Hogwarts was unnaturally quiet, with no students filled within its walls or lazing on the green lawns outdoors. The Great Hall was empty, the classrooms were gathering dust and the common rooms appeared abandoned. But the offices were filled with teachers preparing for the start of a new year, in which this year was going to be more special and seemingly more important as Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were expected to attend.

No one was more aware of this fact than Potions Master, Severus Snape. He wasn't working on schedules or teaching material like the other professors. He was busy pacing his private quarters, running through his mind again and again that there were six days until the boys were to arrive.

He would never admit it to anyone and barely even admitted it to himself but in a sad, longing sort of way...he was looking forward to the welcoming feast. He was sure the houses they would end up in; Draco in Slytherin and Harry in Gryffindor, but that wasn't the reason for the feast to be so important.

It was because he hadn't seen either of them apart from only one time in their lives. Draco had been almost three months old when Snape had been apointed his godfather and held him, cared for him for a day or two. He'd been a loud baby but he'd caught Snape's heart, something that was hard to do and the Death Eater turned spy would never admit it...not even to himself.

Then there was Harry, who he wasn't so sure how to feel about. He had held him once before as well, more reluctantly though. Lily and James had visited Hogsmeade to see Dumbledore and their annoying friends one afternoon when Harry was barely a few weeks old and Snape had been inquiring at the Hog's Head about certain rare potions with a man. He'd left the estabilishment and seen Lily there with her baby. He could never forget the look on her face: pure joy and pride.

She'd spotted him as he purposefully went to pass her but then James came out of a store carrying various packages in his arms in which he was clearly struggling with. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin here behind him but offered no assistance to James as Sirius had been laughing to Remus about a wolf toy he had clutched in his hand. It was for those reasons that they hadn't noticed Snape but also perhaps it was because the latter was so cloaked. But Lily had seen him.

She glanced his way and seemed reluctant to look at him but then seperated from the boys and approached him. James had seen her move towards Snape but said nothing and walked away with Sirius; trusting his wife but not himself.

Lily never said anything to Snape for they technically hadn't seen each other properly since leaving school, but she held up Harry with his emerald eyes and gurgling smile.

Snape looked at the boy and noticed his mop of hair but apart from that all he saw was Lily's son and she'd passed the boy to Snape suddenly, letting him hold the child for a fraction of three minutes before taking him back, giving him a sad smile and leaving.

To this day, Snape could never understand why she had done that. In a way, it was a major contributor to what haunted him and reminded him of what James had that he could've had.

Snape shook his head but he couldn't shake the twin images of those two babies looking up at him in wonder and with so much innocence, despite who their fathers were.

But now they were eleven years old and in six days they would be walking through the Great Hall doors to be sorted, to take their classes and to no doubt cause trouble. But Snape had spent ten years preparing for that moment and to see those two boys again. He wasn't sure why, they wouldn't remember him and he was sure he cared nothing for the boys. They were sons of two of his old best friends that he no longer had and nothing more, surely.

--

Snape left his quarters and made his way to the very hall the boys would be walking through in a few days time and seated himself as usual, his expression blank and uninterested. Although he couldn't help moving his head slightly and averting his gaze when McGonagall began to discuss a very ironic topic.

"I have not seen the boy since he was a baby" McGongall spoke to Dumbledore, Sprout and Flitwick. "But Harry is surely a lot like his father, remember the way his hair was, Albus?"

"Yes, I believe so" Dumbledore nodded. "I recall a photograph Lily had taken a few weeks before...well, that night" He said. "He looked a great deal like James, although with his mother's eyes."

"Ye, I noticed that" Hagrid joined in. "When I first saw 'im...Lily's eyes fer sure an' now e's got glasses just like James. Funny 'ow things turn out?."

Snape said nothing but couldn't help himself and listened in on their conversation involving one Harry Potter. He was less enthusiastic now, if the boy was a James clone with his mother's eyes...two emeralds that did not belong on anything involving James Potter.

Snape supressed a sigh and went back to eating as he knew that in six days he would be tired from lack of sleep, he would be moody from lack of information...and he would be confused as to what he was supposed to feel when he saw those boys for the first time since they had been drooling, gurgling bundles of innocence and wonder.

The sun rose over the horizon in Privit Drive and sunlight peaked in through the window of a certain bedroom upstairs where two boys slept soundlessly and contently.

An alarm clock buzzed beside the bed and a hand flew out from the mount of blankets, slamming onto the offending object before the blonde owner of the hand sat upright and looked around sleepily.

"Harry" He mumbled and nudged the lump beside him.

"I'm up" Harry declared and sat up as well, rubbing a hand through his untamed hair. Yes, they had slept contently for the last two hours, but before that there had been nightmares, a loudly snoring Dudley and an annoying dog down the street to keep them unsettled.

Draco climbed out of bed and crouched on the floor, pulling out a calender that he and Harry had made a few weeks ago.

"Only three days left until Hogwarts" Draco grinned and stifled a yawn as he took out a marker and crossed off one more day. "Three days, Harry."

"I know, can't wait" Harry said as he too climbed out of bed and started dressing right away, running a hand through his hair in a feeble attempt to tame it.

Two minutes later and the boys made their way down the stairs to where Petunia was already there and directed them to cetain chores, which they each proceeded to do without a word.

Harry and Draco cooked breakfast, prpared the table, cleaned up and watched enviously as Dudley shovelled food into his mouth hungrily. All they got was a piece of toast each.

After Vernon had left for work and Dudley for his friend's place, Petunia had gone outside to check on her new rose buds outside and left the boys to work.

"Now" Harry hissed and Draco grabbed various food items and then rushed upstairs (another reason why they were barefoot, so they made no sound) and hid the food under floorboards in their room. He shut the door and went back downstairs where Harry was drying off the dishes. He gave his "brother" a thumbs up and then proceeded into the living room to vacume, even if he thought it was a rather pointless task.

Harry was in charge of dusting today (much to Draco's relief) so he did that next. Afterwards came the bathroom although Draco was very reluctant now that the memories had returned to him involving that rainy day. But the worst would occur if they didn't do it so they hurridly got it over and done with.

--

Several hours later and the boys were finally finished. Petunia wordlessly gave them permission to go to the park when they informed her that they were done. They left right away before she changed her mind or came up with more chores for them to do.

The park was the same, although the grass was a bit greener and the sky was nicely blue. It appeared to be a good day for them to run around and play on the swings, but their mild happiness was interupted by none-other than Dudley's gang...again.

"Oh look, it's the little losers" Dudley taunted as he and his three friends approached, staring at the boys with mocking grins.

"Go away" Draco said bravely, not sure why but since they'd made the calender to count down to Hogwarts, Draco was filled with hope and relief, that he often stood up against Dudley. Besides, he's done it before now...even if the consenquences always followed.

"Come on" Harry urged. "They're not worth it."

"No kidding" Draco sighed but as they turned away (a mistake they realized right after doing so), Dudley yanked Harry by the collar and another boy grabbed Draco.

"Let me go!" Harry yelled while Draco shoved the other boy off, being stronger and a bit taller than Harry but he was grabbed by the other two before he even got a chance to help Harry.

The boys ducked swings although they copped a few to the stomach and Draco had a split lip. When the boys started laughing, they shoved at the same time and pulled away before making a run for it. Dudley and his gang weren't too bad today, so somehow they'd managed to get away for it was a rare feat indeed.

Fueled by the desire not to be used as punching bags, Harry and Draco ran as fast as they could back to the house.

Gasping and dragging their feet, the boys went upstairs and washed their faces of dirt and blood before quickly before reteating into their bedroom.

They stayed there for hours, talking about Hogwarts and various other topics until they were summoned by Petunia's yells to make dinner.

"Only a little more" Harry was reminding Draco as the blonde boy clamped his jaw tightly as an effort to bite back a comment on the name-calling from Dudley and the scowls from Vernon.

Draco sighed and sat on the floor cross-legged while Harry shut their bedroom door carefully and joined him. They gathered some of the stolen food from the floorboards and began to eat in silence, something that they were comfortable with and understood contently.

--

The following day, they once again awoke to their alarm and crossed off another day on their calender.

Although Draco had woken up sweating from a terrible nightmare the day before, they still went about their usual chores and tasks. Things had been like this most their lives but now they were more avoided in the household and they had something to look forward to: September 1st.

And that day finally arrived. Vernon had constantly made clear at breakfast that the boys were only being taken to King's Cross Station because they too had to go into London. He also found their tickets one of the most hilarious things, for "Platform 9 &3/4" was rather laughable but the boys ignored him. They were leaving today so nothing else mattered and they actually found a rare bubble of excitement fill within them.

Their morning chores were done and it was an hour until they would be leaving for the station. Their things were still locked away in the cupboard under the stairs and would remain there until the last moment, but Draco had retrieved his small bag containing his book from the room and had it tucked protectively away in his pocket.

Vernon and Dudley weren't even home right now but Petunia was in the kitchen so the boys couldn't jump in joy as they so badly wanted to at the knowledge of their approaching escape.

"I know how to pass some time" Draco said and grabbed Harry's wrist to tug him towards the stairs and then let him go as he began to follow willingly.

Draco waited for his friend and brother before shoving him into the bathroom and told him to stand in front of the mirror. Harry was curious as Draco had developed his hatred for bathroom again but evidentially his excitement for Hogwarts ebbed that away.

"We should look our best" Draco said. "I dunno why, but I get this feeling that we should tidy up a bit."

"Okay" Harry shrugged. "But how? I am not using Aunt Petunia's stuff" He pulled a face.

"I know, me neither" Draco sighed but pulled out three bottles from his pocket. "I got these when we were with Hagrid" He explained.

"Hid them in a magical bag that has more room than it looks and isn't heavy at all. Anyway..." He grabbed one bottle and tipped some dull blue substance onto his hand and ran it over his hair, slicking it back stylishly and admired his appearance.

Harry snorted at his look and Draco cast him a glare, holding the bottle out to Harry.

"Oh come on, you know how my hair is" Harry rolled his eyes.

"Fine, try this" Draco grabbed a black rectangle-like bottle and tipped some dark sludge onto his hand.

"It's just gel, but it won't look as though it's even there" He explained as Harry pulled another look.

"Knock it off!" Draco said as Harry pulled away but finally let him apply it to his hair. "I feel like a girl, doing this" Draco complained but continued his work since he didn't trust Harry to apply it himself, as he most likely wouldn't.

Harry had been reading about the contents of the last bottle, a small white one, but when Draco was done he looked up and couldn't help but grin. His once mop-like, untamed hair was now magically styled to look a bit shorter and Draco had somehow made it appear spiked.

"I tried to hide your scar" Draco added, frowning a bit at Harry's reflection.

"And besides you look cooler now and less like you're related to the kitchen mop" He teased.

"Shut up" Harry shoved him but had to admit that he did look kind of cool, but very unlike himself. "If we look like this, won't people think that this is how we really look?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't know but I prefer my hair this way, it doesn't bother me as much."

"I liked my hair the way it was, I just wish I could control it more" Harry said and went to ruffle his hair back to the way it was but Draco stopped him.

"Oh come on, just for today?" Draco protested. "I spent a good ten minutes on that!"

"Fine" Harry rolled his eyes. "But now you really sound like a girl" He added and Draco shoved him.

"What's this bottle?" He held up the small one that he'd been reading curiously.

Draco shrugged and pocketed it along with the other two. "They came as a set. Anyway, come on...I want to check on the time."

So the boys went back downstairs to find Vernon and Dudley there. If anyone noticed their new looks, they didn't show it.

--

Vernon kept to his word and dropped the boys off at the station around 10:30am, still mocking and laughing as he pointed out platforms nine and ten but there was nothing in between. And with that, he made a note of saying he'll see them next summer and left, laughing his entire way out of the station while the booys stood there confused and annoyed.

"What if this is just some cruel joke?" Draco asked as they pushed their trolleys near platform ten but could see no platform nine and three quarters.

"It has to be here!" Harry said with determination and spotted a man dressed in the station uniform. "Excuse me! Excuse me sir, could you tell me where I might find platform 9 & 3/4?" He asked polietly.

"9 an 3/4?" The man repeated with an unimpressed look. "Thing you're being funny do you?" He asked and walked away muttering.

"We're doomed" Draco sighed sadly but a voice broke their thoughts as a group of redheads passed by rather hurridly.

"Just like every year, packed with muggles of course" The woman said. "Come on, platform 9 & 3/4 this way!"

"Muggles?" The boys echoed and followed the group.

Draco and Harry watched as the redheads went through the seemingly soild wall and while Harry was shocked by it all, Draco now understood the section in his book that indicated the "barrier" they had to pass through.

"Excuse me!" Harry said again as there were only three redheads left.

"Yes dears?" Molly Weasley asked as she spotted the two boys, not missing how they looked familiar in some way.

"C-could you tell us how to..." Harry pointed at the wall, unsure of how to word it.

"How to get onto the platform?" Molly guessed with a warm smile. "Not to worry dears, it's Ron's first time to Hogwarts as well" He nodded at a redheaded boy with freckles that was about the same height as Draco and seemed to be their age.

"Now, all you have to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms nine and ten" Molly explained and Harry nodded while Draco gulped slightly, looking at the solid wall again.

"Better do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous" Molly added and the boys moved forward.

"Good luck" The young girl added with a encouraging smile but Draco found nothing comforting about it.

Harry ran forward first and Draco hurried after him just as the twins had before them. They expected the impact but it never came.

"Woah" Draco said as he stared at the platform and the skarlet Hogwarts Express train.

"Yeah" Harry agreed. "This is it, Draco...we're finally going to Hogwarts!"

Draco nodded, unable to say anything else as they both stood there staring at the families and friends all around them sayign goodbye or reuniting after their summer break. Some were dressed in robes already while others had muggles clothes on and Draco couldn't wait to be rid of his.

Smoke issued from the train and people started climbing on board as Molly and her other two children came through but hurried off to find the rest of their family and the woman directed her sons onto the train while once again reasuring her daughter that she would be going next year.

"Come on!" Harry nudged Draco and they pushed their trollys into the crowd of people that were splitting and mingling all over the platform.

The moment had finally arrived and neither boy could keep the grin or excitment off their faces as they loaded their luggage and since they had no family to say goodbye to or friends to find, they headed straight onto the train and found themselves an empty compartmet. Harry sat on the left side while Draco sat opposite him.

They heard the whistle blow ten minutes later and with one lurch, the train moved forward, bringing into view countrysides and landscapes outside their window.

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter sat in their compartment, unknowing that they were already well-known, unaware of what lay ahead and they also had no idea of the man that was rather eagerly waiting for their arrival...Severus Snape.