As the days past by, Severus was a frequent visitor to Serenity's store. As he predicted it had only taken them two days to finish building the shelves and painting them. After working for a day, Severus and Serenity would, usually, go out to eat or just go out to the cliff where they talked. Before arranging the shelves though, Serenity decided that she wanted to paint the room as well. Severus, of course, had volunteered to help.

Tobias hadn't told anyone about Harry's nightmares, per Harry's request, but he planned to mention it when he went to the order meeting a week from Saturday. He honestly thought his son had been exaggerating when he said he had nightmares every night, but soon found that that wasn't the case. The day after Tobias had discovered Harry's nightmares he pulled his son aside for a talk. During this talk, he made Harry promise that whenever he had a nightmare he would come find him. Sure enough, that night, Harry had a nightmare, but had tried to go back to sleep instead of finding his dad. When he woke up again from another nightmare he woke his dad up. After Harry woke him up, Tobias took the boy back to his room where he stayed with him until he was sure the boy was asleep and wouldn't have any more nightmares.

During breakfast on Saturday morning, the phone rang.

"Hello," Severus answered since he was closest to the phone, "yes, here he is." Severus handed the phone to his father.

"Hello" said Tobias, getting up from the table and taking the phone into the living room.

Severus and Harry continued to eat breakfast in a companionable silence, until Tobias came back into the kitchen several minutes later.

"That was Timothy Hurst," said Tobias sitting down at the table once more, "the son of a friend of mine from the Navy, his father just died, and I need to be there."

Severus looked at his father, concerned. "When are you leaving?"

Tobias smirked a bit, Severus always did cut right point, "This afternoon, I'll be gone till Tuesday. I trust you'll look after your brother?"

Harry's head snapped up at this and his eyes widened as he look from Tobias to Severus. Yes, he and the potions master had been getting along better, but they were hardly best mates. He didn't know what would happen if Tobias left them alone together for an extended amount of time.

Severus's thoughts hadn't been too different from those of Harry's, which was obvious from his wide eyes and raised eyebrows.

"What?" asked Tobias, looking from one son to the other. "He isn't coming with me," Tobias remarked to Severus, gesturing to Harry, "and you're a teacher, you're more then capable of looking after your little brother for a couple of days, so what's the problem?"

Severus and Harry exchanged a look, before Severus swallowed hard and looked back at his father opening his mouth to say something, but closed it again. He quickly glanced at Harry, before answering his father, "No problem, I'll keep an eye on him."

Harry's eyes widened even more hearing Severus's response.

Tobias raised an eyebrow at Severus not expecting him to acquiesce so easily.

"Are you sure you don't want any company, though? We could come with you and..." Harry suggested.

"I'm sure, Harry, I'll be fine. Severus, just remember he's still grounded, so..."

"I remember quite well, all the regulations for being grounded," interrupted Severus raising an eyebrow at his father.

Tobias chuckled, "You should, considering how often you managed to get yourself in trouble."

Severus rolled his eyes.

...................................................................

After Harry finished studying, he went to find his father, who was in his room packing for his trip. Harry came in and sat down on the bed watching as his father filled the suitcase.

"Don't you have some chores to do?" asked Tobias not stopping what he was doing.

Harry shrugged, "Are you sure I can't come with you?"

Tobias stopped packing and went to stand in front of Harry. "Yes, I'm sure,"

Harry nodded his head looking down at the floor, "Do I have to stay with Severus?"

Tobias rolled his eyes, "who else would you stay with?"

Harry shrugged.

"It'll be alright Harry," Tobias paused for a moment. "Severus is very stubborn, an obviously genetic trait that I passed down to both my sons."

Harry blushed slightly, but didn't say anything.

"Once Severus has formed an opinion about something or someone, it takes a lot to change his mind. He's already started to change some of his opinions about you, hopefully, during the next few days he'll change more. Besides, if he does get to out of hand just let me know and I'll straighten him out for you."

Harry smiled a bit, but still didn't look thrilled, "Yes, sir,"

Tobias sighed, "Good, now get to work, you have a lot to do today."

"Yes, sir," said Harry getting up off the bed and making his way outside to mow the lawn.

Tobias messaged his temples, before shaking his head and resuming his packing. Then Severus came in the room and sat down on the bed in the same place Harry had been moments before. Tobias nearly laughed, but settled for a smirk when his back was towards his son. "Something I can do for you?"

Severus shrugged. "Just came to see if you needed a hand or anything."

"No, I think I'm all right." Tobias continued to pack waiting, just as he had with Harry, for his son to voice what was really on his mind.

"What exactly am I supposed to do with him? I don't know anything about taking care of children."

Tobias stopped packing and came to stand in front of his son. "Severus you're a teacher, at a boarding school, you take care of children all the time."

"Yes, but this is different."

Tobias rolled his eyes, "Feed him three times a day, make sure he finishes the list of chores I gave him, don't let him do anything dangerous, which won't be to hard since he's grounded, and put him to bed on time. It's only for a few days I'm sure you can handle it."

"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you, I can watch him while you're with..."

"No, Severus. He's staying here and you're taking care of him." Tobias got up off the bed and began packing once more.

Severus scowled, but didn't comment.

.................................................................

Right after lunch Tobias was standing outside the driver's side door of his car, saying bye to Harry while Severus put his things in the backseat.

"Do what your brother says. No mouthing off and remember that just because I'm not here, it doesn't mean you're not grounded. Behave. I promise, I'll be back soon." Tobias pulled his son into a hug, just as Severus came over to where they were standing. After Harry pulled away, Tobias turned his attention to his oldest son, with a mischievous smile. "Don't kill your brother. No calling him names and remember that just because I'm not here; it doesn't mean you can make him too miserable. Behave. I promise, I'll be back soon." Though Tobias had managed to keep a straight face as he said this to his son, Harry was unable to do so and was chuckling madly beside his father. Severus merely raised an eyebrow. Tobias pulled him into a brief hug before getting into the car and pulling away.

Severus and Harry were left standing next to each other watching as their father drove out of sight.

"So," began Harry still watching his father's car, "now what?"

Just as Tobias's car disappeared over the hill Severus turned his head to look at his little brother, "Now... we pray." Severus walked back to the house leaving a bemused Harry behind.

After a few minutes Harry went inside as well where he heard his older brother on the phone.

"...I can't..."

"...I'm babysitting..."

"...my little brother..."

"...he's fourteen..."

"...I can't..."

"...he's grounded..."

"...my father would slaughter me if I left him to his own devices..."

Severus hadn't noticed Harry presences in the house yet as he talked on the phone. Harry stood close to the door listening to his brother talk, to whom he assumed to be Serenity, on the other end.

"...I suppose..."

"...are you sure..."

"...I don't think that's a good idea..."

Severus noticed Harry's presence and was looking at him as talked on the phone.

"...If you're sure?..."

"...alright, we're on our way." Severus hung up the phone and began walking towards the door. "Come," was all he said to Harry as he walked by.

"Where are we going," asked Harry, hurrying to keep up with his brother.

"To help Serenity paint the bookstore,"

"Okay, not that I'm complaining, but dad said..."

"I know very well what he said, but you have several day's to do the chores he gave and the list isn't that long, so one day doing something else won't hurt. Besides I double he really cares about what chores you're doing as long as you're being worked to the brink of exhaustion. After all, you're grounded, as long as you don't enjoy...pretty much anything, then where you do chores doesn't really matter. "

Harry was silent for a few minutes, "this sucks."

"Now, you're starting to understand," Severus gave his brother a small smile.

Harry scowled.

When they arrived at the bookstore, the door was open and Serenity was setting everything up to paint. When she saw Severus and Harry she smiled, and Harry was rather surprised to see Severus smile back.

"Severus," Serenity's smile seemed to grow as she acknowledged his presents before turning her attention to Harry. "You must be Harry," Serenity reached out to shake his hand, "I've heard a lot about you, its nice to finally put a face with a name."

Harry released Serenity's hand, "Its nice to meet you, as well." Harry then turned to look at Severus with a small scowl, "What exactly did you tell her about me?"

Serenity answered for Severus, "Mostly good things, with the occasional brotherly comment regarding your intelligence level."

Harry glared at Severus who had to admit that the boy was catching on fast. "If you're not careful, with that look, people are going to start getting us confused."

Serenity laughed as Harry's glare intensified and Severus raised an eyebrow the corners of his mouth rising slightly.

.........................................................................

Several hours later, Harry was beginning to understand why Severus had been spending so much time with Serenity. She managed to make what should have been a chore seem...well...not chore like. Painting the entire room was hardly easy, but with all three of them working on it, it hadn't taken to long. By six that afternoon the painting was done and Severus and Harry were getting ready to leave.

"Start walking home I'll catch up," Severus told Harry.

Harry raised an eyebrow and smirked a bit sending his brother a knowing look, then dodged as his older brother made a grab for him.

"Brat!" yelled Severus after Harry, who was running home.

Serenity laughed, "You two are so alike it's scary."

Severus scowled.

Serenity chuckled, and moved closer him wrapping her arms around his waist. Severus put his arms around her as well before leaning forward and kissing her lightly.

"I have to go take care of some legal paperwork and everything tomorrow and I plan on visiting my sister and her family while I'm away."

"How long will you be gone," Severus still had his arms around Serenity.

"Till Thursday,"

"When you come back, I'll take you to dinner."

"and a movie?" asked Serenity with a teasing smile.

"If you wish,"

Serenity smiled again before pulling Severus's head down to hers and kissing him passionately.

.................................................................................

Harry was sitting on the couch when Severus returned home.

"And where have you been?" asked Harry just as Severus walked through the door. Truthfully, Severus had arrived home just twenty minutes after Harry, but he felt it was his duty to give his big brother a hard time.

"None, of your business, brat," replied Severus almost playfully as he passed by Harry towards the kitchen to start on dinner. "You could help, you know."

Harry got up off the couch and followed Severus into the kitchen where the two brothers started making dinner.

After they finished eating and the kitchen was cleaned up, they both went into the living room to read for a while before Harry had to go to bed.

"What dad doesn't know won't hurt us," Harry pointed out when Severus reminded him that he was in fact still grounded and had to go to bed early.

"Harry, please, just go to bed. Regardless of how much you argue you'll still whined-up in bed, it's just a matter of you going to bed now and not getting into more trouble or you putting up a fight and getting into more trouble."

"Fine," said Harry getting up and practically stomping all the way to his room.

Severus just rolled his eyes before opening his book again.

..........................................................................

A couple hours after Severus had gone to bed the door of Harry's room opened slowly and Harry silently made his way to the kitchen in the dark. It amazed him that although it had only been a few days since his dad had found out about his nightmares, now that his dad was gone, he couldn't sleep knowing that if he had a nightmare no one would be there when he woke up. Getting a glass of water Harry sat down at the table intending to keep himself awake for the whole night regardless of how tired he was.

Harry almost felt like crying. It didn't make any sense he just meet his dad he shouldn't feel like this; like some baby going through separation anxiety. Harry put his head down on the table, so he was more comfortable. He was fourteen years old, almost fifteen he shouldn't need his dad to tuck him in and keep the nightmares at bay. Harry's eyes felt so heavy. What would his friends say if they saw how he was acting? He would never be able to face them if they found out. It wouldn't hurt to rest his eyes for a second. What about Sirius? Maybe, he should...

.........................................................................................

Severus sat bolt upright in his bed, instinctively drawing his wand. For a second he remained motionless trying to figure out what had woken him up. Then he remembered; he had heard a scream. Quickly getting out of bed he ran to Harry's room, but didn't see him there. He quickly but quietly made his way into the living room, wand at ready, pushing his panic at not finding his brother aside. His mind raced with possibilities as to what could have happened. Suddenly, in the deafening silence a crash was heard. Severus turned towards the kitchen straining his ears in an attempt to hear any voices. Hearing nothing, Severus eased his way into the kitchen and saw nothing. It was empty, except for a chair that had been knocked over nothing was out of place. Deeming it safe Severus turned on the lights planning to quickly search for any trace of his brother before contacting Dumbledore. When the lights came on Severus heard it, a whimper coming from the large walk-in pantry. Wand still in hand he slowly opened the door only to find Harry, curled into a ball in the corner, a broken jar not to far away.

Still not putting his wand away Severus spoke to the trembling boy, "Harry, are you alright? What happened?"

Harry didn't say anything, just sat and continued to tremble a far away look in his eyes.

"Harry?" Severus cautiously crept closer until he was beside his brother. Placing a hand on his brother's shoulder seemed to bring him around a bit so Severus tried again. "Harry, what happened?"

Harry turned his head to look at Severus who for the first time noticed that Harry's face was streaked with tears, "I want dad."

Suddenly Severus realized that they weren't in danger and that his heart rate could return to normal. Whatever had caused Harry to scream wasn't an external danger, but an internal one. "He's not here, Harry, remember? He had to go visit a friend."

Harry's face scrunched up, but he fought back the fresh wave of tears that threatened to fall. "I need him though."

"Harry, what happened? Why are you in the pantry?" asked Severus sitting down on the floor.

Harry was silent for several minutes. Did he really want to tell his brother? Yes, of course he did. The real question was did he really want to tell his potions master, who had made his life at Hogwarts miserable. Part of him knew they were the same person, but Harry couldn't help but to see them as almost two separate people; similar but different. "Will you be nicer, this year?"

If Severus was surprised at this change in the subject, he didn't show it. "What do you mean?"

"At Hogwarts, will you be nicer to me and my friends now that you're not a Death Eater anymore and that we're brothers?" Harry looked up at Severus, his dark eyes acting as windows to his soul. Severus could see that Harry needed the answer to be yes. He, suddenly, regretted every harsh word he had ever spoken to he boy.

Severus slowly moved his hand from the boy's upper arm, where he had been rubbing it in an attempt to comfort the distraught child, to his head where he pushed the dark locks out of the boy's face, unconsciously copying his father's movements. "There will be several changes this coming school year, that I promise, and while I will not show outright favoritism to any student, I will not be as harsh to you and your friends as I have been in the past."

Harry slowly nodded his head before breaking eye contact with his brother.

"Harry, why are you in the pantry? What happened?" Severus repeated his question, not sounding impatient in the least.

"I have nightmares. When dad found out, he started staying with me until I was asleep. He made me promise I would wake him whenever I had a nightmare so he could stay with me. I tried to stay wake tonight so I wouldn't have to worry about the nightmares, but I accidentally drifted off. I...it was an awful dream...I want my dad" Some of the tears Harry had been trying to keep back leaked out as he whispered the last part and buried his head his knees.

Severus ran a hand down over his face. This was just perfect. He knew that the happenings of the third task were traumatic at the very least for his little brother, but he had forgotten to add in the abuse he suffered at the hands of his relatives to the equation. Now he had an adolescent with possible Acute Stress Disorder. "Harry...come here." Severus slowly drew the boy into an awkward hug, before Severus helped the boy to his feet pushing Harry back slightly. Sighing deeply Severus said, "Lets get you back to bed."

"No! Severus...I can't." Harry's eyes were huge and he began searching for an escape route.

"Harry, listen to me," demanded Severus in a tone that immediately captured Harry's attention. "Avoiding sleep is not going to help. You witnessed a very traumatic event recently and while you want to forget about it, you can't. You have to face it. Even your nightmares will help to some extent.  I promise, nothing will hurt you anymore, but you have to go to sleep, we'll talk more tomorrow."

Harry slowly nodded his head, not really wanting to go back to bed, but unable to argue. "Can I call dad?"

"He's probably asleep, Harry, you can talk to him tomorrow,"

Harry nodded, once again, finding himself complying with his brother's voice.

Severus led Harry to his room where, after giving his brother a calming draught, tucked him into bed. While the calming draught would not prevent Harry from having nightmares, it would calm him down enough to go to sleep. "This is all I can give you to help you sleep. Everything will be all right, Harry, I promise, just close your eyes, take deep breaths, and relax. That's it, very good, deep breaths, now. Relax your muscles, start at your toes, and one by one just relax, that's it, very good."

As Harry was relaxing and breathing deeply, Severus quietly left his brother's room to go to his own. He hardly wanted to leave his brother by himself, but knew it was for the best. If the boy became dependent on anything to get to sleep or avoid his nightmares then it would be even harder for him to recover. Time does not heal all wounds.