It’s been ages so here is a long chapter to make up for the delay :)

***

I don’t believe it, Draco bit back his temper as the door was opened, he’s still bloody here.

His annoyance was somewhat mitigated when it became plain that Potter was on his way out.

‘Malfoy,’ Harry acknowledged him very briefly as he passed.

‘Potter,’ Draco gave the boy an infinitesimal nod.

Shutting the door carefully, Draco turned to his Godfather.

‘I hope I’m not too early, Severus?’ Notice that I’m not even mentioning that Potter’s been with you all day? Draco was careful not to give Severus an excuse to say he was moaning again.

‘Of course not. Would you like some tea?’

The older wizard accio’d another cup and saucer in response to Draco’s nod and pushed a cup towards him before pouring himself the second cup.

‘How was your afternoon?’

Brilliant, I loved watching everyone celebrate winning the match which you banned me from. Draco stirred his tea carefully before replying.

‘Oh, well, you know. The usual, really, I was doing my charms essay and the potions readings you set.’

‘You understood all of them fully?’

‘I think so,’ Draco nodded. ‘I’ve been using those extra books you gave me as well.’

‘And you finished your charms essay without any difficulty?’

‘Of course, Charms is hardly challenging.’

‘I’m glad to hear that as you have your first detention tomorrow night and you will need to keep on top of your assignments.’

‘Don’t remind me,’ Draco murmured. ‘I don’t suppose you could have a word with Finch? Have him let us do some of our homework during some of the detentions? What? You’ve given us two hours of detention every evening for a fortnight and I’m sure you don’t want Slytherin’s marks to drop.’

‘If you’re organised finishing your work should not present any difficulties. You will have the weekend to catch up on work, after all.’

‘Well, I’m sure I’ll be fine.’ Draco replied loftily. ‘But you haven’t seen how long it takes for Crabbe and Goyle to read a chapter of a textbook.’

Severus raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.

‘You don’t mean to say that they actually do the reading? How very disheartening.’

‘So will you let us do the work during detention?’

‘What do you think?’

Draco sighed.

‘As you can see, even nepotism has its limits.’ Severus remarked lightly.

‘Well it was worth asking.’

They drank finished their drinks in a fairly comfortable silence.

Draco was the first to finish and jump up from the table.

‘May I...’ he indicated the floo powder which was kept in a small, carved box upon the mantelpiece.

At his Godfather’s nod he threw a pinch into the fire before leaning into the flames.

‘Father?’

‘Ah, Draco.’

Draco heard rather than saw his father’s response initially before he appeared in front of the flames and crouched down to speak to him.

‘Do step through, so we can speak in a civilised fashion, your Mother was mentioning you only moments ago.’

Draco nodded obediently before drawing back.

‘I’m just stepping through for a few minutes,’ he told his Godfather, ‘won’t you join us?’

Severus inclined his head briefly and followed Draco, declaring ‘Malfoy Mansion’ crisply before stepping out brushing away traces of ash from his robes.

‘Severus.’ Lucius said with his usual cool expression, ‘how fortunate that Draco choose a time when you were free to join us. Narcissa will be down to join us shortly.’

‘Lucius, it’s been too long,’ Severus his expression equally deadpan. It hadn’t in actual fact been overly long since he’d seen Lucius but one tended to ignore Deatheater duties when meeting socially.

‘Indeed it has, do take a seat. Ah Narcissa, look Severus is here, we had better summon refreshments straight away.’

‘Severus.’ Narcissa drew close as he brushed his lips against her cheek briefly. ‘It is very good to see you again. We missed you this summer.’

‘Yes, quite.’ Lucius agreed, before clapping his hands. ‘Stokey! Minnie!’

‘Yes Master.’

Two quivering house-elves appeared in front of him speaking in unison.

‘Tea,’ he told them commandingly. ‘In the front room.’

***

It was, Severus reflected later quite the strangest conversation he had at the Malfoy’s yet.

Although the three of them followed the expected Pureblood standards of presenting a proud, unrelentingly polite facade at all times it was very apparent that things were markedly off between Lucius and Narcissa.

They’d talked in circles for some time to no avail, discussing Draco’s academic progress (exemplary), the Ministry for Magic (feeble and uninspiring), the weather (unfeasibly hot for this time of year) and the price of potions ingredients (increasing, yet again.)

Eventually they’d arrived at their plans for the coming months before Christmas whereupon Lucius had announced that it was highly likely that business would entail him going abroad for an extended period in the near future.

Severus remained silent at this disclosure. He had a good idea of the type of business which would necessitate Lucius travelling away but could hardly discuss those matters openly in this setting. Severus had never been sure how forthcoming Lucius was with his wife but he knew that his Godson was told very little in practical terms.

As it was there was a strange undercurrent in the room, with more being left unsaid than not and then Lucius mentioned that Narcissa would be staying with her sister Bellatrix while he was away.

Just how much do you know about what happened this summer? Severus thought to himself.

Catching sight of a quick, acutely unhappy glance which darted from mother to son an instant later only made Severus more curious about what was actually going on. Lucius was either oblivious to his wife’s discomfort, which seemed unlikely, or simply uncaring. Either way didn’t exactly bode well for the future of the Malfoy marriage.

***

‘Well, that was... unfortunate,’ Severus said at last when he was alone again with his Godson in his rooms.

Which is quite an understatement if Draco’s reaction is anything to go by now that we’re alone, Severus thought as he observed his ashen Godson.

‘How much does your father know about what happened this summer?’ He asked when no reply was forthcoming.

‘Nothing of any consequence,’ Draco answered sounding agitated. ‘He knows that she doesn’t want to be left alone again though, but there’s no way in the world that she’d ever agree to stay with my aunt.’

So the relationship between Narcissa and her sister had deteriorated even further, Severus surmised. Quite a feat considering the abhorrence which had already arose between the two of them in recent years.

‘I will have to go to her.’ Draco said at last, sounded resigned.

‘You can’t leave Hogwarts in the middle of the term.’

‘I won’t leave her alone, not after what happened! And there’s nowhere else, no one for her to stay with.’

A statement which is unfortunately all too accurate, Severus thought to himself. The Malfoy’s are in quite the unique position. Families which were not openly aligned with the Dark Lord would hesitate to show their true colours so blatantly by taking in Narcissa. Many of the lesser, power hungry Deatheater associates would be only too pleased to welcome Narcissa as a guest but would also be too weak to protect her. And then there was Lucius’ pride to consider; he would not want to be in any wizard’s debt. Bellatrix was Narcissa’s kin and therefore already bore certain familial responsibilities. She was a powerful witch, and along with her husband, would be more than capable of offering her sister a well defended place of respite. It was obviously of little importance to Lucius that Narcissa was clearly indisposed to the plan.

‘She’s so unhappy, Severus.’ Draco sounded wretched. ‘She... well she more or less came out and told me during the summer that she would leave Father if only she could.’

‘If there were somewhere else that she might go, do I take it that it would be a... feasible possibility at this point in time for her to leave Malfoy Mansion?’ Severus asked, his analytical mind running through the various items which he knew had once been kept in their home.

Draco nodded ‘it’s clear now. Everything has been moved to...’

Severus cut him off sharply. ‘Enough, it is not necessary for me to know the details.’

If Narcissa is willing to cut herself off from the influence of those working for the Dark Lord, perhaps it might be just as well if I am instrumental to her. Merlin knows, if it is left to her to sort herself out, she’ll probably end up at the Lestrange’s after all. Of course, in one sense it is completely ridiculous for me to even consider becoming involved no matter how lightly. If it were just a case of Narcissa’s suffering I would not even consider it. But this could one day this could be the fundamental factor in Draco’s future decisions. He needs to see that being drawn deeper into the Dark Lord’s grasp isn’t completely inevitable.

Severus looked at his Godson silently before eventually continuing in a heavy, reluctant voice.

‘I may know of a place where there is someone your mother could stay with safely.’

‘You do?’ Draco said eagerly. ‘With whom? Where?’

‘Wait Draco, first you must realise that this is no short term solution. Your father’s arrangements are obviously set on course. If Narcissa isn't to act accordingly it will obviously entail the utmost secrecy and be likely to lead to the end of your parent’s union.’

‘Severus, I appreciate this so much.’

Well that obviously doesn't concern him.

‘If will not be what she is used to, her companion will be less than her equal and the accommodation would be functional, nothing more.’ Severus said uneasily.

‘That is all she needs.’

‘Very well,’ Severus eyed his Godson steadily. ‘I will speak to Narcissa and assuming matters proceed as expected I will take her there, when the time comes.’

***

After leaving Severus’ rooms Harry had headed straight back to his dorm. It was nearly time for curfew and he was suddenly felt exhausted. All he wanted was a hot shower, half an hour occluding to clear his head and an early night.

His three dorm-mates fell silent as he opened the door to the room he shared with them. He hadn’t seen them since all the commotion in the common room yesterday and they had probably been discussing him, Harry realised.

Connor recovered the quickest.

‘Ah, Golden Boy, you’re back! Perhaps not quite so gold as you once were though? I take it you’ll be joining our little detention group next week, along with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle?’

‘You what?’ Harry replied disbelievingly, ‘Snape’s given them detention?’

‘A fortnights worth,’ Connor confirmed. ‘They’re almost, but not quite, up to the amount I’ve got tallied up. So I take it you won’t be joining us then?’

Harry shrugged before saying bluntly, ‘Snape didn’t say anything about it to me.’

Jasper stared at Harry in surprise and for a moment their eyes met briefly before the Slytherin boy dropped his gaze and looked awkwardly away.

‘Well you’re pretty bloody lucky, Potter.’ Theo said slowly. ‘I can’t imagine that anyone else would have got away with starting a fight or hitting a prefect like that.’

‘I think you should keep your opinion to yourself,’ Harry replied coolly, ‘seeing as you’re the one who set the whole thing off.’

‘Excuse me?!’

‘Don’t try and pretend that it wasn’t you who fed all that stuff to Malfoy.’ Harry said with a glint in his eye. ‘About me not sleeping, about the nightmares and what happened to my Godfather.’

‘That’s what you think?’ Theo said breathing heavily, sounding furious. ‘That I’ve been going around saying stuff about you? Have you told Snape this?!’

‘Well perhaps you shouldn’t spread rumours if you don’t like the consequences,’ Harry replied also sounding heated. ‘Now if you don’t mind I’m going to take a shower and it might be just as well if you were gone when I get back. Why don’t you go and spend the evening in the common room with your new pal, Malfoy?’

Grabbing a clean towel from a drawer, Harry headed into the bathroom and dived under the steaming hot water.

The truth, of course, was that Harry hadn’t discussed with Snape how Malfoy had found out about Sirius, for one thing he’d been too annoyed with himself. It was obvious that by telling Jasper and Connor they were bound to mention it to their other roommate. And whereas Jasper had always made every effect to be friendly, Harry had always got the impression that Theo didn’t like him and was looking down at him as an outsider. Connor on the other hand seemed too keen on antagonising Malfoy to pass on any information. No, Harry knew it was Theo who had been stirring things. He was annoyed about it but it didn’t surprise him in the slightest.

Leaving the bathroom twenty minutes later clad in pyjamas with his damp hair sticking up, Harry found the dorm empty with the exception of Connor who was lying down flicking through one of Harry’s Quidditch books.

Harry raised an eyebrow. ‘Help yourself, why don’t you?’ he said mildly. ‘I thought you didn’t like quidditch?’

‘I don’t mind the game. I’m just not allowed to play it.’ The Irish boy said unapologetically, shutting the book.

‘Why not? Who’s stopping you?’

‘Hooch, Snape, Dumbledore. Take your pick,’ Connor replied blankly. Then after a slight pause, ‘I was in quite a lot of trouble before I came here. It seems to have followed me here, my knack of pissing people off.’

‘Seems to be your mission in life,’ Harry observed.

Connor grinned and tossed the book across the room to him.

‘You know it wasn’t Theo who spoke to Malfoy.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Oh come on, Golden Boy.’ Connor coaxed him. ‘You’re hardly blind or stupid for all that you’re really a Gryffindor. Who is it who can’t even look you in the eye, he feels so guilty?’

‘Jasper? Why...’

‘He’s not a bad kid. Just, you know, a bit spineless. You can see he’s bricking it at the moment though.’

‘Shit. So none of this was Theo’s fault,’ Harry sounded reflective as he sat propped up against the wall on his bed.

‘You might want to let Snape know that, for some reason this lot seem to get really het up about what their head of house thinks.’

‘’Cause he can be a bloody git and make your life a misery when he wants to.’ Harry said automatically, remembering his previous years at Hogwarts.

‘You’re telling me.’ Connor seemed quite good humoured about it.

‘You think you have it bad?’ Harry shook his head. ‘You just go looking for trouble- winding people up, cutting classes, missing detentions and stuff. You have no idea what he can be like when he really has it in for someone.’

‘I’ll bear that in mind,’ Connor sounded amused. ‘So are you going to grass up Jasper?’

Harry lay down on his back, his reply sounding slightly muffled by a yawn.

‘I never said anything about Theo. I don’t care about Jasper either. It was my own fault, I shouldn’t have told anyone about Sirius.’

‘Sometimes talking helps.’

‘Yeah, maybe.’ Harry replied quietly as he pulled his bed sheet and duvet up over him, although he didn’t really believe it. Talking won’t bring him back, nothing can do that.

Harry lay awake in bed, idly occluding in the manner which had became second nature to him. He began by imagining himself flying, twisting, turning, ducking and diving. Then he focused intensely on how it felt to be at one with his broom with everything around him fading into nothing, drawing his emotions tightly around him before releasing them. By the time Theo and Jasper came in Harry was half asleep and didn’t stir.

***

An hour or so later, Harry began to toss and turn. If he’d been awake he would have recognised the nausea which always seemed to precede his strangest dreams. As it was he kicked his sheet away, squirming restlessly.

It was a dark night beside the lake and the crow was flying at a low height in loops, back and forth. Every now and then strong gusts of wind caught the branches of the trees and dragged them about. Underneath them a canine form sat beside the glistening water edge. His body was thrown in and out of the shadows as the clouds broke the moonlight. Although the shade of the dog’s sleek coat was obscured to a large extent by the depth of the gloom, Harry would know him anywhere. And yet... there was something that he couldn’t put his finger on that niggled about Padfoot. Something out of place which didn’t fit...

With a start Harry sat upright in his bed, looking around him feeling disorientated.

Where was he? Sirius had been right in front of him just a second ago...

Pushing the heels of his hands into his weary eyes, Harry blinked several times as reality reasserted itself.

It had seemed so bloody real. He’d wanted so desperately for it to be true. For Sirius to be alive, unharmed and here at Hogwarts. The hollow ache in his chest felt like he’d been thumped.

Perhaps if I go back to sleep, it’ll be the same? Even if it’s just a dream at least I’ll see him again.

He sank back against his pillows, forcing his eyes tightly closed. For a while he lay drowsily willing his mind to let go. Next to him he heard Jasper exhale noisily and turn over in his sleep, then the room was silent once more. Once more he shut out all thoughts, the soft regular sounds of breathing, and lost himself utterly in his occlumency.

It was an icy, cold morning and he felt chilled despite the thick, woollen jumper and heavy, winter coat he was wearing with his jeans. He could see his breath in front of him as he hesitated in front of the all-too-familiar gate. Harry clutched his wrist compulsively, griping the hard plastic wrist watch he was wearing before reaching back and reassuring himself that his wand was in his back pocket.

Taking a deep breath he unlatched the gate and walked up the drive, reaching quickly for the doorbell before fear could overtake him and change his mind. For the second that Harry was stood there waiting on the doorstep it seemed as though time stood still. He could see the frost on the grass, the icy rivulets frozen solid on the gatepost and the winter sun low in the cloudy, still sky. His heart rate increased exponentially and every nerve in his body was tingling. As the door began to open, Harry chocked back a terrified swallow before he heard the voice he knew too well, ringing with the hostility he was accustomed to.

‘What in the hell are you doing here, Boy?’

His uncle’s massive frame towered over him in the doorway, glaring at him in disbelief and no small degree of menace as he took a step towards him. Harry couldn’t stop himself from stumbling backwards a couple steps before Vernon’s huge, beefy hand reached out and grabbed him roughly by the collar; manhandling him past the front door and away from the prying eyes of their neighbours.

‘You’ve got some bloody nerve.’ White spittle sprayed on Harry as Vernon loomed over him, his sweaty, red face just inches away from him.

Harry breath was stilted, a huge lump obstructing his windpipe.

‘I...I...’

Fear caught the words in his throat as he saw the enormous fist drawn back...

One moment Harry was cringing in front of his Uncle at Privet Drive. The next he was sat up once more in bed shaking and gasping. Within a second the light of three wands was directed at him.

‘Are you OK, Harry?’ Jasper whispered. ‘You just yelled pretty loud.’

Theo lost interest after a quick assessing glance. He lowered his wand, muttering ‘Nox’ as he rolled over to head back to sleep. Connor and Jasper remained staring at Harry, however.

‘I ... you heard me?’ I set a silencing charm. I know I did, Harry’s confusion increased as his heart rate gradually began to slow to a steadier beat.

‘I think Gryffindor tower probably heard you.’ Connor said jokingly, also nox’ing his wand but remaining sat upright in his bed. ‘You’ve sure got a pair of lungs on you.’

‘Fuck.’

Clamouring out of bed, Harry grabbed his wand and headed for Snape’s rooms. Luckily it wasn’t that late. Although it felt like the middle of the night a quick Tempus revealed it was half past twelve. They’d only been asleep for a couple hours. There was a good chance that Snape wouldn’t even have even turned in yet.

Running his hand against the door to break the seal, Harry burst into the rooms at a furious pace.

‘Harry?’ Severus looked up from where he was sat in one of the dark green armchairs. A stack of parchments and a half empty goblet of wine were in front of him.

‘I’m sleeping in the spare room again.’ Harry announced, heading straight towards his room.

‘What happened in your dorm?’

‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ Harry said shortly opening the door without looking at the Professor.

‘Wait, Harry.’ Severus said commandingly. ‘You can’t just burst in here unannounced in the middle of the night without an explanation.’

Harry hesitated at the door but still didn’t turn to face the older wizard.

‘Can we talk about this another time?’

‘Are you going to be able to sleep if you go in there?’ Severus asked pointedly.

There was no answer, just a slight shrug.

‘Come over here.’

Biting down on his lip and breathing heavily Harry slowly made his way to the other side of the room and sat opposite him on the stiff sofa.

‘Our work yesterdayhas some side-effects seeing that I now cancel silencing charms in my sleep.’ Harry said bitterly.

‘I see.’ Severus replied levelly. ‘And the dream that woke you...’

‘The dream that woke my whole dorm,’ Harry corrected, ‘apparently I was yelling like an idiot. I scared the crap out of them all.’

‘I’m sure they’ll live,’ Severus replied drily. ‘What was it that disturbed you so?’

‘That’s just it. It was nothing really. And at first I had a really good dream, about Sirius. He was here, at Hogwarts down by the river, running around the place as Padfoot. Though he looked different somehow...’

‘Different in what sense?’ Severus asked quietly.

‘I don’t know. Smaller, not skinny or ill ...I mean he looked healthy enough but not like himself if that makes sense. I was so happy. I mean, I know it’s just a dream, but it’s as if he’s right there in front of me for real. And when I woke I thought I might dream about him again...but I didn’t,’ Harry faltered.

‘Was it the dream where you were cursed again?’ Severus said frowningly.

‘No. Really it was nothing. I just dreamt I was going back to my Uncle and Aunts,that was all.’

Severus looked very on edge at this. ‘Was it a normal dream, or like the others you’ve been having?’

‘Oh it was really vivid, that’s for sure.’ Harry replied with a bitter laugh. ‘I could even feel my uncle spit on me when he was yelling. I mean, that’s how detailed it was.’

‘Well I can assure you that you will never have to encounter him again.’

‘Yeah,’ Harry agreed without much conviction, playing with a thread on his pyjama sleeve.

‘I mean it, Harry. You need not concern yourself with any thoughts of your relations. You will never go there again.’

‘I... it’s just I’m kind of used to having to go back there, no matter what. Part of me thinks that if Dumbledore, I mean Professor Dumbledore, thinks the wards are better there, that’s where I’ll end up going.’

‘Look at me, Harry.’

Harry dragged his eyes up to meet Severus’.

‘I will not allow you to ever go back to your relatives. Do you understand me? Under any circumstances. Is that clear?’

Harry still looked unconvinced.

‘I know he’d only do it for my best interest though,’ he said in a low voice, ‘because he thinks I’d be safer there in spite of my Uncle or ... well because my presence could put other people at risk...’

I couldn’t stand it if the Weasleys were attacked because of me. It wouldn’t be right for me to stay there.

‘We’ve already been over this some time ago.’ The older wizard interrupted abruptly. ‘I thought we agreed that you could stay with me over any holidays for the foreseeable future?’

Harry looked at him in surprise.

‘You don’t remember our conversation about this?’

Harry did, but he hadn’t thought for one moment that Severus had meant what he’d said. Not seriously. Surely he had just been trying to shut me up? And anyway, that didn’t solve anything, not really. I don’t want Snape to be put at risk by hiding me again.

‘...But there’d be a risk if I stay with you again,’ Harry pointed out. ‘It doesn’t matter, anyway. I’ve lived with my relatives up until now. A couple more years and I’ll be an adult. I’ll cope, I’m used to it.’

As long as he doesn’t actually kill me when I go back, Harry thought to himself. And realistically he won’t take things that far. Probably.

Severus’ jaw tightened and his eyes began to narrow.

‘A couple points for you to think about before you resign yourself to your pitiful position as a Gryffindor martyr.’ Severus started with his lip curling. ‘Firstly have you any idea how offensive it is to be told by a fifteen year old, school boy that my provisions are insufficient? The wards on my property have been checked by Dumbledore himself, although of course, I’m sure with your superior expertise you will be able to point out the faults which he has missed. In second place, I am sure you in your adolescent wisdom, have also anticipated and discounted the contingency plans which I have set in place for such events? I have another property which is unplottable and utterly secret. A places which absolutely no one knows about... but you have no doubt thought of this possibility and found it lacking in some respect? I can quite see why you would find that brute’s hospitality preferable.’

Harry looked back at the older wizard fiercely. He was tired, emotionally strung out and Snape thought it was a good time to lecture him about how stupid he was? I don’t need this right now.

‘But none of that will help, if Voldemort finds out, will it?’ he said simply. ‘Not if you’re in front of him. He’d kill you and no safe-house or wards would be of any use ’cause it would all be too late.’

It’d be one more person’s death that I would be responsible for. Another death of someone I care about.

Severus’ expression softened slightly.

‘Really Harry, I expect you to have more faith in my skill as a spy than that.’ He said chidingly. ‘I can assure you that should the Dark Lord ever discover any of my subterfuges I will take great care to ensure I remain a great distance away from him.’

Harry opened his mouth to reply but Severus cut him off.

‘No, I think we’ll leave that there. You can sleep on it and tell list out the reasons why you wish to visit your relatives for me in the morning. I can see that you are overly tired at the moment.’

‘But...’

‘Hush. Let’s see if we can’t find a more agreeable topic of conversation, shall we? Tell me what you plan to do with your day tomorrow.’

Harry sighed slightly and leant his head on the top of the sofa.

‘It’s Quidditch practise, after breakfast and then I think Hermione wants us to go to the Library for an hour or two...’ Harry said unenthusiastically.

‘I have no doubt that without Miss Granger as a friend, both your and Weasley’s grades would be even more deplorable.’ Severus remarked approvingly.

Harry scowled.

‘They’re not deplorable. Anyway, after lunch I thought I could come here again.’

‘To continue working on wandless shields?’

‘Well that and I thought you could show me some better silencing charms,’ Harry admitted. ‘Do you think we can find some that I won’t be able to cancel accidentally?’

‘We can certainly try.’ Severus replied musingly. ‘Although it might not be easy, accidental magic isn’t easy to guard against. But we will certainly see what we can do. And if it doesn’t work I can speak to your dorm-mates and explain the situation.’

‘That won’t be necessary,’ Harry replied hastily. I’m pretty sure none of them will say anything after everything that just happened with Malfoy. ‘It’s embarrassing more than anything. Anyway I can always sleep here if I have to... um but I might wake you as well.’

‘My wards would not allow your silencing charms in here in any case,’ Severus pointed out.

Like at his home, Harry thought, struggling to keep his eyes open as he remembered how Snape had said he couldn’t protect him if he couldn’t hear him cry out.

‘Come. You will be in no fit state to sit on that infernal broomstick in the morning if you do not get some proper rest.’ Severus dispatched him towards his bedroom before he nodded off on the sofa.

***

Harry managed to go the rest of the night without any other strange dreams. However he slept fitfully and awoke looking more tired than ever, a fact that Severus didn’t hesitate to point out to him as they made their way to breakfast.

‘Why don’t you ask for practise to be delayed for an hour or so?’ Severus had urged him before they left his rooms.

‘We’ve got the pitch booked for nine o’clock,’ Harry replied wearily, opening the door out onto the corridor.

‘You need to stop being so short sighted. Your health is far more important than Quidditch practise.’ Severus told him in a low voice as they passed a group of first year Slytherins.

‘I’ll be fine,’ Harry answered shortly.

If you should fall off your broom due to sheer exhaustion...’

‘I won’t fall off,’ Harry snapped irritably as they reached the doorway to the Great Hall. ‘Look, really I’m ok. I’m just a bit tired, it’s not going to hurt me.’

For a moment he thought Severus was going to lambast him for his rudeness or even ban him from attending practise but all he did was delve into one of his many pockets and withdraw a vial.

‘Pepper-up potion.’ He announced tightly, thrusting it into Harry’s hand. ‘If you really must play that insufferably, foolish game.’ The next moment the Professor had turned away heading for the Professor’s table and leaving Harry to make his way over to Ron and Hermione.

As he made his way past the Slytherin table Harry could feel Connor and Jasper watching him but tried to avoid looking in their direction.

***

Whether the Pepper-Up potion served its purpose or the Quidditch simply succeeding in waking Harry up where nothing else could by half-past ten he felt much more like his normal self.

Sitting in the library with Ron and Hermione they had a whispered conversation where he gave them a brief run down about his sleeping problems.

Ron, who having shared a dorm with Harry in the past had a good idea just how disturbed his sleep could be was particularly sympathetic.

‘The problem is,’ he whispered to Harry, ‘if you’re ending your silencing charms in your sleep without meaning to the chances are any other spells would probably end up the same way.’

‘We don’t know that for sure,’ Hermione injected softly. ‘Professor Snape might know other more complicated spells, ones that Harry can’t just undo. Or perhaps if he were to cast them on you himself it would be harder for you to remove them?’

Harry imagined Jasper, Connor and Theo watching agog as their Head of House came in every evening to cast spells on him before bedtime.

‘I think I’d rather just sleep in Snape’s rooms,’ he muttered.

‘Well I’ll do a bit of research, while we’re here.’ She decided, heading towards the book shelves in a determined manner.

Harry flicked through one of the many books Hermione had piled on the table in front of them and began to scrawl a hurried response to his the Charms question about the best methods of keeping items at correct temperatures. He knew that this essay wasn’t going to reach a particularly high standard but hoped it would scrape by as acceptable.

***

Forty minutes later he finished his final paragraph with a flourish and laid down his quill. It definitely wasn’t his best work but right now he felt like he was beginning to flag and didn’t particularly care.

He glanced at Ron who was still scribbling furiously away, his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth as he concentrated on what he was writing.

‘Did you understand the stuff to do with the Warbutous charm?’ He asked.

‘Warbutous? Is that like the Warbant charm for freezing liquids?’ Ron said after biting his lip for a moment. ‘No? Merlin, I haven’t even covered that one, then. How many of these bloody charms are there? It’s impossible to keep them all straight in your head.’

‘I wouldn’t worry too much; it looks like you’ve written quite a lot.’ Harry glanced at the parchment in front of his friend which was filled with masses of messy writing.

‘Yes...I’m not sure it all makes sense though.’ Ron admitted uncertainly.

‘I think my concluding paragraph sort of contradicts itself,’ Harry told him ruefully. ‘I’d get Hermione to read the essay through but I’m not sure I could bear having to start over again.’

‘Oh well. It’s nearly lunch now anyway.’ Ron said brightening up. ‘Anyway everyone says temperature charms are bloody difficult so I guess Flitwick will expect us to get a little bit muddled.’

Weighed down by several large text books Hermione was making her way back towards them.

‘We’re nearly done here,’ Harry told her. ‘How’d you get on?’

‘I think I’ve found something that might help.’

Hermione laid a battered looking text book on the table and opened it to a section upon casting techniques.

‘It doesn’t mention silencing charms but I think the general principle would be the same.’ She said as Harry read the information carefully.

The text she had found described how it was possible to layer spells so that even when ‘Finite Incantatem’ was used other versions remained behind.

So if I cancelled one silencing spell it wouldn’t matter, Harry thought.

‘This is great Hermione, I’ll ask Snape about it after lunch.’

***

Harry decided to head back to his dorm after lunch before going through to see Snape. He wanted to offload his parchments and books from earlier on his way and literally meant to stay no more than a couple of minutes.

As it was things didn’t work out quite as he had planned.

During the short walk from the Great Hall to the Slytherin Common Room Harry started to feel peculiar. His head felt woozy and by the time he entered his dorm he was dizzy enough to sit down heavily on his bed, his roommates’ concern no more than a superfluous distraction which he paid no attention to.

A wave of nausea overcame him with such rapidity that Harry fought desperately to keep his lunch down. He rested his eyes momentarily until the sickness started to pass but nearly jumped out of his skin when he opened them and registered the crow perched on the bedpost beside him.

‘Fuck.’ Swinging his legs over to the other side of the bed Harry stood up shakily and grasped the opposite bed post.

I ought to be used to this by now, he told himself. Then he noticed all his room-mates staring at him. Shit.

‘Are you ok?’ Jasper asked tremulously.

‘Fine,’ he mumbled.

Staggering to the bathroom, he left his roommates glancing at each other uncertainly.

Theo was the first to try to pretend nothing was out of the ordinary, delving back into his book.

Connor shook his head in disbelief. Always one to keep a distance aren’t you Theo, he thought incredulously.

‘I...I...Do you think I should go and get Snape?’ Jasper asked Connor at last.

‘No. Not yet anyway...’

They waited a few minutes. Everything was silent in the bathroom.

‘Ah, fuck it, I’ll go and speak to him,’ Connor said.

***

‘Harry?’

Connor gently pushed the bathroom door further open. He saw that Harry was sat on the floor, leaning against the side of the bath. His mop of messy dark hair looked more dishevelled than usual as if he’d been clawing at it. His eyes were screwed tightly shut and when he opened them the bright emerald hue shone strangely from the drained complexion of his face.

‘You alright Harry?’

‘Never been better,’ Harry laughed mirthlessly.

‘You want to talk about it?’

Harry hugged his knees to his chest.

‘I have strange dreams.’

His tone sounded so despondent that Connor crouched down beside him, his face full of sympathy. ‘Hey, it’s going to be ok.’

Blinking repeatedly, Harry scrambled towards the sink.

‘No it won’t. I’m sick of this.’ Then without warning he grabbed the tooth-mug from the side of the basin and lobbed it at other side of the room where it hit the wall beside the toilet.

‘Will you FUCK OFF?’

Connor froze in whatever he was about to say. He was fairly sure Harry wasn’t speaking to him but there was no one else in the room.

‘Um. Do...do you want me to get Snape?’

‘No, it’s ok. I’ll go there myself,’ Harry said wearily.

Connor reached out a hand to help him up but as soon as Harry grasped hold of him beginning to stand his eyes widened and his whole body tensed. He dropped Connor’s hand like it was burning hot, closing his eyes and clamping his arms over his chest.

‘I just want to be normal,’ he murmured indistinctly.

He opened his eyes again for a second before shutting them hurriedly. ‘Fucking crow,’ he groaned softly.

They both stood there motionless for so long that Harry was sure Connor had left but when he at last opened his eyes the boy was still there staring at him intensely.

‘Did you... just say crow?’ he asked carefully.

Harry nodded.

‘What... what crow are you talking about? Can you describe it to me?’

‘I don’t know. It’s not even here, ok? But I see it all the bloody time. It’s black with a grey neck and I don’t know what the fuck is going on with it.’

‘Merlin, Harry.’ Connor breathed softly. Pointing his wand at the door, he cast two quick spells closing and locking the door.

‘Promise you won’t throw anything else?’

‘What, why?’

Connor stood up straight and took a deep breath before transforming.

All of a sudden it was as if a tension on Harry’s mind was eased.

Connor was an animagus. The crow and Connor were one and the same. Perhaps Harry wasn’t as mad as he had once feared.