I hope you all enjoy the last bit of this story! It's a very sweet ending!

I have another story that I found on my computer that I wrote, hostetly I don't know when, that seems to be complete. So I'll be posting that soon, look out! :)

Amber Esme Hermione - I'm not really sure what a MoonStar is...so I don't think that is what's happening in this story. I don't really write romance, though... it always ends up sounding creepy and I cringe when I go back and read it. haha

Severus made his way up to the hospital wing to relieve Remus and Sirius, who had been standing vigil by Harry's bed ever since that afternoon and it was close to nine at night. The two needed a break and he knew no one else would give them one so again, he was the only one being responsible.

Severus sighed and continued walking down the hall. He wondered what the two men would think of him gaining guardianship of Potter. Would they be appreciative of what he had done? Or would they resent him for doing it without their consent? He knew James Potter would be rolling in his grave at just the thought.

Although he had done it for them. He had done it so they could be together and Potter could be taken care of properly….with people who loved him.

Albus had been right though, he had this hole in the pit of his stomach that could only be described as longing. Longing to be in someones life to help and protect them. He had felt this before, only with one other person, though….with Lily. Although, he didn't know if he should act on that longing feeling or not.

If he did, then he was not just opening his own heart up for hurt…he was also opening up Harry's heart. And he was not only afraid of hurting himself, but also Harry. The poor boy had enough hurt in his life. He didn't need anymore.

Nevertheless, he still had some books in his hands as he walked to the hospital wing to maybe at the very least strike a truce with the boy. Small steps, something was better than nothing.

Again Severus sighed as he placed a hand on the hospital wing door and thought to himself. "Here goes nothing."

With that thought Severus opened the door to the hospital wing and walked over to the private room that he knew held the boy and the two people who cared the most for him. Gently he knocked on the door and opened it when he heard Remus's quiet voice calling him to come it.

When he entered, he saw Remus in the chair next to Harry, who was sitting up and Sirius in his dog form at the end of the bed. Despite himself, Severus had to smirk at the sight of the big black dog sniffing the boy's feet and then pretending to gag on the smell. To hide his smirk he bowed his head in greetings and closed the door behind him so Sirius would be safe to change back to his human form. He then stepped closer to the bed and took one of the vacant seats.

Severus didn't know what the hell he was doing here. Already he felt awkward and that he didn't belong here. Awkwardly, he placed the books he had been carrying on the bed next to Harry. "I thought you might like to have something to read when these two have to step out."

Harry tilted his head in confusion. Was Professor Snape, the dungeon bat, actually being nice to him? "T..thank you."

Severus nodded and then leaned over to feel Harry's forehead. "How are you feeling? "

Harry looked at the wall and rested a hand on Sirius's head who turned and licked his arm to comfort him. Oddly, this form of Sirius really helped keep Harry relaxed and a little less on edge.

They had discovered this a few hours ago when Harry was having another breakdown and Sirius transformed to give Harry something soft to hug and Harry had immediately buried his face in his soft fur and had wept to no end. Remus smiled and placed a gentle hand on Harry's arm as Severus removed his hand from his forehead.

"He still has a cough, but the suppressants have really worked marvelously. He doesn't seem as congested either."

Severus nodded and got out of his chair to have a closer look at the boy. He still had a fever and he could tell the potions the boy had been given earlier was now beginning to wear off. Severus now stood by Harry's bedside and gently took one of the pillows out from behind Harry's back so that he was more in a laying position. "I'm going to scan your chest to check your pneumonia."

Harry nodded, but closed his eyes when he felt Severus gently rest his hand on his chest. To try to comfort him Sirius moved so that he was now laying on the boy's legs so that his hand could rest comfortably in his fur.

Severus sensed Harry's sudden distress as well and gently removed his hand to rest it against Harry's cheek. "It's alright Harry, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to make sure that you are healing as you should."

Harry opened his eyes and looked over at the man that was now wiping the tears from his cheek that had leaked out. Again Severus, more gently this time, told him that it was alright. Harry still seemed on edge though, so Severus removed his hand and softly took a place on the side of Harry's bed. "Look at me Harry."

Harry looked over at Severus and suppressed a cough making Severus sigh. "I won't do anything without telling you first, alright Harry? I promise you I won't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. In fact, I want to do the opposite and make it easier for you to breathe."

Harry nodded this time a little more comfortable. He didn't know why, but having his teacher say those few words made a world of difference. Probably because the man wasn't talking down to him as people often did, but he was talking with him as an equal…who cared?

Severus then gently placed a hand back on Harry's chest. "I'm just going to run a quick scan. You're going to feel a little tingling, but it won't hurt. I promise."

Harry nodded, took a deep breath and watched as his teachers hand began to glow a light blue as it moved to stop on his lungs. For a few minutes, Severus closed his eyes and listened to the boy's lungs through his magic. He then moved a bit and listened to his heart for a few minutes just to make sure everything was alright there.

Severus then opened his eyes and then the blue glow around his hand disappeared. Gently he removed his hand and then locked eyes with Harry. "You appear to be doing much better than before. I'm still going to give you some potions to take and you'll need a lot of rest, but you'll be fine."

Harry nodded and Severus turned to Remus and stole a glance at Sirius. "Can I ask the two to go get the potions while I talk with Harry for a moment?"

Remus gave Severus a calculating look, but then nodded and got up to grab Sirius's collar. "Come on Snuffles, let's give them a moment." He then turned to Severus as Sirius jumped off the bed. "What potions do you need? "

Severus nodded slightly. "Another decongestant potion, a cough suppressant, and a fever reducer." He looked at Harry and then back at Remus. "A nutrient potion and a dreamless sleep for later. Thank you."

Remus nodded. "No problem Severus." Remus then turned and looked at Harry and smiled at him. "We'll be back soon Harry."

Harry nodded at Remus and watched as both he and Sirius left the room, shutting the door behind them. The boy then looked over at Severus, who was still seated on the side of his bed. He couldn't deny that he was nervous about Snape, who hated him, was sitting next to him.

Gently Severus helped Harry sit up once more and tucked a pillow beneath his back. "Do you know what happened this morning?" Severus wanted to ensure that when Harry had hit his head it hadn't done too much damage. He also wanted to know what the Mutt and Wolf had told him so he could fill him in on the rest….and then tell him about the recent…development.

Harry looked down at his lap and flinched when his professor placed a soothing hand on his. Severus ignored the flinch through and charged on. "It's alright Harry, like I said I will not hurt you."

"You keep calling me Harry." The boy looked up at the older man confusion written on his face.

"That is your name? "

Harry nodded. "But, you normally call me Potter…or other things."

Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew this was going to be hard, but already he was gaining a headache over such a simple thing as a name. His patience was growing so thin, but he couldn't lose it and yell at the boy. "I know Harry, but that is in the past. Can you please tell me what you remember?"

Harry looked down. It may not have been as harsh as it normally would have been, but still the rebuff hurt. Harry sighed. "I remember going to the shower and coughing. Remus said that you came, brought me here and healed me." Harry looked up at the man obviously questioning if he was right in the turn of events.

Severus nodded. "What Remus told you was true. You were in rough shape when I brought you here." Severus nodded at Harry's arm in the sling. "I wish you could have come to us sooner for help."

Harry looked down at the accusation and cliched again when the hand onto of his gently squeezed his. "I understand why you did not and I do not blame you for keeping your secret. However, I still wish that we could have saved you some pain and suffering."

Harry looked up at the man at his proclamation slightly in awe. The man who hated him…wished he could have spared him pain? "B….but you hate me!"

Now it was Severus's turn to look down and close his eyes. However, a moment later he rose his head and locked eyes with Harry. "I do not hate you Harry and I never have. I was…..misguided."

"Misguided? "

Severus sighed. "I think that is a conversation for a later time. We have something else more important to discuss before those two come back."

With interest in his eyes Harry looked at his professor.

Severus nodded. "We need to discuss where you would like to live during the summer as you are obviously not going back to those…people."

Looking at the hand that was covering his Harry shrugged his shoulder. He knew he would have to return to them no matter what. That is what the Headmaster had implied.

Sensing Harry's internal distress Severus started a flow of calming magic subtle enough that it would calm Harry, but would be completely unnoticeable to Harry. "You can stay with whoever you wish. I assume you would like to stay with the Mutt and Wolf?"

Surprised Harry looked up at his professor. "I can stay with them? How? "

Sighing Severus began to reveal to Harry what he had hoped to be able to keep secret. "I took over your guardianship. We can work this however you wish though. My name could be there in name only and you can live with someone else or if you wish you always have a place in my home."

Harry was beyond mystified….did this mean that he didn't have to go back to the Dursleys after all? I could stay with whomever he wished? Who did he wish to stay with? "I…I can stay with Remus and Sirius?"

Severus nodded, trying not to feel the disappointment deep in his heart. He knew this was coming, but it still hurt nevertheless.

The boy then looked up at Severus. "You…you did this for me?"

The man nodded and patted Harry's hand. "No one deserves to be hurt and none deserves to be alone when they are hurting. You don't have to decide who to stay with now, but think about stand let me know by Christmas. Alright?"

Harry gave a slight nod. "I…I think I would want to stay with Sirius and Remus….but…but could I…."

Harry faltered out and looked back down at his lap, not knowing how to ask what he was thinking. How could he just come out and say it?

Severus nodded. "I will always keep a place open in my home for you, always. If anything ever happens again where you find yourself in need, then you may come to me and I will take you in no questions asked."

Surprised that his teacher had read his mind so easily Harry looked up and then nodded. "Th..thank you."

"You are quite welcome." He then picked up the books he had left the boy earlier and handed them directly to Harry. "These were some books that I enjoyed when I was your age. I believe you will enjoy them as well."

That is when Remus and Sirius came in the room to find Severus talking about what the stories were about. Smiling Remus closed the door behind him and Sirius transformed back to his human form. The two then came and sat down in the seats next to Harry's bed and Remus handed the potions to Severus who took them and looked apologetically at Harry.

"Alright Harry, you have to take these potions now."

Harry put down the book that he was reading the back of and accepted one of the nasty potions Severus had already uncorked. With a breath, Harry downed the potion and made a face at the nasty taste making Sirius and Remus smile.

Severus, however just handed Harry the next potion to take. "This is the fever reducer and you just took a decongestant to keep everything loose."

Harry nodded and knocked back the fever reducer, one to accept the third one. Severus then handed the boy another potion. "This one is a suppressant that should keep your coughing to a minimum. The next potion I'm going to give you is a nutrient potion. This potion I would like you to take before you go to bed each night to try to make up for what your body is missing from not eating that much over the summer.

Nodding Harry drank down the two potions. Surprisingly, though the nutrient potion didn't taste awful, but tasted more like strawberries. He was glad that was the last potion he had to take. It washed away all the other awful tastes in his mouth left over from the other potions.

Unfortunately for Harry. Severus held up the last potion and handed it to Harry. He knew what this potion was. He had it often enough to recognize it. It was dreamless sleep. Before drinking it down, he looked up at Severus with pleading eyes. He didn't want to go to sleep yet. He had been sleeping away most of the day.

"Yes, Harry you have to go to sleep. You are still very weak and you need as much rest as you can get."

The boy sighed and drank down the potion and felt the effects of it immediately as his eyes began to flutter. Severus took the vial before Harry could drop it and stepped back to allow Remus and Sirius to tuck the boy in and take care of him. He had made the right choice. These two would be much better taking care of Harry than he could.

As Sirius finished taking care of Harry Remus, turned to Severus and smiled, nodding to one of the seats. Taking the hint Severus sat down and waited for Sirius to come and sit down as well.

Remus gently placed a hand on Severus'. "Is he really going to be alright?"

Severus nodded. "He will be, in time. I spoke with the headmaster about where he should live."

Sirius's ears perked up and he looked at the potion master intently. "He's not going back there…is he?"

The professor shook his head. "No, if it is amenable to you too, then he could stay with you."

Astounded the two men looked at Severus gob smacked. Sirius was the first one to pick his jaw up off the floor and asked what they both wanted to know. "How…I mean I'm on the run and…and the Ministry?"

Severus nodded. "Normally, that would be a problem. However, I took over his custody on paper and asked him where he would like to stay. He asked to stay with the two of you."

Remus smiled at Severus while Sirius dropped his jaw to the ground again. Remus patted the Severus's hand. "May I ask why you did this for us?"

Severus looked away to the boy on the bed. "No one deserves to be alone and I know you two love him very much."

Sirius picked his jaw off the floor and looked over at Harry as well. "You have no idea what you have given us."

Severus nodded. "I do know and I only ask one thing in return."

Sirius and Remus looked over at the potions professor with questioning looks. They would do anything for the man who had given them their family back.

Severus sighed. "I only ask that I be permitted to see him every so often to check in on how he's doing. It appears I have misjudged him all these years and I would like to get to know the real Harry Potter."

Both men smiled and nodded. Remus though scooted his chair a little closer to Severus and then leaned in to hug him. Surprised by the man's action and unprepared Severus didn't know what to do. The last time he had been hugged had been with Lily, so he was out of practice.

After a few moments, though, Severus rose his hands and hugged Remus back. The two stayed like that a few minutes and then Remus let go and pulled back. "We would be more than happy to allow you to get to know him. Lily would have wanted you to be in his life."

Severus slightly embarrassed nodded and started to get up and head to the door. Before he could make it to the door though Sirius grabbed hold of his arm, making him turn to look at the man.

Sirius was watching him intently and then relaxed. "You have done so much for Harry, I don't know how to begin to thank you. I…I hope that maybe we can get to know each other better as well. I…I am sorry for all I put you though in school…I really am."

Severus nodded. "I forgave you a while ago. I know you were just a stupid school boy."

Both men looked up at him in surprise. He surely had not acted like they had been forgiven. Sirius though, let a smirk slip past his mask. "I had to do something to keep myself entertained and you are amusing to rile up."

Remus eyebrows shot through his hairline while Sirius fell back into his chair in laughter. Who knows the potions master had been so… devious!

Severus took that moment to leave the room, leaving the two with stitches in their side and a smirk on his face.

When they finally regained control of themselves, they looked at each other and smiled. Their little family was growing by the moment and they couldn't be any happier.