Harry Potter was sat cross-legged on his bed, in what was now his room, looking at one of his most prized possessions in the world. It was a picture album which Hagrid had given him and he was currently looking at a photo of his parents dancing in the snow. He didn't know what Professor Snape's reaction would be if he saw him studying the photo intently though. Harry didn't know the full story, but he knew that Professor Snape and his dad had not gotten along. Had not gotten along at all. But maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all, living here with Professor Snape, his Potions Professor had allowed him to invite his two best friends to spend the week of his birthday with them, and Harry couldn't wait for their arrival. Sure, it hadn't been that long since he had last seen them at the end of their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but it seemed like it had been. Especially following all the excitement at the end of the last school year with the Chamber of Secrets. Harry felt a little bit guilty that he hadn't invited Ginny as well, but he didn't want to push his luck with Professor Snape. He had become fond of Ron's younger sister after the events of the last school year though, and he felt strangely protective of her. "Harry," Professor Snape called him. "You're friends will be here in a minute."

Harry scrambled off his bed and dashed out to their reception room to find his legal guardian stood there. Harry gave the man a small smile, and Hogwarts' youngest Professor reached out a hand to try and get his ward's hair to lie flat. Harry pulled back out of his way, wrinkling his nose. "It won't stay down," he groused.

He received a raised eye brow in return. "Well if you wore a hat when out playing Quidditch in the wind it wouldn't be such a mess," came the reply, and Harry knew without asking exactly what incident his Professor was referring to.

The incident in question had happend about a fortnight ago, not long after the end of the summer term. When Professor Dumbledore had told Professor Snape that he had to look after Harry for the summer, his Potions Professor had decided that they would live in his quarters at Hogwarts for the summer instead of returning to his childhood home. Harry did not know the reasons why, and he did not question. He had no complaints about staying at Hogwarts anyway, and he had spent a lot of time on the Quidditch Pitch. Professor Snape, apparently sick of Harry coming in from the Quidditch Pitch with his hair even more of a mess than normal, it was usually all stuck up on end and looked vaguely like he had been electrocuted after he had been flying for a couple of hours, had given him a hat to wear. Harry didn't know if Professor Snape had bought it especially but it had looked new. And he had worn it. He had worn it with quite a bit of pride, his Professor had actually given him something! But then Fang happened. He'd visited Hagrid one afternoon after flying, and he hadn't been paying any attention to what the dog was doing. The result? One ripped up hat after Fang had mistaken it for a new toy. Harry had not been able to look his teacher in the eye when he explained what had happened, and Professor Snape had seemed neither displeased nor amused with the story.

"I said I was sorry about the hat," Harry protested. "If I had noticed what Fang was doing I would have stopped him..." Harry trailed off.

"I know you did," Professor Snape cut in. "I was only teasing," the man said lightly, ruffling Harry's hair. He did give Harry occasional affectionate gestures.

"It'll never look neat if you keep doing that," Harry pointed out, but he didn't particularly care what his hair looked like.

"I'll just get you another hat," came the immediate response. It was meant as a come-back and in keeping with their banter, but Harry looked up at his guardian hopefully. He cringed slightly when he heard his Professor sigh. Professor Snape crouched so that he was at Harry's height, and put both of his hand's on the boy's shoulders. "Harry, if you wanted a new hat, all you had to do was ask."

"But it was my fault that it got all ripped up," Harry replied simply.

"And you'll take better care of the new one," his teacher told him. It was a statement, not a question, and Harry nodded. "Now what type of hat do you want?"

"The same as the old one?" Harry said hestiantly.

"Is that a question or an answer?" Professor Snape asked.

"An answer," Harry replied with a bit more confidence.

"Very well, I will get one for you," his Potions Professor promised. "And if you want anything from now on you only need ask. I may not always say yes, or you may need to use some of your pocket money to pay, but you can always ask."

Harry gave his Professor a small smile, but didn't get time to respond as the Floo suddenly flared, and he best friend appeared. "Ron!" Harry exclaimed happily.

"Hi, Harry," Ron replied, stepping out of the fireplace and tugging his backpack with him. "Professor Snape," he continued hesitantly.

"Mr Weasley," Professor Snape returned the greeting.

The Floo went again and Hermione appeared, and then Ron's father, but he didn't stay long, he only exchanged a few words with Professor Snape and wished Harry a 'Happy Birthday' for the end of the week. Harry was eager to show his friends his room, and as soon as Hermione had put her stuff in the guest room he dragged both her and Ron to his room, which Ron would be sharing with him for his stay. "It's lovely, Harry," Hermione told him, realising how much it meant to Harry. She had, of course, heard about Ron, Fred and George rescuing Harry from his relatives the summer before, and how there had been bars over his window. Harry smiled at her, suddenly self-conscious. The room wasn't overly large, especially now that there was a bed in there for Ron, but Harry was proud of it. It was his room, not the Cupboard Under the Stairs, or Dudley's Second Bedroom, but his room. "I especially like that," Hermione said, pointing out a box sat on a shelf above his bed.

"Oh, that's a money box which Professor Snape got me," Harry told her. "You can charm it so that it will let you know when you have enough money saved up for a certain item. You can also charm it so that you can't get money out until a certain date or until you have over a certain amount in. He said it's so that I don't waste all my pocket money on Hogsmeade weekends." Harry explained

"That's really neat Harry, and really sensible," Hermione told him. "And how exciting are Hogsmeade weekends going to be? I can't wait to start back at school."

"Hermione!" Ron whined, horrified. "It's the holidays, we don't want to think about school. It's time to have a break from work." Now Hermione looked horrified and Harry smiled. His friends would never change. But he was going to step in before they started another argument about school work.

The rest of the afternoon fairly flew past and the three best friends chatted away as if they hadn't seen each other in years, not just a few short weeks, during which time they had exchanged letters as well. Harry listed eagerly as his friends told him all about their summer holidays in France and Egypt. The afternoon was drawing to a close and Harry off-handedly commented that it would be time for dinner soon. Ron lowered his voice, almost conspiratorially, and asked, "so what's it like living with Snape?"

"Awful," Harry said bluntly, and both his best friends looked shocked. Harry had to fight to keep a straight face. "I mean, I have to do my homework, I get fed good food, I get given gifts..." Harry trailed off, giggling slightly.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, only chiding him slightly before she too started to giggle.

"I hate you, Harry!" Ron managed to tell him seriously before he also joined in his two best friends laughter. "Honestly though," Ron said a couple of minutes later when they had all calmed down a little, "you had me worried for a moment there!"

"Sorry," Harry apologised, not sounding like he meant it at all. Both his friends glared at him, but from the smiles on their faces he knew they didn't mean it.

Ron sobered suddenly. "I can't believe I'm about to eat dinner with Snape," he said.

"You eat dinner in the Great Hall with Professor Snape every night when we're at school," Hermione pointed out reasonably.

"Yeah, but this is different," Ron protested. "This is in his home, quarters, whatever, and at the same table as him!"

Harry laughed again. "Stop panicking!" he told his best friend. "At least you've got me and Hermione with you, I've been eating alone with him all summer."

"True," Ron had to conceed.

"And it really isn't that bad," Harry added as an after thought.

"Harry, dinner!" Professor Snape called them, and Harry and his friends made towards the room's door. Ron looked decidedly pale.

"He calls you Harry?" he questioned.

"Well what else is he going to call me?" Harry asked, confused.

"What's your name?" Hermione asked Ron, and both boys now looked confused. "Professor Snape isn't going to call Harry 'Potter' all summer, is he?" she asked.

"Okay, okay, valid point," Ron conceeded, grumbling slightly. And the three made there way to the kitchen table.

Both Ron and Hermione were surprisingly quiet throughout dinner, and Professor Snape didn't offer much conversation either. Harry had to keep fighting back laughter at how uncomfortable his friends were. He didn't think his guardian was feeling much comfortabler either. For dessert there was fruit salad, Professor Snape was a big believer in healthy eating, and always disapproved when Professor Dumbledore stopped by and gave Harry sweets.

After dinner, Professor Snape gave them permission to go outside and make the most of the warm summers evening, and the three friends slowly made their way down to the Quidditch Pitch. Ron was telling Harry all about the last pyramid they had visited in Egypt, the one his mum hadn't let Ginny go in as it had been so gruesome. He was describing it in detail, with Harry hanging on to every word, before Hermione broke in during a gap in the conversation. "Ron, that's disgusting," she told him, after a particularly gory detail.

Harry and Ron shared a look, and Ron muttered something which sounded suspiciously like "girls!", to which Hermione rolled her eyes. The had reached the Quidditch Pitch by now, and the three meandered there way around the outside of it, enjoying the late evening sunshine. After a while they sat down in one of the stands, still talking away, but not about Eygpt anymore, to Hermione's relief.

Dusk was beginning to fall when Hermione spotted Professor Snape heading towards them. "Time to head back inside now," he told them quietly. "It's getting dark." All three obediently stood to follow their Potions Professor back to the castle, and Harry got the feeling that neither Ron nor Hermione were willing to cross Professor Snape whilst they were staying with him as his guests, although the three of them had had enough run-ins with him as their teacher during their first two years at Hogwarts.

It seemed like no time at all until Harry and Ron were bidding Hermione good night, as they retired to Harry's room. Despite sharing a dormitory for the last two years, and Ron's room at the Burrow during last summer, they still got a thrill out of whispering to each other once the light had been turned out. Ron was telling Harry how unbearable Percy was being because he had been made Head Boy and how the twins were planning to get revenge once they got back to Hogwarts. Harry couldn't help but ask how they were planning on doing that. "Bat bogeys!" said Ron, and he went on to describe the hex in some detail, leaving both of them sniggering. When they finally stopped whispering and said good night, Harry reflected on how nice it was to have both of his friends here, even though he would never have been able to have a conversation like the one he and Ron had just had with Hermione.

They woke the next day to find that it was pouring with rain, and it showed no sign of letting up. Harry noticed that Professor Snape looked slightly worried at breakfast, probably at the thought of having to keep three Gryffindors entertained within his quarters for the day. Once breakfast was finished the three friends found themselves back in Harry's room. Harry was digging through his school trunk for his chess set so that he and Ron could have a game, when he realised there was a lot of junk in his trunk that he didn't need to keep in there anymore, since he no longer had to hide everything magical that he owned. He dug through some more random stuff and couldn't help but to smile when he came across his 'Potter for President' banner from his first Quidditch match. "What have you got there, Harry?" Hermione asked curiously from where she was sitting cross-legged on Harry's bed. Harry showed her, and she too smiled.

"It seems like so long ago, doesn't it?" she questioned.

Harry nodded, as did Ron. "Do you think in another two years we'll be able to remember small details from our first year?" Ron asked them.

"Well we certainly won't forget Fluffy!" Hermione said with a laugh. "But we could always put together a time capsule or something to make sure we remember." Both Ron and Harry agreed that that was an interesting prospect, and they began thinking over their first two years at Hogwarts. "Okay, so we're going to need a box," Hermione stated, taking charge.

"And there's our first problem," Ron muttered. "Where are we going to get a box from?" he asked.

Harry took a deep breath. "I'll go and ask Professor Snape," he told Ron and Hermione, and left his room quickly. His Potions Professor was still sat at the kitchen table reading the newspaper, and Harry approached his somewhat hesitantly. "Do you have a box we can have?" he asked in a rush. Professor Snape raised an eyebrow, clearly curious to know what the three of them were up to, but he got out his wand and conjured a cardboard box without saying a word. "Thanks," Harry told him with a smile, before taking it and heading back to his room.

"Perfect," Hermione told him when he arrived back with the box, and the three friends sat around it on the floor. They were soon deep in discussion about what they had that they could put in the box. All three still had their Hogwarts letters, and Harry still had the bundle of letters which Dobby had eventually gave him last summer. Hermione and Harry joked that Ron probably still had the envelope from his howler which he had received at the beginning of last year chucked in his trunk somewhere, and he agreed to have a look when he went home. It was funny how they could look back at things which definately didn't seem funny at the time and laugh at them now.

"Too bad Malfoy got the letter Charlie sent us about Norbert," Ron moaned lightly. "That's certainly something to remember!"

Harry and Hermione laughed with him. "Suppose Hagrid still has some of his shell?" Hermione wondered out loud.

Harry gave her a look. "This is Hagrid we're talking about," he told her. "Of course he will," he said matter of factly. "We should ask him, I'm sure he'll give us a piece if we tell him what it's for. And there must be a charm or something to protect it while it's in the box."

Now Hermione gave him a look. "Of course there's a charm," she told him. "But we can't do that part until we're back at school."

"We are at school," Ron pointed out to her, just because he could.

Now Hermione fixed him with a look. "Until after the holidays then," she told him, and Ron smirked at her.

Before they could start an argument, they were interrupted by a knock on the door, and Professor Snape stuck his head round, and promptly raised an eyebrow at them. Harry supposed they must look funny all sat around an empty cardboard box in the middle of his bedroom floor. "It's lunchtime," they were told. The morning really had passed quickly and they hadn't done anything except sit and talk really. It was still raining though, so goodness only knew if the afternoon would pass as quick. It was another almost silent meal, with neither his friends or his Professor saying much, and Harry knew that this was going to get really old, real fast. He needed to get at least one of them talking somehow. He'd have to figure out a plan later. Back in his room after lunch, the three of them set about decorating the box. The rest of the day dragged on. The three friends weren't bored exactly, but they did wish it would stop raining. At least if it did that then they could go down and visit Hagrid. And Ron and Hermione were ok when they were in his room, but anywhere else in Professor Snape's quarters and they were scared to touch anything. Harry was loving having his friends here with him, but it was clear to him that it was uncomfortable for both of them and Professor Snape.

Much later on that evening, when Ron was in the shower and Hermione was in her room getting ready for bed, Harry ventured out into the common room to talk to his Potions Professor. He'd brought a book with him to pretend that he was planning on reading, even though he intended no such thing. He curled up in an arm chair and hugged his knees to his chest. "Thank you for letting my friends come and stay," he started the conversation tentatively.

"Your welcome Harry," Professor Snape told him, looking up from his Potions Journal. He then noticed his ward's curled up position. "Is something wrong?" he asked, concerned.

Harry shrugged, hopelessly. How could he have forgotten how perceptive Professor Snape was? "It's just that neither you nor them seem comfortable with the situation," he admitted quietly.

"No doubt we will all get used to it in time," his Professor reassured him. "After all, you're no longer the scared little Gryffindor which Albus showed to my quarters at the beginning of the summer."

Harry stuck his tongue out at his guardian. Scared little Gryffindor indeed! But he had been very nervous around his Professor at the beginning of the summer. And he wasn't really sure when that had changed. Maybe his teacher was right. "And what have you been doing to amuse yourselves today?" his Potions Professor asked.

"We're making a time capsule so that we'll be able to remember all the little details of our time at Hogwarts," Harry told him excitedly. Like Hermione, he couldn't wait for third year to start, and he knew that Ron was looking forward to it secretly as well, although not for the lessons! Snape gave him a gentle look, and Harry tilted his head to observe his teacher, confused at the sudden scruntiny he was receiving.

"How like your mother you are at times Harry," he was told. "Now run along to bed." Harry stood and stretched and picked up his book. "And I don't want to hear you and Mr Weasley talking half the night tonight," he was told, but it was mock sternly, he could tell that Professor Snape wasn't mad.

Ron was already in bed when he got back to his room, the cardboard box pushed against the wall in between their beds. Harry climbed under the covers tiredly. He didn't know how he was so tired when he hadn't done anything all day. He and Ron heard Professor Snape check on Hermione, and then their door opened. "Goodnight Mr Weasley, goodnight Harry," their teacher bade them.

"Goodnight Professor," both boys replied, before settling down to sleep to the patter of the rain against the windows. It seemed to be slowing. Harry hoped the rain would be gone tomorrow. Then they could have some real fun, and his birthday was at the end of the week. He had a lot to look forward to, as well as a lot to look back on and remember.

It had stopped raining the next day thankfully, and after a breakfast of bacon and eggs, the trio set off for Hagrid's Hut in glorious sunshine. Hagrid was happy to see them all, and eagerly showed them where he was building a new pumpkin patch ready for the new school year. He also said that he had some exciting news for them about the next school year, but they would have to wait until the term started to find out. And no matter how much they asked him, he wouldn't say anything else. They gave up asking in the end, and brought the conversation round to Norbert. Harry had been right, Hagrid did still have the egg shell, and was more than willing to give them a piece when he heard about their time capsule project.

It was Hermione who had the piece of shell wrapped up and in her pocket when they left Hagrid's Hut mid morning. They sat down in the grass near the entrance to the school and watched the Whomping Willow for a while. As much as he was looking forward to going back to school, it was nice to have some time with his friends without the stresses of school work, Harry contemplated. He lay back in the grass and enjoyed the sun on his face. "Professor Snape seemed really friendly this morning," Hermione commented after a time, and Harry felt a little guilty. Should he tell his friends what he had been discussing with his guardian last night? He decided that he probably should, and sat up.

"I kind of mentioned last night that all three of you seemed uncomfortable around each other," he admitted, mumbling but he knew they would both hear him. Both Ron and Hermione looked at him, and to Harry's surprise it was Ron who broke the silence.

"What did you do that for?!" he demanded to know.

"I just wanted you all to enjoy this visit," Harry defended himself. "I'm hoping that I'll be staying with Professor Snape again next summer," he said quietly, and Hermione lay a gentle hand on his arm. "I don't want to have to go back to the Dursley's."

"And what was Professor Snape's response last night?" Hermione wanted to know.

"He accused me of not being the scared little Gryffindor he took in at the beginning of the summer," Harry told her with a smile. "His words, not mine!" Both Ron and Hermione laughed with him, and Harry looked at Ron. "He's really not that bad once you get to know him, he's done a lot for me this summer."

"As long as you're happy," Ron told him with a smile.

"Yep," Harry happily replied. "But we'd better head in for lunch, we'll be in trouble if we're late." Harry was the one who had to lead the way down to Snape's quarters, the only time Ron and Hermione had even come down to the dungeons was for Potions class. "You'd better hide the shell in your bag Hermione and take it home with you," Harry said, thinking out loud. "I don't fancy having to explain to Professor Snape where we got part of a dragon eggshell from!"

The three entered Professor Snape's quarters laughing, and managed to startle their Potions Professor. "Hungry?" he asked them, and got affirmative answers in response. Hermione disappeared to her room to 'clean up', and Harry and Ron followed suit so as not to arouse the suspicion of their teacher. Harry didn't like hiding something from his guardian, although the dragon eggshell was harmless, but Hagrid had been his first ever friend and Harry would not get him in trouble. He had a feeling that his Potions Professor would have quite a lot to say on the subject of illegal dragon breeding, and he had absolutely no desire to hear any of it.

There was a little more conversation at lunch, as Hermione made an effort, as did Professor Snape. Ron still didn't seem to know what to do with himself though. Harry couldn't help smirking at him on occasion, causing his best friend to glare at him. Though once they were alone in Harry's room they both dissolved into giggles. "It's not funny Harry," Ron told him, as Harry grabbed his broom from where it was propped up in the corner. They re-entered the common to find a very awkward looking Hermione and Professor Snape attempting to have a conversation. The two boys shared a look, but wisely didn't say anything.

They were soon outside again, heading for the Quidditch Pitch, Ron with permission from Professor Snape to use one of the school's brooms. Hermione had permission aswell, but she wasn't a fan of flying and had instead brought a book along to read in the stands. Harry had been living in the wizarding world for two years now, and flying was one of the things he loved most about it. Harry and Ron spent an enjoyable afternoon flying, and the three friends met Professor Snape on their way back to the castle. Their Potions Professor reached out a hand to try and flatten Harry's hair, which was even more of a mess than usual after playing with his friend all afternoon. "The sooner I get you that hat the better," his guardian muttered, and Harry gave him half a smile and a small laugh, not entirely sure of himself. Both Ron and Hermione looked at him, but neither one questioned their friend or their teacher.

Professor Snape escorted them back to the school. "We're not late are we, Professor?" Hermione asked nervously.

"No, Miss Granger," Professor Snape reassured her. "I was just getting some fresh air." Ron almost choked at that statement, and Harry couldn't stop himself from sniggering and earned himself a light smack on the back of the head from his Potions teacher.

"Oww," he complained, even though it didn't hurt and mock-pouted at his Professor while rubbing his head. He just received a smirk in return, from both his teacher and from Ron.

It had started to rain lightly after the evening meal and Professor Snape wouldn't let them go back outside. So Harry had got his chess set out, and the three were sat on the floor in the common room. They were going to play winner stays on, but in reality it was Ron playing against Harry and Hermione since he was so much better at chess than either of his two friends. Professor Snape joined them in the room after a while, although he didn't seem to be paying them any attention, he was reading another Potions Journal. Harry, Ron and Hermione eventually grew tired of their game, and pushed the chess set to one side. They started to talk about their time capsule and a bright red Hermione admitted that she still had the get well card that Lockhart had sent her last year when she had been stuck in the hospital wing after almost turning herself into a cat. Neither Ron nor Harry could stop their laughter, and Professor Snape turned his attention to the three Gryffindors sat on his floor. "Oh, shut up!" Hermione told them both grumpily, but that didn't stop either Ron or Harry from laughing.

"Sorry Hermione," Harry managed to apologise after a few minutes, but he was still laughing slightly and was still somewhat breathless. Hermione didn't look quite that ready to forgive their laughter yet, and Ron still hadn't got himself under control. "But that is exactly the type of thing we want for the time capsule," Harry attempted to pacify his friend. "Especially since it reminds us of several things from second year." He knew both of his friends were smart enough not to mention anything to do with Polyjuice Potion in front of their teacher. He was never going to tell his guardian that it was him who threw the firework into Goyle's potion in class that day, or that Hermione had stolen from his stores. Nor that they had brewed an incredibly difficult and dangerous potion and had used it to sneak into the Slytherin common room. There were some things that Professor Snape simply did not need to know. And a lot of Harry's first two years at Hogwarts seemed to come under that catergory.

Ron had managed to stop laughing, but his only contribution to the conversation was; "Lockhart was such a fraud!"

Hermione glared at him, but didn't attempt to argue. She knew that what Ron had said was correct, even if she hadn't wanted to admit it at the end of the last school year. But she would admit that she hadn't learnt much that was useful in Defence Against the Dark Arts last year, although she had learnt plenty about Gilderoy Lockhart. Not that she would ever need any of that information in the future. "I wonder if he had stopped talking about himself whether or not Professor Lockhart would have made a good teacher?" Hermione pondered. "He was very self-centred," she admitted.

Harry and Ron just looked at each other, and then at her, as if she had gone absolutely mad. Sensing that Hermione was still slightly stung from their laughter earlier, Ron attempted to be diplomatic. "I wouldn't know," he told her. "I can't see past his self-centredness!"

"You'd sooner see a flying purple hippogriff than see past Gilderoy Lockhart's conceitedness," their Potions Professor told them, and all three Gryffindor students turned towards him in shock, especially considering what it was he had just said. They had forgotten he was in the room anyway, and they certainly hadn't been aware that he could hear their conversation.

"Flying purple hippogriff?!" Harry questioned his guardian and teacher. He turned towards his two friends. "Did he just say 'flying purple hippogriff'?" he asked them. Hermione just nodded mutely, still staring at her Professor and trying to comprehend that he had in fact just said something pretty silly. Ron couldn't help himself and let out a snort of laughter before hastily trying to convert it into a cough. Harry turned back to look at his Professor, attempting to ignore his two shellshocked friends for the time being, one still staring mutely, and one now having a coughing fit, and gave the man a puzzled look. He received a raised eyebrow and a shrug in return, and Professor Snape calmly returned to reading his Potions Journal, seemingly unaware of the disarray he had just caused. Harry shook his head as if to clear it, and then looked at his two friends, slightly worried. He was getting used to Professor Snape's little quirks as the man slowly let him get to know him, but to his friends that comment had just come from completely out of the blue. "I don't even know what a flying purple hippogriff is," he commented.

That, at least, seemed to snap Hermione out of her stupor, and she went into school mode. "I don't think they exist," she told him. "Hippogriffs are real of course, and they can fly since they have the head, front legs and wings of an eagle, and the body of a horse. But they aren't purple." She sounded as matter of fact as she did when she answered a question in class and Harry smiled at her, some things would never ever change. And he knew he could usually rely upon Hermione to have the answer.

"And if such things don't exist then we are more likely to see one than to ever see an unselfish Gilderoy Lockhart," Ron figured out.

"Correct, Mr Weasley," Professor Snape told him from where is was obviously still listening into their conversation. Now Ron was gaping silently at his Professor.

Harry gave a sigh, although he wasn't really annoyed. "Do you find it amusing to keep startling my friends?" he asked his Professor.

"I don't know what you're talking about Harry," Professor Snape told him, and Harry couldn't tell if the man was only feiging innocence, or if he actually meant it. Currently Ron was the one staring silently at their Potions Professor, clearly shocked, and Hermione was trying hard not to giggle. Harry rolled his eyes. It was better than awkward silence, but he was quite enjoying pretending to be annoyed. He suddenly realised that the evening was beginning to draw in, and he idly began to tidy away the chess set, knowing that his Professor would send them to bed soon. He was quite strict about bedtime even though he had allowed him and Ron to get away with talking for what seemed like half the night on his friend's first night here.

Hermione observed what Harry was doing and checked the time. She excused herself to have a shower before bed, and Ron followed suit, leaving Harry alone with his guardian. Harry hesitated for a moment, before going and perching on the couch next to his teacher. "Good day?" Professor Snape asked him, looking slightly concerned.

"Brilliant," Harry told him with a smile. He had really missed his friends, but not as badly as he had during the last summer holidays during all the chaos Dobby had caused. And it had been a good day, with visiting Hagrid and flying with Ron. Nothing special had happened, but it had been a nice day all the same.

"So have you made any progress with the time capsule?" Professor Snape asked him. Harry wasn't sure why his teacher wanted to know, but he did occasionally ask questions about what Harry was doing. He was his guardian, for the summer at least, and therefore he took some interest in Harry's life.

"We've thought of some more things to put in it," Harry told him, "but Ron and Hermione will need to bring some of the stuff from their homes as they don't have it here."

"And are you then going to bury it and dig it up when you have finished Hogwarts?" Professor Snape asked him.

The question shouldn't really of puzzled Harry, but it did. Most people did bury time capsules and then dig them up years later but he didn't really think that was what he, Ron and Hermione had had in mind when they dreamt the project up. "Erm, I'm not sure," he told his teacher honestly. "We haven't really thought that far ahead," he admitted. Which was unlike Hermione he mused silently.

The question was still turning over in Harry's mind as he lay in bed that night, although it wasn't really important. Professor Snape had come in to say goodnight as he always did, and he had warned him and Ron about talking tonight. No matter how much students of Hogwarts complained that they hated Snape, they all obeyed him, and Ron was certainly not going to risk his teacher's wrath whilst staying with him even though Harry would have been willing to risk whispering. He rolled over and decided to ask his friends about the whole burying the time capsule thing in the morning.

The next day passed in a blaze of brilliant sunshine again. Hermione had amazed at how quiet the Hogwarts' grounds where when they had them to themselves all day, as they once again spent the entire day outside in the warm sunshine. They had visited Hagrid again, played with Fang for a while and Ron and Harry had been flying again. It was so hot that they had even gone paddling in the lake, and then had lain in the grass near the edge of the lake in the sun for a while. It was when they were lazing in the sun near the lake that Harry raised the question of burying the box. "I'd thought of that as well Harry," Hermione told her two friends, neither of whom were surprised at this fact. They had debated the pros and cons of burying the box for a while before coming to a decision.

It didn't rain that evening, so they weren't stuck inside and they'd barely seen Professor Snape all day. Not until it was almost bedtime and they were sat on the rug in the common room and he gave them all some lotion to put on, saying that he feared they were sunburned with the amount of time they had spent outside that day. None of them could argue with that assessment, they were all a bit pink skinned, and they all took the lotion with awkward muttered thanks. Hermione and Ron seemed to disappear quickly, leaving Harry sat on the rug by himself staring into the unlit fire. He had been surprised to find that he had been quite looking forward to the small conversation he found himself having with his Professor each night, but now it felt strange. He didn't think Professor Snape had been telling them all off when he had given them the lotion, he certainly hadn't raised his voice, but Harry wasn't entirely sure. There may have been a little reproach in his Professor's tone of voice and he thought maybe Ron and Hermione had picked up on that as well, especially considering how quickly they had then disappeared. "Come here and let me put some of that lotion on the back of your neck, Harry," his Professor told him, and Harry wasn't going to disobey. He went and sat next to his Professor on the couch, turning his back to the other man slightly, and couldn't contain a hiss when the cool lotion hit his warm neck. Professor Snape began to massage his neck gently. "I was wondering," Professor Snape began, and Harry thought that he sounded somewhat hesitant, "whether you would like to invite the Weasley family and Miss Granger's parents to Hogwarts on your birthday?" his guardian asked him. "We could have picnic by the lake, and you youngs ones could play around." His guardian sounded somewhat distasteful at the playing around comment, but Harry was confident that it was just for show. And probably in case Hermione or Ron were listening in, even though Harry knew they wouldn't. Professor Snape probably knew that as well.

Harry twisted around to face his teacher. "Really?" he asked, barely able to believe what he was hearing.

His Professor gave him a small smile. "Really," he was told. "I thought you would like to celebrate your birthday." Harry just nodded, barely able to speak. And he couldn't wait to run off to his room to tell Ron the news. "And no doubt Professor Dumbledore will come as well," Professor Snape told him.

"And Hagrid?" Harry asked. Hagrid who had given him his first ever birthday present.

"I'm sure he'll be delighted with an invite if you ask him," his Potions Professor said. Harry couldn't stop the grin which was threatening to split his face in two.

"This is going to be brilliant!" he said, and Professor Snape gave him an indulgent smile. "It's going to be even better than the last few days."

"Still enjoying yourself?" his teacher asked him.

"Yep," Harry replied. It was quickly turning into the best summer holiday he had ever had. "We didn't do much today, but it was still fun."

"That's what summer days are for," Professor Snape said. "Rest and relaxation before the hard work of the school year arrives." Harry was sure there was a hint that he was expected to do well at school academically in there.

"Oh, and we decided that we aren't going to bury the time capsule," Harry told him as an after thought, and received a raised eyebrow. This was what he had been eager to talk to his Professor about, but then his Professor had shocked all thoughts of his and his friends project out of his mind by asking him if he wanted a birthdya party. "We're going to call it a Memory Box instead, and just fill it with special items to remind us of our time at Hogwarts." And if their first two years at Hogwarts were anything to go by then they would have a lot to remember. And now Harry had his first ever birthday party to look forward to.

Harry grew more and more nervous as the day of his birthday approached, and he knew Ron, Hermione and Professor Snape could all tell. But how was he supposed to act at a birthday party? He'd never been to one before, both Ron and Hermione celebrated their birthdays at Hogwarts and although the three friend's exchanged gifts, they'd never really had a party before. He was looking forward to it, but he was more scared than anything else. The weather that week stayed nice, if anything it was getting even hotter and Harry awoke on the last day of July to find his room bathed in sunlight from behind the closed curtains. Ron was slowly waking in the other bed. "Happy Birthday," he said when he saw that Harry was also awake.

"Thanks," Harry told him, as he faced his first dilemma of the day. What did you wear to a birthday party? Seeing Ron pulling on his usual shorts and t-shirt, Harry followed suit. After all, the party wasn't until this afternoon, and it was going to be held by the lake. He could change at lunchtime if he needed to, but he didn't really have any nice clothes to wear.

Once out into the kitchen, Harry was hugged by an also casually dressed Hermione. "Happy Birthday, Harry," she told him, and Harry returned the hug whilst blushing, before turning towards his smirking guardian.

"Come and have breakfast," Professor Snape invited them. The three Gryffindor students settled around the kitchen table at ease, things in Snape's quarters were a lot comfortabler than they had been at the beginning of Hermione and Ron's stay. Harry couldn't help the grin that threatened to split his face at breakfast. You could tell that it was his birthday. Professor Snape was usually a stickler for healthy eating, but today there was an offering of pancakes and doughnuts for breakfast, along with some hash browns, scrambled eggs and bacon. All three children ate well, the fresh air and sunshine they had got everyday as they played out in the Hogwarts grounds doing wonders for their appetites. Not that Ron's needed any help of course.

Once breakfast was over the three of them were back out in the Hogwarts grounds. They had been told that there was nothing they could do to help, so they simply had to keep themselves amused until Ron and Hermione's families arrived at around one o'clock. They ended up wandering around the Quidditch pitch at a slow place. Both Ron and Hermione would be leaving with their respective families that evening and the three friends wouldn't see each other again until the end of August when they met up at Diagon Alley to buy their school supplies for their third year, and then not until September 1st when they caught the Hogwarts Express from Platform nine and three quarters. All the talking they had done over the last couple of days about their Memory Box had made them realise in a way how much they took each other for granted. Especially now that their visit was starting to draw to an end. They were lucky to go to boarding school, and they were with each other all the time during the school term, and it made their friendship particularly strong.

Lunchtime came around and Professor Snape told them not to eat too much before the party. Looking at the amount of food that the kitchens had sent up for the party, and the table they had seen down by the lake earlier for it all to go on, Harry couldn’t help but to comment quietly, “I think we’re going to need a bigger one.” He was still struggling to comprehend that people would go to all this effort for him.

Soon enough everyone had arrived for Harry’s party and there was a gathering of people at the lake edge. Ginny had come to join Harry, Ron and Hermione and the twins were apparently talking to Percy, but no one had any idea what about, and they were pretty certain they had heard the question “he knocked her up?”. They didn’t think that they actually wanted to know. Instead they decided to go paddling in the lake, it was another glorious summers day. Son enough the twins joined them and Percy predictably enough, when to sit with the adults. Mr and Mrs Weasley were enjoying being back at Hogwarts again and it was nice for Hermione’s parents to actually get to see where their daughter went to school and to meet one of her teachers and her head teacher.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were busy hatching another plan though, and Ginny was helping them. And if all worked like it should, it was going to end with the twins getting soaked. It worked, and the look on the twins’ faces was priceless, as was the laughter from the shore. The younger children couldn’t believe they had pulled it off though. It was Ron who came to his senses first though. “RUN!” he muttered to the others and quickly began wading his way to the shore, because he knew full well what would happen if the twins caught them before they got there. Harry, Hermione and Ginny very quickly followed him.

Once on dry land the four of them made a bee line for the adults, quickly running across the grass, with the twins in hot pursuit. The younger four knew that not even the twins would dare try anything if they were hiding behind adults including Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore though. They were all wet, but none more so than the twins and it was Professor Snape who dried them all with a quick flick of his wand and a mutter that sounded suspiciously like “Gryffindors!” Harry grinned at his guardian happily.

There were enough people now for a small game of Quidditch and the decision was made to move to the Quidditch Pitch before coming back to the lake for lunch. Everyone played except Mrs Weasley, Hagrid, Professor Dumbledore, Percy and Mr and Mrs Granger, who watched from the stands. Harry was delighted that Hermione was willing to play and that Professor Snape was and knew that they had only done so because it was his birthday.  

It was late afternoon when they went back to the lake and filled their plates with food. The kitchens had out done themselves with a selection of sandwiches, salads, pastas, cakes, scones and biscuits. They had even set picnic tables up and Harry joined Hermione and the Weasley children around one, with Fang sprawled nearby. And once they had finished eating, he even had a birthday cake. It was easily the best birthday he had ever had. And it was all thanks to Professor Snape. Once the last of the cake had been eaten though, it was time for his friends to leave. And they wouldn’t see each other again for nearly a month. They had decided that the Memory Box should stay in Harry’s room for now because that was the easiest place to keep it. And it would be there as a constant reminder of them, when the room felt slightly too large now that Ron’s bed wasn’t in it.

Harry felt a bit lost in Professor Snape’s quarters once Ron and Hermione were gone and since it was still light outside, he asked his Potions teacher if he could go for a walk. Not only did his teacher give him permission, but he even came along with him, and they made their way down to the lake. On the water’s edge, a slight breeze ruffled Harry’s hair back from his face, and he wondered how long it would be before Professor Snape managed to get him a new hat. The Professor in question had sensed his wards reflective mood, and lay a gentle arm around his shoulders as they watched the sun sink beneath the horizon.

Finally his teacher spoke; “time to go home”. Harry realised that for the last two years he had considered Hogwarts his home, and Ron and Hermione as his family, but somehow this summer that family had grew to include Professor Snape and on his thirteen birthday, Harry Potter was very glad of that fact.