“Potter-Snape, five points will be taken for tardiness!” Severus stated, his back turned to the class as Harry had skated through the door just as it was closing.

Harry’s face turned red as he murmured “Yes, sir,” before taking his seat next to Draco. He just shook his head at his brother when he raised an enquiring eyebrow and mouthed ‘Later’ at him, preparing for two hours in the dungeon.

Two hours later, and a passable version of a Pepper-Up Potion, Harry was about ready to drop from exhaustion but he shouldered his pack and followed his brother out the door and up to the Great Hall for lunch.

All during the class, Harry could feel someone’s eyes on the back of his neck and when he finally turned to look, caught Ron hastily dropping his head back down to pay attention to his own work. Hermione had nudged him with a pointed look over at Harry, but he didn’t respond and she ended up sending an apologetic look over at her friend. Harry just shrugged in response and returned to his and Draco’s effort.

The scuttlebutt around the Gryffindor common room had been that Mrs Weasley had appeared in the infirmary, mad as a disturbed hornet, and had given Ron a tongue lashing as never heard before in that sanctum sanctorum. Severus hadn’t been far off in his estimation that when she arrived, a bomb would go off. The offending Gryffindor’s siblings were arrayed out in the corridor cheering their parent on as they could hear every word.

****

When Molly came out of the ward, she grabbed the twins’ ears, tugging them along until they turned the corner out of sight from Ginny and Charlie, who was there to help with the Dragons.

“Now,” she whispered, “start complaining as if I’m beating you about the head – but I wanted to thank you two for sticking up for Harry, poor boy,” she lamented as the two started moaning, groaning and generally carrying on, grinning the entire time. When she thought they had gone a bit overboard, she whacked them on their heads – causing them to cry out for real, before sending them on their way.

She said good-bye to her children before making tracks for the dungeons and Severus’ office where she knocked politely on the open door, getting his permission to join him.

“Molly, it’s a pleasure as always,” he said, conjuring some tea and a plate of biscuits. “These are not as good as yours, I dare say, but the elves make a passable cake.” She accepted the offering and sat back comfortably in her chair. “I take it you came to visit your youngest boy,” he began.

“Oh, that Ronald!” she said with exasperation, nearly slamming down her cup into its saucer in her temper. “I gave him a thorough what for, Severus, but I don’t know if it will work. He is so jealous of Harry right now; all he’s seeing is green – in more ways than one,” she hinted darkly.

Severus nodded his head in agreement as he sipped from his own cup. “I was hoping that you’d be able to make him see reason, but will have to accept that he is beyond that at this point. I hope you didn’t chastise the twins too much...”

“Oh, heavens, no. They were only trying to make him come off his high horse, after all – and it didn’t hurt him none to be brought down a peg or two... No, I was more concerned for Harry. You know we think of him as one of our own, Arthur and I – and if you two hadn’t discovered your heritage, we were all prepared to approach Dumbledore and offer to adopt him. But I’m glad he has you, Severus.” She reached out and patted him on the knee – causing to reign in his control so that he didn’t sputter in shock - before rising to leave. “Oh, and don’t punish Draco too much...”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t. Like you said, it was a brilliant prank and no one was hurt except their pride. Like you, I’m worried about Harry... Did I see Charlie here earlier?” he asked as he escorted her through the corridors.

“Yes, he’s here for the tournament, he’s helping with the dragons – didn’t you know?” she asked, peering up at the taller man. He had stopped, as if frozen in his tracks, and gone quite pale.

“What dragons?” he asked authoritatively.

“For the tournament, they have four dragons – one each for the champions. Charlie came over with the Ridgeback and Horntail on Friday morning. Brooding ones, too – can you imagine that?” she shook her head in amazement before gazing up at the Potions master again. “Severus, are you quite all right?” She was concerned now as he was breathing quickly and appeared as if was about to perish from heart failure right then. But he quickly rallied and reached for her hands.

“Molly, I need to go – can you manage your way from here? Good – I’ll see you on Friday, yes? I know Harry would love to have you here in his support.” He had clasped the older woman’s hands in his in farewell and, after her assuring him she knew the way to the main hall, had sprinted to a secret staircase nearby that led directly to Dumbledore’s office.

He didn’t even wait for Dumbledore to say ‘Enter’ after he had knocked before thrusting the door open and storming into the round office.

Dumbledore looked up from some papers on his desk to stare at his Potions master. “Something wrong, Severus?”

“No, nothing, Albus – only you’ve brought four brooding female dragons onto Hogwarts’ grounds for Friday... what were you thinking? And one of them is a Horntail? Are you even attempting to guarantee the students’ safety?” he ranted.

“How did you find out – Ah, Molly Weasley; I forgot she knew,” he murmured to himself. “Severus, I assure you, precautions are being taken to assure the safety of the students and the champions. Each Champion had to have a different Dragon and there are no Opaleyes anywhere near here and it is not their breeding season – it had to be the Horntail,” he explained to the pacing father. “Now, you can not let on that you know, Severus, it is supposed to be a surprise – not to be revealed until Friday. I know I can count on you to be discrete.” He leaned back in his high-backed chair, a contented smile gracing his visage.

Severus just snorted his opinion and stormed out of the office through the front door, making a beeline for the DADA corridor. There was some planning to be done.

****

Harry was caught in a catch-22 situation; he knew that his father and Professor Moody knew about the dragons as the first task, but they weren’t allowed to tell him about it – and he felt so guilty about having discovered the secret that he couldn’t tell them he knew – besides if he did so, he would have to reveal how he discovered it and he didn’t want to get Hagrid in trouble. His mentors had been training him for the last four days in all sorts of manoeuvres that would help him in facing the beasts, without actually telling him that he would be facing a dragon.

In truth, he’d rather face the dragon than his other problem – finding a date for the Ball that was taking place in less than four weeks. Maybe he’d get lucky, he thought as he walked to breakfast that Friday morning; maybe he’d get eaten by a dragon – thus solving both problems at once! Nah, he would never get that lucky – and his stomach, which had settled down at the thought of a solution, began to churn again.

Various Gryffindors – and a few Ravenclaws – wished him good luck as he traversed the main entry and passed into the Great Hall, heading toward the Gryff table. Just as many sneered at him - mostly residents of the Hufflepuff and Slytherin houses. He tried his mightiest to ignore them, and for the most part succeeded. Draco abandoned his fellow Ravenclaws to sit with Harry that morning and Harry scooted down a bit so the blond could slide in beside him.

“Aren’t you eating?” Draco asked as he eyed the single piece of toast on his brother’s plate.  Harry shook his head.

“Too nervous. Hey, Hermione, Ginny,” he greeted the two girls as they sat across from them.

“Hey yourself,” Hermione answered. “Good luck, Harry; I know you’ll do well with all the training you’ve been doing.”

“Thanks, Hermione. I’m just really nervous.” He wiped his sweaty hands on his trousers and nearly jumped a foot in the air when his father placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Here, Son, drink this first – then this one, very good.” He pocketed the empty vials he had handed to Harry who had downed them without even looking. “Stomach soother and a nutrient potion since I doubt you’ll even eat that piece of bread. When everyone has gone off to classes, you are to remain behind and will be guided to the reception chamber – the champions’ families will be gathering there for a bit. Yes, Draco, you remain behind as well, you’re excused from classes with your brother,” he assured his other son. “I have cancelled my lessons for today and will join you there.” He gave Harry’s shoulder a squeeze before moving on up the aisle to the head table.

An uneven walk behind him alerted Harry to Moody’s approach and, sure enough, the old Auror stopped by to wish him luck before joining Snape at the table.

Harry nibbled half-heartedly at the rapidly cooling piece of toast and periodically took a sip of pumpkin juice to wash down the dry bits. Draco leaned comfortably into him and Harry relished the warmth and knowledge that someone supported him unreservedly. He remembered back to when he had entered the hall and Ron had immediately gotten up and left, leaving a half-finished plate of food behind and flashing a “Support Diggory” badge in his face.

Too soon, and also what felt like an eternity later, the hall emptied as the rest of the school had classes to attend that morning. Moody slapped Harry on the back on his way to his classroom and his grin was truly gruesome to see. But Harry took it in the spirit it was meant in and was grateful to the Auror for all his help over the last four weeks.

Severus finally placed his serviette on his plate and pushed back his chair. In moments the three Snapes were following the other champions and school Headmasters to the reception room. It was the same one that Dumbledore had used before for the wand weighing and again it was filled with people that Harry barely knew, and another table full of food that made his stomach clench at just the thought.

Krum, on the other hand, seemed to be some distant kin of Ron’s as he was loading a plate up with no problems.

Harry figured the international Quidditch star was an old hand at the pre-game/performance jitters. Harry turned away and nearly smothered himself in Mrs Weasley’s bosom as she engulfed him in a bear hug.

“Oh, Harry, I’m so nervous for you!” she cried, rocking him back and forth and adding more agitation to his stomach. He tried patting her on the back to get her to calm down and Mr Weasley eventually pulled her off him as Harry gasped for breath. He was thankful when his father handed him a small glass of water that had the distinctive aroma of stomach soother, again, and an additional calming draught. Harry downed it quickly and smiled as the Matriarch of the Weasley clan gave him a motherly gaze.

“Not that I’m not glad to see you here, and all, but why...” he started.

“Your father suggested we come down early and support you. You’re practically family, Harry. And here is Bill, our eldest – I don’t believe you’ve met him yet.” She beamed as Harry and Bill exchanged handshakes. Harry unabashedly gawked at the tall redhead who sported long red hair in a rock-and-roll type haircut, an earring that resembled a dragon’s head in gold, and a long ivory tooth on a leather cord around his neck. He wore a deep red leather jacket, nearly black in its hue, over a pair of stylish denims, and some sort of weird leather boots completed the outfit.

“Cool...” he murmured then turned red in embarrassment as he realised he had said that out loud while his little family laughed.

“It’s alright, Harry,” assured the tall man. “I love to shock my mother. Life just wouldn’t be complete without giving her something to fuss over – today it’s my hair, right mum?” he teased.

“Oh, it’s just too long! Let me cut it, please, it won’t take but a moment... I mean, it is hanging in your eyes, Bill – and you have gorgeous eyes!”

“’Eee most zertanly doz!” came a comment from behind Harry and he turned in astonishment to see Fleur Delacour standing there openly admiring the curse breaker. “’Arry, ‘ooze your friend?” she asked.

“Ummm, Fleur this is Bill Weasley; Bill this is Fleur Delacour – the champion for Beuxbaton’s school.”

“She certainly is!” the man said admiringly. “A pleasure to meet you, milady.” He took a deep bow before her, flourishing his arm and she laughed a tinkling sound that reminded Harry of music.

“A romanteek? ‘Ow suave!” she said before turning back to her youngest competitor. “‘Arry, I wanted ‘oo to meet my muzzer and seester!” she said, grabbing his arm and dragging him over to meet the Delacour women, tossing one last calculating look at the oldest Weasley progeny.

Harry spent the next half hour meeting the families of the other three champions, who seemed to have accepted him for now, before returning to his own little group, introducing the other three to the Weasleys and formally introducing his father and brother to their parents. Mrs Delacour took an especial interest in Draco, calling him “leetle coozin” in reference to their nebulous relation. Draco wasn’t sure if he wanted to claim the new family as they were related via the Malfoy side, but he had to admit they were nicer than any of his Malfoy relatives and so allowed himself to be dragged along.

Everyone was pretty much on their own until after lunch when the champions would be led to a holding tent outside while everyone else filed into the Quidditch stadium.

Fleur had roped Bill, as a former Hogwarts alumni and head boy, into showing her and her family around the grounds and Severus had led Molly, Arthur and his sons down to their rooms in the Dungeons where the boys were proud to show off their room, and Harry found two letters waiting for him on his bed.

“They came for you this morning; come on out to the parlour when you’re done reading them and we’ll have lunch,” Severus said before gently closing the door behind him.

Harry ripped into the first one which turned out to be from Narcissa.

Harry,

I feel as if you are already like a son of mine – as close as you are to Draco. I was lucky to get to know you last Christmas and discover what a fine young man you are.

I want to wish you good luck today, as does Calista, and I know that you will represent your family, your school, your house and, most importantly, yourself today.

May Merlin watch over you,

Narcissa

A whiff of her perfume came from the notepaper and it was a comforting smell to Harry. He also detected a tiny handprint next to Narcissa’s signature which caused a smile to turn up the corners of his mouth. He gently folded the letter, placing it in his shirt’s breast pocket.

The second letter was from Sirius which also encouraged him to act honourably during the task today and to remember that he loved Harry like a son.

Harry, who had lived for eleven years under the impression that no one would ever want to claim him – well if blood kin didn’t want him, who would? – felt like the recipient of an embarrassment of riches with all these people claiming to love him like a son. Hogwarts meant everything to him; it was his home, it was where his true family resided and it was where he had found his true calling and who he was:  a Wizard.

He wiped a few stray tears away before adding Sirius’ post to Narcissa’s in his pocket. He straightened his robes and then went out to the parlour to greet and eat with his family.