Standing Against the Tides

Last time I looked at my driver’s license, it did not say J. K. Rowling. Yep, it’s just me, an unpaid and unknown aspiring writer. The characters of the Potterverse do not belong to me and I am making no money from this endeavor.

A/N: Spoilers through OotP. As I am still in denial, I refuse to acknowledge the events of HBP or DH at this point.

Unbeta’d as BabyGurl is busy with her own life.





Chapter 36 The Cavalry Arrives

Harry’s pet chicken unexpectedly arrived in a burst of flames in the middle of the potions classroom, startling a clumsy Second Year into tipping the entire contents of his vial of shrivelfigs into his cauldron. Fortunately, the unintentional addition of far too many shrivelfigs merely resulted in the concoction burping out rather harmless purple bubbles into the room. Waving his wand to dispel the mess that was blopping and blurping out of the cauldron, Severus took a perverse amount of pleasure by docking ten points from the unfortunate Hufflepuff for being so easily startled. Muttering foully under his breath about the bloody bird once again disrupting his classroom, Severus was ready to process the infernal phoenix as potions ingredients. Quickly regaining his composure, the Potions master cast a stern glance around the room before he called out for his students to clear away their half-finished potions and to clean up their messes. Assigning two feet of parchment on the importance of not allowing distractions to ruin a potion, Severus mentally began to plot his revenge against the blasted feather duster.

After sending the stunned students to the library for the remainder of the class period, Severus turned his glare on the unconcerned bird who promptly hopped up onto the Potions master’s shoulder. “What was so important that you found it necessary to disrupt my class?” Severus ground out, even as he began the long ascent to the Headmaster’s office. Doing his best to ignore the calming effects of the phoenix’s soft trills, the irate man was inordinately relieved that the other classes were still in session. No sense in having his reputation utterly ruined, after all. The Potions master arrived at the gargoyle guarding the stairs to the Headmaster’s office just as Minerva was speaking the password.

“Ah Severus, I see you were summoned too,” the witch commented in her light brogue. The witch wisely refrained on commenting on her colleague’s traveling companion.

“Hmph, bloody chicken,” he darkly muttered, much to the amusement of his fellow professor. Fortunately, the phoenix apparently decided that his presence was no longer required, for he took wing before disappearing in another showy flash of fire.

While Minerva had simply placed the Fifth Year Ravenclaw prefect in charge of her class after the arrival of Fawkes, the witch knew that likely matters had been different in the Potions master’s class. Minerva also knew that Albus had long delighted in upsetting the Potions master by allowing and even encouraging Fawkes to disrupt his classes. Sighing, Minerva thought that perhaps they should have realized then that all was not well, given the passive-aggressive behavior that Albus Dumbledore had frequently displayed. But now, she supposed she should warn the new Headmaster to restrain the phoenix from continuing that particular practice.


The pair arrived at the top of the stairs and without bothering to knock, Severus opened the door to the office before allowing Minerva to step in first. The scene before them was interesting. Yes, he would suppose that might be an accurate way of describing the sight that greeted them.

Molly was standing, arms akimbo, glaring at the werewolf, while Remus Lupin was sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. Harry seemed to be trying to make himself invisible; an interesting prospect given that the Weasley twins were amusing themselves by tossing popcorn at the poor man whose hair and robes were now flecked with quite a few of the popped kernels. Pinching the bridge of his nose as he felt yet another headache coming on, Severus drawled, “How wonderful. A room full of Gryffindors. And to think that I left a classroom full of inept Second Year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws for this.”

Ignoring the jab against her House, Minerva turned her attention to the obviously angry Weasley matriarch. “Molly, what brings you to Hogwarts?” she asked.

“Minerva, Severus. One of you will tell me what is going on here,” Molly warned in that tone that could send grown wizards into apoplectic fits.

Stepping over by his bond mate, Severus glared at the miscreant Weasley twins before addressing their mother. “Mrs. Weasley, I presume that you are here because of the article in the Daily Prophet?” Seeing her eyes flash at the mention of that rag, he continued, “I can assure you that Mr. Potter is quite well and has managed yet once again to come out smelling like a rose,” he dryly observed.

Seeing the woman open her mouth to retort, Minerva hastened to cut the Weasley matriarch off before she could tear into her colleague. “Molly, please let’s sit down and discuss this like rational adults. Messrs Weasley, stop throwing popcorn at the Headmaster this instant! Now, would anyone like some tea?”

Hiding his amusement at how quickly and frequently his friend could change gears, Severus stood near the fireplace as he watched the others follow the Transfigurations Professor’s directions. Seeing the obvious relief that flooded the werewolf’s face as the fierce woman’s attention was diverted, he remarked, “Lupin, just how you managed to be sorted into the House of Gryffindor is beyond me. Time and again you manage to fold at the first sign of adversity.”

Amber eyes looked up as they assessed his former school mate and antagonist. A wry smile lit the werewolf’s face as he considered his next words. “True, Severus. But then again, I am not sleeping with the new Headmaster, now am I?” Mischief dancing in his eyes, Remus smiled and sat back to watch the fallout from his loaded comment.

Harry’s eyes widened in fear as he listened to those fateful words erupt from his honorary godfather. Mentally counting down, the young Headmaster was not disappointed.

“Harry James Potter!” Molly sputtered. “You will explain this instant!”

Growling his displeasure at the remaining Marauder’s underhanded tactics, Severus moved closer to his lover and pulled the smaller man into his arms. “Molly, we are soul mates,” Severus hastened to placate the irate woman. When he got his hands on that werewolf…

Harry laid a shaky hand on his lover’s arm before addressing the woman who had always been there for him. “Mum Weasley, it’s true. Dumbledore had found out and he worked hard to make us hate each other. Finding out about that was what led us to learning about everything else. And please don’t be mad at Severus because he’s done nothing wrong. I’m happy,” he shyly added. Harry just hoped that his adopted mother would listen and understand.

Blinking in surprise, Molly belatedly realized that her mouth was still hanging open; the words she had meant to hurl forgotten in her shock. Soul mates? Severus Snape and her Harry were soul mates? Oh my, well this changes everything, she thought. A wide smile brightened the witch’s face as she rushed forward and enveloped both men in an impulsive hug. “Why didn’t you say so? Oh my dear boys, I am so happy for you!” Molly fairly sobbed her sudden joy.

Minerva rolled her eyes at the abrupt change in the red-headed woman’s demeanor before turning a stern glance to the former DADA professor. Remus for his part managed to look innocent even while he winked at the Deputy-Headmistress.

Fred and George began tossing popcorn at each other even as they plotted ways to exploit this unexpected connection to their former Potions professor. Eyes glowing with thoughts of all the new products the newest de facto member of the Weasley clan could help them develop, the pair immediately decided that accepting the Great Bat into the family could only be good for business.


The pair of soul mates managed to extract themselves from the emotional woman’s grasp and Molly dried her tears with the handkerchief that Minerva had transfigured for her out of a lemon drop. As Remus successfully wrested the bowl of popcorn from the twins, Severus and Minerva gave a very brief accounting of what they had learned of Albus Dumbledore’s actions. While many of the details were left unsaid, Molly and the twins did learn enough to convince them of the truth of the matter. The wizard they had trusted for so long had betrayed their adopted family member and in the end that was the most important detail.

Remus readily accepted the twins’ offer of help in watching over their prisoner as Kingsley still had a job at the Ministry of Magic. In addition, he and Kingsley now also had the task of helping to tutor Harry in his N.E.W.T.s courses. Frankly, they could use the extra help. There was no doubt in anyone’s minds that the owners of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes wouldn’t manage to prank the former Headmaster, but really, who cared?

The adults finally acquiesced to Molly’s demands that she be allowed to visit with Dumbledore so that she could properly tell the man just what she thought of him and his behavior. Harry just begged the witch to not hex the man – too much.


While the others continued to answer questions from a now calmer Molly Weasley, Severus managed to pull the werewolf aside. “Would you care to explain why I shouldn’t hex you six ways to Sunday, Wolf?” Severus quietly asked as he idly rapped his wand against the palm of his other hand.

Recognizing the danger, Remus thinly smiled. “It worked, didn’t it? That bit of news was just what was needed to derail Molly’s temper.” Tipping his head, Remus quietly studied the Potions master before he continued, “Surely you have wondered over the years why James and Sirius were often side-tracked from their quest to harass you when we were younger?”

“You… you distracted them? Just as you distracted Mrs. Weasley today?” Severus was silent for several long moments as he processed this new information. Looking back over his many confrontations – and almost-confrontations – with the Marauders, he began to see that the werewolf had managed to do just that time and again. Perhaps Remus Lupin did lack a certain amount of that famed Gryffindor bravery, but his use of Slytherin tactics could not help but impress the Potions master. “Well, Lupin, I suppose I might be forced to rethink my opinion of you in that case,” was the only response Severus could or would make.

Chuckling, the former DADA professor rejoined, “My pleasure, Severus. Now, why don’t we go rescue your young soul mate from your Mother-in-Law?” Remus was again rewarded for his efforts as he watched the horrified expression cross the dark-haired man’s face as Severus realized the truth in that statement. Laughing outright now, Remus decided that he had picked a very good time to travel to Hogwarts.