Jigsaw

CHAPTER 27

“Drink it all Harry that’s a good lad. Stiffens the nerves that stuff.” Sirius watched closely as Harry drained the large glass of whisky in one go, spluttering a little as the liquid burnt its’ way down his throat. Sirius smiled widely as he poured his godson another, the animagus running the bar while the order took a meeting.

“Bastard Auror’s, they think the sun shines out of their arses but where were they when we were fighting Voldemort?” Harry nodded dimly at Remus who was nursing his own whisky. The werewolf looked terrible, his change this month no doubt particularly harrowing for the man as it sometimes was. Despite being tempted into conversation Harry didn’t feel much like talking, his thoughts miles away back at the ministry where Snape was still being held. There had been chaos when he’d apperated into the pub, everyone rallying around to make sure he was okay. While it was great to see everyone again Harry couldn’t help but feel like he was betraying Severus by enjoying his freedom.

With a sigh Harry turned on his stool to survey the crowd gathered in the pub, all of them chatting excitedly and exchanging news. Dumbledore sat in the corner with McGonagall and Hermione, the three of them in deep conversation no doubt talking about he and Severus. Harry watched them for a long time but when he felt a tentative touch on his shoulder he spun around ready to make a polite greeting. However when his eyes fell on a familiar red head, the smile he’d put on his face fell away.

“Harry just listen….” Ron went to continue talking but Harry turned away from him, not really trusting himself to look a this best friend, especially when he was already up to his neck in trouble.

“No Ron, I won’t.” Harry muttered sipping from his second whisky of the afternoon. Ron wasn’t to be deterred so easily though and moved around in front of Harry again this time grabbing hold of Harry’s seat to stop his best friend from turning away again.

“Please Harry, I’m so sorry for what I did to you I’m trying to make it right.” Pushing Ron away from him Harry slammed his whisky glass back on the bar, before getting up and beginning to walk away hoping that perhaps he could get in on Dumbledore’s conversation.

“You can’t make it right Ron, you screwed me and you don’t do that to your friends not for anything.” Harry was rapidly loosing his temper, and spun around on Ron, who’d caught up to him and pulled him to a stop by his shoulder. Ron cautiously stepped back away from Harry who rounded on him with a face like thunder, his anger barely contained.

“I know and it was really dumb to even think it. I didn’t even realise I’d done it until I left Fudge’s office and sat thinking about it for a while but it was too late then. I’m really, really sorry Harry, I didn’t realise you felt that way about him…”

“What!” Harry cut Ron off quickly watching as his best friend pinked a little in his cheeks, his gaze flickering over towards Remus and Sirius.

“Well you know, how you feel about Snape.” For a moment Harry couldn’t believe what he was hearing but as he glanced around at the now silent crowd in the pub, he realised quite starkly that what Ron had just said was what everyone was thinking. If Harry didn’t know that it was the truth, he’d have been offended by their presumption. Like a pin bursting a balloon Harry’s anger deflated and he sighed heavily as he put his head in his hands, tears of frustration that he’d bottled up for the last couple of days finally swelling to the surface and trickling down his cheeks. Like when they were at school together Ron draped his arm comfortingly around Harry, who melted into his best friends hug. It had hurt him so much knowing Ron had betrayed him and although he’d had to do it, it had almost killed him fighting with his best friend.

“That’s not why I’m doing this Ron, and quite frankly its no one else’s business what I do or do not feel for him.” Harry muttered as he pulled away from his best friend, feeling somewhat humiliated having shown his weakness in front of the entire order.

“Then tell us why you’re doing this Harry, because at the moment we’re completely in the dark and there is no possible way you’re going to succeed at getting him out of this alive without our help.” Ron looked determinedly at Harry who rolled his eyes, the years his best friend had spent with Hermione finally showing through.

“Alright I’ll tell you.” Harry let Ron guide him over to the table, where everyone was now gathering around, eager to hear what Harry had to say. Admittedly Harry owed them an explanation having dragged them all through the wringer of late with his disappearance. “As silly as this sounds, it’s about seeing Snape happy.” Harry ignored the strange look Ron gave him. It was true no one had truly seen Severus Snape happy, let alone even crack a smile but Harry had and knew he couldn’t live with his own successes and triumphs without seeing the man who’d helped him get there, be happy too. “Snape’s the only person who knows what really happened when I faced Voldemort, he’s the person who stayed with me even when I thought I was dead. Everyone thinks he’s a death eater with no remorse but he wouldn’t have stayed with me if he’d been truly dedicated to seeing Voldemort gone. I just want everyone to leave him alone, let him do whatever it is he want’s to do now he’s free of the mark on his arm. So he’s made mistakes, even killed people but who here hasn’t?” Harry lowered his gaze to where he was twisting his hands in his lap nervously, a silence having fallen over the entire pub. Harry wondered if he’d said too much, already knowing the feeling of distain most people had for Snape, despite knowing the valuable contribution he made in defeating Voldemort.

“Very well said Harry, and I believe that is just enough motivation for us to see this wish come to fruition.” Harry glanced across at Dumbledore who was smiling warmly in his direction.

“Yeah, he may be a complete prick at times but he deserves to enjoy the freedom from his royal darkness as much as we do.” Harry smiled at Ron who tucked his arm around Harry’s shoulder, their riff forgotten in the face of understanding.

“Great, so now we need a plan.” Harry looked up at Sirius, who was already handing out drinks to everyone. Harry had a feeling it was going to be a long night of arguing and debating about possible plans to help Snape but it made him feel better that he wasn’t fighting this alone and that his friends believed in his cause now, as much as he did. As groups started to disperse, Dumbledore assigning them tasks Harry was left sitting at the table with Ron and Hermione.

“Sorry again Harry.” Ron muttered obviously still feeling bad about what happened. Harry shrugged but turned to look at his best friend seriously.

“Apology accepted, but if you ever do that to me again so help me god I’ll do you in.” Ron chuckled nervously but quickly nodded in agreement knowing that Harry’s threats weren’t made idly.

“It’s good you two have made up, I don’t like it when you fight.” Hermione smiled at Ron and Harry, and Harry noted acutely that it seemed his two best friends had come to some agreement about their broken relationship in the last couple of days. “Now you can tell Harry what other stupid things you’ve done.” Hermione looked knowingly at Ron who glared at her before turning sheepishly to Harry, who looked at his best friend with slight concern.

“Oh don’t look like that Harry it’s not that bad and desperate times call for action rather than talk, so I took steps into my own hands.” Harry didn’t like where this was heading, especially knowing Ron’s propensity to rush into things before thinking through. “We needed to get you out of the ministry, so I broke into Hatsfeld’s office and shredded a few documents and lost a few pieces of key evidence regarding your case, then I submitted a fake report to Fudge and sent all the newspaper editors inside information regarding your false arrest. The place was in chaos and Fudge practically flipped about this bad publicity, so he had no other choice but to let you go.” Harry’s smile practically beamed off his face as he leaned over and kissed Ron hard on the cheek, immensely pleased that it had been Ron who’d sprung him from the ministry and not Albus. It also went some way in proving how sorry his best friend actually was, risking his job to save Harry.

“Thanks Ron.” Harry whispered making his best friend blush a pretty pink colour.

“So come on Harry, start telling us everything that’s happened. We need every bit of information if we’ve got a chance in hell of clearing his name.” Harry nodded at Hermione and with a long sigh settled into telling his friends everything that had happened since Harry had found Snape in the cottage.

TBC>>>>>>>