Chapter Eight: A Noble Reward:

One Month Later Hogwarts:

Severus Snape finished up his latest potion happy his latest work was done. He was looking forward to starting on his new experimental potion when the door to his lab opened and Charity Burbage came in and began to rub his shoulders and neck. He quite forgot about an experimental potion and was thinking of some other kind of experimentation. He was lucky to be in one piece, when she got back from Australia and she found out what he had been doing she was not happy. She planned on marrying him not attending a funeral though she could put him six feet under if that is what he wanted. Though that would leave his son an orphan and the boy did not need that.

"You know Charity I do need to ah start work on my potions." Severus purred as he could not help it.

"Well you have time, you have a wonderful elf to help." She said turning him around to run a hand down his chest over his buttons.

"She chops the herbs and plants, I do the brewing you know this." Severus said.

"Hmm yes but that can wait when you have me." Charity purred nibbling gently at his ear. "I have plans for you my wicked potions master."

"Hnn what could that be?" Severus said blood rushing from his brain to regions much lower.

"Well your chambers or mine?" She said running a finger along his jaw gently.

Just as Severus was going to take full advantage of what his fiancé was offering him the door opened and McGonagall came in with Carter. Severus had never seen a muggle in Hogwarts and wondered how she could be here when he saw the charm she was wearing around her neck. She was clad in drab olive fatigues and he had to admit he rather liked the look on her. Now if he could bribe Charity into wearing something like that.

"Major Carter what a surprise, I was not expecting to see you." Severus said.

"Well I wanted to thank you for everything." Carter replied.

"You need something as well." Severus said as a statement of fact.

"Well yes, we want to run some tests, not on you." Carter said at the look of panic that came to Severus's eyes. "No we need to get some blood from one of your purebloods, not a student."

"I have just the person for you then." Severus said smiling evilly. "His name is Sirius Black and he is visiting his godson today."

"Oh yes Sirius that would do nicely!" Charity said then remembering her manners, "I am Charity Burbage, Severus told me about you, I wanted to thank you."

"It was an honor." Carter said smiling. "He really helped us out too."

"As for Sirius he can help, he would love to." Charity said, "he is really a pureblood, his family goes back even further than the Malfoys."

"So he is a pureblood, interesting." Carter said. "I did not think, well then again."

"Yes he would do nicely." McGonagall said (who said she does not have a wicked since of humor, after all she had to deal with the marauders for seven years!) "I think I know where he is."

"I will come." Severus said grabbing his loose outer robes and drawing them over his high collared buttoned inner robes (black as always) "could be fun. Why do you need a pureblood's blood?"

"Well he would have the most ancient blood in him." Carter said walking with him.

"His house goes back even further than mine." McGonagall said "I would have suggested a Malfoy but I don't think they would approve."

"How right you are Minerva." Severus said.

"Besides Sirius is a dear and loves to help out." Charity said sweetly walking with Severus out.

Severus walked up to the main hall and saw the golden trio, no it was more like the golden quartet with Neville right there with them now and Sirius Black was with them too. Sirius was entertaining them with some tale of bad behavior that much Severus was sure of. Sirius looked up and saw Severus and he nodded, he saw McGonagall and grinned and he grinned even more at seeing Carter. She of course was not impressed, yet she needed his blood and so she would be nice.

"Ah Mr. Black just the wizard I was looking for." McGonagall said looking very prim as she was not going to laugh. "Major Carter is here to see the school and she needs help with something, I will leave you with her."

"And the potions master." Sirius said bowing, he had been warned if he picked on Severus in Hogwarts in front of students he would be banned from the school. "Professor Snape."

"Mr. Black." Severus said, "I think Poppy can handle this."

"Handle what?" Sirius asked.

"You are a pureblood, we need your help with something." Carter said going along with Severus, who was she to ruin the surprise?

"Alright, anything for you beautiful." Sirius said.

He followed her wondering why Severus came gliding behind him smiling evilly. Several first years on seeing him squeaked in terror and hurried along. Three fourth years all but snapped to attention and a seventh year girl watching him go by had some rather…interesting thoughts all not printable here. They came presently to the hospital wing where Carter filled Poppy in quietly of what needed to be done. It seemed everyone was in an evil mood where Sirius Black was concerned. Sirius took a seat and glared at Severus who refused to leave and grinned at Charity who smiled back.

"I need you to roll up your sleeve and put your arm on the table." Poppy told Sirius.

"Sure thing love." Sirius said rolling up his left sleeve and putting his arm on the table revealing a cross tattoo on his forearm. "What are you going to do?"

"Tie this off around your arm." Poppy said making a tourniquet to find a vein. "There you are dear."

"That kinda hurts." Sirius whined.

"Indeed." Severus said glowering fiercely as laughing right now would ruin his carefully maintained reputation.

"Poppy what is that?" Sirius asked in a small voice as Poppy got out the needle and small vials. "Wait you did not say you were going to stick a needle in me!"

With that he fainted, and Poppy put him on a bed and went about taking the samples needed. Severus found this funny but was able after years of teaching children and his incredible self control to not show any emotion and Charity thought his self control was adorable. Once Poppy was done she healed the small prick, then took out some vaccines and helpfully updated all his vaccines, human and doggy then she woke up Sirius and went about her work. Sirius sat up and glared at Severus who was now having an excellent day thank you very much.

"So you survive Dementors in Azkaban…"

"Shut up Snape…" Sirius growled.

"Escaped from said prison…."

"I am warning you…"

"Swam in dog form all the way to England …"

"Stop it now, I mean it!"

"Fought in the war against Voldemort…"

"Snape!"

"Only to be bested by a needle." Severus finished coolly looking at Sirius who was standing wand out fuming mad. "How ironic."

Severus walked out with Charity and Carter and decided that now was a good time to visit Hogsmeade. Charity smiled and went with him and invited Carter. They found O'Neill here talking to the headmaster and getting a few looks himself from several female students though he paid them no mind. Muggles were not normally allowed in Hogwarts but Carter and O'Neill were no ordinary muggles, they were part of a top secret organization themselves and understood keeping things away from the main population. They had even helped add even more security to the school and Hogsmeade (which were a part of the American schools already) and were more than welcome here. Dumbledore covered for them with the ministry by getting them registered as squibs. O'Neill thanked the headmaster for his time and walked out with Carter, Severus and Charity to Hogsmeade. It was really turning out to be a really good day for Severus.

The End

Charity is a Harry Potter character and if you have read the last story in my A Lioness series you will understand her role with Severus. That is the end of this story, Severus is home, he has two new friends and Sirius as a pureblood was needed for his blood. All is well for now, until Severus gets Married (yes he does in my last A Lioness story)!

Oh and do review and let me know what you think of the story!