Disclaimer:

I do not own the characters of Harry Potter, these belong to that wonderful author JK Rowling and the various publishing companies used to publish her works. I am however borrowing them, no not to make money but for fun and fun only.

Summary:

When Severus rescues a shaggy black dog in Hogsmeade he sets off a new chain of events. Spoilers for all seven books. Oh and do I need to say this really? No Slash!

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Chapter One: The New Pet:

It was a cold day that one Severus Snape visited Hogsmeade in the autumn of 1993. He was clad in his usual warm woolen black robes and cloak, his well made dragonskin boots barely making a sound as he made his way into the village. He walked into Honeydukes, he could not shop here with the students around, he had a reputation to uphold and the dour potions master stocking up on sweets for himself would not do him any good. Besides the old coot he worked for, well he did not want him knowing his deep love for sweets, even the lemon candies the old man was fond of. So it was that Severus was here, near closing time to get much needed sweets, chocolate frogs, shock-o-croc, cockroach clusters (for Lupin) and of course Bernie Bott's Every flavor beans, he did love living on the edge. He removed the hood of his cloak once in the store revealing a man with long straight greasy black hair, a pale face, hooked nose, black eyes and thin lipped mouth. Mr. Flume was here the red headed jolly shopkeeper who smiled as he knew he was going to make quite a bit of money off this visit.

"Ah professor Snape, here to stock up?" Mr. Flume asked.

"Yes I am, those dunderheads I teach, well can't have me drinking now can we?" Severus said, "besides thanks to my mother I will never get fat."

"I remember you in school, bright lad, could eat a hippogriff a day an' be as thin as a rail." Mr. Flume said, "you need me to disguise some cockroach clusters for you? No charge you know."

Mr. Flume was a few years older than Severus and had been in Slytherin. He did not live at the school as he was a day student, living in Hogsmeade did make it much easier as he did not have to stay at the castle. He remembered four boys who taunted not only Severus but pretty much anyone they did not like. Flume was not part of the group of students, most in Slytherin but many from all houses that had joined or supported the evil one as he called him. Though it was not well known he knew that Severus had joined him but regretted it later, he could see things and know things that many could not, then again he was part Empath as it was. He packed up all of Severus's sweets giving him a teacher's discount and going for the cockroach clusters to fix them up for him.

"I would like that, that mutt would deserve it." Severus said with an evil gleam in his eyes. "Dumbledore did say I could not poison, beat, hex or harm him."

"He left out giving him gifts." Flume said grinning, "here, that will be 5 galleons 6 sickles and 4 knuts."

"Here you are." Severus said handing over the money and putting the sweets into his pouch, "I think I will stop for a pint."

"Say hello to Rosmerta, tell her I have her order here waiting will you?" Flume said.

"Of course." Severus replied.

He left the shop and walked out onto the cobblestone street, he was liked in the village, he was a respected part of the school and the village too. He was not a recluse, the students might have thought he was but he had a good social life. Living in dungeons, teaching children, he needed to get out and be around those who could stimulate his mind and that did not always include the staff or his circle of "friends" outside the school. His one best friend but royal pain at times was Lucius Malfoy, he could be quite trying and his son, well if not for Narcissa on his side and trying to help raise the boy right Draco would be in worse shape than he was now. No cunning in the boy at all! Might as well have sorted the boy to Gryffindor the way he acted! Even Crabbe and Goyle were cunning, they were quite boys and acted far stupider than they were, they made the perfect watch outs for Draco. He walked into the Three Broomsticks and saw Rosmerta at the bar, a buxom blond who smiled at him as he came and took a seat.

"Hello Severus, the usual then?" Rosmerta said putting a pint of local ale before him from Neep's shop down the street. It was made of barley, hops and for some reason turnips and Severus enjoyed it.

"Thank you, Si has your package ready for you." Severus said.

"Good, he is a dear, now how are classes going for you?" Rosmerta asked.

"Not bad, only one week and so far no injuries or death, though Draco did upset a hippogriff stupid boy. If not for bloody Potter Draco would have been hurt."

"Ah yes, the scion of Lucius Malfoy, I feel for Narcissa, she tried so hard with that boy." Rosmerta said, she had been in Slytherin herself and knew the Black family well as she was related to them through her mother's brother. "I would say she should send a howler but she is above that."

"I could turn the bloody boy to a ferret and keep him that way and out of trouble." Severus said, "Narcissa might not mind too much."

They spent a few more minutes talking and the Severus had to leave to head back to Hogwarts. He drew his hood over his head as it started to rain. He was walking back to the castle when he heard soft whimpering and turned, wand out. He saw a dog with matted filthy fur that was nothing but skin and bones under that fur and was limping. It looked black but Severus was not sure, it could be all the dirt on the dog. He walked up to the dog, normally he was not a dog person but he could not stand seeing what had been a noble beast reduced to this. He saw that the paw of the dog was twisted and he quickly conjured up some bandages and wrapped the paw. He could not leave the dog here, he would take him to Hagrid, he could tend to him, then he remembered Hagrid had the hippogriff Buckbeak near his cabin and was not sure how the beast would deal with this dog.

"Well mutt if you can walk I can take you back to my quarters, can you walk?" Severus asked the dog.

Help me, please. The dog whined and limped up to him.

"I cannot carry you, you are far too filthy." Severus said.

So is your hair, Snape, no not Snape! The dog thought, for of course this was Padfoot aka Sirius Black.

"Come then, I will levitate you, it will not hurt." Severus said softly.

The dog Animagmus whimpered, he was scared, he had been through so much, he was cold and hungry and in pain and realized he needed help. Besides if Snape was in Hogwarts then he might get a hold of that traitor Wormtail, yet right now he was so tired even Snape was a relief to see. He allowed Severus to levitate him to his quarters where the man called his elf to bathe him fully. It took a hour but Padfoot did not have to stand as the elf kept him levitated and Padfoot was able to relax as he was bathed fully. It took several changes of water, a bottle of flea dip and half of shampoo to get him clean and then the little creature combed out his fur until it was silky and smooth. Despite his horribly thin state he was a handsome beast.

Severus was surprised at how beautiful the dog was when he was led to lay by the fire after he was cleaned up. He looked the dog over, found it was an intact male and aside from the sprained paw and malnutrition the dog was healthy. He carefully wrapped the dog's paw then steeling himself he started to dose the dog with potions. The dog did not much like this but let him do what he had to, the meat and scraps given him after more than made up for it. Severus had Tibby, his house elf and the one that cleaned up Padfoot make a bed for the dog near the fire and he himself went to bed wondering what to name, I mean do with the dog in the morning.

He fell fast asleep and woke early as always and felt a heavy warmth on his legs. He frowned and with a wave of his wand the lights came up and he found a black shaggy bundle of fur at the end of his bed, the bundle yawned and looked up at him with intense gray eyes. Sirius was so affected by Azkaban, even in dog form that he needed human contact, even if it was Severus Snape. Of course a dog needed a pack and Severus was so very nice and warm as well and Padfoot did what dogs do, he refused the nice bed by the fire and climbed on the bed with Severus and fell asleep at his feet. Only to wake to the man staring at him with his black eyes, Padfoot wagged his tail and whimpered at Severus trying to look as cute as he could.

"What are you doing at the foot of my bed mutt?" Severus asked the dog.

"Woof!" Padfoot said wagging his tail.

"You must be hungry you mangy mutt, well get up, Tibby will feed you, I have to get ready for classes." Severus said.

Wonder what you teach, how to oil your hair? Hmm, you do smell nice, not like dirt, clean, potions, you smell of potions, you teach potions!

"If you have finished nosing about it is time for your breakfast." Severus said to the dog as Padfoot sniffed his hands. "Mangy mutt."

Padfoot walked out, down the hall past the bathroom, another bedroom and into the comfortable living room. Here he saw breakfast waiting for him and he limped over still favoring his hurt paw, it would be another day before it was healed. He fairly grinned as he saw what was in the bowl for him, lots of raw meat, scraps and the like, he wolfed it down wagging his tail in pleasure. He watched as Severus came out clad in his black robes and accepted the pat on the head. He did not mind too much being told to be good, he was even given a large cow hoof to chew on before Severus left for the day! He went to the door that led to where he could relieve himself, did his business "outside" came back and stretched before the fire and fell asleep, warm, full and happy for the first time in a very long time.

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So just a little idea that came to me, what if Sirius ended up injured in Hogsmeade at the beginning of Harry's third year and Severus took pity on the dog? I wanted to show that Severus would have friends outside the school, I think he would want a release and at this time very few knew of his past as a death eater. I wanted to show that not all Slytherin house joined Voldemort. A few students that went to Hogwarts would have to be day students as they lived in Hogsmeade, why would they live at the castle when they could walk home each day just a mile a way?