Harry had never liked Halloween.

When he had been small and living with the Dursleys, it had been just one more disappointment, watching Dudley dress up in elaborate costumes and binge on sweets while he himself was denied any fun. And then after he had learned of how Voldemort had killed his parents, he could not even imagine celebrating on the anniversary of their deaths.

There had always been a festival at Hogwarts, the Halloween Feast and a masquerade party in the Great Hall, but Harry had never gone to it. He and Ron and Hermione had always remained in the Gryffindor common room, playing card games or reading or just sitting quietly together. For once he had explained his feelings to his friends, Ron and Hermione had loyally chosen to stay at his side. During their first few years at school, Fred and George had brought food from the Feast back up to them, always making a show of the difficulties and dangers they had risked to do so. Later on, once Harry and his friends had discovered for themselves how easy it was to get food from the house elves, they had simply asked Dobby to send up a platter.

But Ron and Hermione had never left him alone, even though at first Harry had felt guilty and had urged them to go on to the party. But they had always insisted on staying with him, and Harry had been grateful.

As Halloween approached this year, Harry couldn't help but find himself thinking of James and Lily more often. He remembered the things he had been told about them and seeing visions of them that awful night of the Third Task when Voldemort had come back to life.

Harry usually tried not to remember that evening; it had been one of the worst events of his life and he still sometimes had nightmares about it...but remembering how the visions of his parents had helped to save him was one thing that did make him feel a little better...not happy exactly, but he couldn't help feeling warm and emotional when he remembered their faces and voices, their obvious love for him.

During the week before Halloween Harry spent a lot of his free time looking back at their photographs and wondering about all the things that might have been, if only....

He couldn't help doing it, but he did feel guilty. After all, he had a father now and he wouldn't hurt Severus for anything. But it wasn't that he didn't want Severus; he just wished that he could have had all of his parents, and Sirius, too. In his dreams, he imagined them all living happily together. Of course Harry knew that that wouldn't have been likely. But since it was only in his imagination anyway, he indulged himself.

Besides, if he and Severus could reconcile and learn to love one another, it wouldn't have been completely impossible for James and Severus to make amends, would it? Harry liked to think that both of his fathers would love him enough to try, anyway.

He didn't think that Severus had noticed his melancholy mood...Harry had been careful not to mention anything or to let his father see him looking through his photograph album. He would never want Severus to think that he was unhappy with him.

But on the morning of October 31st, as they were eating breakfast, Severus remarked, "Harry, Albus has invited us to Hogwarts this evening for the festivities, if you are interested. I told him I was certain that you would not wish to attend, particularly as you never have before, but if you do, of course we can go."

Harry automatically shook his head. "Why does he keep trying to get me to go back to Hogwarts? He knows that I don't want to right now."

"One of Albus' flaws is that he convinces himself that he knows what is best for people and he cannot resist enticing them to go along with his wishes," Severus replied wryly. "He has become aware of this fault and is trying to do better, but old habits die hard, I suppose."

He took a sip of his coffee. "And I do believe that he actually misses us."

"But we see him almost every evening," Harry pointed out.

"But we're not at Hogwarts. I'm sure you know, Harry, that Albus considers us as something more than his employee and student. I believe he considers us almost as family. And he would like to keep his family close. I have to admit that I do understand that desire." Severus smiled at his son.

Harry smiled back at him. "Yeah, I guess I can too."

"Albus is truly concerned for you and wants you to be happy, as do I," Severus continued. "He knows that all of your friends would rally to your side and help you to face anyone who was inclined to harass you, and he believes that ultimately you will be happier if you return to school, rather than hide away from the world here."

"But I don't want to go back! I want to stay here," Harry protested. He looked at his father in panic.

"Calm yourself, child." Severus reached over to gently squeeze his shoulder. "You may stay here for as long as you wish, for the rest of your life if that's what you want. I promised that you would never have to leave against your will, didn't I?"

Harry took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes."

They resumed eating and were quiet for a few moments. Then Harry glanced at his father.

"Are you...are you disappointed in me?" He asked almost in a whisper. "I know I'm being a coward."

Severus laid down his silverware and took Harry's hands in his own, holding them lightly. "I could never be disappointed in you, son. You are a wonderful person, Harry. I am amazed and humbled by your compassion and generosity."

Spots of colour appeared in Severus' pale cheeks but he continued without pause. "You have inspired me to try to change and to be a better person. I only hope that one day I can be half as good as you are. I don't know that I will be, but I want to be the best that I can...for you, because you deserve someone much better than I am to be your father."

Harry could feel his own cheeks turning red. "I think you're pretty great now, Dad," he said softly.

Severus shook his head. "I have a long way to go yet, but thank you, son."

They ate in silence for a few minutes, both of them slightly embarrassed, but then Harry looked at his father. "How did you know that I never went to the party before?"

Severus smirked at him. "Did you think I wouldn't have noticed? I have always kept an eye on you after all, Harry."

Well, of course he had. Harry was surprised at himself for forgetting how Severus had always prowled around after him, from his first days at Hogwarts.

He wrinkled his nose at his father. "Yeah, the better to give me unfair detentions."

"Oh, I think you earned a few of them," Severus retorted. But then he looked sorrowful. "But I am sorry that I treated you so unfairly and unkindly all those years."

"I know, Dad. I wasn't trying to make you feel bad," Harry said earnestly.

Severus nodded. "I know."

He cleared his throat. "As a matter of fact, Harry, although I did certainly hand out unfair punishments at times, my primary reason for keeping such close watch over you was to ensure your safety. From your very first year, you were in danger and Hogwarts was not always the sanctuary it seemed to be."

"Yeah, no kidding," Harry agreed dryly. He sighed in relief. "But that's all over now and there's no danger anymore."

"No, there shouldn't be," Severus agreed after a moment.

Harry thought he sounded slightly reserved and he looked at his father, tilting his head quizzically. "There's not any danger anymore, is there?"

"Oh, there's no real threat that I know of," Severus replied. "But Dolohov and a few other Death Eaters have managed to evade capture, not to mention Greyback. You recall hearing of Fenrir Greyback, don't you?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, he's the one who attacked Remus," he said quietly. "And Draco and his mother, too."

"Yes, he has a long list of victims, I'm afraid," Severus concurred. "Albus and I spoke with Kingsley Shacklebolt after Draco told us of how they had attacked Malfoy Manor. Aurors did confirm his story, but there was no way of telling where the Death Eaters might have gone. There has been no trace of them since and they seem to have gone to ground. Nonetheless, it does no harm to be careful."

"But we're safe here, aren't we? We're under the Fidelius Charm," Harry pointed out.

Severus nodded. "Yes, we're perfectly safe here."

"Well, then, everything's good cause we're going to stay here." Harry started to take another bite of his scrambled eggs and then paused, his fork hovering in mid-air as he thought of his friends. He turned to Severus in sudden concern.

"What about the Weasleys and Hermione's family? Are they safe?"

"Yes, I believe so," Severus told him. "Albus has spoken with all of them and there are protective wards around both the Burrow and the Grangers' townhouse. They know to be careful."

"And I truly don't believe there's much cause for concern, Harry," he added. "I have a tendency to be a bit over-cautious, shall we say? But I do think everything is fine. Now finish up; we're late for lessons."

***

The day went by in the usual routine. Harry spent the morning in lessons with his father: an hour of brewing in the potions lab, then dueling with the dummy ‘Toby', and then tending to the belladonna plants that Professor Sprout had sent from Hogwarts. After lunch he studied for a Charms quiz that Severus was giving on Friday and began writing an essay for Transfiguration. He had tea with Severus and then went outside to fly while his father prepared lesson plans.

It was a damp misty day and Harry decided that he wouldn't stay out for very long, just long enough to run through the Wronski Feint a few times and maybe practice another move that he had been studying in Secrets of Seeking. He wasn't likely to play Quidditch again, but he had worked so hard to learn the Feint that he didn't want to get rusty, and besides, it was fun.

He held out his hand and uncurled his fingers, releasing the snitch that Severus had given him, so long ago now, it seemed. A gusty breeze blew, tossing the tiny winged ball far across the lawn and whipping Harry's cloak about his legs.

He stood on the terrace, his Firebolt in his hand, and wondered what the weather had been like on that Halloween. Then he decided that perhaps he was being morbid and pushed those thoughts away.

He looked up at the cloudy sky. Mum, Dad, Sirius...thank you. I love you and I miss you, but I'm doing better, most of the time anyway. Severus really loves me and I love him, too. I hope you understand. You would, wouldn't you?

A flash of gold flitted by, close enough to ruffle Harry's hair, and he realized that the snitch had come back, tantalizing him. He threw his leg over the Firebolt and took off in hot pursuit.

The snitch led him on a chase across the front lawn and over the wind-swept moor, almost to the stone wall, before arcing in a wide circle to the right and then heading back to Prince Hall. Harry was closing in, his outstretched fingers ready to grasp it, when the snitch abruptly dropped several feet. As Harry spun and dove after it, he caught a glimpse of a crumpled form lying on the ground in the garden below.

Draco lay in a heap beside a rose bush, and when Harry paused to take a second look, he realized with horror that the other boy was covered in blood. For just a second, he froze. Then he plummeted to the ground and sprinted to Draco's side the instant his feet touched the brick walkway.

"Malfoy!"

But Draco's eyes were closed, his eyelashes dark against waxy skin, and he didn't respond to Harry's shout.

Harry dropped to his knees by the other boy's side. A pair of bloody pruning shears lay beside Draco and Harry guessed that he must have somehow cut himself on them. He seemed to be bleeding from his chest; his yellow jumper was covered in blood.

Harry wished desperately that he knew some healing spells, but since he didn't, he yanked his own jumper off and pressed it hard against Draco's chest. He needed Severus and started to take his wand and send his Patronus, but then he realized that there was another way which would possibly be even quicker. He shouted for Norie and Zan as loudly as he could.

They appeared with twin pops.

"Master Harry, did you...oh dear God!" Norie exclaimed as she took in the sight before them.

"Get my father!" Harry instructed. "Or do you know any healing spells?"

Zan had already apparated away in search of Severus, but Norie shook her head. "We can help with a simple injury, but not something like this."

Harry kept pressing his jumper against Draco's chest with both hands, with all of his strength, trying to ignore how it had become blood-soaked within minutes or how deadly pale Draco was. He didn't like the other boy, but he certainly didn't want him to die.

Then Severus was there, kneeling beside his son with his wand in his hand, murmuring incantations in a low, but fierce voice.

After a moment, he stopped and nodded to his son. "All right, Harry, slowly move your jumper away. I believe I've stopped the bleeding."

Harry moved his hands away, tossing the ruined jumper to the side. Severus carefully eased Draco's clothing up, revealing a deep wound across his chest. There was so much blood that Harry couldn't tell at first whether the healing spells had helped, but Severus nodded in satisfaction and began waving his wand over Draco's chest again. As Harry watched, the wound knit itself closed, though there was still an angry red mark where it had been. Finally Severus gave a flick of his wand and the blood vanished.

Then he took a deep breath and sat back, closing his eyes for a second.

"Dad, will he be all right?" Harry asked quietly.

"Yes, I think so, though I shall call Poppy to come and examine him to make certain." Severus opened his eyes and looked at Harry. "Do you know what happened?"

Harry explained how he had caught sight of Draco lying injured in the garden while he had been flying, how he had tried to help and had called for the house elves.

"I thought that would be the fastest way to get you," he said.

Severus laid his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Well done, son. Your quick actions and clear thinking likely saved Draco's life. I'm proud of you."

Harry ducked his head and gave a tiny shrug. "I had to do something. Anyone would have."

"Your actions are commendable, Harry. There's no reason to deny it," his father said firmly. Then he frowned slightly, his black eyes warm with concern. "It is chilly out here and you have only a thin T-shirt. Your jumper is clean now, Harry. Put it back on."

Harry looked over to where his jumper lay on the grass. Severus' spell had cleaned all the blood away, but Harry still didn't think he wanted to wear it again.

"Do I have to?"

Severus had stood and was casting a spell to levitate Draco. He glanced at his son. "Very well, but hurry back inside and put on another. I don't want you catching pneumonia again."

He started off towards Prince Hall, an unconscious Draco floating in the air beside him.

Harry knelt on the ground a moment longer, staring at the now-shining pruning shears, feeling shaken. He shivered and wasn't sure if it was because of the cool breeze or in reaction to the events of the past ten minutes.

"Harry, come along!" His father's voice cut through his reverie.

"All right, Dad." Harry jumped up, grabbed his Firebolt from the ground and ran to join his father.