A Change of Heart

Chapter Twenty Four

Hermione looked at Harry. She seemed worried.

"If you won't go to Dumbledore, at least write to Tom," said she. 

"I only told her the truth," Harry said stubbornly. "Tom is back. And we all know he's not going to sit back and relax. Dumbledore said in spite of how he is towards me, he's still not a good guy."

"Harry," said Ron. "Either you can be Tom's friend or his enemy. You can't be both, mate."

"It's not that easy," sighed Harry. "I know Tom won't harm me. But that does not mean he won't harm anyone. He killed Cedric just because he was there. I don't want that to happen to anyone else. And Umbridge saying Cedric's death is an accident is an insult to his memory!"

"I know all that, Harry," nodded Hermione. "But you can't take on Umbridge by yourself. She's more than a teacher. She's a ministry official. She's Fudge's eyes and ears and mouthpiece in Hogwarts. And she's really twisted in her own way."

"I am not going to go running to anyone." Said Harry. He did not know why he hesitated to contact Tom. But though he might have been happy if everyone believed him when he said Tom had returned, now there was a part of him that worried about Tom's safety too.

"I did write to Sirius," he said at last.

"Harry," there was reproach in Hermione's voice. "If that letter is intercepted in any way.."

"I didn't put anything in that letter that could be dangerous to Sirius." Harry said. "But I had to talk to someone."

"I'm glad you chose Sirius and not Tom," muttered Ron.

"Tom can handle himself better than Sirius if Harry's letter were to be intercepted by the ministry," replied Hermione acerbically.

"That's true anyway," muttered Ron.  "Have you any idea what we're supposed to do with this?" Holding up his divination homework.

Harry shrugged. "Wish I could chuck it in the fire."

"Wish I could chuck Umbridge in the fire," muttered Ron. "Nasty old hag."

Harry chuckled. "If we don't go for breakfast now, we'll have to go to class without it. I don't know about you, but I'd rather starve than be late to Snape's class."

"If I have to choose between detentions with Snape and Umbridge, I'll choose Snape any day," muttered Ron as he started packing away quills and parchments back into his bag.

"So, now you know there are worse things than Snape," smirked Hermione.

They had a hurried breakfast and reached Snape's class five minutes after the bell rang.

"Detention, Potter, at five," said Snape in a bored voice as they took their seats. Malfoy snickered.

"Git!" Muttered Ron viciously. Harry was not certain if he meant Snape or Malfoy.

"We were all late and he gave only you detention," Ron shook his head as they made their way to the green houses. "That's really tough."

"Yea? I'm used to it by now," Harry said dejectedly. He had just caught up with all his homework and here he was in detention again. The unfairness of the whole situation with Snape was making him angry.

At five, Harry presented himself promptly in front of Snape's dungeon. Snape let him enter without comment and locked the door, muttering an unfamiliar enchantment.

Harry looked around and-

"Sirius!" he exclaimed, grinning widely as his god father got up from the chair he was sitting in with an equally wide grin.

"How?" Asked Harry.

"I arranged it with Snape," said Sirius. "He's my baby sitter now,"

Harry turned around to see Snape standing near to the door. "Thank you." Said he with real gratitude.

"Don't thank me, Potter." Said Snape. "For some reason, the Dark Lord wants to keep Black safe. He entrusted me with the responsibility. There was little I could do with him in Headquarters and me in Hogwarts. So, we arranged it with Dumbledore to have him stay here with me."

"But...but.." spluttered Harry. "What about Umbridge?"

"I do have the means to spirit him away to Headquarters should Dolores Umbridge decide to search my dungeons." Snape's voice was dry.

"Wait..." said Harry. "You said the Dark Lord asked you to keep him safe?"

"Yes, he did apparently," muttered Sirius. "He thinks I'm an irresponsible godfather. He gave me a lecture on it too!"

"What!" Exclaimed Harry weakly as he sank into a chair. "He gave you a lecture?"

Sirius nodded. "After I left the platform the day I came to see you off."

"A very ill-judged decision," remarked Snape.

"No one asked you!" snapped Sirius. "Though your master was brutally frank!"

"Tom?" Said Harry again, unable to believe it.

"Tom?" Asked Snape, his voice sounding strange. "You call the Dark Lord Tom?"

"He asked me to call him that," said Harry a bit defensively.

Snape stared at Harry. "I might be going insane, I think. Why would the Dark Lord ask you to call him anything?"

"Because they're friends now," said Sirius.

"Friends." Repeated Snape, "The Boy Who Lived and the Dark Lord. Friends."

"Why not?" Bristled Harry.

Snape's glance at him was full of loathing. "He killed your parents! You are so pathetic, Potter!"

"Don't use that tone with Harry," snapped Sirius.

"He killed your best friend and you are okay with your godson being friends with him?" Demanded Snape.

"I don't see why that is any of your concern," began Sirius angrily and then stopped. "Oh," said he, his voice and expression softening a bit. "I'd forgotten,"

There was a peculiar expression on his face as he looked at Snape.

"Forgotten what?" Asked Harry.

"Nothing important," said Sirius, turning his attention back to Harry. "Just something from our school days."

He smiled at his godson. "It's so good to see you. But let's get to what you said in your letter."

Harry noticed almost absently that Snape had left the room.