Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A special thanks to The Lonely God With a Box for beta'ing my story.

A/N: Here is chapter 20. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Chapter 20

Harry sat on the floor in front of the couch for the rest of the evening. Sirius watched Harry from the doorway. He just couldn't understand it. How could things be so different now? Not two years ago, Severus was ready to send him to the Dementors and Harry was defending him from the bat. Harry even hexed the potions professor in order to protect him, somewhat. Sirius could still remember the fear he was feeling when Harry pointed that wand at him. But when he attacked Snape, Sirius knew that he had his best mate's son back. It was James back with him again. Defending him against Snape, and having his back.

What on earth happened? Sirius thought. Now look at him. Harry was sitting there in constant vigil. Harry won't talk to Sirius, not that Sirius tried after Remus told him to leave. Sirius actually kept his distance.

Harry stood up to stretch his legs when he saw his godfather standing in the doorway. They both looked at each other neither one saying a word. Harry just didn't think that Sirius would hurt him like that.

“Can we talk, pup?” Sirius' voice was quiet.

Harry looked at his godfather and then down at Severus, who was still unconscious from the hex that Sirius put on him. Harry looked back at Sirius.

“What do you want?” Harry sat on the other end of the couch that Severus was laying on.

“Pup,” Sirius said walking in the room. “You have to know...”

“Why did you attack him?” Harry's voice was void of emotion. He just looked at his godfather standing in front of him. “He did nothing to you.”

“Pup,” Sirius knelt down in front of Harry. “Severus is not a good person. There's a mutual hate between us. We've never liked each other.”

Harry looked at his godfather. He didn't understand what he was feeling, but he knew that his godfather just hurt him.

“You know what I think,” Harry said looking at Sirius. “I think that most of the problems that you say you and he had was because of you and my dad. For four years, that man has hated me, and I never really knew why. I never understood. I remember the first time I saw him, he looked at me with disdain. And the first day of potions, even though I was really looking forward to it, it went horrible.” Harry closed his eyes and shook his head at the memory of his first Potions class. “All the kids told me that Professor Snape was really strict and that you had to take good notes when he gives his lectures. So that first day, I thought I was ready. I took notes and wrote down everything he said until....” Harry looked over at his teacher and then back at Sirius who was still kneeling in front of him. “The tone was set for our relationship. He berated me for not paying attention. Sneered at me calling me the new celebrity. Then he asked me questions that not only I didn't know, but the only one who did from the entire class was Hermione. I always wondered why he hated me so much. Then I learned about my dad, and in my third year I learned about you and Remus. You know I was really excited when you said that I could stay with you. No more Dursleys. No more Number 4 Privet Drive. You were going to take me away from them. But then you couldn't, and that hurt.”

“Pup what are you telling me?” Sirius asked.

“I'm getting to it,” Harry continued. “Then the fourth year came and so much happened. Voldemort's return. Cedric dying. Me seeing my parents.” Sirius looked incredulously at Harry and his admission. “And then, back home again. I had to go back to them. You know I hated it there. But you know, the weirdest thing happened while I was at my relatives.” Harry looked over at Severus and then back at Sirius. “Two Dementors came to Surrey.” Sirius' brow creased. “And do you know who saved me? He didn't have to but he did. Professor Snape. He then saved me again, when he went against Headmaster's orders. Headmaster told my Professor to take me back to my relatives. But he didn't. He took care of me. He stayed up with me when I was sick. He held me. He was good to me. I told you that. In the letter, I told you. And what did you do? You hexed him. You called him names. You were nothing but a bully to him. And he stood there and took it. If it wasn't for him, I'd probably be dead.” Harry shrugged his shoulders at his admission. “You know, I've learned one thing about bullies and being bullied. They never change. If they were a bully as a child, then they will be a bully when they get older. You are a bully. Which probably means that my dad was a bully too. And now I know why Professor Snape hates me. I look like James Potter. You've said it. Remus has said it. Mostly everyone that knew my dad has said it. Between you and my dad, you most likely made his time at school a living hell. I should know, because I'm paying for your heartlessness. I get bullied by my relatives. Just to come here and know that there is a teacher that hates your guts, and with good reason. I look like his tormentor. Even though what he did was wrong, I completely understand it. I am a young James Potter doppelganger. Trust me, when I get older and a see a boy that looks like my cousin, I would probably treat them like Professor Snape treated me.”

Sirius looked at his godson. He didn't know what to say. How could he soothe the anger from the child. An anger that he, himself, put on him. Here was his godson, sitting, keeping vigil to the slimy Slytherin, but showing him no love. How could he screw this up so much? Sirius thought.

“Harry,” a voice said from the doorway.

Harry and Sirius looked over at the door and saw Remus standing there.

“Harry, come get something to eat,” Remus said.

“I'm not hungry,” Harry tuned and went back to watching Severus.

“Harry,” Remus' voice was neither harsh or cold. “You need to eat something. Severus will be fine.”

“Please eat something, pup,” Sirius pleaded.

Harry looked from Remus to Sirius. He really didn't want to leave his Professor, but he guess he really didn't have a choice.

“I promise,” Remus said. “He will be fine. Come on.”

Harry stood up and walked around Sirius. Harry gave him a wide birth and walked to Remus. Sirius put his head down. He got up off the floor and followed Harry and Remus to the kitchen.

They went into the kitchen where Remus had a light lunch prepared. The three wizards sat in silence as they ate. Well, two of them ate the teenage boy just moved his food around.

“Pup,” Remus softly said. “Try and eat something.”

Harry looked at Remus and picked up his turkey sandwich and took a bite. He was so worried about Severus that the food didn't taste right in his mouth. It felt like lead in his stomach.

“Harry,” Remus voice was soft as not to rile Harry up. “Can you tell us why you are staying with Severus?”

Harry looked up at his godfather and his favorite professor and wonder if he should really confide in them. He hadn't really talked to Professor Snape about what happened. He only told him a few things. He always thought that he could confide in his godfather, but after what happened earlier, now he wasn't so sure. Yes, he cared for Sirius and Remus, but even though he couldn't understand it, he cared for his professor more. Maybe it was because of the circumstances around them now. He spent more time with Professor Snape than he did with his godfather.

Yes, his godfather was a window to his parents, as was Remus, but when Sirius hexed Severus and wouldn't let him speak, he just couldn't understand it.

Harry looked at the two adults and without saying a word shook his head.

“But, pup,” Sirius argued. “You have to tell us what is going on.”

Harry looked back up at his godfather. Sirius saw the hurt in the boy's eyes.

“I really don't want to talk to a bunch of bullies right now,” Harry said.

A familiar drawled baritone voice sounded from the doorway.

“You should not be that hard on your dogfather, Harry.”

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Minerva woke up to find herself laying on a small cot in the corner of a very damp and dark room. She had no clue where she was. Slowly she sat up and rubbed her temple. She had the worst migraine. It was a pain that she had never experienced before and hoped that she will never again. The movement of just sitting up was enough to cause her to feel the bile coming up the back of her throat. She knew she should probably lay back down, but Minerva McGonagall was not one to lay about all day and do nothing. She rubbed her hand across her eyes in hopes of soothing out the pain from behind her eyelids. Once she controlled her breathing to ease the pain a bit, she began to think about all the reasons why someone would take her. The last thing she remembered was Hagrid coming to her chambers. Hagrid?! She opened her eyes a little wider to see if she could see where she was and hope that she would see her Games keeper. Sure enough, there was a very large form laying on the other side of the room.

Carefully, the Transfiguration professor made her way to the Games keeper. When she got to his side the first thing she checked on was to see if he was alive. She waited with bated breath as she checked. Her sigh of relief came when she indeed felt and saw Hagrid take a breath.

“Hagrid,” she shook the half giant slightly. “Hagrid, wake up.”

A low moan escaped the half giant's lips. His enormous face scrunched up. He lift his massive hand, almost hitting Minerva in the process, and rubbing his head as he sat up. Even sitting down, Hagrid came up to Minerva's chest.

“P'fes'r,” Hagrid moan. “What's going on? Where are we?”

“I wish I knew, Hagrid.” she walked over towards Hagrid and put his hand on her shoulder. “What is the last thing you remember?”

“I was,” he said, trying to remember. “about to feed Fang. There was a knock on my door. And...that's it. I'm waking here.”

Minerva didn't like this. Not one bit. She remembered a knock on her door, but it was Hagrid on the other end, and if he didn't even remember that he came to her chambers meant that maybe he was under the Confundus Spell and had no clue as to how.

“Do you remember who knocked on your door?” Minerva asked.

“No, Pr'fessor.”

“Well, it's nice to see the two of you deciding to join the land of consciousness. You've been unconscious for a day.”

A day, Minerva thought. People must be worried where I am. Severus. Oh no, Severus. He probably has no idea that she's missing.

Minerva was brought out of her musing when the door opened up wider and several people walked in the room.

“You,” Minerva gasped.

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“Professor,” Harry exclaimed, getting up from his seat and rushing towards his professor. Harry wrapped his arms around the potion professor's neck.

“I'm glad you're awake,” Harry mumbled in Severus' shoulder.

Severus, though felt awkward, wrapped his arms around the teenager. It was the last thing he expected since the child's godfather was sitting in the same room. He figured he might as well hold the child that was now hanging from his neck. It was just for supporting his neck. He did not care for this little primate that felt he had to attach himself to his person.

Severus tried to rationalize in his head that he was not really caring for Potter, but the more and more that time he spent in the child's presence, he was starting to see that train of thought was rapidly changing.

“You shouldn't be hard on Black,” Severus said trying to keep the venom out of his voice when speaking of his childhood nemesis. All for the sake of Harry, and he still required both of their help.

“He hexed you,” Harry still didn't remove himself from Severus.

“Again,” Severus sighed. “Not the first time.”

Harry let go of Severus and stood in front of him. His eyebrows raised so high Severus couldn't see them from under the fringe of the boys hair.

Harry turned and looked at a very uncomfortable man sitting at the table. Sirius squirmed under the glare of his godson. When Harry jumped up and ran towards Severus, Sirius felt jealousy. It hurt that his godson would run to that slimy git for comfort, but when Harry turned at looked at him, Sirius realized that maybe he may have taking things a bit overboard.

TBC