Feeling like he was going to throw up Harry made a mad dash for the hallway and bathroom and was thankful Snape seemed to be out or still asleep as he lost what little was in his stomach. He sank to the floor and rested his head on the side of the tub.

"You're ill." Harry didn't have to look up to know his father was in the doorway watching him a moment later. So he wasn't asleep after all.

"Remus is dead."

Severus sighed heavily. "He is not dead. He showed up two hours after you did screaming like a banshee and demanding to know if you were here."

Harry threw up again at the news and Severus came into the bathroom and lifted him from under the arm to help him to the sink so he could wash his mouth out.

"I'm not still dreaming? Remus is alive?" Harry asked, and he looked like he really wasn't certain what was real anymore.

"He is in a guest room sleeping." Harry looked away and Severus said, "You do not believe me."

"I'm just not sure if I'm dreaming." It wouldn't be the first time that Harry had wished so hard for something to be real that he had dreamed about it being real and been confused when he'd woken. Several times when he was younger and locked in his cupboard he'd had dreams that seemed so real of living with another family that when he woke in the darkness in his cupboard and couldn't get out he panicked and made Aunt Petunia yell at him for causing such a racket.

"You are not," Severus said, and let Harry sit down on the edge of the tub.

"Can I go see him?"

"You can have something to eat and then we are going to have a long discussion. At some point this morning the Headmaster expects to receive an explanation as well." Harry wasn't sure what part of those instructions irritated Snape the most, but he was definitely irritated.

Snape led Harry back to the kitchen where he fed him a bowl of cereal, which Harry only ate a few bites of, and then set two cups of coffee on the table, one in front of himself and one in front of Harry. Harry looked at it, surprised. He didn't usually drink coffee and only knew a few students who did. It was black and he wasn't sure he could drink it so he took a sip and set it back down and decided not to finish.

Harry thought his father was going to ask why he ran away, but he didn't. Harry had no idea that his father already understood why. Instead of questions for Harry, Severus looked at him seriously and said, "I did not know you were my son until I looked into your mind. If I had had any idea, you would not have been living with those Muggles, and I never would have treated you as I had all these years."

Harry squirmed in his seat for a moment. He hadn't expected the Potions Master to jump to the point so quickly, though he didn't know why since Slytherins in general had a way of being blunt. Harry was reminded of his conversation with August however. Whether he realized it or not, it was never ok to treat Harry as he had. Saying that to the man in front of him who was somehow his father seemed a lot harder than saying it to August though. He took another drink of the black coffee and tried not to make a face and said, "It was never ok to treat me like that, whether you knew about me or not." At the same time Harry couldn't help but feeling that he'd given August a pass and had done the same for a lot of other people who had treated him horribly in the past. "You're no different than anyone else," Harry said. "Everyone treats me like that. Forget it."

It was Snape's turn to look uncomfortable now, and there was silence between them for a long moment. "I will- not forget how I have treated you." He looked like he had more that he wanted to say, but his mouth stayed closed and he drank his coffee instead. Harry suffered through another drink of his bitter black coffee as well. If Snape could handle drinking it black, he had to as well, at least until this cup was gone.

"You have questions." Snape made it a statement, but Harry surprised him when after a moment he said, "No." Draco had had all sorts of questions about how he and Harry were practically the same age, how Narcissa and Lucius had ended up together and why Severus and Narcissa had not, and why it was kept a secret and had to remain so.

"You do not have questions about-"

"No." Harry suffered through another drink, and tried not to notice the awkward silence. He did have questions, but suddenly he felt like he didn't want to know. Getting answers would mean a shift in his relationship with Snape... some sort of understanding, and he didn't know if he was ready for that.

"Then it is time for you to explain to me what has gone on since you left Beauxbatons."

This Harry could do. He'd known coming back to Hogwarts would mean getting in trouble for running away and was ready for it. He was ready to get yelled at and given months of detention. He wasn't ready for Snape to sit there and listen as he drank his coffee and not interrupt him until he was finished. Harry kept looking up at him as he told about being found by Amos, sneaking out in the middle of the night to go to Diagonalley, and burying death eaters in mud with Root. When he was done Severus rose to get a second cup of coffee and Harry intentionally left a few swallows left in his so his wouldn't be refilled as well.

"What about this nonsense in the student newsletters?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were writing your friends with quotes meant to taunt Voldemort."

"I didn't. I only wrote to Luna once asking if she could do something to get the truth out, and they started The Hogwarts Guardian."

"You were having a lie in?"

"It wasn't me. They made that up."

"And you did not vandalize buildings across the country? You did not go back to Beauxbatons and Boden to do the same there?"

"People did that on their own. I didn't mean to start something, I just wanted to get a message to Ron and Hermione and let them know it wasn't like the Prophet was saying."

Severus took a deep breath and then sighed as he took the sight of Harry in. Harry was just as insecure as when he'd seen him at Beauxbatons. It was even clearer to him now that most of his actions were fueled by insecurity. Harry wasn't trying to start a rebellion or taunt Voldemort, he was just trying to keep himself from disappearing. He wanted to be seen. If Severus hadn't seen his mind fully at Beauxbatons, he was certainly seeing Harry now.

"Has your arm fully healed?"

"I think so."

"Are you injured anywhere that I didn't treat last night?"

"I'm ok," Harry said.

"You're well enough to return to classes tomorrow then."

Harry paused as he was rising to put his mug into the sink. "I'm behind though. I'm going to have to repeat a year."

"You are caught up."

"But I missed over a month of classes. I didn't do homework or take tests or-"

"You sent essays in every day. You are caught up in everything but practical Transfiguration and practical Potions and Charms."

Harry frowned. "I didn't send in any essays."

Severus rose and went into the living room and Harry followed. He pulled a file out of his top desk drawer and handed it to Harry. Inside were all the Potions essays he'd written for Remus while he was staying with him.

"But- I thought Remus didn't tell you where I was."

"He did not." Severus took the file back. "You mean to tell me Remus sent these daily?"

"He said I couldn't fall behind and he had 6th year text books and assigned me essays from all the readings every day. I didn't know he was sending them in. He sent all of them in?"

"I would assume so. Every morning an owl comes in with them and the Headmistress sorts them and gives them to the appropriate teacher. As far as I am aware you are counted as caught up in your classes, though you will have to brew ten potions for me and your other professors may make you perform spells to prove you have mastered more than just the theory."

"Remus was teaching me all kinds of shields and blocks and some hexes."

"You will be caught up in after school classes then."

"In what?"

"Since the students from Boden have come to stay, and since three of the schools have been attacked, after school classes are being held to teach dueling, extra defense, magery, and other skills. All students fifth year and above are required to take two after school classes per day. First through fourth years must take one after school class per day geared towards their level of understanding."

Harry was going to ask more, but closed his mouth. Apparently he'd missed a lot while he was away, and despite Snape's assurances that he was all caught up, he felt anything but.

"You will report to the Headmaster's office for a discussion with him. You may do as you wish after that, but you are to return here after dinner."

"For detention?"

"You will be staying the night."

"Why?"

Severus gave him a calm but serious look. "We have more to discuss." Harry's stomach squirmed. What more could there be to discuss?

His father waved him away and Harry left, feeling odd about his morning and the exchange. He still felt queasy and exhausted from the events of the night before, and the only thing he wanted to do right now was find Remus and make sure he really wasn't dreaming. Harry would have gone to find Remus too if he knew what room he was staying in, but had no choice but to do as he was told and go to the Headmaster's office.

The corridors were empty as he made his way up through the castle and as Harry checked his watch he realized everyone was in their late morning class.

The gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office stepped aside automatically when he approached without waiting for a password, and Harry swallowed. The Headmaster was expecting him, and Remus' warning about how angry the Headmaster could get was fresh on his mind. When Harry knocked on the door and was bade to enter, no yelling met his ears however. Instead he was swept up into a tight hug that took his breath away and almost knocked him off his feet. He wasn't sure who had him until Remus said in his ear, "I'm so upset with you cub. I thought you were dead. You had no right to put me through that." Remus let go and looked him up and down and then pulled him into a tight hug again. Harry hugged him back, equally glad the man was alive and not burned to death.

"I'm so sorry Remus. I should have listened."

"What's done is done," Remus said, releasing him. Remus pulled him down into a seat and took a seat in the other visitor chair and Harry looked to find the Headmaster watching, no anger evident on his face.

"Tell me what happened," Remus said. Harry thought Dumbledore would have been asking questions, but it seemed for the moment Remus was still in charge and was conducting this interview.

"I waited until you were gone for ten or fifteen minutes and went out. I was only going to be gone a few minutes, and I was going to stay away from populated areas. I wanted to thank Mr. Diggory for helping me out and getting me to you, but when I got there he was in a fight with two Death Eaters. His house was on fire. I distracted them and he took them down. He left and I went down the lane to check on the Burrow but it seemed ok aside from their field was on fire. I went back and bound the unconscious Death Eaters more and used a tongue tie curse. I snapped their wands and buried them in mud. I figured unless they could do wandless and wordless magic they'd be stuck. I was going to go back to the cabin and tell you when you came back so you could send someone to pick them up, but I got back to the cabin and you were-" Harry swallowed back the tears that fought to burst forth. Remus reached over and squeezed his shoulder and Harry finished, "You weren't there. I came back here."

"Harry," the Headmaster said, reminding him he was there. "How did you bury the Death Eaters in mud?"

"I put my fingers into the mud and made it soften until they sank into it. I pulled their mouths and noses above it and used a spell to harden the mud again with my wand."

"You used Root?"

"Yes sir."

"I was unaware you had gained such an understanding of it during your time at Gemini."

"I've been practicing."

"Is that what you did to The Prophet editor on Diagon Alley?"

"Yeah. It was easy because there was a lot of magic in the stones. I just brought them up and made them squeeze him."

"But it was harder at the Diggory's house?"

"I found the magic in the lane, and I could get it to liquify, but I couldn't get it to harden. I couldn't figure that part out so I used a spell."

The Headmaster asked him a couple of other questions about Root and then said, "Remus, if you'll excuse us for a few minutes, I have some things I would like to discuss with Harry. I'll send him down so you can take him to lunch shortly."

Remus gave a nod, looked Harry up and down again as though he weren't sure if this were a dream or not, and then left Harry alone with Dumbledore in his office.

"You've been busy while you've been away Harry. Remus has filled me in on some of your time away and has helped me separate the truth from some of the fiction your friends have been printing in The Guardian. Some things still remain unanswered however."

Here it comes, Harry thought. The Headmaster was going to scream at him til' his ears bled for running from a fight.

"When I sent you to Hogsmeade during the initial battle, what happened?"

"There was a little boy trying to hide. I helped him hide and ran in the opposite direction. I ran into a Death Eater."

"Who?"

"Narcissa Malfoy."

"And what happened? How did you get away?"

"She said-" Harry frowned, had his father or Remus already told Dumbledore about his connection to Snape? "She told me about Draco and Professor Snape. She said Draco would never forgive her if she hurt me, and let me go."

"Why?"

"Draco and I are friends."

"I was not aware there had been a shift in your relationship."

"At Gemini we all decided that we didn't have houses there, we were just from Hogwarts. In the competitions we wanted to have a win for Hogwarts. Nobody cared what house we were from except Professor Snape."

"I see. That is welcome news. You are aware however that no one can know about Draco's connection with Professor Snape? That would be dangerous for both of them as well as for Narcissa Malfoy."

"Yes sir."

"Do you believe based on what transpired with Narcissa in Hogsmeade that she would be willing to change sides?"

"I don't know," Harry said. He hadn't thought about it and was only thankful that she'd let him get away without a fight.

"When you left Hogsmeade, why did you not return?"

Harry looked down at his hands and fidgeted with them. That was harder to explain without giving his own connection to Snape away and he really didn't want to besides. "It's hard to explain."

"No one will blame you for being scared to return Harry."

"It wasn't that," he said. He had been panicked and everything had happened so fast, but that wasn't the reason.

When Harry still hadn't come up with a sufficient answer and was still staring at his fingers, the Headmaster asked, "Was it about Voldemort?"

"No."

"You had another reason not to return?"

"I- didn't want to."

Dumbledore was quiet and Harry looked up only to find the man watching him and green eyes met blue. "You did not come back for personal reasons," Dumbledore said.

"Yes."

"You realize, it's been quite some time since we've had a student run away from Hogwarts. The last was before you came to school. It hadn't crossed my mind that you had something you were trying to work through. I must admit it eases my mind some that you were not out searching for Voldemort."

"I'm sorry."

"Do not be Harry. I have been accused from time to time of forgetting that you are still a student and not a fully fledged member of the Order. You are allowed to be human and to be a teenager. It also eases my mind to know you were with Remus for some of the time you were gone. Did you enjoy spending time with Remus?"

"I- yeah. I'm not sure how much he enjoyed it though."

Dumbledore chuckled. "For now I will be placing you in Remus' charge. Remus will be staying at the castle. He will be staff but for now there is already an abundance of teachers so there's no need for him in that capacity. His primary goal is you and to see to any extra training you need."

"You're not- putting me with Professor Snape?"

Dumbledore looked at him over the top of his half-moon glasses. "Is there reason to? I was under the impression the two of you did not get along. That is why you refused to return with him when he found you at Beauxbatons is it not?"

Harry bit his lip and shrugged. What was he supposed to say? Draco's relationship with Snape was a secret from most everybody and he wasn't sure if his relationship with the man was supposed to be a secret from Dumbledore or not.

"Try not to give Remus too much trouble Harry. After recent events he deserves a little time to unwind."

"I won't run away again," Harry promised. He wouldn't vandalize anything or do anything else stupid either, he thought to himself, becuase he was sure that was what the Headmaster was telling him.

"I meant what I said Harry," Dumbledore told him with a serious look. "You are allowed to be human. I only ask that you work with Remus and not against him."

"Yes sir."

"Remus should be waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs. He'll make sure you are caught up enough to return to classes."

"Yes sir."

Harry got up and left the office. Remus was waiting for him in the corridor as promised.

"Lunch?" he asked.

"You didn't tell him about Professor Snape?" Harry asked.

"I thought you didn't want anyone to know."

"I don't- he said you were my guardian now?"

"Yes. I'll be staying in a room down the corridor from Gryffindor tower. Just a couple doors down from Professor McGonagall's."

"Because I need watching?"

"Because you're not going back to the Dursleys next summer and that means you need a guardian. Every other student here has one."

"Don't you think Professor Snape might have a problem with this?"

"It'll be something to discuss with him," Remus said. "But unless he wants certain details to be known this is where we're at."

"I'm supposed to go back to his quarters tonight to stay the night."

"Harry." Remus pulled him into an alcove. "I'm not going to interfere with your relationship. As far as I'm concerned he's your guardian. What he says goes."

"Maybe don't tell him that," Harry said, eyes wide.

"You're going to have to deal with him sooner or later Harry. I'd recommend sooner."

Harry kept his mouth shut as they headed down through the castle and began running into students coming out of class and heading to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Hey! Harry! When'd you get back?"

Harry turned and waved at Dean, though his words had caused several people to stop and crane their necks over the crowd trying to spot Harry.

"The halls are certainly more crowded with the Boden students here," Remus said, and Harry had to agree. They finally made it to the Entrance Hall a minute later and Remus said, "I'm going to the staff table Harry. I'll see you after unless you make plans with your friends."

"Ok."

"Look, see!" Dean's voice rang out again in the crowd and a moment later Ron and Hermione appeared, following Dean to where Harry stood against the wall under the Slytherin hourglass.

"Harry!" Ron had him in a hug before he could respond and pulled back only after Draco came up to them to see that Harry was back as well. Harry wasn't sure if he should hug Hermione or not because he wasn't sure if they were still dating, so instead he stood there feeling awkward and trying not to look at her.

"When did you get back? What happened?" Ron asked.

"This morning round three I guess."

"Remus is here too you know," Hermione said quietly. "We saw him between morning classes."

"I know," Harry said.

"Wait here," Ron said, "I'll get lunch and we can eat in the Newsletter room." Ron and Draco disappeared leaving Harry and Hermione alone.

"Hi," Harry said quietly.

"Hi."

"Why-" "I'm-" They both quieted so they didn't talk over each other.

After a moment Hermione said, "Why did you leave? Ron thinks you were out searching for Voldemort."

"It wasn't that."

"I'd like to know."

"It was- it was personal reasons. Family stuff."

"What do you mean?"

"I found some stuff out about my parents. I don't really wanna talk about it."

"So you just left? You didn't write or anything?"

"I'm really sorry Hermione. I didn't want anyone to know where I was because I didn't wanna come back here and deal with it."

"You wrote to Draco though, and Luna."

"I wrote Draco so he could let people know I was safe at least and not dead. I wrote Luna because I didn't want you guys to believe what the Prophet was printing."

"We didn't," Hermione said. "No one believed what they were printing."

"I tried to leave you guys a message."

"Dumbledore's Army lives," she said.

"Yeah."

Hermione sighed. "We were all really worried about you Harry."

"I'm sorry." He wanted to ask if they were still dating, but didn't know if he really wanted to know the truth or not. Remus' voice was in his head telling him to get it over with though so he said, "Are you- are we-"

"Still dating?" She gave him a sad look. "I don't know what we are Harry. I don't even know if we're friends. I thought you would have written me or Ron at least after all we've been through together, or taken one or both of us with you."

"I didn't have a lot of time to think about taking someone with me. The Headmaster sent me to Hogsmeade and once I was there and it was under attack I didn't have a lot of time to think about anything. I ended up leaving and going to Boden."

"I know where you went. Axle told us you were there for a while. He's been hanging out with Ron and Draco."

"Look- I really am sorry. I did what I had to do. I told you when we started dating that something like this might happen."

"Yes," she agreed, "you did. I just didn't know that I wasn't just gonna lose my boyfriend, I was gonna lose my best friend too."

"You didn't. I'm right here."

"For how long? When you disappear again, how long until you decide to write and let me and Ron know where you are and that you're ok? Do you know Ron and I checked the Prophet every morning to be sure you weren't listed as dead? That you weren't in the section in the back of unidentified bodies? It wasn't just us Harry. Everyone was stressed about you missing."

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are and I forgive you. I'm still upset with you though." She stepped back and then walked away and into the Great Hall. She hadn't yelled at him or even used a harsh tone during their conversation, but Harry still felt as though he'd been slapped. He still didn't know if they were done dating or not. She hadn't been clear. Maybe she wanted him to be uncertain like she'd been.

Harry turned and found Snape leaning against the wall on the other side of the Entrance Hall at the entrance to the Dungeons, just watching, arms crossed. Harry was going to say something but didn't know what, and a moment later Ron and Draco came back with their arms full of food.

"Where's ‘Mione?" Ron asked.

"I don't think she's coming," Harry said.

"C'mon then, we only have forty minutes til' lunch is over." Ron and Draco led Harry up to the second floor and down a side corridor he didn't often go down. They opened a door on the end and Harry followed them inside. There were four tables and a workbench against one wall with an ancient looking contraption Harry thought might be a printing press.

"McGonagall's overseeing the Newsletter club," Ron said. "There's a whole bunch of us doing it. I'm Editor," he said proudly, and pointed to a pin on his chest below his Prefect badge. He set several apples down on the table and a bag of crisps he'd come up with somewhere. Draco had four sandwiches and set them next to the other food. They pulled up stools and ate quietly for a minute.

"Luna's in charge of publishing," Ron said. "Neville's been interviewing new people that come to the castle and writing stories, and there's some younger students from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw that have been coming more often lately and working on fixing up the printing press."

When Harry looked at Draco, Draco said, "I'm not allowed to participate. Father won't let me." He and Harry shared a look and Ron scoffed but didn't say anything. Harry and Draco both knew he was talking about Snape.

"And Professor McGonagall lets you publish whatever?" Harry asked. "You printed a lot of stuff I didn't say."

Ron grinned. "Professor McGonagall came up with some of it. She said we all needed a morale boost and rebellions have to start somewhere."

"Rebellions?"

"People have been showing up since you left. Not just Boden students, although we got a few more of them after the first wave arrived. Harry, even the Chudley Cannons came!"

"What?"

"They've been sleeping in the Entrance Hall as a first line of defense. They wanted to be part of the ‘movement'," Ron said.

"I don't-"

"When you painted Diagon Alley," Ron said. "Fred and George painted a sign and put up over their ruined shop. And some Boden students put it up over the part of their school that was destroyed. Some of the kids you went to Gemini with did it at Beauxbatons too. Everyone thinks it's you that's been being cheeky in the Newsletter and then the vandalism and all the stuff the Prophet editor said about you..."

"It just exploded," Draco said. "The Cannon's showed up and said they wanted to help you with ‘The Dumbledore's Army movement'. Father says the whole thing is ridiculous." He gave Harry another look which Harry ignored.

"Not just the Cannons Harry," Ron said. "Fortescue showed up and told us how you came out of nowhere and saved him, and we put that in the Newsletter. Then other people who have been targeted started to show up... you know, Muggleborn business owners and whatnot. A bunch of them have been staying in guest quarters down the Hufflepuff Hallway and some down in the Dungeons. The people from Gladrags and the guy that runs that apothecary on Diagon and his wife and kids."

Harry nodded. "So it's this whole thing now."

"Yeah, and now you're back and you can lead it. You can give us some real quotes for the Newsletter."

"I don't- what am I even gonna say?"

Ron shrugged. "This is one of the after school classes. You have to take two. This could be one of them. We meet after dinner."

Ron and Draco explained that every day 6 after school classes were offered, though they were run more like clubs. They happened from 4-5 and 6-7. You had to take two but it didn't have to be the same two every day. If for instance they were going to teach an advanced shield you wanted to know in the dueling class then you could skip one of your other after school classes to go to it instead.

"I've been doing the Newsletter and duelling," Ron said.

"What about Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Duelling and Defensive Charms."

Draco finished his apple and said, "There's Duelling, Newsletter, Defensive Charms, Snape is teaching Defensive Tactics like he did at Gemini, Magery, and Healing like at Gemini but Madam Pomfrey is teaching it. Once a week McGonagall cancels Newsletter and does a Defensive Transfiguration lesson with that Transfiguration teacher from Boden. They're gonna make you take Healing with Pomfrey for at least two days. First aid stuff. They made everybody do it."

"Remus has been teaching me new shields and defensive spells," Harry said.

"Maybe you can teach us tonight in the dorms."

"Erm- I can't go back to the dorms tonight," Harry said.

"What? Why not? We'll put an extra bed in and move Axle out of yours."

"He's been staying in our room?"

"Yeah, they spread the Boden kids out everywhere. They let them choose where they wanted to stay. They said they can't sort them because they're not technically enrolled as Hogwarts students. They're still following Boden rules and going to classes with the few Boden teachers that came with them. For classes where they don't have a teacher they go to ours. I thought it would be a shocker for them going to Potions with Snape but he's been off lately."

Harry frowned. "What do you mean?"

Ron shrugged. "Dunno. He's not snapping at anyone anymore and deducting points like a lunatic."

"He's been worried," Draco put in quietly, and didn't give Harry a look this time.

"Well-" Ron said. "He did storm into the Newsletter office that one day and threatened to take a hundred points from each of us if we printed anything about you again Harry, but McGonagall came in and made him get lost and told us to keep doing what we were doing."

They stood up a minute later and gathered their trash and threw it away. "Are you coming back to classes today?" Ron asked.

"I'm not sure what the schedule is," Harry confessed. "I'm supposed to go back tomorrow."

"You can come with us," Ron said. "There's only a couple classes left today anyway."

Harry nodded, but felt weird about jumping straight back into classes. They went to Transfiguration and after McGonagall gave the class something to practice on, she called Harry to the front of the room.

"I have all of your homework for the past couple weeks Harry, so you're caught up there. I need to see the transfiguration work though." She asked him to show her several spells, which he did, but she spent the entire lesson correcting the wand work and pronunciations and Harry tried to pay attention instead of looking over to where Hermione was sitting and working.

When class was over McGonagall said, "We'll work on this again tomorrow, but I'm confident you'll be caught up by the end of the next class. If not we can find someone to tutor you over the weekend."

"Yes maam."

McGonagall dismissed the class, but before Harry could leave she put her hand on his wrist to keep him from stepping away and joining his friends. "I'm glad you're back Harry. I don't know why you left, but I assume everything is taken care of now?"

Harry bit his lower lip and then nodded. "Yes maam."

"If you need to talk about anything Harry, let me know. That's what a Head of House is for."

"Yes maam."

She gave him a worn smile and sent him on his way.

Harry went to Charms next which went much the same way as Transfiguration. Flitwick didn't have to correct his wandwork as much, but did end up giving Harry a three page long test to make sure he was satisfied that Harry knew all the concepts he'd need to continue. Harry passed, and Flitwick only assigned him one extra essay about a concept he wasn't sure Harry had mastered yet.

By now the word had spread that Harry was back and going back to classes, and it was impossible for Harry to make his way down to the Great Hall for dinner. Everyone wanted to slap him on the back and congratulate him on making a fool of Voldemort in the papers. To the student body it seemed as though this had been Harry's plan all along. No one knew he ran away, and people were under the impression that Dumbledore had given him leave to go on some sort of special top secret mission for the Ministry of Magic.

Harry ended up skipping dinner, though he told his friends to go ahead without him. The problem was he didn't know where to go instead of dinner. He couldn't go back to the dorm yet, primarily because he didn't have the password or a bed to go back to, and he didn't think he'd be allowed back in Snape's quarters before the appointed time. That left him with standing in the middle of the Entrance Hall feeling lost.

"Harry."

Harry turned and found August.

"Has your arm healed?"

Harry nodded and August seemed relieved.

"You do not know how happy that makes me to hear that. I thought I'd lost you in the lake, or that I'd accidentally left you at Boden."

"It wasn't your fault. I pulled away in the apparation. I'm sorry."

August waved him away. "It is done and over. I am only happy to know that you are well."

"Thanks," Harry said quietly. Apparently Harry had been causing people to worry all over the place. He felt bad about Remus but after Hermione had told him off, and then finding out Snape had been worried while he was away, and now August... even McGonagall seemed relieved he was back. Maybe Hermione was right and he had been selfish.

"I know you've only just returned Harry, but I have a request."

Harry looked up.

"You have heard about after school courses."

"Yeah."

"Most of them are based on defense and offense in preparation for whatever comes next. In Magery I have been trying to teach students how to cast a patronus so we can work on it wandlessly. Aside from the few who already know how I have been unsuccessful. I was hoping you would come to my class for a few days and help me teach them what they need to know."

"You want me to teach?"

August nodded and Harry said, "I- ok." He really didn't know what to say to a request like that. He'd never been asked to teach before, or even to take over the class for a minute when a teacher had to step out. Hermione had been asked, and once Flitwick had even told Draco to take over when he had to step out to deal with something, but never Harry. "Remus taught me," Harry said. "He's on staff now."

"I heard," August said. "I would not be opposed to him coming to help as well. I was hoping since you have had success teaching younger students how to cast you could use the same techniques with this class."

"Ok," Harry said.

"Our class is working on something else tonight. Would later this week work for you? Friday?"

Harry nodded. "Yes sir."

"All is well then. I must get back to my family and dinner." He left Harry in the Entrance Hall to think over the conversation and his stomach bubbled at how different things were. He didn't even know what after school classes looked like yet, or who was in them, and now he was being asked to teach one, at least for a day.

"Mr. Potter." Harry turned and found Snape coming out of the Great Hall. "Come with me."

Harry followed him down into the Dungeons and back to his quarters.

"You didn't eat dinner."

"No sir."

Snape tapped his wand on his kitchen table and a plate appeared with dinner. "Sit and eat."

Harry sat and took a few bites of potatoes and roast beef and ignored the strange chutney sitting on the side of his plate.

"The elves have been including food from Sweden for the Boden students."

Harry nodded but didn't say anything as Snape sat at the other end of the table and drank tea. Harry was only thankful the man wasn't inviting him to another bitter coffee drinking contest.

"You attended classes today?"

"Just Transfiguration and Charms. I had to take a charms test and show Professor McGonagall some spells."

Severus nodded. "You wish to go to after school classes?"

"Not particularly."

"Then you will not start until tomorrow evening."

"What about the Potions I have to brew?"

"You may do so this weekend."

Harry bit his lip. He wondered if Snape knew the Headmaster had put Remus in charge of him yet and if he really wanted to be the one to tell him about it. Perhaps he'd best leave that to Remus.

"Why can't I go back to the dorms tonight?"

"If you really want to I will not stop you from doing so."

Harry stopped pushing the chutney around the plate and looked up and met his eyes. He didn't really want to go back tonight. He was sure they could find a sleeping bag or something so he could sleep on the floor next to Ron's bed, but he was done answering questions for the day and dancing around the issue of why he'd left in the first place. He was also tired of people slapping him on the back and asking him what his next move was. Snape must have known this would happen ahead of time, and Harry was surprised the man had been so thoughtful.

When Harry pushed his plate away from himself, Severus motioned for him to follow him into the living room and sit on the couch. Severus sat in a comfortable chair next to the spot Harry took on the couch. "Would you like help clearing your mind before bed?"

Harry fidgeted and played with his fingers. He'd been doing that a lot today. He did want help. There were a lot of confusing things floating around and fighting for attention. Snape had apparently known that too... had apparently put himself in Harry's shoes and was ready for this, which surprised Harry. Harry was up against the same conundrum he'd had that morning though. Accepting this help from Snape would mean a shift in their relationship. He'd let Snape help him clear his mind at Beauxbatons because he'd really had no choice. He'd felt a peace afterwards that he wasn't used to... like someone else had taken the weight off him for just a little while so he could rest. Harry couldn't bring himself to believe that Snape wanted to take this on though. No one had ever wanted to do that for him. His friends had helped him, but only because his problems were theirs too with all the things Harry had gotten them involved in. Now here was Snape ready for him. Here was Snape ready to give him a place of rest after a draining day, and ready to help him tuck things in his mind away so he didn't have to by himself. The man was his father, but Harry didn't understand. Snape still hated him. He had to, son or not. He might have promised not to treat him like he had before, but that didn't necessarily change his feelings about Harry.

"Do you want the help?" Snape asked again.

"I don't know why you want to help me."

Snape was silent as he looked at Harry and Harry pulled his eyes away. "I am your father."

"That doesn't mean anything to me."

"It means something to me."

"What does it mean?"

Snape leaned forward causing Harry to look up again. "It means I am here to help you bear your burdens. You do not have to do it alone anymore."

Harry swallowed hard and nodded. He didn't understand, but he wanted to. He wanted to know what that was like to have a father to help. He wanted that more than anything.

"Then open your mind," Severus said. Harry looked into his eyes for a moment, and then closed them as he let his father into his mind, which was once again jumbled with confusion and overwhelmed with the days events. Severus felt the desperation in Harry's mind to be helped, and began to sift through Harry's feelings over the conversation Severus had seen between he and Hermione earlier in the day, August's request for him to teach, and all the changes the school had gone through in Harry's absence. As he worked Severus felt Harry's anxiety over the changes, over the possibility of getting yelled at by the Headmaster for running off, and over getting the help from Severus that he wanted but didn't know how to deal with. Just as Harry drifted off to sleep an hour later, Severus felt Harry's anxiety over one last thing: how his father would react to the Headmaster making Harry Lupin's ward. Severus removed himself from the boy's mind, stood and covered him with a blanket, and then left his sleeping son to go and find the wolf. It was time to have words with him.