Sacrifices Keeperoliver Chapter One

A/N: I wish to ackowledge someone I learned to admire before start this. It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to Alan Rickman, who passed away after his fight with Cancer. Many of us remember him just for playing Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. I remember him for many other movies he starred played quite a few bad characters in these movies, but he also played some good roles as well.

I am going to try and portray him in this story as a good person from the start. I know many thought of him as evil and had no admirable traits, but I didn't see it that way. He carried his love for Lily until the end and hoped he would soon meet her in the here after.

I have to start this now, before I forget about it. Reminising will continue very soon. I have the next chapter written and will post it in a day or two, after I check it out. As always, Ollie the Keeper saying goodbye to a hell of a good actor. Peace be with you Alan Rickman.

Sacrifices-}

Severus Snape knew an attack was planned for this evening, and he tried to get to the Potter residence and warn them of the attack, but he was unable to because Lord Voldemort gave him an assignment that took too much time for him to do anything. By the time he made it to the Potter residence, he was already too late. He watched as Black handed the child to Hagrid and then they both left. He heard as Black made his comment before departing, "I'll find you you rat, and when I do, you'll pay for this with your life. Pettigrew, you won't know what hit you." and he left.

Severus made his way into the house and saw Potter on the floor in the den, dead. He had been hit with a bombarda curse and it wasn't a pretty picture. He left the den and made his way up the stairs. He saw where the second attack took place and went to the small room at the end of the hall. What he saw there took his breath away. First he saw Lord Voldemort lying on the flor, dead as well. Then he saw Lily lying on the floor in front of the crib that held her son. He went to her and picked her up into his arms and cried for the only person he ever loved.

She seemed so fragile in his arms as drew her to his chest. She had her eyes open and there was no fear or shock in them, only love for the person she protected. Severus put her down gently and closed her eyes. He then made a promise to her, "I will protect your son because it is what you wanted my dearest Lily. I will make sure that he will be raised correctly by someone that loves him. He will not end up in the arms of those muggles. I will watch over him as he grows and enters Hogwarts. He will not suffer at the hands of anyone if I can help it. I will start this evening by getting him away from the Dursleys before they even knows he is there." He stood up after the kiss and felt the kiss deep in his heart and it hurt worse than a Cruciatus Curse. He then turned to the body of Voldemort and cursed it to a half life if he should ever return, void of any feelings he could have. Severus knew what this curse meant. If he should return, he would be more animal than human.

He then left the house and went to where Hagrid took the child and when he got there, he saw Dumbledore leave the child on the doorstep of those wretched muggles, and then the three left together, with Minerva complaining all the way about what he did with the child.

Severus went to the bundle on the steps and looked around to see what kind of protection was left in place. He saw that an Oblivious was in place for any wizard or witch who went near it. He saw where a blood ward was put in place as it's supposed greatest protection, but knew it would be useless because love was needed to keep it going. Severus knew there was no love beyond the door behind the bundle.

He thought about what he could do to hide the fact that the child would not be living here. He decided to enter the house and use an Imperious on it's occupants. He found the two adults in the master bedroom and used it on them to make it seem like Harry was still there. He left and then went to the child's room and used it on him to think he really had his cousin living with him and his parents.

He left the upstairs and when he was on the lower level, he spelled it to leave traces of Lily's son as if he were actually living there. Once he was done, he left and picked up the bundle and went in search for the idiot Black before he did something everyone would regret.

If Sirius knew he was being looked for, he would not have left a trail a child could follow. He didn't care who was after him. All he cared about was finding Peter and making him pay for betraying James and Lily. He had just left the Pettigrew residence and went to the next place he thought he might find him. What he found was even more confusing. He landed outside The Boarshead Inn and Snape was there waiting outside the door, holding a bundle in his arms. Before Sirius could do anything Severus called out to him, "Don't be an idiot all your life Black. Think for the first time in your life. What happens to this child if you do what you are thinking of doing?"

"What are you doing with Harry, and how did you find him?"

"Dumbledore is a silly old man that has more faith in people than anyone else I know. He thinks those muggles would give Him a place he could call home. I know them and they are not the kind of people to show love to anyone outside their own immediate family. The protection he put around the house would fail not two years after the child was there. Is that what you want for your friends child, to be brought up in a home where he would be used as something lower than the dirt we walk on?"

"Why should you care about Harry? You hated James and me from the first time we met."

"No, it took a few moments for me to get to hate you both. However, Lily was the only person I ever cared for. When I found her in front of the crib of her child, I made a promise to her that he would not be put into a place he would not be loved. He is your responsibility since you are his god father. You were going to leave him there and go looking for Pettigrew to kill him for what he did. That means you were not the secret keeper and he was."

"You're right and I need to find the rat and put things straight."

"Would you listen to yourself. Potter and Lily are dead. There is nothing you can do for them. But there is something you could do for their child, yet you would rather go looking for their betrayer and settle the score. What happens if you find him and kill him. You go to prison and the child is left with the Dursley's as their plaything, to do with him as they please. Use your brain man. Take the child and go somewhere to raise him right. Find someone to help you that has more sense than you."

"Why don't you raise him if your so worried about him? I need to make the rat pay for what he has done to my friends."

"Let someone else take care of that. You have to let the Ministry know that you were not the secret keeper and Pettigrew was. They have to know that you are the child's legal guardian. Why am I talking to an idiot as if he were a man?"

Sirius dropped down to the ground holding his head. He began to cry and babble on, "He took the only family I ever had. He took the only people I loved. He doesn't deserve to live."

"No, he doesn't, but the child does. How well do you think he'll do living with Lily's sister and her husband? I don't give him much of a chance of living a normal life if he lived there. Of course he won't have much of a normal life living with you either, but at least he will be loved."

Sirius looked back up at Severus, "Lily had a bigger impact on you than I thought. You do make sense, but I don't know anything about bringing up a child?"

"And there is no one else you know that does? Hell man, what about your cousin? What about the Weasleys? Who is the child's god mother?"

"That's right, Alice and Frank can take care of him?"

Now Severus lowered his head, "I'm afraid that is not possible. They were attacked as well this evening and they are in St. Mungo's ward for the uncurables. Isn't there anyone else?"

"Lily and Selena were friends, but her husband is not one I think of as a role model. The Weasleys are having a hard time of it with what they got. Look, Let's go someplace warm so that Harry doesn't get sick." and they decided on the Leaky Cauldron for the evening.

They got a room and Harry was placed on the bed as Sirius and Severus continued to talk. "Tell me something, why can't you call Harry by his name?"

Severus tried to think of his answer so that it would come out right, "It's difficult for me as I know the child belongs to Potter."

"It also belonged to Lily, and you said you loved her. Why is it so hard for you to think of Harry as hers?"

"Because he looks so much like his father."

"Have you looked at him? If you did you might think differently. Harry has features of both of them, but his eyes are all Lily's. His nose is all Lily's. There is just as much of Lily in him as there is James. Go on, take a look and see for yourself."

Severus unwrapped the baby and saw where it was still sleeping. He did see where his nose was like Lily's and so was his chin. His complexion was James, as was his hair and cheeks, He would have to wait to see the eyes, but he didn't doubt Black as he couldn't lie about something like that. As he looked down on the child, he saw where he was wrong in thinking of Harry as being a clone of Potter. Then he saw the scar on his forehead and worried about it. He took out his wand and cast a spell over the scar and when he found out the results he cursed, "Son of a bitch, the bastard did it to him. How the hell are we going to to be able to tell him what it all means?"

"What are you talking about Severus?"

"Are we on a first name basis now Sirius? Look, I just found something that means that Harry has to die in order to defeat Lord Voldemort, when he returns."

"What are you talking about, I saw his body lying next to Lily's and he was dead. And what is this about Harry has to die in order to beat him if he returns?"

"Not if, when. He has made a horcrux of Harry. There is a piece of Voldemort's soul in the scar of Harry's. There are only two things that can destroy a horcrux and they are Basilisk Venom and Fiend Fyre. Now tell me how he can live after being subjected to either of these?"

"And you're sure of this? Harry is definitely a horcrux?"

"I'm sure and I think Dumbledore is as well. That was why he was trying to hide Harry away from the magical world. Now do you see where Harry has to be protected?"

"I'll need help. I think Remus could be of help, but I still have to find someone else to help care for him. Remus and I will have to put our heads together and see what we come up with."

"You at least have someone that has some common sense about him. You should be able to come up with something. I need to get back to the castle and pretend I got some sleep before the school day starts. Good luck with Harry. He is going to need it for what he has to face. I will check back with you when ever I get the chance, if you let me know where you settle down at."

"I will as soon as we figure it out, and Severus, I Know we didn't get along in school, but I hope you can look past that. And thank you for setting me straight on my responsibilities."

"Believe me, if it wasn't for Lily, I would not be here with you. She was the only person I ever loved. I messed up greatly in school and this is my one chance for redemption with my grief. But, I know you cared for her and her husband, as you do for Harry. Let me know something as soon as you know." and Severus left Sirius and Harry there in the room.

Sirius sat down at a table and began to write a list of the women he knew that he thought could help him with Harry. His cousin Andy was one. Molly Weasley was two. Selena Lovegood was three, but it would be hard for Remus if she were the one. From there, it got harder. He tried to remember all the girls from school he favored, and none of them seemed right. He put the feather quill down and decided it was a good time to get some sleep. Unfortunately Harry thought it was time to get up and he had to find him something to eat and something to use for a nappie.

When the sun came up, Sirius decided to return to the one place he hated more than anywhere else except maybe Azkaban. Black Manor. It was well protected and even though he hated to do it, he would ask Kreacher to help him until he could find someone else to take up the care.

It was like he figured and Kreacher was not happy to see Sirius back and even less happy about having to care for a child. But he had to do as his master asked and would watch the child while his master was gone off somewhere.

It was thirty five days before the relief came in the return of Remus from the continent. It took four days for Remus to get over the grief of losing his two family members as that was how he thought of James and Lily.

When he was finally able to help in the care of Harry, Sirius began his search for a mother figure even harder. Andy didn't want the extra responsibility because of her daughter's own problem. Being a metamorphmagus was difficult for Dora and it took most of Andy's time. Ted did what he could to help, but being a muggle born wizard, he didn't have much knowledge of the needs for his daughter.

Both Molly and Selena had babies of their own and could not help with Harry.

Both Remus and Sirius were stumped as to who they could get to help, when Kreacher asked Sirius something. "Master, Kreacher is not happy about this, but he would be willing to watch over the young one while you and Master Remus were off doing something. Kreacher has helped so he knows what needs to be done."

"Why would you do this Kreacher. You don't like me and could care less about doing anything to help me?"

Both Sirius and Remus saw the elf kick around his foot on the floor and lower his head before he spoke again, "It is just that the child needs help and Kreacher can do this. He may not like his master, but he should not let a child suffer because of this. Kreacher will take on the role you ask. If my master agrees that is?"

Sirius looked at Kreacher, trying to figure him out, then he hit on it, "You like him don't you Kreacher? You like little Harry and you are afraid to admit it. You old softie you."

Kreacher looked shocked at what his master just said. He was about to deny it, when he thought better of it and told him the truth, "Kreacher may have had good feelings about the child. But this is not why he is willing to help. He does it for his master."

"What ever you are doing it for is fine with me, Kreacher, and I'm sure Remus appreciates it as well. I have a lot of work to do about letting the Ministry know that I was not the secret keeper for James and Lily. We wanted you Remus, but we didn't know when you would be back and we wanted Harry protected. Albus even told them he would be their keeper, but they thought it had to be a friend. We screwed that up big time. Lily wanted to wait until you got back, but Voldemort was beginning to get stronger and we couldn't take that chance."

This was when Remus asked about Severus. He wanted to know why he had the change of heart towards the Marauders.

"It wasn't for the Marauders Moony, it was for Lily. He admitted to me he loved her and how bad he felt after our fifth year. He wanted to help her that night, but Voldemort wanted him to do something for him and it took longer than he wished, and by the time he got there, it was already over and Hagrid had Harry, bringing him to Dumbledore. He went up and said goodbye to Lily and promised her he would make sure that Harry would live a normal life." Sirius went on with the story of his talk with Severus and even included the Horcrux.

As he ended the talk, he had a question for Remus, "What do you think about finding another place to raise Harry?"

Remus thought about the Portrait of Sirius' mother. How dark it was in the manor. How Sirius hated it here so much it made him sick. "But where else is there that could be as secure as it is here?"

"Well, I was thinking. What about the Potter estate? James loved it so much, that when his parents died he couldn't look at it that way anymore. He could not stand being around all those memories. It's safer than here. Why his mum and dad left it is a mystery we may never solve. What do you think?"

"How will Kreacher take it? He loves it here, because it is where he lived for so long, caring for your parents."

"He will go where I go."

"You can't be that cold Sirius. You need to ask him if he would like to go with us to care for Harry. If you force him to go, then things may change in his mind."

"He's an elf and he must go where his master tells him. He'll get over it."

"Maybe, but how long will it take him? You hate it here as much as he loves it here. If you move to the estate, the the roles are reversed. He will hate it there and you will love it there. He has to agree with the move, then he has nothing to complain about."

When Kreacher was asked if he would move with them to the estate, he asked if he could visit it before he made up his mind. Sirius had to get the Potter Family Ring from James' vault and he had to use Harry's blood in order for this to work. It was not something Harry liked and he let them all know he was not happy. Only Kreacher could get him to calm down and Remus saw where Kreacher was a bigger influence on Harry than anyone thought. Once they got the ring it was only Harry that could get it to work. Remus had to help there as he took him from Kreacher and tried to get him to talk, "Harry, do you want to go home?" all that came out was gibberish from Harry. "Harry we need to get you home, can you say that?" more gibberish came from Harry.

Kreacher took him back and talked with Harry, "Does Master Harry wish to see his new home? Kreacher would like to see it."

Harry looked at Kreacher, then he said, "Home." and it was all it took for them to be pulled to the gates of Potter Estate. Kreacher took Harry's hand and placed it on the gate for it to open. Then they walked to the front door and once again Kreacher used Harry's hand to help him open the door. Once inside, the darknes in the home changed and the light from all the candles being lit magically allowed them to walk through the home.

The Manor was a large home that gave all the visitors a feeling of warmth, including Kreacher. He stood still and just turned in his spot and looked at all the splendor. Harry was watching as Kreacher spun around and gabbered away in his own language. He seemed to like everything he saw. Then they began to move through the home and looking at all the different rooms as they passed them. A library that was bibber than the Black library. A game room with a snookers table and a card table.

The kitchen was four times bigger than the one in Black Manor and Kreacher had to pass Harry on to Remus so he could go look. Sirius looked to Remus and asked, "I wonder if Kreacher trusts me with Harry? He is always passing him on to you."

"Do you blame him?" Remus laughed.

"Why should I? I love Harry as much as you and him do. What's not to trust about me?"

Remus just rolled his eyes at Sirius as if to say, "You need to ask?"

Kreacher came back to Sirius and said, "Kreacher agrees with master that this house is better for young master Harry. He will move with you." and that was all it took for all four to move in to Potter Estate.