Sam seemed surprised as well when Snape awkwardly asked Harry the next day if he'd like to go fishing with him and Sam at the creek. Despite the things Harry had said to Sam the night before, they shared a look and a shrug at the invitation and Harry nodded. "Ok," he said uncertainly.

Joanna seemed thrilled that Severus was taking both boys, and gave Harry an encouraging look as they left, Harry with a borrowed pole he thought belonged to Sam.

Severus apparated the three of them to a shady spot along a creek that bordered a farmer's pasture beyond ten or fifteen feet of trees. He sat down on a rock and began making his line read to cast in, and Sam did the same thing in silence. Harry wasn't quite sure what to do as he'd never been fishing before, and so he watched intently as he tried to figure out how to tie a hook to his line. It did seem a bit more complicated than simply tying a knot.

Severus was the first to finish and cast his line in, followed quickly by Sam. It was only a moment before Severus looked over to see that Harry was still sitting there with his pole across his lap, line in one hand and hook in the other. Caught watching Severus and Sam, Harry quickly turned back to his own pole and wished he knew what to do so that he didn't feel so out of place.

"What are you waiting for?" Severus asked, although not harshly.

When Harry failed to answer after a few moments, Sam scoffed, perhaps still a little irritated at Harry from the night before, and said, "He doesn't know how to tie it."

"Bring it here then."

Harry gave Sam a look that said he didn't appreciate what he'd just done, and then got up and walked over to Snape with the fishing pole.

"You wrap the line around the hook like this, and then back up through the eye," Snape said in what Harry deemed to be a very patient tone, probably the first he'd heard from Snape, let alone directed at him.

"I trust you can put the worm on yourself?"

"Yes sir," Harry said. He reached into the worm container and picked out a worm. He wanted to say he was sorry to the worm for what he was about to do, but didn't for fear of looking foolish in front of the two other men who had just speared their worms onto the barbed hook without a second thought.

Finally after putting the worm on and being shown how to cast properly by Sam, Harry had his line out in the water. If he thought it had been tense back at the house, it seemed to be even more so now as they all sat quietly waiting for the fish to bite. Personally Harry didn't see the harm in sitting quietly. It was something he was used to and often took whatever quiet time he had to reflect on things. Snape attempted a few times to get Sam engaged in conversation, but Sam wasn't taking the bait so to speak and was content to sit and brood. It was around noon when Snape finally turned to Harry and asked, "After school, do you intend on joining a Quidditch team?"

Harry allowed his mouth to hang open for a few moments and noticed that Sam was silently smirking as he looked out over the water. Ok, so this was a little awkward he thought, but Sam should have been used to it enough by now to just enjoy himself. Harry wasn't used to having any kind of civility from Snape at all.

"I thought about it," Harry said. "Sam's cousin said they might take me on the Falcons after school, but I don't know."

"What is it that you don't know?" Snape asked, looking out over the shallow stream himself.

Harry shrugged. "I thought about becoming an Auror, or maybe something else. I don't really know."

"What else piques your interest Mr. Potter?"

Cheeks turning red then for some reason, Harry bit his lip. "Teaching," he said. He knew Hermione fancied a teaching position, but he'd never told her or anyone else for that matter that he had thought about it too. He would like to teach defense some day or maybe even Quidditch. Hogwarts was his first real home, or at least the first he could remember, and he didn't know who he was away from it.

"Interesting."

Sam gave Harry a look then that didn't seem very happy, before giving Snape the same look and then going back to his pole, but Harry tried to ignore it. Snape hadn't seen it at all.

* * *

"Did you catch anything?"

"No," Sam said, setting his pole by his door and then going up the stairs without another word.

"Nothing was biting," Severus said, taking Harry's pole before kissing Joanna and then taking Sam's pole and disappearing in the direction of the garage.

"It was fun though," Harry said, feeling a little shy for some reason. Perhaps it was because he'd felt wanted... included, for once in so very long. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley always made Harry feel that way, but he knew there was no room for him there and probably never would be. It was nice to feel like that sometimes.

"Good. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself Harry." She gave him a one armed hug then and told him lunch would be ready soon. Harry didn't know as he went to use the downstairs bathroom then that Sam had been sitting on the top step watching his mother hug his friend.

* * *

After Harry had showered to get the grime of fishing off of him, he went to Sam's room intending to do some homework at long last.

"Can I borrow your History of Magic book? I need to start that essay first or I'll never do it." Harry was feeling marginally better than he had the last few days, but Sam it seemed was taking his turn at a sour mood now.

"No, I'm using it," he said, not bothering to look up at Harry. Harry frowned and looked at Sam's desk where the book plainly sat un touched.

"Can I borrow your Defense text then?"

"No."

Perturbed, Harry decided to try one last time. It was possible that Sam was still mad at him for his little outburst the night before, but he didn't think he'd take it like this.

"Can I-"

"Nope, using it." Sam flipped another page in the magazine he was reading.

"I don't-"

Irritated now, Sam cut Harry off again and said, "They're mine Harry. The books are mine, the room is mine, the parchment you were going to use to do your homework is mine. Why don't you go do something else?"

Silence hung between them for a moment, before Harry gave a single nod, mouth firmly shut. "Fine," he said, and left the room. Downstairs, Harry wasn't really sure what to do. Snape seemed to be studying in the den and Joanna was in the living room sewing something on a Muggle sewing machine. He didn't feel like intruding on them and so decided to outside and sit on the front porch for a while, even though it was a bit warm. He hadn't yet been to town without Sam and didn't want to go now, especially after fighting with the local kids whom he would not normally have chosen to duke it out with if it hadn't been for Sam's prior history with them. The last thing Harry needed was more enemies, and he was reminded of this as Avery Hightower rode his bike down the street, giving Harry a glare and a single upward nod of the head. Harry took it to mean that while he was on safe turf now, he wouldn't be the second he stepped out onto the street. Harry gave a nod in return as Hightower rode off. He had no want to break their unspoken agreement.

"Where's Sam?"

Harry turned to see Snape. Apparently the man had come out the front door behind him without making a sound.

"Upstairs I think," Harry said.

"I did not expect to find you alone. The two of you have been... inseparable since you arrived."

Well apparently that was about to change, Harry thought to himself. He was used to Ron's little mood swings, but he had no idea what Sam's were like, because until now he'd been all smiles.

"I guess he wanted to be alone to do his homework," Harry said. Severus took a deep breath, and then surprised Harry by taking a seat next to him on the front steps.

"He wishes to be alone a lot," Severus commented. "I am often the outsider here, and he does not fail to remind me of it when he can."

"He said that to you?" Harry asked, surprised. He knew Sam disliked Snape, but he didn't think he had the guts to take it that far.

"Not in words, no, but he makes it known in other ways that he wants nothing to do with me."

"Ha," Harry gave a little laugh. "He doesn't know what he wants. I bet he'll come around. He said he doesn't care that you're dating his mum."

"Did he now?"

Harry shrugged, not realizing that he had a small smile on his face, or that it was a result of talking amicably with Snape.

"I do not believe he enjoys our fishing trips."

"I think he thinks you're just trying to be nice to him because you have to be."

Severus was quiet for a few minutes then and Harry was content to sit and continue staring out at the street, where he noticed Avery Hightower sitting on his bike on the distant corner looking back at him, but not daring to ride back down the street with an adult next to Harry now.

"Is that what you believe Mr. Potter?"

"Huh?" Harry turned back to Snape now as Hightower finally rode off down another street. "It's not my place to say sir."

"I'm asking."

Harry bit his lip. "It's your house and your family sir. It's not my place to say." He stood up then, feeling uncomfortable and perhaps realizing just then that he had been having a friendly conversation with Severus Snape, man who lived to hate him. "Sorry," he added, and then went inside.

Sam was in the kitchen sitting by himself at the counter eating a sandwich, and though he glared weakly at Harry as he passed, Harry had no reason to suspect he'd seen him sitting out front with Snape, or that it bothered him, and so continued up the stairs to try to finally do some of his summer homework.

* * *

By the next day, Sam still wasn't talking to him, and Harry was starting to get a little irritated. He hated it when things were tense like this, especially when he finally felt like he had gotten... comfortable there, if he dared even think it. There were still two months of summer left and Harry didn't dare to hope that he'd be allowed to stay for the entire vacation. He was sure that while Snape was being civil at the least to him, that he was still thinking of ways to be rid of him, and so Harry had tried to put it from his mind, to keep reminding himself that while he liked it here, this wasn't his home. He did not expect Sam to remind him of it though.

It was just after dinner and Harry was feeling particularly good because Snape had mentioned at the dinner table to Joanna that Harry had considered becoming a teacher, and she had questioned him about it. He'd just gone upstairs to retrieve one of his three pairs of pants for Joanna to sew as it had three separate rips in it, when Sam followed him into the room and closed the door.

"What is it Potter? You can't stand me but you just love talking up my family?"

Harry frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about. You're the one that's been ignoring me for two days."

"Yeah, that's me, just stupid Sam Heywood who ignores his friend who tries to sneak in and take his family."

"I haven't done anything of the sort," Harry said, holding his hands up and feeling a little helpless.

"Don't pretend Harry. I've seen you hugging my mum, sitting on the porch with Snape chatting it up. Probably having a good laugh at me, right?"

"Sam-" Harry shook his head. He had no idea where all of this had come from.

"Well let me tell you something," Sam said, "I don't have a dad either, and Jo is my mum. Not yours, mine! Snape is marrying my mum, so you can just bloody stay away from the both of them. Go get your own family if you're so keen on having one."

Feeling upset beyond what he thought he should be, tears prickling his eyes, Harry said angrily, "I hate you." Perhaps it had been the pounding in his ears or the fluttery feeling in his heart as it ached, but Harry wasn't paying attention and didn't hear the door to Sam's bedroom open behind him as he told his friend that he hated him.

He didn't see Joanna or Snape standing there until Jo's voice said angrily, "Nobody talks to my son like that. It's time for you to leave."

Turning to face Joanna's angry face and Snape's impassive one, Harry was practically in tears. He was going to the orphanage. Just like everywhere else, he was finally being tossed out.

"Thank you for letting me stay," he said quietly. "You have a really nice family." As he walked out of the quiet room past her, Snape was the only one to see the single tear trailing down Harry's cheek. They heard the door open and then close again as Harry disappeared into the evening.

"I need to go find him," Severus said quietly, hand on Joanna's shoulder.

"Fine. But he's not coming back here. He's overstayed his welcome."

Without a word Severus went down the hall and after a few more moments they heard the door open and close again, and Sam and Joanna were finally alone.

"Are you ok honey?" Joanna asked, coming over to Sam and putting her arm around his shoulders.

Sam sat down on the edge of his bed, playing with his hands, and Jo sat down beside him.

"No," Sam said.

"I shouldn't have let him stay," she said then. "I didn't realize that he was going to be an issue... getting into fights, running away, insulting you."

Sam shrugged off his mother's arm from around his shoulder's then and said, "That's not why I'm upset. I'm angry because of what I did to my friend."

"I don't understand. You didn't do anything-"

"Yes I did mum!" He shot up off the bed then and started to pace in his small room.

"I provoked him. I got jealous all of a sudden because you and Severus were acting like you liked him... I don't know. I just had this freak out, and now he's out there all alone and it's my fault!"

"Sam, calm down. Tell me what's going on."

Running his hand through his hair, Sam said, "All he wants is a family like ours. Remember when he had the broken ribs after the fight with Avery? That wasn't from Avery. His uncle did that to him and the black eye. His cousin and aunt called the police and told them that Harry was vandalizing a park when he hadn't, and he got arrested. That's where Severus went, to get Harry out of jail. And then when he took Harry back to his family's house, they beat him up mum, then they took him and dumped him on the side of a road somewhere... it wasn't the neighbors that dumped him there it was them."

Despite still being upset at what Harry had said to her son, Joanna put her hand up over her mouth now. "He didn't want to go to the orphanage so we ran away. I thought I could help him... it wasn't just a summer getaway like I said. He got mad at me a couple nights ago for always complaining about Snape and said I should be happy to have the chance at having a father when he never had that chance. Then tonight I had my freak out and told him to go get his own family. That's why he said he hated me. I used what I knew against him."

"Oh Sam." She almost had tears in her eyes.

"I know mum, I messed up, and now he's out there. He doesn't even have any clothes with him."

"Come on." Taking her son's hand, Joanna lead him down the stairs and out the door after Severus, and hopefully Harry. Like her son, she too had made a mistake.

* * *

Harry had tears in his eyes as he ran down the dark street, any thought of danger to himself forgotten. He didn't know where he'd go now. He guessed he'd try to get to the Weasley's, but Sam was right, they were about as far away as Hogwarts but in the opposite direction, and he didn't have money on him for a magi-cab.

Not paying attention to where he was going, Harry ended up a few streets over from the sports park, and was brought out of his reverie by a cold voice from behind him.

"Finally away from that girlfriend of yours? What's the matter, have a little lovers spat with Sammy?"

Turning, Harry's stomach tied itself in a knot to see Avery Hightower and three of his friends. He didn't even have time to run as they dropped their bikes and ran towards him, tackling him hard and taking him to the ground.

"I'll show you, you little brat," Avery said as his friends held Harry down and Avery proceeded to punch and kick Harry in the stomach and face. After one particularly good hit to his chest Harry lost his breath, and despite gasping could not get it back. There was a sharp pain there and he could only assume that something sharp had gone through his lung.

"You knew what would happen," Avery taunted. "You left the porch anyway. This is my town and this is what happens to little punks like you." Finally having his fill of punching Harry senseless, Avery stood up and wiped his fists on Harry's ripped shirt. Harry was still gasping for breath and wheezing terribly.

"I think something's wrong with him," one of the other guys said. The four of them just stood there watching Harry. Harry wanted to ask for help, but couldn't get the words out.

"We should get somebody," another boy said, but Avery was white now; Harry could see it even in the darkness.

"Just run," Avery said, and they got on their bikes and rode off into the night as fast as they could.

Harry gripped at his chest, feeling now like something was on top of it preventing him from taking in any air, but there was nothing there. Hands finding the pavement he grasped for anything that might help him, perhaps his wand which he knew he'd forgotten at home.

After what seemed like long agonizing moments of gasping and wheezing and immense pain, Harry heard hurried footsteps coming down the sidewalk, and Snape's face appeared over his own.

"Harry," he said, looking worried.

Again Harry tried to say something, anything, but nothing would come out, and he reached up to Snape's robes, holding on to them with his fist for dear life.

Severus withdrew his wand and was incanting a never-ending string of spells as he aimed it at Harry's chest, but Harry still wasn't getting any air, and panic was really setting in now. As his vision was dimming, he was aware that there were two other people there now, but he didn't register that it was Sam and Joanna.

"He can't breathe," Severus said, panic finally reaching his voice as Joanna knelt beside him and Sam stood back, both hands up in his hair. "I've used every healing spell I know, but he still can't get any air."

"He's got a punctured lung. We need to remove the bone before we can heal it." Wand already out, Joanna said the same spell that Lockhart had used on Harry's broken arm in their second year and removed the rib that had gone through the wall of Harry's lung, and then used some of the same spells Snape had already tried, including one in the end to fill Harry's lungs with air again. Suddenly Harry gasped, eyes open again, and choked hard for long moments.

"There you are," Snape said, "good boy. Come on, keep your eyes open." Harry tried but after such a lack of oxygen and already passing out, he wasn't sure he could do it.

"Where's Sam?" Harry rasped. "Did Avery get him too?"

"No, no, he's right here," Joanna asked, surprised that after being so thoroughly beaten that Harry's first concern was her son.

Sam came into Harry's view then briefly before he passed out.

"Come on, help me get him up," Severus said. Joanna helped lift Harry up into Severus' arms before stopping to look into his eyes.

"I love you Jo," he said seriously then. "But Harry needs me. I can't let him go at things alone anymore."

Biting her lip with tears in her eyes, Joanna nodded and then took a step back, watching as Severus apparated away with Harry.

"Mum?" Sam asked, voice heightened.

"They're gone," she said, and she feared it was for good.