Time stood still as Harry watched his father slip towards the door.  Another anguished scream came from the living room but Harry could scarcely hear it for the pounding in his ears.  For an instant he wasn't standing in the Grangers' townhouse, but in the Department of Mysteries, watching helplessly as Sirius fell through the Veil.

No!  It wasn't going to happen again.  He wasn't going to lose his father too.

Even as the thought flitted through his mind Harry drew his wand and flew to Severus' side.  Ron and Hermione were right beside him, their own wands drawn.

Severus glared at them.  "Do exactly as I say.  Now stay back."  His voice was low, barely above a whisper, but as sharp as a knife's blade.

He cracked the door to the living room and they could glimpse the terrible sight beyond...a burly blood-stained figure with matted grey hair crouched over Hermione's father, who lay on the floor, silent and unmoving, with streaks of blood all around.   Harry prayed that he was only unconscious and not dead. 

Mrs. Granger was the one screaming.  She too lay on the floor, a short distance from her husband.  She was not bleeding but writhed in agony.  A second man, tall, with a long cruel face and stringy dark hair stood over her, casually pointing his wand at her.

Harry could hear Hermione, beside him, gasp and saw her lips move as she aimed her wand, but Severus was quicker.  A jet of light shot from his wand as he silently stunned Fenrir Greyback and the monster collapsed in a heap.

With that, they had lost the element of surprise and the second attacker immediately aimed for the kitchen door.

But Harry and his friends were ready.  "Expelliarmus!  Stupify!"

The spells hit him simultaneously and the man fell to the floor even as his wand flew out of his hand.

The four of them raced into the living room.  Severus, with Harry following, went to kneel by Mr. Granger, who seemed to be in the more dire condition.  A long bloody cut ran down the left side of his face and his arms were a bloody mess.     

Hermione hesitated, looking between her parents. 

Ron touched her hand in comfort.  "Go to your dad.  I'll see to your mum."

Hermione gave him a grateful look before she slipped to her father's side.

"Is he...?"  Her voice shook and she couldn't finish the question. 

Severus ran his wand over Mr. Granger's head and chest before answering tersely, "He's alive."  He quickly ran through another spell, flicking his wand over the man's mangled arms.  Harry thought he recognized it as the same charm that Severus had cast to staunch the bleeding when Draco had badly injured himself back on Halloween.

Then Severus raised his wand and cast a Patronus, a silvery deer, not a fully grown stag like Harry's, but a younger deer, not much older than a fawn, just beginning to grow little stubby antlers.

"Albus, the Grangers have been attacked by Greyback and Dolohov.  Bring Poppy and come to their London home immediately."

The Patronus vanished as soon as Severus had finished speaking to it and he turned to look across the room where Ron had placed a cushion underneath Mrs. Granger's head and speaking quietly to her.

"How is she?"

"Pretty shaken up," Ron replied.  "I think Dolohov crucioed her, but she's able to talk and respond to me."

Severus nodded grimly.  "Hermione, care for your mother.  Ron, watch Dolohov and Greyback.  Perhaps add another spell to incapacitate them, just in case.  Harry, cast some more protective spells around the house.  Obviously, the old ones have been breached."

"There weren't any protective wards," Hermione whispered, looking stricken.  "Mr. Weasley spoke with them about it, but Mum and Dad didn't want any wards.  They said they refused to live in fear.  They didn't really understand about the war.  It's my fault, really.  I always downplayed it.  Actually, I never told them much about it at all.  It's my fault."

Her voice wavered and Ron, who had started towards the fallen Death Eaters, moved towards her, but Hermione shook her head at him and started to stand.

Severus plucked a vial filled with silver liquid from his pocket and handed it to Hermione.  "Give this to your mother."  Then he turned his attention back to Mr. Granger, casting some more spells over him.

Ron's gaze lingered on Hermione for just a second before he squared his shoulders and went to stand over Dolohov and Greyback.  "Petrificus Totalis!  Incarcerous!" 

He glared fiercely down at Dolohov as thick ropes bound him tightly.  "Bastard!  I hope you rot in hell."

Then he looked around at them all defensively.  "He almost killed Hermione last year.  He did kill my uncles in the first war."

They all simply stared at him but no one seemed to know what to say.  After a moment they turned away in silence, going back to their own concerns.

Harry took a deep breath before slowly raising his wand.  He had been studying protective wards in his advanced defense classes with Severus, and he had practiced casting them, but had never before had to do so in a real situation.

But the process was the same, he reminded himself.  He could do it.  He twirled his wand in a complex pattern, very carefully.  "Salvio hexia!  Cave inimicum!" 

Harry continued, slowly and carefully, not pausing even when Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey arrived.  He could hear their exclamations and voices as they talked with Severus, cared for the Grangers, and checked on the prisoners, but he didn't stop until he was sure the wards were in place.  Then he turned to find Madame Pomfrey and Severus crouching over Mr. Granger, smearing some green ointment on his wounds and bandaging them.  Dumbledore, Ron, and Hermione were a few paces away, with Mrs. Granger.  Harry went to join them. 

Hermione's mother, though still very pale and trembling, had managed to sit up, with her daughter's arm about her.  Dumbledore apparently had tried to question her about what had happened, but when Mrs. Granger tried to answer her voice broke and she covered her face with her hands, shoulders shaking.

"Never mind, my dear," Dumbledore tried to sooth her.  "We'll sort it out later.  Everything will be all right."

Mrs. Granger took a deep breath and raised a tear-streaked face.  "No, I'd rather talk now," she whispered, her voice so rough that it was hard to understand her.  "But Stephen...?

"Dad's alive, Mum.  Madame Pomfrey and Professor Snape are caring for him and they're very good at healing."  Hermione sounded as if she were trying to convince herself as well as trying to reassure her mother.

"Those horrible men," Mrs. Granger whispered.  She closed her eyes tightly.  "We were just finishing lunch...we'd eaten late...and suddenly they were there.  They called us names, filthy mudbloods?  Stephen jumped up from the table...he tried to protect me...but one of them just leaped at him and..."  Her voice broke again and Hermione held her close, bending her head next to her mother's.

"Just rest now, Mum.  It's going to be all right."

"I think it would be all right to help Mrs. Granger to the sofa if she wishes," Dumbledore said quietly. 

So they carefully helped her to lie down on the nearby sofa, with Dumbledore almost carrying her.  Ron got a soft duvet from a chair and gently laid it over Mrs. Granger.  Hermione gave him a grateful, though tearful, smile as she tucked it about her mother's shoulders.     

They were quiet for a little while until finally Madame Pomfrey left Mr. Granger and came over.

"Mrs. Granger, I'd like to run some diagnostic spells on you.  It won't hurt at all and it will help me to treat you." 

"My husband?  How is he?"  Mrs. Granger asked anxiously, craning to see her husband.  He was still unconscious but Severus had conjured a pallet for him to lie upon and he too was covered to the waist with a blanket, his bandaged arms lying limply on top of it.

"He's going to be all right," Madame Pomfrey told her.  "He's lost some blood, but we've taken care of that.  The one fortunate thing is that it's not time for a full moon."

Mrs. Granger stared at her blankly and Madame Pomfrey elaborated.  "That means that Greyback, the one who attacked your husband, is not in werewolf form so there's no danger of Mr. Granger being infected."

"Werewolf?"  Mrs. Granger turned to her daughter.  "They're real too?  All those creatures?"

Hermione nodded.  "Yes, Mum," she explained quietly.  "But werewolves are not that common and most of them take a potion so they're not dangerous.  Greyback's just...just particularly horrible."

"But there's no chance of Mr. Granger becoming one," Madame Pomfrey said.  "He may exhibit a few wolf-ish tendencies..."

"Wolf-ish tendencies?"  Mrs. Granger murmured.

"But it shouldn't be extreme," Madame Pomfrey continued briskly.  "A colleague of ours is a lycanthropic expert and we'll have him come talk with the both of you later.  Mr. Granger will likely have some scarring on his arms and he may need some therapy for nerve damage in his hands.  As he is a Muggle, I'm not sure how effective our ointment will be, but he will recover.  Now, if I may?"

She performed some scans over the still-shaking Mrs. Granger; then sat back.  "You're suffering the after-effects of the cruciatus curse, but the potion Professor Snape gave you is helping." 

She laid a soft hand on Mrs. Granger's arm and said gently, "I'm very sorry that this happened, but you should make a full recovery."

Dumbledore cleared his throat.  "Mrs. Granger, I would like to have you and your husband come stay in the Hogwarts infirmary for a day or two.  We can care for you as you recover and regain your strength.  We also need to discover how Dolohov and Greyback were able to break through the wards surrounding your house and make certain that everything is secure from now on."

"There were no wards, sir," Hermione explained in a pained voice.  "Mr. Weasley spoke with Mum and Dad about it once, but my parents didn't want it.  None of us really thought there was any danger anymore."

Dumbledore nodded, looking grave.  "Ah.  I am terribly sorry that this happened at all, but I am relieved to know that Dolohov and Greyback were not able to break through established wards."  He turned to Madame Pomfrey.  "Poppy, the Grangers are able to be moved to Hogwarts, aren't they?"

A short time later Mr. and Mrs. Granger were settled in the Hogwarts infirmary.  Dumbledore had remained behind, for Kingsley Shacklebolt, along with several other aurors, was due to arrive at any time to take custody of the prisoners.  Everyone else had accompanied Hermione and her parents to the school.

Mr. Granger was still unconscious and Madame Pomfrey said he was likely to stay that way for some hours.  Mrs. Granger was obviously very upset, and also weak and frightened so the medi-witch also gave her a strong sedative to help her sleep.

Hermione had been calm and soothing until then, but as soon as her mother's eyes closed, she burst into tears.  Ron immediately put his arms around her, though he didn't seem to know what to say.

Harry moved close too, and placed his hand on her shoulder. 

"It's going to be all right, Hermione," he murmured.  It should be, he knew.  Both Granger parents were alive and ought to recover.  But he also knew that it had been a terrible, terrifying experience, and it was no wonder that Hermione was upset. 

And knowing Hermione, she would also blame herself for not convincing her parents to have protective wards around their home, for not considering that they might be in danger.  Harry didn't think she ought to blame herself, but he knew she would.        

Madame Pomfrey bustled over and patted Hermione's arm.  "Harry's right, dear.  Everything is going to be fine.  Your parents will be all right and we'll make certain that they're safe from now on."

She pushed a vial into Hermione's hand.  "Now take this calming draught and I'll have a light dinner sent up for us."

Hermione started to protest, but Severus interrupted.  "Madame Pomfrey is right.  Missing meals will not help anything and we all need to keep up our strength."   

"I'll send for Molly and Arthur too," Madame Pomfrey decided, bustling away.

Harry was glad, for he knew that the solid, comforting Weasley parents were good people to have nearby when there was trouble.  Then he had a sudden, chilling thought.  What if Dolohov and Greyback had attacked the Burrow as well?

He glanced at Ron, knowing that he couldn't say anything and alarm his friend, too, but Ron must have realized what he was thinking.  He gave Harry a tight, grim smile and said in a low voice, so that Hermione could not overhear.

"There are wards around the Burrow.  Mum and Dad are fine."

Nonetheless, Harry thought that Ron looked relieved when his parents arrived safe and sound a few minutes later.

Mrs. Weasley immediately hurried to Hermione's side, comforting and reassuring her while Mr. Weasley spoke briefly with Severus and Madame Pomfrey.  Harry and Ron went over to them and Mr. Weasley smiled at the boys and reached to clasp his son's shoulder.

"You're all right?  Both of you?"

They nodded.

"I heard you handled the situation very well," Mr. Weasley told Ron.  "I'm proud of you, son."

"I'm not sure I would agree."  Severus glowered at them.  "I distinctly recall telling you all to stay back."

"But we couldn't let you go in there all alone!"  Harry protested.  "We didn't know what was happening."

"All the more reason for you to obey," Severus said sternly.

"You might have been outnumbered a hundred to one," Harry insisted, shivering at the memory of the desperate fear that he could lose his father, the person he loved the most in the whole world.  "You could have been killed!"

Before his father could reply, plates of shepherd's pie and a pitcher of butterbeer arrived for dinner.  Severus sighed, suddenly looking weary.  "We will discuss it later."

Madame Pomfrey conjured a table and chairs to stand in the wide aisle that cut through the middle of the infirmary.  As everyone went to find a place to sit, Harry moved close to his father and touched Severus' sleeve.

"Dad, don't be angry.  Please?  I was just so scared of losing you."

Severus put his arm around Harry, holding him close for a moment.  "I am not angry.  I am frightened of losing you as well.  But we will have a long and serious talk about the matter later."  

They were halfway through dinner when Dumbledore Flooed in. 

"How are Mr. and Mrs. Granger?"  He asked as he came to join them at the table.  Madame Pomfrey assured him that they were doing well and Dumbledore nodded.  "That's very good news."

He looked at Hermione, who was seated between Ron and Mrs. Weasley, and said kindly, "Miss Granger, I'm sure that your parents will recover quickly with Madame Pomfrey to look after them."

"Thank you, sir.  I hope so."  Hermione's voice sounded strained and she looked over at her parents with an anxious expression. 

"They will be fine," The headmaster reassured her.  "The aurors and I have cleaned up your home and restored it to rights.  I checked the protective wards that Harry put up and they are strong and secure.  I couldn't have done better myself."  Dumbledore looked across the table to Harry.  "Harry, I was very impressed.  Well done."

In spite of the serious circumstances and his deep concern for Hermione's family, Harry felt a sense of warm pleasure at Dumbledore's praise.  "Thank you, sir."

"I assume that Dolohov and Greyback are in custody now, Albus?"  Severus asked.

Dumbledore nodded.  "Yes.  Kingsley, Dora Tonks, and a few others arrived shortly after you left and they've taken them off to a secure location to await trial.  Kingsley questioned me, but they're going to need statements from all of you as well. 

"Will we have to testify at their trial?"  Ron asked.

"I don't believe so," Dumbledore answered.  "Dora Tonks will come by tomorrow afternoon to speak with all of you.  With your permission, she will record your conversations and that should be sufficient.  Of course there's not much doubt of their guilt.  They will both be tried on numerous charges.  I'm sure they will spend the rest of their lives at Azkaban."

There were general murmurings of approval and assent as they finished dinner.  Afterwards there was a debate on where Hermione would spend the night.  The Weasleys wanted her to come to the Burrow with them, but she insisted on staying at the infirmary with her parents.

"I'm not sure you should be alone, dear, after all that's happened today," Mrs. Weasley worried.

"I appreciate it, Mrs. Weasley.  I really do.  But I need to be here in case they need me," Hermione answered.

"Hermione will be fine," Madame Pomfrey spoke up.  "I'll be here so she won't be alone, and Hogwarts is perfectly safe."

Mrs. Weasley sighed.  "Well, if you're sure you'll be all right..."

"We'll come back in the morning," Ron promised as first he and then Harry hugged Hermione.

Harry was surprised, but touched, to see his father speak quietly to her as well, and even lay his hand on her shoulder.  Then he almost laughed at the dumbfounded expression on Severus' face when Hermione flung her arms around him.

"You saved my parents' lives, Professor.  Thank you."

It was one of the rare times when Severus didn't seem to know how to handle the situation.  He cleared his throat awkwardly.  "Yes, well, I think it's time Harry and I were leaving."

"It's been a long day and we all need some rest," Madame Pomfrey agreed.  She took Hermione's arm.  "Come, dear.  Let's set up a bed for you."

Harry and Severus left for home as the Weasleys said good-bye.  A moment later they were in Severus' sitting room and Harry felt more exhausted than he had in a long time.  It really wasn't very late, but as Madame Pomfrey had said, it had been a long day.  The excitement and fun of Boscastle and the Quidditch match had been wiped out by the horror of the attack, but Harry reminded himself, it would be all right.  The Grangers would recover and Dolohov and Greyback had been captured so surely everything would be all right.

"I guess I'll head on to bed.  Good night, Dad."

"Just a moment," Severus said firmly.  He indicated the sofa by the fireplace.  "I think we have a few things to talk about before bed."

Uh-oh.  In his exhaustion, Harry had forgotten that his father was angry with him.  Well, no, not angry.  He had said he wasn't angry.  But he wasn't pleased, definitely.

Seeing Severus' stern expression, Harry's stomach sank down to his ankles.  He hated it when his father was unhappy with him.  Fortunately that scarcely ever happened these days, but on the very rare occasions when something was wrong, it seemed almost unbearable to Harry now.

Reluctantly he went to sit on the sofa. 

Severus sat beside him and ran a hand over his face, looking as tired as Harry felt.  "Harry, I told you and your friends to stay back.  None of you paid the slightest attention.  You completely disregarded my orders and placed yourselves into danger.  You could have been killed."

Harry turned an anguished face to him.  "But you could have been killed too!"

"I am an adult and in case you haven't noticed, I am rather skilled at taking care of myself," Severus responded.

"But you didn't know what was in there, and I know we're just kids and we don't know everything."   A memory of his friends and himself being subdued by Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries swam into Harry's mind, almost choking him with remembered pain.  "But I couldn't just stand back and do nothing while you went into danger."

"I can't lose you too!  Like I lost..."  But Harry's voice broke and he stopped abruptly, pressing his hands to his face and taking deep shuddery breaths as he tried to push away thoughts of Sirius.

But his father's hand settled on his shoulder and his voice was gentle and concerned as he questioned, "Harry?"

And then Harry could not hold back the pain and grief of Sirius' death any longer.  He had denied those memories and emotions for so long, but now, for some reason, he couldn't do it anymore.  Perhaps it was the recent fear of losing his father, or his sheer exhaustion, or some combination of things. 

All Harry knew was that suddenly he was weeping.  Tears blurred his vision, but nothing could blur his memory of Sirius disappearing forever as he fell through the misty, mysterious veil to the afterlife.

Severus' arms went about him then, gently holding him close in comfort.

But Harry shook his head and struggled to pull back.  His father shouldn't hug him.  He didn't deserve comfort.  He had killed Sirius through his foolish actions, and he had disobeyed Severus today.  Perhaps he could have put his father into even more danger by doing so.  But if he had stayed back and something had happened to Severus, how could Harry have gone on living after that?  Especially if he could have prevented it? 

How was he supposed to know what he should have done?  He only knew that losing someone you loved hurt.  He had killed his godfather.  If anything happened to Severus, well...Harry might as well die then too.

Severus would not allow him to pull away.  "Shh, child." 

Harry shook his head again.  "My fault," he choked.  "It was my fault.  I killed him.  Because I was stupid and arrogant and reckless, just like you always said.  You should hate me!"

Severus held Harry's face between his hands.  "I love you with all my heart, son.  I could never hate you.  Don't you know that by now?"   

"But I killed Sirius."     

"Harry, you did not kill Sirius Black." Severus' tone was definite and even, leaving no room for argument.  "Bellatrix Lestrange did, and Voldemort.  Do you understand that?  You did not kill your godfather."

"But..."

"You made mistakes.  As I did.  As we all did," Severus continued.  His hands slipped down to hold Harry by the shoulders.  He leaned so close that their foreheads almost touched and his black eyes gazed intensely into Harry's.  "But nonetheless, we are not responsible for Black's death.  If you blame yourself, you are excusing those who are truly guilty."

Harry was crying too hard to answer and this time he didn't struggle when his father wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly.  He buried his face against Severus' shoulder and wept for a long time as his father stroked his hair and murmured soft reassurances. 

When his tears finally stopped, Harry kept leaning against Severus, feeling worn out and weak as a newborn kneazle.  Severus held him for a while, lightly running his fingers through his son's hair, until finally Harry looked up at him.

"Punish me, Dad.  Something really bad.  I deserve it."

But Severus shook his head and said softly, "I think you've punished yourself enough."

Harry's eyes filled with tears.  "But I deserve it.  Sirius..."

"Harry, I am not going to punish you for Sirius Black's death.  It was not your fault.  You should not have gone to the Ministry.  But I should not have made our Occlumency lessons so unpleasant.  If I had done a better job of instructing you, perhaps Voldemort would not have been able to send you visions.  Albus should not have cut off contact with you that year.  Perhaps if he had confided in you, you would have known not to trust those visions.  As I told you, we all made mistakes.  But we did not kill Black."

Harry desperately wanted to believe that.  But it was so hard to.  He just leaned against Severus again.

They were quiet for a bit and then Severus took a deep breath and continued.  "If I were going to punish you for anything, it would be for disobeying me today."  He sighed.  "But it was a difficult situation and I just do not have the heart to do so."

"You should," Harry whispered, his voice filled with pain.

Severus kissed the top of his head.  "In the past, I punished you unfairly on a few occasions.  One of those times can count for now."

It still didn't seem right to Harry, but he was too tired to argue any further right now.  He closed his eyes and rested his head on his father's chest.  Severus' steady heartbeat lulled him to sleep within minutes and he was not aware when his father carried him across the hall to his own room and tucked him into bed.