Harry got out of the car and looked up at the pleasant home that belonged to the Granger family. It was larger than the Dursleys and the front yard had lots and lots of flowers with two large trees. Harry walked into the house and Hermione gave him a tour. On the first floor there was a sitting room, dining room kitchen powder room and a library. Upstairs were three bedrooms, a bathroom and the master suite with bathroom of its own. Diana showed Harry the room he would stay in and Harry looked around it and grinned, the room was painted a light green with green curtains and red tie backs with a red comforter on the bed with a green dragon on it. There was a good sized closet, a desk and a bookcase in here. On the wall over the desk was a painting of a seascape that his parents could appear in and talk to him.
"Severus helped fix this up for you." Diana said, "he thought you would like it."
"I love it, thank you so much!" Harry said hugging her fiercely.
"You are welcome Harry." Diana said, "you are a wonderful young man."
"You think I am?" Harry said looking up at her.
"I do, you are a wonderful young man." Diana said.
"I agree with that," Severus said from the doorway, "are the colors to your liking?"
"Yes sir!" Harry said.
He did something that surprised Severus, he hugged him. Now Severus was not the sort of man who liked to be hugged or touched all that much. However when Harry hugged him it felt right, like Harry was family and this was meant to be. With that in mind he took two vials out of his pocket he had made just for Harry that were tailor made just for him by Severus. One was a growth potion, a tricky potion to make as one had to know about the person it was for and where they were lacking in growth. The other was a nutrient potion, unlike the growth potion this one actually tasted nice, like citrus, sun and light.
"You will need these, one at each meal for the growth potion that will be until school starts, the nutrition potion you will need for at least a year." Severus said.
"Yes sir," Harry said, "thank you sir."
"In private Harry you can call me Severus." Severus said, "or your royal highness the great and terrible."
"Severus don't you dare make him call you that!" Lily said sharply from her portrait.
"I will not, I do have some good news for you." Severus said, "your dogfather is getting a trial."
"Severus Snape!" Came the yell from both James and Lily.
"He is that is brilliant! When can I see him, will he want to see me, is he alright…"
"Harry you will get to see him yes, but first we have to get through his trial and he will be in hospital for a time after as he is unwell from that hell that is Azkaban." Severus replied. "But once he is feeling better you can see him."
"Thank you sir, Severus!" Harry said beaming.
He was rewarded with another hug and was invited for dinner which was cooked by Greg as he loved to cook. It was a traditional meal with roast beef, mashed potatoes, vegetables, fresh rolls and "just this once" a dessert of chocolate sponge cake with real whipped cream and wine for the adults, milk for Harry and Hermione. Severus smiled as he saw Harry happy and laughing here with the Granger family. His heart that he had locked away so long ago was opening once more, he knew this was his second chance and he was going to do everything he could to earn each minute of it.
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The weeks had passed in a blur and it was a week before Harry and Hermione would leave for Hogwarts. On advice from Severus they had written several people, two were Fred and George Weasley as Severus knew they were pranksters yes but would look out for them in school. The next was Neville Longbottom as he was from an old and well respected family, he had Harry write Draco Malfoy too though he was not sure about them ever being friends. Harry had hit it off with Fred and George, they treated him just like family and that he liked as he never had been so accepted as he was now.
Harry and Hermione were outside playing as the adults in the house had had enough of them just reading and wanted them to act like children. So they had shooed them outside and the two at first had no idea what to do, then Hermione found a football and soon both were kicking it around laughing and enjoying themselves. Severus had come over to deliver Harry's potions and he was looking outside when the floo (which was connected by the permission of the Grangers to Hogwarts only) rang and he heard Diana spoke to someone. He turned and fixed his most fierce glare on one Albus Dumbledore who bustled in clad in a bright set of blue robes with stars on them. He was sure Diana though he looked like Merlin though Merlin never would have been caught in such bright outlandish clothing.
"Headmaster what are you doing here?" Severus said coldly, "Harry is staying and you will not get in the way, I will not allow it!"
"Of course he will stay here Severus my dear boy!" Dumbledore said, "I just wanted to let you know the ward stones are on their way, in the meantime I will set up wards of protection in the meantime."
"Very well, but nothing that invades privacy…."
"I never would, just wards of protection, I give my word nothing I do here will harm in any way."
"Your robes do plenty." Severus muttered getting Diana hard pressed to keep from laughing.
"May I see Harry?" Dumbledore asked, "I owe him an apology."
"Yes, he is in the yard." Diana said.
Harry had just scored a goal on Hermione and was trying to block her as she tried to get past his part of the yard when an old man with long slivery white hair and beard stepped out of the house into the yard. He walked up to the children and looked down at them. Harry was now at the height and weight his father had been at his age and though the curse was gone from his scar the scar did remain. Dumbledore smiled at the boy and knew he was a good boy and he felt horrible for what had happened to him.
"Hello my name is Albus Dumbledore." Dumbledore said, "you must be Harry Potter and Hermione Granger."
"Yes sir." Harry said, "pleased to meet you."
"Pleased to meet you sir." Hermione said.
"I do owe you an apology, your mother told me how you were treated at your aunt's home." Dumbledore said, "I wanted to say I am sorry you were treated so badly. I had you placed there as there was no will and I thought as family she would care for you. I am sorry she did not and that I left you there can you forgive me?"
"Of course, mum told me you would have come to get me if Severus, I mean professor Snape had not sir." Harry said, "I mean it was my aunt that was horrible not you sir."
"You are happy here?" Dumbledore asked.
"Oh yes sir, though I do have keep really good care of my teeth and all but it's great, I got a great room and lots of books and I even when to the museum and the zoo again and even to the tower!"
"I am glad you are happy, now Harry if you need anything you will let me know?" Dumbledore asked.
"Of course sir!" Harry said grinning.
"Good, oh and your godfather has been cleared of all charges, you should see him before long."
"Thank you sir!"
Dumbledore set the temporary wards then left to head back to Hogwarts happy Harry had a good home to live at. He had a package from Severus to give to Sirius as he was headed to see the man. He hoped it was not something to start a fight with as he knew how those two had not got along at all. He still felt so badly that so many innocent had suffered and that Sirius had been locked in Azkaban without a trial! He had so much to make up for to the boy, and he would, he promised himself that.
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Sirius woke up slowly surprised he had slept so well and in human form at that! He sat up so glad to be in a soft bed clad in a nice soft nightshirt that was warm and comfortable. He yawned as the headmaster came into the room and handed him a package. He saw Snape's handwriting on it and he opened it and took out a small box, he opened it and saw enough nutrient potions to keep him going for a long time. The threat of what would happen if he did not take it was all Snape, only he would threaten to beat him with his own spine if he did not take the potions.