Y/N was laying in the hospital wing. Again. He had wanted to leave and just regrow his arm bones in his dorm but Madam Pomfrey wouldn't have it. Not to mention Hermione had given him the doe eyes... those big chocolate puppy dog eyes of hers. Y/N folded like a cheap suit. When she gave him those eyes he was putty in her hands. Pomfrey thought it was hilarious.

Hermione had spent the whole day next to Y/N's bed, even eating her dinner on a tray on her lap, and Snape had came back just before curfew to accompany her back to her common room. He was furious with Y/N though, snapping:

"Don't endanger your own health to prove he is a fraud. That was foolish and you boy are no fool."

Y/N had laid awake pondering everything after they had left and Madam Pomfrey had turned the lights down for the night. Severus was right. Y/N's eagerness to embarrass Lockhart had left him here, his wand arm in a sling. Another stupid decision endangering Hermione. But the way Severus had told him off- it wasn't like Y/N had ever been told off before. It was nothing like he was disciplined by Jacob. It felt like Severus was a father, disappointed in his son for a poor choice. Y/N had never felt that before. It was one one of the most bittersweet feelings of his life.

To feel that paternal feeling was incredible. But to have disappointed Sev so much... Y/N never wanted to feel that again. He thought back to his first detention of the year with Severus, a large smile on his face.

-~-

Y/N was sat across from the Potions Master, following the correct recipe to brew an Elixir to Induce Euphoria. He was so focused on his Potion he didn't notice Severus had grown uncharacteristically nervous across from him.

"Y/N... there's something I wanted to ask you. Well tell you, and then ask you, but I have to ask you something else first."

Y/N finished crushing his sopophorous beans and paused to look up at his stammering Potions Master, raising an eyebrow.

"Is everything ok Sev?"

Severus appeared to steady himself and nod before asking:

"What do you know about my past Y/N? I mean before I became friends with your father."

Y/N stopped what he was doing to look up and give Severus his full attention.

"You mean about how you were a Death Eater?"

Severus gasped. He internally panicked. Y/N knew. He knew?

"Y/N, you have to understand that-"

Y/N held a hand up to silence his friend.

"Jacob told me, Sev. You switched sides. I'm not going to judge you for your mistakes. You don't owe me any explanations. What matters now is that you are loyal to the right side. Obviously you are or my dad wouldn't have trusted you the way he did."

Y/N smiled and a huge wave of relief passed over the Potions Master as he asked:

"What else did Jacob tell you?"

"He told me why you turned spy, your love for Lilly Potter. That you and my father became close. That you're the bravest man Jacob has ever met"

Severus went quiet, feeling overwhelmed. Y/N had known the entire time, yet had never judged Severus for his past. Had never even let on that he knew.

"Did Jacob ever mention... my relationship to you?"

Y/N grew slightly puzzled as he answered "No..."

Severus braced himself.

"Your father... he... he made me your Godfather Y/N, in secret. He couldn't tell your mother, in case she was compromised somehow. I was overjoyed, proud, the day of your birth when I visited St.Mungo's under a polyjuice glamour and held you in my arms... when Thomas was killed. When you were... I knew I had to keep my distance. I hoped to reconnect to you as we have when you began at Hogwarts, but I had no clue how you were being abused by Lyra, Y/N. If I had I would have rescued you. Can you ever forgive me?"

Severus had looked down as he spoke, ashamed. Everyday he wished to Merlin he had taken Y/N from Lyra, by force if he had to. Raised him in secret. An incredible sense of relief washed over him when a large smile grew on Y/N's face.

"There's nothing to forgive Sev. Nothing. That's pretty amazing though, how close we are. That you were supposed to be my Godfather."

Sev smiled before chuckling:

"I still could be, if you wished. It's probably ridiculous, but-"

His stammering was cut off by Y/N standing and crossing quickly to his side of the desk. Y/N gripped Severus tight in a heartfelt embrace, one that Severus instantly returned as relief and joy washed over the usually gruff and stoic man. He fought back tears as Y/N answered into the hug:

"I don't wish for anything more, Godfather"

-~-

For Y/N's last detention of the week he was sat staring at his Godfather, hoping against hope that he would be given the information he had asked for.

"Please, Sev. After what they did to me, what they took from me, I have a right to know who they are."

Severus stared back, conflicted, before sighing.

"You have a right to know. The men responsible are in Azkaban for another crime. It was Antonin Dolohov. Augustus Rookwood and Thorfinn Rowle."

Y/N sat and absorbed. He now had three names. The three that took his father. Started Y/N on the road to being the monster he knew he was now.

"My lying whore of a mother told the Ministry she didn't know who did it!" Y/N said to Sev, who sighed in return, answering:

"She knew. It was well known through the underground of the Wizarding World."

Y/N nodded before looking at his godfather with a small smile.

"Thank you Sev. All three of them will die slowly... bloody and screaming!"

-~-

Y/N stirred, slightly confused before realising he had drifted off. As he composed his thoughts and rubbed his eyes he gasped, hearing the voice again:

Kill....kill...

He snapped around before suddenly noticing a small friendly figure at the end of his bed who smiled and said simply: "hello"

Y/N's head snapped around trying to hear the voice again, but it was gone. He turned to the smiling but nervous House Elf in front of him. He smiled in discomfort as he fixed his sling, holding out his left hand to shake awkwardly.

"Hello my little friend. My name is Y/N L/N and-"

The House Elf shrieked and cried, gripping Y/N's left hand, shaking it quickly.

"Whoa whoa little guy it's ok, I'm not gonna hurt you" Y/N said, attempting to get the elf to calm. He was all too aware of the plight of House Elves and this elf's rags bore the trademark of harsh servitude.

"I had heard of your greatness from Barley and Filk, but you are just like Harry Potter. Treating Dobby as an equal."

Y/N sighed and offered Dobby a sad smile.

"Of course you're an equal Dobby. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."

At this simple statement of Dobby's obvious equality the House Elf wailed again, falling into Y/N's bandaged arm. Y/N gritted his teeth through the pain, not wanting to alert the small creature to what he had just caused, when suddenly it clicked in Y/N's drowsy and medicated head:

"Whoa it's ok Dobby it's ok. Just breathe... Wait a minute, are you the house elf who was trying to stop Harry from coming to Hogwarts?"

"Harry Potter should have listened to Dobby and gone home when he couldn't get on the train" Dobby said sadly.

"You closed the gate. You stopped Harry and Ron from getting through. You nearly got them expelled".

"At least they would be away from here" Dobby retorted.

"I'm guessing you were responsible for the bludger today as well?" Y/N chuckled.

"Yes sir. Dobby came to apologise. I only wanted to scare Harry Potter, but when you took him on your broom the bludger targeted you as well."

"Don't worry about it, Dobby. I forgive you, you were only worried about Harry."

The elf wailed even louder.

"Dobby can you tell me why you're trying to stop Harry from being here?"

"Hogwarts isn't safe. Dobby remembers how it was before Harry triumphed over he who must not be named. House elves were treated like vermin sir. Of course, Dobby is still treated like Vermin."

Y/N felt his heart break. This poor creature.

"I don't suppose you can tell me the name of the family you serve?"

Dobby shook his head quickly. Y/N sighed he was furious and sickened all at once. He did his best to remain calm:

"Dobby, I am sorry for how you are treated. We have house elves at our family Manor. My brother Jacob is responsible for its upkeep. I haven't been there in years but all our house elves are free and paid for their service. If you ever get free you will always have a place there."

Dobby completely broke down at Y/N's words. He gripped Y/N tight as he wailed and sobbed, Y/N lifting his left arm to gently hug the elf back.

Harry had told Y/N how Dobby hurt himself for punishment, and Y/N noticed burn marks on Dobby's hands. He knew he had to tread carefully. The last thing he wanted was the poor little elf to hurt himself because of a faux pas on Y/N's behalf.

The two heard banging and a commotion heading towards the hospital ring. Dobby huddled close to Y/N:

"Listen. Listen. Terrible things are about to happen at Hogwarts. Harry Potter and anyone Y/N L/N cares about must not stay here, now that history is about to repeat itself!"

"Repeat itself? You mean this has happened before?" Y/N asked in realisation. Too late did Y/N realise the impact of his words.

Dobby went into a full panic, smacking himself in the head with the bottle of Skele-Gro. Y/N managed to wrestle it from his hands one handed:

"Dobby please don't hurt yourself mate. Please. Now tell me, please, who's doing this? Who did it before? The girl I love is in danger!"

Dobby looked at Y/N saddened, saying apologetically:

"Dobby cannot say sir. Dobby is sorry"

He clicked his fingers and disappeared. Y/N broke into a full mental panic just as Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall rush in with a body on a stretcher.

Y/N's heart sank. He jumped out of bed, ignoring the pain in his arm, rushing across the hall in only his boxer shorts. He breathed a sigh of relief guiltily as he looked down at the petrified body of little Colin Creevey.

"Shit. There's been another attack?" he asked, causing Professor McGonagall to jump at his unexpected presence. She nodded as Y/N looked down at the camera he was holding in front of his eyes.

Colin was a Muggleborn. He was a first year Gryffindor and Harry's biggest fan. He always had his camera on him to take photos of things around Hogwarts for his parents. He was a sweet kid but annoyed the hell out of Harry.

"Could he have taken a picture of his attacker professors?" Y/N asked.

Dumbledore lifted and opened the camera but the film popped and disappeared in a haze of smoke.

Pomfrey looked over at Y/N, saying gently:

"You need to go back to bed and rest Y/N. There's nothing you can do here."

Y/N looked at Colin a moment longer before turning and walking, in his boxer shorts, towards the hospital's entrance.

McGonagall and Pomfrey quickly ran in front of him, Pomfrey asking:

"Where do you think you are going?"

Y/N looked at them stunned, snapping back:

"Where do you think I'm bloody going? I need to make sure my girl is ok!"

"You can't even get into the girls dorms L/N!"

McGonagall growled before softening her tone:

"I will check on Ms. Granger and send you my owl... If you promise to go to bed and stay until morning."

Y/N sighed and nodded.

"Thank you Professor. I promise".

She nodded back and left quickly. Ten minutes passed before an owl dropped a note to Y/N. It had felt like hours.

She's fine. Go to sleep. PS Great job with the Snitch.

Y/N let out a big sigh of relief as he laid back to try and get some sleep. He didn't like his chances.