Munching on the last surviving piece of melting easter chocolate and wiping his coated fingertips off on an unsuspecting tapestry, Harry sauntered down the halls into the chilly depths of the dungeons towards Snape's classroom, dreading the fact that the time to confront his fears was at hand. He had successfully avoided the ill-tempered man for quite some time, but due to the resounding (and relentless) nagging of others that his lessons should be continued, Harry was convinced that it was time for him to do as much reconciling with the professor as he could… that and he was starting to become unnerved about the eerie maniacal laughter that had been reoccurring in his pungent dreams.

Harry slowed as he approached the intimidating door to the potions classroom, trying to take deep breaths before reaching to open it…. only to find it slightly ajar. It was unusual, Snape wasn't the type to leave things unattended to (well, besides the pensive) he was always finding his school supplies stash being depleted mysteriously, polyjuice potion ingredients a common denominator. Harry crept forward, unsure of what to make of it, when suddenly a familiar voice bellowed out incoherently. Sirius was here! At Hogwarts! But how did he manage? Then Harry heard Lupin's voice shushing the man furiously. Potter beamed, they had actually managed to get into the school somehow to give Snape a talking to as promised. He just had to hear this.

Flawlessly, Harry whipped out his invisibility cloak, having done this so many times it was almost routine, and attempted to slip into the classroom without touching the door. He weaved past the bulky desks and cauldrons, heart thumping with excitement as the voices from the office towards the back became clearer and clearer.

"Sirius! You mustn't speak so loud, if someone overheard…"

"Sorry sorry, i just, i am just here as a concerned godparent and he dares insinuate…!"

"I know, breathe, think about what we've planned"

"I don't know why you bothered coming here at all!" Snape hissed, "I have nothing to say to you two and i want nothing more to do with that boy, damn Dumbledores orders!"

"You know perfectly well that boy's fate is sealed if you don't help him Severus! You must force him to continue with lessons! If that greasy goat Umbridge hadn't put such tight security around this school we would do so, but it's up to you! Please, Snape!"

"Snape," Sirius muttered, "Don't take this out on him because of what i did."

"All of you! You undeserving idiots were absolute shit-mongrels to me every single moment of our school career!"

"But i was the worst," Sirius was looking truly ashamed, hanging his shaggy head in dismay. "Despite James's words, despite Remus's lack of action, despite Peter's encouragement, i was the worst. What i did…"

"Don't speak of it!" Snape's eyes bulged as they flicked towards Lupin. Yet Lupin showed no look of curiosity or surprise, he simply nodded his head in understanding and approached the black-clad man heedfully.

"What Black did was unforgivable, but don't take it out on Harry…"

"No, Lupin, let me finish." Sirius lightly put his hand on Lupin's chest and pushed him back, lingering there for a while.

"Like he said, what i did was unforgivable and i will never ask for it to be forgotten. I know it will haunt me forever, but that doesn't matter. What matters is; it happened, i was a fool and i let myself do terrible things i can't take back. I have learned, Severus. I had years to think on it, nothing but time sitting in Azkaban rotting away to think on every horrible thing i have ever done, know i can't fix a bit of it. I don't dare say i'm sorry. I don't dare because that's insulting. I don't deserve this chance to speak to you. But please. Please Severus,"

Sirius kneeled before the apprehensive man, "I do dare to beg of you, don't take it out on Harry. Don't judge him by the foolish genes he inherited from his father. Don't serve him up to Voldemort on a silver platter! Continue his lessons! Save the boy! I am yours to do so as you will if you do. Torture me, hurt me, anything…. please. I'm begging you, Severus."

Silence took the room, all were in shock as the disheveled man sat dejected before the stunned professor. Snape's astonishment turned to amusement soon enough, and so he crossed his arms in his famous manner.

"Well… i must say i have enjoyed this… display."

"Severus…" Lupin snarled, lip curling like a wolf baring his teeth threateningly.

"Now now," Snape held his hand up to halt him, "I have decided.. to help. Again. I am just that generous."

Sirius looked up at him in disbelief, wild eyes wide underneath his unkempt hair. Lupin clasped his hand upon his tattered jacket shoulder and hoisted him up as the godfather stammered his thanks to the slimy man.

"Thank you! Thank you Severus, anything that i can do, i…"

"Yes… well, I'm sure i can think up a few things i will need from you, but for now… just so i can know you're honest not just on good faith…" he looked between the desperate men sinisterly, "I need you to admit to your friend here what you had admitted to me years past."

"What?" Sirius was baffled, still clutching onto his friend, his footing not yet found.

"Under that tree, when you had me bound up like a trussed goose, you admitted your affections were not for me, but another. I was just a 'proxy' for your ugly transgressions, am i wrong?"

"Hey, no, Snape, that's not…" Remus shuffled uncomfortably as Sirius's grasp on him tightened, his face now ashen.

"I want. To hear you. Confess." Snape advanced, his stare unwavering, "Confess to the one who never noticed you! Confess to the one who made you feel like you had lash out on me! Confess who you became an animal for! Confess, Black! Confess!"

Snape was a frightening sight, yelling now not unlike a judge trying to out a Death Eater in the bowels of the ministry. His greasy hair hung precariously in front of his crazed face, a smile slit greedily across his face at the chance to finally get his revenge, no matter how small.

"I already know, Snape!" Lupin bellowed, stepping up, "Now stop this!"

"You know? Not fair, i wanted to hear it for myself, get some kind of… closure on this twisting romantic tale."

"Fine." Sirius whispered.

"Don't be like we were, Snape!" Lupin chided, "Don't stoop to that level, be better than what we were to you! You are a professor, you need to be an example…"

"I think i deserve to be a tad cruel about this! Wouldn't you say? He says he's had years to dwell on his conduct, well so have i! I have never recovered my reputation from that day!"

"I said i would do it" Sirius spoke softly, eyes still on the ground.

"Reputation!" Lupin laughed, "What reputation? You were always a greasy little loser, what Sirius did never put a dent in your already terrible reputation!"

"Don't push me Remus! I will retract my offer!"

"STOP!" Sirius yelled, stepping between the two bickering men, "I said i would confess! If that is what you need Severus, i will gladly abide."

Harry gulped nervously, again finding it easy to forget he wasn't supposed to be privy to this moment. He checked to be sure he was still fully invisible as Sirius turned to his long time friend, away from the gleeful smirk of his nemesis.

"Remus… i know i have put you through this before, but i must ask you to suffer though this once again…"

"Sirius…"

"For years i have stayed by your side. I have laughed, cried and even been angry with you. You have been the best of friend, and i selfishly wanted more. I tried everything to make you notice me the way i noticed you. I was not healthy with these feelings, i acted out horribly and sabotaged many lives in my pursuit of you. I feel terrible for how i treated Severus, for how i treated you, and for how i treated all of the girls that admired you…"

"Wait, what? Girls liked me? You never told me that, what did you do to them?"

"Never mind that Remus, i am trying to tell you something!"

Lupin gasped, covering his mouth in horror, "Pracilla Abbott! That girl in my transfiguration class who wrote me letters! They said she was sent to the hospital wing cursed with something awful! What was it, bat wings, or bat boogies, or…"

"It was a Bat Brains hex Lupin, they found her hanging from the rafters eating bugs, i'm sorry i am! But please let me finish!"

Harry had to stifle a snicker, his godfather certainly had a great sense of humor with his spells, but he really was a troubled youth. He was happy to see Sirius straightening himself out, no matter how awkwardly it was happening.

"I'm in love with you, Remus. And i'm sorry for it." Sirius let out a breath that sounded like he had been holding it in for years and stared apologetically into his best friend's eyes.

"Wait… Sirius, when you told me before, you said you 'were' in love, but not anymore. That is what you mean right? You said you've grown past it…"

Sirius groaned, exasperated, "I lied. I just wanted to make things easier for you."

"You… you still feel that way?"

"Don't worry about it old pal, i will get past it! Eventually. Probably. I know you don't feel the same, you say that that Tonks woman is growing on you…"

"Ugh gods, i shouldn't have told you about that. it's just a silly crush she has on me…"

"Not true! I heard you with her some nights ago! She left for the Weasley's burrow in tears the next day, she wouldn't tell me a thing other than she needed to see Molly!"

"It was nothing, Sirius! she's just young and emotional, i weakly gave into her, i shouldn't have encouraged…"

"Don't! Don't brush her off the way you did me!" Sirius grasped his friend's shoulders roughly, shaking him, "Just because you think you're unloveable doesn't mean that it is so! For so long you have thought you've needed to protect everyone from you! That you don't deserve love because of your transformations! She cares for you! She might be young but that doesn't mean her feelings aren't honest!"

"Sirius…" Lupin stared at him in shock, "I… i don't…"

"I became an animal for you… to show you. To show you that i am not afraid, and neither should anyone else be. It's unfortunate what happened to you as a child but it is not something for you to become hopeless over! You can be loved if you let us! Stop pushing away, Remus. Please…"

Black pulled him into a shaky embrace, clutching tightly. Snape observed in discomfort, then suddenly become interested in a fleshy-nubby blob floating in one of his many creepy jars. Harry stared in amazement. His godfather… in love with Lupin? And after all this time, unrequited? It was obvious in the desperate way he clutched his long-time friend that his feelings were indeed as strong as the day in the memory he had witnessed. For years, Sirius suffered in so many ways; losing two of his best friends to death, not getting the chance to raise Harry himself, and then having been sentenced to be tortured in Azkaban… but on top of all of that he spent decades pining away for someone that was so close… It made Harry terrified. Would this be his future if he never told Malfoy how he felt? Years of agony, feeling like he could never be honest? Wondering what could have been…

"Ok, hey," Snape broke the silence, not able to hold interest in the blob jar any longer, "Can we hurry this up? I agreed to help… and you," Severus jabbed the back of Black's shoulder, still embracing his friend. "You are not supposed to be here."

"Right, right," Lupin choked, carefully prying himself away from Sirius, who now appeared to be emotionally broken and very much so drained. "We must be going. Quickly too, don't want anyone spotting us at the Gunhilda of Gorsemoor passage."

"Passage?" Snape perked up, "Is that how you've snuck around these halls all these years?"

"Never mind that. Say goodbye, Sirius."

"Ok." Black muttered. "Bye Snivillus."

"Its' been a pleasure, dog." Snape sneered.

"Come on Sirius, don't make me put you on a leash."

"Hold on," he said, discreetly wiping away a tear, "I want to say goodbye to my godson."

"WHAT?"

Harry stiffened in shock, breath caught in his throat. Did he know he was there? The whole time?

"Come on Harry, give me a hug, I won't leave without one." Sirius beckoned to the empty air that Harry invisibly occupied.

Shaking, Harry slowly removed the velvety cloak he hid underneath, feeling very bare. His eyes darted nervously between the shocked looks from Snape and Remus and the doting smile from Black.

"H-how…"

Sirius tapped the side of his nose, "My doggie senses were tingling."

Sirius turned to Remus and quipped, "Honestly i'm surprised you didn't sniff him out as well, the boy reeks of chocolates and night sweats."

"Charming." Snape hissed, peeved at the intrusion.

Noticing his godson was still frozen on the spot, Sirius took it upon himself to embrace Harry, lifting him into a back-breaking grip.

"Harry," he whispered so only he would hear, "I hope this helps. I'm sorry it went this way. I love you. Be good… and Harry?"

"Y-yes Sirius?"

"Tell him how you feel. Before its too late."

"…uh…"

"Snivels over there told us about the last occlumency lesson. What a snitch, right? Anyway, it doesn't matter if it's that pureblood prat's kid, i trust your judgement. Don't make him a regret, Harry."

Sirius sighed, pleased with the wisdom he imparted. Locking Harry in a side-hug, he looked at Lupin, waiting impatiently at the door, and whispered in his godson's ear, "Blondes, am i right?"

"Come on Black, we need to go! Harry, give me a hug, hurry now!"

"Here," Harry hugged Remus heartily and handed him the lovely velvet fabric he treasured, "Use my dad's cloak, leave it by the witch statue's hunchback, i can pick it up later."

"So smart!" Sirius laughed out boisterously, slapping him on the back, "Like his father!"

Snape scoffed at this and tossed himself moodily into his desk chair.

"Thank you, Harry." Lupin placed a hand lovingly on Potter's cheek "This will all be sorted out soon. We will see you again before you know it. Wait patiently. Take your occlumency lessons. No more trouble, promise?"

"Promise… to do my best."

"Atta boy, see ya kiddo." Black transfigured into the beloved shaggy dog, Snuffles, and trotted out the door after the now invisible Lupin.

Harry stood there, the warmth of Remus's hand and Sirius's embrace slowly leaving him, and he found himself reminded of how much longer he had to endure school with the deranged Umbridge.

"Soooo," Snape drawled, toying with a feather quill on his desk, "I suppose we are on the same page about your lessons then, humn? That makes my job a bit easier." He stood menacingly, "A bit."

Harry gulped, knowing that he was not yet off the hook with his hook-nosed teacher. He stuffed his hands into his pockets nervously as the thin ghoulish man walked aggravatingly slow around his desk.

"And with what's happened between said occlumency lessons and your unwarranted face dip into my memories…" Snape circled around Harry now, causing him to sweat profusely under his school robes. "Is it safe to say we are on the same page with this star-crossed lovers situation as well?"

"W-what…"

"Don't play coy, Potter!" The professor snarled. Snape stopped to glare straight into Harry's eyes and he could tell it bothered the man that he had grown to be at eye level, no longer someone he could look down on. Potter was growing up, seeing things, hearing things, feeling things, he never had before. Slowly but surely he was becoming a man, and finally he was being treated like someone to be reckoned with, someone who could be trusted with… well, anything besides private conversations. Harry was coming to realize he didn't need any more enemies, and even though Severus was not the best of men, he wasn't always the worst. Sirius proved to Harry that being humble is a strong trait, one he should utilize more. He showed Harry that like magic, an apology may only be words, but when used with certainly, it can have strong and powerful results.

"Professor Snape," Harry said as confidently as possible, drawing himself up even taller, "I know you saw my dreams about Malfoy. I'm sorry you saw that."

"And Diggory."

"Ah, yup and Diggory, i'm sorry for that too. And i'm sorry i rooted around in your memories. Do you know i saw another one besides the one with my dad?"

"Yes. I am aware. Do you know how seriously i take it that you need to understand what position this puts me in? I am supposed to protect the boy."

"He's not a boy." As soon as he said it, Harry held his breath. Talking back was not a good idea right now.

"Excuse me?"

"H-hes not a boy, hes a -a -"

"A young man. Yes yes, i see your point Potter, he can make his own choices when it comes to his love life, but you see this is a problem regarding the Dark Lord."

"Oh."

"Besides it sounds like he might not be too keen on you at the moment anyway…" Snape smirked wickedly.

"What? What did he say?"

"Potter! I will not gossip with you like some fat pink portrait! Concentrate. Now we must begin your occlumency lessons again at once in order to protect you and Draco from the mind of the dark one. If you want him to live, focus on your studies, or you'll soon be fantasizing about more than one corpse."

Harry flinched. Too soon.

High Shipper Mschmnged apologizes!

hopefully you all can accept my apology for my absence the way Snape half heartily accepted Sirius's! how fitting is this chapter eh?

i don't want to get into it much, but life got out of hand, i got a bit busy writing fan fiction pieces for live performances about the wiles of Tom Riddle with Ginny Weasley and just couldn't get my writing boner up long enough to sexually pump it to two stories.

Hopefully by creating this reconciliation chapter with a little SiriusXRemus makes up for it? its hard to stay cannon and please multiple shippers, i love the idea of BlackXLupin but i do love Tonks! i hate to downplay the relationship between her and Lupin but i don't feel she would have been as perfect for him as Sirius.

Not everyone winds up with who they are perfect for though and i don't want to take that reality from this story. When it comes to sexuality, not everyone can swing around like a penis-copter. Who knows, maybe lupin is as straight as an arrow...or maybe he's been curious and bent like a bow. we may never know.

but what is important is that sirius said everything he's ever needed to say and he is pooped out! harry is once again being confident in his choices and is back on the right track! Snape is wary but is enjoying being the secret keeper for everyone and their fruity trysts!

i really do plan to write more, I'm sorry if it takes me a while! i am now about to be in the mist of a cross country move so i will do what i can!