Y/N and Snape walked the cold quiet halls of the dungeon, their wands drawn and ready to attack at a moment's notice. Y/N peered behind a door, wand at the ready, covering Snape as he rushed to the other side of the door. They looked at each other and nodded as Y/N spoke through legilimency.

3...2....1...Go

They both swiftly moved into the doorway, wands at the ready.

The room was empty.

Clear

Clear

They exited the dark room and moved forward along the hall.

It was very brave of you to volunteer to come with me but you didn't have to. It was also foolish.

I wasn't going to let you go by yourself Sev, not after that maniac broke in here. But you do owe me an explanation. You've been on edge with Lupin all year.

They rounded a corner with wands ready.

Clear

Clear

as their conversation continued:

Very well Y/N, I will talk to you after we've finished checking our floors.

—~—

They finished sweeping the dungeon with no sign of Black. They did the same on the first floor but had no luck.

"Well he's not here. He's in another part of the castle or if he's smart he's high tailed it." Y/N said, sitting on a low wall in the hallway.

"Yes indeed. Perhaps we should return to-"

Y/N cut Snape off.

"No way Sev. You promised. You always make me talk about what shit I'm going through in our Saturday morning catch ups. Well it's time to return the favour. I care about you Sev, you're like a father to me, the only one I've ever had. I can see something's bothering you but what is it?"

—~—

Y/N's eyes darkened with fury. The vein on the side of his neck looked like it was going to explode.

"They fucking what?"

Snape had just told Y/N how Sirius Black had tricked him, sending him to the Shrieking Shack while Lupin was transformed. How James Potter had saved his life in an effort to save his own skin.

"It was a long time ago Y/N. But I lost the only woman I ever loved, Lily Evans, she was my best friend, but in my anger and shame I lashed out and called her a Mudblood. I lost her forever. That's when I started down the truly dark path. That's when I found the Dark Lord and joined him."

"So you were isolated and mercilessly bullied for years by Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew- and no one except Lily ever tried to help you?"

Severus looked down. It obviously still affected him deeply.

"Yes."

"Fuck" Y/N yelled, walking up and punching a wall. He shattered it and his hand, which Snape promptly mended.

"Punching walls isn't going to change the situation, Y/N."

"No but outing that cunt might do. To think I considered him a friend. I mean I've done some messed up shit to people in your house, but never to anyone who didn't deserve it. But to do it to someone lonely, isolated.."

The rage build in Y/N again, as a strong breeze kicked up and the air pressure dropped.

"We may be sworn to secrecy about Lupin, but that doesn't mean I have to respect him. And as for Black... fuck when I found my uncle I was just gonna kill him. Now I'm gonna tear him to pieces starting at the feet. He's gonna beg for death before the end!

Y/N's eyes blackened as his voice changed. Snape knew immediately this was bad. He was losing control to the archon. He rushed up and hugged the boy in a fatherly way, trying to reassure him, bring him back from the brink.

"It's ok. I may never have joined the Order if not for what happened, and then I wouldn't have met the best friend I've ever had, nor would I have grown so close to his youngest boy who I consider my own son."

Y/N hugged him back.

"Me too Sev. Me too".

This touching moment was broken up by the voice of a creepy bastard.

"Touching as this is the Headmaster sent me to look for you. He's getting worried" Filch sneered.

Y/N turned and gave the caretaker a death glare. Filch immediately felt like his life was in danger, that he could be ended any second. He looked back at the boy terrified.

"Thank you Filch, you can...go" Snape said as he noticed the look on both Y/N and Filch's faces. He placed a hand on Y/N's shoulder and the boy calmed slightly.

Y/N stood there, seemingly trying to regain composure before he called out:

"Hati"

The giant Direwolf suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Any luck boy?"

The Direwolf howled answering him.

"Thank you for looking, boy. Hati this is Severus. Severus this is Hati."

Snape bowed to the wolf and the wolf reciprocated.

"He is in our pack too Hati. He is my Elder."

Silence filled the room as the direwolf looked at the boy.

"No Hati he isn't the Alpha's father, he's an uncle"

The wolf howled in acknowledgment and then disappeared back to the forest.

"An amazing effort conquering that Direwolf in combat. You truly astonish me, Y/N."

Y/N smiled before closing his eyes for a few seconds. He opened them again and replied:

"Na-Hath had no luck either. We better report back to Dumbledore."

Snape nodded in agreement as they started making their way to the Great Hall.

—~—

They arrived at the great hall where Lupin, Dumbledore and Flitwick were talking quietly, most of the students asleep.

"We've done the ground floor and Dungeons, Headmaster. No sign of Black, nor anyone else in the castle" Snape said respectfully.

"Na-Hath and Hati didn't have any luck either. Couldn't spot anything in the forest or from the air" Y/N added.

"I was worried, you two were gone for some time" Dumbledore said warmly.

"We just had a chat sir" Y/N said as he turned to glare at Lupin who was caught by surprise at the fierce look. Y/N spoke again, his eyes not leaving his DADA professor:

"It was a very illuminating chat, Headmaster. Sometimes you think you know someone and it turns out they are very different people in reality."

Y/N patted Snape on the arm as he walked towards his group.

"Thank you for accompanying Professor Snape Y/N, it was very brave of you." Dumbledore called out.

"I protect my family sir" Y/N said without turning around. He missed a look of shock on three teachers faces and a small smile on the face of Professor Snape.

Y/N sat down next to Hermione where an empty sleeping bag was waiting for him.
He got halfway in it before sitting and leaning against the wall.

"I was worried about you" Hermione said smiling with closed eyes.

"Sorry to worry you baby, had to keep Sev safe."

"I know love, the price of having a boyfriend who is a protector."

Hermione leant up, looking at her boyfriend with her beautiful big brown eyes.

"Cuddle with me?"

"I'd like to sit up for a while, trying to work through some things in my head, don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight. But you wanna put your head on my lap? I can play with your hair, always relaxes you, my beautiful girl."

Y/N smiled at his girlfriend as he spoke. She nodded, smiling back, leaning up to give him a kiss before laying her head in his lap. She smiled and kissed right on the part she was laying on, causing Y/N to blush.

"Good night love" she smiled as she spoke.

He ran his hand through her hair.

"Good night beautiful. I love you".

"I love you too".

"No funny business you two the rest of us are trying to sleep" Lavender called out from the other side of Hermione, causing Y/N to blush and Hermione to giggle.

"Night Lav" Y/N said, playing with Hermione's hair while glaring at Lupin across the room.

Snape and Dumbledore approached the group and stopped in front of Harry who was 'asleep'.

"Remarkable feat don't you think? To enter the castle on ones own completely undetected" Snape asked the Headmaster.

"Quite remarkable" Dumbledore replied.

"Any theories on how he managed it?"

"Many. Each as unlikely as the next."

Snape continued: "You may recall, prior to the start of term I expressed concerns about your appointment of Professor-"

He was cut off by the Headmaster who spoke firmly.

"Not a single Professor inside this castle would help Sirius Black enter it. I'm quite convinced the castle is safe and I'm more than willing to send the students back to their houses."

"What about Potter, should he be warned?"

"Perhaps. But he does have the Protector looking out for him."

"Damn straight!" Y/N called out from where he sat, causing both professors as well as Hermione and an 'asleep' Harry to smile.

"For now" Dumbledore continued "Let him sleep. For in dreams we enter a world that is entirely our own. Let them swim in the deepest ocean or glide over the highest cloud".

Y/N recognised the magic in Dumbledore's words. He smirked at the Professor as he felt himself drifting off.

"Tricky old bast..." he was snoring before he finished his sentence. Dumbledore chuckled.

—~—

Y/N entered a dark and decrepit house. There were cracks in the walls, cockroaches and mice on the floor, a table contained plates of maggoty food. It was L/N manor, but it looked like it was long abandoned. He snarled as he looked around and realised:

"Oh fuck. I'm in the nightmare again."

He suddenly gasped breathless as he heard his mother yell:

"Y/N? Y/N where are you? You're going to be punished for what you did this morning, embarrassing me in front of my cousin like that, how dare you stick up for a filthy mudblood. Get out here Y/N. Right now it's the whip or the knife. If I don't see you in thirty seconds it will be both."

Y/N momentarily panicked. It was the day he had yelled at Aunty Narcissa for badmouthing Dean dating Penny, before catching a glimpse of himself in a mirror. He was him, not his seven year old self like normal.

He unsheathed his wands and he was suddenly teleported to a dark large room. He was under a spotlight and heard snarls and growls from the shadows surrounding him. He kept his primary wand out but quickly sheathed his spare and unsheathed his Angel Blade. He looked around as eyes opened, illuminating the darkness all around him:

"Well come on you undead fucks. Let's dance!"