chapter 12

They were sitting in the meeting room, having pleasant conversation, when the knock came. All conversation instantly stopped as the door opened, and in entered one goblin followed by one lone figure.

"Sev!" two voices instantly yelled, Remus and Sirius, almost throwing their chairs away, getting up. They ran over to Severus, meeting in the middle as Severus had begun running as well.

"Rem! Siri!" Severus began, they were hugging in the middle of the room, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, because of me. It's because of me they died," he was crying. Harry had never seen Severus cry, but Harry decided he didn't like it.

"No. It was not your fault. If anything, it's Dumbledore and Pettigrew's fault," Sirius said, as he gently placed a hand on Severus' head. "It was not your fault, it was none of us' faults," he continued, guiding Severus' head to lean on Remus' shoulder as they slid to sit on the floor.

they were all hugging each other, tears forming in all their eyes. They sat on the floor, hugging, for minutes, just taking comfort in each other's presence. Harry, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley had been kind enough to look another way and let the three have their moment.

"Okay, no more sadness," Sirius said, still a little teary-eyed, "You haven't even said hi to the others," he smiled at Severus, who was drying his tears with the loose sleeve of Remus' robe. Remus just let him, smiling at Severus and Sirius both.

That made Severus freeze up, suddenly remembering where they were. He looked up and saw the back-heads of the three other humans in the room. "Come on, let's get up and sit by the table before more people come in," Remus said, sensing Severus' embarrassment.

Harry only turned back from the wall-design when he felt them sitting down by the table. "Hi," he said awkwardly to his Potions Professor, who he didn't know how to address anymore. He wasn't 'Snape', and he was now one of Harry's blood-adopted fathers, so Harry really didn't know what to call him.

Severus looked at him with shining (still teary-eyed) eyes, "I am so sorry for how I have treated you," he said, startling Harry.

"Thank you for the apology," was Harry's answer, he didn't really know what more to say. It wasn't Severus' fault, Dumbledore had placed compulsions on him, had obliviated him, but Harry couldn't see Severus as something other than the bitter Potions Professor, who so obviously hated him. Harry would have to wait and see, would just try to see this as a new person.

It didn't take long after that for the door to open up again, this time the goblin that stepped in had three people behind him. The Malfoys had arrived.

"Severus? Sirius? Remus?" Lucius was the first to speak. Harry was once again in the background, feeling tense, people who disliked Harry was coming in acting totally different from how they used to. Of course, that was obvious, considering everyone had had compulsions and such, but Harry was still getting whiplash from it. He was waiting for the usual insults to come.

"Hey, Lucy! Cissa, good to see you again!" Sirius smiled happily at them, gaining a small puff of laughter from Harry at Lucius' nickname, "Come sit down," he continued.

Harry suddenly noticed the youngest Malfoy was very white in the face, but he couldn't understand why. His eyes are huge and staring at… oh, OH! Draco didn't know Sirius was innocent, Draco was thinking they were invited to sit down by a Voldemort fanatic and serial killer. Harry was suddenly choking down laughter, trying to keep quiet.

Remus noticed first, Harry's shoulders were shaking, his head was down, and his hands were over his mouth. Remus was thinking he was having a panic attack, he was worried. "Harry," he asked quietly, making everyone look at Harry. And that was the last straw before Harry burst, almost falling backwards laughing.

Everyone was shocked, no one knew what to do or say, they just stared at him as he laughed his ass off. "His face," was choked out, "Priceless!"

It was minutes before Harry got himself under control, and still none of the others understood what he was laughing at. When the laughing had stopped it was Sirius who asked, "Pup, why were you laughing?" his voice was very quiet, still in shock.

Harry smiled, "Draco doesn't know you are innocent, and looks like he is being forced to fight a real dragon," he said, pointing at a still, maybe even more, pale Draco.

"Ohh…" was Sirius' reaction before he too burst into laughter after looking at the pale-faced Draco. Remus and Severus only sighed, but both were smiling.

Narcissa's eyes widened, "Oh, I'm so sorry, Draco! We didn't think about that," she turned to look at her son, who was now looking up at her with wide questioning eyes, "Sirius was never a follower of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, spy or otherwise," she said.

"And I haven't killed anyone," Sirius said. At Harry, Remus, and Severus' 'not for a lack of trying', he just waved his hand, "That rat would deserve it,", no one could argue with that.

Lucius sighed at that, "Who did you try to kill?" he asked defeatedly.

"The rat that betrayed us, Peter Pettigrew. He was the Secret Keeper, he was the one who told He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Severus said. "We were all spies, but he really turned to the Dark Lord's side."

Harry and Draco's eyes shot to Severus, "Spies?" they asked at the same time.

Lucius was the one to answer, "Yes, we were all spies. Severus, Peter, Narcissa, and me, or at least we all were when we started. Looks like Peter wasn't only a spy," he looked at both of them, and Harry could see the sadness in the Malfoy Lord's eyes. The mood was a little damp after that, the Malfoys sat down opposite of Remus, Sirius, and Severus.

Suddenly Dudley spoke up, "Who is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" Everyone turned to him, seemingly just remembering that some people in the room didn't know about the wizen war.

Harry was the first to answer, "Oh… that's a long story…" he began, "Short version for now, I'm going to tell the 'origin' when everyone gets here. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, AKA Voldemort, started a war on the magical world. A prophesy was made that talked about a person that could defeat him. He came to the conclusion it was me, so he came and tried to kill me," Here everyone that knew the story took a deep breath, "He killed my parents, but when he tried to kill me, the spell bounced back and killed him instead," Harry finished softly.

Both Dudley and Aunt Petunia looked stunned, "I found you, on the doorstep, with a letter. That letter, -" she had tears in her eyes, "- that letter said your parents were 'adrenaline addicts' and 'got in a little over their heads'…" she said, looking shocked at Harry. "It said that they irresponsibly left you and 'got themselves blown up'… that was what stood it that letter," she sounded horrified at her own words.

Everyone was silent, Aunt Petunia was crying quietly at the memories, Harry was shocked, Not only was she obliviated, but she was lied to. That was the story she was told? It's not strange she hated magic if that was what she was told happened.

Aunt Petunia calmed down after a while, Dudley was once again hugging her. They began talking about other things to try and lighten the mood, it would help everyone to get their mind out of the gloom they were in. after a while of talking Lucius looked at Harry, "I think it's high time you receive an apology from me," He said seriously, "I am sorry for how I have acted around you up until now."

The sudden change left Harry slightly confused, "I accept your apology," he said back after a second. Like with Severus he didn't know what more to say.

Luckily, they didn't have to sit in the awkwardness of the aftermath of the apology, because at that moment a knock came from the door and in came a goblin with seven people on his heels.

"Harry!" Fred and George said as soon as they laid eyes on him, not at all confused by his new looks. Their smiles brightened as they made a beeline for Harry. Ron had to look for a few seconds longer before doing the same.

Harry just smiled, standing up from his seat, "Hey, guys," he managed to say before he was squeezed in a hug between Fred and George.

Ron stopped in front of them, "What are you doing here?" he asked as he looked at Harry.

Before Harry could answer though, Fred and George began talking, "You're safe, -"

"- we heard you-"

"- escaped from Privet -"

"- Drive! Are you okay?" they didn't let go of Harry throughout their twin speak, not that Harry minded.

Harry just smiled up at them, "I'm fine! Don't worry," then he frowned, "What about you guys? She didn't do anything to you?" he asked, looking both of them in the eye. Everyone was kind of confused by how they were acting, not only with the hugging, but also the questioning from both sides.

Fred waved a free hand, "Nothing too bad," he said, George agreeing with him. they continued smiling, letting go of Harry, but still standing close.

"Tell me later," Harry said sternly at them, head swishing from side to side to look them both in the eye. The others in the room didn't quite know how to react to this display of… scolding? They didn't even know what to call it. All the adults were strangely remined of Lily's scolding and James's mothering.

What really surprised them though, more that Harry copying his parents, was Fred and George's answer. "Okay…" they sounded like chastised children, and they were using a tone that none of the Weasley-Prewetts had ever heard them use.

"Is this an often occurrence?" was asked, but none of the three, nor anyone going to Hogwarts with them, answered.

Before anyone could ask any more, Harry smiled and looked at everyone, "Okay then, now that we are all here, let us start the meeting!"