"The Grim. The Dem . . . they . . . they don't notice so much without feelings. Don't notice animals . . . as a Grim, a duh . . . a dog, I didn't have the right feelings to feed them. Not so tasty as a puppy!" Black laughed loudly. "Paid me no mind if I sat still when they passed. Coulda nipped their heels."
Albus looked up and away, tapping a finger to his chin as if thinking, but his gaze met Severus' in truth. If what Black said was reliable, any Animagus could enter or exit the prison at will. And Severus knew several Animagi -- unregistered, of course -- who should never been allowed to know this information, if for no other reason than if they were ever caught and prosecuted for their crimes, imprisonment at Azkaban would not be effective punishment.
The Headmaster had continued the questioning, and Black was saying, "… heard a report about those Dursleys. James always hated 'em, 'specially after he met 'em. I knew Harry was there," he said in an odd sing-song voice, "so I worried for the bairn. Had to escape to find him, to check up and find him, make sure he was okay. James would've wanted me to make sure he was okay. He would've wanted me to. Looked all around, smelled them all, stinking as they were, and when I couldn't find my little Harry there, I went to good ol' Hoggy warts to see what I could see. Heard that ol' Sni . . . sniv . . . Snapey had him, and I knew where the gre . . . greas . . . nast . . . where Snape was living. So I went to res . . . rescue Harry. He's muh muh my . . . I mean, he's James' suh, suh . . . he's James' . . . Argh!" Black thumped his head on the floor, coughing and wheezing after trying to so hard to get some words out, and obviously distraught at not being able to repeat his old lies about himself or James, in relation to Harry.
Severus could have cheered. But what he heard next chilled him to the bone.
"Albus," Black pleaded. "I told the boy, I told Harry, and I'll tell you now, I never meant to hurt him. I just wanted him safe. I was never Secret Keeper for James and Lily, I swear it. Peter was. He's the one who told Voldemo--"
"You lie!" Severus snapped. Forgetting he was meant to remain hidden, he surged forward so he could see the face of his lover's betrayer. "You killed Lily. Admit it!"
Black's expression shifted from surprised to rage in an instant. "How can I? It's your Veritaserum, isn't it?"
Nearly spitting with fury, Severus hissed, "Witnesses saw you attack--"
"They saw what Peter wanted them to see. He exploded the street. He cut off his own damn finger to leave it behind for others to find. Then he . . . he ran away, ran down the drain like a little rat, escaped like the vermin he was."
"That's impossible," Severus whispered, aware that Harry was waking because of his agitation. He smoothed a hand across the back of the boy's head and shoulder blades to calm him. "You're mad."
"Of course, of course! I'm mad as a corpse! Like to see you do better after six years in Azkabenny! You wouldn't last a . . . not a da . . . Damn!"
Severus sneered. "You know better than to lie under Veritaserum. Or maybe you don't. You've always been so arrogant, just like your best friend. You're a bully, Black, you and your trio of rule-breaking pack mates. Not one of you ever did anything that wasn't to your own benefit. You got what you deserved in Azkaban, for trying to kill me via your pet Werewolf if nothing else. Go on, tell me you didn't!"
Black couldn't do it. Not that he didn't try. But the serum was stronger than Black's will, not that Severus was surprised. Coughing and wheezing his way through attempted disavowals of all mischief and maliciousness, Black blubbered on piteously. Severus had no pity in him for the worst tormentor of his school days.
After a minute or two, when the serum was almost at the end of its usefulness, Black protested in the thick drone of those still under its effects, a sure sign he was fighting it no longer, "But you know it's true now, don't you? About me? I wasn't the Secret Keeper. It was Peter, I swear it was."
To Severus' horror, Dumbledore's expression had softened as he gazed at the bound man by their feet. "I do believe you, my dear boy, and I shall do what I can--"
"Albus!" Severus took another step toward the Headmaster. "It's madness! He's crazed and truly believes his lies, but lies are all they are."
"No, no, I didn't, I didn't kill them, you have to believe me, you slimy, sneaking Slytherin snivelly Snape!" Black was off again, sing-songing nonsense, and the serum had evidently lost its power over him as the monotone was completely gone. And his vitriol was back in full swing.
Severus ignored him.
"I'm not accepting all of what he said, certainly," started Dumbledore.
"But what? You're willing to believe enough to give him false hope? He belongs in Azkaban. He kidnapped my son!"
At that moment, Harry blinked open tired, green eyes. "Daddy?"
"Harry, it's all right. I'm here," said Severus.
"Harry, my boy, it's good to see you safe," Dumbledore told him at the same time, while Black chimed in from the floor with a, "Harry! Forgive me!"
Harry froze in that instant, as if he knew a single movement would spell his death. His lips only moved a fraction as he darted a look to Severus' eyes and whispered, "Daddy, is the Black man gonna hurt me again?"
"No, no, never, Harry. I won't let him touch you again. Did he hurt you badly? What did he do to you?"
"Nothing! I did nothing to him. I'd never hurt my godson!"
"He isn't yours, you completely idiotic cur! If you had more than one brain cell in your head you'd realize that."
"I still wouldn't hurt him," Black protested. "I'd never . . . even if he's not . . . not even if . . . Albus! You must know! You know me! I held him in my arms when he was just a baby. I changed his diapers. I'd never ever hurt him."
Albus turned to Severus. "Perhaps it would be best to take Harry home now."
Severus wanted to protest, but he knew it would do him no good. Albus already knew his assumptions and fears about Black with regards to Harry, and he would make whatever decisions he wanted, whether or not for Harry's sake. He drew a deep breath, knowing, too, that Albus was right about needing to take Harry away from here. "Very well. Just . . . please don't release him, Albus, if nothing else I say can sway you. I can't worry about him more this night, and neither can Harry."
"I understand. Take Harry to Hogwarts if you prefer. You can Floo to my office from here."
Severus agreed, and stepped to the fireplace. Harry's Kneazle kit darted over to them and he lifted it by the nape to give to Harry to hold. Instead of casting the spell of green light, he took up Floo powder in his right hand. Before he threw the powder down, he told Harry to hold his breath, and the three of them whirled their way to Hogwarts.
After a change of night clothes and a quick cleaning spell, Harry was so tired Severus put him straight to bed, and Severus sat in the chair by his bedside, watching him sleep.
--HPSSHPSSHPSS--
Unsurprisingly, when Harry woke, it was with nightmares. Severus soothed him, rocking him in his arms and whispering that everything was all right, that he was safe from harm and from Black and the Dursleys and everyone. The nightmares were almost the worst they'd ever been, and Severus had to stop Harry from biting into his hand again, but the boy kept moaning, "Sorry; didn't mean to tell, didn't mean to tell, please, I'm sorry, I'll be good . . ."
All Severus could do was remind him where he was, and with whom, and make sure Harry didn't hurt himself, and tell his son he could tell his Daddy anything. Anything at all.
Harry finally drifted off again, but Severus kept him in his lap, resting his cheek atop the boy's halo of soft, black hair, continually whispering to him that he was safe and home.
Later in the morning, when Harry woke for good, Severus pushed him to talk about his nightmare a little, to expel the poison, as it were, and to tell him what Black had done to him as well.