Snape turned from where he had been scolding a depressingly unsquelched Harry. Of course, the boy has already realized he no longer needs to listen to me. His godfather is about to take over his care. "No, Headmaster. I will take him." He needed to ensure that the idiotic mutt knew he wasn't going to get Harry without a fight, plus he wanted to be brought up to date on what the Marauders had done to the Dursleys this week.
Dumbledore drooped in defeat and handed Snape a toy penguin. "Just tap it and say 'Black' to get there, 'Home' to return."
"Come here," Snape ordered, and Harry immediately grabbed his guardian in a hug. He was so excitedтАж and a little apprehensive too. He wasn't really worried since his professor was going to be there, but his godfather did look kinda scary. Professor McGonagall had said that he'd loved Baby Harry like his own son, and she'd started to tell him other stories about his godfather, but then her nose had gotten all pink and she'd had to leave abruptly.
Professor Snape said that a lot of people owed his godfather a great big apology for misjudging him, and they all felt ashamed of themselves for not helping him ten years ago. Harry had rather indignantly felt that was only fair. If his friends and teachers had let him rot in jail for something he hadn't done, they'd better feel guilty about it. Professor Snape had also explained that he and Harry's godfather had never liked each other тАУ not one bit тАУ so if his godfather said rude things about him, Harry shouldn't be surprised. Harry figured that that sort of let Professor Snape off the hook about helping his godfather. If you didn't like someone, you would expect that they'd do awful things like blowing up a street and killing people, but if you liked someone тАУ like everyone said Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore had done тАУ then you should have faith in them.
Harry didn't think he trusted the Headmaster very much. He made too many mistakes about people, like thinking the Dursleys were nice or that Quirrell was a good (or at least normal) teacher or that his godfather was bad. Harry was glad the Headmaster wasn't responsible for him anymore and that he had Professor Snape looking out for him now. Even if his professor did yell at him for getting overexcited when, really, who could blame him? He was about to meet his godfather!
Snape rolled his eyes as the brat, instead of simply taking his arm like a normal person, drove his pointy forehead into Snape's breastbone. The little fiend seemed to relish pretending that a simple portkeying was a dangerous adventure. Honestly. But that didn't stop him from wrapping one arm tightly around the boy as he activated the portkey with the other.
Harry felt a jerk behind his navel and yelped in surprise, the noise muffled against his professor's robes. Then they were suddenly standing in a strange room, filled with sunlight and comfortable тАУ though expensive тАУ looking furniture. Tall snowcapped mountains could be seen out the window.
"Is - is that him? Is that Harry?" a breathless voice asked from behind him.
Harry could feel his guardian's exasperated sigh as the man sneered, "No, Black. I have arrived with a random Hogwarts student. Do you mean you wanted a particular one?"
"He's only kidding! It's me, Harry," Harry laughed, turning within his guardian's embrace. His professor could be really funny when he wanted!
Odd тАУ his professor hadn't turned him loose yet. Usually he let go as soon as they arrived and it was Harry who prolonged the contact, but this time, he kept his arm around Harry, almost as if he were scared he wouldn't get the chance to hold him again anytime soon. Oh well. Harry mentally shrugged. Adults were weird.
He found himself looking at the man from the newspaper photo (minus the thong). His godfather was tall, with dark hair and blue eyes that Hermione insisted were "gorgeous". His face was lined, but right now it was lit up with a huge smile. "HARRY!" he let out a joyous shout that was almost a bark.
"Um, hi," Harry said, suddenly feeling shy.
"Come here тАУ let me take a look at you!" the man commanded, holding out his arms.
Harry felt his professor's grip tighten for a second but then Snape's arm withdrew entirely, and Harry obediently stepped towards his godfather. Only to yelp in surprise as he was grabbed and tossed high in the air.
"I used to do that when you were a pup!" Sirius grinned, catching him and hugging him tight. "Do you remember?"
"Padfoot, Harry was just a baby then. I doubt he remembers us at all," another man said, smiling, as he stepped from behind the couch. "Hello, Harry, I'm Remus Lupin."
"Er, hello," Harry offered. He glanced at his professor. "Erm, they were my father's friends, yeah?" he asked uncertainly.
Snape looked sour. "Yes. The idiot and the werewolf."
"Hey!" Sirius protested. "Who are you calling an idiot?"
Snape just looked at him and after a moment, Sirius shrugged resignedly and turned back to Harry. "Well, okay, but I'm a lot better now."
Harry giggled.
"I'll just leave you alone," the other man said quietly. Harry noticed that he'd made no effort to come any closer.
"Wait," Harry said, twisting to see him. "Mr тАУ uh тАУ Lupin? Why are you leaving?"
"Yeah, Moony," Sirius protested. "Don't go."
"I think your visitors would be more comfortable if I weren't here." Remus gave Sirius a pointed look.
"Oh!" Sirius looked torn as he glanced from Harry to Remus and back again.
Harry looked puzzled. "Why would you make us feel uncomfortable?" he asked blankly.
"Lupin is playing the martyr because he assumes that you share the prejudice against werewolves common to most in the Wizarding world," Snape commented in a bored tone. "He believes that you will be frightened of him and shy from his touch."
Remus shot Snape a dirty look. "Well, since someone obviously saw fit to inform Harry of my condition," he retorted, "the least I can do is not interfere with his reunion with his godfather."
Harry squirmed until his godfather let him down, then walked up to Lupin. "I'm not afraid of you, sir," he offered, holding out his hand. "I know you were one of my father's best friends."
Amazed, Lupin shook Harry's hand, tears coming to his eyes. He looked over at Snape, who stood arms crossed over his chest. "Severus, again you shame me. Thank you for this gift."
Snape grumbled in irritation. "I don't know what you're talking about, wolf. I certainly wasn't going to frighten the brat half to death with some nonsensical propaganda, though neither did I pretend you're a harmless little puppy dog."
"That would be me!" Sirius, never one to allow the spotlight to be off him for long, promptly transformed into his canine form, leaving Harry speechless.
Remus sighed. "Trust your godfather to keep a secret. Padfoot, I thought we agreed that it was better for Harry not to know about your secret animagus form."
"That's so wicked!" Harry yelled, running over to pat his godfather. Padfoot promptly rolled on his back so Harry could scratch his tummy. "You're just like Professor McGonagall! Wow!"
"Brilliant, Black," Snape sneered. "Do you really imagine that confiding in an 11 year old is a way to safeguard your secret? Let me guess тАУ you've shown off for at least a dozen local women as well."
Sirius transformed back and grinned at the Potion Master. "Snape, my lad, trust me. I impress the women just fine with my human form, though I admit there's quite a transformation involved there as well," he leered.