Dear Sirius,

I don’t know why I’m writing this. You obviously don’t want to talk to me. You obviously don’t care about me. If you did, you would’ve answered, you would’ve tried to see me, you would’ve tried to help, you would’ve gotten me out of the Dursleys, you would’ve tried to be my family.

If you cared, you would’ve done everything Severus, Lucius, and Alexei have done. See, they all care about me. They’re all taking care of me and helping me. This has been a really hard year and they’ve been there with me and for me…you haven’t been.

You’ve just been…gone.

So I don’t know why I’m writing. Maybe to tell you it doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t need you to answer, or to come see me, or try…because they already have. I have what you should’ve been in them. I have what I need in them. I have what I have always wanted in them.

Severus is my guardian now.

Goodbye, Sirius.

Harry laid his quill down, re-reading what he had written. More emotion than he expected had come out but that was okay. He was telling the truth. He didn’t need Sirius anymore. He had Severus and Lucius and Alexei.

He folded the letter into an envelope and sent it away with Hedwig off the Astronomy Tower. He leaned on the railing and gazed out at the bright horizon. It was March now and warm weather was beginning to come to Hogwarts. He felt…relief.

He had been so concerned about Sirius, had felt so heartbroken to know that his own godfather clearly wanted nothing to do with him. He had been trying to hard all year to get Sirius’ attention, his approval, his worry. In all his trying, he had failed to notice he was getting all of those things and was getting them threefold. He had what he needed and wanted in two Slytherins and a vampire.

He chuckled quietly to himself. How things had changed. He never would have expected any of it.

Suddenly he was interrupted by his scar exploding with pain. His hand flew to his forehead and he fell to his knees. He cried out and his head spun just before his vision tunneled and went back.

Harry opened his eyes and found himself face to face with the stone face of a hooded skeleton. He blinked and took in the rest of the statue, recognizing it from a previous visit. He gazed at the huge stone scythe that the bony hands held before looking around again. He was back in that graveyard, but something was different.

He slowly turned, noticing a dark cauldron that had not been there the last time. He frowned, questioning the presence of a cauldron in a graveyard.

He spun again when he felt something fly behind him. He stared at the statue again and then looked over at the large tombstone that sat beside the skeleton. He couldn’t see the names inscribed on the stone and began to move closer to it. However, before he could get close enough to read there was a flash of green and he was back in that original house where Voldemort was holed up.

There was no Muggle man this time and he was already outside the room. He peeked inside and found the same setup. Pettigrew was near the fireplace, Voldemort was in the chair, Nagini was wrapped around the back of the chair, and the mystery man was knelt in front of the chair.

“The plan is going perfectly, my Lord,” the man said. “He will arrive at the end as planned.”

“You must ensure he gets there first,” Voldemort said, his voice hoarse and raspy. “Do whatever you must.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Harry.”

He spun and was suddenly somewhere else again. He was back in the meadow, standing beside Ron under the large tree. It had changed. There was no light anymore. The sky was completely dark and rain was pouring down around the tree. He looked at Ron in question.

“It’s reflecting what is going on,” Ron said. “Bad things are happening and will continue to happen.”

Harry just sighed.

“Don’t get lost in the darkness. You do have light in your life,” Ron said. “Don’t forget that light. It will always follow the dark. The darkness can’t last forever.”

The green eyes slid open and he found himself in a familiar room. It was Severus’ guestroom, the room he had stayed in so many times. He turned his head, and found Severus and Lucius sitting beside the bed.

“Harry,” Lucius said, leaning forward and placing his hand on Harry’s leg comfortingly.

“How are you feeling?” Severus asked.

“I’m okay,” Harry said quietly. “Head still hurts.”

“What happened?” Lucius asked, mindlessly rubbing the child’s leg through the blankets.

“My scar,” Harry said. “It started to hurt really bad. It was like my dreams except the scar started first and knocked me out, then I saw what I usually do in my nightmares. It ended with Ron.”

“What did you see?” Severus said, obviously concerned.

“Same things,” Harry said. “A graveyard except there was a cauldron this time. Then I was in that house again and Voldemort and the man were talking about how the plan was going properly. Then I went to the meadow with Ron.”

Severus and Lucius looked at each other, worried.

“How did I get here?” Harry asked.

“Alexei found you,” Lucius said. “He brought you down here.”

“Where is he?”

“At the Ministry. He’s found a way to hold off the investigation for a few days at least,” Severus said. “He’s more just stalled until we are all called in for questioning.”

“Questioning?” Harry frowned.

Lucius nodded. “I, of course, will be questioned, but so will the two of you. Severus because of our close friendship and you because of…well, quite frankly, just because. At this point, Fudge doesn’t really need reasons.”

Harry sat up and looked at the two men that had become so important to him. “Do you believe you will win against this case?”

Lucius and Severus glanced at each other again before they both sighed.

“No, child,” Severus said quietly.

“There is very little chance I will escape this,” Lucius said. “However, Alexei will be able to clear me.”

“But you’ll still go to Azkaban,” Harry said and Lucius’ heart broke a little.

“More than likely, yes.”

Harry nodded and then threw the covers aside, jumping out of the bed. “Fine.”

“Harry?” the men said, confused.

“I’m not going to watch someone else go to prison. I’m not going to watch someone else leave,” Harry said. “I’m not going to be left alone again.”

With that, Harry ran out of the professor’s rooms. The men watched him go. Lucius just shook his head sadly.

“You are very good at running and hiding,” Alexei said, coming to sit next to Harry at the edge of the Astronomy Tower. He let his long legs dangle over the side like the child.

“Years of practice,” Harry said, throwing small stones into the air. Many of them didn’t make it to the lakeshore but fell in the water instead. “Besides, not really hiding when everyone comes to the Astronomy Tower.”

“True enough,” the vampire said. He was quiet as a few rocks were tossed away. “I am sorry I will not be able to stop Lucius from being arrested.”

Harry shrugged a shoulder. “Doesn’t matter. Don’t worry about it.”

“On the contrary,” Alexei said. “I think it matters very much.”

“Doesn’t change anything so doesn’t matter.”

“If it didn’t matter, you wouldn’t worry.”

“I’m not.”

“I think you are.”

Harry threw a stone, a little harder than the others. “It also doesn’t change anything so it also doesn’t matter.”

Alexei observed the child for a few moments before continuing again. “What are you afraid of?”

Harry chucked a rock particularly hard, grinding out, “I’m not afraid.”

Alexei cocked his head to the side and sighed. He looked out at the grounds, quickly spotting the two graves by the lake. Another name drifted through his mind as he thought.

“When my family was executed, I felt lost. I had Grigori but, honestly, I had no one. Grigori had been our advisor and healer, mostly my healer. He was the help, not my family. He couldn’t be what I had lost,” Alexei said. He didn’t look at Harry and the boy didn’t speak, but he knew the child was listening. “As I was a young boy, I obviously had no choice but to accept Grigori was what I had left. As I did so, I came to realize what I had gained with him. He was my father, mother, friend, protector, teacher. He was also memories. He had memories of my parents that I didn’t, even had memories of my siblings and I that I didn’t. For a long time, it truly felt like I had lost everything and, quite frankly, I had. I had to learn, though, that the loss couldn’t stop me from getting something else, something new, something similar but in a different way.”

They were quiet as the vampire finished his story. Harry looked down at the stone he was turning over and over in his hand. He moved his gaze to Ron and Draco, thinking of them, thinking of Hermione and Ginny. His eyes moved again, glancing over towards the Whomping Willow. He thought of that night last year, and of Sirius and Lupin. He thought of all the promises they had all made to him, all now broken. Promises, such as those from Ron, he forgave. Promises, such as those from Sirius, he couldn’t forget.

“I’m always left alone,” he said quietly, still staring at the vicious tree. “I don’t mean to pity myself. I’ve been alone my whole life and I’ve managed just fine. It seems like that alone, though, is different. Until Hogwarts, I didn’t know anything else.”

He paused, looking back down at the rocks he held.

“I’ve lost more this year than I ever thought I could and I don’t feel like I’ve gained anything. How can you fill something emptied by so many people?”

Alexei looked at him as Harry just dropped all the stones he held off the Tower. They all soared down into the water.

“It was Sirius I should’ve been with all along,” Harry continued, “but he couldn’t be bothered with me, not then, not now. He promised to take me from the Dursleys’, promised we could have a home, by together, be a family. I believed him but now…”

Harry lifted his shoulders and let them drop heavily, shaking his head.

“Lupin promised we’d see each other again, that he’d always be available to help. He’s gone too,” Harry said. “Now Lucius will go to prison. Everyone I have ever counted on, everyone I have ever meant to be with, has vanished. Everyone has easily forgotten about me and left me alone each time.”

“I can’t say anything for your godfather or this Lupin, but I can say something for Lucius,” Alexei said. “He will not forget you. He will leave and go to prison because he has to, because he is being made to. He would never choose to leave you. He could never voluntarily leave you. Even for the short time he is in Azkaban, he will not forget you. You will be what he holds onto to make it through to the other side.

“Additionally, you will never be completely alone again. Surely you remember those guardianship papers you and Severus signed. Those don’t just go away, rebenok.”

“Sure they do,” Harry said. “Like I said, I should have been with Sirius but he didn’t give a damn. He had more important things to worry about and none of them have ever involved me.”

“You’re putting Severus at the same standards as your godfather?” Alexei said. “You have that low of an opinion?”

“Not of Severus personally, of all adults,” Harry said. “Can’t have faith in something you’ve never had.”

Alexei sighed again. “If you truly believe Severus could abandon you, you don’t know him very well.”

Harry looked at the vampire with a hard look. “I never seem to really know anyone.”

“Have a seat, Mr. Malfoy,” Head Auror Gawain Robards said, sitting on the other side of the table. Lucius and Alexei sat. “And this is?” the Auror said, gesturing to Alexei.

“Mr. Romanov, my lawyer,” Lucius said, folding his hands in his lap as he sat back in the chair.

Robards glared at the vampire who just raised an eyebrow in response, crossing his long legs. “Mr. Malfoy, you are here for questioning in regards to the Death Eater attack at Hogwarts on Christmas day and the murder of your son, Draco Malfoy.”

Lucius just stared at him.

“You were the one that informed the party in the Great Hall that Death Eaters had broken in.”

“Yes.”

“Where were you that allowed you to know what was happening?”

“My wife and I were in the Entrance Hall, getting ready to leave,” Lucius said. “I saw them coming down the stairs.”

“Did they see you?”

“Right then? No. I may have been spotted during the fight.”

“You said you saw them coming down the stairs. What did you mean?”

Lucius raised an eyebrow. “Exactly what I said. I saw them coming down the Grand Staircase. You don’t honestly think they just walked through the front door.”

The Auror glared at Lucius. “Then how did they enter the castle?”

“Despite what you believe, how would I know?”

“You are a Death Eater?”

“I was. I have renounced.”

“Publicly?”

“No. If I did so publicly, my family and I would be murdered.”

Robards hummed, obviously skeptical. “What were you doing at Hogwarts that night, Mr. Malfoy?”

“My wife and I had arrived earlier in the day to bring our son his dress robes. He was not returning home for the holidays and we wished to see him. We left him at the ball and we were on our way home.”

“It is interesting that Death Eaters happened to break in the same night you decided to visit the school.”

“Yes, it is,” Lucius said.

“You willingly took the Dark Mark, correct?”

“Yes.”

“You voluntarily followed and obeyed You-Know-Who?”

“Yes.”

“What kinds of things did you do for him?”

“Nothing that pertains to the reason I am here.”

“But it does. You see, we think you murdered your own son. It doesn’t seem too far off when you factor in the fact that you have willingly tortured and murdered in the past.”

“Right. In the past,” Lucius emphasized. “And I would never hurt my own son.”

“Maybe you didn’t,” Robards said. “Maybe you just orchestrated the whole thing. Had a buddy murder your son for you so you could come out the innocent one.”

“Elaborate,” Lucius said. “Quite the tale.”

Robards smirked.

“Are we done?” Alexei jumped in.

Robards sneered. “For now. I’ll get you, Malfoy. You’ll be in Azkaban before you know it.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Lucius said, standing with Alexei. “The question is, for how long?”

We’re coming.

Harry frowned at the two words on the otherwise blank piece of parchment. It had been a regular barn owl that had delivered it rather than Hedwig, making it even more suspicious. Was it a threat? Something from Death Eaters? Was there about to be another attack?

He looked up at the staff table to get Severus’ attention. He managed after a few seconds and subtly gestured to the Hall doors. He received a minute nod and he left Gryffindor table, heading out into the Entrance Hall. He waited by the giant House hourglasses until Severus came through a side door.

“What is it?” Severus asked and Harry handed him the note. After a quick look, the professor gave Harry a tense stare. “Any idea who it is from?”

Harry shook his head. “It wasn’t Hedwig that delivered it so I haven’t got a clue.”

Severus examined the note again, obviously concerned. He had just taken out his wand to scan the parchment when the front doors flew open.

Harry blinked in shock. “Sirius. Professor Lupin. What are you doing here?”

Sirius and Lupin said nothing as they stormed up to Severus and Harry. Lupin stopped by Harry while Sirius walked right up to Severus and punched him across the face.

“Sirius!” Harry yelled. He made to run to his guardian but was held back by his former professor. “What are you doing? Let me go.”

“Snape, you complete bastard,” Sirius spat. “What the hell do you think you’re doing with Harry? Why the games? What are you getting out of this?”

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, utterly confused, still struggling against Lupin. “What are you talking about? What games?”

“Mind games, Harry, he’s playing you, manipulating you,” Sirius said, his eyes never leaving Severus who was standing straight again. Severus had a small trail of blood coming from his nose. His eyes were hard, flashing, and he was gripping his wand tightly. Harry recognized the signs. His guardian had very little left and would blow up very soon.

“I have done nothing,” Severus said stiffly. “All I’ve done is everything you should have.”

Sirius swung again, but Severus was able to duck and avoid being struck. He quickly waved his wand and Sirius was knocked backwards.

“Wait, stop!” Harry shouted, fighting against Lupin.

“Harry, it’s okay. We’re here now, we’ll help,” Lupin said.

“Help? Help with what? I don’t need any help,” Harry said, watching Sirius clamber to his feet.

“Bastard,” Sirius growled, glowering at Severus and pulling his own wand. “You expect me to believe you didn’t do something to Harry? Out of nowhere he tells me you’re his guardian? No way does that happen without a curse or potion.” He sliced his wand through the air, throwing a Cutting Curse at Severus who deflected.

“If he was vulnerable to manipulation, it would only be because of your near abandonment of him,” Severus said. “However, no manipulation required. All I did was help him, care about him.”

Sirius waved his wand again, casting a strong Burning Curse. The men continued their fight, Sirius’ curses getting steadily more dangerous. Harry couldn’t help but notice how Severus was remaining defensive, using only shields, deflections, and spells that cause very little damage. He was surprised. It wasn’t like Severus to be defensive, especially against someone he hated as much as Sirius.

Harry fought against Lupin, wanting to get between the fight, wanting to stop them from hurting each other, stop Sirius from hurting Severus.

“Let me go!” Harry yelled again.

After a particularly vicious Disintegrating Curse cast at Severus’ leg, both men cast simple Disarming Spells. Each hit their targets and both men lost their wands. It didn’t slow Sirius down, though, as he instantly ran at Severus, instigating a physical fight.

And Severus stopped holding back. He dodged, defended, and threw plenty of his own hits. Both men’s faces were quickly becoming bruised and bloody, Sirius’ more so. Severus was clearly the better, more experienced fighter. Harry hated to think about all the things that would have caused Severus to learn to fight so proficiently.

“Let. Me. Go," Harry growled and finally got free from Lupin. He ran over to his guardian and godfather, stepping between them. He went to speak only to have a heavy fist crash into his left cheek. He cried out at the intense pain that came with a sickening crack. He fell to the floor beside Severus’ legs, a hand over his cheek. He looked up through tears to find Sirius falling to the floor as well, a dead weight.

“Never touch Harry again,” Severus hissed, kneeling next to Harry. “Let me see,” he said quietly, and gently pulled Harry’s hand away.

“Did you…” Harry trailed off, pain spiking through his cheek.

“Kill him?” Severus said and gave a small smirk. “No, I didn’t. Just knocked him out. Though he deserves more.”

“Harry, get away from him,” Lupin said, knelt beside Sirius. “Look what he’s done to Sirius.”

“Sirius attacked him,” Harry said shortly. “Protecting us, me. My guardian.”

“He is not your guardian. He doesn’t care about you. It’s not safe with him,” Lupin said. “We care about you.”

“You left me,” Harry said and then looked at Severus. “Hospital Wing, please.”

Severus nodded and helped the child up. He threw a glare at Sirius and Lupin before supporting Harry to the Hospital Wing. Harry was sat on his customary bed and Pomfrey was called.

“Are you alright?” Severus asked, sitting in a chair beside the bed.

“I’m okay,” Harry said. He looked down, sad. “I don’t understand why they acted like that.”

“You know we have never liked each other,” Severus said, sighing a little. “Many would think the same way, that I have done something to trick you.”

“You would never do that,” Harry argued.

“Which you know now but even you would’ve thought the same thing only last year,” Severus said.

Harry winced as Pomfrey magically set his fractured cheekbone. “True, but I’ve been telling Sirius about how things have been changing. It’s not my fault he never answered a single letter. They’re the ones that left me.”

Severus nodded. “I know.”

“Don’t leave me,” Harry whispered. 

Severus grasped the child’s hand. “Never.”