"So...you ever gonna tell us what's got you so happy?" Theo asked.

Harry blushed. "Err...yeah," he said. "Maybe?"

Theo seemed totally oblivious to the glares he was receiving from Hermione and Blaise. "And where've you been, anyway?"

That was an easier question to answer. "I'm grounded," he told them.

"Again?!" Ron exclaimed. "What'd you do this time?"

Blaise didn't seem nearly as surprised. "Snape's office?" he asked.

"That was you?!" Hermione exclaimed.

Harry blushed further. "Err...yeah," he answered, chagrined.

"How were you not expelled?!"

"Err..."

"Friends in high places," Blaise answered for him.

"Errr...yeah, pretty much," Harry agreed.

"But I still don't understand," Theo said. "If you're grounded, we should at least see you at night."

"A very good point," Blaise said, suddenly serious as he gave Harry a questioning look. "Where have you been, Harry?"

He thinks I'm maybe lying again, Harry realized. "No, really," he answered. "I'm just grounded. Really, really grounded. I've been spending the night in Snape's quarters."

"He can do that?" Hermione protested. "There's no way that's allowed. It's got to be against school policy! Snape doesn't have the authority!"

"He does with Harry," Blaise said. "Unofficially, he can do pretty much whatever he wants, what with Dumbledore's approval and Harry having no parents, and all."

"But-" Hermione protested. "He can't just-" she seemed at a loss for words.

"It's more than that," Harry finally admitted. "Paperwork moves surprisingly fast, when Dumbledore wants it to. Snape's got the official authority, too."

Blaise's eyes bugged. "Just like that? Really? With the ministry, and all?"

"Like you said, I guess," Harry said, shrugging. "Friends in high places. The ministry's about as corrupt as they come, so Dumbledore could pull a few strings."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, sounding frustrated.

Blaise met Harry's eyes, and Harry nodded at him, relieved to not have to explain. "Harry's been adopted," he said matter-of-factly. "Grounding Harry to his quarters is no different from Mrs. Weasley pulling Ron home."

"And suspending him from the Quiddich team until the end of term, and giving him detention every night," Harry added glumly.
Ron winced visibly. "Don't even mention that. Not even in jest."

"He was talking about himself, Ron," Blaise said.

"Oh," Ron said, seemingly relieved before his face took on a look of horror. "Really?! Snape really did that to you? Bloody hell!"

"Well, I did burn down his office," Harry pointed out.

"And that's not the point, Ron," Hermione said crossly, before her whole face lit up. "Adopted? Really?"

Harry found himself grinning. "Really."

Theo let out a whoop that drew the attention of everyone in the room. "Cool! So're you gonna change your name?"

Harry frowned. Should he? "I don't know," he said honestly.

Ron seemed utterly unsure of how to react. "So...you don't hate him then."

Hermione frowned and slapped his arm. "Ron!"

"What?! I was just asking!"

"I only sometimes hate him," Harry conceded.

Hermione looked scandalized. "Harry!"

Ron, Theo, and Blaise were laughing. "What, you never hate your family?" Ron asked her.

"And besides," Theo added. "Harry's gotta hate Snape. Otherwise the world'd stop turning and we'd all fly off into space."

Hermione frowned, seeming to think it over, before smiling again. "True," she said decisively. "Okay."

"Soo...if you're grounded to Snape's quarters, why're you here now?" Ron wanted to know.

"I asked if I could go out for a little while," Harry answered.

"And he let you?" Ron exclaimed.

Harry found himself blushing yet again. "I think he wanted to do something nice, strange as that may sound," he told him.

Blaise seemed amused by Harry's embarassment. "Does that happen often?" he asked.

Harry glared at him as his blush worstened. "You guys are mean," he told them. "I had as many reasons to hate him before as I do to - not hate him - now."

Hermione smiled at him. "Don't worry about it, Harry. We're just happy for you, is all."

Harry frowned, suddenly unsure. "Really? It's okay?"

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed. There was a brief silence, then Hermione elbowed Ron hard.

"Ow! What?!"

Hermione gestured towards Harry urgently, and Ron finally seemed to get it. "Oh! Yeah. Long as I don't have to start sucking up to the guy, I'm good," he said.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but Harry grinned. "Good. That's settled then."