It was with a certain regret and apprehension that Severus allowed Harry go back to Gryffindor Tower once the party meal was over. Of course, it was hardly possible to lock the boy in the dungeons until the next millennium, but the notion was tempting. Harry, though, seemed less traumatized by the morning's events than he would've expected. Much less than he himself was, whispered a little voice in Severus' head.

But for Merlin's sake, couldn't the boy manage to take a step without calamity following after? If Severus had arrived but a few seconds earlier, Lupin's son would now be nothing more than an unhappy memory for everyone.

Of course, Harry hadn't traveled far; he was only in Gryffindor Tower, supposedly well-guarded by the Headmaster, McGonagall and Lupin. And for certain he couldn't always be right behind the boy. Severus knew all that, but as soon as he closed his office door behind him, he felt the knot in his stomach double in size.

Annoyed, he lit the fire under a cauldron. And why should he feel so ill-at-ease? Harry was well-guarded, and this morning he'd more than proved that he was capable of calling Snape when he needed him. Was it the solitude that bothered him? No, he'd cherished peace and quiet for years before a certain black cat had come to upset his life.

And then, this was Hogwarts; it was impossible to go more than a few hours without being disturbed for some stupid, irritating reason. As if to prove him correct, green flames flashed in the fireplace, someone seeking access via the Floo.

Harry already? No, not likely. Dumbledore? The Ministry? Feeling his heart rate increase slightly, Snape granted access to his office, and an imposing head became visible in the flames.

"Snape, we have to talk."

This time, Severus didn't hold back the groan. Not Mad-Eye already. One encounter per day with this individual was quite enough for him. But given the circumstances, obviously, he hardly had a choice.

"Enter."

The Auror stepped into the office, his wooden leg clunking on the stone floor. Without waiting for an invitation, he settled into the closest armchair with a groan.

"Make yourself at home," Snape said sarcastically.

"Yeah, give me a whiskey," Mad-Eye replied, barely bothered by his host's tone of voice.

Severus hissed, but did as he was asked before seating himself in his own chair.

"I hadn't thought to see you so soon," he pointed out, not even attempting to hide his displeasure.

"No time to lose," the Auror retorted. "There's trouble at the Ministry. I gave them the Pensieve with Potter's memories, and that started up a panic. Malfoy's under fire; I wouldn't give much for his chances of surviving. No one to protect him, given those sorts of images. He's well on his way to Azkaban, if you want my opinion. But Scrimgeour's another story. That moron wants power and influence—he's not happy at all. If I had my choice, I think I'd prefer Fudge. No guts, but not so hard-headed. Bah, doesn't matter. That's not why I came."

Slightly disturbed by Moody's uncharacteristic candidness, Snape was nonetheless taken in by his words. Finally, Malfoy out of the game. A little visit to Azkaban might solve some problems, if he managed to do it discreetly.

"Hmm, but Amelia Bones had the final word, it would seem," he replied.

"Admirable woman, she is!" Moody grunted as he slapped his thigh. "Yeah, hell of a witch. She got out her books and said her piece, and settled the matter in less time than it takes to throw an Avada Kedavra. So, that's all well and sorted out."

"I'm touched by your congratulations," Snape said as he took a mouthful of whiskey.

"Congratulations, eh?" Moody sneered. "Yeah, maybe so. I took a good look at all of Potter's memories, from the kidnapping to his rescue. It could've gone better, Snape; it dragged on much longer than it needed to. But all in all, it was acceptable. I probably could've done better with the Death Eater confrontation, but still acceptable."

"Better, hmm?" Snape scowled. "I can very well picture you limping amongst the tombstones with your trick leg and your legendary agility. Your efficiency would've no doubt been formidable."

"A leg's nothing; it's power that's important!" growled the Auror.

"I brought your precious Potter back in one piece, so stop complaining."

"From what I've heard, it's rather your precious Potter; but I'm not complaining. What I haven't figured out, though, is the origin of this new Mark," Moody said, narrowing his eyes.

"That happened afterward. Well after," Snape said, avoiding Moody's eyes.

"Before or after the sacrificial magic?"

"After," Snape gritted through his teeth.

"You're in a right mess, Snape," Moody pointed out.

"Your encouragement goes straight to my heart…but Harry hasn't understood it yet, and he must not learn of it now. Not before he's gained a bit more self-control."

"Hmm. All good excuses, eh? But I'm in agreement on that last point. Going to have to work at it. Quickly. The boy's going to have to be operational in a very short time."

"Operational?" Snape asked. "You do realize this is about Harry? A sixteen-year-old, not an Auror in the ranks!"

"What's the difference? He has a mission to accomplish, and I'm not the only one saying this. And with his new powers, he has every chance…if he's well-trained."

"I'll train him," Severus confirmed, "but to survive, above all. He needs time to get ready. His powers are substantial, but his mind and body are still those of an immature boy. A victory over Voldemort just now would be a pure stroke of luck. It's a risk I will not take."

"As if you have a choice," Moody grumbled. "And the Mark? What're you going to do about that?"

"I don't see what there is to do," Snape sighed. "Things are what they are."

"Merlin's beard, Snape! Get a hold of yourself, you pathetic git! Where, when, how? Can this thing work with anyone else? How'd you do it?"

"I didn't do anything at all," Severus hissed between his teeth. "It was a confluence of circumstances that will not work with anyone else, unless you know of other Death Eaters faithful to Potter and whom the boy wants to pull from Voldemort's claws! I don't even know what forces came into play, what sort of magic was used, and neither of us was aware of what was happening. It will not be of any use to you."

"You're really good for nothing, aren't you?" Moody growled.

"I don't recall seeing you at the cemetery, helping to rescue the boy, nor at the Manor when we were under attack, nor anywhere else at a time when you could've been of any use, outside of this morning. So spare me your sarcasm."

Moody's eye glittered for an instant, but his reply came after a swallow of whiskey.

"All right, Snape," he said as he propped his feet up on the table. "I admit I was wrong. You're really on our side. And the sacrificial magic, I respect that, even if it's a female thing. But the Mark, bloody hell…we have to know more about it! How does it work?"

"Like the former one, but this one is attuned to Harry's powers. That little prat managed to force me to Apparate inside Hogwarts, simply because he wanted me to be there, without him even being aware of it," Snape groaned. Despite the hostility he felt for the Auror, he had to admit a certain relief in finally being able talk about this with someone competent. Questions had continuously swirled in his head since the Mark had changed, and Dumbledore's kindly remarks had scarcely helped.

"Apparating inside Hogwarts, nothing more than that?" Moody said pensively. "And you say Potter suspects nothing?"

"For the time being, no. He's too preoccupied with the rest of it. But he'll be bound to realize something in the end," Severus said, rubbing his arm reflexively.

Moody studied him for a moment before setting down his glass. "Show me."

"I beg your pardon?" Snape asked, offended.

"The Mark. Show me."

"What use is that appalling magical eye if it—" But Severus was cut off by that same eye staring at him piercingly. Abandoning his protest, he rolled up his sleeve.

For once, this gesture didn't inspire the usual disgust in him. The Dark Mark was infamous, yes, but this one…

Moody, who leant forward to see it, let out small gasp of appreciation. "Well, Snape, I'd say you've got it—your redemption, in the end."

"It's not about that," Severus ground out.

"Hmmm, and yet I wonder what Lily would've thought of this."

The remark hit home, and Snape flinched, gazing at the opposite wall.

"If Lily could've thought anything of this, there wouldn't be a problem. Let the dead lie in peace where they are."

"Yeah, except the dead in question are everywhere except where they're supposed to be. Did you call them, Snape?"

"But of course," Severus said sarcastically, "in between potions for the Dark Lord, I had nothing better to do than dig up bones so that ghosts could be my escorts. Be reasonable for once!"

"Yeah, but who, then? There're far too many unknowns in this story," Moody muttered. "First, this Animagus matter, and how that damned cat could end up at your place. Albus can say what he likes, but it's not very clear. And then these ghosts, this Mark, these bloody powers…where's this going to end, Snape?"

Severu stood and began to pace in the office. "I don't think we'll see the…ghosts again, or whatever they are. At least I hope not. Everything is connected from the beginning; nothing's as mysterious as it seems, but that doesn't mean I'm reassured. I've not yet regained all my strength or my power, but I feel progress each day, which means Voldemort feels it as well. I don't know how much time we have before he attempts another attack on Harry, one way or another."

"For now, it doesn't seem his henchmen are getting on too well without their master. Merlin, I almost felt sorry for Malfoy when they took him to the Ministry; the poor sod broke out with hives on his face, just from nerves. As for that underpaid excuse of a wolf, I have a hard time believing he got himself caught so quickly. That beast terrorized the countryside for months, and all it took was for him to take a trip to Hogwarts for the matter to be sorted out. Yeah, old Tom isn't going to be happy. He seemed rather taken with his new doggie. And now, both his right arm blokes are locked up…"

"Unless Loki is exactly where he wants to be, namely at Harry's doorstep."

"Under Dumbledore's nose? Incredibly bad idea."

"Really? With the help of those imbeciles haunting the castle, starting with Remus Lupin, the animal nearly killed the boy less than an hour ago. Albus is completely mad to keep him here!"

"Lupin? What's his story again?" Moody growled.

"The father of the wolf in question. Surprise, surprise. And yes, even werewolves reproduce."

"I already know about it, but that's no reason to act like idiots! And this is the one who's supposed to make a wonderful spy. Merlin, I thought we couldn't do worse than you, but on second thought…"

"Him, a spy?" Severus sneered. "I'd forgotten about that detail. Albus can't be serious; he's not even capable of getting information from his own son."

"Even more of a hapless moron than you, and still I didn't think we could do any worse," he added.

"When you're finished with the insults…" Snape said, at the end of his patience.

"I only insult people I really like."

"In that case, I'm astounded you've not yet asked for my hand in marriage."

"Matter of a haircut. You should work on that."

"That's enough! If you've nothing better to say, go back to your hole and let people work in peace. I have enough work that's overdue as it is, without adding a nosy, paranoid Auror into the mix."

"I still have work myself, Snape," Moody sighed. "The Mark. I need more information. This lightning bolt shape—where does it come from?"

"How should I know? I didn't pick the pattern from a catalogue, if that's what you mean. It started to change when Harry came to get me out of a coma-like state inflicted by Voldemort. Since then, it's continued to change into this rather characteristic shape. I've looked in the books I have on hand, and found no trace of anything like it."

"I'm going to put Tonks on the case," Moody said. "And I'm going to send her to hang about here to keep an eye on Loki."

"Good idea," Snape assented. "Harry's agreed to sleep in my rooms, which will further reduce the risk."

"And this protective magic, how does it work?"

"It's triggered in my presence, or inside the Manor. At least that's what I think. To avoid taking risks, I'll limit the area involved to my basement laboratory. I don't know how it will react here at Hogwarts," Snape explained.

"Not perfect, then…it'll have to be tested," Moody murmured. "But it only happens with Voldemort, right?"

"No. At the moment when I cast the spell, I wasn't thinking of Voldemort in particular, but of anything that might come to hurt Harry. He can certainly be wounded by cutting himself on a knife, but no one could cast a curse at him or physically assault him with bad intentions. At least not in my presence."

"Interesting. A bit limited, but interesting. Maybe if you were dead, it would work all the time."

"That's possible, but it's a bit late to verify that," Snape said dryly.

"Yeah. Anyway, you're of more use alive right now," the Auror admitted. "You have some good days ahead of you, but something tells me the boy's not finished putting you on the hard road. No, not the easiest of fates. And since you need to find an heir, you could've chosen one from Slytherin."

"One does not choose a cat—they choose you," Severus simply said. "Let me know how your research turns out; I hardly have time to do any myself just now. I assume Albus is on the matter, though."

"Hmm, yeah. I prefer for Tonks to stay on it. Dumbledore is much too secretive for my tastes lately. Who knows about the Mark?"

"You and Dumbledore. I suppose it would be useless to ask that you not spread word of it?"

"The Order will have to be kept up to speed," Moody objected. "It's critical information."

"Far too many people, too many possibilities. All of it will get out much too soon. So, no."

"The Order members are loyal and trustworthy, Snape."

"I'm sorry, but for now those people haven't given me any reason to trust them. Hold your tongue or I'll no longer cooperate with you," Severus retorted.

Moody narrowed his eyes, obviously displeased, but didn't reply right away.

"I'm much too tolerant with you, Snape. Enjoy your hero status; it won't last."

"If only," Severus growled.

"And Voldemort. Does he know? Because if he does, don't expect this to stay secret."

"I don't know, but I doubt he's aware of the magnitude of what's happened. He must think I'm holding him off at a distance using potions. He'll definitely end up understanding, but the later the better," Snape sighed.

"Yeah, one problem at a time," Moody said as he stood. "Well. I'm off to the Ministry, playtime is over. I'll keep you up to date if I learn anything interesting. Do the same for me. Understood?"

Perplexed, Snape shook his head, but at the Auror's piercing look, finally agreed.

"Snape, things have changed," Moody said at last. "It was all well and good to play the bitter, solitary bat when you were a double agent, but now it's about Potter, and Potter needs everyone. You might be his father, but you're not the only one responsible for the boy. We'll all win this war together, or not at all. The sooner you get that through your thick skull, the better."

Without waiting for a protest, Moody turned on heel and was engulfed by the Floo.

In Gryffindor Tower, it was a very happy cat that jumped from chair to chair, to the laughter and applause of his friends. The after-party, organized by the faithful circle of Dumbledore's Army, had given Harry the chance to thank everyone as well as making his feline form official. Most of the students had seemed interested, especially the girls, whom Ginny and Hermione had to stop from petting the 'cute little kitty.'

Their curiosity, though, had quickly run its course, and then most of them had politely excused themselves, preferring to enjoy their day off in their own way.

By the time evening came, the only ones in the Common Room were Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna, who'd been gladly invited to Gryffindor Tower. She was enthusiastically telling them about her holiday with her father, spent tracking a mysterious Mongolian Artagul, when Harry felt someone tap him awkwardly on the shoulder.

He turned in surprise to find Remus, his face flushed crimson and clearly ill at ease.

"Could I talk to you for a moment?" the professor asked.

Harry nodded, motioning for his friends to go on without him. Resting a hand on his shoulder, Remus led him to his office, just a few steps from the Gryffindor Common Room. There was nothing inappropriate about the gesture, but Harry still found himself trying to escape his friend's hand. There was something strange about Remus that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Please, have a seat," the professor said as he pointed to a chair. "We…we've not had much chance to talk today, but I wanted to tell you how very happy I am for you, Harry. Truly very happy."

"I…thanks," the boy replied, thrown off balance by Remus' shifty-eyed look. "I'm sorry about Loki. That could've gone better."

"Yes, certainly, if I hadn't been so stupid," the werewolf sighed. "It's for me to apologize once again. It could've all ended tragically. I'd understand if you prefer that I not stay at Hogwarts."

"No, no, that's not…I understand. We all did stupid things. Loki seems to, uh, be angry with me, isn't he?"

"It's not as simple as that, I'm afraid," Lupin said, pressing his lips together. "He's not angry with you, Harry, no…he just…his mind isn't very clear. And mine hasn't been either, evidently."

No, Harry thought, that was the least that could be said…and all of a sudden, everything was clear to him. Remus' mind hadn't been clear that morning because he'd been drinking, and it wasn't clear right now for the very same reason!

"You…do you feel all right, Remus? Would you rather we talk some other time?"

"Thanks, I'm fine. I wasn't able to congratulate you properly this morning; things were a bit…rushed."

"About that," Harry interrupted, "I'm grateful for your testimony, for the adoption. Thanks a lot. I know it wasn't easy for you."

"I have to get used to the idea that it's what makes you happy, what you want," Remus agreed. "But it's so hard to forget how happy you were with your parents, how much they loved you…"

"They would've wanted this, Remus," the boy said gently.

"Probably so. They would've wished for your happiness. And it would seem Severus is the right person. That's why I'm certain he'll understand…"

Lupin made an uncertain gesture toward the pocket of his threadbare robe, and at last pulled out a small, oblong package.

"This morning at the party, I didn't have anything to give you. I'm sorry."

"That's all right," Harry protested. He'd not even noticed that Remus hadn't given a gift. "Everything happened so fast, and I didn't even know it was customary to give those sorts of gifts. It's not necessary, really. We don't need anything."

"Perhaps, but still, I think you'll be happy to have this," Remus said, without committing himself to letting go of the object. "This should've been your birthday present, actually, but neither Tonks nor myself were able to get it to you in time. It's a bit…unusual for an adoption gift. I could hardly give it to you in public. But it's rightfully yours, of course."

As if he were reluctant, he finally handed the package to Harry, who took it carefully.

His curiosity aroused, he painstakingly unwrapped the paper to reveal the shaft of a polished old wand. It had clearly been used; all that remained to be known…

"Whose is it?"

"Was. It was your father's, Harry. James'," Remus replied with emotion. "I recovered it, afterward, from the ruins."

Incapable of speaking, Harry stared at the wand as if hypnotized. James' wand, the one with which he'd tried to defend himself against Voldemort, but Snape's words came back to his memory then. No, James didn't have his wand that night.

"Where…where did you find it?" Harry croaked out.

"Godric's Hollow, in the wreckage of your parents' house," Remus said gently. "I should've given it to you sooner; I simply didn't have the courage to part with it until now."

"I understand," Harry said, slowly recovering from the shock. "Thanks, Remus, I'll take very good care of it, I promise."

"That's not the only reason I gave it to you, actually," the professor went on wearily. "It's a proven fact that children have a special connection to their parents' wands. What I mean by that is that if you were to lose your own wand, this one would probably be the one that would suit you best. I don't know what became of Lily's."

"That explains why Severus' wand works so well for me, then," Harry suddenly realized out loud. "It even worked better for me than my own wand, during that storm at the Manor."

"Pardon?" Remus said, his eyes suddenly wild.

"Severus' wand. I've used it several times, and it was perfect for me. Really powerful."

"You must be mistaken. It must've been a different wand," Lupin disagreed, shaking his head.

"No, really, it was Snape's," Harry assured him. He shook his head then, disappointed. "I thought you accepted the adoption, Remus. This was before then, but it comes back to the same thing. Everything didn't happen all at once, you realize."

"No, you don't understand, it's not about that," Lupin groaned hoarsely. "Death Eaters' wands have certain protections. All of them. They're charmed to respond only to their owner…or Voldemort. In a more general way, to those who bear the Mark, but I know that Severus' wand is particularly treacherous."

Then, as if seized by a sudden frenzy, he jumped toward Harry to shove up his sleeve.

"Thank Merlin," he sighed as he released it. "There's nothing on you. I'm sorry, Harry, I should've checked."

Stunned, the boy had jumped back at the assault, and now stared at the professor, looking betrayed.

"You're talking nonsense," Harry spat out. "You're completely drunk."

The professor's face paled slightly at this attack, but he didn't try to deny it. Wordlessly, he walked to his desk, took a potion from a drawer and swallowed it in a single gulp.

"Hangover potion," he explained. "I've probably abused the circumstances a bit today. But that doesn't change anything, Harry. You couldn't in any case have used Severus' wand. During an Order meeting once, an argument broke out between him and Moody. Both of them had to be disarmed. Fletcher was stupid enough to try to pick up Severus' wand to give it back to him. It took several days for him to regain the use of his arm. He didn't even try to use the wand, Harry, only touch it."

"I don't understand," Harry said, shaking his head, "but I can assure you it was Severus' wand that I used. The first time, he was unconscious, and I didn't know where mine was. I was able to cast a Patronus for hours. The second time, it was Snape who gave it to me, because I couldn't cast one with my own. It was during the storm…and it worked right away with his. A long black wand, more slender than mine," he clarified.

Despite his potion, Remus' eyes were still blank, Harry noted, and even more so after what Harry had just told him.

"It's…very tricky, Harry," he finally said. "I don't exactly know what that means, but I think you should ask him."

"Maybe he just fixed his wand so I could use it," the boy replied with a shrug.

"It's not that simple. Certain of those spells were set by Voldemort himself." Seeming to come out of a trance then, Lupin tried to plant a smile on his face. "But it's good news, Harry; it means you have an extra possibility in case of a problem. Still, keep James' wand safe. You never know what might happen."

"Of course. Thanks, Remus. It's a very fine gift," Harry said warmly. "I'm going to show it to Severus—it's time for me to go downstairs. By the way, how's Loki?"

"Oh, he could be better, but he's under control now and…in good health."

"He's back up above Dumbledore's office again?" Harry grimaced.

"No. No. It's…Hagrid who's taken things in hand right now," Remus admitted.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Harry offered, knowing how hurt the professor had to be. "I'm sure it's going to work out; you just need time."

"You and Severus hardly had time to adjust to each other, and yet…"

"That's because we were at our best," the boy said with a big smile. "We spent so much time hating each other before that, I think we hit our lifetime quota, don't you think?"

"Probably," Remus replied with a weak smile. "I'd best go with you if you're going down. All well and good that Loki's not free, but I'd feel more reassured."

"And Severus as well. I'd like that, thanks."

Both of them took off in silence, after a quick detour to the Gryffindor Common Room. All that remained of the party were a few decorations and sweets lying on the tables, and the sight left Harry with a strange aftertaste. It hadn't been anything like the parties held after Quidditch matches, and he hadn't expected as much, obviously, and the idea of these two celebrations today had vaguely bothered him, but to see how quickly his friends had moved on to other things, Harry wondered if he hadn't overestimated his housemates' tolerance. No one held anything against him, of course, but…

Shaking his head, Harry left Ron, Hermione and their friends and walked off towards the dungeons, a slight ache in his heart.

"Starting up classes again wasn't too hard for you?" Harry asked Remus as they followed the corridors.

"For now, I've only given a few lectures, actually," the professor replied. "Loki's taken up all my time lately. I was thinking of taking on a full schedule at the same time as Severus does."

"Soon, then. Not too nervous?"

Remus smiled. "I'll let you know after my first day of classes."

"Everyone will be happy to have you back," Harry reassured him. "The students missed you a lot after you left. It really wasn't good on Severus' part to do what he did."

"Many students still don't like the fact that I'm a werewolf, in spite of all that Albus might say. But with most of the Death Eaters' children gone, I suppose the difficulties will be fewer."

"This promises to be a weird year. By the way, are you really planning on showing Loki in class?"

"No, probably not right away, but when he's more used to us and the place. Who knows?" Remus replied.

"But wouldn't that be a bit strange?" Harry pushed on. "I mean, he's your son, and…"

Frustrated, he stopped.

"We'll see. And you—are you apprehensive about going back to Potions class?" Remus changed the subject.

"Yeah," Harry confessed. "But Severus promised to be different…I suppose we'll see."

Lupin smiled again, and both continued on their way to Snape's rooms in silence.

"I'll leave you here. Good night, Harry, and don't hesitate to come see me if you need anything."

"Got it," the boy said as he pushed open the door. "See you tomorrow."

As surprising as it appeared, the depths of the dungeons seemed as welcoming today as Gryffindor Tower. It was…home, pure and simple.

With a slight smile, he headed for the sitting room, where Severus had lit a fire and was reading, comfortably settled in his armchair. It was Shadow who jumped agilely onto his lap.

"Here you are, alley cat," Snape grumbled. "You didn't come home late. Sometimes you manage to listen to what you're told, after all."

The wizard's hand moved to automatically pet the purring cat, curled up in a ball.

"I left the gifts that might interest you in your room," Severus went on. "You'll find a copy of the official adoptions papers as well."

And Hagrid's basket, Shadow realized, was sitting just to the side of the fireplace, out of the way of the Floo—perfect for a good nap.

Perfect. Everything was perfect. Overcome by fatigue from the day, little by little he gave himself over to sleep and dozed off, rocked by Severus' quiet breathing.

ooOOoo

It was the sudden tension in the Man In Black's body, as well as the sound of hurried footsteps, that pulled Shadow from his sleep. Someone had just entered their rooms, he noted, and Severus hadn't got up to greet this person at the door.

He lifted his head and barely held back a furious growl. Malfoy! Slipping quickly to the floor, he crept away and discreetly hid himself in a corner by the fireplace.

"Draco," said Snape coldly as he finally got up, "to what do I owe this late visit? I didn't hear you knock."

"I didn't knock," the boy said haughtily. "I'm welcome here, aren't I? I had to…I…must talk to you. It's important."

"I'm listening," Severus said, arms crossed over his chest.

"Father's been arrested," Draco choked out.

Snape's face relaxed slightly and he motioned toward a chair. "Sit down. I'm sorry, Draco, but you must've expected it would end like this. That attack this morning was really the last straw. It was stupid and untimely. Lucius was already in a rather precarious position."

"You don't understand; he doesn't have any support within the Ministry now. They're talking about confiscating the Manor, of administering the Dementor's Kiss. I didn't want that—it's my fault, I shouldn't have stood up to him. He'd warned me…"

"Draco," Severus interrupted, "you did the right thing. I was very proud of you today."

In his hiding place, Shadow felt his stomach knot painfully.

"I know how difficult it is to make good decisions when everything seems against you. What you did today was very brave, and made you a person worthy of respect. Supporting your father would've only led to your downfall, and Lucius should've known it."

Harry saw Draco swallow hard, seeming markedly less dejected. "Severus, I have the Mark, you know it. I can't…how do you do it? I feel it all the time! He's furious with me; he wants me to come back, he wants to punish me!"

"I'll give you potions," Severus said gently. "That won't be enough to make the sensation disappear entirely, but it will dampen it. It's not a curse."

"Then you'll have to give me Dreamless Sleep potion and Calming Draughts too," Draco continued. "And something for upset stomach."

And why not a foot rub? thought Shadow, whose irritation was growing, minute by minute.

"For the last one, you'll have to see Madam Pomfrey. But everything will be fine, Draco. Or better at least. You made the right choice."

"That's what you say," Draco said, tugging nervously at his robes. "Father was furious; he really meant what he said—he wants to disown me! And the Dark Lord will never leave me in peace."

"Lucius will quickly calm down. Narcissa will convince him. Your father loves you, Draco, in spite of his changes in mood."

"Oh yeah, really?" the boy sneered. "If that's the case, why did I get this?" He pulled a parchment from his robe and held it out to Severus with a trembling hand.

The professor took it and read it, his face darkening as he did.

"It's an official document," Draco croaked out, resting his forehead in the palms of his hands. Harry had never seen such a despairing look on that face, not even that day in Moaning Myrtle's toilet.

"Someone must've forced him to make this request," Snape said at last, but his voice betrayed his doubt. "He can't disinherit his only son like this; it doesn't make any sense."

"They don't want me to be part of their family anymore; they won't give me a Knut anymore. I no longer have the right to go back to the Manor, and it's official, Severus, it's official! All of it's your fault. I should've never listened to you, I should've never disappointed him; it was a mistake since the beginning!" the boy shouted, his pale face twisted in a frightening grimace. Despite his anger, Harry couldn't help but feel a certain pity for him. Losing a family that one no longer remembered was one thing, but to have your family reject you after all these years….

"Draco, I'm persuaded that all of this is only temporary, but you may be sure I'll do everything within my power to help you," Snape replied calmly. "I'll speak to Dumbledore."

"I don't give a damn about Dumbledore," the boy cried, his voice increasingly shrill. "You're the only one who can do it. You have to do it, Severus, you can't leave me like this!"

"What do expect of me?"

"For you to adopt me!" Draco said, his hands clenched on the arms of the chair. "You adopted that good for nothing Gryffindor, Potter, and he's not even one of us. You have to take me too, you owe it to me, and I'm not like him—we're already almost part of the same family."

At these words, all of Harry's compassion disappeared. A red veil settled down in front of his eyes, and he heard his heart begin to beat like a drum in his chest. Malfoy…how dared he?

"Draco, you've totally lost your senses," Severus said. "It's completely absurd."

"No it isn't!" Draco pleaded. "It's the only possible solution, don't you see? You can't leave me like this, not after what I did; you promised to help me!"

"Not this way," Snape said dryly, then pulled himself together. "I won't let you down, Draco, you have my word. You'll be safe here at Hogwarts. But your suggestion is inconceivable."

At these words, Shadow regained enough control to come out of his hiding place and transform again. Malfoy's expression when he saw him—somewhere between stunned and hateful—was a balm to Harry's heart.

"What are you doing here?" Draco spat out. "I'm talking with Severus. Get lost!"

"I live here," Harry hissed. "Unlike you. Severus made it clear—go back to your dormitory now!"

"That's enough," Snape said curtly. With a hand, he motioned for his son to step back. "Draco, I'd appreciate if in the future you'd knock before entering. This familiarity was acceptable when I lived alone here, but that's no longer the case. If you wish to meet privately with me, then that will be done in my office."

"Why?" Draco spat. "I've always done it like this since I've been at Hogwarts, and I should change because of this Gryffindor? I honestly don't see why."

"Because this Gryffindor is my son. End of discussion."

The triumph that passed across Harry's face couldn't have pleased Draco, for he started up again with renewed vehemence.

"No. Adoption. I want you to adopt me as well. You have to do it!"

"I don't have to do anything at all, Draco," Severus sighed. "It's out of the question."

"It's because of him, isn't it?"

"Among other reasons, yes," Snape agreed.

"It's only been weeks since you've even liked him! It doesn't' make any sense—you've known me since I was small; I'm the one you should adopt, not him!"

Harry felt his barely suppressed anger ratchet up a notch. A part of his awareness realized that the glass phials on the table were starting to rattle together, and that the paintings on the walls fought against their fastenings, but no one in the room seemed to be paying attention.

"Things are what they are, Draco. You have a family, and they won't be long in coming to reclaim you. Your exile will not last forever."

"You…you're nothing but a traitor!" Malfoy ended by shouting, making a face of disgust.

This was too much for Harry. "You filthy snake," he said, his voice shaking with rage. "Get out of here now. I forbid you to take that tone with him; you've no right to insult my father!"

"Your father," Draco spat out, "you've nothing to offer him. You don't have a home, you're not even a Slytherin. It's all a joke and everybody knows it. You ended up in the street and you needed a protector, and only Severus agreed to take you, probably because Dumbledore forced him to! You're the one who has no right to be here and take that tone with him. Be happy with the handouts you get, Potter, and don't abuse the privilege! You're not welcome here."

It wasn't only the paintings and phials shaking now, but the furniture as well. An electric shiver ran along Severus's spine, coming directly from the Mark.

Absorbed by their rivalry, though, neither of the two boys had noticed this, and Snape felt relieved. But he had to calm Harry down now, under the threat of seeing the imminent collapse of the walls.

One hand on Harry's shoulder, Severus stood by his side in order to face Draco. "That's enough. Draco, we'll talk about this again later, in private."

"What?" Harry exclaimed beside him. "No! He can't come here!"

"No, indeed," Severus said tersely. "Now, I'd appreciate it if you'd calm yourself and let me take care of this. Draco, I understand that you're in shock from recent events, but it's more than past time to control yourself. This attitude is completely unworthy of a Slytherin. As for your notion of adoption, it couldn't be more misplaced. Harry is my son now in every possible way, whether that pleases you or not, and I fully intend that everyone treat him as such, beginning with my own House! It's high time to leave House rivalries behind, especially you. I'm sorry, Draco, but this is the sort of attitude you can no longer permit yourself. You're going to have need of allies…and to alienate Harry Potter seems to be a very bad way to begin."

Silence fell over the room again. Beside him, Harry seemed to have been mollified by the speech. Draco, though, was breathing raggedly, glaring darkly at the rug. Jaw clenched, he nevertheless ended by nodding.

Snape held back a sigh of relief. Draco's Slytherin side had finally resurfaced again.

"You need to think," he offered. "Go back to your dormitory. We'll talk about this again with clearer heads."

Once again, the boy nodded and shot Harry a piercing glance, now clouded with doubt. A fragility that Severus had rarely seen before on his face, Draco seemed to hesitate, before finally turning on heel and leaving the rooms without a goodbye.

It was Harry who sighed when the door closed. "Merlin, I really wasn't expecting that."

"I know. I despise doing it, but the password for the entry door will have to be changed. We cannot take the risk of leaving the field open for him," Severus said thoughtfully.

"You don't trust him either," Harry pointed out with a certain satisfaction.

"I didn't say that. But he's desperate, and…he's still a Slytherin. As I said, it's a risk that I cannot take."

"I feel like the day will never end," Harry sighed. "Have you been to see your students?"

"Yes. Slughorn had already taken care of it, but it's time that I took the reins again."

The boy made a face. "So, how did they react?"

"These are Slytherins, Harry. As you might expect, they're certainly not going to make their displeasure known loud and clear. But they're far from thrilled by the news. They'll deal with it. Once again, they hardly have a choice."

Harry sensed the bitterness behind these words, and a twinge of guilt pricked at his stomach. "It's not perfect, is it? That I'm a Gryffindor, I mean."

"No. But as retraining you seems impossible…"

"I could always dye my hair green."

"Hmm," Snape smiled. "It appears that Shadow has already begun to apply that idea."

Harry groaned, covering his face with his hands. "I still can't believe McGonagall put photos of that in the album. It was an accident, a bad accident."

"Yes, Horace told me."

"And I don't understand why it keeps coming back. Ron's not having a problem with it."

"I have a theory on the subject," Severus said. "Nothing proven, of course, but per my observations and what Horace explained, I'd advise you for several reasons to avoid alcohol in the future."

"Oh Merlin. That's it? The alcohol that…oh. All right."

Snape laughed softly. "Such obedience from a sixteen-year-old, what more could I ask? It's been a long day; it's time to go to bed, Harry. You have everything you need?"

"For sure. I'm going to collapse as soon as my head hits the pillow. This day wasn't long—it was endless. I'm finding it hard to believe that just this morning, this still wasn't official."

Snape nodded solemnly. "It's certainly going to take a while for everything that's happened today to sink in."

"I don't know," Harry replied. "I only know I'm happy. And I just wanted to tell you…thanks."

"Harry," Snape began, then shook his head. "You've nothing to thank me for. Rather I should be the one… Go on, off to bed. Enough emotion for the day. Tomorrow we'll begin training again."

"All right, but…do you think…what Malfoy said," the boy tried to explain, "about the adoption. Do you think they feel the same way? Slytherin, I mean?"

"Draco is jealous, Harry, I thought you understood that. The others will surely be more objective in their deductions. But once again, give it time. Everyone here will need it."

"I suppose," Harry sighed. "Well, goodnight."

"Sleep well. If you need anything, don't hesitate to knock on my door."

"Not a chance, I'm going to sleep like a rock," the boy yawned as he reached his room.

With a slight smile, satisfied that the day had ended without further drama, Severus did the same.

Sleep wasn't long in coming. In spite of all the threats facing them, long experience of this sort of situation usually allowed Severus to fall asleep right away. A light slumber, though, a sleep that the least alarm bell in his consciousness would interrupt.

It wasn't a faint alarm that wakened him a few hours later, but the sound of a veritable struggle in the sitting room.

Heart pounding, all his senses on alert, he sat up quickly, wand in hand, once again congratulating himself for sleeping fully clothed. In a flash, he was at the door and found himself in the middle of a battle.

Objects were literally flying through the room, crashing into the walls; the furniture seemed to glide across the floor as if imbued with a life of its own, and a burst of violent spells crisscrossed the room from one end to the other without any real target.

In the middle of this, Harry was shouting, whether from rage or fear, Snape couldn't tell. He seemed to be both insulting and asking forgiveness of someone at the same time, but without eliciting a response.

Merlin, who could've launched this onslaught in the middle of Hogwarts? Voldemort? He was the only one who could produce such an effect, but in the depths of the school, that seemed unlikely. Loki. No, he would've attacked outright. Draco! Surely Draco had changed his colors again and let Death Eaters into the school, in some way or another.

But where? He saw no outline of a shadow except for the vague one of Harry, hunched up in the middle of the sitting room. His attempts to stop the spells from moving objects having failed, Severus reluctantly decided to light the room. His Homenum revelio spell had shown nothing, but he couldn't be certain it had worked, given the weakness of his powers. So much for the element of surprise; best to see the enemy. Whatever this was, Harry wasn't afraid of anything in Severus' presence.

"Lumos!"

The boy blinked, his expression exasperated but not at all frightened. He was holding his leg with both hands, Snape noticed, and seemed to be suffering. Merlin, the wards…they hadn't worked! Why...?

"Harry! Where are they?" he shouted, searching frantically for the origin of the attack.

"Who?" Harry groaned as he tried to straighten up.

"No, don't move! Who came in? Who…" But all of a sudden, the answer struck Snape head-on.

"There's no one but us," the boy replied. "I'm sorry, it's my fault, but I couldn't stop them anymore."

"It's all right, it's all right." Avoiding the flying objects, scarcely recovered from the shock, Severus made it to the center of the sitting room, where Harry stood hopping on one foot. "What happened?" he asked, taking him by the shoulders. The boy was trembling, he noted. Obviously, despite his brave façade, Harry had frightened himself too.

"Nothing. I just wanted to ask the house-elves for something to eat; I was hungry. I tried to get to the Floo, but this bloody end table! Couldn't you put it somewhere else?"

"The…end table." Snape shook his head, all the while methodically rubbing the boy's back. Little by little, the furniture stopped waltzing and the objects began to fly slower and slower.

"I banged into it," Harry moaned. "Really hard!"

"Let me see that," Severus sighed. And indeed, the boy hadn't done things halfway; a nice hematoma was already standing out on his shin, which was bleeding heavily. With a few spells, the matter was fixed and Harry rubbed his leg with relief.

"Merlin," Snape growled, "couldn't you have lit your way, like any other civilized person? You don't have a cat's eyesight in this form. You have to make better decisions!"

"I didn't want to bother you," the boy protested. "And I didn't think about going there as a cat," he admitted in a pitiful voice.

"A Lumos probably wouldn't have awakened me," Severus pointed out.

"But I did that! But…too late…"

"I don't understand."

"Lumos! I cast it! But I bumped into something and I was afraid that it was Malfoy or I didn't know what; I wasn't wide-awake. I cast a Lumos and…you remember what that did in the forest?"

Snape paled. Oh, yes, he remembered all too well, that almost unbearable light that was brighter than day.

"It hurt my eyes," Harry went on when he saw Severus nod. "And that did weird things to the settee, by the way. It's a bit…translucent."

Severus stared off in the direction of the settee, which was currently rotating in a lazy circle. Harry was right. He could make out the shapes of the furniture behind it.

"It's nothing," he said absently. "And the rest of it?"

"Oh well, hmmm…I think a lost control a bit," the boy confessed. "I didn't cast any other spell, I promise, but everything started to shake; it was really bizarre. Were those my powers, you think?"

"No doubt about it," Severus agreed. "Calm down now. Don't think about it anymore. Your anxiety provoked this agitation. The sooner you calm down, the sooner everything will be settle down."

To the wizard's surprise, the boy suddenly turned and buried his face in his robes, holding onto him. Moved by emotion, Severus put his arms around Harry's shoulders, the entire time watching the objects dancing a strange saraband around them. A moment later, Harry groaned and turned his head.

"I can't do it. I can't change into the cat."

Snape felt a shudder run through him. This wasn't a good sign…

"It's not important," he lied. "Just relax."

Running his hand through the boy's hair like he would've done with the cat, Severus began to hum softly. Bit by bit, he felt Harry relax and his shaking stop. It had been fatigue more than anything else that had provoked this bout of panic, he realized, but the nervous tension of the day had certainly contributed to it.

When the last of the paintings had stopped jiggling and the sitting room was still again, he leant gently down towards the boy, who he found half-asleep.

"Everything's fine. There's no more danger."

Harry blinked and looked around. The room seemed to have undergone a systematic attack. He could still feel the waves of energy that had swept through the room like a storm, overturning furniture, throwing objects everywhere. He shivered; and he'd been the cause of it? Merlin, he was an outright public menace. He'd simply wanted to get to the Floo. At least he wasn't hungry any longer; the panic had made him lose his appetite. Sleepiness had returned, but he couldn't help but wonder what would occur if something like this happened again. He couldn't control anything, absolutely nothing.

"Can I sleep with you?" he asked pitifully.

Severus groaned, but nodded. "Transform into the cat. You'll take up less space."

Without even thinking, Harry slipped into his cat form before jumping into Snape's arms. Snape headed for his room without a glance for the disorder around them.

"Insufferable alley cat," Severus muttered. "I was hoping for a few years yet before having to chase after you at night."

Shadow began to purr loudly, eyes closed, then sensing that his Man In Black had stretched out on the bed—fully dressed as usual—he went to curl up on his chest, happy and safe.

ooOOoo

Early the next day, Snape felt the light weight on his chest disappear, followed by the muffled sound of a cat jumping to the floor. The door opened and closed soundlessly, and Severus groaned, still drowsy. What time could it be? A Tempus informed him that it was only five A.M. What the devil had got the boy up at such an hour?

He cocked his ear, waiting for the slightest sound. Furniture being moved, objects gathered up and replaced. Harry simply wanted to restore a bit of order to the sitting room before Severus got up. All well, good that he do it. He himself had no intention of exerting himself so early, and he didn't see any reason to discourage the boy. Sighing in relief, he fell quickly back to sleep.

Shadow had spent one of the most peaceable nights, after the long day he'd endured. He'd slept so soundly that he didn't remember dreaming. His cat instinct had alerted him that morning had come, and despite the early hour, he'd decided to leave the nice and cozy nest and try to repair the disaster of the night before as best he could.

At the time, Snape had been too exhausted to shout at him about it, but he couldn't expect that to be the case today. And the more the sitting room seemed habitable, the better the chance that he'd survive the day.

The state of the room left Harry in shock. Was it he who was responsible for this carnage? A crystal carafe was lying in a thousand pieces at the foot of a wall, several paintings had been ripped apart, not to mention the furniture, of which certain pieces had lost a foot or a drawer. One would've thought this the middle of a battlefield, and it was clear that the objects had been the big losers in the war.

There was no question about using magic to restore order; his own was too hazardous. One by one, he tried to put furniture and objects, or at least what was left of them, back in their places. Feeling increasingly pathetic the more he discovered new disasters, Harry felt worry steal over him.

This was truly a bad way to begin his new life…and these powers, why did they get away from him to this extent? He'd been tired, on edge, surprised, but never before had his magic betrayed him this way. And what if someone had actually been in the room—Malfoy coming back to talk to Severus? Harry would be a murderer now. He'd be one anyway some day, and these new powers were surely going to play a role in that.

Vaguely nauseated by the spectacle the sitting room presented, in spite of all his efforts, Harry headed toward the little-used kitchen. At least he could make something for breakfast himself, try to control his powers that way. It'd be a chance to start earning forgiveness, and to show he wanted to do better.

He shoved a hand into his robe for his wand, but the wood he felt with his fingers seemed strange. Surprised, he took it out, and the events of the night before came back to him. James' wand…his father's. He'd kept it with him yesterday. He'd forgotten to talk to Severus about it. He turned the piece of wood over in his hand, and felt the slight familiar electricity travel up his arm. Yes, the wand recognized him. Maybe he'd even played with it when he was small.

Overwhelmed, he slid to the floor, his back against the counter. The wand was shorter and thicker than his own, and it showed signs of heavy usage. With it, James had fought Death Eaters, and Snape as well. This was the wand that could've saved him that night, if only he'd had it on him.

Lost in his thoughts, he began to caress the wand polished by usage, pointing it between his legs at the opposite wall. What if he tried a spell? Would it be more or less effective than his own? Than Severus' wand?

Absorbed by his musings, he didn't hear the steps behind the door, and only realized at the last moment that it was opening. Severus. He must've seen the carnage in the sitting room and was coming to find him. Harry looked up guiltily at the wizard, preparing for the worst.

But hardly had Snape noticed him, leaning against the kitchen counter, when he stopped short, an expression of pure astonishment on his face. For a fraction of a second, Harry didn't understand, then all of a sudden realized the position he was in…seated on the floor, hair mussed and his face reddened by his attempt at housekeeping, and playing with a bit of wood between his spread knees.

Snape composed himself in an instant, but not quick enough for the boy to miss his horror. Harry jumped to stand, his fingertips holding the wand as far away from himself as he could.

"No! It's not at all what you think!" he cried.

"I…you…yes, I understand very well. I mean, I don't…" Severus ran a hand across his face, letting a groan escape. "I've obviously not slept enough."

"It's rather embarrassing," Harry choked as he tried to laugh, at all costs avoiding his father's eyes. Severus didn't seem in a hurry to reestablish visual contact.

"Apt euphemism," Snape huffed out. Then, noticing the wand the boy had thrown onto the table, he said, "That's…not yours."

Harry was tempted to respond with a sarcastic, 'No, really?' but deciding the situation hardly called for it, he contented himself with rolling his eyes.

"No, it's James'. Remus gave it to me last evening."

"James' wand?" Severus repeated, clearly stunned.

Really, his father mustn't have had his quota of sleep, to show himself so slow this morning, Harry decided.

"Yes," he confirmed. "He found it in the ruins of my house. He said it might be useful to me, that it would be more suited than any other to my powers if I were to lose my own."

"Oh."

Severus seemed to lose himself in his thoughts for a moment, and Harry decided to push the matter. "I told him your wand worked very well for me."

Was that just an impression, or had Snape paled?

"What did he think of that?" Severus asked offhandedly.

"He didn't seem to think that was normal. He said your wand had special protections."

"That's true," Severus admitted. "I was surprised the first time you were able to use it. I never would've thought of offering it to you myself, but that suggestion came from you, once I understood."

"Could you explain it to me?" Harry asked, vaguely annoyed by the wizard's suspenseful manner.

"Protego? Nothing nor anyone could hurt you in my presence, nor in that place. Which equally includes my wand."

"And…that works with all Death Eater wands?" Harry asked in astonishment.

"I wouldn't take the risk of testing that. Mine might have a certain affinity for you that the others will not."

"Oh. I see." That seemed logical. But in that case, why did he have the distinct impression that Severus wasn't telling him the entire truth?

He shrugged. It didn't matter. The question of the sitting room still wasn't sorted out.

"Um, sorry about the furniture. I tried to put things back in place, but I think it'll take some spells. I'm not even sure if that'll be enough, in fact," he confessed. But to his surprise, Severus only shrugged.

"I'll ask Albus if he'd like to try something later. It's not important. Have you eaten?"

"I…no, I was going to make something," Harry replied, caught up short.

"No need, you only have to ask the elves."

"I prefer to do it myself. What would you like?"

Snape smiled and shrugged slightly. "Your choice will be mine. Just give me time to take a shower."

"No problem. I'll try not to burn anything," Harry laughed.

Severus smiled again, and headed for the door before stopping, all trace of the smile gone. Strangely hesitant, he turned toward Harry.

"By the way, if ever you should…ah well…do what young men your age do," he began in a subdued voice. "Preferably the bathroom than the kitchen. For everyone's convenience."

Then, without waiting for a reply, he fled more than left, leaving a crimson-faced Harry alone in the kitchen.