Chapter 21

Snape was led to the Eastwing of the chateau while Harry stayed behind in the Petit Salon. He believed that his former professor should go to see his grandfather alone, especially since they were only just defining their relationship. It wasn't his place to interfere with the family reunion, however, it may go.

Upstairs the Potion Master paused in front of a set of double doors in a dimly lit hallway with Tibsby next to him bouncing on her heels nervously.

"Perhaps Tibsby should check first. Master has good and bad days," the elf suggested but Snape just shook his head and turned the doorknob. The room Snape entered was one of the most well-kept rooms he had seen by far. It was obvious that the elf had been taking good care of the previous Lord. The bed was made and the room was illuminated by the slowly setting sun from the large bay windows. Deep red curtains framed those windows as Snape observed his grandfather looking out of them from his wheelchair. Tibsby was addressing the man, explaining that he had a guest but there was hardly any reaction except the twitch of a hand.

Snape took a few more steps into the room as he noticed all the tiny details. In one corner of the room, there was a case proudly displaying dueling trophies. There was a fireplace for those cold winter nights, and on it, he observed a single downturned picture frame.

"Grandfather," Snape said as he approached the wheelchair. The man sitting in it was nothing more than a shell of the one he remembered meeting. There was no arrogance, pride, or snide remarks about his mother or his chosen profession. All that stared back at him was an old man with a blank look. Even the brown eyes he remembered glaring back at him during their one and only meeting were now dull and devoid of life.

"How long has he been like this?" Snape asked with a frown.

"Years, sir," Tibsby answered. "He has his good days when he remembers some things, unfortunately, this is one of the bad days,"

"I see," Snape pondered. "Who diagnosed him with dementia?"

"The family Healer, sir," The elf replied. "Tibsby feeds old master his medicine when she can. Master's younger brother purchases it for Tibsby because apothecary won't sell to elf without note from family head,"

"There is no known potion to cure dementia, what exactly have you been giving him?" Snape now asked with a frown.

"Tibsby can show new Lord Prince. The new Lord is Potion Master, now Tibsby won't need to sell stuff around the house to pay for medicine!" The elf said rather excited though she covered her mouth upon realizing what she had just blurted out.

Before Snape could question it a stag patronus materialized through the door. Harry's voice message played without any prompting. "Severus, you need to get down here. We have... a situation!"

"Tibsby is being called as well," The elf announced just before popping her and Snape down to the room salon Harry had been waiting in. What they found was utter chaos. Wands were drawn, furniture was overturned and a shouting match was going on between Harry, who was using the upturned couch as a barrier, and three newcomers. Well, two of the newcomers were the ones shouting. The third one had actually retreated against a nook of the room.

"WHAT IN THE BLOODY BLUE BAZES IS GOING ON HERE?!" Snape bellowed causing the argument to stop as both parties looked at each other.

"Who are you?!" The woman asked with venom in her voice. "How dare you trespass on private property?!"

"Think woman! Do you think the wards would have moved an inch if I wasn't allowed in here?" Snape shot back, clearly annoyed. Harry supposed that this was possibly worse than dealing with dunderheads, as Severus called his students a few times when muttering in the cave.

"Master and Mistress Prince, this is the new Lord Prince," Tibsby introduced hesitantly.

"So the bank letter was true," The man scoffed as he looked Snape up and down. Without Severus's signature cloak, he looked less imposing.

"If you are the new Lord Prince then who is THAT?!" The woman now asked while pointing rudely at Harry. We came to check up on Alexander and found him relaxing in this room.

"He's obviously a guest you idiot," Snape snapped and Harry raised a brow. Wow, the man must be very frustrated to call someone an idiot to their face. The couple looked aghast and it was the third person that had accompanied them that finally spoke up. "Mother, father, perhaps we should just go," this man, was clearly younger than the man and wife and looked to be about Harry's physical age.

"You hush Deidric. We are here to check up on Alexander." The woman cooed in a sickly sweet tone which made Harry make a face.

"Apologies Lord Prince. I am Robert and this is my wife Agnes, and our son Deidric." the older gentleman now said, sounding somewhat apologetic. "We were quite overwhelmed when we got the letter and rushed here to check on my brother. I apologize for our outburst as we Princes rarely welcome guests. My wife thought the young man to be an intruder and a squatter. It did not occur to us that he might have been the new Lord's guest."

"Well you could say I'm more than a guest," Harry said as he saddled up next to Snape and entwined their arms. Severus merely raised a brow at Harry's actions but he did not deter him. He seemed to catch on that Harry wanted to mess with them a bit. "You see, Severus and I have a very special relationship,"

"You... are... bonded?" Agnes asked as the corner of her eye twitched as she looked at how Harry laid his head dramatically against Snape's shoulder.

"Oh no, nothing as mundane as that," Harry laughed though he did smirk when Snape put his hand on Harry's waist. "Severus here is my sugar daddy,"

"EXCUSE ME?!" Agnes's shrill exclamation would have made Molly proud.

"Su..su...Sugar daddy?!" she muttered, clearly overwhelmed.

"You know, you scratch my back I scratch yours... or rather any itch you might have," Harry said nonchalantly before remembering to introduce himself. "Hadrian Evans by the way. Can't say it's a pleasure to meet you lot,"

"Evans... that's not a wizarding name," Agnes was getting more and more distressed.

"Please excuse my wife. She's rather traditional," Robert apologized, though he too didn't look all that pleased by the news that the new Lord Prince wasn't involved with a Pureblood.

"She is excused... this time," Snape stated. "Harry here can be a real minx," he added as Potter was still latched onto him. "Let me assure you that your brother is alright and is currently resting. Perhaps you could visit another time as we still need to settle into the house."

"I suppose...." Robert mumbled. "The other extended family would also wish to meet the new Lord. Perhaps we can set up a date,"

"Indeed," Was all Snape said.

"Wait, Master Prince," Tibsby interjected just as Robert was about to usher his family out the door. "What of the medicine you promised?"

"I still haven't gotten it Tibsby. Perhaps next week. The ingredients are rather hard to come by,"

"Oh, yes... uhm... I see," Tibsby uttered, looking dejected.

When the trio left Harry turned to Snape and asked "Why did you let them go so easily?"

"Because I do not want to stir the pot just yet. I have some idea of what is going on but we will need to wait to make our move. For once Harry, I suggest we take the Slytherin route on this and not go charging in blindly,"

"I feel that that was a deliberate jab at me."

"Oh, you don't say," Snape muttered before turning towards the elf. "You said you still had some of my grandfather's medicine. Let me see it," he ordered.

"What are you thinking?" Harry asked as the house elf popped away.

"I'm thinking that my relatives are idiots," Snape grumbled. "It's safe to assume that the young man that accompanied them was my cousin who had been named an heir as well. I want to let them panic for a bit while I verify certain things," Snape stated as Tibsby popped back into the room holding a nearly empty potions flask. A greenish hue was caked to the bottom of the flask as only a few droplets remained. Snape uncorked it, took a whiff of it, and then grumbled, "Knew it,"

Meanwhile, at Grimmauld Place, a group of teens was trying to stealthily sneak into the basement. They weren't succeeding much.

"Agh!" Ron uttered only for Fred to clamp a hand over his mouth. "Do you want us to get caught?!"

"I couldn't help it! I stubbed my toe!" Ron hissed to which Ginny just rolled her eyes and elbowed him to suck it up.

"Guys can we please!" Hermoine growled while she carefully opened the door leading to the basement.

The group descended into part of the basement Snape had remodeled into a lab and bedroom. The twins actually whistled in awe while saying "Gotta hand it to the dungeon bat..."

"He's efficient," George finished.

"What are you guys on about?" Ron questioned.

"Oh Ronnikins,"

"You wouldn't know..."

"But setting up..."

"An impromptu potion lab..."

"Takes skill..."

"We are very..."

"Impressed,"

"I find it rather disrespectful that Professor Snape was relegated to the basement," Ginny spoke up, surprising them all. "I get that this is Sirius's house but all the other Order members got propper rooms,"

"Hold on...."

"Our sis...."

"Standing up for the dungeon bat?"

"Oh knock it off you two," Ginny growled. "Professor Snape did me a solid last year. It made me see him in a bit of a new light,"

The curious eyes of the brothers landed on Ginny while she and Hermoine shared a look. It was Hermoine who interrupted the silence. "We are here to free Madam Pomfrey," She reiterated. "Now is not the time for inquiries,"

"Right,"

"Yeah," The twins respond while Ron nods.

As the group delved deeper into the basement they found the cell Poppy had been imprisoned in. Using the key provided by Kreacher they could easily open the cell to check on how the Matron was doing.

"She's severely dehydrated," Hermoine was disgusted. "Did Sirius order Kreacher not to feed her or give her water?!"

"Is it safe for her to side-along apparate?" George asked with a frown as he took in the state of the woman who patched them up after their experiments.

"We have no choice," Hermoine stated. "Once we leave here with her we will not be safe either,"

"I'm all for it. Madam Pomfrey was there for every one of us," Ginny stated. "Letting her rot in here is barbaric,"