“Bellatrix.” Snape stepped out of his potions lab. His robes were still in his room and he was wearing muggle trousers and a long sleeved shirt. Both of black of course.

“Snape.” Bellatrix looked down at the child in her arms and adjusted her grip on him. She didn't want to hurt her son, Harry James Potter. The child looked up at her, he was still strangely silent.

“What do I owe to the honour of your presence? I thought you would have been gracing one f the cells in Azkaban with your husband.” Snape sneered. He had always disliked Bellatrix and he didn't try to disguise it.

“I need your help Snape.” Bellatrix stepped closer to him and showed him the child in her arms. “And my son needs your help.”

Snape raised his eyebrows. I thought that Bellatrix couldn't become pregnant. I was quite relived. The last thing we need are a few dozen miniature Bellatrixs running around. Then he saw the scar on the boy's head. “That's Harry Potter!” The son of James Potter.

“Yes Snape. He's my son now. And I need you to help me protect him.” Bellatrix really, really wanted to stay with her child. No Azkaban for me! She gently looked over her son. “And Snape, the muggles were horrible. I'm glad I got him out of there.”

“He was only there for a day and night. It can't have been that bad.” Snape looked at the child. His blanket was thin for November and his sleeper looked dirty and his diaper smelled soiled. On the other hand, she could be right.

“The muggle woman left him on the floor! She left a wizard on the floor! And she didn't feed him. There was more than enough food for her son, but none for mine.” Bellatrix was roaring in anger. But a whimper for Harry calmed her. “I'm sorry little one.” She smiled and covered his scar with her fingers.

“May I see him?” Snape held his arms out for the boy. He looked him over carefully. “He doesn't look well. Come with me.”

Bellatrix followed Snape into his potion lab. To her surprise it looked very similar to the classroom she'd taken potions in for seven years. A few cauldrons had fires under them and were bubbling happily. Bellatrix didn't recognise any of the potions in them.

Snape placed Harry on the empty table in the middle of the room. He normally used it for preparing ingredients or making large, complex potions. It was easily cleaned and had enough space that the child wouldn't fall off if he moved around.

“I want to care for him.” Bellatrix reminded Snape. “I want to be his Mother. To replace the mudblood.”

Snape's grip tightened on his wand. “If you want my help you will never insult Lily Evans again.” He spat at Bellatrix.

Bellatrix noticed at he didn't call her Lily Potter. “Still in love with her Snape? The pretty mudblood?”

Snape growled and cast a diagnostic charm on Harry. “He'll be fine. Just needs a few potions.” Then he cast a diagnostic charm on Bellatrix. “You can care for him.”

“What was that for?” Bellatrix asked. She didn't trust Snape that much. I'll have to trust him. Otherwise asking him to help me was useless.

“Here.” Snape thrust a goblet of potion at her. “He's young enough to still nurse.”

Bellatrix looked at the potion. I defiantly don't trust Snape's potions. He's made so many poisons for the Dark Lord. She looked back at Snape. “What is it?”

“Hormones. So you can produce milk.” Snape rolled his eyes. Honestly. If I wanted to kill her I wouldn't waste a potion. I'd just call the aurors.

Bellatrix swallowed the potion. Nothing happened. “Snape, you liar! It didn't do anything!” She was angry. Hopefully it wasn't poison.

Snape rubbed his head. Bellatrix gives me a headache. “Delayed reaction. It'll start working sometime tomorrow. Take this one.” He held out another potion. Please, just drink it.

This time Bellatrix didn't ask or argue. She just swallowed the potion.

Thank Merlin! Snape watched her closely. Seconds later he grabbed her before her head hit the floor. “Sleeping potion. What a saviour.” He levitated Bellatrix back into the living room and left her on a couch. Then he returned to his young patient.

Harry Potter hadn't moved. He stared at Snape with wide eyes when the man took him gently off the table. He gathered a few potion vials and took the boy into his own bedroom.

Most of Hogwarts would have been disappoint by Snape's bedroom. It was plain and empty. He kept most of his things in the lab or living room. There was no skulls or Death Eater flags. Just a bed and wardrobe. Even his desk was in the living room.

“Papa?” Harry asked. He hadn't spoken since the attack two nights ago.

“He's not here right now. I'm taking care of you.” Snape sat down and put the boy in his lap. I can't believe I'm being nice to the spawn of James Potter.

Harry started to cry. It was quiet at first, but he soon built to a high pitched wail. His fists balled in his blanket and he squirmed on Snape's lap.

“Shush.” Severus spelled the boy's dirty clothes off. “I'll help you.” He cleaned the boy and put him into clean clothes and a diaper. Then he picked up the first potion vial. “It'll make you feel better.” I hope he just drinks it. It's hard enough getting eleven year olds to drink potions. How is a 15 month old going to take it?

Sure enough Harry started to wail again when the nasty tasting potion touched his tongue. He spat it out and looked sadly at Snape. “Yucky!”

“I'm sorry child.” Snape took the vial in his hand and tilted the boy's head back. He forced the boy to drink the potions he had brought with him. The child wailed the entire time. When Snape had finished he looked up at him with hurt eyes.

“Yuck.” Then he settled into the man's arms. “Da!”

Snape almost fainted. The thought that a Potter would ever see me as his father. . . It was too astonishing for words. “Bedtime.” He transfigured some of his socks into a infant bed and placed Harry on it. A few minutes later the weak sleeping potion took effect and the baby fell asleep.

He left the room to deal with a much more unpleasant task. Dealing with Bellatrix LeStrange.

Bellatrix felt a strange, cool liquid flow down her throat. It filled her with energy and she sprung off the couch she'd been lying on. None of this lined up with her memories. She remembered taking a potion Snape had offered her. Then she'd passed out.

That traitor! He gave me a sleeping potion! I never should have come here! She spotted him on the sofa across from her and gave him the best glare she could muster. “The Dark Lord trusted you!”

“You are not the Dark Lord.” Snaped noted. Please Bellatrix, don't make me call the aurors. Harry needs a Mother and a Father. He needs you here, not in Azkaban.

But Bellatrix had a more pressing concern. “Where's Harry?” She glanced around the room as if Snape might have hid him in a bookcase. “What did you do to him?” Her voice rose dramatically. “Where is he?”

Snape sighed. “Potter is fine. He's sleeping.” He studied Bellatrix's face. She wasn't as angry as he had thought. “What is going on Bellatrix? You come through my floo in the middle of the night. You've got the Boy-Who-Lived with you and you claim he's your son. What is going on?”

“I know.” Bellatrix looked him in the eyes. Her Occlumency shields were as strong as ever. “I know that you work for Dumbledore. That you're going to escape Azkaban. I don't want to go to Azkaban Snape. I can't stand Dementors.”

“Fine.” Snape scowled. He stood up and made his way to one of the bookshelves that lined the walls of the room. “I'll tell Dumbledore you were a spy too. You'll stay free. I suggest you break your wand though.” He motioned to the holster on her arm. “It will hold too many Unforgivable curses to remove.”

Crack! Bellatrix snapped her wand in two. “Pity. I really liked that wand.” Then she looked back at Snape. “And what do you want? In return for helping me. I know you want something.”

“I'm not telling you know. You'll find out when I'm ready. You just have to swear to fulfil the bargain when the time comes.” Snape smirked. I seriously have no idea what I want from her. There's so much and so little. I want Lily back, but that's beyond her control.

Bellatrix felt a shiver run down her spin. Playing Slytherin again? How cunning. I just wish I knew what he had in mind. Out loud she agreed. “All right. I swear.”

“Will you make the Unbreakable vow?” Snape asked. He was watching her more closely now. If she refuses I cannot trust her. If she accepts then I will think about trust.

No! I really wish he was stupider sometimes. It would make everything so much easier. But she offered her hand to the Professor. “Why not.”

Snape activated the floo. “Minerva McGonagall's quarters!”

After a hushed discussion that Bellatrix heard nothing of McGonagall stepped through the floo. She almost stepped back into the fire at the sight of Bellatrix. “Her!” She turned accusingly to Snape. “You told me that. . .”

Whatever it was that Snape had said Bellatrix didn't get to find out. He grabbed her hand and pulled it chest high. “Take out your wand Minerva.”

“I know how to do this Severus.” McGonagall snapped back.

Snape looked Bellatrix in the eye. “Do you swear that you will full fill my wished concerning your side of the bargain?”

“Yes.” Bellatrix didn't hesitate. She been expecting that.

A flame of green fire flashed out of McGonagall's wand and wrapped around their wrists. But it didn't disappear.

There was a nasty look in Snape's eye now. And he was still holding Bellatrix's hand. “Do you swear to protect and care for Harry Potter as if he was truly your son?”

“Yes.” That was easy for Bellatrix to answer. She had already been planning to care and love him. She was already protecting him.

Another flame wrapped around their hands. Bellatrix tried to let go and pull her hand away, but Snape's grip was too tight. He had another promise for her to make.

“Do you swear, that if it should be necessary, you will forsake the Dark Lord and fight against him?” Snape stared coldly at her. If she wouldn't swear to it then she would always be a danger. And a security risk.

Bellatrix stared at Snape with open mouthed horror. He can't be serious! To forsake the Dark Lord! But for your son, anything is worth it. She reminded herself. She glared at Snape, but there was nothing she could do. “Yes.” Bellatrix snarled and pulled her hand from his as the flames disappeared.

“Thank you Minerva.” Snape smiled almost civilly. “I'd like to introduce you to the new defence against the dark arts teacher, Bellatrix LeStrange.”

“Black.” Bellatrix said suddenly. “I never really liked Rodolphus. It was an arranged marriage.” She explained at the other two Professors mystified looks.

“Severus, you can't do this!” McGonagall hissed to Snape. “Dumbledore's the only one who can hire people!”

“He needs another Defence professor doesn't he?”

“Well yes.” McGonagall admitted.

“Then there is no problem.” Snape said. “I have a professor and he has a job for her.”

“But she's a Death Eater!” McGonagall said, as if it was obvious.

“So am I.” Snape raised an eyebrow at his colleague. “I still teach here.”

“But. . .” McGonagall threw her arms in the air. “All right. I give up.” She gave Bellatrix a warm smile. “Welcome to Hogwarts Bellatrix.”