Let's Try Again

Chapter 5: James Returns

Hogwarts, Great Hall - March 18, 1996

Severus was ready to kill. Spring break was over and the students were all back, and he had not managed to get off the school grounds since returning.

The so called emergency had been that one of Minerva's lions had wandered into the forest on a bet. The foolish boy had been found and returned within an hour of his return. Albus had even excused the boy from any punishment claiming that the trauma of getting lost in the forest was punishment enough.

After that it was pointless task after pointless task. The only contact he had been able to have with the outside world was the nightly mirror calls with Remus. Remus would even turn the mirror so that it faced Hadrian so that Severus could get a look at his son.

Thankfully the wolf was good at research and was quickly able to make sense of all the information from the trunks. Two days after Severus had been forced to leave he had discovered where James was being held. Remus was now doing nightly surveillance on the small cottage.

Their plan was for Severus to take the weekend off under the guise of ingredient gathering, Remus had already used his Ravenclaw vault key to order the ingredients for him. They would then go to the cottage to retrieve his James.

Hadrian's plan had been to use one of the goblins prisoners, under glamour, to replace James to make sure not to arouse Dumbledore's suspicions. He had recommended Ignatius Lestrange. He had been caught attempting to steal from the goblins and been sentenced to the mines. Only a few years after he had been sent down he had come across some sort of rare creature, if the goblins had ever identified what it was they weren't saying, and he had suffered severe trauma and was completely brain dead. The goblins used a slavery collar to keep his still living body working.

If they used him and Albus ever found himself in need of a conscious James he wouldn't be able to wake him. The goblins had glamours so strong that not even Albus would be able to remove them.

The use of one of their prisoners was costing them a fair amount, but to get James back safely Severus would pay almost anything.

Now all he needed to do was get away.

He had to admit that he had a better chance with Remus's plan. Whenever he had met Albus in his office he was almost always denied. If he confronted him in front of the rest of the staff he might have a better chance. He knew he couldn't count on Minerva but in order to get her potions Poppy might help him. Filius, Pomona, Septima Vector, Bathsheda Babbling, and Aurora Sinistra might also support him.

That was what led to him sitting at the breakfast table getting Aurora's attention.

"Aurora, would you be willing to help me this weekend?"

"Certainly Severus. What is it you need me to do?"

Severus could already see Albus getting worried and smiled internally. Normally Severus hated asking anyone for anything.

"I was hoping you would be willing to watch over my snakes this weekend."

"Now Severus my boy," Albus interjected, with that damnable twinkle in his eyes. "We only just got back from break. Surely you wouldn't want to shirk your responsibility. I know that you are a bit young for so much responsibility but I have faith in you."

"Nothing of the sort headmaster." Severus almost snarled at the blatant attempted manipulation. "And to remind you headmaster, I didn't get a break. You and Minerva demanded my return because Minerva lost one of her little lions in the Forbidden Forest and was incapable of looking after it herself."

Severus wanted to smirk so badly at the glare he was now receiving from Minerva, but he resisted the urge before he continued.

"As it was I had only just gotten home and had no time at all to get any of the ingredients that we need. So I will tell you again, as I did when you tried to make me stay before the holidays began, I either have to go and collect the ingredients or the school will have to pay for them. I was going to do the gathering on my own time, and I will remind you that I am not even compensated for that time and the work that goes into it. As it is given our current potion stock the hospital wing will run out of headache cures and pain relievers by the end of the month. I am also going to have to do the brewing late at night and on weekends if you want me to teach my classes and get the hospital restocked. I am the only member of staff that is licensed to brew medical potions after all."