I'll be honored if anyone thinks J.K. Rowling wrote this.

PROLOGUE

Severus Snape took a sip of the bitter black coffee to help stay focused. The weekly staff meeting was winding to a close but he had learned long ago that even momentary inattention could result in missing key information. Though this was a routine meeting towards the end of the school year, old habits died hard.

Minerva McGonagall straightened the papers in front of her and looked around. Snape noticed she seemed to be nervously avoiding looking in his direction and he began to grow suspicious. "Finally, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement just put out the official announcement of the fifth annual Victory Day celebration, scheduled for next Thursday. Aurora," she continued, looking at the astronomy professor, "will be Acting Headmistress while the rest of us are at the Ministry."

Snape instinctively put a blank look on his face. He felt the stares of the others but looked only at the Headmistress.

McGonagall stood up. "Thank you all." Turning to Snape she added, "Severus, would you be available for a few minutes to come to my office?"

Snape bit back a retort and merely inclined his head. "Of course, Headmistress." Once in the hallway, though, his anger erupted. "What in the bloody ..."

"Not here, Severus," McGonagall interrupted. Snape pinched his lip together but kept quiet as the two made their way to the Headmistress' office. He pointedly took a seat in front of her desk and waited for her to speak.

McGonagall eyed the more comfortable chairs in front of the fireplace, but sighed and walked to the chair behind her desk. As she sat down, a pot of hot tea and two cups appeared. "I know you don't want to go, Severus. You've avoided it for four years now by volunteering to be Acting Headmaster while Filius and I go to the celebration. However, you need to return to the public eye. If you stay here for any longer, it will look like you're hiding something or, worse, that you don't believe the wizarding world should be celebrating."

"We should be remembering, not celebrating," Snape said bluntly. "I gave twenty years of my life to the cause. I don't recall anyone from MLE helping me. In fact, the two times I was in its clutches, after both Death Eater wars, I was manhandled and vilified." He deliberately glanced at McGonagall's Order of Merlin, which was prominently displayed on a bookshelf by her desk before returning his gaze. "I was told in no uncertain terms I was lucky to escape Azkaban, and truthfully that was – and is - enough reward for me. I did what was needed to be done to get the information the Order needed. Furthermore, I have no desire to be Headmaster again, or even Deputy Headmaster, and so to be told that I would be forever ineligible for either position is truly no hardship. I'm satisfied with being the Slytherin Head of House and the occasional Acting Headmaster when you and Filius are both gone, and feel I am making progress with re-integrating my House into Hogwarts. There are very few people whose opinions of me matter to me. To go to a party to be some, some display is a terrible idea!"

The Headmistress sighed and took a sip of tea as she tried to find the words to convince the Potions Master. "The longer you take before you appear in public, the harder it will be when you eventually do so. Severus, the invitation was to the Hogwarts staff, and that includes you. I want you to be there."

Snape leaned forward in his chair. "Who is the current Director of MLE?"

McGonagall inclined her head and put her cup down. "I'm surprised you don't know. It's Victor Madley."

Snape did not attempt to keep the bitterness from his voice. "I do know, and I detest him. He was the one in charge of my interrogation after the death of the Dark Lord. He was needlessly brutal. As much as I hate to be in debt to Potter, if it wasn't for him, Madley would have called in the dementors instead of sending me trial. He sat through the proceedings, hearing the testimony exonerating me. Even so, as my shackles were vanished after the verdict was announced, he told me that he would be watching every step I made for the rest of my life. He's kept his promise. I know he's appeared in front of the Board of Governors to prevent me from receiving any pay raises or recognition. If potions weren't a critical subject, I'm sure he'd try to get it to cut it from the budget completely just to spite me instead of merely underfunding it. Somehow I don't think he'd be eager to shake my hand at the reception and the feeling would be entirely mutual."

The Headmistress became thoughtful. "I always suspected the reason potions was underfunded was because of something like that. I didn't realize it was because of Madley. How do you know it was him?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Just between us, Lucius keeps me informed." He sipped at the tea.

The Headmistress looked disgusted. "It's amazing Malfoy's still on the Board while you've been so restricted in your movements."

Snape smiled grimly at his boss. "Ah, Gryffindors – after all this time and you still don't believe that money can talk."

McGonagall snorted. "In any case, Severus, my mind is made up. You need to start appearing in public again."

A sudden sound of a throat being cleared made both look up to the portrait behind the Headmistress' desk. "If I may?" asked the wizard in the picture.

"As if I could easily stop you," grumbled McGonagall. "Please try to stay focused on the topic, Albus."

"Of course, my dear. I merely want to give you my perspective as is my duty. Severus, my boy, Minerva is right. You cannot spend the rest of your life looking like you are hiding here. Minerva and I know that you are not. Between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, you are content, needing nothing more than this castle, a good apothecary, and a well-stocked bookstore to be happy. But if you do not start appearing in the larger wizarding community, I fear that this home will be taken away from you. Lucius Malfoy is your only firm ally on the Board, and he cannot protect you indefinitely. I keep track of Board deliberations. Victor has spoken to its members more than once and has convinced some of his opinion. I fear it is only a matter of time before he turns the rest of the Board against you. By you appearing in public, it will be much more difficult for Madley to spread his lies. Please, Severus, listen to Minerva."

Snape sighed. He had too much respect for both his predecessor and successor to ignore their advice. Putting down his tea cup on McGonagall's desk, he stood up. "Very well. If that it all, Headmistress, I suppose I must get my dress robes ready."

THURSDAY EVENING

The professors from Hogwarts arrived together outside of the Ministry of Magic where the MLE was hosting the celebration. Snape could feel the looks directed at him as soon as they walked through the door. He felt McGonagall's hand clench his arm as he tried to casually drift into the shadows. "None of that now, Severus. Stay by my side as I mingle. I want your company."

Snape softly snorted. "You don't get enough of it at school?"

McGonagall hid a smile as she pulled at his arm. "How could I ever get enough of your charming personality? Come, now, we need to pay our respects to Victor."

"I obviously need to work harder to come across as obnoxious if you so crave my company. Strange, no one else here seems to think I'm irresistible. In fact, most look like they are avoiding me."

"To be fair, you have been avoiding them for years, Severus." The two made their way through the atrium, crowded with witches and wizards in dress robes, McGonagall casually greeting the few people who came up to them. The crowd seemed torn. While they were eager to greet the esteemed Headmistress, they had no desire to be near the Potions Master whom most had studied under at one point in time, even without the knowledge of his Death Eater past. Only a few were brave enough to risk Snape's notoriously acerbic tongue to approach them. Even those people were lost for what to say past a quick casual greeting when the response was the Potion Master's glare, and they hastily took their leave. Dodging the media as well as avoiding floating trays of drinks and canapés, the pair soon found themselves near Madley.

When the Director of Magical Law Enforcement saw the Headmistress out of the corner of his eye, he quickly turned and, giving her a warm smile, enveloped her in a hug, carefully keeping his drink upright. "Minerva! As always, lovely to see you!" As he turned to the Potions Master, his posture stiffened. "And Snape," he added icily. "I didn't expect to see you here."

McGonagall gently squeezed Snape's arm, signaling him to be silent. She smiled at Madley. "Victor, it's been too long. I hope things are going well for you. Isn't it nice that another hero of the war can make it this year? I know Severus is happy to finally have a chance to be recognized."

Madley and Snape stared grimly at each other. A click and a bright flash of light caused the Director to look up. When he saw that a hovering camera was pointed at a couple to his right, he motioned to his aide to keep it away from the three of them. He looked quickly around and noticed people gazing at them.

"I'm onto you, Snape. If you think you can get a photo with me to rehabilitate your reputation, you're wrong," Madley hissed, so softly that only the two of them could hear him. He grabbed Snape's left arm and pulled him close. Whispering he added, "I know what's on your arm Snape. I saw it. I heard Potter's testimony, but I know what you really did. You've never paid for your crimes and I won't forget. Those reporters will soon have a big story, and then you're next on my list."

McGonagall straightened and spoke just as softly. "Victor, Severus may not have gone to Azkaban, but he's made his penance. You heard the exonerating evidence. You know the hell he went through to get us the information we needed to win the war."

"I don't need you to defend me, Minerva." Severus looked at Madley and kept his voice low. "I did what was required of me. I've been acquitted of all charges. I don't wish anything from you other than to be left alone."

Madley glared at the Potions Master. "Just watch your step, Snape. I don't make threats. I make promises." He released Snape's arm and spun around. His eyes were attracted by the resplendent imperial yellow robes of a nearby witch who was standing next to a wizard dressed in bright ruby red. Recognizing the couple, he paused and then loudly called out, "Leala! Taylor! How wonderful you could make it! How are the two you doing?" He embraced them briefly and then quickly moved on to greet a young wizard in tartan robes who had just entered the room.

"Well, that was just lovely. Let's do it again sometime," Snape snidely muttered to McGonagall.

She smiled at him. "On the bright side, we can avoid him now for the rest of the night. Let's find someone more amenable to talk to. Look – there's Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione."

Snape stopped himself from rolling his eyes, conscious of the attention on them. "Wonderful," he said dryly, "I can't wait."

McGonagall gently poked him. "You can't fool me, Severus. I know you get along now. I've heard you even occasionally have dinner together. Play nice."

Snape inclined his head, and the two walked towards their former students.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON - HOGWARTS

The next afternoon, the Headmistress was at her desk looking through some records when the floo flared to life. From the flames she could hear a voice. "McGonagall, this is the MLE. This is an official call. Open your floo to visitors."

Curious and a bit alarmed, McGonagall confirmed the call was in fact coming from the Ministry and opened the floo. To her astonishment, six uniformed aurors stepped through, including Harry. The leader of the group was an older man whom the Headmistress remembered had been a Gryffindor approximately two decades ago, graduating just before the first Death Eater War. She nodded to Harry, who looked unhappy and avoided eye contact, and then walked over to the man. "John Peakes, isn't it? How have you been?" she asked, shaking his hand.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm afraid I'm not here on a social call."

"I wouldn't suspect you'd come unannounced for tea with five fellow aurors in uniform," the Headmistress said dryly.

"No, ma'am." Peakes suddenly seemed to realize he was acting as a schoolboy and stood straighter. "We're here on a sensitive matter. We need to speak to Severus Snape."

The Headmistress raised her eyebrows. "Severus? He's teaching a class right now. I'll contact him as soon as the bell rings."

Peakes took out his wand but kept it pointed at the floor. "I need to talk to him immediately."

McGonagall's stomach began to clench. "Very well. I'll send him a patronus telling him you're here."

Peakes shook his head. "No, just tell him to report to your office immediately."

The Headmistress pursed her lips. She could hear mutterings from the portraits around the room. "Mr. Peakes, this is highly irregular. Can you at least tell me what's going on?"

Peakes looked around before focusing again on McGonagall, ignoring the stares directed at him from the pictures. "Victor Madley is in the hospital, critically ill. He was poisoned last night."

"That's horrible," the Headmistress gasped. "But surely you don't think Severus did it?"

"He's the best suspect."

McGonagall turned to Potter. "Harry, you don't honestly think Severus would do something like that, do you?"

Peakes interrupted before Harry could respond. "Potter is not the lead on this case; I am."

"Nevertheless, I want to hear from Harry."

Peakes glared at the young wizard. "Potter forced his way onto this team. I agreed to accept him only if he agreed to follow my lead precisely. He will not make any judgment as to guilt or innocence or act in any way so as to hinder an apprehension."

Harry looked uncomfortable, but nodded without saying a word.

"Very well." The Headmistress summoned her patronus and told the silver tabby to tell Snape that his presence was required immediately in her office. "The password to the office," she added, "is English Breakfast."

As soon as the patronus was sent, Peakes ordered his people to spread out and get their wands ready. Four spread out around the edges of the room. The fifth person left the office and went down the stairs. Only Harry kept his wand pointed down; the others pointed theirs toward the door ready to cast.

McGonagall shook her head. "Surely this is not necessary, Peakes. I know Severus will cooperate if asked."

"I disagree, ma'am."

The Headmistress sighed. "At least let me meet Severus outside my office and brief him as to why you are here."

Peakes adamantly shook his head. "And give him a chance to run? I can't allow that. He's a slithery snake."

"It's a long way between here and the gates from which he can apparate," McGonagall pleaded. "Even if he did try to run, the auror who just went downstairs would catch him. Besides, where would he go? This is his home."

Harry cleared his throat. "If I may, sir?"

Peakes whirled towards Potter. "What?" he growled.

"I know you are going by standard procedure, but you know Snape's background. If he comes in this room and sees wands pointed at him without expecting it, he may respond violently. Yes, we'll take him down, but unless we do so with the first spell he's going to cause damage. If you let the Headmistress meet him just outside her door and tell him aurors are waiting for him, he won't instinctively start shooting hexes as soon as he sees wands pointed at him. He'll come peaceably, which will look better for everyone."

Peakes looked disgusted. "Are you willing to bet your career on that Potter? Are you willing to be fired if you're wrong and he escapes?"

Harry lifted up his chin and looked Peakes in the eye. "Yes, sir." McGonagall gave him a slight nod and an approving smile.

Peakes turned to the Headmistress. "Very well. You may meet him outside this door. However, leave the door open. You may tell him we are here. You may not tell him anything else."

McGonagall nodded in agreement. With her lips in a tight clench, she opened her door and waited. After a few minutes, the rotating steps began to move and Snape slowly appeared.

"Headmistress, what is the emergency? I had to end class early, banishing the potions the students were working on." His eyes were guarded, his posture tense.

McGonagall gently put her own hand on Snape's wand hand. "Severus, there are five aurors inside. They want to talk to you. Please cooperate. I promise I won't let anything happen."

Snape glowered at the Headmistress. "I assume they came with the one that is lurking in the corridor trying to be inconspicuous. Can you tell me why I have been summoned?"

"I can't say. I'm sure everything will be quickly cleared up, but if you offer any resistance it will only cause trouble. For me, Severus, please don't overreact. Whatever you do, please don't draw your wand." She nervously eyed the doorway.

Snape grimly nodded. As soon as he had heard the patronus, he knew to expect trouble. If the unusual summons alone hadn't been enough to put him on alert, the password the Headmistress gave him was – he knew the current day's password was in fact "Blackberry Mojito" and "English Breakfast" was an old Order code phrase warning the listener to be vigilant but not to attack. He had spent the time walking up from the dungeons occluding his mind to a level he had not done since the end of the war.

As he entered the office, he took in the four wands pointed in his direction; he noted in a different part of his mind that Potter's wand was still pointed down and hence not an immediate danger. He walked stiffly to the chair in front of the ornate desk and gracefully sat down carefully ensuring his wand remained sheathed and his hands visible. Behind him he heard the footsteps of the auror that had followed him up the stairs; Snape assumed correctly that meant yet another wand was pointed directly at his back.

"What can I do for you, gentlemen?" he asked Peakes, who was the obvious leader of the group. Harry thought he had never heard "gentlemen" pronounced so sarcastically.

Peakes arrogantly sat on the edge of the desk. McGonagall pursed her lips. Peakes scowled at Snape. "Victor Madley was poisoned last night. He's in critical condition."

Snape forced himself to look vaguely interested rather than as if he were desperately calculating his options. "I gather a bezoar didn't work. I would have thought that the potioneers at St. Mungo's could brew the antidote. MLE didn't have to send six of you to ask me to lend a hand but of course I will be happy to do so. Can you tell me the symptoms?"

Peakes leaned forward. "I bet you know what they are. The poison was dragon dew. After he collapsed last night shortly after returning home, aurors went back to the atrium. Fortunately, the room was still being cleaned up. We detected the poison in the cup from which he had been drinking."

Snape allowed himself to look slightly alarmed. "That's not good. Concentrated dragon dew is usually deadly. The cure requires runespoor egg yolk. I don't have any here as its uses are extremely limited. I assume you'll be escorting me to St. Mungo's so I can assist the potioneers there."

The auror scoffed. "Stop playing games with me, Snape. You're under arrest for attempted murder."

Snape had been expecting that. "And why, may I ask, am I suspect?"

Peakes smiled grimly. "You have the motive – everyone knows that you hate Madley."

"I don't deny that. However, if I killed everyone I disliked then Hogwarts would be closed because there wouldn't be enough people to populate a new generation of students." McGonagall shook her head; his sarcasm wasn't helping.

Peakes sneered. "You also had the opportunity. You were close to him at the celebration last night. You could have easily slipped something into his drink."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "The celebration was far from exclusive. Half the wizarding world was there, and from what I saw Madley must have embraced most of them."

"But how many had the means?" Peakes asked triumphantly.

Snape merely shook his head. "Far too many. Dragon dew should be a class four substance, available only to Potions Masters. Instead, it is class two because it is a useful catalyst in several common brews which means that anyone who passed the potion's NEWT can legally obtain it. Seventh year students learn how deadly it can be in a concentrated form. Concentrating it takes time and knowledge, but nothing that is beyond the skill of a moderately talented witch or wizard."

"So you don't deny you know how to poison someone using dragon dew?"

"Use your head. I am a Potions Master. Don't you think if I wanted to poison someone that I would use an undetectable substance?"

"Perhaps. Or perhaps you would use something that more available and obvious in order to deflect suspicion."

Snape leaned back. "Let me get this straight. Because I am a Potions Master I would use poison to kill someone, rather than, say, one of the dark arts of which I am aware and which would incriminate some of the more nefarious elements of society. However, I would deliberately use a heavy-handed method that would result in an obvious diagnosis of poisoning rather than one far more subtle which would result in the appearance of a natural death just so others could also be implicated."

Peakes looked triumphant, as if Snape had confessed. "Precisely! Motive – opportunity – means. You may have gotten away with murder in the past, Snape, but you won't slither out of this one."

"May I say a few words, Mr. Peakes?" asked a new voice. In his frame, Dumbledore, who had been following the events with dismay, leaned forward.

Startled, Peakes whirled around. He recognized Dumbledore from his own time as a student at Hogwarts and instinctively stood up straighter. "Sir?"

"Thank you," the picture said, taking Peakes' interjection as permission to speak. "By the way, congratulations on your success as an auror. I've heard have worked your way up to become Mr. Madley's deputy."

Peakes looked discombobulated. Somehow he had lost control of the conversation. "Thank you, sir." He recovered his poise. "But this is not the time to get caught up in old times. I need to transport this felon to the Ministry to be processed for Azkaban."

Snape was thankful he had his shields in place and kept his face blank. McGonagall, on the other hand, looked furious. Potter was almost successful in appearing emotionless, letting out only small tells of dismay. The others merely looked grim.

Dumbledore's soft smile faded away. "As you wish. However, I would like to point out a few things. First, Severus has been absolved of any past actions, and hence cannot be thrown into Azkaban without a trial. If you insist on taking him, he must be held at the Ministry. Just as importantly, he has brought up a very good point. I peaked in at the celebration last night. Several hundred people seemed to be enjoying themselves. Surely others were there who also are not enamored with Mr. Madley's fine record besides Professor Snape."

Peakes snorted. "Victor is probably the most respected man in the Ministry. He's as honest as the day is long."

Dumbledore nodded. "So I have heard. Of course, I won't point out that winter days in London tend to be very short. However, I agree that while he is seemingly incorruptible, I would point out that being so does not necessarily make a person liked by everyone. Some prefer those who can be bribed, and some resent those who have put their friends and relatives away. Certainly there are others who would wish to poison Mr. Madley."

With conviction, Peakes shook his head. "The celebration last night was for the heroes of the war, not for the outcasts of society. Snape never bothered to attend the annual celebration before because he knew he didn't deserve to be among the honored." Ignoring the attempts of Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Potter to break in, he continued, "Do you really think it was just coincidence that the year Snape comes is the year the Director is poisoned?" He glanced at Snape before turning back to the portrait. "The list of invitees was carefully screened. No one there posed a threat – no one but Snape." He turned to once again face the Potions Master. Menacingly shaking his wand at Snape, he snarled, "Now, are you coming quietly or do I have to put you in a body bind?"

Snape considered his dismal options. He could possibly fight his way out though the odds were against him, but then what? He had a bolt hole he could disappear into, but while that would have been attractive in the past, he liked his life as it currently was. He did not desire to lose all he that had painfully built up in the past five years. On the other hand, a trial could go either way. He could be found guilty based on his reputation alone, and he seriously doubted he would survive even a short sentence in s Azkaban – too many of its inmates hated him, not to mention the guards.

As he was deliberating, McGonagall walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Severus, I promise I'll help you beat this absurd charge." With a very brief glance at Harry, she added, "I know for sure your other friends will help you too."

Snape looked into her eyes and, after a slight nod from her, used legilimency to scan her thoughts. He found himself warmed by her utter conviction in his innocence. Her complete acceptance of him despite their occasional rocky background made up his mind. He was willing to risk Azkaban and the dementors in order not to disappoint her belief that he would do the right thing - even if it was based on a very Gryffindorish trust in the justice system.

He nodded and stood up. "Very well." He turned to Peakes. "If I may?" With Peakes' consent, and as the aurors watched carefully, he extended his right arm and slowly withdrew his wand with two fingers of his other hand. He then carefully placed the wand crosswise on his upward-facing palm. He winced as Peakes yanked it out of his outstretched hand. Peakes then grabbed Snape's shoulder and spun him around. One of the other aurors threw in some floo powder and announced, "Ministry holding cells." Two aurors went through first, and then Peakes, keeping a firm hold on Snape, roughly shoved the man into the flames. Two other aurors immediately followed.

Alone with McGonagall, Harry finally spoke up. "I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall. When I heard this was going down I forced my way onto the team to make sure all was done within regulation. I promise I'll keep an eye on him. Everything is circumstantial, but finding unbiased jurors will be hard. I'm concerned he'll be convicted by reputation unless we find the true murderer. I'll make sure that the investigation is done properly and that all leads are thoroughly investigated."

The Headmistress let her distress fully show. "Please, Harry. We abandoned Severus in the past. He's built a good life for himself since he's been freed from the demands of two masters." She glanced at Dumbledore, but he remained silent. "He's single-handedly restoring the Slytherin reputation. He's making it possible for students in the House to be seen as something other than criminals in training. He's giving them a future. Just his arrest will cause an uproar. If he goes to trial, all that he's accomplished will be destroyed; even if he gets off he will be seen as evading the law, not achieving vindication. That would devastate him. Help him."

"I promise, Professor." Harry turned to the fireplace. He glanced back to the Headmistress before stepping in, but couldn't think of anything else to say.

This will probably be a three part story, with chapters posted once a week. Reviews are appreciated!