Severus leaned back happily on the sofa with Rosemerta's head pillowed on his chest. He had talked a smirking Lucius into keeping the three boys over night at Malfoy Manor several days after ‘the Weasley visit'. Dudley and Harry had been eager for the promised flying lesson, and Draco just as eager to show his skills off.

Tom had smugly told them ‘he might have another pensieve memory to share of the founders.' The teenager had been carefully writing down memories that Yvane was slowly showing him from the founder's time. The work was painstaking, as Tom had to view them several times to truly see all details and understand the extremely old English. Yvane, of course would point out subtleties of expression and other small clues in the landscape that told them more than Tom had expected.

Lucius had, of course been quite gleeful that he would see the next memory before Severus. Severus had gritted his teeth and just smiled at him. Once he had arrived at Rosemerta's door, to be greeted with enthusiastic kisses, it was much easier to tell himself he would see the memory soon enough.

Severus looked down at the sleeping blond, feeling a rare peacefulness. For the moment life was going according to plan. He knew with cruel certainty that it would not last. In the past he had let himself be too caught up in the struggles he faced to enjoy the few moments of tranquility. Severus smirked down at Rosemerta, one of the few useful Hufflepuff traits he had let her teach him - enjoying the good moments when they occurred.

Severus could see dawn starting to break, and stood - carefully adjusting Rosemerta to lay comfortably, and tucked in the blanket they had cuddled under. He leaned down and kissed her goodbye.

Her hand reached out and grabbed his wrist. "Are we okay, Severus?"

Severus was a bit mystified. "Yes, of course." He looked at her and grimaced. "I know that my time has been taken up with Harry and Dudley..." He sighed; the past few years - he usually devoted a fair amount of time to Rosemerta during the summer. He'd only taken her to Madrid this year - and they had dumped the boys on her during that trip.

"Sev'rus, I don't mind that you are getting your wards settled in. I just don't want to lose you...have you drift away." Rosemerta bit her lip, perhaps she shouldn't push this.

Severus knelt beside her, she'd become a welcome presence in his life, he didn't want to lose her, either. "I know getting together - at least alone - will be more difficult, now, but I'll make sure you get over to Dragonsrest frequently - the boys could use a female presence. They're teaching Draco about belching contests and food fights."

Rosemerta giggled a bit, imagining Lucius' appalled look if Draco were to throw peas at someone. She gave Severus a lingering kiss. "Owl me."

"If my owl can still fly - Dudley has been feeding him so many treats that he can barely lift off." Severus smirked.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

The next few days were hectic. They visited Petunia, again - remembering to bring their own flowers, this time. Then, Severus and Lucius cast the blood wards with a rather proud Dudley allowing them to make a small cut on his left palm without a wince.

Yuan had presented himself at their door to get the promised explanation about Tom. Severus and Tom had sat with Yuan and had answered numerous questions. Between Yao and Yvane he had been convinced that the boy was Tom Riddle - not yet Lord Voldemort, and already on a different path. Again, the dragons insisted that Severus was on the correct path, and they vouched wholeheartedly for Tom - they insisted Yvane had things well in hand.

Tom had grimaced a bit at hearing that anyone had him ‘in hand', but couldn't deny that it was for the best.

Dudley and Harry had been quietly listening. Dudley had been confused, but Harry was not. It slowly had sunk in that Tom, who they had grown to really like, was somehow also ‘Lord Voldemort' - who had killed his parents. Further listening revealed that somehow Tom ‘wasn't Voldemort', yet. This Tom was only sixteen, and was not intending to ‘go dark, or try to gain power' like Voldemort.

Harry was glad no one was paying attention to him, he really needed the time to adjust to the idea that Tom was - yet wasn't Voldemort. It was with relief that he heard his guardian say, "Ollivander had the correct idea - Tom is really a separate and very different person from the Dark Lord, we need to think of him as his own person."

Harry relaxed a bit, this was more understandable. He had heard Lucius and Severus discuss Voldemort, before Tom had appeared - they had spoken of him with hatred and loathing. If Tom was really him in any way Severus would never keep him here.

Severus and Yuan walked to the door, continuing their conversation. Dudley wandered outside to the home gym, still mystified by the conversation. Tom slowly turned to Harry, clearly uncertain.

Tom had, as the days went by, come to dread this conversation. He liked Harry and Dudley, they were much younger than him, but it was like having younger brothers around, he supposed. The children at the orphanage had disliked and shunned him too much for him to have any relationship with them, other than to be adversaries. He felt a twinge of pain at the idea of Harry hating him.

"Harry, I don't know how to say how sorry I am that ...well...Voldemort did what he did to your family...I would never..." Tom hesitated; he couldn't really say he would never, because clearly his other self had. "I don't know how I went so insane or dark that I would do ... that."

Harry gulped a bit, Tom never seemed very emotional about much, and here he was, looking stricken about Voldemort having killed Harry's parents. "I didn't understand all you guys were saying, but I did understand the part about you being a separate person from Voldemort, now. You shouldn't have to apologize for what he did; you just have to make sure you don't follow that same path."

Yvane stayed curiously quiet during this, Tom thought. "Well, Yvane will nag me into staying a properly good wizard, I'm sure." Tom heard a snort of laughter in his head at that.

Tom and Harry stood and turned, and found a proud looking Severus in the doorway. He smiled at Harry, who beamed back at Severus, and scuttled out of the room. Tom flushed, uncertain of how sappy he had sounded during the talk with Harry.

"It's good you and Harry got that behind you - I could see it was starting to wear on you." Severus commented. "I believe lunch is ready." He held an arm out, and they entered the dining room with Severus' arm across his shoulder. Tom couldn't remember ever having that happen, in his life, before.

It was kind of nice.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Lucius had shown up the following day, grinning. There were several wizards behind him; one of them was the Head of the IFOW - Rustim Argonne. He and his assistant came in the house - the other two stood guard, outside.

They had a seat in the living area, and Tinker served a very ostentatious tea that he didn't usually bother with. Rustim came directly to the point.

"Mr. Malfoy came to me with a request for Mr. Potter and Mr. Dursley, and his son Draco Malfoy, to be allowed use of their wands - for lessons only - a year early. Yuan has vouched for you, and their tutor. It came as a shock to me that you were under the IFOW auspices. Of course those that live on Dragon Reserves are really the responsibility of the Director of that Reserve." Rustim smirked just a bit, and stared levelly at Severus. "I don't believe that Headmaster Dumbledore is aware of this. I would suggest not keeping it from him, now you are safely established with my official blessing."

Severus lifted an eyebrow. "Harry Potter and his cousin's safety is my responsibility, I felt that it was best to be here, on the Reserve. And, of course, you are right - Allbus will need to know, and soon."

"Yes, Yuan told me Petunia Dursley's tale, and your move to keep them here." Rustim gave him an approving smile. "Not many would think this a place of safety; you're to be commended for your shrewdness. My assistant and the two guards are under wizard oaths to keep all they see and hear secret. I, of course, don't mind pulling one over on Albus." Rustim pulled out three scrolls. "Here are the variances for Harry, Dudley and Draco."

Whoops of joy could be heard upstairs from the obviously eavesdropping young wizards.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

The group drifted through a few more days, playing and swimming. Harry gained weight and muscle and Dudley lost weight and gained muscle.

Tom, however, had a showdown with a very young Welsh Green. He had been leading the trio to the pool and found it occupied by the dragon. Yvane had huffed in annoyance, and told the youngster off.

The young dragon had been confused, hearing a ancient dragon's mind-voice coming from the puny human. The trio had gone running back to Dragonsrest at Toms urging - but he stayed. He was curious to see if he could make contact, with Yvane's help. They had been practicing his Legilimency and he hoped to reason with the young dragon.

Yvane had scolded the dragon into leaving the pool, and it stood, uncertainly, beside it, staring at Tom.

"Hello, young dragon, I hope the old grump didn't offend you." Tom began.

"He sounds like old Yao, when someone sneaks in his hot pool, when he isn't looking." The dragon answered in an aggrieved tone, sounding surprised at the attempt at conversation.

Tom could hear an irritated scoff from Yvane. "It's not his pool!"

"See, - just like Yao!" The dragon gave a pained snort.

"Perhaps we can share? We usually swim just in the afternoons. You can have it when we're not here?" Tom asked hesitantly.

Yvane stayed silent, some dragon breeds were more territorial than others. Welsh Greens tended to group together more than most, so sharing, perhaps, would not be a problem. The green looked thoughtful. "I don't mind sunning on a rock in the afternoon, instead." He answered slowly. "That would be acceptable." The green flew off, to find an unclaimed rock.

Tom turned to find a worried Severus, accompanied by an awestruck trio of boys. Yuan and Yao were with them. Yvane had called Yao, to let him know what was happening. Yao had been apprehensive that the young Welsh Green - who had never spoken to a person that they knew of - would become hostile, or dangerous and had flown over to lend aid, if need be. Yuan had been alerted by Yao, and had hustled to the scene, only to find that Tom was negotiating a friendly truce over the pool.

Tom gripped his head, the reactive headache from the Legilimency kicking in. Severus calmly handed him a headache potion with one for his stomach as well. He remembered the sickening migraine he'd endured the night of Tom's resurrection.

Yao wandered away to reclaim his own pool - that upstart Opaleye that just arrived often tried to sneak in whenever he was away from his hot spring.

Tom collapsed gratefully onto a chaise, well out of sunlight. The pain was slowly easing off, to his relief. The boys jumped in the pool noisily, now that the show was over. Yao sat in a chair next to Severus and stared at Tom, once again curious.

"It usually takes a couple of older dragons and their riders to convince a youngster to allow a human to speak to them the first time." Yuan said slowly.

"Yvane says that the Green recognized his voice, and the fact that it was coming from me was scary enough to cow him into listening to me when I started talking to him." Tom answered, slowly.

Yuan nodded slowly. Yao was correct; the young Tom Riddle would make a fine dragonkeeper, or dragonrider, if he kept an interest in it. "Do you know the difference between a dragonrider and dragonkeeper, Tom?"

"Yes, Yvane said that the bond with a rider is much deeper, and for life. A dragonkeeper bonds - but it is like a friendship, they learn from each other - like the old and young dragons do. The dragon usually leaves after they feel they've learned - or taught all they can." Tom answered.

"Yes, although, sometimes the friendship lasts almost a human lifetime. The potions-brewer here has a deep interest in Herbology as well. He has an old Welsh Green that is unlikely to ever leave this Reserve again, that has been telling him all he knows of the plants he's come across, over the centuries and what he's learned of them from his riders. They have a young Welsh Green that sits in on the lessons, also learning, from the both of them. ‘Dragonkeeping' comes in many forms."

Tom listened with interest. He desperately wanted to find his own place, here, among the dragons. Yvane soothed him with his continual promise that Tom would, indeed, have his chance. "You have the backing of the dragons, themselves - you won't be overlooked, I promise you."

Tom finally relaxed, letting the potions sooth him into a light doze.

Yuan smiled and stood, "I can see you and your lads will keep us busy here."

Severus smiled ruefully, and nodded, as Yuan walked back to his office.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

With Rustim's variances in their pockets the group of eager boys bounced down Diagonalley. ‘They were getting wands!!' Lucius had been busy, lately catching up on things that had been put off with their projects regarding Tom and certain Horcruxes. But a son receiving his wand was a special occasion, so the six of them strode down from the Leaky Cauldron to Ollivander's. The old man had sent an owl saying the wand for Harry was finally done.

Diagonalley was busier, now, with Hogwarts letters and booklists having been sent. There were soon whispers as people noticed them. ‘Is that Harry Potter?' was heard frequently. They hustled into Ollivander's quickly. The Weasley's - minus Bill - were there ahead of them, the twins admiring their new wands.

"Excellent choices, the two of you - both Ashwood, one with an Augury feather and the other with Imp hair as a core. I expect you will do well with them." Ollivander took the payment and smiled at the new customers. Ollivander's daughter took the wands to be polished.

The twins said ‘HI!' to Harry and gave him - and Severus a thumbs up sign, with a cospiritorial grin. Harry grinned back at them. He had sent the books as Severus had suggested, after he had explained ‘the joke' to Harry. Harry did think that the twins should be able to have some choice in their houses, instead of blindly following the rest of the family, so he was a willing ally.

Most of the Weasleys greeted Dudley and Harry and nodded to Severus, but seemed unsure as to what to do with the Malfoys. Lucius tired of the standoff, so he smiled benignly and bowed slightly. Arthur took the cue and nodded back.

"Aaaah Mr. Potter - I've finished the wand for you. I got your note, Severus - Ebony wand with thestral mane, was the choice for you, as I recall - regarding the variances. I'm sure that Mr. Dursley and Mr. Malfoy will find excellent wands." Severus saw the Weasley's take note of that. Albus would likely hear, right away, he thought with disgust. They hadn't paid any notice to the wisely silent Tom, to his relief. He hoped they left, soon.

Ollivander took out a box and handed it to Harry. Harry could feel the pull of the wand, it felt like a part of him was sitting in that box, and he desperately needed to reunite with it. He reached a shaky hand into the box and pulled out the wand. He could feel the wand ignite his magical core and it was like a breeze blew through him, swirling multicolored sparks around and through him. The dance of magic finally ended and he turned to his guardian.

Severus and Lucius were smiling and clapping, with Dudley and Draco hooting and applauding much louder. Tom actually grinned, and gave a thumbs up. The Weasley's looked astonished, but most of them clapped, as well. The twin laughed and yelled ‘excellent fireworks, Harry! making him grin in response.

"An interesting wand - it took much longer than usual. Holly does not usually mix with dragon parts well. But this heartstring wanted the Holly - likely because the dragon Yvane said he wanted to protect Harry - Holly repels evil, and Mr. Potter may need that." Ollivander looked satisfied.

Harry sat in a chair, grinning a bit madly and stared at the wand. Up until now he had known in his head he had magic, this was the first time he had truly felt it - Dudley was right, it was blissful.

Dudley went forward, looking a bit nervous. Ollivander measured and muttered, and started pulling out boxes, after a bit of breakage; he had a match, with the expected swirl of colored sparks, and more applause. "Excellent, excellent - Oak, 10 inches, With a Hippogriff feather core. Very strong."

Draco took his turn and endured the seemingly nonsensical measuring. There was soon a large pile of boxes, and then Ollivander lit up and said, "Of course, of course!", and pulled out another box. This one was a match and Draco whooped with joy, the swirl of sparks was mostly green and silver to Lucius' smug notice. "Yes, yes - Hawthorn of course - for wisdom and creativity - there is psychic protection as well - and Unicorn hair core - quite magically strong."

Draco wandered back to the others, who applauded him as well. The Weasley's had their wands, and wandered out, the show being over. Payment was made for the wands, they were polished and wrist holsters were bought at Severus' insistence "You'll need to wear them like that eventually, get used to it, now." Lucius agreed emphatically.

They left, to find quite a few people milling around, trying to not seem like they were waiting for a glimpse of Harry Potter. Harry, still euphoric, just beamed and waved at everyone who greeted him. Severus was sure he saw a reporter snap a picture or two, to his disgust.

Flourish and Blotts was next, the Weasley's were there, as well. Severus and Lucius sighed, but felt they could lose them amongst the stacks of books. Tom helped pick out some titles he felt would be good to teach from when he started the tutoring in the fall. The three were soon crowded together, whispering furiously about subject matter offered in each book.

The trio buzzed straight to the stack of books on flying. Dragons were still an interest, but with the recent experiences of flying, Harry and Dudley were now hooked on the idea of being on the Quidditch teams at Hogwarts.

A snide voice behind them took them by surprise. "Well, it must be nice to be so special that no rules apply to you, eh, Harry Potter." Ron spat out at them. "Wands, a year early? Everyone staring and pointing at you - the Daily Prophet taking pictures? Bet you loved that."

Harry wanted to shrink down, he hadn't heard derision like this since he'd left Privet Drive. He'd almost forgotten how horrible it felt. "We need the wands for tutoring, so just shove off." He spat back, refusing to cower, like he'd always had to do with Vernon.

"Just run along, you jealous prat." Dudley snarled pushing in front of Harry.

Draco tried to think of an insult that wouldn't offend Harry and Dudley. Making fun of the brats clothing or poverty, he knew, would earn him glares. Things like ‘blood traitor' were certainly no longer appropriate. "Variances aren't that difficult to get when you live in a magical household, away from muggles, if you apply for them." He said loftily. "Just because you don't want to study ahead doesn't mean we shouldn't." It wasn't much of an insult - he'd need to think of better ones later Draco decided.

Molly saw the confrontation and sighed. It was obvious that Ron wasn't going to make up with Harry or Dudley, and she hustled over. "Run along and help the twins find their Herbology books, Ron. Hello, Harry - I see you've been bitten by the flying bug." She smiled at the three. "I'm glad you're writing to the twins, they'll like having someone to write to while at school." She looked at the apprehensive Draco and smiled. "Good to meet you, Mr. Malfoy." She smiled at him; she hadn't known what to think when Albus had said Lucius had joined the fight against You-Know-Who. Perhaps Hell had frozen over. However this youngster wasn't an enemy, yet, and was friendly with not only Harry, but Dudley as well. The Lucius she had gone to school with would never have allowed his son the associate with a muggleborn. Yes, Hell was definitely chilly today.

Molly went back to the twins and put the Quidditch books back on the shelf, ignoring their protests.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

The group left for Dragonsrest after a meal at the Leaky Cauldron - frequently interrupted by people calling Hello to Harry.

Severus expected a call from Albus at any time, the news that the new home for Potter and Co. would be at the Dragon Reserve would not be welcome to Albus, but Severus intended to convince him. He already understood that Petunia would not return to Privet, so why not the Reserve?

Lucius got out one of his runic portkeys that he had perfected, spelling it to activate if Severus was hit with a curse, and to respond to a single word from Severus. Lucius strengthened it until he was sure Albus would not be able to disable it. Severus smiled at his old friend's overprotective nature.

"I'll stay here until you are back." Lucius looked grim. Lucius didn't have quite the same confidence in Dumbledore that Severus had. Severus might be suspicious of Albus, and was certainly going against Albus' plans. But he still didn't really expect an attack or for Albus to do anything truly nefarious. Lucius, however, was sure that Albus Dumbledore would stop at nothing to keep his plans in place. Their only hope to keep on Albus' good side was to see that Albus' plans changed to match theirs. Otherwise, well, they were prepared to hide Dudley, Harry and Tom for as long as necessary.

Severus flooed to Spinners End, and made himself some tea and sat in the very comfortable sofa with a new book he had bought, and waited.

He didn't need to wait long. The floo soon sounded.