Disclaimer:

I do not own the characters of Harry Potter, these belong to that wonderful author JK Rowling and the various publishing companies used to publish her works. I am however borrowing them, no not to make money but for fun and fun only.

Summary:

AU, in Harry's third year at Hogwarts he finds out that Sirius Black is his godfather and an innocent man, Wormtail did not escape and was captured by Severus Snape and brought to face the ministry. Having enough of how Harry has been raised so far however is one Minerva McGonagall and he is sent to live with her for his own safety.

Now some things will be cannon, they could be nothing less. Based on DH Dumbledore and Snape are more boss and employee. They are friendly but Snape never calls him Albus. Snape is cannon in his emotions and the way he acts as far as I see him in the books. He is a complex man and wonderfully so in his emotional range. I am cleaning this up and reposting it, too so there are changes to this story but not too many. Those who have read it before might be confused but it's just a repost of an old loved story of mine.

There will be some minor (and when I say minor I mean minor) corporal punishment. I do think there are times a child needs a few good swats on the rear as it can sort a child right out. Religious themes will be here too as I believe in God and would like to think that many in the magical world would too. They do celebrate Christmas and Easter after all.

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Prologue:

The Dementor glided over the grass feeling the creatures before it, humans, it knew the word, in fact it knew many words. It could not speak, nor see but it could hear and feel and it always felt hungry. It was not mindless as many would think, no the Dementor knew full well what it did was not right but did it anyway. It could not be happy and could only take a hallow happiness from those it could torment. It called it's fellow Dementors and they glided over to where their feast awaited. Two were not worth much, two men hallow and wore out with hard living. But the third, ah he was worth much, so very much.

This was a young man, a child with feelings as sharp and pure as they could get. The Dementor nearly shivered in pleasure at what it was going to do. It could not help itself and it went over to the exquisite feast and swooped down. He had to have all of the boy, he was his to take and he lifted up the now limp terrified boy and threw back it's hood. It would take all the boy had and it swooped down feeling the terror of the boy and it was like a rich wine, the soul would be a good meal. Then there was a flash, a bright light and the pain! The torment! It dropped the boy and fled the painful burning thing along with its fellow demons…

Severus Snape came too in the shrieking shack with one thought on his mind, that of murder. He was going to kill three Gryffindors, no that was not right, he could not harm the Weasley boy as his mother would wish to do that herself, who was he to stop a mother from that task? The girl, well she had followed the brat-who-lived-and-made-his-life-hell and that was who he was going to kill now. Snape groaned at the pain in his head but that would wait, Potter was going to feel much more when he was done with him. With that thought he stormed out of the hut, down the tunnel seeing that Potter had got his cloak before he left with that damn traitorous werewolf and Sirius Black!

Down the tunnel he crawled and he came out and looked around for the children, then he looked up seeing the full moon. Oh joy there was a werewolf on the loose without his Wolfsbane. He was going to have a werewolf rug on his office door when he was finished with Remus Lupin, of all the stupid idiotic things for him to do to forget the one thing that could keep him safer than normal. Severus clutched at some silver in his pocket and drew it out. It was not much but it should help, he turned to the lake and thought he saw a flash of light, carefully he made his way to the lake wand out and dread filled his heart at the sight of three limp forms. He looked around for the Granger girl and the Weasley boy but did not see them. He shone his light down on the prone figures of Sirius Black, Harry Potter and good heavens! Not Peter Pettigrew! Harry was not out cold he was curled up sobbing so badly he was shaking all over. It was clear something had happened to the brat and he would deal with the brat's punishment later.

"Potter get up!" Snape snarled reaching down for the boy who just curled up. "Potter you silly child get up, or are you too hurt to do so?"

"D-Dementors…tried…kiss." Potter said before he continued to sob.

"Let's get you up to the castle, it is not safe here." Snape said trying to sound more gentle though he wanted to take the brat over his knee. "Or would you rather stay here and wallow in your misery?"

"Y-yes s-sir." Harry said getting to his feet unsteadily. "N-no sir."

Snape wished he had chocolate, no not because he wanted to reward the brat but because it would calm the brat down. Potter was in no shape to help him and he wanted the brat to stop crying! He wrapped ropes around the two adult wizards and levitated them before him while he helped the brat up to the school. He was greeted by a very worried McGonagall and when she saw Harry she helped get the boy to the hospital wing. She wanted to stay with him but knew that there were questions that had to be answered. This was why she led Snape and his two prisoners to an office on the ground floor. Dumbledore joined after seeing to the brat and his friends in the hospital wing. Severus stunned the then had the two bound to a chair. Minister Cornelius Fudge joined him and looked from one to the other.

"How, are they working together to get at Harry?" Fudge asked.

"That is what I intend on finding out." Dumbledore replied. "Severus can you get some Vertaserum?"

"Yes headmaster." Severus said heading out, his head would wait, he did not need to burden any with his wounds now.

"If it was not Sirius than Peter, but how could he?" McGonagall asked looking pale. "Peter such a sweet boy, so smart and kind he would not harm anyone!"

"That is what I want to know." Fudge replied grimly, "one or both betrayed the Potters and I intend to find out which one."

Snape came back with the Vertaserum and gave it to Dumbledore who used it on both wizards and woke them up. He questioned them and it became clear that Sirius Black had allowed Peter Pettigrew to be the Potter's secret keeper. In the end it was decided what was to be done and a plan was put in place, there was no doubt that Sirius Black was in danger if it was found out at this time he was alive. He was too weak to defend himself and no doubt there were others ho would want him dead or worse. Pettigrew would be taken to Azkaban and it would be said officially that Pettigrew had been kissed by a Dementor, he was still needed for information so a kiss was out of the question. Of course Fudge had to play politics and he would but Sirius would be free and cleared while Peter was thrown in prison where he belonged. Before Fudge had his prisoner taken away he turned to Snape.

"I will see that you get a Metal of Merlin third class." Fudge said to Severus before he left the room. "Least I can do for you professor Snape you saved a lot of lives tonight."

"Thank you minister." Snape said bowing slightly. "The children are my responsibility no matter the house or how annoying they may be."

"Let's get Sirius to a private part of the hospital wing." Dumbledore said quietly. "Severus you will want to have your head looked at."

"It is nothing headmaster." Snape said refusing to show how much pain he was in. "You should tend to your Gryffindors sir."

"It is not up for discussion, you could have a bleed and not know it." McGonagall replied. "Poppy has chocolate for you too, you will need it after tonight."

"Very well, but I do believe that is a bribe." Snape smirked.

"You are impossible young man." McGonagall retorted.

Snape walked out of the room and went up to the hospital wing after some more bantering with McGonagall. He came up just as Dumbledore finished checking on the children and he went in. He saw Harry was already asleep as was Ron, Hermione was not and when she saw him she looked embarrassed and apologized to him as he walked by. He said nothing to her, he was too upset at the moment, or that is how he looked. Inside he was grateful that she had the sense to be apologize, as for the brat-who-lived, well at least he would not have to see him this summer at all. How wrong he was…

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