Finding Your Place

What Once Was

Ch. 11: What once was

"So?" Harry whispered to Severus the next day at breakfast. His tone was quiet as he sat cross legged on their bunk.

"What on earth are you mumbling on about?" Snape complained. His back hurt. His knees hurt. His head hurt. Hell his fingers hurt.

"Keep your voice down!" The younger man hushed frantically. "Sirius and Remus, what where they talking about yesterday during our...disagreement?" Harry smirked.

"I'd hardly call all of us crumbling under the pressure of one day in prison, a disagreement and...not now." Snape warned. There were too many people around.

"They're all tucked in to this miserable slop the ministry sanctions as a meal. It's the perfect time. C'mon Sev, please?" Severus found himself comforted by the normalcy of the sound of Potter whining. The fact that the boy's eyes glimmered with hope allowed Severus to feel the same. Even though they were locked up in the most feared fortress in the wizarding world, Harry managed to maintain his child like innocence. The thought of solving some mystery or indulging in a bit of gossip brought him joy. Severus loved the man in front of him.

He sighed. "Black what's the shower policy in this hellhole?" He had made a deal, after all.

"Once a week at your request. It's two at a time but, don't think for a second that, that is a place where you can ravage my godson." Sirius attempted to quell any of Snape's romantic notions of a soapy rendezvous with his newly bonded.

"Sirius!" Lupin chastised. "I think showers are a wonderful idea. They may brighten our spirits a bit." He looked to his wife for support.

"You're right. I'll stick with Hermione so as none of you get any ideas." Tonks disapproving look fell solely on Ron. Hermione had noticed that Tonks was acting strangely. She spent all of her time with her or the twins and was barely speaking to Lupin. She didn't look at anyone else.

"Oy! What'd I do?" Ron defended indignantly. Why was he being punished for the sins of an entire gender? He simply wanted to eat and be quiet.

"I'll go with Ol' Dumbles m, Ron. You can have George." Fred comforted his younger brother. He could see the embarrassed look befall him when he realized that his partner choices were few. George patted his twin on the back for taking one for the team.

"Thanks mate." Ron stared at the floor, too ashamed to look up at his brothers or Girlfriend. This entire situation caused him to have that ball in the pit of his stomach, as if he had done something terribly wrong, and had been caught.

"That just leaves us, old friend." Remus grinned sadly at Sirius. Sirius in turn knocked three times in sequence on the cold steal door.

"What is it Black?" A gruff voice yelled from behind the door.

"Showers. Whenever you find yourself with a spare bit of time." He chirped sarcastically. There was an uneasy moment of silence.

"Pair yourselves up. Two of you stand by the door. The rest of you remain in your bunks!" The unknown man ordered. Harry and Snape begrudgingly did as they were told.

A large, cloaked wizard slammed open the door, wand pointed. "Name's Rylis." He stammered. He was a dirty man. Soot and grime covered his face. His teeth, those that remained, were stained yellow. He was large in size, the same did not appear to be true of intelligence.

"Pleasure." Severus Deadpanned. This man was a buffoon.

"Have to say it's an honor to meet you Harry Potter." He shook Harry's hand eagerly.  His smile was too broad.