"Severus, do you always start the morning out this way?" Lucius grinned maliciously down at Severus.

Severus snarled at him, but the thoughts of getting up to quickly were not an option. "As you can see Lucius the thought of your arrival today has me indisposed." Severus looked at Harry who was still standing in the doorway looking very worried now.

"Harry, would you go and tell Lucy that I will be needing a headache potion. Seems I am feeling a bit under the weather."

Harry left immediately, and Lucius took great pleasure in watching Severus wipe the sweat from his face with the cloth, and clean his robes of the bile on them.

Severus and Lucius came from the room and Lucy was waiting with a headache potion for Severus. After he downed it his stomach returned back to normal, and he turned to Harry.

"I would like to thank you for breakfast. I enjoyed it immensely. How would you like to show Draco the lake?"

Harry grabbed Draco by the arm and dragged him out the door promising to show him how to make a potion for his dad. Severus shuddered just a bit thinking of it, and turned to face Lucius.

"What did you deem so important that you had to come to the house today?"

"Severus, the Dark Lord wonders why Harry has not been to see him again. Seems he is quite fond of your son, even going as far as to say he reminded him of the Potter boy."

Severus reined in his emotions, wondering if Lucius had noticed the color of Harry's eyes. "The Dark Lord has seen my son before. I do not see the need in taking him again."

"You would defy the Dark Lord?" Lucius said, eyebrows raised.

"I would do no such thing, but I have not received any word that our master wishes to see my son. I will not subject him to the going ons at the meetings before he is ready. I think it is you Lucius who wishes to make a spectacle of Harry, and I won't allow it."

Severus hoped he would not regret those words for Lucius was shady if nothing else, and he would do anything if he thought it would benefit him in some way, even turn in Severus.

Lucy brought both men cups of tea and a few biscuits, but she did not leave. She stared at Severus and waited for him to acknowledge her.

"What is it Lucy?" he said a little more irritated than he meant.

"Lucy, must speak with sir alone. Lucy has something very important to tell him."

"Letting your house elves dictate to you are you Severus? How shameful."

"I, unlike you do not treat them as if they were vermin. I prefer to keep the help fit enough to actually do the work around the house. Now if you will excuse me I will be right back."

Severus got up and followed Lucy into the study and placed a silencing charm on the door. He knew Lucius would try to eavesdrop as he was nosy, and he was curious as to what Lucy wanted. He watched as Lucy fidgeted, wringing her hands.

"What is it Lucy?" he asked, wanting to hurry back before Lucius pried around the house in search of any information he could use against Severus.

"Lucy did not know if sir wished it, but Lucy saw Master Harry without his charms on. Lucy placed the charms on Master Harry before he went out to play. I hope I have not angered you."

Severus broke into the widest grin, and enveloped Lucy into a hug. Lucy was frightened, thinking she was about to be flailed for her misdeed and screeched until she saw that indeed her master was not angry.

"I thank you Lucy for in my state this morning I was not thinking clearly."

Glad that Lucy had charmed Harry's scar away Severus came back out of the room a new man, leaving Lucy to tidy the room giving her an equal gleeful look. Severus' mood changed however when he saw that Lucius was not in the kitchen where he left him, and the door was standing wide open. Severus hurried his pace not wanting Lucius anywhere near Harry.

It only took a couple of minutes for Severus to get down to the lake, and sure enough that is where he found Lucius. Coming to stand beside him he startled Lucius when he spoke.

"Do the games of children amuse you more than I Lucius?"

Lucius turned in a whirl, his hand firmly grasping his wand. "Do not sneak up on someone like that Severus. I am merely watching the children to make sure they do not get into any mischief as little boys tend to do."

Harry and Draco were oblivious to the two adults standing there watching them. Harry had shown Draco the joys of creating potions as he called it. Draco had been quick to correct Harry telling him that was not a potion, but the lure of simply making a mess was too much for the boy and he too dived into the game.

It was not long before he came back covered in dirt and mud, and holding a very small pail full of something that turned Severus' stomach again thinking back to the day Harry had handed him something similar.

"Look father at what I have made you," Draco said proudly showing him the contents of the pail.

Harry was showing Severus his own, and like a father was supposed to Severus praised Harry for his efforts. Lucius on the other hand turned his nose up to the rather offensive mess.

"Dispose of that at once Draco for we must be leaving, and then come here, we cannot return home with you in that manner. You look like some filthy muggle beggar."

Draco handed his potion to Harry and went to stand next to his father. His face was a mask of nonchalance, but Severus knew the boy was hurt by his father's words. What was more shameful was that Draco could hide his emotions so well at only seven.

One look at Harry and Severus could tell he was about to explode. He was a little more than upset that his friend was one leaving, and two, going without his potion.

"Draco! don't forget your potion. If you can't have it now maybe you can have it later," and with that Harry started walking toward them both. Harry's clumsiness was Lucius' downfall for after no more than five or six steps towards them Harry tripped and Draco's sludge landed in Lucius' hand, and all over his face.

Lucius yelled in fury, "What is this horrid stench?" he said as he tried to wipe his mouth clean.

"I told you to add more frog legs Draco. Yours only had four and mine had five," Harry chimed in.

Lucius went pale and grabbed Draco by his shirt apparting just in time as Severus fell to his knees in laughter.

"What is so funny Dad?"

"Harry, the look on Lucius' face was better than anything I have seen in a long time."

"You mean he really didn't like Draco's potion?" Harry said not really understanding.

"He has not acquired a taste for the finer things it seems," Severus said dodging the question. He would regret not telling Harry the truth one day soon, but that was not today.

Harry leaned over to grab the now empty pail and slipped, sending his own potion all over Severus. He jumped back in horror wondering if his father would have the same reaction as the other man, but all he got was a face full of mud.

"Dad! That is not fair I only tripped and spilled it on you, but you did that on purpose."

Severus' eyes gleamed, "I believe I did indeed," he said.

The two of them spent the next hour chasing each other with huge balls of mud from the banks of the small ditch near the water, and by the time Lucy could be heard calling them to dinner, both of them were very dirty.

"Dad, I think you need to do that whirling thing with your wand or Lucy is not going to let us in the house."

Severus looked at Harry who had glops of mud falling off his head and then looked at himself. "Perhaps you are right. I do not think Lucy would appreciate us tracking mud through the house."

With one quick motion he called for his wand, and once he had it placed a cleaning charm on the both.

Dinner was very good, as Lucy had made a roast with chopped onions, carrots, and potatoes. Harry had eaten all of his and then went to sit and draw. It had become one of his favorite things to do lately, and tonight was no exception. Even the offer of dessert couldn't tear him away once he got started.

Severus took a piece of the cake Lucy offered and went to sit down beside Harry and see what he was drawing and noticed it was a picture of the ocean.

"That is a very nice drawing Harry," he said as he took another bite of his cake.

"It's not finished yet Dad and I don't want you to see it because it is a surprise."

Severus agreed not to look and sat quietly in his chair reading the newspaper till it was time for Harry to go to bed. Once he got Harry tucked in he handed him his stuffed dragon which looked a little beaten up after all these years, but Harry would not part with it. Placing a kiss upon Harry's brow he walked to the door.

"Dad?"

"Yes Harry," Severus said, turning around at the door.

"I will make you breakfast in the morning."

Severus' stomach lurched at the thought, but he wished Harry a goodnight and went to make sure he had potion nearby come morning.