Someone was pushing Harry's shoulder, trying to get him to rouse from sleep, (the best he'd had since before Sirius had died consequently), and he was refusing to budge from the warm bed with the scratchy yet blissfully warm wool blanket.

"Come on Potter, move," came Draco's irritated voice, and finally Harry pulled his arm down from where it was up over his head and eyes, and squinted at the irritated blond.

"Put your shoes on Mr. Potter," came Snape's voice from somewhere behind Draco.

Harry yawned and sat up. That's right, he was in the infirmary, and Snape had promised to come and collect him and Draco in the morning. He pulled his tight gray shoes on and stood up, wishing he could take the gray blanket with him. Even if he was going to get expelled today, he'd need a blanket to take back to Privet Drive. He wondered suddenly, if the Dursley's would be angry with him for sneaking out and running off without telling them where he'd gone, but thought better of it. They wouldn't care and were probably just glad he was gone, he reminded himself.

It was early in the morning and the air was cold and damp as they left the infirmary and crossed the compound. Fog clung low to the ground and their legs like it was lonely and wanted to follow them back to their cabins. Harry thought no one else was awake yet as it was far too early for breakfast, but he spied August striding into the study building looking cross. As they started the ascent up the hill to their cabins, Harry looked sideways at Snape and thought he looked like he'd had very little sleep himself, if any at all, and wondered why he didn't look cross as well.

"You are both to spend the day resting. You may attend meals if you wish, but other than that I expect you to be in your cabins, in bed," he added with a stern look at Draco. "If you do not appear for meals, food will be brought to you. Someone will bring notes to you from the classes you miss."

He stopped at Harry's cabin and motioned for him and Draco to their separate cabins, but neither moved.

"Are we expelled?" Draco asked, and Harry was glad he did because he wanted to know but didn't want to ask just in case Snape was masking his irritation and looking for someone to lash out at.

"It is being discussed this morning, but I do not believe either of you will be."

Draco grumbled something but Harry didn't catch it, and then moved off to his own Cabin next door. Harry went up his steps and opened his door, but paused on the threshold. This wasn't his cabin. He frowned as he looked around the room and spied his green notebooks next to his pink notebook on the desk, and his books were there too. But it couldn't be his room. He looked up at the door and saw his name there, and looked back to the bed where a dark red blanket with the Gryffindor lion was along with a matching pillow. On the floor was a deep yellow shag rug and a small black square trunk with its lid closed, half the size of Harry's own Hogwarts trunk.

He turned to ask Snape what was going on, but the man was gone, presumably to the teacher's meeting. He closed the door and took another step in. Where had it all come from? It couldn't all really be for him could it? At the foot of the blanket he saw a tag though, and paused when he bent over to read the label. It said Harry J. Potter. It was his.

Still feeling exhausted despite a good night's rest, Harry sat on the edge of his bed. He wanted to stay awake but knew he really should rest. Curiosity was getting the better of him though, so he dropped to his knees on the soft yellow rug and unlatched the trunk. Inside was a stack of red Muggle notebooks, a box of red and black Muggle pens, new quills, bottles of ink, stacks of parchment, Muggle sticky notes, a box of highlighters, and several yellow pencils. A note was taped to the inside of the lid and Harry pulled it off. It was from the Headmaster and said, "My sincerest apologies Harry. I did not realize you did not have the necessary supplies to succeed at The Academy Of The Gemini Trees. It is my hope that these supplies will suit your needs and help to make up for my grievous error. Yours, Albus P. W. B. Dumbledore. Harry closed the lid and smiled, feeling overwhelmed. So all of this had come from Dumbledore. Someone must have told him what had been going on. They weren't allowed to have pets here, Harry had sent Hedwig home with Ron for the summer, so he knew it couldn't have been Hermione. Yet here were all of these brand new, beautiful things.

He got up and pulled the blanket back, surprised to see red sheets underneath. He slipped between the soft sheets and closed his eyes. Maybe a full day off wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

Harry woke to the smell of roast beef and opened his eyes. On his desk there was a plate with a warm roast beef sandwich, carrots, pineapple, and some sort of hot broth to dip the sandwich in.

He rose, feeling stiff, probably from the prolonged swim last night, and sat in his desk chair. He must have missed breakfast because he was starving, so he practically inhaled the delicious warm food. When he was done, he flicked his wand to open both sets of shutters to let some light in, and then stood to take in his new belongings again. He still couldn't believe it was all his.

Feeling sticky from sleeping during the day under such a nice warm blanket, Harry took his shirt off and dropped it on the floor and went to open his trunk to retrieve his last clean shirt. The only thing was, his last clean shirt wasn't there. He blinked as he stared down into the trunk. There were stacks of neatly folded clothes. T-shirts, polo shirts, shorts, jeans, slacks, socks, underwear, gloves, hats, a maroon zip up hoodie, and even a warm winter coat. He opened and closed his mouth several times, completely shocked. He couldn't even think straight long enough to pick up the soft blue polo shirt on top to put it on.

A knock on the door brought back his senses however and he quickly snatched up the shirt, pulled it on over his head, admiring only for a moment how well it fit, and slammed the trunk lid closed. The knock came again and he turned and opened the door. Hermione was standing on the other side with Axle.

"Harry, you're all right!" she exclaimed, and ignoring the rules she stepped over the threshold of his door and gave him a big hug.

"Careful Hermione," Harry said, "the rules."

"Oh, right." She blushed and then stepped back out onto the porch. Axle did come in however and admired the room.

"Nice," he said.

Hermione's eyes widened as she looked around the room as well. "Harry, where did it all come from?"

He grinned and said, "I think Dumbledore sent it all. There was a note in the trunk. Look, it's full of school supplies!" He opened the square black trunk and dragged it over for her to see.

"That's wonderful Harry."

"You didn't have any before?" Axle asked, and Harry shook his head. "I didn't have any of this before." He motioned to the blanket and pulled at his blue polo shirt.

"Huh. I just thought you had good decorating style when I brought your lunch up earlier," Axle said. "You were sleeping and Proffessor Snape told me to leave you alone so I just set it on the desk and left."

Harry gave a small laugh. He couldn't imagine Snape telling anyone not to disturb him.

"How have classes been?" Harry asked.

"Well," Hermione hedged, "they've actually canceled classes for today. I guess the professors didn't get much sleep, and with so many students out of bed so late they didn't want us all missing classes. Professor Iva said we'll do an extra day of classes on Saturday instead to make up for it."

"What have you been doing all day then?" Harry asked.

She crossed her arms in the door frame and said, "Well most everybody is down on the beach because it's a warm day, but I've been questioned half a dozen times by the teachers."

"Me too," said Axle. "And Ernie and Basia."

"Have they voted then?" Harry asked.

"Yes. We're staying. Apparently Professor Snape went to Hogwarts last night and woke up the Headmaster and all of our professors around 2 am to get them to write each of us their sincerest letters of recommendation. I read Professor McGonagall's about you and it was glowing Harry."

"Snape did that?"

She nodded, looking surprised herself. "I couldn't believe it. With so many letters they couldn't expel us. He also brought back the records of any trouble we'd made and since mine is mostly clean they had to take my word on what happened."

"But not mine," Harry said.

"Well, not exactly. Draco's isn't the cleanest either, but I don't think they've spoken to him today. But Ernie's never been in trouble one time and he told them exactly what he saw too."

"What about the ones who started the fight?" Harry asked.

Harry and Axle watched as Hermione balled and unballed her fists twice and then spoke in measured words, trying not to appear too angry. "Apparently, since they let you off with 1 strike for having Draco's school supplies, they're giving the same courtesy to Petr, Nikolas, and Acel, even though Professor Snape told them all that he had been mistaken and that Draco had admitted this morning to giving you the supplies."

"So they're staying," Axle said with a slap on Harry's back as if he was breaking the bad news.

"And they still dislike me," Harry concluded. If they wouldn't take Snape's word that he hadn't stolen the items, then it meant they still thought poorly of him.

"August said that you ran from him last night so it made it clear that you are apt to rebel against any and all authority. Gan and Adeline stuck up for you, but he wouldn't listen. Even Professor Snape said you locked yourself in your cabin because you thought he was going to hurt you."

"Well he was," Harry said, remembering how both Hermione and Draco had told him to go. If they thought so too then it couldn't all have been in his head.

Axle had just plopped down onto Harry's bed when Draco appeared behind Hermione. "Professor Snape said we had to rest," he said, sounding irritated as he pushed past Hermione and sat on Harry's desk chair, elevating his leg onto Harry's desk and looking like he might still have been in some pain.

"Why aren't you in bed then?" Hermione asked and Draco shot her a look that told her he wanted her to be quiet.

"Well nobody's come to visit me have they? I'm going stir crazy over there." He let his eyes travel around the room and Harry watched as he looked, sure he would make a snide comment, but he kept his mouth closed.

Hermione huffed, arms crossed. "Well this is fine for you boys, but what about me? I'm not allowed inside. I wish we had a common room."

"Common room?" Axel asked, and finally giving up, Hermione sat down just inside the door frame to explain it to him.

Harry sat on the rug and looked around. Even yesterday he wouldn't have imagined Axle or Draco sitting in his room amiably with him, yet there they both were. Harry wondered what Draco would say to his Slytherin goons at Hogwarts if they ever found out he'd spent time with Harry Potter, defeater of evil wizards over the summer.

* * *

Severus Snape was not pleased. Not only had he had to admit his wrongdoing in taking Potter's blanket to Adeline, but he'd had to admit, in giving the other staff Harry's fine letters of recommendation, that he'd been wrong. Not just a little wrong either, but wrong enough that he'd caused the boy trouble there at the school. This wasn't the root of his displeasure this afternoon however. Despite the letters, despite the truth about the school supplies, Blaze and August were still sticking their noses up in the air about Potter. Don't get me wrong, Severus told himself as he strode angrily up the hill towards Potter's cabin, he still didn't like the brat and didn't think he ever would, but perhaps he'd been mistaken about a few things. The boy was still the attention seeking, rule breaking brat of Gryffindor however, and he wasn't ready to drop those assumptions just yet either. Much to his chargrin, he also realized the irony, that he was angry at August and Blazhe for doing the same thing.

At the start of the row of cabins he stopped short and narrowed his eyes. He was already breaking two rules, yet again. He could tell that Granger was sitting inside the brat's cabin, and that the teen was definitely not resting.

He strode purposefully up to the cabin and up the three steps, where he stood behind Granger with his arms crossed. His shadow alerted her to his presence and she jumped up and stepped out of the cabin before he could even clear his throat.

"Go to dinner Miss Granger."

"Yes sir," she said and hurried off without looking back.

"I specifically remember telling the two of you to rest."

"You said we could go to meals," Harry said.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at the dirty plate and empty glass on Harry's desk. Brat.

Draco seemed to realize that he too was in trouble. He pointed to his leg and said, "I am resting sir. I just got... bored."

"And you did not think of taking the time to study?"

"Sir?" Axle said. Harry knew that Axle didn't know how mean Snape could be, and could see the other boy didn't look as tense as he and Draco felt at his presence right at the moment of their rule breaking. "Hermione was here quizzing us on different classes, and we were telling each other about the cultural differences between our schools and families."

Huh, Harry thought, that was true enough. They'd talked about Hogwarts and Boden for ten or fifteen minutes, and then the gathering had turned into an impromptu study session, where Harry and Draco got into a heated competition to answer the most questions right about whichever class Hermione asked questions for, even the ones Draco wasn't taking. Harry had been quite proud of the fact that he was holding his own against the Slytherin, who like Hermione, usually did better than him in most of their classes at Hogwarts.

"Draco, Axle, would you please go down to dinner with Miss Granger. I would like to have words with Mr. Potter."

Axle got off the bed and Draco stood up and they left, Axle giving Harry a friendly wave as he went out. Then Snape came in and closed the door. Harry looked nervous, and Severus didn't fail to notice.

"You are feeling better I trust?" he asked with hands behind his back.

"Yes sir," Harry said. He was still stiff and sore and a little tired, but otherwise fine.

Severus looked at the stack of books next to Harry's desk and said, "I did not realize you were taking so many courses."

"Oh, erm, eight." He scratched the back of his head. Would he be in trouble for taking so many?

"Are you struggling in any of them?"

He bit his lip. He was, but only in the ones where he was singled out and not really allowed to participate.

"Speak your mind Potter, I asked you a question."

"It's hard to do well in classes where I'm not called on when I have a question or answer, or when I'm not allowed to practice what I'm learning in class."

"And such courses would be?"

"Magery... Defensive Tactics," Harry said this one carefully knowing it was Snape's class, but the man didn't flinch as he listed it off, and Harry continued, "and Muggle Defensive Tactics."

"Perhaps it would be wise to stop attending Magery and Muggle Defense." He knew August and Blazhe were planning on doing worse to Potter than they'd done before, despite evidence that they had previously been wrong... and misled. Damn, he thought silently. I hate being wrong.

Harry climbed to his feet and looked angry. "I'm not dropping classes! I told you before, I'm not lazy! I'll get it!"

"Calm yourself Potter, I was not accusing you of anything." He sneered. The brat was jumping to conclusions. "I was merely suggesting, as a professor from Hogwarts, that taking classes with two professors who are exceedingly angry at you, would benefit your own safety."

"I make it through your classes," Harry said, feeling a little burst of bravery, but it dissipated right away and he watched Snape's eyes for any hint of anger.

"You may of course do as you wish, but if you are not learning anything from them anyway, you would do well to focus your time and energy on the courses you are doing well in. Despite what you may think, you are meeting my expectations for Advanced Defensive Tactics."

Harry wondered then if Snape's expectations were low, or if he was really doing as well as everybody else.

"I want to learn Magery," Harry said.

Snape cleared his throat then and Harry listened. He felt on edge and thought it must have been from so many years of seeing the man explode at him or put him down, even though he didn't seem inclined to do so today.

"Do you also want to learn Occlumency?"

Harry bit his lip again. He didn't want to, but it wasn't a question of want anymore. Sirius had died because he hadn't and he didn't want anyone else to die. It was a necessity.

"Yes."

"If you are amenable then, I will tutor you in Occlumency, and Magery."

"But I've missed a week of class."

"The reason the price is so high to attend is that teachers are not ‘off the clock' at a certain hour. Many of the students get one on one tutoring from their professors before or after class hours or on the weekends. Miss Granger is getting private tutoring in two of her courses and Mr. Malfoy gets private tutoring for violin."

Huh. He supposed that since everybody had been so against him, that none of the other staff had offered to tutor him outside of class time.

"If you drop the other two courses, you will have time to learn."

"When would we do it?"

"An early breakfast is served at seven. If you will be available at eight, we can begin Wandless magic. I will teach you as much Occlumency as I can during class time, and we will practice in the evenings on any days you are free."

Harry had never had an offer like this before, certainly not from Severus Snape, bat of the dungeons. It was almost... friendly. Strained, but friendly.

"Ok," Harry said hesitantly.

"Do not give your text books back for the classes you are dropping. They are yours to keep and study as you will. Meet me at eight tomorrow morning on the training field."

"Yes sir," Harry said. He felt like he should say thank you, but didn't quite know how. He wasn't used to saying thank you to Snape.

He opened the door and walked out, but turned back and said, "And Potter."

Harry stilled and stared at him. "Do not be afraid to ask for extra tutoring in the courses you are doing well in. It is my understanding that Ganzorig and Adeline think quite highly of you and your abilities." And then he was gone, down the steps and down the lane, presumably to dinner.

Harry sat on his bed and thought for a few minutes before he got up and followed, hoping to find Hermione and Axle, and dare he say it, Draco. He wasn't sure what to think of Snape's offer, but it was feeling like a pretty good day so far, especially with the prospect of not going to class with August and Blazhe, though he still had drawing with Blazhe in the afternoon.