It didn't take Alaina, Harry, and Severus long to get settled in once they arrived home. Alaina helped Severus up to her bedroom and made him comfortable. He tried to protest, but she made him promise not to move unless his life was in danger. He was reluctant to agree at first, but she leaned down and gave him a long kiss and he couldn't help but agree. He stayed there for a solid week before she would let him get up other than bathroom breaks and showers. She slept right beside of him every night. Once he was healed pretty well, he spent only a few more night at the house before he insisted on making the trip to Spinner's End.
"I don't understand why you have to go back him, Severus," Alaina complained. She, Severus, and Harry were all sitting casually on the couch. He had called them down to the living room so he could tell them he would be leaving.
"I simply can't impose on you any longer," Severus told her. "Not in this way. You have been amazing to me and I love you, but there are things I need to do at home."
"Like what?"
He shrugged. "Clean, brew potions for next term, things like that."
"You can do all of that here."
"Alaina, I would love to stay, you know that."
"If you would love to stay, then you would stay."
He sighed. This was getting him nowhere.
"Are you tired of us already?" Harry asked out of the blue. He had been quiet up to the point and just let the two of them talk, but he could hold his tongue no longer.
Severus looked over at him, his features soft. "Of course not, Harry. I just don't want to trouble the two of you any longer. I feel like I may have over stayed my welcome despite the fact that your mother and I are dating."
"You're not troubling us. Is he, Mum?" Harry looked over at Alaina, his eyebrows raised, waiting patiently for an answer.
"No," she said finally, glaring at Severus "Not at all." She sighed. "Harry, will you go upstairs and let us talk for a moment in private?"
Harry nodded. He knew that this wasn't going to be good. His mother had that annoyed tone in her voice, and when she sounded like that nothing good came of it. "Of course."
Severus sighed loudly as Harry ran up the stairs. He had a feeling that the conversation that was about to take place was going to be heated. Once Harry was completely out of sight and Alaina heard his bedroom door click into place, she spoke.
"Severus, I didn't want Harry to hear your answer to the question I'm about to ask you. Obviously. I know you're anxious to leave, but why?"
"I just-"
"You're not fooling me, you know. You don't want us to get hurt and you think that by staying here that you will put us in danger."
He looked up at her, guilt written all over his face. "You're safer without me here."
"We've already talked about this. Well, sort of. I'll feel better if you stay here with me."
"You can't keep treating me like a king, Alaina. I've done nothing to deserve it."
"You've loved me back. That's enough for me."
"Alaina, I couldn't bear it if I was the cause of your death or Harry's."
"I can take care of myself and my son."
"As can I, and I happen to think that this is the best way to do it."
"Severus Snape, you are an impossible stubborn man!" Alaina yelled. She could feel herself getting frustrated. Maybe even a little angry.
Severus let go of her hand and stood. "There are Death Eaters everywhere and right now Voldemort is undoubtedly collecting followers to fight the war we all know is coming just like he did before. Any one of them could show up on your doorstep and kill either one of you, especially if they find out you've been harboring a traitor."
"I don't think they would risk it."
He shook his head at her. She didn't seem to understand the danger. "NEVER underestimate them, Alaina. Never. They can strike at any time in any place. Most of the time you never even see it coming until it's too late. You were right. Voldemort can get me anywhere."
Alaina got up from her seat and wrapped her arms lovingly around him. She laid her head against his chest. She didn't like fighting with him. She didn't like feeling like being with him was a burden on his conscience. His heart was beating swiftly and hers was as well. They were both fearful of the future, wondering just how long they could survive, but neither of them would admit it out loud.
"All the more reason for us to stay together," she said softly. She looked up at him, her eyes pleading with his. "Please stay with me. I need to know that you're okay."
He glanced down into her eyes and his heart melted. He wanted to tell her no, that it was for her and Harry's own protection, but how could he? Her eyes were very persuasive. He let out a long sigh. Only Alaina could break down all of his defenses just by making eye contact.
"I will stay with you."
Alaina smiled triumphantly. She kissed him. "Thank you."
"On one condition."
"What's that?"
"I"ll just have to borrow some of your potion ingredients." He smirked.
"They're all yours."
He hugged her closer to him and kissed her on top of the head. He just hoped that she realized what she was getting herself into.
~ * ~
He paced in his cell like a caged animal. With each step, he was getting more and more nervous about the rumors he had been hearing among the guards and some of the other prisoners. Most of them were just hushed whispers, but something was going on and the other day he could have sworn he'd heard one of the guards say something about Voldemort. He needed to know what was said and if it was true. He needed to confirm that things had gotten as bad on the outside as he had heard.
"Black, would you sit down?" the prisoner in the next cell growled. "You're making me mental." He had been in the same cell for twelve years just as Sirius had.
Sirius stopped dead in his tracks and walked over to the wall. He knew that his bed was against it on the other side. He slammed his hands up against the hard stone and heard the prisoner cursing him under his breath. "I don't care. Just keep your mouth shut, Stone, alright? I can't think with you yammering!"
"What is there to think about?" Stone asked. "You're stuck in here for life in that little cell."
"Don't you think I know that?" Sirius pounded the wall angrily this time, causing his hands to start tingling. He was extremely frustrated. "I know I"m not going anywhere. I just despise not knowing anything. Some of the other prisoners and the guards are whispering around about Voldemort.
"Don't say that name!"
"Oh come off it! I'm not afraid to say is name. I've said it my whole life and my tongue has yet to fall off."
There was silence for a moment. Then Stone spoke again. "I thought I heard a guard say that Voldemort had returned, come to think of it. Yesterday."
"That's impossible."
"Not really," a voice came from a couple of cells over. "It's true. Voldemort has returned."
Sirius walked over to the bars and looked out to try and identify the prisoner who had spoken. It was the one the Ministry officials had brought in just a day or two ago. He had been asleep when it happened and whoever was in the cell remained in the shadows. He had ever since he arrived. The prison was dark and dank anyway. It was easy for all of them to hide in the shadows if they chose to.
"And how do you know that?" Sirius demanded.
A mad chuckle, confident and loud, sounded from the cell. "Because I brought him back. That is why they have imprisoned me here. I am a Death Eater."
"Death Eaters don't normally get caught."
"They don't normally get inside the gates of Hogwarts either, but I did. I had Severus Snape lying there at my feet and my wand pointed at Harry Potter. I nearly killed him, but his mother intervened. Dumbledore was with her."
A smile spread across Sirius's face. "No wonder you're in here." Then something the man said hit him. "Wait. His mother?"
"Yes," he hissed. "Alaina Evans is a thorn in my side. The Dark Lord will kill her, Severus, and Potter. Once that is finished, he will continue taking over the wizarding world."
Sirius frowned. He understood why he would want to kill Alaina and even Harry, but why Severus Snape. "Why in the world would he want to kill one of his own?"
"Ha!" the man spat. "One of his own? Snape is a traitor. He fell in love with Alaina and has been protecting Potter like he's his own son."
"You're mistaken. That would never happen."
"People change, Black."
"Not Snivellus."
"Who?"
He rolled his eyes. "Never mind."
"It doesn't matter. There is a plant at Hogwarts. And when the time is right, he will kill them all. Voldemort won't have to lay a finger on any of them."
Sirius started to demand who, but was interrupted.
Suddenly the guards came in. Sirius watched as they opened up the prisoner's cell, the one he had been talking to, and yanked him out.
"Time for another hearing," one of them said in a raspy voice.
Sirius kept his eyes peeled. When the prisoner stepped out into the light, he could plainly see his face. He gasped. It was Lucius Malfoy. He knew he had been a Death Eater before, but then again so had Snape. Now, according to Lucius, he was in love with Alaina and protecting Harry. It sounded so ludicrous. Could it be true? Could he really have changed that much?
"I have to find out," Sirius muttered to himself. "I have to get out there. Protect Harry and Alaina. I owe that much to James and Lily. I have to get to Hogwarts." He started to pace again.
"What are you over there muttering about?" Stone asked.
He didn't reply. He was too busy thinking of how he would get out of Azkaban. He had run over a hundred and some scenarios in his head before he finally decided on a course of action. There was one way. It would be risky and if he was caught he could possibly be put to death. It didn't matter. A swift death would beat rotting in a cell everyday ten to one. It was worth the risk. He had to try.
That night when the guards made their last rounds, he was waiting in the darkness. He pretended to be asleep in a heap up against the wall, which made the guard stop in front of his cell.
"Black! Wake up!" the guard cried. "Lights aren't out for twenty more minutes!"
Sirius didn't move. He had to plan it very carefully. "I'm too sick. I'm going to hurl." He made a gagging noise and heard the guard's exasperated sigh.
"Fine. I'll take you to the infirmary and that's it." He took out his wand to unlock the door, but Black was ready for him. He grabbed it. "Hey!"
Before he could say another word, he was blasted backwards. Then Sirius unlocked his cell and ran toward the door. When he was out of sight of the prisoners, he touched his head with the wand and then pocketed it. He was transformed into a hairy black dog. He got outside with the help of some of the other guards. They shewed him away, wondering how a manky old dog had gotten in there in the first place. They wondered how it had gotten in. He was practically kicked out the front door and that was that. They wouldn't miss him until the next set of rounds. He would be long gone by then. Sirius had finally, after twelve years, escaped from Azkaban.