanities under his breath. Harry sighed and nodded towards Dudley and then smiled at the Vaughn’s.

“It was very nice meeting you,” he stated, preparing to take off.

“Oh surely you can stay a while longer? Maybe join us to get something to eat?” Rebecca stated suddenly. Harry started to shake his head.

“Oh but the two of you were practically raised as brothers together! It would be so lovely,” she stated.

“Hardly,” Severus finally interrupted. Harry dug his heel into Severus’ foot, but to no avail.

“Pardon?” Rebecca asked carefully.

“I said, hardly,” Severus enunciated very carefully.

“And why would that be, dear?”

“Severus, don’t—“

“Well, they kept him locked in a cupboard for most his life didn’t they?” The Vaughn’s gasped. Vernon and Petunia stared at Severus in horror. Harry, face burning, stared at Dudley and shook his head, mouthing an apology.

“Excuse me?” Mike asked.

“They did. Locked him in a cupboard and refused to feed him until he did their every bidding,” Severus replied nonchalantly.

“Severus-“

“We would never-“

“That’s abuse-“

“But Dudley-“

“He was a freak!” Vernon shouted angrily, quieting every one at once. “And I have no patience for freaks like him! Absolutely none! It’s disgusting, completely disgusting. Should’ve shipped him to an orphanage straight away. I should’ve known it couldn’t have been beaten out of him!”

“Beaten?!?”

“That’s barbaric!”

“Vernon!”

“It’s true! Nasty little freak, and you just keeping adding more reasons don’t you?” Vernon hissed at Harry.

“Dad! That’s quite enough!” Dudley shouted. Vernon glared at him and started to speak again but Dudley held up his hand.

“This man is right. But I want to hear no more on the subject. Do you understand?”

Vernon stuttered and Petunia started to interject but Dudley remained firm.

“No. Enough. Harry, I think you should leave,” he stated turning toward Harry. Feeling all of two feet tall, Harry nodded.

“I’m terribly sorry, Dudley. All of you. Congratulations again,” he said, nodding towards Abigail and her parents before pushing Severus lightly.

“Let’s go.”

They started walking, Harry removed his hand from Severus’ arm and a tense silence filled in between them. Neither one of them noticed the glorious nature around them as they continued on, trying to put as much distance between themselves and the Dursleys as possible. Finally they started to slow their pace down a bit and Harry sighed.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” he growled. He was angry. He was truly angry.

“Pardon?”

“I said you shouldn’t have done that Severus.”

“What would you have had me do? Sit there quietly as they continued to insult us?”

“Yes!” Harry cried, stopping and turning toward Severus. He felt a burning behind his eyes and made a choked noise, trying to keep the tears back.

“For the love of Merlin, yes Severus, that’s exactly what you should’ve done!”

“You’re really upset about this,” Severus stated, staring at Harry in shock.

“Yes! Of course I am! My God, Sev, they took care of me!”

“Some job they did.”

“I didn’t say it was good, but at least they took care of me! Sure, some of my meals were shoved through a cat flap that was installed on my padlock door—but it could’ve been so much worse!” Harry cried, the tears spilling out. Severus was taken aback, unsure as to what he should do.

“Harry, I—“

“Just, stop. I want to go home.”

“But—“

“I want to go home.” Harry disappeared with a crack of apparition. Severus looked around frantically to make sure no one had seen and then sighed, his posture slumping. He stood there for some time, trying to decide what to do. Harry, no doubt, would’ve locked himself in his study by this point, and there’d be no talking to him. They still had dinner reservations, and the play.

Severus looked at a flower in bush across from him. Suddenly, its bright red petals didn’t seem so alive.

A New Project

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:21:05 GMT

Yeah, I'm stupid and know I have no time for this.

However, I encourage all of you to check out my new journal writing_snarry

I'm hoping this'll work, and I'll be able to write this story for once!

In other news, I revamped the master list of fanfics. Let me know what you think. If anybody has a better idea for organizing those, let me know now. Please. Kay. Thanks. ;)

Harry Potter: The Black Family - G

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 06:19:58 GMT

Title: The Black Family
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~1000
Rating: G
Pairing: None
Summary: After being pranked by his two cousins, Bellatrix and Narcissa, nine-year old Sirius has a few questions.
Warnings: None
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.
A/N: Written before DH, changed accordingly (Andy used to have blonde hair...I actually like brunette!Andy a bit more to tell the truth) Couldn't remember for the life of me if her eye color was mentioned, and was far too lazy to check. So I left it at gray.

Black hair fell into his eyes as the nine-year old Sirius tugged out the various bows that Bella and Cissy had managed to curse him with. He tossed the last bow towards the other side of his closet and pulled his knees up to his chest, tightly wrapping his arms around them.

He could still hear Bella’s shrill shrieking laughter on the level below, no doubt listening to Narcissa recount what happened to Lucius.

Hot tears stung his eyes as he shook his head and whimpered. It wasn’t fair, it just wasn’t fair. Bella and Cissy could get away with the worse. But he couldn’t even jokingly say something to Regulus without getting hit upside the head or shrieked at by Mother, or glared at and reprimanded by father.

It was hard for Sirius to understand sometimes why he was treated so harshly at times. They favored Regulus so much, but…wasn’t he the heir? Wasn’t it Sirius that they were supposed to favor? He tried to be good but…

A gentle knocking at his bedroom door interrupted his thoughts. Sirius held his breath as he listened to the door open and a soft voice call out.

“Sirius? Silly Sirius, where are you hiding?” Sirius let out a sigh of relief and sat up on his knees and cracked open the closet door slightly. He watched his favorite cousin look under his bed, her long brown hair falling and barely brushing the floor. Sirius opened the door a bit more, wincing as it creaked slightly. Andromeda paused and looked up. Her gray eyes lit up and she smiled at Sirius.

“There you are.” Sirius grinned and jumped out, dashing out of his closet, bouncing on to the bed and into her arms. She twirled him around and laughed softly.

“Andy! Mother said you were in Paris and that you weren’t coming!” he exclaimed, tightening his arms around her neck as the fifteen year old fell back on to his bed, her arms wrapped around him.

“I was in Paris, and I wasn’t going to come, but I had a feeling you needed me, so I rushed back as fast possible,” she replied, running her fingers through his hair. Sirius huffed and sat up, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Well that’s silly. You should’ve stayed. Paris is really pretty. And I can take care of myself, I’m a man.” Andromeda laughed softly again and poked Sirius in the stomach.

“A man, are you?”

“Yes, I am.” Andromeda grinned and in one quick motion, flipped over, pinning Sirius underneath of her, and started to tickle him. Sirius shrieked and kicked in laughter.

“Stop it Andy! Stop!” he cried out laughing. Andromeda stopped and reached up, pulling something out of Sirius’ hair. She grinned at him and showed him the bright pink bow with purple lace.

“Men don’t put their hair up in bows.” Sirius’ face darkened and growled, grabbing the bow and throwing it as hard as possible towards the door.

“Bella and Cissy attacked me,” he muttered, inching his way out of under Andromeda. The teenager moved to sit on the edge of the boy’s bed, watching as he went to the head of it, and pulled his knees to his chest.

“So I heard,” Andromeda replied, flipping her brown hair back, she crossed her legs and rested her chin in her palm staring at him.

“It’s not fair,” Sirius grumbled. “They can say whatever they want, and do whatever they want and never get in trouble. I hate them.” Andromeda hummed.

“Try living with them, it’s a nightmare,” she replied. Sirius stared at her.

“I almost do! Mother invites you and Aunt Druella and them over all the time!” he cried. Andromeda nodded, staring at the boy intently. Sirius sighed and buried his face in his arms, resting on top of his knees.

“Why does everybody hate me Andy? I don’t get it.”

“I don’t hate you.” Sirius huffed and looked up at Andromeda.

“Of course you don’t. But I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about Bella and Cissy, and Mother, and Dad, and Aunt Druella, and Lucius, and Aunt Lucretia, and even Regulus says that he doesn’t want to play with me no more unless Bella and Cissy and all them aren’t around.”

“Any more, Sirius, any more,” Andromeda corrected. Sirius rolled his eyes.

“I don’t care. The point is, they all hate me, and I haven’t done nothing, I mean, anything wrong,” Sirius stated. Andromeda smiled sadly and beckoned Sirius to come sit by her. Sirius crawled over, dragging his pillow with him, and leaned against Andromeda as she wrapped an arm around him.

“We’re in the same boat kiddo. You haven’t done anything wrong Sirius, don’t you ever forget that. There’s nothing wrong with you, okay?” she asked. Sirius sighed and nodded as Andromeda continued.

“It’s our family that’s wrong Sirius. They don’t like thinking outside the box like you and I do. They don’t want to know more than what their parents taught them, and the skills they learned in school. To them, that’s all that’s important,” she finished. Sirius frowned and looked up at her. Andromeda smiled at him.

“You don’t think our family history and the purity of our blood counts for anything do you?” she asked. Sirius shook his head and Andromeda nodded.

“Exactly, and what’s so bad about Muggles?” she asked.

“I think they’re interesting,” Sirius replied. Andromeda grinned.

“Exactly. See, we know this, but Aunt Walburga, and my Mother, and Narcissa and Bellatrix, and Lucius, they don’t get that. And I don’t think they’ll ever get that,” Andromeda said. Sirius frowned and looked down at the floor where his toy broom sat.

“And what about Regulus?” he asked quietly. Andromeda sighed.

“We’ll see about Regulus. I think, he knows what we know, but…Regulus also knows that in order to survive your mother, he’ll have to pretend like he doesn’t know.” Sirius sighed and looked up at Andromeda, he smiled.

“You’re really smart, Andy.” Andromeda laughed, her gray eyes shining with mischief.

“Thank you Sirius, I was almost put in Ravenclaw, you know.” Sirius grinned.

“Really? Wow, Aunt Druella would’ve hated that.” Andromeda grinned and nodded.

“Yeah, probably, but at least it would’ve been better than Gryffindor, I probably would’ve been killed on the spot.” Sirius grinned and nodded, playing with a few strands of Andromeda’s hair.

“I don’t think it would be so bad to be in Gryffindor,” Sirius said absently. Andromeda smiled and ruffled his hair affectionately.

“Well, wherever you land kiddo, I’ll be here for you. Just don’t let anybody other than me hear you say that, okay?” Sirius grinned and nodded pulling back and trying to fix his hair.

“Okay, I won’t.” Andromeda grinned and pulled out two wands. One of them was hers; the other one was slightly longer and made of walnut. Sirius gasped.

“Is that…?” Andromeda nodded and grinned.

“Bella’s wand. Shall we go give her a taste of her own medicine my Silly Sirius?” she asked, handing the wand to Sirius. Sirius wrapped his hand around the handle, eyes wide; he looked up at Andromeda and grinned, a mischievous light dancing in his eyes.

“She deserves a bit more than a taste, Andy,” he replied.

FFXII: Stop! - G

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 06:07:09 GMT

Title: Stop!
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~500
Rating: G
Pairing: None
Summary: When Penelo is hit by a powerful spell by a gang of unruly vivians--the group is faced with the problem of healing her.
Warnings: Morbid Humor
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.
A/N: Heh...heh...the sad part? I actually did this in the game.

Balthier lunged and successfully dealt the final blow on the vivian with his spear. Moving away he returned his spear to his back and turned, feeling the familiar sensation of cura surround him. Nodding to Vaan he stared at Penelo, frozen in mid-step. They had been swarmed by so many of the vile creatures that he really hadn’t paid attention to what the others were doing, he had just charged head on and tried to take out as many as he could.

“What did they get her with?” Balthier asked circling her carefully.

“A stop spell,” Basch replied, walking down the ramp with his sword drawn. Fran and Ashe followed closely behind, Balthier frowned.

“Do we even have anything to cure that?” Vaan shrugged.

“I can’t remember the spell, assuming there is one,” Ashe commented, moving towards Penelo and examining her for any serious injuries. Fran picked up a rucksack that Vaan had discarded on to the ground when the vivian’s attacked.

“I’ll check to see if we have anything we can use,” she stated. Balthier nodded and watched as Basch attempted Esuna and then Dispel on Penelo. Neither worked.

“This will take ages,” said Vaan, crouching next to Fran and weeding through their items.

“We told you to sell those fangs and motes, Vaan. Perhaps you’ll start to listen to the voice of reason,” Balthier said stalking over and staring at the plethora of items that had fallen out of the rucksack. Vaan huffed.

“What if we need them?”

“And what if bangaas could fly? Honestly, we don’t have time for this. Giruvegan is not a good place to stop like this,” Balthier snapped, slowly becoming more and more irritated as he glanced around waiting for more atrocities to appear. Basch cleared his throat.

“Well, there’s one thing we could do…” he said. Balthier stared at him and arched an eyebrow.

“Oh?” Basch nodded.

“We could…well we could knock her out and then revive her.”

“Basch! That’s barbaric!” Ashe cried in shock.

“If you have a better idea Princess, I’m sure we’d love to hear it,” Balthier stated. Ashe made a noise and then backed away from Penelo.

“Fine, but I’m not—“

“No one said you had to, Princess,” Balthier interrupted, unsheathing his spear. He looked at Basch.

“On the count of three, then?” Basch nodded.

“One…Two…Three!” Both men hit Penelo at the same time, and then readied themselves for another hit. It was obvious that their first hits had done quite a bit of damage. Ashe made a slight noise of protest and Balthier hit again. Basch started to bring down the final blow.

“WAIT!” Vaan cried, jumping up with an item. Basch stopped half way through his strike and clumsily diverted it as Fran moved towards Penelo and held a bottle of Chronos Tears to her lips. Carefully she drained the potion into Penelo’s mouth. The party held their breath as Fran stepped back. Penelo’s foot came down first. She blinked, dropped her dagger, and coughed violently, before glaring up at them. Instantly Ashe started to cure her. Penelo smiled graciously at the Princess.

“Thank you,” she said before glaring at Balthier and Basch.

“Perhaps you two will start to listen to the voice of reason,” she growled, before picking up her dagger and continuing down the ramp.

Harry Potter: My Last Breath - PG

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:46:02 GMT

Title: My Last Breath
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~1000
Rating: PG
Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Summary: Severus lies dying in the arms of his lover. Based off the song My Last Breath by Evanescence
Warnings: Character Death
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.
A/N: This is a fun song to listen to a thousand times over while writing. Actually, if you listen to it while reading, it works out pretty nicely as far as timing--didn't plan that much, but hey. If you could see my time line, this is based loosely on the idea of Severus and Harry forming some sort of a relationship in Harry's 6th year, and then the events of DH happening--with an obvious twist. Been a while since I wrote anything. Leave your comments in the box.

Hold on to me love.
You know I can't stay long.
All I wanted to say was I love you, and I'm not afraid.
Can you hear me?
Can you feel me in your arms?

There was a terrible scream. Harry saw Snape’s face losing the little color it had left; it whitened as his black eyes widened, as the snake’s fangs pierced his neck, as he failed to push the enchanted cage off himself, as his knees gave way and he fell to the floor…

You rushed inside as soon as He was gone.

I should’ve known. I should’ve known you would be here.

How could you not be?

You foolish boy.

You gasp my name and gather me into your arms; your friends, shocked, stand back.

You never did tell them about us.

You never told anybody about us.

How will they ever understand your grief, now, if you never gave them a chance to understand your love? You should’ve disobeyed me. You should’ve told them.

But that is not here, I know.

You’re shouting at them to get help, and I can feel my last breath trying to escape me, but I cannot go yet. There is still more to be done before I can let go.

Harry.

Harry listen to me, I am not afraid of death Harry, I accept it; I accept my death, as you should accept your own death.

I cannot hear myself speak, I did not think the viper got my vocal folds. Is it worse then I thought?

I love you Harry. I must tell you, I love you.

Your tears fall on my lips as you mouth my declaration back to me; your arms tighten around me.

Then I can still talk. I would hate myself if I were speechless in my last moments. And they are my last, my Harry. There is no denying it. Not here, in my mind, where it is dark and cold…

So cold…

Do you remember?

Do you remember the lake in the winter? We hadn’t seen each other in so long and I had to get Gryffindor’s sword to you some how.

It was cold. There was a fresh blanket of snow—do you remember?

I love the winter.

I love the snow.

I regret never being able to spend a proper winter with you. I would take you some where secluded, where we could have the snow. There’s nothing more gorgeous then the Forbidden Forest in the winter you know. It’s peaceful.

I’ll miss the winter. I know you hate the cold, but it’s such a beautiful time of the year.

You’re still crying, your tears mix with my blood as you try in vain to staunch the flow, but there is more then just the loss of blood, my one.

There is the poison.

I can feel it racing through my system. I have an antidote, of course I have an antidote. But there is something to be said for dying in the arms of the one destined to die.

I shall not take it.

I’ll let the darkness come.

You’re closing your eyes now.

Your mouth is moving, you’re trying to speak and yet only half of your words are coming out, and even those are broken by sobs.

You’re praying, aren’t you?

When you open your eyes though, I shall not be magically healed. It doesn’t work that way, we both know it.

When you open your eyes again…I’m sorry you’ll be alone next time you wake up.

I know you were so set on one day waking up next to me, despite my protests. Sleeping an entire night by my side. Merlin I longed for it more than you could ever possibly understand, my love, my love.

I can feel it coming.

It’s time to say good bye.

You must have it though, my final gift, my final gift to you Harry. Your mother.

“Take…it…Take…it…”

We never spoke about her much. She was beautiful. Not nearly as beautiful as you. Your eyes, they’re the same. But you’re not looking at me.

I can’t see your eyes.

“Look…at…me…”

Gorgeous

Don’t be afraid, Harry. You have a task ahead of you. You’re about to make a very difficult decision. I wish I could be by you and help you through this hell, but I promise, I promise, it’s for the best this way.

You’ll understand.

You’re crying my name; I can hear it…just barely.

Your voice sounds distant, my vision is turning black.

Your eyes, your eyes are so green, like a curse.

Like the curse that was supposed to kill you.

You are a curse Harry Potter.

A blessed curse.

I die for you Harry Potter.

I must tell you.

I must tell you before things fade completely.

You must know...

I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid.

I love you Harry.

The green eyes found the black, but after a second, something in the depths of the dark pair seemed to vanish, leaving them fixed, blank, and empty. The hand holding Harry thudded to the floor, and Snape moved no more

Holding my last breath
Safe inside myself
Are all my thoughts of you
Sweet rapture light, it ends here tonight

</fck:meta>

Harry Potter: To Say It Means Goodbye - G

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:10:30 GMT

Title: To Say it Means Goodbye
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~2500
Rating: G
Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Summary: They keep saying you're gone--but you continue to tuck me in at night and wake me up in the morning. Severus and Harry have been together for awhile--but Severus is about to something horribly wrong with his relationship.
Warnings: Character Death
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.
A/N: I wrote this December 22nd 2005 at like 2 in the morning. It was my very first Snarry piece, ever. And rereading it, while it's probably not as good as something I could write now (I think it's predictable, but I wrote it so it should be predictable...I think) I still love it and think it's one of my favorites. So if it sucks, shut up. XP I actually changed the inscription on the Potter's grave after DH.

“Severus…” the sweet voice sang into his ear just like every other morning.

“Se-verus…” Severus hummed and sighed—just like every other morning.

“Wakey-wakey Sevvy Baby!” Severus groaned and brought his arm up to cover his eyes.

“I despise that name.” A soft giggle was his reply—same as always.

“I know…” The faint brush of lips on his face finally provoked Severus to move his arm and stare into shockingly green eyes—just like every other morning.

“It’s far too early Harry.” A small frown graced the other mans features before lifting to its normal brightness.

“Yet you always wake up.” Severus hummed in agreement before sighing.

“Where are you going?” Harry smiled.

“Work silly—you know that.” Severus nodded.

“Yes, yes of course. And will you be returning?”

“I always do Sev.”

“Yes, yes of course you do.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Severus sighed—it was the same as yesterday morning and the morning before that and so on and so forth.

“Exactly as it sounds.” It was Harry’s turn to sigh and to try once more to brush Severus’ hair behind his ears—once again completely missing.

“I love you Severus.”

“You say that every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to bed.” Harry grinned impishly.

“And I’m going to continue saying it until you return it,” he returned. Severus couldn’t help the small smile that crossed his features. No matter how many times Harry said that it never failed to make his heart feel just a little lighter. Harry smiled softly.

“I’ve gotta go Sev. Don’t kill any kids today—all right?”

“I’ll try, I can’t promise that they’ll remain unharmed though.” Harry shrugged and ghosted his lips on Severus’ temple.

“Good enough. See you tonight love.” Severus nodded and Harry disappeared off the bed and out the door. Severus waited a few moments before exhaling.

“I love you too Harry.” Just like every morning.

Severus walked briskly down the hallway towards the Great Hall. His thoughts raced through his classes that day and other such nonsense, occasionally brushing back to Harry.

“Professor Snape!” the shout interrupted his thought process and he turned to see the bushy brown mass of hair headed towards him.

“Miss Granger,” he replied brusquely. Hermione sighed.

“It’s been five years, you would think you could call me Hermione by now,” she complained as the two started to the Great Hall together.

“I could say the same for your habit of calling me ‘Professor Snape’ all the time,” Severus replied. Hermione flushed and stuttered.

“That’s different!” Severus snorted.

“I fail to see how.” They entered the Great Hall and Severus picked up his pace.

“Now if you excuse me, I’m rather hungry.” Hermione grabbed his arm to stop him.

“Wait!” she cried. Severus stopped and turned to stare at her, as did a few of the extremely early students.

“Yes?” he hissed. Hermione had the decency to look abashed before whispering quietly.

“How was your morning?” Severus glared at her.

“The same as always—and I fail to see how that is any of your business Miss Granger,” he growled before pulling out of her grasp and storming to the staff table missing the pained look on Hermione’s face. Severus sat down and started to pile food on his plate when Minerva sat next to him. He sighed—once again he would not be given a moments rest this morning!

“Severus, how are you this morning?” the older woman asked. Severus growled. It was times like these when he wished Dumbledore hadn’t gone and gotten himself offed for the “greater good”—he despised women.

“I’m fine,” he managed to grit out. Minerva swallowed hard.

“And…and Harry? How is he?” Severus growled.

“He’s fine! We’re both fine! Will you please just let my personal well being and my partner’s well being be our business and not yours?” he snapped slightly louder then he had expected. Minerva flinched before letting her hand rest atop of his.

“Severus, this needs to stop. I have to show you something. I already have someone covering your classes for the day. Please report to my office during your first class,” she instructed before getting up and rushing off. Severus blinked at where she had been not two seconds ago.

“What the hell…” he muttered quietly before turning to glance at Hermione and Hagrid down the staff table. They were both looking down and seemed very sullen.

Severus shook his head and looked down at his plate before realizing he had lost his appetite. He stood and started out of the Great Hall and to his class to prepare for his substitute for the day. His thoughts were racing trying to figure out what could be bugging everyone.

About two months ago Severus had been woken up from a six-month coma to a routine very similar to the one that had happened earlier. Later when it was explained to him about how he and Harry had been attacked by a ragtag group of Death Eaters left over from the war, he asked for Harry and was told that the other man wasn’t there.

Severus was naturally disappointed that the other man really did run off to work as he had said, but took it in stride with a few moments of logical thinking. That and the boy made it up to him a few nights later when he was released.

Since then though, Harry had started to work late and every one else started to treat Severus as a bomb just biding it’s time before finally exploding.

Scenarios ran through Severus’ mind as he started to stack and prepare papers.

Did Harry find a different lover during those six months?

No—that was far too trivial.

Perhaps Harry had some incurable disease and was dying? He didn’t want Severus to know just yet so he stayed out late not working—but getting treatments.

Or maybe it was Severus who had the disease! Harry didn’t want him to spend his last months on earth worrying though because he was out searching for a cure like the Gryffindor he was.

Severus shook his head—both of those sounded absurd.

Sighing as he passed students, Severus made his way to the Headmistresses office. He wasn’t sure why he was worrying himself—he would find out soon enough after all.

He started up the stairs but was stopped by Minerva handing him a quill. He blinked and looked up at her.

“What—“

“Just take it!” Severus did and felt the familiar lurch of a portkey. He swallowed hard and stumbled as they landed. He quickly glanced around him as Minerva started off briskly down a row of tombstones.

It was a graveyard—Merlin, Severus hated graveyards.

“Min—“

“Come on Severus! This way!” Severus nearly tripped over his own two feet trying to follow her. He glanced at the tombstones not recognizing the names or not being able to see them due to over growth. Finally though he began to vaguely recognize a few of the names as names he had glanced over, perhaps in the newspaper or some other such nonsense, before he stopped dead.

JAMES POTTER LILY POTTER

Born 27 March 1960 Born 30 January 1960
Died 31 October 1981 Died October 1981

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

“MINERVA!” he roared not liking his surroundings one bit. She turned and grabbed his wrist pulling him through the line of tombstones, no longer bearing just names—but names of people he recognized. People whom he fought with against Voldemort. The graves continually got newer as a good portion of the original Order passed away until finally:

In Memory of CEDRIC DIGGORY
The first of the Second War
Forever in our hearts and memory

ALASTOR "MAD-EYE" MOODY
Keeping Constant Villigance till his Last.

REMUS JOHN LUPIN
and his Life Partner
SIRIUS ORION BLACK
Godfathers, Monsters, Convicts, and Marauders
We won’t forget our Padfoot and Moony

NYMPHADORA TONKS
Never without a smile
Always keeping life interesting for the rest of us
Even if she made a mess out of it.

And then finally…

ALBUS PERCIVAL WULFRIC BRIAN DUMBLEDORE
Our mentor, friend, and guiding light.

There was only one tombstone left in the row and Severus had finally collected himself enough to pull out of Minerva’s grasp.

“No,” he hissed. She glared at him with watery eyes.

“You have to.” And the worse part was—she was right. He let out a small choked noise of protest before stumbling forward enough to push back the fresh flowers just enough to see the inscription:

HARRY JAMES POTTER
Our Savior, Friend, Life, Love, and Joy.
May he now find the peace he so deserves.

Severus stared at it blankly.

“How?” he whispered. Minerva looked away.

“He didn’t survive the attack—we didn’t think you would either. We were just about to give up on you,” she whispered in reply.

“Why didn’t you…you should’ve…” Severus took in a deep shuddering breath unable to find the words. Minerva kept her face turned respectively as tears streamed down her face.

“We’ve tried—you didn’t listen. His ghost kept—and continues—visiting you. He has unfinished business, and you’re the key to it. We didn’t…we didn’t know how to go about it until the Bloody Baron advised us to keep silent for awhile. But Severus, it’s been two months! It’s time to move on.” Severus let out a quiet sob as he touched the cool stone.

“But this morning—“

“Was the same as every morning for over two months, correct? Just as tonight will also be the same. He’s waiting for you Severus. Only you can let him go by—well Merlin only knows how, but you have to figure it out!” Severus bit his bottom lip as Harry’s words rang through his head.

“And I’m going to continue saying it until you return it!”

Severus let his eyes slip shut. Minerva took a step towards him, lifting her hand to touch him.

“Just let me be Minerva,” he commanded softly. She stopped and nodded backing off and turning away to let Severus mourn and think by himself.

III

Severus sat at his desk grading papers like every other night. He heard the door open and close but he didn’t look up.

“I’m home Sev!” He still didn’t look up as he made a particularly nasty mark on a first year’s paper.

“Sev?” Harry walked into Severus’ private study and chuckled.

“Ah, essays—of course,” he commented, moving in front of the desk.

“So, I’ve decided to quit work. The people are all incompetent!” Harry joked like every other single night. Severus didn’t reply and Harry frowned, finally putting his hands on the paper in front of Severus’ face—just like every other night.

“Sev? Sev! Are you even listening to me you greasy git?” For the first time in two months Severus realized how translucent Harry was. He swallowed and looked up, tears streaming down his face. Harry smiled.

“There! Now you’re paying attention!” he laughed. Severus couldn’t help the sob that escaped his throat before he whispered three seemingly small words. A shudder passed through Harry and Severus looked at him with wide eyes. Harry gave him a small and sad smile.

“Say it again Severus,” he quietly pleaded. Severus swallowed hard.

“I love you Harry.” Harry smiled through ghostly tears and leaned forward to brush his lips against Severus’ forehead. Severus shivered at the feel of a thousand buckets of ice water crashing over him. Harry pulled back and tried in vain to cup Severus’ face and wipe away his tears.

“Thank you…” he whispered. Severus nodded as Harry tried to smile brightly.

“I love you so much. Thank you.” Severus nodded as the tears fell more freely. Harry sobbed and shook his head.

“Oh Sev! I’m so sorry!” he cried. Severus shook his head.

“No, I am. I love you so much Harry.” Harry smiled and sighed looking at him.

“I promise, I’ll be watching over you, and I’ll always be there when you need me,” he whispered. Severus laughed.

“In other words you’ll be bothering the hell out of me as I plan the murders of children. To be more precise—the future Granger-Weasley cult.” Harry laughed as well.

“Yeah, something like that.” They lapsed into silence and stared at each other a moment longer. Severus’ smile disappeared and he shook his head.

“Do you have to?” Harry nodded mournfully.

“Yeah…look at it this way though—when you kick the bucket, we’ll have all eternity together.” Severus groaned.

“Merlin help me!” Harry chuckled.

“I’ll tell him you say hi.” Severus nodded.

“No visiting Rome without me.” Harry made a motion to cross his heart.

“I promise!” They smiled before Severus broke down crying for the first time since he was six.

“I love you,” he sobbed. Harry swallowed and put his cold hand on Severus’.

“Let’s go to bed love,” he whispered. Severus nodded and together they made it to the bed. Severus turned off the lights and couldn’t help but smile at the soft glow that Harry emitted.

“I love you Sev,” Harry whispered.

“I love you too Harry,” he returned. His eyelids suddenly grew heavy and he panicked.

“No! No just a few more moments!” he begged trying desperately to reach his sleep heavy limbs towards Harry. Harry smiled at him.

“Hush love, hush…” he whispered. Severus let out a strangled sob.

“Harry…” Harry put his hand to Severus’ heart.

“I promise you, when you wake up I’ll be right here, ok?” he said tapping the other man’s chest. Severus stared at him through half lidded eyes as tears fell down his face.

“I love you so much Harry,” he whispered. Harry took in a shuddering breath.

“I know. I stayed just long enough every morning to hear you say it before leaving. I love you too Severus,” he said trying to keep from breaking down. Severus nodded.

“I know you did…” he sighed before his eyes slid shut and he fell asleep.

Severus woke up to the touch of phantom lips on his forehead. When he opened his eyes there wasn’t a shock of green to greet him—he was alone. He smiled sadly before whispering softly.

“I love you too Harry.” And just barely he could hear Harry outside of his door chanting.

“I love you, I love you, I love you Severus Snape!” Before he quietly opened the front door and walked out.

Harry Potter: Severus Snape's Guide to Gryffindors - G

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:29:46 GMT

Title: Severus Snape's Guide to Gryffindors
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~600
Rating: G
Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Summary: In which Severus reflects upon his penmanship and Harry stumbles upon an interesting manuscript.
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story
A/N: This story is dedicated to every fanfic author out there who has ever written a piece with our dear Potion's Master wishing for an instruction manual to Dumbledore, Harry, and every other bloody Gryffindor out there. Without your stories, this little ficlet would've never crossed my mind.

Severus took a certain amount of pride in his penmanship. It was one of the few things his mother insisted he learn, despite the risk she ran of having her husband find out.

It seemed such a waste, when he was still teaching, to use his knowledge, her knowledge, to on scathing comments and red Ts and Ps that he had no doubt still stood out in the mind’s of even his oldest students. So over the years his calligraphy had lost some of the finesse that his mother originally instilled in him replaced with more natural sharp curves of Severus’ usual hand writing.

Not that he minded much, when he applied himself it was still ten times more elegant than most people around him.

With that thought in mind, he signed his name at the bottom of the parchment, with a sharp flourish and a sneer. Some one chuckled behind him, and tan arms rested on his shoulders, crossing at his sternum.

“No need to get violent, Severus, it’s only a letter,” Harry murmured, burying his nose into Severus’ hair and inhaling the heady scent that was undeniably his partner, and possibly a dash of potions.

“A good thing. If it were the recipient—“

“Their head would be mounted above our dining room table?” Harry interrupted innocently, lifting his head up to stare at the parchment.

“More or less,” Severus replied with ease. Harry chuckled and the older man delighted in the vibrations it sent through him.

“Do they want your soul?” Harry asked. Severus snorted, opening a drawer on the desk.

“More or less,” he repeated and Harry snickered, pulling away from Severus, allowing the man more mobility as he searched for an envelope. Realizing he had run out, he stood and moved to Harry’s desk as the boy smirked at him. Harry sat down in Severus’ chair, picking up the letter and scanning over it, listening as the Potion’s Master cursed his inability to retain a sense of organization. Harry rolled his eyes and placed the letter down, staring at the clutter that adorned the desk in front of him. Deciding to save that argument for later he continued to poke around on Severus’ desk, picking up several pieces of parchment and scanning over them in curiosity. It was nothing he hadn’t seen before, a few invitations to various seminars, half formed to-do lists with a quarter of the things scratched out. A three week old news paper with Harry giving a speech on the front was sitting on top of an order form for Slugs and Jitters, Harry noticed, moving the paper and unveiling not only the form, but a small red leather bound book. Placing the paper down and lifting the book up Harry frowned.

“Severus?” he asked. The other man hummed from the other desk, digging in one of the drawers.

“What is this?” Harry continued, opening the front cover. Severus glanced over his shoulder and recognized the book immediately.

“No! Don’t!” he exclaimed straightening quickly, but it was too late. Harry stared at the title page, bemused. Staring back at him was the title page, hand written in Severus’ flowing script.

“Severus Snape’s Guide to Gryffindors: A Practical Instruction Manual,” Harry read out loud as Severus cringed. Harry turned to stare at him and smirked, arching an eyebrow.

“Don’t,” Severus intoned, staring back at his partner, knowing that the boy probably had formed a million sarcastic remarks.

“Just…don’t,” he muttered again, and Harry chuckled.

“Don’t what, Severus dear? I was just wondering when your publisher expects my inevitable companion piece,” he replied easily, turning back to the book and flipping through it.

“After all, as it says on page…twelve…Gryffindors are incredibly proud and will stop at nothing to defend or prove themselves,” he remarked.

Harry Potter: True Love - G

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:50:56 GMT

Title: True Love
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~300
Rating: G
Pairing: Remus Lupin/Sirius Black
Summary: When our lives end, what else can we be? Remus discovers it's more than he could've wished for.
Series: Not Quite A Series
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.
A/N: I'm sure when I first wrote this, I loved this. Now, not so much. But I suppose that everybody does that from time to time.

Floating…Floating…Floating…

Remus gasped at the sudden feeling of being solid hit him and shook his soul to its very core. A sudden wave of dread washed over his immobile body as he realized he could not recall what had happened to put him in this state. His eyes flew open as a feather light touch brushed his arm and a rich voice wove its way to his heart.

“Wake up love.” Remus’ eyes burned with tears at the sight before him.

“Sirius?” he gasped, sitting up quickly. Sirius smiled softly and nodded.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” Sirius explained. Remus’ eyes widened as he took in his white misty surroundings.

“Am I…” The word was left unspoken, hanging heavy in the air around them. Sirius chuckled and shook his head.

“You are at the gates of the next Grand Adventure,” Sirius whispered. Remus stared at him shocked.

“And you’ve been…” Sirius grinned.

“Pissing some very important people off, and occasionally dropping in on you. Now come along,” Sirius said standing up. He pulled Remus to his feet. “If we hurry we can catch up with Lils and Jamie.”

“But Sirius…why?” Remus asked, holding on tightly to Sirius’ hands. Sirius looked at him and smiled, stepping closer.

“Because I promised, and because I Love you,” he replied. Remus felt his heart soar as they leaned closer towards each other.

“I guess they were right than,” he sighed, eyes half lidded as their faces neared.

“They?” Sirius mumbled. Remus nodded.

What he said next made Sirius’ face light up before their lips met in a familiar embrace and their arms wound around each other tightly.

“True Love Never Dies.”

Harry Potter: The Times - PG

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:07:32 GMT

Title: The Times
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~300
Rating: PG
Pairing: Remus Lupin/Sirius Black mentions of Tonks/Lupin
Summary: There were mornings where he would wake up and not remember where he was.
Series: Not Quite a Series
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.

There were mornings where he would wake up and not remember where he was. The sound of running water would make him grin and slip quietly out of his bed to surprise his lover. But when he reached the restroom a bright shock of pink rather than black would make reality crash down on him. After standing there slightly shocked, she would finally notice him and greet him in that overly cheery manner. He would nod and move on to fix his nerves a cup of tea.

There was that one morning when she had her natural face on. The long black hair and high cheekbones, the inherited elegance—it made him gasp out loud. He could’ve sworn He was back until she turned to stare at him with those chocolate brown eyes so unlike His and asked what was wrong. As he passed it off as a “werewolf thing” a funny look crossed her face and it was never clearer that she was not He.

There were times he wanted to scream at her as she tried potions and aphrodisiacs and spells. She spiked his tea with a number of things and always tried to hit him with cheering charms because she wanted him to smile. Really smile, like he did for Him.

Then there were the times she would try and fail to charm her way into his room and bed at night—and above all else, that is what he hated the most.

Those were the times, when he was alone and safe in his bed, away from her, when his entire body would relax. He would stare at the ceiling as memories and ghost whispers would fill his head, and smile. Really smile.

Those were the times when he would let His name be spoken reverently.

Those were the times when Remus would mourn for his loss, his Sirius.

Those were the times Nymphadora would never be allowed to see.

Personal Journal!

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:20:31 GMT

It's official! Head on over to basiliskcurfor my personal journal.

Over the next few days all of my personal entries in this journal will disappear and it will become writing only (yay for LJ-SEC!)

Harry Potter: Another Chance - PG

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:48:08 GMT

Title: Another Chance
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~6000
Rating: PG
Pairing: Pre-Slash Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Summary: Following the two years after Voldemort's defeat, Severus Snape has one thing to say to Harry Potter: "You are rotting Mr. Potter, whether you like to admit or not."
Warnings: Completely ignores DH
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.
A/N: Part of me wants to continue on to what happens after this story, it is, after all, only Pre-slash and the potential is enormous, however I don't have the time, nor do I trust my skills (research and writing) enough to continue this by myself. So for right now, this is all that there is. I hope every one enjoys this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Severus Snape covered his ears and closed his eyes firmly as an inhuman screech filled the air and the battle field was filled with bright light. He could feel his arm burning wildly where the Dark Mark marred his sallow skin. The screeching became louder, the light more intense before it disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared.

The remaining silent darkness made Severus nauseous, and he almost fell to his knees as the bile rose up his throat. Blinking rapidly he glanced towards the lake, slowly making his way towards it, as if by reflex.

Around him Aurors, Death Eaters, and the dedicated souls of the Order of the Phoenix blinked, lifting from the ground, removing their hands from their ears and staring at each other—friend, foes, and reluctant allies—in weary confusion.

No one stopped Severus who stumbled over bodies to one lone figure standing above a motionless form by the lake. As he grew nearer he suddenly realized the form was talking. Unable to hear the words clearly he moved closer, stopping dead when realization chilled the blood in his veins.

“Please…oh God…oh Merlin…please don’t be dead,” Harry Potter whispered, loosely clutching his wand in his right hand, staring down at the corpse of Lord Voldemort.

Severus didn’t know what to do. He stood there watching in morbid fascination as Harry Potter, The Harry Potter, Savior of the Known World begged the Dark Lord to come back to life. Soon the boy’s quiet words turned into shouts, screams of agony as he pleaded and begged. Tension covered the battle field as people’s attentions wandered away from the dead, dying, and wounded, away from the pressing matter of capturing and subduing the threats that were still standing, away from escaping quietly, and to the hysterical boy.

Severus took another step forward when Harry drew his wand and released a series of spells, ranging from a simple tickling spell to the Cruciatus Curse, sobbing hysterically, begging for the Dark Lord to come back.

Didn’t the foolish boy realize that his fame was not at stake? Didn’t he understand that with Voldemort’s death he would become, if possible, even more famous, more renowned, more desirable by every breathing soul in the Wizarding World?

One glance at the boy’s face made Severus realize that he was once again wrong about the child with the funny shaped scar and glasses. It wasn’t about the fame or any thing as trivial as that.

One glance was all it took for Severus Snape to realize that Harry had lost his purpose in life.

He should’ve realized. Normal people were told as they grew up that they would get a job after school, maybe fall in love, perhaps be very successful, get married, have a family. Or maybe before all of that they could travel the world, and then settle down. Whether it was a Wizard or a Muggle, they were given something to do after they left the comfort of having some one else lead their lives.

Maybe it wasn’t the grand sense of purpose that most people craved, but that’s why religions were formed. To give a more solid and stable basis to their existence, so that they could go travel then meet their soul mate and get hitched and have many babies.

But Harry had never been told that. The boy, who was now on his knees shaking the one body of the one man who had given reason to existence—even if there were questions left unanswered, was gone. The boy had nothing else to do, as far as he knew.

Severus couldn’t blame the world around them, of course, for not showing Harry what came after Voldemort. After the pain, the suffering, the deaths, and the hardships, there would be more of it all, but not as harsh, because the reward would be so much more satisfying then seeing the man who killed his parents and put the world at risk dead. The reward would be a normal happy life, like he undoubtedly wanted.

He would always be a celebrity. There would be books about him, people wanting to write books with him, his advice and knowledge would be needed by people who could not figure things out for themselves. But things would quiet down after a while, and he could just live.

Nobody had told the boy that.

Nobody had thought he would survive the final confrontation.

And neither, it seemed, did Harry as he violently attacked the lifeless body in front of him screaming, begging pleading.

“I was supposed to go with you! You fucking bastard! Wake up! Wake up and do things properly!”

Severus had had enough. He walked more determinedly this time, stalking up behind the boy and grabbing him. He pulled the struggling teenager away from the body of his former Master. Harry screamed, called Severus every name in the book, shouted at Voldemort to get up and fight him. He kicked and shouted and yelled and made quite the scene. Severus only held on to him tighter, wondering if this was what Lupin had to go through when holding the boy from foolishly jumping through the Veil after his flea bitten Godfather. He dragged the boy away from the silent lake, away from the still body.

He thought briefly of the way Fairy Tales were originally written. How Happy Endings were few and far between, and even when there seemed to be one, some where, some one, was forever blinded as their eyes were plucked out by ravens. Sort of like life.

There was no happy ending here. Just the Greasy Cruel Former Death Eater Hogwarts’ Potion Master dragging the Broken Hero away from the Dead Monster.

Hours had turned into days, days to weeks, weeks to months, and finally there had been a year since the fall of the Dark Lord, two days before Harry Potter’s nineteenth birthday.

Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Checked-Himself-Into-St.-Mungos.

And Severus Snape was his only visitor.

At first it hadn’t been that way. Harry had checked himself in the day after the fall, disappearing from Hogwarts and arriving suddenly at the Hospital to everyone’s surprise.

And then the stream of never ending visitors and well wishers had started to pay him visits.

There were the shreds of the Weasley Family, and Order Members, and Aurors. Former Professors and Professional Quidditch Players. The band that had played at the Yule Ball back in Harry’s fourth year appeared, along with streams of people who went to school with Harry.

He had, of course, his own private room, off in a secluded branch of the hospital, and very strict visiting hours.

But for all his glory, soon the stream of fans and do-gooders had leaked away. For the Savior they had all come to see did not exist. Rather, a boy had replaced him, one who stayed all day curled up in an uncomfortable hospital bed, moving only when the MediWizards moved him, breathing quietly and evenly, never speaking, and never closing his eyes.

It was quite possibly the scariest thing people had ever seen, expecting to go in to see the bright vibrant young Harry they knew and instead seeing something that resembled a corpse—would be a corpse, if it weren’t for that steady breathing and the haunted look in those dull green eyes.

After a while, the Weasley’s stopped visiting so often. Their last visit had been months ago, and it was only the youngest male Weasley, Ron, with Hermione. They had told Harry they were getting married, and then, when he didn’t respond, left after a few quiet minutes, lamenting the death of their friend. It was easier to think about Harry as dead, so much easier.

The only person who continued to visit quite regularly was Severus Snape.

At first he only came to fill Harry in on what was happening in the world around him—somebody had to after all. He told Harry of the trials that were being held, the politics that were going on, the clean up work, everything the Order and the Ministry did.

But soon criminals had all been locked up, politics had pretty much settled to useless drivel, and nothing urgent really kept Severus from continuing his visits.

Except for one small thing.

Harry responded to him.

It was foolish in some lights, and remarkable in others, really. Severus had been sitting there, telling the boy about Lucius Malfoy’s trial and how Draco Malfoy had stood up and testified against his father when he stopped and stared at Harry. He felt as if he was wasting his breath, not unusual for him to feel when he was speaking with Harry, be he in a mental break down or not, but still. He had grown frustrated (once more, not unusual when dealing with Harry Potter) and sat there for quite some time glaring at the boy, his dull green eyes staring into nothing. Something made him look away from the boy’s eyes and at the scar that seemed to stand out on the boy’s forehead. For once, Severus felt like everyone else in the Wizarding World, he wanted to just briefly touch the scar, to see if it was real.

His hand had lifted of its own violation and his thumb was resting on Harry’s temple when he finally managed to stop its travels. Absently rubbing a small circle on Harry’s temple, Severus Snape decided that he didn’t actually want to touch the lightning bolt scar on Harry Potter’s head. He had a sinking suspicion that for him to touch Harry Potter’s Scar without Harry Potter’s consent would sort of be like letting any member of the Weasley family touch the Dark Mark on his arm, even if it was faded and showed signs of disappearing.

No, no he really didn’t want to touch Harry’s scar.

That’s when he realized that Harry’s eyes had fluttered shut. Astounded Severus had stood up, and had almost shouted for help, thinking that Harry had some how managed to die. Before he could do that though, his mind registered the rise and fall of Harry’s chest, and Harry’s eyes had opened once more. Leaning next to the bed, staring at Harry intently, Severus had said his name a few times, asking him simple questions. There was no response. Wondering what had triggered the response, he sat down heavily and retraced his steps. When his thumb rested on Harry’s temple again and slowly moved in circles, Harry’s eyes closed. When the hand was removed, they opened again.

Severus tried the action a few more times, before calling in a professional and telling her what happened. The two of them stood there, rubbing Harry’s temple, but the boy’s eyes remained stubbornly open. Severus had apologized, of course, and said that perhaps he was merely tired and had imagined things. He left then, but not before shooting a scathing glare at Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Torture-Him.

He knew then that talking to Potter would never be a waste of air. The boy was incredibly alive, awake, and aware. Not moving, never closing his eyes, it was all a hoax. He was in perfect mental condition, just as the MediWizards said, except for the fact that he was leading every one to believe the opposite as he lay around like a vegetable.

So that was why Severus continued to visit him, despite the War effort being cleaned up and the politics being nothing but mindless drivel (though when they had been anything more than that was beyond him), because Harry wasn’t really a vegetable at all. He was quite the opposite. And Severus knew that it was his job as the Heartless Hogwarts Potion Master to smack the boy back into reality and show the Boy-Who-Was-Air-Headed that he would not be coddled through out life, just like when Harry was his student.

It had been awkward at first, trying to find something to talk about. But then he decided, since Harry seemed to have no intent on getting up, and since he told the boy that if he breathed a word of what was said to anybody, he’d tell everybody about his hoax, Severus would give Harry the run down of his life story. Occasionally he’d say something a bit more updated about the new students of the year, or contemplate a tricky potion or research project out loud, sometimes Severus found it easier to come to a conclusion when he talked them through, and since he didn’t need somebody to walk into his office and think him delusional for talking to himself, he figured a quiet Harry would suffice.

And in exchange for letting Severus borrow his ear, Severus allowed Harry to close his eyes, with his thumb rubbing small circles on the boy’s temple.

It was a very good arrangement really.

But now a year had passed, and Harry Potter knew more about Severus Snape’s life than anybody other than the man himself, whether he liked it or not. Severus was sure that he could spend years sitting there telling Harry everything, but as he didn’t want to give something intimate without receiving something intimate, Harry would just have to pester him about it later once he got out of bed.

That and he was getting quite tired of all of this really. It was starting to get on his nerves.

So when he walked into Harry Potter’s room on July 29^th, he didn’t sit down. Didn’t take off his travel cloak, didn’t make himself comfortable, didn’t put his hand on Harry’s head. Instead he bent down and stared at the fool curled in bed and scowled.

“You are pathetic,” he stated simply before standing up straight and stepping back so he was sure Harry could see him.

“Today will be the last time I come to visit you, Mr. Potter,” Severus said curtly. “I have had quite enough of your game.”

Harry didn’t respond. Severus didn’t expect him to, nor was he done speaking.

“I have come in here, day after day, week after week for a year to speak with you. No one’s fault but my own, mind you, for staying so long. At first I was only doing what I felt were my duties, after that, I continued to come in the shadows of my duties. But enough is enough. I have well repaid Albus, and your father, in any debts that I may owe either one of the fools. I have, in fact, gone above and beyond repaying those debts, coming in here day after day, week after week, for a year, in lieu of a strange urge to repay you.

“For what, is beyond me, perhaps rescuing me from the clutches of an imbecile Minister looking to lock me up in Azkaban for helping his cause by doing what I did best—spying. Or perhaps for slaying the Dark Lord. I cannot say. For those two things are the only things I could think of short of making sure the seven years you and your friends were at Hogwarts were nothing but a dangerous hell to deal with,” Severus paused to adjust his cloak before continuing, noting, briefly, that some sort of emotion had passed across Harry’s eyes.

“I have done my duty. I have done more than my duty, Mr. Potter. I am finished. I no longer wish to see you waste away here, rotting. For though your skin may not rot with the special care and magic that you are given unlike Muggles in similar conditions, you are rotting Mr. Potter, whether you like to admit it or not.

“And while you rot, you’re name is going down in history. Not gallant or brave. Not glorified. But as that poor young boy, who couldn’t handle destiny. That poor young boy who snapped under pressure. Poor, poor Harry Potter. Well, you haven’t got me convinced Mr. Potter, and I am finished with trying to get you up and out of this bed. What is it to me if your name will be looked upon with pity by future generations? I did my part; my hands are clean of this.

“So you may rot, Mr. Potter. You may lay here and contemplate your short existence, the things you’ve never done, and the things you’ll never get done while you stay here. You may rot, instead of taking hold of the opportunity life has given you to live. Rather than traveling the world and living, rather than doing something you’ve always wanted to do, and meet some twittering little fool to have a family with some where down the road—you may lay here and rot Mr. Potter.

“And I? I will leave this place and never look back. I will go back to my dungeons, my potions, my teaching. And in a century, I will sit at Hogwarts, no doubt next to that half-breed who has undoubtedly deemed himself your new godfather—because heaven forbid the Fates allow him, the last reminder of my terrible school days, to have a short life like most werewolves do, and I will sip my tea. And I will glance at him and remark on what a shame it was that that poor Potter boy didn’t make it through the war. And he will likely hum and sip his tea and agree on how it’s such a shame that the Boy-Who-Lived only lived to go insane. And you will lay here, oblivious, and rot.” Severus almost faltered at the sharp intake of breath as Harry’s mouth shut and his nose flared. Instead he sneered.

“So rot, Harry Potter. In your uncomfortable little hospital bed, with your white walls and doting MediWizards. I frankly don’t give a damn anymore.” And without a good bye, Severus Snape left the room. Out side of it, he gave a MediWizard a small slip of parchment.

“Should he ever leave, contact me immediately using that address,” he instructed calmly before leaving St. Mungos, and never once glancing back.

The next day, as Severus Snape sipped his morning tea, two owls fluttered in through the open window. One carried the Daily Prophet, the other carried a green envelope with the St. Mungos seal. Ignoring the news, Severus opened the envelope and read the letter.

Harry Potter had checked himself out of St. Mungo’s Psych Ward.

Severus smirked, before tossing the letter into the fire. A short while later, a snowy white owl appeared with a parcel. It dropped the parcel and then left, without so much as a hoot. Severus’ brow furrowed, he was so certain he had seen that owl before, he just…couldn’t remember where.

Opening the parcel he found himself remembering, quite suddenly, an eleven year old with a similar owl, and yet no one to write to.

Inside was a bag of coins, a short letter, a wand, and a book. Picking up the letter Severus scanned it quickly.

Do what you will with the wand; apparently they broke its brother.

~H.

P.S. Buy yourself a pensieve, with all those memories, it’s a wonder you haven’t gone insane.

Picking up the money bag, Severus weighed it carefully in his hand. There seemed to be just enough to buy a top of the line pensieve without digging into his own pocket book. Glancing at the wand, he decided to deal with it later, knowing that Ollivander would probably have a very familiar costumer in his shop soon. The book though…

Severus placed the coin bag down and picked up the book. He opened it and blinked. It seemed to be nothing but an untitled book of maps, Wizarding Maps at that. There were several of the world, and then every country had their own individual map.

Staring at image of a spinning globe projected from the book in front of him, Severus noticed several red dots glowing in different countries, dots that would not, normally, be there, but seemed to be tracking a trip. Smirking, he closed the book and picked up the Daily Prophet.

How very Gryffindor of Harry.

The Daily Prophet’s editors seem to be having seizures over the gold mine of interesting news they had over the next several weeks.

There were pictures, actual pictures of Harry Potter out of St. Mungos. He was in Diagon Alley at Gringotts, and Madam Malkins, and a host of other stores. He spent three hours in the Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes, walking out waving to Fred and George and telling them he’d see them at dinner in a week.

St. Mungos confirmed the story, that Harry Potter, had, indeed, checked himself out precisely a year after checking in. Other than that, they went into no details.

It was the Potterocolypse all over again.

And for once in his life, Severus Snape was actually enjoying it. He found the entire thing quite hilarious actually. Camera men catching brief glimpses of the ever elusive Harry Potter, reporters tailing him endlessly, through London, to Hogsmeade, to Hogwarts (where they were denied entrance), and then to the Burrow where there were pictures of what resembled a large family reunion.

Severus Snape’s favorite report so far was the one where Harry went to the Ministry. He had gone there, stayed in the entrance hall with reporters behind him tittering endlessly trying to find out what was going on.

Then the Minister appeared.

Severus had framed the black and white photos of Harry Potter, Savior of the Wizarding World, punching the Minister of Magic square on the jaw and then walking out.

He never thought he would ever be able to say he was proud of the boy, but once the fool had gotten up and out of bed and started to act like a man—well, he was quite proud of the boy.

But then, after three weeks of Harry running around England punching Ministers and sipping tea with the Weasley family—he disappeared. No explanation. No goodbye. Just…gone.

He had left a rather brief note, which the papers managed to get their hands on. Not that it gave much information, it simply stated “I’m going to go start living, be back soon.”

People started to mutter that like his idol, Dumbledore, Harry was going around the bend with his cryptic letters, and that perhaps he should go back to St. Mungos.

Which was where reporters started to attack once they realized that Harry’s oh so loving Weasley Family had stopped visiting Harry there long before he left, yet from what officials said, Harry Potter had very frequent visitors.

Or at least one regular visitor.

Which was how Severus Snape was reminded so forcefully why he hated the name Harry Potter when he found, to his dismay, first a horde of reporters, and then a very distraught Hermione Weasley asking him if he had information.

Of course, Severus had all the information. He had kept a certain book open on his coffee table so that it could project the globe ever since Harry left. The bright glowing light on England had gone out while Spain lit up like a Christmas tree.

But he would not tell Hermione Weasley (such a shame, bright witches always did marry stupid fools) these things, much less the horde of reporters who seemed content to make his life a living hell before he reminded them of his roots, and the ghost of the Dark Mark on his arm and they all left him alone.

Content to have his peace back, Severus Snape was not surprised, nor was he pleased, to have it disrupted once more, three weeks later, by an owl who decided to slam into his window while he was enjoying his after dinner glass of fire whiskey.

Trying to remember not to strangle the owl (it was only the messenger after all) he took the letter and slammed the window shut, ignoring the annoyed hoot of the owl before it took flight again.

He recognized the abysmal scrawl on the front of the envelope instantly after years of grading equally abysmal essays. Glancing at the wand he had placed in a glass box above his mantel, he wondered what on earth his former student could possibly need from him now.

Surely the Boy-Who-Disappeared didn’t get caught up in some international lawlessness.

Then again, knowing Harry Potter, it wouldn’t surprise him.

Sitting down on his couch in front of the fire, Severus carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.

It’s absolutely gorgeous here…

The letter continued with such pleasantries, informing Severus of Harry Potter’s travels, along with other things, personal things, about himself, his life.

Severus sneered at Potter’s “repayment.” He, of course, shared his nasty history with Harry, not all of it, but enough, and so Harry thought he’d be interested in hearing his own story.

It was sickening really.

But when Severus finished reading the letter, he didn’t burn it like normal. Instead he folded it up, placed it in its envelope, and laid it next to the book that portrayed the slowly rotating earth, with Spain lit up brightly.

Suddenly, Spain went dark, and France lit up. Severus sneered and stood, retiring for the night.

Once again, Severus found the hours becoming days, and the days becoming weeks, and the weeks becoming months.

And at the beginning of each month Severus Snape could expect to have a bird fly in, usually after dinner (though a few times during), and drop a thick envelope in his lap before flying off.

Each envelope contained very long letters describing Harry’s travels in great lengths. How nice the beach was here, how good the food was there, how interesting this was, how interesting that was, and how he was surprised that the reporters hadn’t caught up with him yet.

Severus, of course, knew they’d never catch up with him, he had anonymously tipped off the Daily Prophet with falsified information, Antarctica one week, Wyoming, USA the next.

It wasn’t as if he really cared if they caught Harry Potter gallivanting around the world, it was just that Severus Snape was sick of having to read about the boy in the newspaper all the time, and if they caught him (and really, his travel plans were so basic it would be no surprise if they did) they’d never shut up about him.

Severus Snape quite liked breakfast, and he didn’t really want his appetite to be ruined by pictures of a toned, tanned, half dressed, smiling Harry Potter with twittering fools on his arms at some idea of a romantic beach.

Yet, judging by his letters, Harry had generally avoided twittering fools to settle down with. Which suited Severus just fine. The longer the wait between Potter generations in Hogwarts, the better. Perhaps he’d manage to get out of teaching them some how.

Placing the most recent letter down with the others by the book, Severus glanced at the globe, smirking as Antarctica went dull. He really hadn’t expected the stay there to be very long. He probably wouldn’t have considered the trip at all, but Harry seemed to think four days in freezing cold weather suited him just enough, before disappearing some where else.

Severus didn’t bother to try and see what country lit up next. He was sure that later, as he stared blankly at it while nursing his fire whiskey it would dully be registered in his brain that he was in Mexico, or Brazil…no, not Brazil, he’d already been there. Japan maybe, though he could’ve sworn…

Severus sighed and shook his head, getting up and going to pour himself another drink.

It had been a year since Harry Potter had started to run around the world. Severus was starting to lose track of places he’d been and wanted to go.

Frankly, he wasn’t interested in keeping track.

It was probably for the best, of course, that Harry had decided to disappear on his world exploration trip. After a year of having some one to sit there and listen to him babble about Potions and research, it was almost disappointing to have to work out ingredient substitutions and the likes with a wall.

Walls didn’t breath, and it was quite disconcerting.

He had almost bought a pet, before remembering how much care they require, which made the idea of getting a pet just to be able to have something breathing to stare at him while he talked about potions disappear.

Slouching at his desk with fire whiskey in hand, Severus stared at the parchment in front of him. His latest task.

He was trying to strengthen the Wolfsbane potion so that one did not have to take it as much. He also had, of course, Lupin’s note sitting there as well, asking kindly if he could find a way to make it taste better.

Severus snorted at the idea. It was ludicrous, of course, but the half-breed would, naturally, try to convince the Potions Master to do something.

Severus was so wrapped up in his thoughts of adding, perhaps Veela Hair or increasing the amounts of some of the other ingredients that he didn’t hear the soft knock on the front door.

He did, however, hear the louder knock; accompanied by a muffled “I know you’re in there!” Severus, shocked, glanced at the time.

It was far too late for visitors.

Whatever fool thought it appropriate to visit him at this time of night was going to deeply regret it in the morning.

Gripping his wand he opened the door and his mouth to say some snide remark, before stopping dead.

“Hullo Snape,” Harry Potter said cheerfully. Severus Snape blinked at him. Harry grinned and nodded.

“Well, Antarctica was far, far too cold. And I decided that if I was going to freeze my arse off, I’d just come home during the winter, but when I got here, I remembered it was summer. But I figured that was all right, because I’m quite through with exploring the world. Not that it wasn’t fun or anything, but I got lonely, and I figure, after ones done exploring the world, or at least some of it, by themselves for a while, then they should get somebody to go explore the rest of it with them, or maybe the parts they did explore again. To get a different perspective on things, you see? May I come in?” Severus stared at him a moment longer before stepping aside and allowing Harry Potter, The Harry Potter, Savior of the Wizarding World, to step into his house.

He wondered, briefly, if the boy was a vampire, because the moment he stepped across the threshold, he got this wicked gleam in his eyes, and Severus could almost taste the foreboding nature in the air.

Harry, though, did not attack Severus and try to suck his blood. Rather, he looked around the house in genuine interest.

“Very nice place you have,” he remarked as Severus closed the door. Severus nodded before coughing.

“Tea?”

“Oh, yes please!” Severus led Harry to the kitchen and set a kettle on the stove.

“So you were saying…Antarctica?” he prompted. Harry nodded and sat at the kitchen table.

“Yes, well I was there. Kind of nice. But not too many people. Not too many people any where really. Well, I mean there were loads of people every where, of course, but nobody I really got to know or liked very much. So when I got here, well I figured I’d just stick around England for a bit and try to find somebody who’d like to go traveling with me before going out again.” Severus nodded, using magic to speed up the process of heating the water.

“And how do you plan to fund all of this?” he asked simply. Harry grinned.

“Well I have the Potter Fortune, the Black Fortune, and the ‘You’re a Hero Harry Potter!’ Fortune. Plus my investment in the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes pays off quite nicely,” Harry explained. It didn’t surprise Severus that Harry would be a main investor for the Twins’ shop. Had he had the money and could be assured the Twins’ secrecy, Severus was sure he would invest in their business as well. It was already out selling Zonkos, which had been around since he was student. Bringing two cups of tea to the table, Severus paused and stared at Harry before giving him his cup, eyes narrowed.

“So you just got back from Antarctica?” he asked. Harry nodded. Severus sneered.

“And you just thought that since you were in the neighborhood, you’d stop by?” Harry nodded again. Severus continued.

“Even though that the only International Wizarding travel agency is in London, which we are no where near, currently?”

“Well, it’s still in the neighborhood,” Harry said reaching forward and grabbing his cup of tea.

“Yes, if you consider one country to be a neighborhood,” Severus retorted. From Harry’s grin, it seemed that he did. Severus sat down and stared at Harry, who seemed quite content with smiling benignly at his cup of tea.

Perhaps people were right when Harry disappeared—perhaps he was going around the bend like Dumbledore.

With a long suffering sigh Severus Snape stared at Harry Potter.

“What do you want?” he asked. Harry stared up at him in shock. Severus glowered.

“Don’t try playing games, Potter, what do you want?” Harry smiled slightly.

“Well, I’d kind of like to stick around for a couple of days, till after my birthday, go say hello to my friends, and the Wizarding World, and then go off to see the world again. I missed a few important things the first time around because I was trying to avoid the press, but…I think I can handle them this time,” Harry replied calmly. Severus’ scowl hardened.

“And I am involved because…?” Harry grinned.

“Because you told me to live or rot. And I went and lived a bit. But I realized, while I was out there, that you aren’t really one to tell me to go live, because you yourself have never really lived, have you? And you’re rotting away. Maybe not in an uncomfortable bed unable to close your eyes, but in routine. So…I guess I wanted to give you a chance live,” Harry blushed and looked back down at his tea cup.

“If you don’t mind, that is.”

“What, exactly, are you saying Mr. Potter?” Harry sighed. Some how he knew Snape would be like this. He looked back up, determination in his eyes.

“I want you to go travel the world with me again.” Severus snorted.

“And what of my responsibilities?”

“Minerva McGonagall can no doubt find another Potions Master to step in for you for a year or two.”

“And your dear friend Lupin?” Harry blinked.

“Um…” Severus rolled his eyes.

“I do believe that’s enough for one night. I trust you can find your way home tonight?”

“Actually…I...could you tell me where the nearest hotel is? I don’t have a flat in England any more. Didn’t see the need of keeping it.” Severus snorted once more.

“You may stay here for the night Potter. But should you get in my way—“

“I won’t! I promise!” Harry said happily. He grinned at the disgusted look Severus gave him before trailing along after the man to the guest bedroom.

The Daily Prophet was all a flurry again. Harry Potter was back. But the rumor mill reported he would be disappearing again soon, off for more worldly excursions. It was quite disappointing, but his friends seemed happy enough because he promised to write this time.

Soon, he left again, without a word as to where or for how long.

A few people attacked the Weasley family, but some, not learning their lessons the first time around, went to bother a certain Potion’s Master.

It was a shock, when people realized that Severus Snape had disappeared. More so when they pestered the Hogwarts Headmistress to be told that Severus Snape had left for a year, citing “Stupid Gryffindor Adventures” as his excuse.

It wasn’t a shock, however, to Remus Lupin, who sat in his kitchen sipping tea when several large owls carried in an equally large box that was filled with enough Wolfsbane to last him until Christmas. Especially after he found a note laying on top of the vials.

Remus,

Getting your Potions Master away from the rot and showing him how to take his own advice.

Stay Safe,

Harry

W Juliet: Allergies - G

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:34:58 GMT

Title: Allergies
Author: hkpadfoot
Pairing: Ito/Makoto
Fandom: W Juliet
Theme: #11 Gardenia
Disclaimer: I don't own it

“Er, thank you ma’am,” Ito stammered, staring at the potted plant in some wonder. The woman before her laughed.

“Ito, darling, call me mother! After all, it’s what I’m going to be, isn’t it?” she replied with a smile. Ito looked away from the plant and up at her mother-in-law in shock and nodded dumbly as Makoto chuckled beside her.

“A Kuchinashi mother, thank you,” Makoto interjected with a small smile as the woman beamed at him.

“Pardon me, a…what?” Ito asked, feeling stupid. Makoto’s father snorted behind his wife.

“A Gardenia,” he stated gruffly. At Ito’s blank look Makoto chuckled and took the plant, motioning his parents into the house. He placed the pot on the table and smiled.

“It’s just a flower bush Ito-san, for our garden, mom grows them all the time at father’s dojo, whether he likes it or not. They stand for feminine grace and artistry isn’t that right?” His mother nodded in reply.

“Exactly. Of course they’re notoriously difficult to grow and maintain,” she stated.

“Oh?” Ito asked, her face falling.

“Of course, Makoto should remember how to take care of them. He used to help me all the time, it’ll be a lovely bonding project!” the older women quickly added, Ito smiled and nodded.

“It sounds great, I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun. Thank you again!”

Ito sighed and ran a hand through her hair, staring down at the script and muttering the lines quietly.

“All men are married women’s property,” she muttered.

“Pardon?” Gasping Ito looked up at Makoto who was grinning.

“And here I thought we were entering the marriage as equals,” he stated. Ito blushed.

“Oh! Makoto! No, it’s…it’s for the play—well you’ve got the movie so you—well a few of us thought it might be fun to put on an Oscar Wilde play, A Woman of No Importance. They assigned roles today, I’m Mrs. Allonby,” she rambled before stopping and staring at Makoto.

“You’re covered in dirt,” she added, examining him up and down. Makoto smiled and waved towards the house with a trowel.

“While you were out enjoying a day at the theater, I was working hard in the garden.” Ito stared at the Gardenia bushes Makoto planted underneath the windows of their house.

“I thought your parents only got us one.”

“And I went out and got us more,” Makoto replied with a shrug, turning around to survey his handy work.

“Wow, it…it looks really good Mako,” Ito stated, closing the script and staring at the house.

“You know, we just need a few more tweaks on the outside, and this place will actually look half way decent,” she continued. Mako nodded.

“It’s amazing what a garden can do. I had a few more plans for out front as well, but we’ll do that some other time,” he replied, turning to grin at her.

“For now, I need a shower, and I want to hear about this play of yours.”

“Ungh…” Ito shuffled towards the kitchen, rubbing her sternum, eyes bloodshot, wheezing slightly. Makoto frowned at her from the table.

“Ito, are you okay?” he asked as she stared out the open window, standing there in the middle of the room in his pajamas.

“I have a headache,” she slurred, turning her bloodshot eyes slowly towards him. Makoto frowned and stood up, putting down his glass and moving towards her.

“Come sit down, you look horrible—I mean that in the best way possible, of course—did you get any sleep last night?”

“A little bit. I don’t know, I was feeling fine yesterday,” she grumbled as Makoto pushed her down into a chair at the table. She immediately folded her arms on top of it and rested her head.

“What are your symptoms?” Makoto asked, looking through the medicine cabinet.

“Headache. Hurts to breathe too,” she murmured. Makoto frowned and stared at her.

“I think you might need to go to the hospital, Ito-san,” he said carefully. Ito groaned.

“Call Ryuya, he’ll take me. Your manager will kill me if she finds out you were skipping out because your girl got the flu.”

“My wife.”

“Her too.” Makoto grinned to himself and moved over to Ito. He crouched next to her and ran his hand through her hair.

“Let’s think, you said you felt fine yesterday?”

“Mhm.”

“And we didn’t eat anything unusual, did we?”

“No.”

“What did we do different yesterday or last night that could’ve caused this?”

“Left the windows open,” Ito mumbled, turning her head towards Makoto. “For the first, and last, time. That sickeningly sweet smell woke me up no less then five times.”

“Smell? What smell?” Makoto asked curiously, sniffing the air.

“You can’t smell that?” Ito asked, sitting up and staring at him. “How can you not smell that?”

Makoto frowned and sniffed a few more times.

“I smell breakfast, and…you…and me…and the garden—oh. Oh Ito. It’s allergies.” Ito stared at him as he stood up and went to the medicine cabinet.

“What?”

“Allergies,” Makoto repeated, bringing over the Benadryl and grabbing his glass of orange juice.

“Allergies?”

“Yes, allergies. Here, take two.”

“Mako, those make me pass out.”

“Its fine, I’ll call the troupe and explain.”

“But Mako we have to rehearse!”

“Ito you won’t get anything done in this state, now take your medicine.” Ito sighed and did as she was told, watching as Makoto got up and closed the windows.

“I’ve never reacted this bad from allergies before,” she mentioned, sipping the juice. Makoto smiled.

“It doesn’t surprise me. Gardenias are supposed to bring happiness, unfortunately their scent is so strong that sometimes all they bring the exact opposite and leave people miserable. For all of mom’s Kuchinashi bushes at the dojo, they were still far enough away so that the scent wouldn’t overpower the students. Father only allowed it because people who are not used to the scent are at a certain disadvantage when the flowers are at their peak and smell their strongest, even if the bushes are at the furthest possible point from the dojo,” Makoto explained easily.

“That’s cheating,” Ito murmured.

“That’s what they call the home-field advantage,” corrected Makoto with a grin, coming back to the table to sit down. He ran a hand through Ito’s hair.

“I’ll call and let them know you can’t come, and I’ll pick up some non-drowsy allergy medicine on my way home. The first chance I get, I’ll get rid of the gardenias out front,” he said softly. Ito frowned at him.

“But they’re pretty! And your mother—“

“Will understand. Besides, gardenias take so much work and time. I was thinking we should put something else there, something with a bit more color in the flowers,” Makoto interrupted with a smile. Ito stared at him blankly as her head throbbed in protest of even the idea of her protesting.

“Fine, but I’m only agreeing because I’m miserable,” she muttered, looking away and sipping the orange juice.

“Of course, Ito-san,” Makoto replied, smiling brightly.

“Come on now; let’s get you on the couch for when you pass out. If you’re lucky a nap might be all you need to get back up on your feet.”

Makoto helped Ito get up and settle on the couch, the television on, turned down low as she snuggled into her favorite pillow—Makoto’s.

“I’m sorry your mom’s flowers made me sick,” she muttered, her eyes fluttering close as the medicine kicked in. Makoto chuckled.

“Silly girl,” he whispered, kissing her temple.

W Juliet: Waves - G

Sat, 03 May 2008 20:22:20 GMT

Title: Waves
Author: hkpadfoot
Pairing: Ito/Makoto
Fandom: W Juliet
Theme: #29 The Sound of Waves
Disclaimer: I don't own it
A/N: This piece is actually a companion piece to On Our Own. Though they can stand alone. They're from different points of view. I like Mako's POV (this one!) more.

“Ito-san?” I ask before we go our respective ways, “Is tonight okay?”

She stares at me blankly for a few moments before realization dawns and she grins brightly, making me smile.

“Definitely!” she replies, “See you!”

She waves and dashes off towards her house, probably still grinning like a fool. I smile at her enthusiasm and head off towards my own empty apartment.

I like taking her to what I’m sure she probably thinks of “our spot” on the beach. I like to think that it reminds her of our impromptu acting training there, of the fact that she cannot, for any reason, give up on her dream, even if things do seem a bit uncertain from time to time.

I don’t think she realizes that if she gives up on her dreams, my own dreams will soon come crashing down. It’s not that they solely depend on each other, but I’ve told her before that I want to be on the finest stage acting with her one day, and if she doesn’t become an actress, I won’t see much point in it myself—and the thing is, it’s really the only thing I know how to do, well at least that I can see myself doing without being undeniably miserable.

I pack a bag with a blanket, and two sets of my “men” clothing in case we wind up getting soaked by the ocean spray, before changing out of the frilly dress and wig and into more comfortable clothing, shoving a hat on my head for the trip there as I head out early and sit on the sand for a while by myself to just gather my thoughts, in case Ito’s in a chatty mood later.

The sound of the waves soothes me as I find myself relaxing and letting my thought process detach itself from the real world and slowly go through my current situation as I watch the water role back and forth.

I’m not sure how I hear them over the crashing waves, but I manage to hear Ito’s footsteps as she approaches and glance up as she comes into view at the top of the rocks. I stand as she scans out the path of least resistance and heads down. The rocks are slippery and it’s dark.

“Be careful,” I warn, and her grin widens. I see her thought process, her eyes quickly scanning the last few feet and the distance it is to the ground.

Silly girl.

She jumps and I step forward, arms reached out, prepared to catch her as she falls, just as Ryuya did to her at that “wishing” tree. He doesn’t know it yet, but that was quite possibly the last time he would figuratively and metaphorically catch her like that again, the job is being transferred to me.

If questioned, of course, she’ll say she didn’t stumble, but I know better, as my arms wrap around her and I smile into her hair and inhale deeply.

God I love her scent.

“Hello,” I greet quietly, not wishing to interrupt the steady flow of sound from the waves which have influenced my thought process to their beat.

“Hey,” she replies just as quietly.

We fall silent, letting the sound of the waves over take us, the steady crash, woosh, crash, woosh.

I want to say “I’ve missed you so much.”

I want to say “Let’s run. Let’s leave this Ito. Let’s leave our fathers, and our siblings, and Takashi and Toki and Sakamoto and everything else behind. Let’s make our own lives, together, please say yes.”

But I know better than that, and the waves keep me silent with their own song as her arms tighten around me and I know, in that second, that everything I didn’t say she’s heard.

There is, however, one thing, one thing I want to say.

I straighten slightly and move one arm from around her body so that I can cup her chin and look at her in the eye. It’s odd because her face is slightly tilted up, and I could’ve sworn the last time we measured each other we were the exact same height.

I erase the frivolous thought from my mind and stare into her eyes and focus on what I want to say.

I love you.

She grins at me, and her eyes dance with a brightness I’ve never seen anywhere else with a reply that fills my heart with warmth.

Yeah, me too.

I smile and kiss her as the waves crash around us.

Later we sit side by side under the blanket I brought, and I swear I can feel her heart beat and like the waves go in and out, my thoughts do as well.

Is her heart in time with mine?

If not, how can I make mine beat in time with hers?

Does she know how safe I feel with her?

Does she understand what she means to me?

I glance at her, tugging on a bit of hair and move my other hand to squeeze hers, knowing that she does know and understand. She closes her eyes and smile and I take a deep breath and let my own fall shut, focusing on the crash of the waves.

Interesting PM

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:10:33 GMT

So....I got a PM on ff.net:

Hello, this is Seiryuu.

I ready some of your Finctions and I really like them.
Is it okay for me to translate them into chinese?

and also, because we have a lot of other HP Translators who find their
"target" on , so i need to know if you already allow other translators?

First off I don't whether or not to believe her because, let's face it, I'm not the greatest author out there (though maybe I am on ff.net?) and second off, I'm kind of nervous about some one a) translating my shit and claiming it as their own and b) translating my fic if they can't spell "fanfiction" despite being on a site that blares the word a thousand times spelled correctly.

Thoughts?

Harry Potter: Promise - PG

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:51:43 GMT

Title: Promise
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~200
Rating: PG
Pairing: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Summary:"Love...Hate...Passion...Rage...Comfort...Anguish...Promise..."
Series: Not Quite a Series
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.

“You promise?”

“Of course…”

“No more betrayal?”

“Hey, I love you. I’m never going to leave you, I promise.”

A smile…a kiss.

Love.

“You’re wrong.”

“I’m sorry.”

“He would never.”

“He betrayed us all. But now, he won’t be able to again, I promise.”

A tear…a sob.

Hate.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Forgive me?”

“Hey, I love you. You didn’t know, this time it’ll be different. I promise.”

A tear…a kiss.

Passion.

“Please?”

“He can’t!”

“What harm can one day out side do?”

“Some one could recognize him. Soon, he’ll be free, I promise.”

A glare…a quiet apology.

Rage.

“Be careful.”

“You too.”

“I’m serious.”

“Hey, I love you. We’ll be fine, just like always. I promise.”

A smile…a quick kiss.

Comfort.

“Don’t.”

“I’m sorry Remus.”

“Not Sirius.”

“He can’t come back. But one day you two will be reunited, I—“

A raised hand…a tear.

Anguish.

“You promised.”

“I’m sorry…”

“You betrayed me again.”

“Hey, I love you. I’ll always protect you, always be close by, and one day, I promise.”

A dream…a ghost.

Promise.

W Juliet: On Our Own - G

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:27:04 GMT

Title: On Our Own
Author: hkpadfoot
Pairing: Ito/Makoto
Fandom: W Juliet
Theme: #8 Our Own World
Disclaimer: I don't own it
A/N: I totally did not get the title idea from "On My Own" from Les Mis *hides her sheet music sheepishly and grins* So maybe it popped into my head. Enjoy and please leave a review!

“Ito-san?” he asks before we part, “Is tonight okay?”

It takes me a few moments to understand before it clicks, and I grin brightly.

“Definitely!” I reply, “See you!”

Ever since we met Toki’s sempai, the incredibly talented and famous Atsushi Ichijo, we slip out together and meet in the same place where Makoto helped me with my acting and finding my dream. It’s nice there. We can be ourselves and don’t have to worry about people we know finding us. The rocks provide a nice hideaway and the crash of the waves against them helps hide our laughs, though maybe not so much when we start splashing around in the water.

Of course, I have to sneak out; Ryuya would get suspicious, and might try to follow me. I know he said he wouldn’t press on the whole thing about me going on a date and having a boyfriend after he saw it in my date book, but nevertheless, he was part of the reason that Makoto almost got outed when we went to visit my mother’s grave together.

I easily pick a path down the rocks despite the dark closing in around me. Mako is already there, standing up as he sees me. He’s wearing his male clothes, and though I’m sure he has a hat somewhere with him, he hasn’t got it on his head right now. I grin and start down as he smiles up at me.

“Be careful,” he intones in his naturally deep voice. If at all possible, it only makes me grin more. It’s been a while since he’s been able to talk to me normally. Sure, he’ll whisper to me in his natural voice (I don’t think he can actually whisper while trying to maintain the higher octave) but it’s just not the same as hearing him speak naturally and out loud.

I jump off the last few rocks, and it startles him as he steps forward, hands reached out slightly, prepared to catch me should I stumble. I don’t actually lose my balance, but I find myself in his arms anyways, winding my own arms around him. He buries his nose in my hair and I smile as he inhales deeply.

“Hello,” he murmurs.

“Hey,” I reply.

We don’t say much, as we stand there with our arms wrapped around each other. There’s not much to say, really. It’s a lull in the storm. Our families are leaving us alone, there’s no pressing situations going in the club, and Toki, Sakamoto, and even Takashi and Takayo are all fairly quiet.

I squeeze him just slightly, and one of his arms moves so that he can tilt my chin up and stare at me in the eye. Those eyes, his eyes, so sharp and displaying so much, they say everything that he needs to say, but can’t vocalize right now. I grin at him, to let him know: ‘Yeah, me too.’

He smiles and kisses me.

Later we sit side by side, staring out into the ocean without seeing anything, thinking our own thoughts. He’s brought a blanket, and it’s wrapped around our shoulders as I lean against him letting him stroke his fingers through my short hair, and occasionally tug on it.

I feel safe, here, with him. Here, by the sea, together, in the middle of the night where no one can find us, the future is a bit clearer to me. All of our problems seem a galaxy away and I feel like we’re in our own little world.

Normally, I would say something, but as his other hand seeks out mine and squeezes it gently, I smile and close my eyes and know that I don’t need to say anything, he already knows.

Harry Potter: Reply - PG

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 03:29:35 GMT

Title: Reply
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~1200
Rating: PG
Pairing: Hints of Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Summary: Remus could never think of anything to say to Sirius.
Warnings: Bittersweet angst as usual
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.

The book was tugged out of his hands and a black haired gray eyed boy stared at him from across the table. Icy dread filled his heart as Remus stared back.

“You read a lot,” Sirius stated. Remus wasn’t sure he knew quite what to say in response.

“You don’t read at all,” he replied without thinking.

Sirius sat him down on his bed, got up and started pacing. Remus watched carefully, worried about what could trouble his normally carefree friend so much.

“You’re a werewolf,” Sirius finally stated, turning to stare at him. Remus’ eyes grew wide and his throat closed and he stuttered. Sirius smile brilliantly.

“It’s kind of cool, even though it sucks a bit,” he continued confidently. “What’s it like?” Remus was at a loss for words as he stared at the other boy.

“Boring, I suppose,” he replied.

James was smirking and Peter was covering his mouth with his hands. Sirius stood in the center of the room smugly as Remus glared at him.

“What’s this all about?” he demanded, tugging on the ropes that kept him tied to the chair. He had quite literally been abducted from the library in the middle of a very important essay and dragged to his dorm where his soon-to-be-former best friends were holding him hostage for some stupid “surprise.”

Sirius turned into a dog.

And then he turned back into a human.

“So you’ll never be bored on the full moon again,” James announced as Remus stared dumbfounded at Sirius. Sirius smiled at him, and Remus could tell that he was biting the inside of his cheek, a bad nervous habit.

“Well?” the teen prompted. Remus wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say.

“I think I’ll call you Padfoot,” he replied.

They were silent. They were dead silent. Remus stared at them from the hospital bed. Sirius wasn’t there. Sirius wasn’t there, and James and Peter were silent and even Madame Pomfrey looked grim.

Something happened. Something bad happened and it was his entire fault, and he hurt Sirius. He hurt Sirius.

Dumbledore came, with Sirius, who looked healthy, who seemed alive, but who wouldn’t look him in the face.

“Mr. Lupin, your friend here has something to tell you.”

“I sent Snape to the Shack last night.”

No explanation. No answer to all the “whys.” No “I’m sorry.” Sirius couldn’t even look him in the face.

Remus was speechless.

“Get out,” he hissed.

James had mentioned something brief in the letter of course, about Sirius running away and something being wrong, but it hadn’t been enough. Remus stared blankly as the one person whom he thought would never break down, broke down. He was speechless. Absolutely speechless.

“Remus…” Sirius whispered.

“Tell me,” Remus instructed, wrapping an arm around the other boy.

Their N.E.W.T.S. were done, James was flirting shamelessly with Lily (who was shamelessly flirting back), Peter was reassuring Olivia that they could still try even if she was in Hogwarts next year and he was out in the big bad world, and they were sitting by the tree, near the lake, eating stolen grapes.

“We’re almost done,” Sirius stated finally. Remus nodded and hummed in reply before yawning and stretching.

“I’ve got a flat in London, you know, that Uncle Al got me,” Sirius continued.

“That’s cool Pads,” Remus mumbled, his eyes slipping shut.

“You’re going to move in with me, right?” Remus paused, he opened his eyes and stared at Sirius, unsure what to say.

“Of course, you nitwit,” he replied.

Remus walked into the flat and turned immediately at the sound of a squeal of laughter. Sirius was dancing around the living room, his hair undone, holding Harry high in the air, dressed in some gaudy Gryffindor get-up. They were both laughing as David Bowie blared through the speakers. Remus wasn’t sure what to say, or whether he should say anything at all. Sirius turned and spotted him, immediately lowering Harry.

“Oh! Er…Hullo Remus!” he greeted cheerfully. Remus blinked at him.

“You’re a nutcase.”

He was silent, dead silent, as they carted him away from the holding cell to the transportation area that would eventually lead him to Azkaban.

He was completely silent until he saw Remus standing there, Albus standing next to him.

That’s when he started to struggle.

“Wait! Wait! Remus! Moony! Wait! Remus!” he shouted, struggling to get away. Remus stepped back, completely speechless as Albus laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. His insides were ice as he watched the man he thought he knew fight against fully trained Aurors.

“Remus!” Sirius shouted.

“God damn you!” Remus screamed, turning around and running, not wanting to see the other man fall silent again.

He ran up the stairs at the sound of the shout and burst down the door with a shower of red sparks. His face was bloodless, as he took in the scene, three thirteen year olds, one on the floor in pain, another cowering near the door he just burst through, and there was Harry, wand above a man he suspected to be a criminal, ready to kill. Above all though, there was Sirius, crumpled and bleeding at Harry’s feet.

“Expelliarmus!” he shouted, catching all three wands that came flying towards him, before moving around the room, staring at Sirius, with a cat laying on his chest, taking in the sight of a once beautiful man wasted away to nothing. He couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Where is he, Sirius?” he asked harshly.

Voldemort was back. Remus paced the room and waited. He wasn’t sure what he was waiting for after a rushed Patronus from Albus, but he was waiting.

When he answered the door after the first knock, he was definitely surprised to find Sirius standing there, a pained grin on his face.

“I was told to lie low at Lupin’s,” he explained casually, leaving Remus speechless.

“What a lovely alliteration,” he remarked, moving out of the way to let the other man in.

They sat in the room in silence. Sirius was on the bed, his knees drawn to his chest and his arms wrapped around those as he stared at the bottle of Fire Whiskey on the dresser. Remus had the palms of his hands pressed to his eyes, his head tilted back as he sat in the chair in the corner.

Remus didn’t know what to say.

“I don’t know what to say to you,” he finally announced. Sirius turned his head slowly to look at him.

“That never used to be a problem,” he mumbled.

“That was before, Sirius.”

“Why should it be different now? We’re still friends, aren’t we? We still care, don’t we? Why should it matter if you know what to say, just say something,” Sirius replied. Remus sighed and dropped his hands to his lap as he turned his head to one side to stare at the other man.

“I just don’t know what to say.”

“Say anything!” Sirius cried, desperate. Remus stood up.

“I’m going to go downstairs,” he stated.

“No! No wait! Remus wait!”

He didn’t reply.

Staring at the Veil, Remus thought of a thousand things to say.

Unfortunately none of them did any good. He sighed and bit the inside of his cheek.

“Good bye.”

Harry Potter: Beyond the Department of Mysteries Part Three - PG

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:37:24 GMT

Title: Beyond the Department of Mysteries (Part Three)
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~12000
Rating: PG
Pairing: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Summary: Sirius’ last moments on this world were far from simply healing an oversized bird. Rather, they were filled with laughter, memories, swing dancing and one best friend, otherwise known as Moony.
Series: Not Quite a Series
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.

Part One
Part Two

Remus watched as his things flew into his trunk tiredly. The orders had been simple: get in, get everything of importance, and get out. He had to also grab Buckbeak though. His trunks and briefcase thumped down in front of him and he lifted them with a flick of his wand. Remus finally looked up from the floor and took one last glance around the room. It had a look of abandonment about it. Large clear patches spread through out the thin layer of dust littered the room, especially on the table that had held his aptly dubbed “music box.” His stare lingered at the spot and for a moment he could hear music and laughter before he shook his head and turned away, refusing to think of what happened only two days before. He stepped out of the room with his luggage following behind him.

He stared at the two doors across the hallway. In one Buckbeak was waiting for him, and in the other—the few possessions Sirius managed to get his hands on screamed out to him. Remus bit his lip and turned his head away from Sirius’ room and walked into Buckbeak’s. The Hippogriff looked up at him as he walked in. Remus started to bow but Buckbeak trilled, nodding his head. Remus straightened and walked in, leaving his things outside in the hallway.

“Ready to go Buckbeak?” he asked quietly going over to the creature. The Hippogriff stood up and gingerly placed weight on its hurt foot. Remus grimaced.

“Come on Buckbeak, we’ll go slowly so you can take it easy, all right?” The Hippogriff huffed and Remus lightly rested his hand on the beast’s neck as they took one slow step after another.

“That’s it Beaky, careful now, all right? One step at a time.” They got to the door and Remus walked out first, leading Buckbeak out slowly. Finally they were out in the hall and Remus smiled lightly at the Hippogriff.

“There now, that wasn’t so bad. We’ll take a short break, and then we’ll go down the stairs, ok?” The Hippogriff trilled as Remus went to grab his briefcase and suitcase. He shrank them and placed them in his pocket before going back to Buckbeak—his back turned on Sirius’ room. Buckbeak glared at the werewolf before nudging him towards the door. Remus shook his head.

“No Buckbeak…don’t…” Buckbeak looked Remus in the eye and Remus sighed looking away.

“Fine…but I’m just grabbing his stuff and then going…” he muttered. He turned and walked to the door taking a deep breath before opening it. Behind him Buckbeak trilled softly encouraging him to go forward. Remus stepped into the room and glanced around.

There weren’t many things that actually belonged to Sirius—but it was enough to keep his memory alive. Remus flicked his wand and soon all of Sirius’ items were in neat stacks in front of him. There were a few outfits and a picture album as well as a few framed pictures. Remus’ eyes locked on to two piles with six old leather bond books each. He picked one up and fingered the faded gold lettering on the front cover

Sirius Orion Black

1971

~~Slytherin~~ Gryffindor First Year

Remus smiled as he remembered all the crap James used to give Sirius every time he pulled out the old leather bound books to write in. Sirius would always insist on it—no matter what James called him, and when Remus bought him a Gryffindor Red leather bound book to add to his collection in 4th year, it forever silenced the “Journal vs. Diary” fights. Remus opened the book to the first entry and bit his bottom lip as he read it, smiling despite the tears building up in his eyes.

September 1, 1971

Made Gryffindor—Mom is going to kill me, along with the rest of my family. The Hat told me that I had a choice though, Slytherin to follow the family or Gryffindor to where I could make my own name and be my self.

I didn’t realize I had chosen until he yelled out the house and was taken off my head.

Would I have been better off in Slytherin?

James Potter is in my common room—typical. Mom said that he’d make Gryffindor. He’s nice though, and really funny, and smart! Mom said the Potter’s are stupid.

Peter Pettigrew is another dorm mate. Don’t know what his blood is. He’s kind of weird. Really quick to agree with everything James and I say. He kind of annoys me.

The last dorm mate is this boy named Remus Lupin. He doesn’t look too good—really sick actually. He went to bed almost immediately after we got into the Gryffindor tower, I can’t blame him.

There’s something about him though; I really want to talk to him tomorrow. I hope he’ll be feeling better. Maybe it’s just because he’s not used to being away from home.

Oh well, we’ve got classes tomorrow—I hope we don’t have any with the Slytherins, I don’t think I’ll be able to face Bellatrix.

-Sirius

Remus slightly chuckled at the memory. It took Sirius a week to finally corner Remus and talk to him without James and Peter around and without Remus using classes as an excuse. It was the first—but most definitely not the last time that Remus had had a book stolen from his hands and a curious Sirius in his face.

Smiling Remus pulled out his briefcase and enlarged it. He placed Sirius’ clothes and the pictures in it before carefully setting the first journal inside as well. He picked up the next journal and opened it up to a random page. He glanced down and started to read it while in the hallway Buckbeak lay down and made himself comfortable.

November 5, 1972

Remus is a werewolf. Makes sense actually.

James and I confronted him about it today, he was really afraid of what we were going to do. James seems to be slightly disturbed by it, but I don’t care. As long as he promises not to wake me up in the middle of the night and devour me whole—he’s still Remus.

Peter’s being stupid about it, but a few smacks upside the head from yours truly solved that.

Anyway, I asked Remus how it happened and what it feels like.

I have a whole newfound respect for him and a new goal in life.

I want to find away to make it easier on Remus, if not a cure for Lycanthropy.

-Sirius

Remus shook his head and wiped away a stray tear before putting that one in his suitcase as well. Knowing he didn’t have much time, Remus stopped reading and one by one put each journal into his briefcase. When he picked up the 7th one a picture fell out of it. It was all of the Marauders along with Lily and her best friend on graduation day, smiling and waving up at the camera. Remus could remember the day all to well, Sirius was a nervous wreck and Remus had stayed up with him all night trying to calm him down. The picture made it obvious that the two canines of the group were not up to standard. Sirius was waving tiredly and grinning while occasionally yawning and Remus was using him as a pillow occasionally glancing up with a quick smile and wave before trying to go to sleep. Remus shook his head and put the picture back into the journal before setting it into the briefcase. He put four more of the journals into his briefcase before carefully picking up the last one.

Sirius Orion Black

1996

Remus closed his eyes and traced the gold lettering carefully remembering when Sirius had gotten the journal. All of the others had been written before Azkaban, this was the only one he had after. Remus had given it to him on Christmas Eve when every one else was heading for bed. Buckbeak trilled from the hallway and Remus turned to look at him.

“I can’t…” he whispered. Buckbeak stared at him for awhile longer before Remus finally sighed and opened up to the last entry.

June, 1996

I hate this house, I hate Snape, I hate my Mother, and I’m starting to hate Dumbledore.

Remus is out on a mission, has to meet with Mundungus. I’m not sure whether or not I should think he’s lucky to get out of this place, or unfortunate for having to waste 3 days for a 3 hour conversation where he’ll only get enough information to give him maybe 5 minutes worth of attention during the next meeting.

And that’s assuming he’s lucky.

We’re on an edge of a war again; a war that should’ve ended ages ago. I’m worried about what will happen. I have complete confidence that Harry will manage to beat Voldemort—but at what price? His life? Everyone else’s?

I’m worried most especially about Remus though. I can see exactly what he’s doing with everyone. “Hi, I’m Remus, I’m a werewolf, nice to meet you. I know you probably want to get to know me better—but I can’t risk it. I lost everything last time, and I don’t want to go through that again, so instead I’m going to distance myself.”

Luckily I have the Serious Sirius Charm (Merlin, it’s been forever since I used that!) and I’ve sort of forced him to stop distancing himself from me.

Now I just have to cross my fingers and hope that nothing happens to either one of us. We’re each other’s last hope, strength, and all that jazz. Harry’s got too much to deal with to worry about two old men.

If something does happen to me though, I hope he reads this. I hope he realizes that just like James and Lily never completely left us (and it’s more then just having Harry hanging around) I’ll never completely leave him. He’s just got to keep living for us, for Harry, for the Marauders.

I sound like I’m writing a suicide letter—that’s really not good, but still, Moony—if you ever read this, I want you to know I’m always going to be there. I’m always reading over your shoulder, trying to steal your books, and making inappropriate comments at the best (or worse…) times. And every full moon Padfoot will be there running with you. So just keep living ok?

I sound stupid. I didn’t know that boredom actually could drive you to insanity.

Maybe I’ll go see if I can sneak out as Padfoot for a few hours and get some exercise and fresh air.

-Sirius

Remus closed the book and his eyes, tears falling down his face. Finally he looked up and put the journal in his briefcase and closed it up.
He shrunk the briefcase and put it back in his pocket before standing up and drying his face. He brushed off his robes and turned to Buckbeak smiling.

“Ready to go start a new life Beaky?” he asked calmly. The Hippogriff stood up and Remus grinned going over to the large creature and patting its neck.

“Let’s get out of here and go somewhere where you can stretch your wings,” he said closing the door to Sirius’ bedroom and leading the Hippogriff downstairs.

“Ready to go, Remus?” Tonks asked when he reached the bottom where she and Kingsley were. Remus glanced up the gloomy stairs and nodded.

“Yeah, I suppose so. I’ve got everything I need from here,” he replied. Kingsley nodded and glanced at the things he and Tonks were carrying.

“I think we’ve got everything Tonks, have you got the port key to Dumbledore’s office?” Tonks held up an odd object.

“Yep, we’ve got about 4 more minutes till take off. Remus, do you want to come with us?” Remus shook his head.

“No, I need to get home with Buckbeak. I have to get settled back in before meeting with the rest of you to greet Harry at King’s Cross. The Dursleys aren’t the best people in the world—I would like to have a few good night’s sleep before having to deal with them.”

“All right then, as long as you have a place to go,” Tonks said. Remus nodded.

“Yeah I’ll be fine…” Kingsley glanced at Buckbeak.

“How are you planning on getting from here to your house?” he asked. Remus grinned.

“Disillusionment charm and then I’ll have to hope that my Apparating skills are up to par,” he explained. The Aurors laughed.

“Good luck then Remus, call us if you wind up splinching.” Remus nodded and tapped his wand on Buckbeak’s head. The Hippogriff trilled and shivered.

“Bye guys…” Remus replied walking out of the house and to the Apparating Zone they had designated. He and Buckbeak stopped and Remus glanced up at the spot where 12 Grimmauld Place normally stood. He could hear Sirius laughing and turning to look at it just as he was before yelling out his good byes. Remus wrapped his arm around Buckbeak’s neck and grinned.

“See ya in the next life,” he said before Apparating out.

Harry Potter: Beyond the Department of Mysteries Part Two - PG

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:24:45 GMT

Sirius snarled at the golden statue in the center with the wizard and witch in the center as the House-Elf, Centaur, and Goblin seemed to stare lovingly up at them.

"The day that that statue depicts the truth is the day that Voldemort admits he likes long walks on the beach, pink frilly things, and just feels lost and alone and needs some one to care for him,” he muttered in Remus’ ear. Remus chuckled at the thought and nudged Sirius.

“Shut up you moron,” he hissed as Moody glared at them.

“C’mon you lot! To the Department of Mysteries!” the ex-Auror commanded.

“Two steps ahead of you sir,” Kingsley said by the lifts. With a ding the doors opened and the group piled in.

“Floor nine Tonks,” Moody commanded. The pink haired metamorphmagus nodded and pressed the button. The lift lurched and rattled as the five adult wizards waited patiently in silence. Remus grabbed Sirius’ arm and stared at him intently.

"Remember to keep close and keep calm no matter what we find, please?” he asked. Sirius nodded as the lift lurched to a halt.

“Department of Mysteries,” announced a cool female voice and the grilles slid open. They stepped out into the corridor and turned to the plain black door. Moody opened it and they went in quickly glancing at the doors around them.

“Which one do we take?” Kingsley asked quietly. The door closed with a crack and the walls started spinning. Remus gasped and stepped back as Sirius stepped forward.

“We’re never going to find him…” the Animagus growled. Moody stepped to the center.

“Show me Harry Potter!” he yelled out. The walls screeched to a halt and two doors burst open. The group split and ran to them and looked inside.

The room was stone, with steep stairs and seats going down to the center where on a dais an archway stood with a veil flowing from it. Harry was standing on the dais with something clutched in his hand. Ten Death Eaters were gathered in front of him, their wands pointed at him. Between Harry and the Death Eaters, Neville Longbottom lay in a whimpering heap with Bellatrix Lestrange grinning at him. Lucius Malfoy had just bounded forward to take whatever Harry held away from him. The assorted Order of Phoenix member sprinted in and Tonks aimed her wand at Lucius and sent a curse flying. Remus and Sirius flew down steps throwing curses.

“Sirius! Wait!” Remus cried as the other man let out a small shout and passed him, a strange fire burning in his eyes. Remus felt his heart sinking as he remembered every single time Sirius nearly got himself or some one else killed when they were younger by acting reckless. He didn’t have enough time to think about it though as he was quickly swept up into a duel with a Death Eater some 10 feet away from Sirius. He looked around for Harry as he fought and saw Sirius lurch past him and Neville still dueling. The sight of Mad-Eye Moody not to far off bleeding distracted him though.

“STUPEFY!” he yelled pointing his wand. It hit the Death Eater and he tried to run forward to help Harry and Neville but was intercepted by yet another Death Eater. Remus knocked him out of the way and tried to move forward to help Harry and instead watched Dolohov lift his arm to make a slashing movement.

“Oh Merlin…not that one. Why did Severus have to teach them that one!” he muttered trying to move forward but getting attacked again by the same Death Eater. He turned to duel the man properly. He let out a sigh of relief when he heard Harry yell out and Sirius’ reply.

“Petrificus Totalus!”

“Nice one! Now I want you to get out of—“

Green light.

Remus sent off a quick curse, whirled around and started to step forward—afraid of what he might find, he saw Sirius and Harry crouched down, up the stairs Tonks crumpled and Bellatrix Lestrange ran back to the midst of the fighting. Sirius turned to Harry and said something before jumping up and chasing after Bellatrix.

“Sirius!” Remus cried. “Sirius! Don’t be reckless!” he shouted as he turned back around to the persistent Death Eater and continued his fight. He managed to knock the man unconscious after a few minutes and looked around to assess the situation. Sirius was on the dais with Bellatrix. Remus watched the flowing veil anxiously.

“Merlin…watch out Sirius…” he hissed moving forward to warn the man when he heard Harry yell.

"No—get—off—me…Neville—catch it!” Remus whirled around and watched the prophecy skid across the floor and Neville pick it up. Lucius Malfoy pointed the wand at Neville but Harry yelled out,

“Impedimenta!”

Remus flew up the stairs and turned to Lucius who had smashed into the dais and aimed his wand.

“Harry, round up the others and GO!” Remus yelled before rushing forward with his wand and spouting off spells. He was fighting beside the dais with Lucius while on the dais Sirius and Bellatrix still fought. Remus tried to yell at Sirius to get off—he had heard of the archway before in a book. It was the passage way between life and death.

“Sirius!” he cried ducking to avoid one of Lucius spells. The Animagus ignored him and Remus tried to yell again but he once more had to duck and soon found himself moving away from the dais back towards Neville and Harry.

“DUBBLEDORE!” Neville cried. Remus glanced up and saw Albus Dumbledore, his wand aloft, his face white and furious. He breathed a sigh of relief as the powerful wizard sped down the steps. Lucius looked up and shouted trying to run away with some of the other Death Eaters. The fighting stopped as the Death Eaters were pulled to the center by Dumbledore’s spell. Only Sirius and Bellatrix were still dueling. Remus pushed himself up off the floor where he had fallen and watched with wide eyes.

“Sirius…” he murmured quickly stepping forward as Sirius ducked a red jet of light.

“Come on, you can do better than that!” Sirius yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room. Remus shook his head and tried to yell for Sirius to watch out for the archway—but it was too late. The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest.

Remus’ world crashed into pieces as he watched Sirius’ eyes widen in shock, the laughter still apparent on his face. It seemed to take Sirius forever to fall as the sound of footsteps racing down the stairs filled Remus head. Sirius’ body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backward through the ragged veil hanging from the arch.

Remus felt his heart stop at the look of mingled fear and surprise on his best friend’s once-handsome face as he fell through the ancient passage way and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as though in a high wind and then fell back into place.

“No…” he whispered as Bellatrix triumphantly screamed.

“SIRIUS! SIRIUS!” Harry yelled running up behind Remus. He started to pass Remus and the werewolf realized that if he didn’t stop the boy—he would foolishly follow his godfather into death. He grabbed Harry around the chest and held him back. Realization dawned on Remus—Sirius was gone.

“There’s nothing you can do, Harry—“ he whispered into the boy’s ear.

“Get him, save him; he’s only just gone through!” Inside Remus’ head a voice was agreeing with Harry—yelling out the same things, anything to get back his best friend. Logic reared its ugly head though.

“It’s too late, Harry—“

“We can still reach him—“ Harry cried struggling as Remus held onto him like a life support.

“There’s nothing you can do, Harry…nothing…. He’s gone.”

“He hasn’t gone!” Harry yelled still struggling. Lupin shook his head. Harry didn’t understand, couldn’t understand. No one truly understood why the archway was a passageway between the two worlds, why it existed.

"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!” Harry bellowed.

“He can’t come back, Harry,” Remus reasoned, his voice breaking betraying his own inner turmoil. “He can’t come back, because he’s d—“

“HE—IS—NOT—DEAD! SIRIUS!” roared Harry. Remus couldn’t help but thank the boy silently for not letting him complete his sentence. He couldn’t bear the pain himself. Around them there was movement of Death Eaters and Order of the Phoenix Members. But none of it really registered in Remus’ mind as he dragged Harry away from the dais, Harry who was still staring at the archway and struggling to get free.

Suddenly, though, Harry stopped fighting and Remus closed his eyes tightly as they neared Neville—knowing that reality had finally registered. Sirius would’ve never stayed behind a curtain letting Harry suffer; he would jump out immediately. Dumbledore had most of the Death Eaters in the center and Kingsley had run forward to continue Sirius’ duel with Bellatrix.

“Harry?” Neville asked quietly—having slid down the stone benches to where Harry stood. Remus kept his grip on Harry’s arm and watched the two boys silently.

“Harry…I’b really sorry…” Neville muttered through his broken nose. His legs were dancing uncontrollably; making Remus wonder what Death Eater had used such a childish curse. “Was dat man—was Sirius Black—a—a friend of yours?” Remus cringed as Harry nodded. He knelt down next to them.

“Here,” he whispered and pointed his wand at Neville’s legs. “Finite.” Neville’s legs fell back onto the floor and remained still. Neville looked up at him and in his eyes; Remus could see his own pale reflection. He looked away.

“Let’s—let’s find the others. Where are they all Neville?” he asked slowly, every word causing him pain as he fought the urge to scream and chase after Sirius himself. He turned away from the archway and faced Neville.

“Dey’re all back dere,” said Neville through his broken nose. “A brain addacked Ron bud I dink he’s all righd—and Herbione’s unconscious, bud we could feel a bulse—“

There was a loud bang and a yell from behind the dais. Remus turned and watched Kingsley, yelling in pain, hit the ground. Bellatrix turned tail and ran as Dumbledore whipped around. He aimed a spell at her but she deflected it. She was half way up the stairs when Remus felt Harry tear away from his grasp.

"Harry—no!” he cried stumbling up the stairs trying to catch the teenager.

“SHE KILLED SIRIUS! SHE KILLED HIM—I’LL KILL HER!” the boy bellowed. Remus gasped at the murderous thoughts and stumbled onto his feet shouting.

“HARRY! IT WON’T HELP! HARRY! PLEASE! PLEASE HARRY!” he cried before tripping over a broken glass sphere and watching Harry disappear. Dumbledore turned and started shouting out orders as Remus reached aimlessly to the door.

“No…Harry…please…I can’t…” Remus whispered a feeling of complete loss setting in.

“Alastor! You stay in here and take care of things! Kingsley! Take Neville and find the rest of the children!” the headmaster yelled before rushing up the stairs. He passed Remus and stopped turning back to the werewolf. He knelt down and took Remus’ outstretched hand in his own hand and whispered kindly.

"There’s still time to say goodbye…just listen…” he whispered before letting go and running out of the room. He heard faintly Kingsley helping Neville up, and the boy telling him which way the rest of the children were. Mad-Eye was shouting insults to the Death Eaters who were replying before he cast a silencing charm on the lot of them and went to go tend to Tonks. Remus stood up and stared down at the floor, the only sound in the room was Mad-Eye’s quiet musings as he checked over Tonks and Kingsley and the group of teenagers on the other side of one of the open doors. He closed his eyes and that’s when he heard the faint whisperings filling the room. Remus’ eyes flew open and he turned to face the dais. Carefully he walked towards it, his ears filling rapidly with the whisperings. As he climbed up on to the dais one voice stood out alone amongst the voices and Remus fell to his knees in front of the arch.

“Sirius?” Remus whispered and reached forward to touch the archway’s cold stone. The other voices grew soft around the one voice and Remus shook his head frantically.

“It’s my fault, oh Sirius, please…don’t…don’t do this to me Sirius. I’ve already lost James and Lily, and I thought I lost you once—don’t make me go through that again Sirius!” he mumbled feeling the tears building behind his eyes. He closed his eyes and could see Sirius’ face laughing as they danced in Remus’ room.

“Sirius…come back, please.” He wiped away the few tears that managed to escape…ignoring the stares from the Death Eaters and the pained glances from Moody. “Please…” The whispers grew louder and Remus growled, the desire to reach in and pull Sirius out of behind the Veil, out of Death, overwhelming him.

“You were my first best friend Sirius…don’t you dare leave me…not yet!” Remus growled viciously, anger slowly consuming him as the Whispers overtook the last trace of Sirius and disappeared. Inside of him the wolf recognized the loss of its last pack mate and howled. Remus bit his bottom lip trying to keep it in as his heart seemed to swell with the cry of loss. Finally he let it out.

“SIRIUS!” he cried loudly before breaking down into sobs. An arm wrapped around his shoulders and Moody pulled him up.

“C’mon…c’mon son. There’s nothing you can do. Let’s get you out of here.” Remus allowed himself to be pulled away from the archway and up to where Tonks lay unconscious. Neville appeared at one of the doors and called to Mad-Eye for help with getting the others into the room. Mad-Eye helped Remus sit down silently and shuffled off leaving the younger man to stare off into space with tears falling down his cheeks. A while later when all of Harry’s friends had been safely moved to around Tonks and Remus, Dumbledore came back in with a small group of Aurors behind him. He pointed at the group of Death Eaters.

“There are your captives. Moody, Kingsley, how are my students?” he asked walking over.

“Hermione and Ron suffered the most damage—but apparently they’re used to that whenever they go some where with Potter,” Moody replied. Dumbledore nodded and pulled out a random object, he pointed his wand at it.

“Portus. Alastor, take this and the students to the hospital wing for me. Kingsley, can you take care of Tonks?” The Auror nodded.

“Of course, I’ll get her to St. Mungo’s immediately,” Kingsley replied.

“Do you want me to take Lupin with me to the castle?” Moody asked gruffly as he instructed Neville to grab hold of Hermione and Ginny to hold onto Ron. Dumbledore sighed and turned to Remus.

“Remus?”

“Yes, I’ll go, I have some injuries Madame Pomfrey should check out, and then I can help her with the students,” Remus announced in a hollow voice. Moody picked up Luna and nodded.

“Let’s go then. Longbottom, Weasley, keep tight hold on those two!” Ginny, Neville, Remus, and Moody grabbed the object Dumbledore held out for them and were soon spiraling along and landing in the Hospital Wing where Madame Pomfrey instantly threw herself over each of them and started to work. Remus lay down on the bed she assigned him to and stared up at the ceiling tiredly. His entire body had started to ache for no reason when they entered the Hospital Wing, and his mind was going over his last moments with Sirius. He closed his eyes allowing one last tear to briefly escape before exhaustion fell over him and he fell asleep.

Part Three

Harry Potter: Beyond the Department of Mysteries Part One - PG

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:14:48 GMT

Title: Beyond the Department of Mysteries
Author: hkpadfoot
Word Count: ~12000
Rating: PG
Pairing: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Summary: Sirius’ last moments on this world were far from simply healing an oversized bird. Rather, they were filled with laughter, memories, swing dancing and one best friend, otherwise known as Moony.
Series: Not Quite a Series
Beta: None. Any and all mistakes are me.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine. No profit other than my own self enjoyment is being made off of this story.
AN: I decided to go through my ff.net account and take the stories that were up there that didn't make the transition and post them and started out with my "Not quite a series" Series. Some explanation on the name: I wrote four separate ficlets and then realized, shock of all shocks, that they could fit together, if you wanted them too. It's a bit slap dash, no real common theme, some inconsistencies, perhaps, and it's filled with angst and fluffy clouds, but it works. This first story is quite possibly one of the ones I am most proud of. I actually had to write it for an English class (I cut the relationship bits). It's in three parts. I hope you like it!

Remus opened the door to the old house carefully. He stepped in clutching his old briefcase and cloak as silence settled after the door clicked shut. At the end of the hallway a head peered out from the kitchen. Remus smiled and started towards the kitchen softly as Sirius grinned and beckoned him to hurry up.

“You’re back!” Sirius exclaimed quietly after Remus had passed the old torn curtains hiding the sleeping figure of Mrs. Black. Remus nodded.

“Oh please Sirius, I haven’t been on a real mission for the Order in Ages! You know that,” the werewolf replied. Sirius stepped back into the kitchen and Remus followed him and closed the large door.

“At least you’ve been out of the house,” the other man stated running a hand through his hair. “D’you want some tea?”

“Tea would be brilliant Pads. And I dare-say—if you want to take polyjuice and go as me for three days just to spend one afternoon with Mundungus Fletcher—please go right ahead.” Sirius chuckled lightly flicking his wand carelessly. They sat down at the table and the kettle started to warm up.

“That bad?”

“Terrible,” Remus muttered holding his head up with his chin and distractedly watching the kettle.

“Mundungus takes some time,” Sirius stated.

“Hmm,” Remus hummed in agreement as the kettle whistled shrilly and lifted up to pour its contents into the two teacups that had been set out earlier. Realization dawned, and Remus looked up suddenly at Sirius.

“You haven’t been waiting long, have you Pads?” Sirius shrugged and stood up to retrieve the cups—not trusting his new wand to levitate them.

“No, not really,” the man replied—obviously lying. Remus sighed and smiled softly up at his best friend, as a teacup was set in front of him.

“Next time I go out, it will be for cleaning supplies. I don’t think there’s too much of a problem for me to take my dog with a few added patches of white here and there with me. What do you think?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye. Sirius chuckled and sat down.

“What they don’t know won’t hurt them,” Sirius stated. Remus nodded and took a small sip of his tea before he sighed and placed the cup down.

“Sirius…you’ll be a free man by Harry’s 16th birthday—and we’ll go and steal him from the Dursley’s and give him a proper birthday,” Remus stated firmly. Sirius looked down at his cup of tea and smiled.

“We could take him to one of those Muggle carnivals, like the one Lily brought us to.” Remus nodded.

“I think he’d like that,” he replied. Sirius nodded.

“Yeah…” Sirius picked up his cup and gulped down the quickly cooling tea.

“I can’t believe you remember that.” Sirius smiled fondly while swirling the dregs in the cup around. Remus held out his hand and Sirius placed the cup in his grasp.

“When I escaped—I wound up in these old fair grounds. I saw the caramel apple stand and remembered James covered in the stuff.” Remus laughed watching the dregs in the cup settle.

“Yes, I believe he repaid you by putting ice cream in your hair,” the werewolf remarked.

“Hm…yeah. He did. So what do you see?” Remus put the cup down and smiled.

“Happiness.” Sirius snorted and stood up, picking up both their cups and placing them in the sink.

“You saw the Grim—you always saw the Grim for me back in school.” Remus shrugged.

“I hated that subject. I couldn’t see anything. I always saw stags, rats, and dogs—and for everybody else I saw mush,” he replied nonchalantly.

“You were the favorite, always making up some happiness from the mush, until you left for runes at least,” Sirius commented sitting back down. The ex-professor smiled and started to speak when the cups whistled shrilly before Sirius flicked his wand and they started to clean themselves. Remus raised an eyebrow and Sirius rolled his eyes.

“Molly…” he muttered. Remus laughed loudly.

“What’s so funny?” Sirius growled, glaring at him. Remus shook his head.

“I’m sorry Padfoot, it’s just—you make it sound like you’re the one married to her—not Arthur. Sirius Orion Black—Hogwarts’ most eligible bachelor, cleaning cups for an older woman!” Sirius rolled his eyes and kicked Remus under the table.

“Shut up you, it’s not funny! It’s scary! It means that the sky will be falling soon and we’ll all die painful and horribly slow deaths!”

“Under chunks of blue sky and clouds?” Sirius grinned.

“Exactly!” Remus laughed as Sirius winked at him.

“How ridiculous, you’re insane Pads.” Sirius nodded before snapping his fingers.

“Blue sky—that reminds me. Buckbeak hurt his paw.”

“Do I even want to know how?” Remus asked and Sirius sighed.

“The house hates him,” he muttered—his facial features darkening. Remus looked at his friend remorsefully—a dark veil now covered the flamboyant personality that used to shine through unhindered.

“The house hates everyone Sirius. Don’t dwell on it,” he pleaded quietly. Sirius shrugged and stood up.

“So will you take a look for me? I don’t even think we covered Hippogriffs way back when. Even if we did—Merlin knows that it’s become way more advanced in the past decade and a half.” Remus nodded and stood.

“Yeah, all right. Let’s go see if Beaky will let me near him today,” he said grabbing his cloak and brief case. They headed to the door when a piercing whistle filled the air. Sirius rolled his eyes and tried to get Remus to continue following him.

“Wait! Sirius! What is that?” Remus called over the noise. Sirius motioned towards the cups sitting patiently by the sink.

“Molly! C’mon! It’ll stop the second we touch the door!” he replied loudly.

As if to prove his point, he grabbed the door handle and the kitchen was plunged into a strange silence. Remus blinked and raised his hand to one of his ringing ears. Sirius grinned—his face lighting up.

“See? It’s brilliant! And it lets us know if some one enters through the kitchen because you can hear it all through out the house except for the entrance hall!” Remus sighed and shook his head.

“I leave for three days and three years of changes are made in the house.”

“Don’t waste your energy Moony, let’s just go!” Sirius exclaimed letting go of the door. The cups trilled again impatiently and Remus hesitated before shifting around his belongings so that he could reach his wand. With a quick swish and flick the cups were happily in their places.

“Now we may go,” Remus announced, brushing past Sirius and leading the way down the hallway and up the stairs.

“You’re insane Moony,” Sirius whispered after they had gone past the portrait of his mother. Remus chuckled as they started up the stairs.

“Yes, well, you learned to deal with it before,” he replied.

“How is beyond me,” Sirius returned. Remus stopped abruptly causing Sirius to bump into him and stumble back a few steps.

“I’m just that irresistible,” Remus stated smugly. Sirius laughed and bounded right back behind him and started to push him up the stairs.

“Oh get over yourself, you giant lump.” Remus laughed.

“Pot, kettle, Pads. Pot, kettle,” he commented as he opened the door to Buckbeak’s room. The Hippogriff looked up from its curled up position in the corner, turning his large golden eyes towards the two men at the door. Sirius walked on in as Remus graciously bowed.

“How’s your foot Beaks?” Sirius asked, reaching into a magically locked drawer in the dresser and tossing out a dead ferret to the oversized bird. The Hippogriff trilled after nodding his head to the Werewolf and then grabbed the ferret in its beak. Remus straightened and walked in. Sirius opened another door and pulled out a medical kit, which he handed to Remus.

“Well fear no more my darling avian...horse thingy—sorry—the Medi-Wizard has arrived.” Remus and Buckbeak glanced at each other and then rolled their eyes at the animagus. Remus kneeled next to Buckbeak and sighed. Sirius kneeled next to him and watched intently.

“So which claw are talking about here?” Remus asked rummaging around through the kit.

“Left,” Sirius said as Buckbeak stuck out his right foot.

“Left, Pads?” Remus asked, chuckling as he lifted out some disinfectant. Sirius muttered as Remus finally looked up at Buckbeak’s injury. The werewolf gasped and jumped back slightly.

“Sweet Merlin,” he breathed, gently reaching forward to lightly brush above the main injury. Buckbeak made a noise of discomfort as Remus stared in horror at the purple and green claw with three great slashes on it.

“When did this happen?”

“This morning.” Remus turned and gawked at Sirius.

“Why didn’t you wrap it?” he scolded. Sirius glanced at Buckbeak.

“His highness wouldn’t let me.” Remus shivered in remembrance of some of his own wounds that had never been properly wrapped and looked back at Buckbeak.

“You’ll make a lovely pillow and fine quills if you don’t let me take care of you properly. Be a man and suck it up,” he instructed before handing Sirius the disinfectant.

“Open that up and get a handful of swabs from the kit.”

Sirius nodded as Remus stood up and took off his outer robes. He rolled the sleeves up on his under robe and held them in place with a spell before getting back on the floor. Sirius handed him a swab and he scooped up the disinfectant and grabbed the Hippogriff’s ankle gently but firmly.

“On the count of three…one, two, three!”

Buckbeak let out a screech of fury as the Wizard Healing medicine started to clean his wounds. Sirius prepared another swab for Remus to continue the process. A few moments later all three sat on the floor panting with their ears ringing. Buckbeak’s paw was an angry red from the pasty potion that Remus had used. After they had calmed down, Remus picked up the roll of bandages and carefully started to wrap Buckbeak’s paw.

“Right, starting tomorrow we’re getting rid of everything in this house so we don’t have to worry about this kind of problem again,” he muttered.

Sirius nodded in agreement, closing up the disinfectant and putting it away before gathering up the used swabs and burning them with a flick of his wand. He closed up the kit and went to put it away. When he returned to Remus’ side he sighed before realizing the werewolf was softly humming to himself. He stared intently at his friend as he continued to gently wrap Buckbeak’s injury. Remus stopped and looked up.

“What?” he asked self-consciously.

“You were humming,” Sirius stated. Remus raised an eyebrow.

“So?” Sirius shook his head.

“Nothing, it’s nothing…you all done?” Remus glanced back at the task he was trying to accomplish. He tapped the end of the bandage with his wand and nodded.

“Yep. All done.” Buckbeak let out a loud sigh causing both men to chuckle lightly. After a few moments of silence in which the Hippogriff thoroughly examined the strange white cloth on his foot, Sirius spoke up.

“What song was that?” Remus looked up at him. The other man had a face of pure desperation.

“Hmm?” he hummed in response—Sirius’ words not exactly clicking.

“The song, the one you were humming a few seconds ago. I don’t recognize it,” Sirius explained. Remus furrowed his eyebrows.

“Why Sirius, it was a rather popular song a few year—oh. Oh Sirius! I’m terribly sorry,” Remus muttered—aghast with himself. Sirius shook his head.

“It’s all right, you…you forgot is all.”

“But Sirius! You used to be so much into the music and all, and that was just horrible of me. You missed such a great musical time period, and I am practically rubbing it in your face. I am so sorry Sirius!” Sirius pushed himself up off the floor.

“Forget it Remus. It’s no big deal. It is just music.” Remus looked up at him with a pained expression.

“But Sirius…you loved music.”

“I used to love a lot of things Moony,” Sirius replied, picking up the other man’s robes and holding them out to him. Remus sighed and stood up, taking the robes from Sirius and slipping them back on.

“Have you been listening to the WWN?” he asked. Sirius shook his head.

“First off, I was more into Muggle Music, and secondly—the style has changed too much. It’s weird, and rather different.” Remus looked at Sirius for a few moments. The other man was looking down at the ground—no doubt thinking about all the time he had missed out. Suddenly an idea came to his mind and he laughed, grabbing Sirius’ arm and pulling him out of the room.

“Come on! I have an idea!” Sirius sputtered, tripping over his own feet to keep up with the fast moving werewolf.

“Remus! What are you doing?” he cried. Remus stopped and turned to smirk at Sirius—successfully turning the other man’s bones to ice. It was never a good sign when Remus looked that way—trouble was bound to come up.

“I’m going to catch you up,” he said before dragging Sirius to his room.

Sirius unceremoniously toppled onto Remus’ bed as the other man flicked his wand and opened up his trunk. There was a small crack and pop before music started to fill the room softly. Remus groaned and turned away from his trunk to jab his wand at the old record player sitting innocently on the dresser and the music turned up. Sirius sat up and gaped at Remus as the first few beats played out—the loud horns and drums belting them out in a fast paced tempo.

“Merlin! Moony! Is this the record I got you for your 19th?” Remus laughed and nodded.

“Yeah, my first Swing Record that I didn’t swipe from my parents. I was so excited I actually kissed you on the cheek and wouldn’t let go of you until James pried me off. And then I kept turning around and hugging you every five minutes.” Sirius laughed and fell back as Remus turned back to his trunk searching for some of his old A-Tracks from the 70s and CDs from the 80s.

“You taught me how to dance to this music…” Sirius stated suddenly. Remus turned around to look at him. He was lying back on the bed smiling at the ceiling. The werewolf nodded.

“Yeah, you and James…I remember that.” Sirius closed his eyes.

“I can…kind of remember it.” Remus sighed and stood up and went to sit next to Sirius.

“One of those moments where I wish I had a pensive so I could show it to you again.” Sirius shook his head.

“No—I don’t want a pensive—I want my own memories back.” Remus smiled.

“Well…do you remember the prank you guys pulled on Snape that day?”

“I think we turned his hair pink—but we did that a lot.” Remus chuckled.

“You turned it pink using one of his own potions, and then you proceeded to write his undying love for one of the house elves in bright yellow in the entrance hall.” Sirius laughed.

“I remember that! We even got the House Elf to sit there waiting for him to give him a token of her gratitude!” Remus laughed.

“And so you both ran as fast as you could under James’ invisibility cloak back up to the dorms so that I could vouch for you.” Sirius sat up nodding.

“And you were in the dorm listening to your record—dancing!” Remus blushed.

“I was doing homework!”

“Homework does not include stealing my broom and twirling it around the dorm Moony.” The two men stared at each other—Remus scowling, Sirius smirking. Finally Remus looked away and muttered.

“I got distracted!” Sirius let out a bark of laughter. Remus looked back up.

“You know for someone who couldn’t remember what happened very clearly—you sure do seem to have it all,” he stood up to go turn off the music only to have Sirius pull him back down.

“I’m not done with you yet…now how exactly did we wind up dancing in the dorm together?” Remus laughed.

“Now that part was all your fault. Your parents had tried to force you to learn to dance, proper ballroom dances and the likes—sort of like James’ parents had.” Sirius nodded.

“Pureblooded thing—but he got to learn the cool dances! He learned to Tango and Waltz! I hated dancing.”

“So you asked me to teach you how to swing dance—which is filled with complicated twists and turns.” Sirius grinned.

“Well, just because I hated dancing when my parents made me do it—doesn’t mean I can’t dance at all.” Remus laughed.

“That’s exactly what you said back then. And then Prongs jumped in and decided he wanted to learn too.”

“So he went first and realized he couldn’t do it at all,” Sirius stated smugly. Remus nodded.

“And then you and I started and within a few minutes James had to push all the beds against the walls so we could have more room as we switched back and forth between leading.” Sirius grinned and nodded before he closed his eyes.

“That was fun.” Remus nodded.

“Yeah…it was.” The music went silent for a moment before a new song picked up. Sirius looked at Remus, a mischievous smile crossing his facial features. Remus jumped off the bed.

“Oh no! Whatever you’re thinking get it out of your head right now Sirius Orion Black!” Sirius laughed and stood up.

“Oh c’mon Moony! Have a little trust in me! I was just going to ask you to re-teach me!” Remus stopped and raised an eyebrow.

“Re-teach you?”

“Yeah! I don’t really remember how to swing dance—and I want to remember!” Sirius pleaded, grinning. Remus sighed.

“It has been quite a long time for me as well Sirius.” Sirius grinned.

“Well we can relearn together!” Remus paused and then gave in nodding.

“Brilliant!” Sirius exclaimed quickly moving all the furniture out of their way and then going up to Remus.

“Ok, you lead first.” Remus grimaced.

“This is…awkward…” he muttered before grabbing Sirius’ hands. He listened to the music and started to hear the tempo in his mind before nodding.

“Ok…ready?” Sirius nodded energetically. Remus couldn’t help but smile; the last time he had seemed so happy was when Harry was over for Christmas.

“All right on four…1…2…3…4!” Within seconds they were laughing, spinning and dancing around the old room to the upbeat tempo, seemingly without a care.

After a few minutes of getting used to dancing with one another, their eyes slid shut as they danced and they were no longer in number 12 Grimmauld Place, rather they were in the Gryffindor boys’ dormitory. They weren’t in their mid-30s any more; they were two 15-year-old boys.

But more importantly, they weren’t alone.

James sat on one of the four poster beds flush against the wall laughing and clapping in time with the music watching them spin and twirl and dance.

Just outside the door there was entire common room of people doing homework and playing games and enjoying their youth.

And out side of that there was an entire school filled with all sorts of people from the fuming Slytherin with pink hair to the smiling, bespectacled Headmaster trying hard not to laugh as the said Slytherin paced in front of him, ranting and raving.

There was no war that could affect them—nothing could get past the walls of Hogwarts. So they danced; as James made comments about dance competitions and teased them about how well they danced together.

Finally they opened their eyes. They could still feel James in the room with them; Lily sitting beside him. Both laughing as the animagus and the werewolf stole the spotlight away from them during their wedding reception at the request of James. The people around them laughing as they did their best not to trip on their dress robe; and those who knew them well laughing twice as hard knowing that there was most likely a very heated discussion over who would be leading the dance before hand.

The next song came on and Remus and Sirius continued to dance forgetting everything that had been on their troubled minds before. They were so caught up in it that they never heard Mad-Eye’s buzzer going off announcing someone at the floo.

They only heard the trumpets, drums and the beat, as Sirius twirled away from Remus, and then back to him. On the way back out though Sirius tripped on a loose board and snagged Remus’ robes for some sort of support before falling back, pulling the other man down with him. They landed in a breathless heap on the bed. Remus laughed into Sirius’ shoulder.

“Smooth move, Tinkerbell.” Sirius laughed and hit the other man on the shoulder playfully.

“Oh shut up,” he said. They laughed as Remus rolled off of Sirius and sighed.

“Well…I guess dancing is like playing Quidditch—well for those who actually play,” Remus commented. Sirius smirked at him.

“Once you learn you never forget?” Remus nodded.

“That, and, as you get older and don’t do it as often—it tends to get harder.” Sirius laughed.

“C’mon Moons! We’re not old! We’re just—eh…out of shape?” Remus laughed.

“Oh real nice Pads, real nice.”

“What!” Remus chuckled.

“Way to make a werewolf feel good about his self, just tell him he’s out of shape.” Sirius laughed and sat up.

“So what other music samples do you have?” he asked, eyeing Remus’ trunk.

“Hmm. I’ve got my albums—I stole your A-Tracks, I think all my cassette tapes disappeared as a result of me trying to create a successful potion.” Sirius snorted.

“Key word: trying.” Remus nodded.

“Exactly.”

“So let me get this straight—in the past 15 years you have been listening to the same music you listened to after we graduated?”

“Oh please Sirius, I’m not that hopeless! In fact…” Remus pushed himself off the bed and went to his trunk. He rustled around in it for a few moments. Sirius raised his eyebrow sitting back on the bed.

“Whatcha looking for, Moony?” Remus shook his head.

“What was that name of that crazy Muggle guy you were madly obsessed with in the 70s?” Sirius shook his head and sighed at Remus, lifting his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose.

“Remus,” he said smiling, “they were all crazy Muggle guys in the 70s.” Remus rolled his eyes.

“No, that one really big one that you absolutely adored. Daylin Something?”

“Daylin? What kind of name is that?” Sirius asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“No, that’s not right…Dave…Davie! Davie Boony?” Remus tried. Sirius’ jaw dropped.

“David Bowie you imbecile?” he cried. Remus shot up holding a CD case grinning.

“That’s the one!” Sirius’ gaped at him.

“You forgot David Bowie!” Remus laughed.

“I’m not that cruel, I was testing you. He released a CD in the late 80s. I think—in fact I’m sure you’ll love it.” Sirius laughed and sat up, pulling his legs on the bed—shoes and all, much to the displeasure of Remus—and sat Indian style.

“Put it on then! Let’s hear it!” Remus nodded and walked over to where the Record Player was. He pressed a button on the side and a CD compartment appeared. He grinned over his shoulder at Sirius.

“I love being a Wizard.” Sirius laughed.

“I can imagine, new technology and that poor Record Player gets another thing installed in it—can you play all your music on that thing now?” Remus nodded while fiddling with the controls. Soon the music blasted out of the player and Sirius fell back as the vocals came on.

“It’s my God! It’s my Idol! He has returned to my life! Oh joy to the world! Peace on Earth! Wow—this is really good!” Remus laughed.

“How old are you Sirius?”

“Twenty something. Now shut up, I’m trying to hear.” Remus chuckled again moving to sit back down on the bed.

A few songs later Sirius had convinced Remus to swing dance to David Bowie. Some how they managed to pull it off quite well despite the odd combination of dance moves and rhythm. They had just really started dancing when there was a loud knocking on the door. Mad-Eye Moody burst in along with Tonks and Kingsley behind him. Remus let go of Sirius and pulled out his wand, immediately silencing the music. Mad Eye looked at them both with his roving magical eye.

“Been listening to that garbage for awhile now?” he growled. Sirius started to protest that it was not garbage thank you very much—it was music! But Remus stopped him.

“Actually, we were fixing Buckbeak’s paw, we maybe came in here…15, 20 minutes ago I believe. I could be wrong of course.” Mad-Eye huffed.

“Of course…” he turned and stalked out of the room. “C’mon Shacklebot, we’ve got things to do!” Kingsley nodded and waved at Sirius and Remus.

“Hey guys, catch up to you both later all right. Remus, I need to know how that meeting went sometime tonight.”

“It was horrible!” Sirius cried as Remus tried to answer. Remus stepped on Sirius’ toe causing the older man to squeak in indignation.

“Of course! Just come find me when you get a chance.” The younger man nodded before disappearing, leaving Tonks to watch amused as Sirius hopped up and down to Remus’ bed holding his foot.

“That hurt Moony!”

“You’re over 30 Pads. You’ll live, I promise,” Remus replied moving to actually stop the CD player rather than just silence it. Sirius looked up at Tonks and grinned.

“Wotcher Tonks!” Tonks grinned.

“Wotcher Sirius!” she replied before actually moving inside the room to sit down on one of the old moth eaten chairs. Remus glanced over at her and smiled kindly.

“Hello Tonks.”

“Hey Remus—abusing Sirius again?” Remus nodded.

“Naturally. I haven’t been home in three days—I’m trying to catch up of course.” Tonks laughed as Sirius glared at Remus as he moved to sit down on another chair.

“So, care to explain what’s up with Mad-Eye’s version of the Spanish Inquisition?” Sirius asked. Remus rolled his eyes.

“Sirius, it was one perfectly normal question.”

“Yet he ran off with the answer rather fast with Shacklebot close behind, and showed up with two other fully trained Aurors.” Remus opened his mouth to retort but then stopped and looked at Tonks.

“Rest the poor old dog’s mind? I’m afraid he won’t listen to me.”

“Actually, Sirius is on the right track Remus. Harry tried to floo you guys about 15, maybe 20 minutes ago and got no answer. What he did get though, was a very nasty realization that Umbridge placed barriers all over her office, so he was caught. She brought in Severus to get some Veritaserum, and when he was about to leave Harry shouted out something about Voldemort having Sirius. Well, in code of course—but that’s about it.” Remus and Sirius both frowned.

“We didn’t hear the ringing of the bell though…” Remus muttered.

“We were also Swing dancing like two old loons,” Sirius reasoned and Remus swallowed.

“Oh Merlin…is everything—what’s happening there?” he asked worriedly, fear tying his stomach up in knots.

“No idea, that’s all the information Severus could get to us. I’m sure he’ll corner Harry as quickly as possible to warn him against doing anything rash, but in the meantime, Mad-Eye thought it best to have a team here just in case, so Severus can reach us if anything does happen and we’ll be ready to go,” she explained shrugging. Sirius glowered at the wall.

“Severus console Harry? Not likely. He’ll most likely provoke the boy. That disgusting slimy greasy—“

“Sirius!”

“Sorry…” Remus sighed and leaned back in his chair.

“Didn’t you give him your two-way Padfoot?” Sirius muttered darkly.

“Knowing him, he probably thought it’d be better for me if he didn’t use it.”

“You can’t exactly blame him Padfoot,” Remus reasoned. Tonks coughed politely.

“Look, I’m sure he’s fine. I mean, he’s got Hermione and Ron right? And they’ve been through loads together apparently.”

“Yet in the end it’s always Harry…” Sirius muttered.

“Nothing we can do about that Sirius, look at what his near future holds for him. A very angry, very powerful Dark Lord. I’d like to see you get through that without having to rely on solely yourself and your wand after a period of time,” Remus retorted. Sirius sighed. Tonks shook her head.

“You’re both insane. Look, I’m bored. May I watch you two twirl each other around or shall we go do something—not quite as dangerous?” she asked. Remus and Sirius both looked away, their cheeks slightly tinged pink.

“Let’s—Ah—go do something else, yeah?” Remus suggested. Sirius nodded vigorously as Tonks sat back laughing.

“Aw, a shame! I was hoping you could teach me to dance Remus!” she replied. The werewolf faintly blushed and muttered. Sirius snorted.

“Oh please Tonks! You’d trip up and would wind up sending poor Remus to an early grave!” he retorted. Tonks glared at him.

“I’m not that bad!” she exclaimed jumping up.

“C’mon Remus! Dance with me!” she pleaded stepping towards him. Remus stuttered.

“I-Um…I’ve never danced with anyone other than my mother and Sirius—it might be a bit strange,” he admitted. Sirius let out a bark of laughter and Tonks stopped and made a slight face before grinning.

“You’ll be fine! If it helps I can change my face!”

“I’m not sure that that’s such a good—“ Remus was interrupted by a squeaking Tonks as she tripped over the same floorboard Sirius had tripped over previously. The ex-convict roared in laughter as Remus moved forward to help the girl up.

“Are you all right?” he asked concerned. Tonks’ face was a bright cherry red color. She nodded and mumbled.

“I’m good…thanks.” Remus helped her straighten up as Sirius’ laughter died down.

“I award thee, Nymphadora Tonks, daughter of Muggle Ted Tonks, the Order of Worse Timing EVER and Winner of the Most Embarrassing Moment Award!” he announced grinning at her. She shot him a look.

“Don’t even get me started Black. I’ll string you up and feed you to the giant squid back at Hogwarts,” she threatened. Sirius shrugged.

“I would go faster if you just tossed me to our resident werewolf. And that way he wouldn’t go all manic depressive on you guys because he’ll always have a bit of me in his blood stream, helping him stay healthy and active that much longer,” Sirius replied adding on a romantic little sigh while batting his eyelashes. Remus grimaced.

“That’s extremely disgusting Padfoot.”

“Really? I thought it was more like sickeningly sweet.” Tonks waved her hands frantically.

“Ok! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I really don’t want to hear it! You’re both insane!” she cried. Sirius laughed again and Remus rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know why you’re friends with him Remus! Honestly! I’m going downstairs to talk to normal people that don’t give me images of Sirius bits floating through a blood stream! Come on Remus! Let’s leave the dog up here to contemplate his existence in your digestive system alone!” she said walking to the door. Remus laughed and shook his head.

“He’s the first best friend I had…and the only one brave enough to actually steal my books and tell me that I would not get them back until I was social for at least two hours, he’s coming with us,” he replied, holding out his hand to Sirius. Sirius swooned and grabbed Remus’ hand.

“Oh Remus, you’re such a gentleman!” he cooed in a high-pitched voice. Remus pulled him roughly to his feet and Sirius laughed.

“And you’re a mongrel, come on, I’m hungry. I want real food in my system—not imaginary Siriuses.” Sirius laughed as Tonks rolled her eyes and stepped out into the hallway, the other two men following closely behind, talking quietly but animatedly.

“Is ‘Siriuses’ even a word?” Sirius asked. Remus shrugged.

“It is now.”

“Making a new Dictionary Moony? Going to put that one in there?”

“Might as well,” Remus replied as Sirius laughed. Tonks shook her head.

“Men,” she muttered as they walked down the rest of the stairs and stopped talking in the Main Hallway. They passed Mrs. Black’s portrait where Sirius made an ugly face and Remus smacked him lightly upside the head as Tonks picked her way carefully around the Troll Foot Umbrella Holders and other such oddities. As they entered the kitchen where Moody and Kingsley were, Tonks spoke up.

“I don’t see the obsession with Troll feet Sirius, what is up with that?” she asked sitting down at the table and taking the cup of tea Kingsley silently offered her.

“Something to do with the smell of decaying flesh—Merlin only knows,” Sirius replied sitting on the other side of the table across from her and next to Kingsley. Remus sighed and sat down next to Tonks and glanced at the end of the table where Moody was going over some papers.

“Any news yet?” Moody grunted and Kingsley shook his head.

“Nothing, but I’m sure Harry’s got something up his sleeve—if not him then one of the others. He had Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville Longbottom and some other girl. I think he said Luna Lovegood,” the Auror replied. Remus nodded as Sirius looked up at the ceiling.

“Lovegood—that’s the guy who prints off the Quibbler, yeah?”

“Sure is! He’s such a nut case!” Tonks commented. Sirius grinned and Remus rolled his eyes.

“Nut case maybe, but to our friend Stubby Boardman here, he’s a hero.”

“I’ll have to see if maybe Harry can pull off me meeting Luna or her father so that I may thank him properly,” Sirius stated nodding. Remus shook his head.

“Mass chaos—that’s all that would come out of that—mass chaos,” he muttered. Moody grunted in agreement and then looked up.

“How’d the meeting with Mundungus go?” Remus groaned and sighed.

“I swear that man is such a pain. He had me wait at this disgusting and filthy place for three days before telling me to go some where else for the meeting. Then he proceeded to talk about his business while trying to carry it out rather then just giving me the information and letting me be,” he complained. Sirius laughed.

“That’s Mundungus for you all right, he’s a character.” Moody growled.

“A character indeed. A character I’m not sure we should be trusting for much longer.” Sirius stopped laughing and looked at Moody.

“What do you mean?” he asked the older wizard.

“Some of the information that Dumbledore has trusted him with has gotten to the other side, no doubt he’s ‘slipped up’ more then a few times,” Moody explained. Sirius sighed and shrugged.

“So? We don’t give him that much information for that reason. At least it’s better then Snape, I’m just waiting for that slimy git to turn around and betray us completely.” Remus glared at Sirius.

“Might I remind you Snape is giving Harry Occulmency lessons?” he said sternly. Sirius glared at him.

“May I remind you Mr. Lupin that Snape canceled those exact lessons because he’s an evil disgusting ba—“

“Excuse me for interrupting your rant Black, but I’m afraid we have a problem,” a voice said from the fireplace in the kitchen. The diverse group all jumped up to crowd around the fire place and stare down at a greasy haired, big nosed, glaring Severus Snape. Sirius sneered.

“Snivellus, how lovely of you to drop by.”

“I assure you Black, I won’t be staying long. I have better things to do with my time than stare up at you,” Severus retorted. Sirius growled but Remus put a hand on his shoulder.

“What’s the problem Severus?” he asked quietly but sternly. The potion master’s eyes traveled to Remus and he sneered.

“Your Golden Boy and his precious Muggle born decided to take Umbridge on a walk to the Forbidden Forest. They had not yet returned when Mr. Draco Malfoy managed to run into my office with a few very well placed Bat-Bogey Hexes. It seems that the others managed to escape into the Forbidden Forest as well without my noticing.”

“How long have they been gone?” Moody asked.

“Maybe 15 minutes at most, I wouldn’t be concerned if it wasn’t for one of my first years stumbling in here a few moments ago muttering about giant horse skeletons flying out of the forest. It seems he watched his older brother kill his Aunt’s cat when he was younger.” Remus swallowed.

“Threstrals…of course Harry would be able to see them, and didn’t one of them tell us Umbridge did her inspection during Hagrid’s threstral lesson?”

“Longbottom is going to be able to see them too, and Lovegood no doubt—think she watched her mother die,” Moody added on roughly.

“Where would they go though?” Tonks asked.

“That I can answer as well. The Dark Lord’s been giving Potter dreams. The Department of Mysteries. No doubt he had a dream where he saw the Dark Lord torturing Black down there,” Severus replied.

“Maybe if someone had been teaching him correctly,” Sirius growled. Severus whirled on him.

“I did the best I could! It’s not my fault if that incompetent brat didn’t practice! Didn’t realize the dangers! Had he kept his curiosity to himself rather than gone off and—“

“ENOUGH!” Remus shouted. The room went silent until Tonks spoke up again.

“What’s in the Department of Mysteries that He wants anyway? Time turners?” she asked. Severus’ head in the fire turned a slight shade lighter.

“A prophecy. One of the Death Eaters heard a prophecy after Potter had been born. It was about the Dark Lord and a powerful boy born at the end of July whose parents thrice defied him. They only heard half of it though, but that half was enough to send the Dark Lord to the Potter’s home and try to kill the boy before he could kill him. It backfired, the rest of the prophecy went on to explain why it did, and the Dark Lord wants it now. He wants to know what was supposed to happen.” The room went silent again.

“We have to get there; Merlin knows what kind of tricks Voldemort has in there. Not to mention how dangerous the Department of Mysteries is already,” Kingsley whispered.

“I’m going to search the forest just in case, Dumbledore should be there any moment—leave the mutt at home to tell him what has happened,” Severus said before disappearing. Sirius shouted in protest as Moody turned to the younger group around him and nodded.

“Tonks, Kingsley, Lupin, come on, we’re going to have to move fast if we want to get to the Ministry and done to the Department without raising some kind of riot,” he instructed grabbing his wand off the table. Sirius turned to look at him.

“I’m going too!” he said.

“No, some one needs to stay to tell Dumbledore. Plus it’s too dangerous,” the old Auror replied. “You could be caught.”

“Exactly! I could be caught—working with the good guys!” Sirius cried.

“Sirius…” Remus muttered trying to stop the other man.

“No! Don’t Sirius me! This is my chance to prove my innocence! It’s obviously my fault Harry is there anyway! I was the one who didn’t hear him calling for me! I need to be there so he can see that I’m all right! We’ll have Kreacher tell Dumbledore what happened.”

“You’ve been inside for too long! You’re more of a hindrance then anything!” Moody shouted back. Sirius growled and slammed his hand on the table glaring at the other man.

“And whose fault is that? Whose fault is it that I’ve been locked up in this hellish house for so long? Whose the one who just threw me in Azkaban with out a second thought to Crouch’s order of no trial?” he hissed between his teeth. Kingsley grimaced as Tonks gasped. Moody’s roving magical eye stopped dead as Remus made a small noise of dismay in the back of his throat.

“If it wasn’t for you Alastor—if you had just taken the time to take the silencing spell off of me and asked me what had happened like you had debated about doing loudly the entire way there, we wouldn’t be here right now.”

“Don’t even start digging up the past with me you foolish boy…” Moody growled. Sirius continued to glare at him unfazed.

“I’m going, and you can’t stop me.”

“You’re staying—“

“That’s enough!” Remus shouted interrupting Moody. He stared at the older wizard pleadingly.

“This could be his chance at freedom Alastor. Please! I’ll keep an eye on him! And he can help calm down Harry; you don’t know the boy like I do! Having Sirius there to show him he’s all right will get us in and out much faster.” Moody glanced between the two friends before snarling.

“Fine! But you’d better keep a close eye on him Lupin! Now let’s move out! Now!” he cried. The three Aurors moved out of the kitchen and Remus looked at Sirius.

“Kreacher!” The old house elf appeared and glared at Sirius.

“You were listening in, weren’t you?” Sirius sneered. The house elf held his head high.

“Kreacher did no such thing Young Master. The stupid blood traitors running off to try and defeat the Dark Lord. Their precious little golden boy shall die most painfully no doubt,” the house elf replied. Sirius growled.

“You stay here, when Dumbledore arrives you are to greet him and tell him everything, is that understood?”

“Of course Young Master. Kreacher will tell the old bat most gleefully how the nasties have gone to get themselves killed by the Dark Lord. Mistress will be most pleased to have her home back.” Sirius growled.

“Disgusting creature…” he growled. Remus stepped forward.

“Padfoot…”

“Don’t Remus. Just don’t. I don’t need it right now,” Sirius growled picking his wand off the table and storming to the door. Remus grabbed the other man’s shoulder.

“Just promise me that you’ll be careful—just like old times. Promise me you’ll be careful, and promise me that we’ll look out for each other if we wind up fighting them,” he asked. Sirius turned to look at him and smiled.

“Just like old times?”

“Yeah, just like old times,” Remus replied smiling before they hurried out the door and outside where the others were waiting. Sirius let out a whoop of joy at being outside and turned around to make a rude hand gesture at Grimmauld.

“See ya in another life!” he shouted. Remus rolled his eyes and grabbed his arm dragging him to a dark spot on the other side of the road between two houses that Order Members had been using to Apparate in and out of. Sirius took one last glance where the old house resided and grinned as Remus let his arm go.

“C’mon Pads! Let’s get out of here!” Sirius nodded and closed his eyes taking a deep breath as he apparated the farthest distant he had been since his escape.

Part Two

W Juliet: The Road Home - G

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:15:31 GMT

Title: The Road Home
Author: hkpadfoot
Pairing: Ito/Makoto
Fandom: W Juliet
Theme: #20 The Road Home
Disclaimer: I don't own it
Comments: So, I've got a few of these done, but I figured, I'm going to post the one I have the most confidence in first and see the reaction before doing anything else. I'm not being creative with titles, because I can. I'm not giving summaries because I suck at them, and besides, who cares what's it about so long as there's a kiss. I must admit, it's odd writing het again, even if Makoto is running around in a dress *snuggles him in his plight* Poor boy.

“There are perks,” Ito murmurs quietly, leaning against him. Makoto blinks and stares down at her.

“Hm?” he prompts.

“Perks,” she repeats, her eyes fluttering shut, “To being in the same class.”

Makoto glances up at the rest of the bus. It’s late, later than they had expected to leave. What with one mishap after another and the weather, they didn’t manage to leave the retreat until well in the afternoon, and they still have a bit of a drive in front of them. Those who have managed to stay awake are whispering quietly to one another, listening to their music and on the verge of sleep, and generally aren’t looking near the back where the third years have all been grouped together. Makoto and Ito have managed to get the very back row, and no one is across the aisle from them. Their sleeping friends create a nice buffer between them and the rest of the bus, especially with Yoshiro sprawled halfway across the aisle as his seat buddy snores loudly.

Makoto smiles and lowers his head towards Ito’s, whispering to her in his natural voice.

“Yes, yes there are,” he murmurs quietly in response smiling as she smiles and tilts her head slightly. He bites back a grin, as he realizes she’s never quite asked for a kiss so blatantly, letting him surprise her more often then not, as he tilts his head slightly to press his lips against hers. He pulls back and wraps an arm around her shoulders, allowing her to use him as a pillow as he rests his own head against the window and watches the scenery go past.

Soon he’ll have to let go, as they get closer to home, but for now, for now he let’s her rest.