Severus Snape, Harry's mother's friend

To be fair, Harry wasn't actually looking for the horcruxes.

He was barely curious after hearing the conversation and pratically forgot all about it after acquering Voldemort's wand, that he hid it from all of his father figures. And especially the headmaster that he still suspected wanted to have the wand by his side too. Something he made the Weasleys boys promise to keep for themselves because, hah, it was their dad's doing.

But well, after his first (failed) try at magic, Harry wanted to train more but couldn't just do it anywhere. At first, he went to take refuge in the kitchen as safe for Remy, Siri and him, no one in the castle's supposed to know where it was. But then, after a chat with the house elves, he realized that the headmaster could very well knew the location and even asked the elves what he was doing going there so much. So he asked the elves if they had a secret place just for him.

He knew from Remy and Siri there's the existance of a map that detailed tons of secret passageways (as it was their creation with his father and the traitorous rat), but said map was confiscated by mr Filch and Harry didn't want to lose the cordial relationship he had with the caretaker by asking the Marauder's map.

Thankfully, the elves told him about the Come and Go room that could give Harry everything he wanted (except maybe food as there were lot in the kitchen) which was exactly what he needed. On the seventh floor, in the left corridor and opposite of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, one needed to walked by it three times while thinking what they needed.

Because Harry just remembered of Dumbledore, the conversation he eavesdropped came back full force, and Harry thought really hard of a room that could give him a hint about where to find the horcruxes to help the hunt his fathers figures were so busied with so he could have free time with them, totally forgetting his want to train doing magic.

A door appeared and Harry opened it.

He trod carefully inside as it was tamely lit, then he remembered that he had a wand that could cast the wand-lighting charm and asked for a lumos. Now light up, Harry walked more confidently and was kind of disappointed it was your regular room with cardboards and armoires. As if the room gave him a place to train magic instead of a room with maps that would help him locate the horcruxes.

Wasn't it supposed the give him everything he wanted?

A box rattled and next Harry knew something flew at him. Harry used the wand to protect him and the thing hung on the tip of the wand. When he opened his eyes, it was to see a tiara. Harry pulled a face, he had no use of a jewel but a map.

The circlet shone as if offended and Harry suddenly knew.

Ravenclaw's diadem. One of the supposed horcrux headmaster and his godfather were theorizing. He found it. He needed to tell them so, with one down, there's just Hufflepuff's cup! And Siri will be back and give him more ride on his motorcycle because flying on broom is nice if only he could fly higher.

He strode all around the castle on his tiny feet after thinking about putting the wand away because he wasn't supposed to possess one at his age, set in looking for the headmaster but didn't stop by the gargoyle corridor because he forgot the headmaster's office was there and ran to the bottom of the Great Staircase before realizing that due to be in the middle of the afternoon, there was no chance of encountering the headmaster in the Great Hall like usually.

Of course, he could run back to the headmaster's office if only he knew the password or he could wait for meal time to accost him but he was way too excited to do either of that. So he did the next best thing and went back to the kitchens to call for Siri via the two-way mirrors. Once he told him the good new, him and Remy will be back in the castle and congratulate him for good job.

Well, he was going to, if he wasn't stopped by none other than professor Snape that had finished his lesson with the fourth years students. 

"Well, would you look at this," the man commented in a drawl. Then he kept on, as if not really interested but had to ask for some reason. "Where do you think you're going, mister Potter?"

"In the kitchens! I'm gonna talk to Siri!"

Professor Snape rolled his eyes. "How surprising. And why in the kitchen? Did the mutt chose to set himself there after losing his job?"

"Oh no, Siri isn't there, in the kitchen! That's why I had to go the kitchen to talk to him! I'm gonna tell him I found a horcrux!"

There was no answer for a long moment so Harry thought he was free to go, but then he had the surprise to be lift in the air by none other than professor Snape himself, once again. The crown was snatched from his grip.

"What are you doing, professor? I have to give that to the headmaster!"

"Well, he's certainly not in the kitchen, now, is he? Let me deal with that and go stay with mister Lee."

The named student started at being called and looked at the duo with a puzzled expression. Harry had a feeling that he was called because he was the last one to leave the corridor while all the others had already vanished as soon as he was stopped in his path.

"But I need to call for Siri and tell him-"

"I heard you the first time, that can wait while I drop the diadem to the headmaster. Trust me when I say that your mutt of godfather and his shabby looking friend will be back as soon as they heard of it. Now, go talk with mister about magical creatures, you have that in common."

Taking it as clue, student Lee jumped excitedly at the mention of magical creature and hold Harry in his muscly arms like he was a tiny creature himself. Without the head of house remarking anything the new duo head to the Slytherin common room all the while chatting passionately about their beloved magical creatures. Especially water based ones, as Slytherins had views on the Great Lake being under.

(Which reminded Harry that he was still not deter about riding the kelpie's back.)

By dinnertime, student Liz Tuttle had joined their enthusted conversation, much to the other Slytherins students' shock and appaling expression as the creatures were turning more and more dangerous to their standard. One of their house mate called them to head for the Great Hall because it was time and while the chat was really enjoying, Barnabee Lee would also like to feed himself so he could keep his nice muscles as Harry had commented.

However, as soon as he got into the Great Hall, he was called by Siri and Remy and he ran to them happily. He ate on the faculty table like usual but noticed how both men were looming on him and checking on him more than normal. Oh, more surprising, the same went for professor Snape and Dumbledore thought they tried to look discreet.

It came to a head as he was asked for a talk as soon dinner's done.

He checked each men's expression before setting on the potion professor who raised a brow at his short memory and Harry then remembered that he found a horcrux. He nodded eagerly, watching his two father figures with anticipation. Who only insisted on holding his hands to the chamber of reception.

Harry blinked to the dimely lit room before focusing his eyes on the end table where three artefacts were exhibited. A locket, a ring and the diadem Harry found.

"You already found three of them! Now it just leaves the cup!"

Harry didn't even realize his mistake when the adults looked expectandly at him. He just blinked innocently back, and lowkey still waiting to be congratulated.

"And what do you think those are, Harry?" Siri asked him.

"Horcruxes!"

"Why do you think there's only four of them?"

"You said there are Slytherin's locket, Ravenclaw's diadem, Hufflepuff's cup and this ring must belonged to the Gaunt family because Tom Riddle is descendant!"

"You?" Siri repeated slowly. "Who do you mean by 'you'?"

When Harry didn't answer, headmaster was the one who kept on the interrogation.

"Would you happen to listen to our private conversation between Sirius and me, Harry?"

"Err, veto."

Siri's lip curled up on one side as if amused by his behavior while professor Dumbledore closed his eyes as if it was answering enough. Professor Snape made a show to roll his eyes but it was Remy who spoke again.

"Harry."

With such unamused look that Harry lowered his head, feeling as berated as looking professor McGonagall's stern look.

"Alright, so maybe I have eavesdropped their conversation that happened in this very room while hidden under my invisibility cloak, but it wasn't intentional! I was just going to ask Siri about his grandfather for Percy but I got distracted by the mention of Regulus Black, Siri's brother!"

"Late brother," professor Snape corrected unnecessarily.

Siri's glare made it clear enough before he turned back to Harry with a sad look.

"Oh, Harry, we're sorry that you felt compelled to imply yourself in this. The hunt of horcruxes shouldn't concern you."

"I know, I wasn't going to imply myself further, but I thought that if I ask the room for a map to find the horcruxes where I found the diadem, it could help you find it faster!"

Remy had the same sad look now. "Oh, Harry, we're sorry, we didn't mean to make you feel neglected."

"I know, it's to make sure that Voldemort won't be back, I understand!"

"That doesn't mean you have to miss time with your family. You're only seven, you don't have to act so mature."

"Especially after he took away your time with your parents."

"Alright, that was really sweet, but can we go back to the room where the diadem was found?"

"Piss off, Snivellus! We were having a moment!"

Professor's Snape whole face tensed and morphed into a snarl and Harry blinked again, though if it was to dismiss the unshed tears, no one had to know.

"Snivellus? Is that your nickname?"

"Oh no, Harry, it's- it is not. Sirius, you shouldn't say that in front of Harry!"

"You're right. I'm sorry, Snape."

"Sorry? You're sorry?"

"Severus, please, not now," professor Dumbledore called softly.

Professor Snape's glimpse of shock vanished as quick it appeared and all the adults straightened up in their own way before turning back their attention to Harry who had to recall where they stopped and what were they waiting from him now.

"The room, mister Potter?"

"Oh, yes! It's the Come and Go room! The elves told me that it appeared when the seeker needed it very hard!"

"I see, the Room of Requirement, kind of a difficult task to find it again after using it once."

The potion master ignored his employer's mutters to inquire with a voice dripped of sarcasm. "And you thought of using the room for looking for horcruxes, something you heard from a conversation of weeks ago?"

"Well, I was feeling alone..."

And the reason of the absences of his guardians were due to the horcruxes, was what went unsaid and imaginary because Harry wasn't that wise as to make up a believable lie so to not slip that he owned Voldemort's wand. Hidden under his waistband.

"Understable, and don't worry, young Harry, your guardians won't be absent for long now. As you said, it just left founder Hufflepuff's cup and we got the set of Horcruxes as I suspect Tom only wanted to make them with highly worthy artefacts."

As Siri and Remy started to brainstorm with the headmaster where the last item could be and if they should involve the aurors so to conduct a search in those suspected death eater's houses, which names got pulled out from Peter Pettigrew's memories, Harry went to professor Snape.

"Professor, you knew my parents when you were at Hogwarts, right?"

The man didn't say anything for a long moment and Harry thought he was going to be ignored when a really quiet affirmation came. Harry beamed.

"Could you share me some of your memories with me?"

"I thought Lupin already did?"

"He did, but I already saw each of them. And more memories are always welcomed."

"...I wasn't in the same house, so I probably have even less memories of them."

Harry's face fell when understanding it as refusal.

"I could perhaps share some bit of recollection of a younger looking Lily Evans, we were neighbours before entering Hogwarts."

"You were? But was my mother a muggleborn?"

"Yes."

The curt affirmation didn't let place for more inquiries.

"If you could do that, it would be marvellous, professor! Thank you so much!"

"Don't thank me yet, mister Potter. I'm only saying that after remembering how your eyes looked like hers."

"I know, Remy told me that everytime!"

"I bet."

"Still, thank you for your help, professor!"

Harry didn't say whether it was for complying to his fancies or assisting in the horcruxes hunt and the man didn't ask, accepting his words as it is.

It was either, really.