Whelp II The Wrath of Snape

'Do you have any siblings?'

'Not any more. No, no more. Poor Regulus went away.' Black looked up suddenly, and his voice was stronger. 'I did have one, until that monster killed him.'

Severus wasn't sure which monster was meant, but he'd bet on the Dark Lord. For Severus' own part, he had not seen the youngest Black since the late seventies. It was put about by the Death Eaters that Regulus, who was the youngest among them, had fallen from the Dark Lord's favor, or worse, had left his service . . . Rather, that he tried to, and been killed by the Dark Lord for the personal affront. But Severus had never known how -- or if -- Regulus had actually died.

'Tell me the sun is green,' said Dumbledore.

'The sun is . . . gu . . . gre . . . great to see again.'

'Excellent. Let us begin. How did you escape from Azkaban?'

Black let out another giggle. 'The Grim did it! I went along for the ride.'

Severus scowled. Obviously the bastard was trying to play the serum, trying to get out of answering truthfully. He should have expected nothing less from the scoundrel.

Dumbledore, too, looked put off. 'The Grim is your unregistered Animagus form, correct?'

Black shuddered and then said, 'Yes.'

'How did you get off the island?'

'I swam.'

'How did you get past the prison guards?'

Nice euphemism for Dementors, Severus thought, but he was very interested in the answer.

'The Grim. The Dem . . . they . . . they don't notice so much without feelings. Don't notice animals . . . as a Grim, a duh . . . a dog, I didn't have the right feelings to feed them. Not so tasty as a puppy!' Black laughed loudly. 'Paid me no mind if I sat still when they passed. Coulda nipped their heels.'

Albus looked up and away, tapping a finger to his chin as if thinking, but his gaze met Severus' in truth. If what Black said was reliable, any Animagus could enter or exit the prison at will. And Severus knew several Animagi -- unregistered, of course -- who should never been allowed to know this information, if for no other reason than if they were ever caught and prosecuted for their crimes, imprisonment at Azkaban would not be effective punishment.

The Headmaster had continued the questioning, and Black was saying, '… heard a report about those Dursleys. James always hated 'em, 'specially after he met 'em. I knew Harry was there,' he said in an odd sing- song voice, 'so I worried for the bairn. Had to escape to find him, to check up and find him, make sure he was okay. James would've wanted me to make sure he was okay. He would've wanted me to. Looked all around, smelled them all, stinking as they were, and when I couldn't find my little Harry there, I went to good ol' Hoggy warts to see what I could see. Heard that ol' Sni . . . sniv . . . Snapey had him, and I knew where the gre . . . greas . . . nast . . . where Snape was living. So I went to res . . . rescue Harry. He's muh muh my . . . I mean, he's James' suh, suh . . . he's James' . . . Argh!' Black thumped his head on the floor, coughing and wheezing after trying to so hard to get some words out, and obviously distraught at not being able to repeat his old lies about himself or James, in relation to Harry.

Severus could have cheered. But what he heard next chilled him to the bone.

'Albus,' Black pleaded. 'I told the boy, I told Harry, and I'll tell you now, I never meant to hurt him. I just wanted him safe. I was never Secret Keeper for James and Lily, I swear it. Peter was. He's the one who told Voldemo--'

'You lie!' Severus snapped. Forgetting he was meant to remain hidden, he surged forward so he could see the face of his lover's betrayer. 'You killed Lily. Admit it!'

Black's expression shifted from surprised to rage in an instant. 'How can I? It's your Veritaserum, isn't it?'

Nearly spitting with fury, Severus hissed, 'Witnesses saw you attack--'

'They saw what Peter wanted them to see. He exploded the street. He cut off his own damn finger to leave it behind for others to find. Then he . . . he ran away, ran down the drain like a little rat, escaped like the vermin he was.'

'That's impossible,' Severus whispered, aware that Harry was waking because of his agitation. He smoothed a hand across the back of the boy's head and shoulder blades to calm him. 'You're mad.'

'Of course, of course! I'm mad as a corpse! Like to see you do better after six years in Azkabenny! You wouldn't last a . . . not a da . . . Damn!'

Severus sneered. 'You know better than to lie under Veritaserum. Or maybe you don't. You've always been so arrogant, just like your best friend. You're a bully, Black, you and your trio of rule-breaking pack mates. Not one of you ever did anything that wasn't to your own benefit. You got what you deserved in Azkaban, for trying to kill me via your pet Werewolf if nothing else. Go on, tell me you didn't!'

Black couldn't do it. Not that he didn't try. But the serum was stronger than Black's will, not that Severus was surprised. Coughing and wheezing his way through attempted disavowals of all mischief and maliciousness, Black blubbered on piteously. Severus had no pity in him for the worst tormentor of his school days.

After a minute or two, when the serum was almost at the end of its usefulness, Black protested in the thick drone of those still under its effects, a sure sign he was fighting it no longer, 'But you know it's true now, don't you? About me? I wasn't the Secret Keeper. It was Peter, I swear it was.'

To Severus' horror, Dumbledore's expression had softened as he gazed at the bound man by their feet. 'I do believe you, my dear boy, and I shall do what I can--'

'Albus!' Severus took another step toward the Headmaster. 'It's madness! He's crazed and truly believes his lies, but lies are all they are.'

'No, no, I didn't, I didn't kill them, you have to believe me, you slimy, sneaking Slytherin snivelly Snape!' Black was off again, sing-songing nonsense, and the serum had evidently lost its power over him as the monotone was