Albus sighed for what must have been the 5th time in only a few minutes or so, Fudge was an idiot the man really did lack sense. He could see the restless child out the corner of his eye and he felt for him he really did. They had been in here talking with the man for an hour now, and yet he was still asking what happen. Albus could see that Severus's right eye was beginning to twitch and he stifled a grin knowing that the man's little patience was also wearing thin. What part of volcano didn't the man get?

"So you're telling me that the protections at the most coveted school in the world failed against a simple volcano?" Cornelius asked out in disbelief.

"Yes that is what he said. The founders and everyone else after that who aided in the warding, made sure it was protected against magical attacks. They didn't think about the possibility of a natural disaster," Severus said in clipped tones as he leveled the man with a glare.

"I see," Fudge muttered flinching at the look the man was giving him. He understood it, it was just how was he going to explain this to everyone? It just seemed impossible when one thought about it. His musings were cut off, when he noticed the boy in the corner making his way towards them. He was well aware who this child was, but he hadn't gotten a chance to even speak to him other then a greeting, the old man had made sure of that.

"Snape? I gotta go to the bathroom," Harry informed his teacher. He was dying of boredom, he wanted to make sure all his friends were okay, but so far he had been stuck in here listening to silence and it was driving him bonkers.

"Thank Merlin," Severus breathed out, ignoring the look Albus was now giving him. But he was looking for a reprieve, Fudge was truly an idiot and he would take any break he could get. This one coming in the form of the child.

" It's Professor Snape Harry," Albus reprimanded gently.

"But he let's me call him just Snape," Harry said softly as he looked at the man silently.

"Albus it's fine. I know he means no disrespect," Severus told him as he stood up and stretched and grabbed the boy's hand.

"Alright then. But Severus, once you're through with Harry, if you can make your way to the conference room where the families of the Hogwarts students are waiting that would be great. I would like for you to read from this list. I just need you to separate the families from the ones whose children's survived and those who didn't. I don't wish to give them heir bad news in front of everyone. It causes resentment when they wonder why someone else's child lived but theirs didn't," Albus told him quietly.

The potion master nodded. "Will do," he promised as he pocketed the list before they disappeared out the office.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief when they were out the stuffy office, looking around the hallway curiously. "Are you gonna show the rat?" He asked softly.

"I am, but now is not the time, currently he has ingested the draught of the living death. And in order for him to be woken he has to be administered the antidote. He will not be running away anytime soon," he promised the boy.

"Oh okay, good," Harry said cheerfully before he pressed himself into the man's side. This place was crawling with reporters. He trusted the man as he had no idea where to even go.

"The bathroom is just up ahead," Severus told the child, making sure that the child's raven hair was covering the famous scar.

"Okay," he said cheerfully, just happy to be out of that small hot room. He grinned, pushing away slightly from the man, only to suddenly freeze as he saw a man with blonde hair appear in the same hallway. "Oh crap," he whispered out, hiding his face back into the man's side. He hadn't forgotten last year about Malfoy trying to kill him and his friends.

"Lucius," Severus said smoothly, hoping Harry stayed where he was quietly. He nodded as he greeted the man, who made his way towards them.

"What has happened exactly Severus?" Lucius asked cutting straight to the point.

"A Volcano erupted and the school was in it's way," Severus said dryly.

"I see, did all the students get out?" He asked quietly.

"Draco did, if that's what you're asking. I watched him floo home myself," he replied quietly.

Lucius nodded curtly, that's all he cared about was his son. He needed his heir to still be alive obviously. He wrinkled his nose as he suddenly noticed the child pressed into the man's robe, trying to figure out just who the boy was. "And just who is this young one?"

Severus glanced down at Harry and gave a half shrug. "A first year Gryffindor, he was with Albus and I in a meeting with Fudge," he sneered.

"I see and why do you have him now?" Lucius asked, his eyes glinting as he was dying to know just what was going on in that meeting.

"He's in need of the facilities," Severus said gesturing to the door about a foot away from the.

"Then I won't hold you, but I will floo you tonight. We have much to discuss, old friend," Lucius said before he briskly walked up the hall.

Harry turned to watch the man leave before shuddering. "I do not like him at all," he admitted out softly.

"That's fine, come on. We still need to see the families," he said was they walked into the bathroom. Once Harry had finished taking care of everything he walked with the boy to the conference room set up for the families. He could see Hogwarts student's in the mix of everything and everyone and he hoped that Harry would stay close. Casting the sonorous charm on his throat before he started speaking.

"If I can have everyone's attention. The headmaster has asked for me to read the names of the children who are accounted for. But before I do that, can I please have the families of the students I call, to come forward and make your way into the conference room across the hall," Severus told them as he took a quiet breath.

Harry grabbed his teacher's hand, his eyes clinched shut himself. Now he would get to see which of his classmates didn't make it. He wasn't ready for this, but he had no choice. He felt himself choke on the first name, squeezing his teacher's hand tightly.

"Finnegan, Clearwater, Goyle, Crabbe, McMillan, Finch-Fletchley, Chang, McDougal, Bulstrode, Edgecombe, Smith, Creevey, Bell," Severus read quietly, his jaw clenching the longer he read but he kept his face emotionless as the families made their way out.

Harry was crying in the man's side, some of those were his classmates, he would never see them again. Seamus was dead, and found himself choking on a sob, his skinny arms hugging his Professor's waist tightly.

"Harry," Severus breathed out quietly but really what could he say. He couldn't tell the child to stop, he was obviously grieving. He had to comfort him later because the last of the families of the deceased had exited and he addressed the crowd.

"I'm sorry," he blubbered out, trying to get control of himself. He willed himself, pretending that he was standing in front of Uncle Vernon and that man hated it when he cried. He managed it, quickly wiping his eyes and removing himself from his Professor's person. He was aware of the man turning to look at him.

"We are going to have a talk, I do not like that method at all," Severus told him sternly.

Harry was looking at him bewildered at his reaction before he sighed and looked at the ground. He couldn't do anything right it seemed. Trying not to think on the friends he had lost he listened closely to this one, hoping the rest of his friends were okay.

~*~*~*~*~*~St. Mungos*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Theodore glanced up at the brown haired man who he was currently using as a chair. His Professor hadn't complained even once and hadn't put him down. Not that he wanted to be put down, he liked this comfort but it was still very different then he was used too. He liked it, and he was glad that the man hadn't pushed him away because of him being a Slytherin. He stared harder at the man trying to make sense of that. As Gryffindor and Slytherins hated each other right?

"Is there something on my face?" Remus asked with a slight chuckle as the child continued to stare at him.

"No, I was just wondering something," Theo said ducking his head as he blushed.

"Anything I can help you with?" He asked curiously.

"Maybe, but you might get offended," he admitted.

"I won't get offended," Remus promised wondering what this was all about.

"I don't understand you Professor, I'm a Slytherin," Theodore stressed out.

"And I was a Gryffindor, your point being Theodore?" Remus pointed out.

"That's what I mean, Gryffindors hate Slytherins, and vice versa. Why are you so nice to me? Why did you save me? Do you want something in return?" Theo rushed out, looking at the man warily.

"No, I want nothing in return. I saved you because you are my student first, regardless of what house you live in. None of that matters in a life or death situation. You are somebody's child and I wouldn't be doing my duty if I turned my back on you," Remus told him seriously.

"Thank you," Theo whispered out softly, suddenly overcome with emotion.

"There is no need for thanks. I would do it again in a heartbeat," Remus said easily.

The little boy nodded trying to make sense of that, as he glanced over to the other side of the room. That was another thing that he was confused about, when the Matriarch of the Weasely clan had rushed in to check on the boy on the bed she had asked about him. She had even gone as far to hug him, he was well he wasn't horrified just surprised. What was it with Gryffindors and lack of no personal space? He contemplated that, not even noticing that his father had been standing in the doorway for the past five minutes or so, as he was lost in his thoughts. He sighed softly, turning to look at the sleeping boy on the bed next to his.

"When will he wake up?" He asked softly.

"A few days to a week I think, his magic was nearly burnt out. It was sustaining him until he could get the help he needed. It kept his body alive and nearly turned him into a squib. He's in a healing coma so that he won't waste unnecessary magic as his magical core is still depleted," Molly replied quietly.

"Oh," Theo replied softly because he didn't know what to say.

Molly gave him a sad smile before her eyes looked up to the man in the doorway. "Can we help you with something?" She asked softly.

"I'm Theodore's father," the man replied quietly as he stared at his son on the lap of a man who he knew to be firmly on the light side. Just what was going on here?

"Father," Theodore whispered out formally, before he hastily slid himself off of his Professor's lap, his bandaged arm sitting upright still as it was still spelled.

"What happened Theodore?" He asked a frown gracing his face. The people in the room knew exactly who he was, and what he was and he knew them. His son however was oblivious to it all and he would keep it that way as long as he could.

"There was a volcano and it erupted and it hit Hogwarts. Professor Lupin saved me, but I got burned really bad," Theo blurted out as he looked at his father's stern face.

"I see, are you alright?" He asked, his eyes betraying his stern face as they were warm and very much worried about his son. He had already lost his wife he couldn't lose his son.

"For the most part, my arm is really burnt and they said something about the nerves in it?" Theo said in confusion as he looked at his teacher in explanation.

Remus stood up at that and made his way towards the man to shake his head. They could put aside their differences for now. "Given the severity of his injury, and how hot the lava was it burnt him clear to the bone. It burnt all of his nerves in his hand, and his arm," he explained quietly.

"Oh my Merlin," Charles breathed out, his heart stopping for a moment. "It's his wand hand isn't it?"

"It is," Remus confirmed softly.
"Oh no," the man murmured under his breath unable to believe this. Because of his status as a death eater, his son was constantly in danger from both sides. He knew the Dark Lord would return but he would do everything he could to keep his son from it. His wife had hated the Death eaters and he had promised her that he wouldn't allow Theodore to follow his path.

"Dad it's not so bad, it could be worse. Greg and Vince are dead," Theo whispered out sadly.

"What?" The man choked out softly.

"They died today, and that's why I got burnt. I tried to save Greg but I failed," he confessed sadly as he wrapped his arms around his torso in self comfort.

Remus sighed as he looked from the child and back to the man warily. He hated turning his back on the Death Eater but he couldn't leave the boy wallowing in that grief and he hurried to the boy. "It is not your fault," he said firmly as he picked the boy up again.

Charles's eyes flashed up to the look at the man who was holding his son, but he didn't reach for the boy. It had been a long time since he had even hugged his child. His wife had done all of that and when she had died he and Theodore survived. His heart clenched at what his child had gone through and he felt the inadequacy that he might not be able to do anything to help him. But the man holding him could. He wasn't stupid though, he knew the Dark Lord would rise again and if his son had a protector on the light side he would be okay. He would be safe, and he looked up at the man in a new light.

"We need to talk," he told the man quietly.

"And we shall," Remus replied softly.

Molly was staring at the whole scene with wide eyes, unsure if they forgotten she was there but simply spelled a privacy charm around them and spelled the curtains around their side of the room and left them too it. She held her son's hand tightly, one hand brushing his hair back. She sniffled softly, before turning to look at the child in her side. Since she had gotten here Ronald had attached himself to her, and hadn't said another word. That was unusual and it had her worried but she didn't push him away. Why would she?

"Ron, would you like to go see where the Twins and Charlie have gone off too?" She asked quietly, just wanting to hear his voice. But she was disappointed when all he did was slightly shake his head, he didn't even look up at her. She knew then, it wouldn't be just Percy who struggled with the aftermath. Why them? Could this have been prevented?

On the other side of the privacy charm, Remus was laying the child in the bed, as a nurse had just walked in and didn't like the way his heart rate had gone up, she wanted him to rest. He nodded, letting her do her work and it wasn't long until the child was sleeping. He looked up as Nott spelled their side of the room and took seat.
"Let's cut to the chase. You know who I am, and what I was and who I will be. And I know who you are, and what your hiding," Charles started out quietly.

Remus unconsciously tighten his grip on his wand as he gave a curt nod to the man across from him. "I see, what is it you want?" He asked his tone gaining a steel tone.

"Theodore's safety," he replied simply.

"Would you mind elaborating on that?" Remus asked in slight confusion. The boy was safe now, they could clearly see that.

"There's going to come a time when the Dark Lord returns and when he does we will be both take our places on two different sides. I have no wish for my son to follow me," Charles said softly.

Remus took a breath, wondering what the hell he had agreed to listen too. This was not how he envisioned this talk to go. What was the man playing at? "I fail to see where I'm needed,"

"He trusts you, he's always had a good grasp on someone's character. So regardless of your status as a werewolf I will trust you with his life," he replied tightly. He was uncomfortable with this situation and asking for help but he needed to do it.

"So you're saying when the time comes, you want me to watch over him?" Remus asked bluntly.

"Not just when the time comes, now as well if you could," he admitted.

"And if something were to happen to you, you do realize that he would be going straight to your associates, as I have no legal say over him," Remus pointed out.

"Not yet you don't, but you will. I will not leave my son's life to chance. I love him far to much for that," Charles replied his voice thick with some type of emotion.

"And how will you do that?" Remus asked quietly.

"Simple really, I will make you his godfather," Charles said with a slight shrug.

"I'm a werewolf," he pointed out slowly as the man was slow.

"Oh I know, but I'm on the board and I'm the head of the Noble house of Nott. They will not contest it, not if I put it," he promised.

"I'm not sure Theodore will approve of this," Remus said quietly.

"He will, he would not have let you comfort him if he didn't," Charles said quietly. "I know my son,"
Remus didn't know what to say to that, so he didn't say anything allowing them to fall in a small companionable silence.

"I am in your debt, remember that. Thank you again for saving my son, I will return with the proper documents," Charles said standing up and giving the man a curt nod.

"Alright, I'll still be here with him," Remus promised as he watched the man silently walk out. He shook his head trying to clear it. What the hell did he just agree on? And why didn't he mind?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dean was holding tightly to Mrs. Finnegan's hand. Her husband had stayed home with their daughter and was awaiting news about his son. News that he knew the man would never ever want to hear. He hadn't wanted to go into the room that Professor Snape had told them to go into knowing what coming. He had been horrified beyond belief when he heard the last names of some kids that he had classes with and was friends with.

He shook his head, trying to shake the thought away. He wondered what was taking the man so long. He turned to look at the group in the room, some of them had hope in their eyes and he couldn't look at them for long. If he was right and he had a hunch he was then this was group of the families whose kids didn't make it. He swallowed thickly finding himself drawn to a woman who seemed to resemble that 7th year girl who had saved him. He was sure he knew who she was but for the life of him he couldn't think of her name. He tried to pull away from Mrs. Finnegan but she wouldn't let go.

He simply sighed and pulled her along with him as he made his way to the couple, the woman who was clutching something tightly in her hand. As he got closer he could see that it was a picture, but he couldn't see who was on it.

"Excuse me, can I see the picture?" He asked softly.

"Do you know my Penelope?" She asked quietly as she quickly moved her hand so he could see the photo. He was unable to stop the gasp from escaping his throat and he felt his knees buckle.

"Dean! Dean? What's the matter honey?" Ailis called out worriedly as she held the child up.

"That's the Head girl, how did I not recognize her? How didn't I know?" Dean was mumbling incoherently to himself, his eyes stinging as they tried to fill with tears.

"Yeah we are very proud of her. She worked so hard for this," Robin Clearwater replied with a proud smile at her daughter's achievement.

"Yeah," Dean replied softly as he grasped the hand in his tightly. "I need to tell you something Ma'am,"
"What is it?" She asked curiously.

Dean ran his free hand over his eyes as he gathered himself again. He could just leave this to Professor Snape to do but the man had no way of knowing how the girl died. Didn't her parents deserve that? Especially when she saved him, he owed them and her that much. He sniffled hard bracing himself to deliver another set of bad news.

"I don't know if you want to hear this, but I feel that you deserve to know," Dean said quietly as he fought back tears again.

Richard Clearwater suddenly got a bad feeling in his stomach, and was about to tell the boy that he didn't want to know when his wife spoke. She wanted to know.

"When the lava got inside Hogwarts, some of us had to take to the ledges on the castle to keep from getting burnt," he started off.

"Was this after Seamus?" Ailis asked softly.

"Yeah," he replied allowing his tears to fall at the mention of his best mate. "And um there was a couple of other kids standing on the ledges too with me. But it was hard, and it was so small to stand, and I almost fell off," Dean continued quietly.

"You did? Oh god, I don't know what I would do if I lost you both," Ailis replied softly, knowing that their families were very close and that Dean's mother would take Seamus's death just as hard.

"Yeah, I almost died too, but this girl saved. She pulled me back on the ledge and I was able to hold on again. But I couldn't remember her name at the time, fear and adrenalin took over," he said quietly.

"It was Penelope?" Richard asked softly, even if he already knew the answer.

"Yes sir, I didn't even get a chance to thank her. Because when I turned around, she was falling too, and I couldn't her like she got me," Dean cried out softly.

"So you're telling me, my daughter fell?" Robin managed to choke out.

"Yes Ma'am," he said before he started crying in earnest again.

"Oh dear god," Richard breathed out, before he engulfed his wife in a hug, as she started crying gut wrenching sobs.

"I'm sorry, I just thought you wanted to know how. So when the Professor comes in you won't end up wondering," he whispered out sadly before he turned to bury his face in his Mrs. Finnegan's robes. "I hate this, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news anymore, it hurts so bad," he sobbed to her softly.

"I know it does honey, and I'm sorry you had to witness all of this. I wish I could take it all away from you," she told him sadly.

Severus exited out the conference room where the atmosphere was cheering and overjoyed as relatives celebrated that their children were alright. His heart was heavy at the thought of having to deliver this particular news to the room across the way. He could feel the child pressed against him again and he didn't want to do this with Harry.

"I don't wanna do this," Harry told the man with a pout, unknowingly having the same thoughts of his Professor.

"I know, I don't want you here for this, but I can't leave you out here," Severus told him apologetically.

"Maybe we can see if," here Harry trailed off as he looked down the hall. "Headmaster!" He called out.

Severus blew out a sigh of relief, and walked halfway to meet the man, holding out the parchment to the old man. "I've separated the families and the ones with the deceased children are in there waiting for us. However I think it would be better if you deliver the news. Harry doesn't need to hear any of this, and I need to go to St. Mungos to check with Minerva," the man said quietly.

Albus nodded, he knew he had to bear this burden and he was fine with it. It was small price to pay for failing his students, his children when they needed him the most.

"We will see you later," Severus said as he walked down the hall with the child, intent on flooing to the Hospital.