Harry stared at them in speechless amazement. Ron and Hermione looked a little uncertain, too, but then Hermione smiled tentatively and said, "Hi, Harry." She came over and hugged him. Just for an instant Harry stood frozen; then he grabbed onto her as if she were a lifeline and suddenly, for some reason, they were both crying. Then Ron was there, too, and the three of them held each other close for a long time.

Severus had disappeared by the time they pulled apart, leaving them alone with one another. Harry looked from Hermione to Ron and back again. For a moment, he almost wondered if he were dreaming. It seemed impossible for his friends to actually be here at Prince Hall, but there they were...Hermione in a yellow-flowered sundress, her hair in two thick plaits that hung down her back, Ron in a colourful T-shirt and jeans.

"How...?" he began.

"Professor Snape brought us," Hermione told him. "He explained everything."

"Everything?" Harry swallowed. "What did he tell you?"

"That the spell Malfoy cast against you was a slavery spell that bound you to him, and that's why you've been here all summer. He said that it's been pretty rough on you and that you've been real depressed, even wanting to die, and that you were afraid to tell us about it all," Ron said quietly. His blue eyes held Harry's, and they were perfectly serious. "So when he asked us to come visit, Hermione and I figured we'd better come help you get your head back on straight."

Harry wanted to respond, but he didn't know what to say, how to make his friends understand how he'd felt. He shut his mouth and turned away, visibly upset. But then Ron stepped closer and said softly, "Hey, mate, it's all right."

At the same time, Hermione reached for his hand. "Harry, we just want to help. We love you and we hate to think that you've been so unhappy."

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, guys," he mumbled.

"For what?" They both asked together.

"For leaving the hospital without seeing you, for not telling you before," Harry shrugged. "For all of it."

"But you couldn't tell us, could you?" Hermione tilted her head slightly. "Professor Snape said that he and Dumbledore asked you not to because owl post wasn't secure enough."

"Yeah, but I don't know if I could have told you anyway," Harry admitted in a low voice. "It's really hard for me to talk about."

"You can tell us anything, Harry," Hermione said earnestly. "But we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. Just..." she hesitated. "Just promise us that you won't...you know...hurt yourself."

"Severus already made me promise," Harry agreed. "I won't try anything again, I swear."

"Again?" Ron demanded. "You mean you already tried something?"

"Well," Harry shrugged again. "Didn't Severus tell you?"

"He said you had gotten to the point of wanting to die, but he didn't say you'd actually attempted it." Hermione's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Harry!"

Ron looked murderous. "I'm going to kill Malfoy the next time I see him."

"I'll help you," Hermione, usually the voice of reason, promptly agreed.

Harry couldn't speak. For weeks he'd worried over his friends' reactions and now he felt overwhelmed by their complete support, their love for him. But he should have known. They were the best friends anyone could ever have. A great wave of affection swelled up in his chest, making it difficult to breathe for a moment. He wanted to tell them how much it meant to him...how much they meant, but it was so hard to actually speak the words. He would feel like an idiot if he tried to say it all aloud; that was why he'd written his feelings down in those letters the other night.

Harry blinked. The letters...but did he have the courage to show them to Ron and Hermione? Part of him thought it would be better to just burn those letters now that he was going to live, after all. But then he looked at his friends, both of them standing close, so concerned and protective on his behalf, and he wanted them to know how he felt.

Before he could lose his nerve, he grabbed their hands. "Come on, I need to show you something."

He led them out the library and upstairs to his room. Ron and Hermione both gazed about, looking impressed.

"Harry, this place is beautiful," Hermione murmured while Ron added, "It's even grander than Hogwarts."

Harry had to smile a little. "It's something, isn't it? You know, I hate that spell, and at first I thought I'd hate Prince Hall, too, but I don't. I like living here, but not really because it's so big and nice and all that. It's because..." he felt himself turning red, but had to continue, "Severus and the elves are here."

"Professor Snape seems very different," Hermione remarked in a soft voice, glancing around to be sure they were alone. "He really seems to care for you now, Harry."

He nodded. "He does, and I care about him, too. Everything's changed between us now."

They had come to Harry's room and he showed them in, closing the door behind them. The instant the door was shut, Ron exclaimed, "Harry, no offense or anything, but bloody hell! Snape? I mean, the last we knew he hated your guts and vice versa, and then this morning he shows up, practically being nice and sounding all worried about you. I kept wondering if he were someone else under polyjuice potion or if he'd been Imperiused. I was really surprised that Mum and Dad agreed to let me go with him."

Harry sighed. "It's been a long summer. Come on and sit down, and I'll tell you about it."

They settled themselves on the sofa and armchairs, and Harry spent the next half-hour describing the events of the past six weeks and trying to explain how he and Severus had reconciled. His friends listened intently, asking occasional questions.

When he'd finished, Hermione said, "I'm really glad that you have Professor Snape now, Harry. It's awful about the spell, but if it made him realise what a great person you are, and gave you a family, then maybe some good can come out of it. Now we just have to find a way to lift that curse from you."

Harry shook his head. "I don't think it can be lifted." He tried to keep the despair out of his voice, but could tell he hadn't entirely succeeded.

"Well, don't give up." Hermione leaned forward, her eyes trained on his. "You said Dumbledore and Snape are working on it, and they're both extremely clever and powerful."

"And maybe we can work on it, too, when we get back to Hogwarts," Ron put in. "You can find all kinds of interesting things in the library, you know." He grinned. "Especially in the restricted section."

Harry tried to smile back. "Never thought I'd hear you complimenting a library."

"Yeah, I've been around Hermione too long."

She promptly picked up one of the little sofa cushions and hit Ron with it. He tried to grab it away and in the ensuing tug-of-war match they managed to rip the cushion in half.

"Oops, guess we got carried away," Ron said ruefully as feathers floated in the air around them.

"Harry, we're sorry," Hermione exclaimed. "If I could just do magic, I could fix it right away, but I can't." Her eyes grew round. "Oh, no, Professor Snape might not let us come back."

Ron nodded at Harry. "Nah, he's laughing. Snape'd probably let us demolish the place if it made Harry laugh." He shook his head. "And I never thought I'd see the day when Snape gave a rat's..." his eyes flickered over at Hermione. "Um...tail about Harry."

Harry rolled his eyes and reached for his wand. "It's not a big deal, guys, at least not the cushion. Reparo!"

As Hermione set the newly-repaired cushion back into place, Ron looked over and said seriously, "I'm glad you have Snape, too. It sounds like you've needed him."

Harry was able to give him a genuine smile this time. "Thanks, Ron."

"It's sure going to be different from now on, though," Ron mused. "Guess I have to start calling him Professor Snape now, too, huh?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, you have to be nice."

"Well, they say nothing's impossible," Ron agreed cheerfully. He studied Harry. "So what's it like to be able to do magic in the summer?"

"It's pretty much like doing magic any other time." Harry shrugged.

"But you got your Trace lifted early. Wasn't that exciting?" Ron wanted to know.

Harry considered. "Not really. I mean, it might have been, except..." His voice trailed off for a minute as he thought of how to explain. "It's just been hard to feel excited or happy about anything lately."

They grew quiet and then Hermione laid her hand on his arm. "Harry, is there anything we can do to help?"

"Yeah, you're already doing it," Harry told her. "That reminds me; I brought you guys up here because I wanted to give you something. A couple days ago, when I was planning to die, I wrote both of you a letter, so you'd know how I felt and all." He hesitated. "It's the kind of stuff I'd never be able to tell you in person, but I guess since I've come pretty close to dying a couple times this summer, I've realised that I'd like for you to know it. So here." He summoned their letters from his trunk and handed them to Hermione and Ron.

They read silently and then Hermione set her parchment down, came over, and hugged him again. "I love you, Harry."

Harry hugged her back. "I love you, too, Hermione."

"It's a good thing I'm not the jealous type," Ron remarked after a moment of solemn silence.

In spite of themselves, Harry and Hermione laughed a little and though Hermione was teary, she arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh, you're not, are you?"

Harry coughed something that sounded suspiciously like, "Viktor Krum?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ron replied in a lofty tone.

Hermione moved back to her end of the sofa and Ron added, more seriously, "Um, Harry, what she said...that goes for me, too."

"Yeah, me, too." Harry said, though he wasn't able to look at Ron when he said it, but found himself studying the pattern on the rug instead.

"But if you ever think of trying to hurt yourself again, I'm gonna kill you myself."

"I think Severus might beat you to it," Harry told him wryly.

"Well, good," Ron said.

"So, Severus came and got you this morning?" Harry asked.

Hermione and Ron nodded.

"Yeah, he came to the Burrow first, right after breakfast and asked to talk with Mum and Dad in private," Ron told him. "Then a little while later, they came and got me. Sn...Professor Snape told me about the spell and all that, and said that he thought it might help you if your friends were around sometimes, so he'd come to invite me and Hermione to Prince Hall for the day."

"And then they came to my house." Hermione shook her head. "I have to say it was a bit of a surprise to find Professor Snape and Ron standing on my doorstep, but when they explained about everything, I knew we had to come. I told my parents that Professor Snape was tutoring you this summer so that's why you were staying at his house, and that we were invited to visit you. To be honest, I don't think Mum and Dad would have agreed if it had just been Professor Snape, but since Ron was there too, they finally said it was all right."

"Snape...sorry, Professor Snape said that he'd thought it would be easier to convince your parents if I were there, too," Ron added.

"Harry, is that all right?" Hermione asked, looking a little unsure. "You are glad we're here?"

"Of course I am. Isn't it obvious?"

"Well, I just wanted to be sure," she explained. "I worried a little that you wouldn't like it that Professor Snape told us everything."

Harry considered. It was true that he'd been upset, maybe a little angry, when he'd first realised what Severus had done, but those feelings had faded almost instantly when he'd seen that Ron and Hermione were supporting him. He really had missed them and had wanted to see them; he'd just been worried about having to tell them about the slavery spell. Now that his friends already knew, he was actually quite relieved.

"No, it's all right," he finally said. "I mean, I don't want anyone else to know, and Severus knows that, but it's okay that he brought you here. I really wanted to see you both, but I was dreading having to tell you about the spell and all. I guess I'm kind of glad that Severus did it for me, this one time anyway."

He looked at Ron. "Do your parents know about it, too?"

"I think so, but they won't say anything to anyone else," Ron assured him.

"We won't either, Harry," Hermione promised. "But really, you don't have anything to be embarrassed about. You haven't done anything wrong. It's Draco Malfoy who should be ashamed."

Ron swore under his breath at the mention of Draco's name and even Hermione's face darkened with anger.

"I can't believe nothing has happened to him, that he's just being allowed to go merrily on his way," she exclaimed. "Casting an unknown spell against any sentient being is clearly against wizarding law. He should be in Azkaban right now, especially since he's caused so much harm to Harry."

"I guess the Malfoy name still has some influence after all, or at least their money does," Ron said bitterly.

But Harry shook his head. "No, I don't think it's that so much. It's because we've been trying to keep the spell a secret. We didn't want to take a chance on Voldemort finding out."

"Well, Voldemort's gone now, isn't he?" Ron pointed out. "Why isn't anyone doing something about Malfoy now?"

Harry looked at them with haunted eyes. "But guys, I really don't want there to be a trial or anything like that. I'd have to tell about the spell then, and it would be in all the papers and everyone would know." He shuddered. "I'd rather die."

"Don't say that!" Ron said sharply. After a moment he reached over and gripped Harry's shoulder. "Sorry, mate, I didn't mean to sound like that, but after...you know, you just can't say that." He sighed. "So what then? Malfoy gets to ruin your life and walk away scot-free?"

"He's not going to get off," Hermione said in an uncharacteristically grim voice. "We're going to make sure of that. I don't care if I spend the next two years in detention."

"Me, either," Ron agreed, with a hard glint in his eyes.

"No," Harry told them. "I don't want the two of you getting yourselves into a lot of trouble on my account."

"But Harry..." Ron began.

"Look, I hate Malfoy more than anyone. I hate his bloody guts. And just the normal kind of stuff that we've always done would be all right. He sure deserves it. But I'm afraid that you're too angry to stop at just the silly hexes and jinxes, and I don't want you getting into anything worse." Harry looked from one to the other. "All right?"

Ron and Hermione didn't respond right away.

Ron finally said, "I don't know, Harry. If Malfoy's not going to have to go to trial or get anything like he really deserves, then we've got to do something. We can't just let him get away with this, at least I can't. We're brothers, aren't we?"

"Yeah, we are," Harry said thickly. "Just...be careful, all right? I'm not asking you for Malfoy's sake, believe me. I just don't want you and Hermione to risk anything for me."

Ron still looked stubborn, and after a minute Hermione spoke up, "Listen, why don't we see what Dumbledore does? I can't believe that he's going to let Malfoy get away with this. He must have something planned. And maybe Professor Snape does, too, now that he's on Harry's side."

Ron relaxed a little. "Imagine Snape getting after Malfoy for Harry's sake. I'd pay good money to see that."

They grew quiet for a few minutes, and then Hermione changed the subject. "So, Harry, can you tell us more about what happened with Voldemort? I still can't believe that you did it, and he's gone."

Harry described the day at Diagon Alley, the last battle and the way his mother's sacrifice had protected him against Voldemort. When he was finished, Ron and Hermione looked impressed.

"I'm so glad that it's over, but I can't help but wish that we'd been there with you, too," Hermione said.

Ron nodded. "I know. We've always been with you before. I kind of assumed we'd be with you at the end, too."

Harry looked at them in wonder. He'd known what wonderful friends they were, of course, but today they were proving it once again. Not many people would have been willing to stand against Voldemort, but if Ron and Hermione had been at Diagon Alley that day, Harry had no doubts that they would have been right at his side.

"You guys are really great, you know that?" He told them.

Hermione smiled and Ron waved his hand in a grand gesture. "Of course we do. We hear it all the time," he joked. Then he continued, "But speaking of great, Harry, that was really amazing of you."

Harry looked at him as if he were crazy. "I didn't do anything."

"You faced him. You were willing to fight him even thinking that he would probably win. That's really brave," Ron said.

"I'm just glad it's over," Harry answered. He sighed. "Severus says that the Ministry and the newspapers all want to talk with me now. I don't know what to do. I don't want to see any of them, but he and Dumbledore think it would be better in the long run if I made an appearance and read a statement or something. Severus says that I don't have to, but I might be mobbed if I tried to go out in public. He thinks it would be easier if I told people what happened and asked them to respect my privacy, in a nice way of course."

Hermione nodded. "He may be right, Harry. The papers are all going crazy trying to find out stuff about you. They've even re-printed that interview with the Quibbler from last year."

"Yeah, somebody actually approached Dad at work, too, since they know we're good friends with you, and tried to pump him for information," Ron remarked.

Harry stared. "Really? How can they do that? I'm sorry, Ron."

Ron shrugged. "Hey, it wasn't that big a deal. Dad basically just told him to get lost. Well, I think he said it in a little nicer way, but that was the gist of it."

"But if you did go out and let everyone see that you're alive and well, and tell them what happened, they might be willing to give you a little privacy after that," Hermione said.

"I guess I need to," Harry admitted. "I just don't want to. Is there anything else interesting in the papers? Severus says that we still need to be careful because some of the Death Eaters are still on the loose."

"Most of the ones who were at Diagon Alley were caught, but not all the Death Eaters were there," Hermione told him. "Dolohov is still loose and so is Fenrir Greyback, among others."

"They're lying low, though. The Aurors have been out in full force looking for them," Ron added. "They've captured a few more, MacNair, the Carrows, and Nott."

"I hope they catch the rest soon," Harry said and his friends nodded in agreement.

But then the clock on the wall chimed, reminding them that it was time for lunch, and thoughts of danger vanished as they headed downstairs to the dining room.