Whatever It Takes by SanctuaryAngel

"Malfoy – Stay back."

"I know, but…"

"I mean it!"

Harry had spent half of the incantation making sure Draco didn't run off when he was specifically told not to. He had experienced this himself the first time, so he understood why Draco was compelled to go to his Godfather, but it took every ounce of his patience to keep the Slytherin from doing otherwise. Earlier that day, Harry had gone through the plan and every fine detail in relation to the Anathema Excerptum with Draco in the hopes that he would understand. He knew he did, but it was resisting the urge to help Severus directly was a monumental task within itself.

Harry knew from the first time how difficult it would be for anyone who chose to be a witness – well, to be there, even though they were now allowed to actually see it with their own eyes. There was a reason such things were never meant to be seen, or even heard, and it was a complicated spell that was obviously not used so commonly through the ages. Witnesses have succumbed to death if they chose to watch, because the curse that is targeted to be driven away, can easily seek out another host using the eyes as a conduit. To see is to draw it to you, and Harry was not about to let Draco be reckless and run there when there was a chance he could end up with two dead Slytherins, as opposed to the one already suffering before them.

Hearing the struggling cries from Severus was distressing and he swore he saw Draco clasp his hands over his ears at one point to block it out. He couldn't blame him for doing that, though. Throughout the ordeal, Harry could distinguish from the responses that Severus was giving and deducted who the other figures may have been. It didn't take long to figure it out.

Albus Dumbledore, and his mother. Of course. Whoever else would it be? It made sense that his first two 'visitors' were both people he feared, and the second two 'visitors' happened to be people that he trusted or became close with.

It was exceedingly difficult to hear Severus' pleas and apologies – This was a side to his ex-grumpy Potions Professor that he never wanted to see. It was as raw as he could ever understand, and he felt wretched for the position that he was in. His cries…His wailing of grief…His responses…Harry had to physically hold Draco down to stop him from bolting towards him, and he happened to just miss an attempted right hook to his jaw in retaliation for the restraint. Harry growled at the Slytherin to stay seated, leaving him begrudgingly moody like a child sent to time-out.

Hey, they weren't Harry's rules.

For what felt like hours, Harry saw the first rays of light of the morning hit the large oak tree that they were facing. Once he knew it was safe to do so, he nodded at Draco, and both teenagers climbed to their feet and raced to the older Slytherin still hunched over on his knees. Draco dropped to his right side and outstretched his arm over the man's shoulders in silent reassurance.

Harry had tried his best not to gasp out loud at what he saw next, "…What…What did you do?" As Harry knelt on Severus' left side, he could see the mess of blood and broken skin so evident over his Dark Mark on his forearm. Blood dripped from fresh cuts inflicted upon himself, as Harry noticed a blood-soaked stone laying amongst the mess of bark and dried leaves on the ground in front of them. As Harry conjured bandages, he began to quickly wrap them around the man's arm in desperation. The lacerations were not that bad itself, but it was the mere act of doing so that had Harry – and even Draco – deeply disturbed. As Harry finished wrapping the new wounds across the Mark as best he could, he glanced up at Severus' face which had turned white as marble. His gaze fixed ahead, unmoving, and barely blinking. He hadn't yet said a word, but it was clear to Harry that this man was in shock. His breaths were clearly shallow and almost still. Any slower, and he could be mistaken for someone petrified.

Harry and Draco exchanged anxious glances. Now, what to do?

Home. We have to get him home.

After they sat with Severus in silence for a few moments, both Harry and Draco looped their arms under Severus' as they hoisted the man back onto his feet. Draco swung the coat back over Severus' shoulders, and Harry gathered up all the objects that were scattered across the forest floor. Harry picked up Severus' wand and outstretched his hand to return it, but Severus managed to grab hold of it with a noticeably trembling hand. Once they were ready enough, they made their way back to Grimmauld Place without another word.

As they reached headquarters, they assisted Severus back to his room, as the man continued to stare off into the distance, not appearing to register anything in front of him. It was a struggle to get him up two flights of stairs, but they finally reached his quarters and helped him into the bed. Harry administered another pain reliever and antidote to Severus and watched in horror as Severus remained mute and in shock. Neither Harry nor Draco could get through to him, but they made the decision to leave him alone for a short while in hopes he could eventually get some sleep.

Draco suddenly grabbed Harry's arm, pressing his fingernails painfully into his skin, and pulled him out into the corridor. Draco cast a Silencing Charm around them.

Draco looked livid, "What the hell is wrong with him?! Was this supposed to happen?!"

Harry roughly pulled out of his grasp, and rubbed his now sore arm, "He wasn't like that the first time…He's in shock…"

"Of course, he bloody is! Whatever he saw, shook him completely. I've never seen him like that before!" Draco hissed.

"I-I don't know, " Harry was lost for words.

"What do you mean you don't know, Potter?!"

Harry clenched his jaw, feeling tense, "This is the way the ritual works. It's like a…judgment."

"Hell of a judgment!"

"Yeah, I know, " Harry's shoulders slumped over, "He saw the worst two people that would affect him the most. That much is clear. As to what they may have said to him, I don't know…Given his responses, it didn't sound good."

Draco was clearly concerned, "What did he see the first time?"

Harry sighed, "His father and…Voldemort."

Draco winced at the name of his former Master, "That's messed up."

"Tell me about it, " Harry responded in defeat. There was a pause between the both of them, as they both exchanged a worried glance, "You don't think he'll…?"

Draco's eyes widened in horror, "…Do it again?" He indicated to his own Mark, far deep in denial to speak the words that were heavy on his mind.

Harry bit his lip hard, and nodded, "Maybe. Or-Or…Further…"

I can't even believe I just said that. Was Severus even capable of that…? He wouldn't think of…No, he wouldn't…Would he?

And then Harry remembered one of his first conversations with the man when he found him hiding, wounded, within the Shrieking Shack only days after the Battle of Hogwarts. Severus has mentioned the idea of ending his life, shortly after Lily's death. Oh yes, he was capable.

Harry's stomach twisted in nauseating knots. He couldn't even believe they were both thinking that way, that it was possible that Severus could think of further hurting himself…Or worse. But after what they had both heard and seen, there was no more room left for doubt. Severus was clearly capable of hurting himself, whether he was conscious about it or not, and that was a scary thing to consider. Harry, although depressed, never really shared those tendencies. Not for self-harm, anyway. Suicidal was never really chronically on Harry's mind, but he did remember a few occasions whether he even considered that as an option. But never was he never serious enough to go through with it. But to think a man, so once armored and fearless, now so broken and considering such acts, was horrifying to think of. He could see it within the face of Draco how scared he looked. After all, they were technically family, and for Draco to think that he may lose his Godfather too, was even more of a struggle for the younger Slytherin than it was for Harry to feel.

Draco drew in several heaved breaths, "New plan. No one leaves his side, okay? We take turns. I just…Don't trust him alone right now."

Harry nodded, without a second thought, "I agree." They were on the same page, so he was thankful for that at least. They knew better than to disagree on something as serious as this.

"And – " Draco pointed dangerously at Harry, inches from his face, "And not a word to your little Gryffindor friends about this, alright? Severus is humiliated enough and doesn't need a pity party. Understand? No word of this gets out!"

Harry frowned at the finger, before lifting his gaze to Draco, "Alright. I wouldn't know what to say to them, anyway."

Draco withdrew his hand, "Good. So bloody keep it that way." Without another word, Draco lifted the Silencing Charm, and marched back into Severus' room, shutting the door behind him leaving Harry standing alone in the corridor.

Harry didn't move from the corridor much since Draco stormed back into his Godfather's room. He was too afraid to move, as the thought of leaving the vicinity made him a little uneasy. He wasn't sure if he had enough courage to knock on the door and check, but he waited just over an hour until he finally made his decision to leave them both for a short while. Hearing the front door open gently, he ventured downstairs to find Hermione carrying another box of ingredients. She struggled with the boxes piled on top, but Harry grabbed hold of the loose items, so nothing was dropped.

Exasperated, Hermione nodded, "Thank you, Harry. Hagrid gave me a few more things, and I bumped into Professor Sprout and managed to haggle with a few of her ingredients." They both began to make their way down to the basement, "So, how did everything go last night?"

Harry tried not to meet her gaze, "Not great."

They reached the bottom of the stairs, and Hermione places the larger box on the main workbench. She looked at Harry with concern, "What happened?"

Harry's shoulders slumped, "I don't really want to talk about it." He tried to distract himself by unloading the boxes and placing all of their contents on the table. Hermione wasn't convinced.

"Is he…okay?"

Harry glanced hopelessly at Hermione, "No, not really. I just – I don't want to talk about it. Eventually, but…not now. Just trust me on that. I don't even know, myself."

"Oh, " Hermione hesitated, "If you need anything, Harry, please…"

"I know, " Harry placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder, but instead she leaned in for a hug, enabling him to wrap his arms fully around her, "Thank you, Hermione. I just wish there were a better way. He doesn't deserve that."

Hermione pulled away, looking sullen, "I can see how much this affects you. It hurts that there is nothing else I can do…"

Harry sighed, "You've done a lot already. Even by brewing these potions…It's possible that he wouldn't have made it this far without them."

The pair spent the next hour unpacking the potion's ingredients and preparing them for brewing amongst the rest of their growing supplies. Harry did his best to divert the conversation, and Hermione could sense his mood plummet on the subject of Severus. Kindly, she respected that, and Harry was grateful. They spoke about Luna, who was focused on reviving The Quibbler with her father which was a piece of welcoming good news. According to Hermione, Luna had plans to add a memorial piece for the Battle of Hogwarts which was a lovely sentiment to those who gave their lives for the cause.

Hermione had further narrowed their search, which looked promising, but they were still nowhere near finding the enemy hide-out. Most of the DA were now afraid to leave their homes again, in the wake of the attack at Godric's Hollow several days ago. The wizarding community was yet again, in a state of panic. Some shops that had opened recently now closed once more for fear of attracting the Death Eaters to their midst. Once again, people were afraid to venture out, allowing the rogue enemies free reign.

Katie and Dean thought they stumbled upon a lead but were taken to a false trail of an old, unused base at the Isle of Wight by the English Channel. George and Angelina had encountered a Death Eater just outside of Godric's Hollow lurking about, but they disappeared before any duel could take place. Again, their search came up empty.

Hermione left shortly after, as she made a promise to her parents to be home for lunch, leaving Harry alone once more. Abandoning the remainder of the potion's preparation, he tilted his mortar of freshly-ground porcupine quills into the small glass jar and cleared up the rest of the table. The rest could wait.

Ascending the stairs to the second floor, he reached the top to find Draco halfway through Severus' bedroom door.

Harry lowered his voice to a mere whisper, "…Anything?"

Draco shook his head, as he stepped out into the corridor and once again cast a Silencing Charm, "He hasn't spoken a single word. I've tried talking to him, but I'm getting no response from him at all. I know he's in there, just…shaken up. He hasn't gotten a wink of sleep while I've been in there."

"…What is he doing now?" Harry felt a bubble rise within his throat.

"Sitting up on the edge of the bed, staring at the bloody floor. He refuses to even look at me."

"Right, I'm going in – " Harry took a step towards the door, until Draco held his arm out, stopping him from going no further. "Malfoy, what – "

"- Hang on a second. What if he's…stuck like that?" Draco looked genuinely concerned.

Harry shook his head, doubtfully, "No, he's not. He'll snap out of it…He just needs time."

"Well, I hope you are bloody right, Potter. Because…I hate seeing him like that… " Draco lowered his arm, ceasing his attempt to stop the Gryffindor.

With a last helpless glance at the Slytherin, Harry brushed past him and walked towards the door. He drew in a light breath, and stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind him. The room was half-lit by the afternoon rays piercing through the lightly dust-filled windows, casting a warm glow into the room. The room was slightly suffocating and stale, and he wondered when the last time the window was left ajar. Severus Snape sat with his back to the door, perched on the edge of the bed. He was hunched over, leaning his elbows on his knees, and his hands clasped tightly. He still wore his white undershirt, which had light spots of blood scattered around it – both fresh and old. His dark raven hair obscured his still marble-white face.

Harry walked around the bed towards the window and opened it only slightly enough to let a mild breeze cleanse the room. The Gryffindor turned and was finally able to get a clearer view of his ex-Professor. As Draco had mentioned, he sat with his darkened eyes cast aimlessly at the floor as he sat, motionless. The man blinked ever so slowly, and his eyes barely shifted upon Harry's presence in the room. The new bandage across the man's left forearm was still intact and clean, much to Harry's relief.

But Severus himself appeared lost behind his onyx eyes as if nothing else seemed to exist beyond them. His breathing was light, and Harry could barely see his chest rise and fall, despite the light crackling heard on occasion. He seemed…hollow. A shell, of what was left behind in the forest overnight. The state of the man worried him so much, that he had to remind himself to breathe, as even that felt like a monumental effort.

Harry made his way towards the bed, and sat himself down on the man's left side, averting his own gaze away from him like it was a breach of dignity to stare upon the face of a broken man.

After what seemed like an eternity in silence, Harry's hoarse voice eventually pierced it, "…Severus?"

As predicted, there was no response. Harry tilted his head slightly, observing the man's profile past his curtain of shoulder-length messy, unkempt hair.

He tried again, "Severus?" Still nothing. Harry paused, before releasing a small sigh, "…Please say something."

Again, nothing. Despite sitting right next to him, Harry could barely distinguish any audible response. There was no movement from him. He sat there, frozen. The only noticeable movement was the tremors in his hands, which remained so tightly clasped together, that his skin and knuckles turned white. Severus' face was gaunt and sunken. His hollow cheekbones highlighted the dark bands under his eyes. He looked like a man who lived a thousand lifetimes. Harry only wondered what was running rampant in his mind, though a part of him would be too afraid to find out.

"If you're not going to say anything, then…Please listen, " Harry paused, desperately trying to conjure the right words to express, "Look, gathering from what I – we – heard, I know who you saw last night. I know they seemed real, but…they weren't. It wasn't really them. I can't imagine how you must be feeling, nor how to even help you deal with that."

There it is. A stronger breath. He's still in there.

Harry continued gently, "And you can't tell me it's none of my business because it is. Too many people who were in my life hurt you terribly. It's clear to me that after all this time, you've never really been able to properly deal with it. You can keep blaming yourself for their deaths, but Severus, you have to find a way to…to…breathe."

Harry closed his eyes, pausing to remind himself to do the same. A few minutes ticked by, and he continued, "I'm sorry that what you saw, compelled you to…do what you did. Draco is worried for you. As am I…" Harry glanced over at Severus, who also seemed to also close his eyes briefly, while his breaths elevated.

Please, say something.

"Despite what those – visions – told you…You're not worthless, sir. I don't have to hear what they said, because I recognise that feeling - " Harry's voice lowered gently, "- Because of my mother, you ultimately chose to swap sides. Without her death, you would have remained our enemy. Her life, in the end, gave yours meaning. You fought for her, and with that, all of us. I know you don't see it that way, but I do."

Severus' gaze cast further downwards, as his eyes were no longer fixed at one point. Harry watched as the man's eyebrows slightly crinkled.

There was another pause of anticipation, and Harry saw Severus' mouth twitch as if he were about to say something. But instead, he remained silent. "You don't have to say anything, as long as you heard what I said. Though I'd rather you yell at me to get out than stay silent. You can tell me to bugger off if that makes you feel any better."

Harry watched the man again, to see if that would trigger Severus to say something, but he still remained motionless, "…Did you prefer I leave?"

There was nothing. I suppose that's a good thing – at least he didn't nod. I just don't want to feel like another thorn in his side.

"I'll stay for a little while longer, then I'll leave you alone. Okay?"

Again, there was no response to that. Harry continued to sit beside him in a strange calm silence. It wasn't filled with tension, however, but Harry respected his space. Prodding the bull would get him nowhere and he decided to allow the man to come through on his own terms. In time, he will. But for now, he needed time to process it all. Harry didn't want him to feel abandoned and isolated, which is what the ritual seemed to convince him as such. No, he wasn't going to further distance himself. If he was going to try and help Severus on a better path, disregarding his mental state definitely was not an option.

If Severus was willing to help Harry come to his senses, he was surely going to extend the same courtesy to him.

Harry just needed to be patient.

Harry sat with him which what felt like an hour, and then decided to make his way out. As he reached the door, he turned silently on his heel to see Severus's body shudder as he buried his head back in his hands. Feeling a pang of guilt, Harry followed through and exited the door to find Draco waiting in the corridor as he had done previously. Harry shook his head wordlessly, as Draco responded in a nod of understanding. There were no words from Severus, but at least there was a physical response from him, albeit subtly. Sullenly, Draco walked to the door and leaned against the doorframe peering inside. There was no reason for him to hang around, so he left Draco to stand guard, as Harry wandered back down to the sitting room on the floor below.

A few hours passed, and the front doors slammed shut, resulting in the painfully screeching sounds of Mrs. Black hurling all kinds of threatening – and rather amusing - expletives at the newcomers.

Bloody hell, now what?

Eventually, Harry heard footsteps ascending the stairs and soon enough McGonagall and Minister Shacklebolt showed up. Kingsley was grasping what looked like the Daily Prophet in his hands. They both joined Harry and settled themselves opposite Harry in the sitting room.

"…More bad news?" Harry started the conversation in a dull tone. By the appearance of both of them, he already didn't like where this was going.

"If only I could tell you otherwise, Harry – " Mr. Shacklebolt brandished the newspaper in his hands, "We have a few things we need to discuss. Before I address this, I must confess that I am aware of Severus' condition and what that implies. Minerva has updated me on that front – "

Harry shot McGonagall a disappointed look.

"Mr. Potter, I had to inform him, " McGonagall responded apologetically, "We were discussing his status as a fugitive, and Kingsley mentioned his intention of assigning him an undercover task, and I informed him that he would be incapable of such things. Hence why I had no choice. This is a serious matter."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, "He didn't want many people knowing."

"I know that's what Severus would have wanted, but if we are to assist him, it's imperative that the Minister was made aware. Now, where is he?"

"Upstairs, resting. He's…" Harry sighed, defeated, "…Draco Malfoy is with him."

McGonagall's eyes widened, "- I beg your pardon? What - "

Harry raised his hands defensively, "- It's not as bad as it sounds. Severus rescued him from the wreckage at Malfoy Manor. There was nowhere else for him to go, and he was injured."

"Ah, I see, " Kingsley nodded, "I was going to address that eventually. I gather he was the only survivor?"

Harry responded, "Narcissa was taken. Draco is remaining here to help us." He stared at the paper within Kingsley's hand, and threw his hands up, "So, what fresh hell are we dealing with now?"

Kingsley drew in a deep breath and handed it to Harry. Harry peered down at the article at the bottom half of the front page, and immediately he felt a simmering rage within him, "I'll spare you the infuriating read. Rita Skeeter is back to her old ways – no surprise there - and decided to fabricate an article to tarnish Severus' name. Apparently, she spent some time at Hogsmeade interviewing people who gave accounts of his appearance there – "

"- Severus was never there! And yeah, Hermione, Malfoy, and I scouted Hogsmeade and saw her talking to Blaise Zabini. She's a filthy liar!" Harry snapped, throwing the newspaper frustratingly onto the table, "I, along with several others, can vouch for him being here."

Kingsley nodded, "Good. I, too, never believed that to be true. We are all familiar with Rita's handiwork, I'm sure. They are simply looking for someone to blame, and he is, unfortunately, the most obvious choice. Almost reminiscent of the Ministry's treatment of Sirius Black, when they so carelessly threw his name around to fill blanks. However, as it stands, it does not look good for Severus."

Harry clenched his jaw, "What can we do to clear his name? I refuse to allow him to be hunted for the rest of his life because he might not even have long left."

"Surely there must be something, Kingsley?" McGonagall glanced with hopeful eyes at the Minister. She looked heartbroken, "This is Severus we're talking about."

Kingsley clasped his hands on his lap, "As Minister alone, I can only clear the name of a dead man. Given that the wizarding community are aware that he is alive, the Council will rely heavily on his testimony in person. Even then, given his unique circumstances working in secret with Albus Dumbledore, there is no solid evidence we would be able to provide, except a verbal defense from you."

"Can we have a trial without him there? What about exemption on medical grounds?" Harry asked.

"For that, he must be taken into custody and assessed by Healers to be concluded on those grounds, " Kingsley responded, "However, he may be granted some sort of leniency if he…surrendered willingly."

"I don't bloody believe this. There is no way I'm going to let that happen!" Harry exclaimed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Why can't we just fake his death or something?"

"Potter, that would not be the wisest choice. He won't be a free man if we were to allow that to happen. It would be a great dishonor to clear his name, for him to go forth and live as someone else…" McGonagall shook her head, and turned to Kingsley, "What would the trial consist of, Kingsley?"

"We've been holding Death Eater trials for the last few months, and half of them received no leniency and were sent directly to Azkaban, mainly those who were in You-Know-Who's inner circle of followers. The Wizengamot are not very forgiving this time - " Kingsley paused, " - However, Severus' case is rather complicated, and our records have shown that he was vouched by Albus Dumbledore in the First War. He has at least, a more viable case in his defence. But it all comes down to evidence and those willing to testify."

"Sadly, Albus is no longer with us, therefore we no longer have his influence, " McGonagall added quietly.

Kingsley continued, "And that is where things get complicated for him. Considering Albus was the only one who was aware of the entire plan, makes it difficult to build a case in his defence. Albus left us nothing to aid us with that, except the memories of Severus himself. The Council does not trust memories as viable evidence because of their potential to be tampered with."

"That's ridiculous! Can't they detect tampering or something? No offense Kingsley, but the Ministry needs to make that an option, " Harry was becoming irritable.

"Memories can be unreliable, Harry, you know that. There are many ways they can be manipulated, and the Ministry is now aware that he is a skilled Occlumens."

"Then, take my memories – " Harry added.

Kingsley raised a hand to silence Harry, "An Occlumens can obscure those memories, and therefore, potentially share those altered memories with another. Not that I am saying that Severus is a liar, but I am only thinking on behalf of what the Ministry will assume. They will question it."

McGonagall sighed, "So, what will help? Can we build a case solely on witness accounts, if any? I can vouch, but I too, was deceived…I attacked him, Kingsley."

"And, besides him, only I know the truth surrounding the death of Dumbledore, " Harry interjected, "Would they even consider my word?"

Kingsley looked apprehensively at Harry, "I cannot say, Harry. I am certain they will value your word as the Boy-Who-Lived, but you must realise, that there is not much physical evidence to defend Severus."

"So…" McGonagall looked uncertain, "If – by some miracle that he agrees to it - he gave himself up willingly, could he avoid a harsher sentence?"

"Yes, I believe that is possible. But the decision lies solely with the Wizengamot, Minerva. I may have some influence over their decision, but I must remain unbiased. As an Order member, they will not allow their Minister to testify in his defence. My hands are politically tied."

Harry inclined his head at the Minister, "Can you – or myself - propose a deal? Like Albus did? Exchange possible imprisonment in Azkaban for continued service to the Order? After all, we are still catching Death Eaters out there, some of which, are thanks to Severus in the first place. The entire DA can vouch for him."

Kingsley nodded, "That is worth noting in the trial, yes. If you provide enough people in his defence and propose a convincing case, then with that proposal, the Council will be inclined to consider that as a part of the final decision. However – "

"- He must surrender?" McGonagall continued.

"Yes. Regrettably. That will give him a lighter sentence if any. And if we can plea on medical grounds, perhaps he can avoid Azkaban altogether. As long as he mustn't evade capture and go willingly. The longer the Auror office attempt to find him, the more ruthless the Council will be towards him."

Harry paused, trying to absorb all of this information, "I just hope the Council will be in his favor…I hate the idea of putting him through this because he's already been through hell since I found him after the Battle of Hogwarts. I suppose they'll subject him to Veritaserum?"

"They will. For any attempt to clear his name of all charges, this is what must occur. He is still technically a Death Eater by Dark Mark alone, and they must judge him as such. I'm sorry, Harry. I know it's not what you wanted to hear."

Harry frowned, "Wonderful. Just bloody wonderful. One piece of good news would be great once in a while, but not a constant string of bad news."

"I wish I had an alternative for him, " Kingsley bowed his head.

Harry's eyes darted to the newspaper ahead of him and stared at it deep in thought. If Rita could influence the community towards the negative narrative, well, why shouldn't Harry attempt to do the opposite? Reaching forward, Harry picked up the newspaper, with a small smirk on his face, "If Rita is free to slander Severus, then I'm going to run a campaign to provide the truth."

McGonagall stared at Harry quizzically, "Where are you going with this, Potter?"

Harry's smile grew wider, "The Quibbler. We've done it before, and we know it's effective. With Luna and Xenophilius' help, we can work against her and provide the truth in light of what Severus did. I want the wizarding community to be aware of what he did."

There was a pause amongst the three, and Harry shifted a new excitable gaze from the Minister to the Headmistress. McGonagall appeared deep in thought, and Kingsley had an odd curious expression on his face. Suddenly, Kingsley erupted into a chuckle, as his mouth widened into a smile.

"Harry, that is a brilliant idea. Your influence will far surpass Rita's. You defeated You-Know-Who, thus you are, by far, the most trusted wizard in Britain. Your word is golden – mind the pun, " Kingsley looked equally as excited.

"That is a wise suggestion, however, the only thing holding this idea back is gaining Severus' permission. There is no way he'll be comfortable with the idea, " McGonagall added.

"True, but we don't need to delve into his history. Dumbledore confirmed that already with the Ministry. What matters is what he did in the Second War. Malfoy can vouch for him, too. His name has been cleared, but he had the most interaction with Severus during the time he spent in Voldemort's inner circle. His word is also golden, " Harry explained.

Kingsley nodded, "I think you have quite the plan already, Harry. Good. Very, good –" The Minister rose from his seat, "I encourage you to chat to Severus about what we discussed, and what his options are. We will need his permission to proceed."

McGonagall clasped her hands together, "We'll handle that. I fear it will not go well on his behalf, but if we can clear his name...Good heavens, that would be a load off his poor shoulders."

"Please update me when you can, Minerva. Harry, I appreciate your input. Contact me when you are ready to go forth with this - " With a single bow of his head, the Minister turned to depart Grimmauld Place.

Once the Minister left their vicinity, Harry and McGonagall rose simultaneously from their seats. As Harry turned to leave the room, McGonagall walked up to him and wordlessly enveloped him into a hug that Harry clearly was not expecting. Harry hesitated but respectfully returned the warm gesture from the elderly witch. The Headmistress pulled away, still grasping his shoulders, and studied Harry's face far more intently than he was comfortable with. Her aged face was full of deep concern, which matched her saddened, light blue eyes.

"Potter – Harry, dear – Is everything alright?"

Harry blinked back his green ones, which considering how stressful he had been recently, most likely dulled down as he peered back at the elderly witch in recognition. Harry merely shook his head, not knowing where to start. He was aware she knew about their attempts at eliminating the curse from Severus, but he proceeded to explain what had happened that night, and how shaken the man was as a result of that. The only thing he couldn't bear to tell her was Severus' drive to harm himself. Oh no, there was no way he could even begin to explain that to McGonagall of that. It was heartbreaking enough seeing it, as opposed to talking about it. She'd be devastated if she knew.

McGonagall looked tearful, as she cared for Severus very much. Despite their friendly House rivalry, Harry knew that their friendship was genuine and real. She too had her own guilt in attacking the man they all thought was their enemy. They all felt responsible in some way.

Harry led the elderly witch upstairs as she insisted on seeing him. As both Gryffindors reached the stairs, Draco was already lurking outside of Severus' door, half-peering inside to check upon him. The man was still sitting in the same spot where Harry had last left him. McGonagall looked disapprovingly at Draco, who diverted his gaze to the floor, shamefully. No words were spoken between them, as Harry watched the woman enter Severus' room cautiously, ignoring the younger Slytherin.

Both teenagers watched as she approached him carefully and sat down beside him. Harry could only hope she would explain to him what they had discussed, because Harry surely didn't feel even remotely comfortable explaining that to him. They watched as McGonagall wrapped a reassuring arm around Severus' shoulders, and gently leaned the younger man against her own. He didn't hear a word from Severus, but the sweet gesture made Harry smile.

There is still hope for you yet, Severus.

Headmistress McGonagall left Grimmauld Place without a word a short time afterward, leaving Harry and the two Slytherins alone once more. Harry could tell she looked upset as she swept past them, and there was nothing else that he could possibly say to make the situation any better. Draco remained by Severus' door and watched Severus carefully as he climbed into the bed, huddling amongst the blankets. Hopefully, some sleep will do him some good because he needed that rest. Not just for his battered body, but for his shattered mind.

Harry had a new goal now, and he was more than ready to pursue it with every ounce of willpower he had. Seeing Severus like this strengthened his drive, and he was going to do everything within his power and capabilities to clear him of all charges. The man deserved to be recognised for his war efforts, and aside from Harry, he had the most dangerous role of all. He wanted nothing more than to finally free the man who was bound to the cause for almost twenty years, and to face the true enemy with the knowledge you belong to the other side, took a sheer amount of strength and self-restraint. Harry really did admire him, and he never thought he'd ever feel that way over this man. Suddenly, all other years of being harassed by the man in school now seemed irrelevant. They were petty little things now that Harry had time to ponder them, as opposed to the monumental task he had accepted and followed through until the very end. Even despite all the odds that were against him, he still made it his mission to finish what he had started. Even if that meant continuing to follow the order of a portrait belonging to a dead man who he had no choice but to end on grounds of mercy, and for the greater good.

No. He was going to free him, even if that meant rallying together half the wizarding community to make that happen. Of course, Severus' efforts were still not widely accepted, but even the likes of several people in the DA had come to change their perspective on him.

Harry was never one to purposely abuse his power, in fact, he was repulsed even at the thought. But if he could have a hand in working against the Ministry in the lead-up to Voldemort's demise during his fifth year, he was going to do his damnest to use his status to give Severus a proper second chance. Right now, in his current predicament, he had no life. And every day seemed to give him less hope than the last. Just when Harry would finally convince him to have hope, it was crushed in the blink of an eye.

There was no way he was going to let that happen. Harry would never be at peace if he continued to live his life knowing that Severus was losing his so unfairly. It didn't feel right, and Harry would never forgive himself if he stopped trying. He couldn't save Sirius or Remus. He couldn't save Dobby or even Mad-Eye.

But Severus, at least, he had a chance to save.

Harry Potter left Grimmauld Place and made his way to the Lovegood house located in Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon. He didn't want to waste any time, and this visit allowed him to see check-up on Luna, along with attempting to diffuse the tension with her father. The last he saw of Xenophilius, he was blackmailed into giving away Harry's position in exchange for Luna's life. It has been months since he was last here with Ron and Hermione, and the very least he could do was owe him some sort of apology for putting him and his daughter at risk.

Apparating within the familiar Lovegood front gardens filled with sunflowers and daisies, and other plants he couldn't recognise, Harry made his way towards the large rock-like house along the cobblestone pathway to the front door. He raised his hand and knocked lightly several times at the misshapen oak door. He waited for a few minutes, looking around at the surrounding hills, and drawing in a deep breath as a fresh summer breeze washed over him. It felt nice to get out of Grimmauld Place for a while.

Eventually, the door opened slightly to reveal Xenophilius himself, adored in a shimmery turquoise and grey set of robes. He poked his head through the half-opened door, as his steel-blue eyes widened at the sight of Harry Potter standing idly on his porch. Harry watched as the man blinked several times and scanned the gardens and beyond for any potential eavesdroppers. He was still paranoid, much to Harry's anticipation.

The white-haired man dropped his voice to a whisper, looking a little frightened, "Harry Potter! Wh-What are you doing here?"

"Hi Xenophilius – Sorry to drop by like this, but I would like your help with something. Is Luna home?" Harry responded cautiously.

Xenophilius automatically drew his wand and pointed it directly at Harry's chest. Harry himself, did not react. He must have already heard about Death Eaters taking advantage of Polyjuice Potion to further eliminate those who opposed them. The man's pale lips curled to a sneer, taking in every small movement that the Gryffindor made.

"H-How do I know it's you?"

Harry raised his chin, "Ask me a question, then."

He raised his eyebrow, "The last time you were here, what did you seek from me?"

Without missing a beat, Harry answered as calmly as he could, "Ron, Hermione, and I approached you to ask about the Deathly Hallows from the book called Tales of Beedle the Bard. You told us about the Three Brothers."

Xenophilius paused for a moment, looking a little frantic in his decision. Eventually, he softened his gaze but still looked slightly skittish, "You shouldn't be here – "

"- I won't be long. It's okay, no one out there, " Harry tried to reassure him, but he still looked rather panicky.

"It's not safe, Mr. Potter. I know they've been attacking people! My dear Luna -"

"- Is she here?" Harry spoke, a little more persistently. He didn't have time for this.

The man before him stared down at Harry with uncertainty, but in a few moments of disapproval, he quickly motioned Harry inside, "Hurry, inside!"

Harry stepped inside with haste, as the man closed the door behind him. He followed Xenophilius to the cramped sitting room and perched himself on the aqua-blue couches as offered.

"Look, I don't want any repeat of last time – "

"I know, and I'm sorry. I don't intend to put you or Luna in further danger. But I wouldn't be here if I didn't need your help, " Harry began to explain.

"They threw me in Azkaban! Azkaban! The Death Eaters! You can't know what that's like!" Xenophilius was still fearful, that was certain. He looked even more paranoid than the last time Harry remembered, but he knew he didn't deserve such a fate. He was only trying to get his daughter back.

Harry tensed, "I'm sorry. I really am. The Ministry is no longer under Death Eater control. They won't dare do such a thing again."

Xenophilius regarded Harry for a few moments apprehensively, but Harry couldn't quite tell if he was on the verge of shouting or bursting into tears. He wasn't sure what he was going to get. Being here was already more than enough for this man to handle, and he didn't want to overstay his welcome. But if he was going to approach Luna about the campaign, he at least required permission from the editor and publisher of The Quibbler himself.

After what seemed like too long of a silence, Xenophilius arched his head upwards, "Luna, my dear! Your friend Harry is here in our company!"

Not a beat too late, Harry heard light footsteps bounding down the staircase two at a time as Luna appeared and beamed at the sight of Harry. She wore casual light blue jeans, and a bright yellow striped shirt almost in contrast to the sunflowers outside. Her extremely long curly white-blonde hair was pinned to the side and held together by a strange, oversized rainbow butterfly clip, which fluttered occasionally. Her wand, as per her usual habit, was tucked neatly behind her ear.

"Hello, Harry!" She sat down beside Harry and began to twirl her wand in her hands, "It's lovely to see you!"

"Hi, Luna – " Harry smiled. How is she always this cheery? What's her secret? "I'm here to speak with you both."

"Oh? " Luna tilted her head to the side.

"I'll try and make this quick and simple – " Harry began to explain, " – So, I have a proposition to add a special article in The Quibbler. "

Xenophilius frowned at Harry's request, "What is this article you seek to publish?"

"I want to publish an article exonerating Severus Snape in his war efforts in working against Voldemort. I don't believe you've picked up The Daily Prophet recently, but Rita Skeeter is having a field day tarnishing his name on the basis of lies. I intend to counter that with the actual truth. I want to rally the wizarding community on my side."

"That's a wonderful idea, Harry, " Luna responded softly.

Xenophilius considered the request for a few moments, but his expression was still full of doubt, "Severus Snape? The Death Eater who took over as Headmaster of Hogwarts? But how could he - ?"

"He was working as a spy for Dumbledore. He was on our side the entire time, but he was undercover and fooled everyone. He gave me the memories allowing me to be informed on how to defeat Voldemort in the first place. He worked against him. He is a big reason why Voldemort is dead in the first place."

"But he killed Albus Dumbledore!"

"Dumbledore pre-arranged his death with him."

Xenophilius still didn't look convinced, "He allowed the other Death Eaters to torture the other Hogwarts students, did he not?"

"No – He did everything he could to prevent harm. He still had to remain undercover, thus was unable to take total control over the Death Eaters posing as staff."

"It's true, Father, " Luna nodded, "Even when I went to help steal the Sword of Gryffindor from his office with Neville and Ginny, he only punished us by sending us to Hagrid, instead of the Death Eaters. He didn't hurt us at all."

Xenophilius turned to his daughter, "And you are in support of Severus Snape?"

Luna nodded again, "I am. He's not all bad, you see. I feel sorry for him, though. He had to do bad things to keep his cover, but in the end, he was on our side. Rather admirable."

The man before them drew in a sigh, as he paused in consideration, "Very well. I will assist in this endeavor, Mr. Potter. If you can construct an article, I will publish and distribute it to you. I suppose the first issue since the demise of You-Know-Who might pick up in popularity again."

Harry was relieved, and smiled in return, "That's great! Thank you – I'm relieved to hear that. This is going to help a lot."

Xenophilius gave a small, forced smile, "Yes, yes. I suppose I owe you that much, for helping to rescue my daughter. As for attempting to hand you over – "

Harry shook his head, " – I get it, Xenophilius. You were placed in an impossible situation. It's not your fault." Harry made a move to stand up, as Luna and her father echoed the same, "I must head off."

Luna's father appeared relieved like a weight was lifted, "I am rather…relieved to hear that. I was worried you would think so little of me."

"No, not at all, sir. We've all had to do things we are not proud of. Trust me, if I could list the things I've had to do, I'd probably fill up the entirety of a single issue of The Quibbler, " Harry shrugged sheepishly, as he turned to Luna, "I'll have Hermione help me write something – since she's far more academically sophisticated than I am. You're welcome to drop by Grimmauld Place at any time, Luna."

Luna smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Harry! I will work on adding some things of my own into it, too. Maybe I can talk to Ginny and we can work on our experiences at Hogwarts. Sadly, we won't be able to add Neville's personal experiences, but we can most certainly write in our point of view and vouch for him in that way."

"Fantastic – The more the merrier. Severus is going to need our help, even if it takes the entire DA and remaining Hogwarts faculty."

Xenophilius clasped his hands neatly behind his back, "Well, it seems like you have your hands full, then."

Harry made his way to the front door, with the two Lovegoods trailing behind, "If only you knew the half of it…" Harry couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, "But really, I appreciate your help."

"Of course, Mr. Potter, " Xenophilius bowed his head slightly.

"See you, Harry!" Luna waved simultaneously with her father, as Harry departed from view.

Well, at least something turned out successful today.

With a new spring in his step, Harry made his way back home to Grimmauld Place to mull over what he planned to write. This is going to take some planning, but he had a really good feeling about this. Considering the positive feedback he received from his article in The Quibbler in regard to Voldemort's return, he was sure to reach the remainder of the wizarding community in a positive way.

He decided he will linger on 'The Chosen One' for a little while longer.

Influence be damned.