“Harry?” Severus called up the stairs.

Harry came trotting down to the landing coming to a stop in front of his guardian. “Yeah?”

“Happy birthday,” Severus said, holding out a bag of money.

Harry took it, surprised at the weight. “What’s this- a bag of gold?”

“Yes, it is,” Severus confirmed. “Your Triwizard winnings.”

“Oh,” Harry replied with a frown, remembering more than he wished to. “I feel bad taking this. Shouldn’t I give half to Cedric’s family?”

“Since you both won, you both got the full winnings,” Severus explained. “They have since received Cedric’s.”

Harry bounced the bag on his hand. “What am I going to do with this? Do you want it?” he offered.

“Certainly not. It is yours; spend it on whatever you wish,” Severus said. He shot Harry a sideways look. “Within reason, of course.”

Harry grinned. “No pet dragons then?”

“Those are illegal and you know it,” Snape replied smartly.

“How about a dog?” 

Severus rolled his eyes. “Just call over your godfather.”

Harry laughed, setting  the sack on the kitchen table. “I guess I’ll figure out something to do with it.”

“Would you like me to deposit it in your vault?” Severus offered.

Harry considered the bag. “Not just yet. I’ll see if I can come up with something first,” said Harry.

“Alright,” Severus replied. “You ought to take that to your room and then help me clean the house. Your friends are coming in an hour.”

“Okay,” Harry said, gathering up his sack of money. “I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later, they were in the sitting room, picking up loose envelopes and arranging the cushions on the couch. Harry was in charge of dusting and clearing the bird droppings off the windowsill. As he worked, Harry got to thinking about his birthday. He was fifteen now. It seemed somehow surreal. He felt like, with all of the crazy things that had happened over the past few years, he should be older. Either way, Harry at the right age to enjoy a party, even if it was to be supervised.

“I’m kind of surprised everyone is coming,” Harry noted. 

“Why would that be? They are your friends,” Severus said, sorting through a stack of letters.

“Yeah but I haven’t talked to them very much over the summer. Usually Hermione writes constantly, but even her letters are short these days. I feel like I don’t know anything that’s been going on with them,” Harry said, trying to keep complaint out of his tone. He would hate to sound like the ten year old whose friends didn’t play with him often enough.

“Perhaps they are just busy,” Severus guessed. “I am sure it is nothing to worry about.”

“Probably not,” replied Harry with a shrug. He set to scraping some wax droplets off of the writing desk.

The Floo flared and Harry turned, suddenly forced to catch a little red package flying through the air at him. “Woah!” he blurted, catching it just barely on the ends of his fingertips. “Thanks for the warning, Sirius,” said Harry, shooting his godfather a dark look.

“Gotta keep your wits about you, Harry,” Sirius said with a wink. “Happy birthday. You drinking age yet?”

“NO,” Severus replied for him.

Harry and Sirius shared a grin. Sirius flopped down on the couch. “Well? You going to open it?”

“Shouldn’t we wait for the actual party?” Harry asked.

“Nah. Go on.”

Harry didn’t need to be told twice. He ripped off the paper to reveal a small jewelry box. His brow furrowed. He shot Sirius a look. “Don’t tell me you got me jewelry.”

Sirius snorted. “That wouldn’t be very bada-”

“Sirius,” Severus warned.

“-would it? And come on, Severus. The kid’s fifteen.”

Harry just rolled his eyes and opened the box. He pulled out a thick ring in some sort of gunmetal color. It was smoothly curved, sloping lines giving it an almost liquid appearance.On the large, round, flat spot was engraved “JP” in an elegantly masculine script. Harry glanced up at Sirius. “What is this?”

“It was your father’s. It’s his seal to press in the wax and seal letters.”

“Oh,” Harry breathed, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. He had somehow never considered that any of his parents’ things remained. Now, thinking about it, there had to be more. The house didn’t burn down when they were killed, so why did this small ring have such an effect on him? With moist eyes, he sat down on the couch and hugged Sirius. “Thank you, Sirius.”

“Of course,” he replied, arms tightening around Harry for a brief moment.

“Yes, yes, very touching. Are you going to help clean up, Black?” Severus asked shortly.

“Wasn’t planning on it,” Sirius admitted. Severus glared at him until he relented. “Alright, fine.”

“Good,” Severus said. “While you do that, I can give Harry my present.”

“Feeling outdone, are you?” Sirius muttered spitefully.

Severus simply left the room, not deigning to reply. Harry helped clean until he returned, carrying a very similar package. “Happy birthday, Harry.”

“Thanks,” Harry replied, taking the package. He opened it to find another jewelry box. Glancing at Severus curiously, he lifted the lid. “Wow, thanks, Sev.”

“I figured that it would not do for one of the most famous people in the Wizarding World not to have his own seal,” Severus said.

Harry lifted it out gently. The ring was identical to his father’s in every way, save the initials “HP”. Harry’s recently dried eyes had become moist again. This was something that was his, yet held the very essence of his father. It was perfect.

“Thank you,” Harry repeated, stepping over to give Severus a hug.

Severus patted Harry on the back. “It was no problem.”

Harry stepped back, blinking rapidly. “You guys are the best family I could ever ask for.”

Harry met Severus’s eyes, which were unusually soft, and knew that should he wish to, Severus could see that Harry meant that with all his heart. He gave a small smile and was surprised to find it reciprocated.

“I’ll... er... see how Midgy is doing with the cake,” Sirius said, edging towards the kitchen.

Harry turned his way and stopped him. “I meant you too, Sirius. Really.”

Sirius gave a wry smile. “You look so much like your father, but I think that was Lily talking.”

Harry grinned.

Sirius clapped his hands abruptly. “Well! Let’s finish up, we’ve got to get some decorations up before your friends get here. And maybe Midgy will let me sample that cake...”

---{}-{}-{}---

“This cake is excellent,” Hermione commented. “Who made it?” 

“Midgy,” Harry replied automatically.

“Midgy?” Hermione asked curiously. “Who’s that?”

Harry looked at her. He had forgotten that she had never been to his house before, being that she never had access to a Floo. Except now because, he assumed, she was staying with the Weasleys’ or Malfoys’ for a bit. “Our house elf.”

“You have a house elf?” she asked, eyes widening. 

Harry took her response to be one of envy. After all, the Weasleys, Ron in particular, often commented on how nice it must be to not have to do chores. They surely wanted a house elf. “Uh... yeah?”
“That’s horrible!” Hermione exclaimed, pushing her cake away.

“What?” Harry asked in surprise. “Why?”

“They’re like slaves! They are slaves! Do you pay him?” Hermione demanded.

Harry shirked back, noticing Ron and Draco watching in amusement from across the table. He shot them a quick glare before responding to Hermione. “Uh, no? I don’t think she wants paid. And Midgy is a girl, by the way.”

“Either way,” Hermione said, glaring at the cake as if it would make a difference. “I thought that after the way your relatives treated you and after seeing Dobby, you wouldn’t let something like this happen.”

Harry stared at her in shock. “Let something like what happen? Midgy likes it here. We treat her just fine. Midgy!” he called.

Midgy appeared in a sparkle. Her tea towel was sparkling white, nothing like the rags that Dobby used to wear. “Yes, master?”

“You make her call you master?” Hermione said, appalled.

“No, I don’t make her! She just won’t stop,” Harry said defensively. He turned to Midgy. “Midgy, tell Hermione honestly what you think of being here.”

Midgy nodded, long ears flapping. She looked up at Hermione with huge eyes. “Midgy likes masters very much. Midgy likes to help them because masters treat Midgy very well.”

“You don’t want to be freed?” Hermione asked, peering at her closely.

“Midgy be freed? Where would Midgy go?”

Hermione frowned. “Wouldn’t you like to be paid?”

“What would Midgy do with money? Masters give Midgy everything Midgy needs,” the elf squeaked.

“Hm. Well,” Hermione said, thinking that over.

“Is something wrong with Master Harry’s friend’s cake?” Midgy asked in concern, gaze darting between Harry and Hermione. Hermione’s cake lay pushed away, nearly untouched.

“No, Midgy, it’s delicious,” Hermione insisted kindly. “Thank you.”

“Midgy is happy.”

“You can go now Midgy,” Harry said. After a nod, she disappeared. Harry looked at Hermione. “Are you done overreacting now?”

Hermione looked a bit sheepish. “Yes. But just because Midgy is happy here, it doesn’t mean all house elves everywhere are happy.”

“Yeah, okay,” Harry said, humoring her. 

“Sorry,” Hermione apologized. “I’ll go tell the twins there’s cake.”

“As if they don’t already know,” Ron muttered. “I swear they have food sense that tingles when they’re missing out.”

Hermione left the room and Harry turned to his other two friends with a groan. “Thanks for helping me out there, guys.”

Draco grinned. “It was fun to watch her tear into you like that.”

“Yeah, Hermione doesn’t do that often,” Ron seconded.

“None of us do, really,” Harry noted. “So what’ve you been up to this summer?”

Neither gave him a direct answer. Draco shrugged, saying, “Not much, really.”

“Same,” Ron said.

“Where’s Hermione been staying that she was able to Floo over?”

“With me,” both Draco and Ron said at the same time. They glanced at each other quickly, almost panicked.

Harry’s brow furrowed as he looked between them. “Sorry?”

“Er, uh,” Draco began. He cleared his throat. “Both Ron and Hermione are staying with me. So she’s kind of staying with both of us.”

“Oh,” Harry commented. “I guess one more would have overloaded your house,” he muttered. He knew just how large the Malfoy manor was.

Ron adopted a hurt expression. “I’m really sorry Harry, but we-”

Ron winced and Draco withdrew his elbow. Harry looked between them with a new sense of betrayal settling down on him. Had they really all gotten together without him? Didn’t they want him?

“Heya, Harry!” a cheery voice said from behind.

“Ooh, is that cake?” George said, grabbing a piece.

“You just told me you had already gotten some!” Hermione complained.

“No, we didn’t,” George said. 

“Well, he might have, but I certainly didn’t,” Fred said, taking a piece of his own.

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Boys. Aren’t they ever full?” She glanced at Harry with a quick half smile, but froze upon seeing his face. “You okay, Harry?”

“Okay as I can be having found out that my best friends don’t want me around.”

Hermione scowled, looking over at Draco and Ron, then back at Harry. “What?”

“Oh, nothing like you all getting together, having fun, having a blast and leaving me out of it. That certainly couldn’t be it,” Harry said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

The twins were eating their cake and watching this exchange like a show. Harry ignored them as the fury bubbled up in his veins.

Hermione looked to the other boys for help but none was forthcoming. “Harry, we thought you’d want to spend some time with Professor Snape. I mean you were gone-”

“I was gone from you and Ron, too,” Harry pointed out smartly.

Hermione looked a bit scared. “Harry-”

“No, it’s okay. I can tell when I’m not wanted,” Harry snapped.

“Hey, Harry, you can come work at our joke shop!” one of the twins offered.

The offer threw a wrench in Harry’s worked up temper. “You have a joke shop?”

Fred shrugged. “Well while we’re talking about things that may or may not be true-”

“-your friends hating you-”

“-us having enough money to open a joke shop...” Fred finished with another half shrug. “Would be neat though, wouldn’t it?”

Harry looked at them flatly.  His mind flashed to the gold he had upstairs but he was hardly in a charitable mood. After all, the twins had to have known that Harry was being excluded. They could’ve mentioned it in an owl. “Perhaps you guys had better go,” he said, eyes on the table.

“Oh, Harry-” Hermione began.

“Hermione,” Draco said quietly. From the corner of his eye, Harry saw him steer her into the other room. At least that made it easier. Arguing about whether or not they should leave would have ended badly. “Bye, Harry.”

“Sorry for ruining your party, mate,” Ron said.

“Happy birthday,” the twins chorused.

When Harry didn’t respond, both Ron and the twins left the room. It wasn’t their fault entirely. He had ruined his own party. What a fabulous way to spend his birthday, Harry thought bitterly.

Harry heard the Floo flare as his friends left, but didn’t hear anyone call out “The Burrow”. All he heard were whispers. Maybe they had decided it would be best if they left quietly. Harry could hear Sirius and Severus saying goodnight to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as they followed their children. He had no idea where Ginny had gone off to.

Harry thought of all of this with a certain sort of numbness. He was still lost in thought when Lupin, Sirius and Severus wandered into the kitchen where he was seated.

“Harry, I wanted to tell you happy birthday before I left,” Lupin said, coming closer. “Are you alright? Was I disturbing some sort of deep thought?”

Harry shook his head. “You’re fine. Thanks, Lupin.”

“Sure. Have a good one, Harry,” Lupin said. He nodded to Sirius and Severus. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

They replied in kind as Harry returned to staring at the grain in the wood of the table. Harry was vaguely aware of Severus pulling out a chair and sitting next to him.

“Everyone is gone, Harry,” he said rather gently.

“Okay.”

“So do not think I am going to believe that everything is okay. You are obviously disturbed. Care to talk about it?” Severus asked.

Harry shrugged. 

Sirius cleared his throat. “I should go as well. The meeting is to start in a few minutes...” he hinted at Severus.

Severus didn’t take his eyes off Harry. “Then tell them I will be late,” he said in a tone that implied he would obviously be staying behind for a few minutes.

“You can go,” Harry said. “I mean, it is your job.”

“You are my job too, Harry,” Severus said as Sirius left. “What happened?”

Figuring that he’d end up telling his guardian everything sooner or later, he gave in. Harry ran a hand through his hair.

“My friends have all gotten together. Without me,” he said glumly.

“Ah.”

Harry’s anger flared at his guardian. “‘Ah’? That’s all you’ve got to say?”

Severus remained calm. “That is not all I have to say. I was simply registering what you said.”

“Oh,” Harry replied. “But the point is that they don’t want me around anymore, I guess.”

“Are you truly one to give up so easily?” Severus asked. “That is not the Harry I know.”

“I’m not going to force myself upon them,” Harry replied stubbornly. “If they don’t like me anymore, then fine.”

“Are you sure that is the reason they did not include you?” Severus asked. “Perhaps that is not it at all.”

Harry scoffed, “What other reason could there be?”

“Maybe they weren’t allowed,” Severus suggested.

Harry gave him a flat stare. “What, Mrs. Malfoy actually hates me and doesn’t want me over?” 

Severus sighed. “Harry, I am not suggesting that anyone hates you. In fact, I am pointing out the opposite. I do not believe that you are hated by anyone of which we speak. I am simply trying to say that you do not have all the facts, nor are you aware of any extenuating circumstances.”

Harry didn’t reply.

“Don’t jump to conclusions and let this ruin your friendships. That is all I ask.”

“Why do you care?” Harry asked testily.

“Because your happiness matters to me. I get the feeling that your friends are and will continue to be very important in your life. Do not give up so easily,” Severus said softly.

“But I’ve got you and Sirius. Isn’t that enough?”
Severus shook his head. “I will not be around forever, Harry. Another war is beginning; nothing is certain. Your friends will be there where family fails. Remember that.”

Harry looked up at him, pained. “Alright. I’ll give them another chance.”

“And perhaps many more after that,” Severus said, standing.

“Since when did you become the forgiving one?” Harry muttered.

“Times are changing, Harry,” Severus said grimly. “It may be too late for me but not for you. Now, I really must get to that meeting.”

Severus left Harry wondering when his guardian had gotten so darkly philosophical. Had he missed something? Harry seemed to be missing a lot these days.

---{}-{}-{}---

Severus entered the room and sat down with a swish of his robes. “I apologize for being late.”

“That’s alright,” Mr. Weasley offered. “Sirius told us there was a bit of end-of-party wrap up work to do.”

“Indeed. Have I missed much?”

“Well we are almost finished, actually. There isn’t much more we can do until Dumbledore can manage to stop by,” he replied.

“There’s plenty we can do,” Moody growled. “But none of it’s gonna get done by sitting here and talking about it!”

“Somebody’s got to plan, Moody,” Tonks replied placatingly. “We can’t just be running all over the place, doing anything we want, can we?”

“Can we hurry this along?” Severus interjected moodily. “I dislike leaving Harry alone and by arguing we are wasting time.”

“We offered to assign a guard, Severus,” Mrs. Weasley pointed out gently.

“I am quite capable myself, thank you,” he snapped. “We would be better served assigning a guard to... well, you are quite aware.”

“I agree with Severus,” Moody asserted. Under his breath, he added, “For once.”

“Since we are agreed, perhaps we could appoint Lupin to draw up a schedule? Give him something useful to do,” Severus said snidely.

“Severus,” Tonks snapped. “You know full well-”

“Yes, yes, it is almost the full moon but that does no-”

“Stop. It’s fine,” Lupin assured her. “I’ll do it.”

Tonks still looked a bit put out but Severus obviously didn’t care. He turned to Kingsley who had been silent throughout the majority of the meeting. “Has there been any news about the Tournament?”
Kingsley shook his head. Replying in his signature deep voice, he explained, “The international confederation was more than happy to turn the investigation over to Fudge and his investigative department. Therefore, it has, naturally, been thoroughly covered up and explained away.”

“Why would they do that?” Sirius demanded. “Why on earth would they think Fudge could do a better job?”

“It is not that he can do a better job,” Kingsley told him, “it was because they did not want the controversy that would undeniably be stirred up when their findings were released, especially if they happened to miss something. If they chose the wrong side in the debate over You-Know-Who, it could have serious consequences. Much better to allow Fudge to take the risk and deal with the fallout.”

“But Fudge chose the wrong side,” Sirius protested.

“Yes, well, there’s nothing we can do about that, is there?” Mrs. Weasley piped up. “I say we just focus on what we can do, like trying to protect the-” she cut herself off, peering at the door.

Severus looked that way, trying to figure out what had attracted her attention. He didn’t see anything amiss, save a thin piece of flesh colored string in the crack at the bottom of the door.

“Can we call this meeting closed?” Mrs. Weasley asked. “I have a certain pair of twins to flay,” she said with a venom, loud enough to be heard through the door. Severus noticed the string recede.

“I think we’re done for today. Next time Dumbledore gets a chance, we’ll meet again,” Kingsley said authoritatively. “Dismissed.”

The moment he said that Mrs.Weasley gathered herself up and charged out the door. Severus fully expected horrified screams from upstairs soon enough. As everyone filed out, Severus pulled Sirius aside. With a look, he indicated for him to hang back until everyone else had left the room.

Alone, Severus closed the door. 

“Harry is convinced that his friends hate him,” Severus said bluntly.

“What? Why?” Sirius asked. 

“Because they’re here and he is there.”

Sirius pulled his hand through his tangled hair. “This is your fault, you know.”

“How do you figure?” Severus asked, scowling.

“You’re the one who ordered me not to tell him anything or let him come over,” Sirius said.

“Could you imagine what would happen if he came over here?” Severus demanded. “He wouldn’t give it a rest until he found out what was going on.” He added defensively, “And those were Dumbledore’s orders, not mine.”

Sirius rolled his eyes. “As much as I love and respect Dumbledore, I’m not sure he really knows what’s best for Harry. After all, he’s only even met him a few times; talked to him even less. Harry’s a normal fifteen year old as one can be with what he went through and now thinking that his friends don’t like him anymore? He’s insecure, Severus and he can’t be kept in the dark any longer!” Sirius raged.

“Are you quite finished?” Severus said calmly.

“Yes, I am,” Sirius replied. 

“Until Dumbledore says differently, or until I decide Harry is no longer safe at Spinner’s End, that is where he will stay,” Severus stated.

“Then at least let his friends come over more often,” Sirius suggested. “I know that you’re not exactly an expert in matters of friendship being that you never had one-”

“I had one.”

“- but this is what Harry needs. Really,” Sirius finished.

“Fine.”

Sirius nodded in approval, seeming mildly surprised that he had won the argument. “And you might let him leave the house from time to time, Severus. I mean, he’s not a prisoner.”

“It isn’t safe.”

“Don’t be so overprotective,” Sirius admonished. “Your town is like five blocks wide at most. How dangerous could it possibly be?”

“Very.”

“Well maybe with his friends then,” Sirius pushed. “Just think on it, okay? Believe me, there’s nothing worse than feeling caged.”

“Azkaban is hardly the comparable to a house,” Severus noted. 

“But the feeling is the same,” Sirius insisted. “Come on, I think I smell dinner.”

Severus rolled his eyes. “Your animgaus form is fitting, you know. You both think with your stomach.”

“Yep,” Sirius said proudly.

“I could say something about intelligence too, but I’ll spare you,” Severus deadpanned.

“Thanks for that.”

“Anytime,” Severus replied shortly. They entered the kitchen were the twins were being forced to set the table and wash dishes at wand point. “As it happens, I am not staying for dinner.”

“Why not, Severus?” Mrs. Weasley said as Harry’s three friends wandered into the kitchen. “Go grab Harry.”

Severus looked at her critically. “We have been through this. He is not to know of the Order’s existence.”

From the corner of his eye, Severus saw the fifth years look down awkwardly. 

“Oh, I know, but-”

“I appreciate the offer, but we will have to decline,” Severus said in a monotone. He scrutinized the trio for a moment, much to their discomfort. These people had caused Harry such distress. They meant a lot to him and Severus knew how much power that gave them. He hoped they were worthy of it. 

Stepping out of the Floo at home, Severus met an unnerving silence.

“Harry?” he called, feeling the need to assure himself that nothing was wrong. 

“What?” Harry asked, meandering in from the other room. 

“Just checking,” Severus responded.

Harry shrugged, throwing himself on the couch. “Okay. Everything okay at Hogwarts?” 

Severus hesitated for a fraction of a second. “Everything is fine.”

His assurance was met with silence. Severus crossed his arms.

“I spoke with Sirius-”

“Thanks.”

“Pardon?” Severus asked, Harry’s comment breaking his stride.

“For talking about me,” Harry said. For good measure, he added, “Behind my back.”

Severus felt a spike of anger. “Do not accuse me of gossiping like a teenage schoolgirl,” he snapped. “You are out of line.”

Harry scowled moodily. 

“I realize you are frustrated at the moment, but your godfather and I are concerned about you. If you cannot accept that we are doing this for you, then I suggest you at least keep your comments to yourself,” he said testily.

Harry looked down. “Sorry.”

“I will excuse it this time, but do keep that in mind,” Severus said stiffly. “Now I was going to offer to let your friends come over but only if you snap out of this mood in the meantime. Agreed?”

“Alright,” Harry agreed. He added, “Sorry.”

“It has been a long day for the both of us. I suggest you get some rest.”

Harry nodded. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Harry.”

Harry went off to his room and Severus rubbed his forehead. He had been truthful; it had been a long day.

“I’m sorry I flipped on you,” Harry said apologetically when his friends came to visit a week or so later. “I guess I overreacted a bit.”

“It’s alright, Harry,” Hermione offered quickly.

“Yeah, I mean, we should have told you earlier,” Draco added. “Sorry.”

Ron simply nodded. Harry looked between the three of them. He tried not to notice the fact that none of them had offered for him to join them at Draco’s.

An awkward silence formed, broken by Hermione, looking intent. “So how have you been, Harry?”

“Pretty good. Sirius and Severus have been kind of busy so, you know,” he shrugged, “a lot of time to think.”

“Think on what?” Ron asked.

“Voldemort,” Harry replied bluntly. “The fact that my scar keeps burning randomly.” The fact that he was left alone here with nothing to do, nowhere to go, Harry added in his head. 

“Your scar’s been burning?” Draco asked worriedly.

“That’s not good,” Hermione agreed.

Harry shrugged. “It’s not so bad.”

“Does Snape know?” Hermione asked.

Harry shook his head. “He’s got enough on his mind.”

Ron frowned. “Like what? School’s out, I mean, what else is there for him to worry about?”

Harry looked at Ron in bewilderment. “Oh, nothing except maybe the fact that Voldemort’s back?”

“Well, yeah,” Ron admitted. “But isn’t your scar part of that? You’re not really adding another worry, exactly, you’re just increasing the one that’s already there.”

Harry blinked at him. “What?”

“Oh, forget it. I’ve confused myself, even,” Ron said with a light amusement.

“Glad I’m not the only one,” Draco muttered.

Harry shot him a grin. “So what have you been up to?” he asked, immediately regretting it. 

“Not much, actually,” Hermione admitted, seeming honest. “A lot of cleaning.”

“Cleaning?” Harry asked skeptically.

Draco nodded. “Really, you’ve got it better here. Want to trade?”

Harry shrugged. As another silence fell, Harry stood abruptly. “Want to go for a walk? It feels like a month since I’ve gotten outside.”

“Why?” Ron asked. “Don’t you fly in the summer?”
“Severus thinks it’s dangerous outside the wards and the wards don’t extend very far. Sirius seems to think that if I go with you guys, though, that he’ll let me. Want to try?”

“Sure,” Draco replied for the others. “I bet we can pressure him into it. If he doesn’t agree, leave it to me.”

Harry grinned. “I knew that there was still Slytherin in you.”

Harry led them to Snape’s study where he sat looking over a diagram of some sort. When Harry entered the room, he promptly rolled it up with the tap of his wand. 

“Something wrong?”

“No,” Harry replied. “I just wanted to know if we could go for a walk.”

“We’ve never seen around here, sir,” Hermione piped up. “It seems like a nice little town.”

Severus looked at them in consideration. “How far will you go?”

Harry shrugged. “A couple blocks? Not too far, it’s just that it’s such a nice day...”

“I do not think it is safe.”

“That’s alright, Harry,” Draco broke in. “I told you that if he didn’t agree then you could come over to where we’re staying and play two-on-two quidditch.”

The look that Severus shot Draco was incredible. Harry figured he must have hit a nerve somewhere but Harry couldn’t figure out what it was. After all, they’d gone to the Malfoy Manor before and Severus had never objected when Mrs. Malfoy offered to have Harry come over.

“Fine. But two blocks only and be back in a half hour at the outside. If you are not, I will assume something horrible has happened and you will be grounded for a week upon your recovery.”

“But if something horrible does happen, not that I think it will, why would I get punished for it? Why wouldn’t you ground the person responsible?” Harry asked, lightly taunting his guardian.

“Begone with you.”

“Thanks, Severus. Come on,” he said to his friends, leading them from the room. “Draco, have you picked up Legilimency? You knew exactly what to say. Good work.”

Draco shrugged. “Lucky guess.”

Harry, leading the group, missed the glance that passed amongst his friends. Soon enough, they were walking in the warm sunlight and Harry was feeling better than he had been in a long time. Maybe all he needed was a bit of fresh air. Strolling along and chatting idly, it was easy to lose track of time. Luckily, they had Hermione with them.

“Harry, it’s been twenty five minutes. We ought to head back,” she said conscientiously. 

Harry sighed. He knew she was right; he had no desire to get Severus worked up or to earn himself a week’s “detention” of sorts. “Okay.”

They turned on the spot and began walking back to Harry’s house, the forest on one side of the path and the road on the other. Looking idly across the street, Harry noted a charming little house made of stone with a sprawling, tangled rose garden lining the cobblestone pathway. The white picket fence didn’t seem quite so Dursely-ish in front of this house. Instead, it lent a comforting, homey feel. Harry smiled slightly, remembering that not all muggles were as tasteless and banal as his relatives. They passed several yards where people were out weeding or playing ball. It was odd to think that they had no idea who Voldemort was or that he was back.

Suddenly, Harry stopped dead in his tracks. 

“Do you feel something... off?” he asked his friends who had continued a few feet ahead before realizing he had stopped.

“Off how?” Draco inquired.

“It’s too cold for a day like this,” Harry said, glancing up at the sky. 

“I feel it too,” Ron piped up.

“Dementors,” Harry said definitively.

“Dementors?” Hermione asked, looking at him in surprise. “Here? It’s a muggle village.”

“We need to get back to the house,” Harry said urgently.

“Agreed,” Draco said. “Come on.”

Harry felt jumpy as they hurried down the sidewalk. He glanced back over his shoulder several times but saw nothing. His house was almost in view when Harry chanced another look behind him. Two huge dark shapes were hovering at the edge of the trees, closing in on them rapidly. As Harry’s began to choke out a warning to his friends, his shoe caught in a crack in the sidewalk and he went down with a thud. His head hit the pavement and he knew no more.

---{}-{}-{}---

Snape glanced at the clock once more, the furrow in his brow growing deeper with each successive look. Harry was to have been home five minutes ago. Had it simply been Harry, Severus would have dismissed it as simply getting distracted, but the fact that Hermione Granger was with him changed matters. In fact, she had been part of the reason Severus had let Harry go, for he knew that she was anal enough to keep close track of the time and get them back as scheduled. 

Suddenly deciding that something horrible had happened, Severus scooped up his wand and strode from the house, steps long and brisk. It was odd; he thought that it was a sunny day but at the moment dark, heavy clouds blocked out the sun. Hurrying down the sidewalk in the direction that Severus guessed Harry would go, Severus heard something. He rounded the corner and found four figures on the ground and two dark forms swooping in for another pass.

Wand raised in an instant, Snape bellowed a spell, trying to keep the anger and fear from his thoughts. “Expecto Patronum!” 

A glowing blue doe shot from the end of his wand, cantering into the oncoming dementors and causing them to scatter. It looped in a wide circle before coming to a stop in the center of the children, standing guard. Maintaining the spell for safe measure, Severus hurried over to the four, stopping at Harry first. He rolled him onto his back and found blood that made his stomach roll. Bleeding from a gash in his head, Harry seemed unconscious. The others were also knocked out.

“Rennervate,” Severus muttered, pointing at each of them in turn. He could not levitate four at once and, since it didn’t look like the others were injured, they could walk themselves. Finally, he revived Harry who, like the others, sat up blinking rapidly. He tried to bolt upright but swooned at the quick motion. Severus grabbed his shoulder, holding him still. “Are you alright?”

“Killer headache,” Harry muttered. “What happened?”

“Dementors,” Severus said gravely, glancing at the others. “You are all fine as well?”

They nodded, still looking pale. Severus looked around and, seeing no sign of the dementors, let the patronus fade.

“Come, we have to get inside,” Severus said, turning to Harry. “Can you walk or should I levitate you?”

“I can walk,” Harry insisted. “It’s just around the corner.”

Severus helped him to his feet and with a hand around Harry’s shoulders, led him down the road towards the house. The other three followed, rubbing their arms as if chilled.

“Where did the dementors come from?” Severus asked.

“Out of nowhere,” Hermione answered. “Harry and Ron felt them in the trees before they appeared. We started to run back but Harry tripped and got knocked out. We couldn’t leave him. They came down on us and... I don’t remember anything else.” She sounded shaken and rightfully so.

“You ought to be taught how to cast a Patronus if you continue to hang around Harry. They seem to have an affinity for him,” Severus said dryly.

“Sir,” Draco began, “I don’t think it was random.”

Severus brow furrowed as they stepped onto the walk leading up to the house. “What makes you say that?”

“We started running a good while back. I know they’re attracted to people in general, but there were others along the way they could’ve gone after. They followed us, waited for an opening. It was eerie,” Draco admitted, naturally pale face even more devoid of color than usual.

“That is a cause for concern,” Severus acknowledged. “Thank you for informing me. Come, we should find you all some chocolate.”

“The one thing I like about dementor attacks,” Harry muttered with a weak but wry smile.

Severus gave him a sideways look. “If you can manage to avoid being attacked, you may have all the chocolate you wish.”

“Mmm,” Harry replied, swaying a bit dizzily. 

Severus tightened his grip on Harry and kept him upright, guiding him through the door. He lowered his charge into the closest seat at the kitchen table.

“Midgy,” Severus commanded. When the elf appeared, he instructed, under Hermione’s watchful eye, “Bring my kit then get everyone some form of chocolate.”

“Yes, master.”

Severus noticed that Harry had closed his eyes and with a jolt, he realized that Harry was still losing blood. With the dementors and all, Severus had not even thought to close the wound. He berated himself for his foolishness. Muttering a string of words, he aimed his wand at the gash and a thin layer of skin closed over it. It was not healed on the inside but at least the external tissue would prevent further blood loss. 

Midgy reappeared and handed Severus a worn black box. He opened it and it unfurled into several collapsable layers, each stocked with a different set of potions. Choosing one carefully, he glanced at the bottle before shaking Harry lightly by the shoulder.

“Drink this,” he instructed as Harry opened his eyes. 

Harry took the uncapped bottle of muscle knitting potion and downed it with a grimace. “Gross, as usual.”

“The worse it tastes, the more potent it is,” Severus stated.

When Winky reappeared with a tray of fancy chocolates and a chocolate cake, Severus remembered rather suddenly that he and Harry were not alone in the room. 

“Eat,” he told Harry’s friends, who were looking around in a daze.

They did so and color began to return to their cheeks, thankfully. It would not be fun explaining to Narcissa and Molly about their catatonic children. After several minutes, they had recovered, for the most part. 

“I think it would be best if you three Floo home,” Severus said. Harry had closed his eyes once more. “And if you would, tell Black that I need to speak with him. Here.”

Draco nodded. “We’ll tell him.”

Severus watched as Draco helped Hermione up, not that she needed it, and walked with her to the Floo, Ron trailing behind with an intense expression on his face. Harry seemed to have fallen asleep and Severus figured that might be best. This way, he and Sirius could have a conversation first. After the three Gryffindors had gone, Severus gently levitated Harry to the couch where he would be more comfortable. Just as he tossed a blanket on Harry, the Floo flared and deposited Sirius.

“You wanted to talk to me?” he asked, stepping out with a look of deep concern on his face. “Is Harry okay?”

“Yes,” Severus replied curtly, turning to Harry’s godfather. “Harry is no longer safe here.”

Harry awoke to terse whispers. His eyes were still closed though he could hear what was being said above him.

“Should we tell him now?” came Harry’s godfather’s voice. “Or should we wait?”

“There is no point in prolonging this. Are you sure you have room for the both of us?” Severus’s familiar voice asked.

“Of course,” Sirius replied. “The house is bigger than you’d think. Besides, most of the Order don’t stay at the house.”

Harry could resist no longer and opened his eyes.

“Harry,” Severus said immediately, helping him to sit up. “How do you feel?”

“Fine,” Harry answered. “My head still hurts a bit but I’m fine. What were you talking about just now?” 

Severus shared a look with Sirius. Concerned, Harry pushed himself farther up, freeing him from his need for his guardian’s help. 

“Harry, please don’t freak out,” Sirius said. 

That didn’t sound good. 

“Don’t freak out about what?” Harry demanded.

“Listen, Harry, we really wanted to tell you but we weren’t allowed...” Sirius trailed off, sending a helpless look at Severus who was studying Harry intently.

“What? Tell me,” Harry insisted.

“During the last Wizarding War, Dumbledore formed a secret society called the Order of the Phoenix. It has been reinstated and has its headquarters at Sirius’s house. We are going to stay there, being that you are no longer safe here, as shown by the dementor attack,” Severus explained.

“A secret society to fight Voldemort? Why am I just hearing of this?” he asked, trying to keep the accusation from his voice.“And these ‘meetings’ you’ve been going to, they haven’t been Hogwarts, have they?”

“No.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Harry demanded, anger coursing through his head, causing it to pound. “Don’t you think that I, of all people, should know? I watched him come back! I was there!” Harry raged, tossing the blanket from his legs and standing up.  Severus matched and overtook his height. “Didn’t you think I would want to help?”

Sirius had melted into the background a bit, leaving Severus to answer the accusations. “You are not of age,” he reminded Harry. “Dumbledore seemed to think it was best that you be removed.”

Harry’s jaw dropped with incredulity. “How can Dumbledore make that choice? He doesn’t even know me!”

“He knows you better than you would think,” Severus replied. “We all must trust his judgement or else the Order will fall apart.”

Harry gritted his teeth. “Even if that judgment means holing me up in a house, alone, for a whole summer? Keeping me in the dark? I bet my friends know, don’t they?”
Sirius looked at the floor. “They’ve been staying at the house with us.”

“Us? Who’s us?” Harry demanded.

“Well, most of the Weasleys, Lupin, some of the aurors...”

Harry angrily swept a hand through his hair. “So my friends have spent more time with my godfather than I have this summer? That’s just great.”

“I’m sorry, Harry, really. I wanted to tell you but-”

“I wouldn’t let him,” Snape spoke up bluntly. “It was not in your best interest.”

Harry stared at his guardian. “I trusted you to tell me what was going on. Don’t you remember, you promised to keep me informed- back when I had to find out that SIrius Black was my godfather from hiding out in the teacher’s lounge- remember?” Harry remembered the day exactly, for whenever he wondered if he was missing something important, he thought back to Severus’s promise. He put his faith in it, in his guardian.

“I will not tell you things that put you at even more risk-”

“Don’t talk to me about risk,” Harry said snappily. “I know all about risk. How would keeping me ignorant help reduce the risk?”

“The more you know, the more incentive there is for the Dark Lor-”

“HIS NAME IS VOLDEMORT,” Harry exploded. “And he’s going to try and kill me either way, so what’s it matter? And if you keep keeping me in the freaking dark, it’s just going to happen that much faster!” 

“Harry-”

“I trusted you, Severus,” Harry spat, turning to storm to his room. Screw Grimmauld place. Harry didn’t want to see his friends right now. They knew what was going on. What gave them more right to know than he? Harry slammed the door, shaking the entire doorframe. He sat on his bed, fuming. Harry’s head pounded and his scar hurt. Again. If Severus wouldn’t tell Harry about the Order, why should he tell Severus about his scar? 

Harry tried to force himself to calm down, to quiet the rush of blood pounding behind his ears. He tried to still his anger, but something deep within him fought against the calm. Some part of him embraced the anger, fed off of it. And Harry didn’t resist.

--[]--

“Well now you’ve done it.” 

“Shut it, Black,” Severus snapped. “I did not see you helping.”

“It didn’t look like you needed it,” Sirius replied. “You set him off just by being your normal, sympathetic self.”

Severus glared at him.

“Hey, don’t give me that look,” Sirius said. “I wanted to tell him beforehand but no...”

Severus shook his head impatiently. “That is not all. Harry must learn to control his temper. I will not tolerate such blatant disrespect and he will not go sulk in his room like a moody teenager.”

“He is a moody teenager,” Sirius pointed out.

“I have warned him about this already,” Severus said, ignoring Sirius’s comment. “I will give him a half hour to calm down before I go break down his door, if necessary.”

“You mind if I stick around?” Sirius asked innocently. “That should go over well.”

Severus shot him a dark look and headed upstairs to pack his things. Agreeable-Harry or not, they were going to Grimmauld place. Harry’s safety was valued over his happiness in Severus’s mind, not that his happiness was completely disregarded. As he passed Harry’s door, Severus paused, listening. He heard nothing. Not surprised, he continued on his way.

--[]--

Harry considered running away. He would have, except he didn’t have anywhere to go. Besides, Harry wasn’t even sure he really wanted to run away; maybe he was just angry. That much was for certain, though the target of his anger was still unclear. Severus made an easy target, being that he kept Harry in the dark all summer, yet Harry knew that it was really Dumbledore’s fault. Dumbledore. He had spoken to Dumbledore maybe five times in the past four years and still he thought to control Harry’s life? What gave him the right to decide who gets informed and who doesn’t? At this point, Harry figured that if he hadn’t earned the man’s approval then he never would.

Thinking this about Dumbledore, Harry was forced to acknowledge how much Severus respected him. There were few people whom Severus showed such a blatant respect, almost admiration for. The Minister of Magic definitely didn’t garner anywhere near the respect that Dumbledore did. Harry wondered why. He wondered what Dumbledore had done to gain such an undying loyalty. Maybe he’d ask Severus one day. Despite Harry’s current misgivings, he truly trusted Severus more than anyone he could think of. If Severus trusted Dumbledore... well, Harry couldn’t accept Dumbledore’s decisions blindly in his current mental state, but later he would probably give in. 

A loud knock sounded around the room. Harry glanced at the time, wondering how long he had been thinking. 

Even after acknowledging that his anger wasn’t solely directed at his guardian, he was still irked with Severus. He had broken many orders before, Harry knew, so why couldn’t he have told Harry? Even after he thought his friends didn’t care about him anymore, Harry thought. It dawned on Harry that they might deserve an apology. Then again, maybe not.

“What?” Harry said shortly.

The doorknob rattled but it was locked. “Can I come in?” Severus’s mildly irritated voice asked through the thick wood.

“I guess,” Harry replied, sounding difficult. 

“Alohomora,” came Severus’s muffled voice. There was a click and then Snape stepped into the room. He looked at Harry sitting on the bed and then closed the door.

There was silence as they looked at one another, each waiting for the other to speak.

“Well, are you not going to apologize?” Severus asked expectantly.

Harry’s jaw almost dropped. “Apologize?” he asked, anger spiking again. “Shouldn’t you be the one apologizing?”

Severus seemed to choose his words carefully. “I... regret that this situation has hurt you so. However, I do not regret the fact that I acted in what I believed to be your best interest. I am sorry that I was not able to protect you from the dementor attack. Your recalcitrant remarks, on the other hand, were out of line.”

Harry opened his mouth to protest but Severus cut him off with a hand. 

“I understand that they may have been called for, but you had no right to deliver them in such a manner. It will not be tolerated. Is that understood?”

Glaring, Harry responded, “Yes.” He didn’t exactly put much effort into sounding sincere.

Severus stiffened. “Good. Now pack your things. We are leaving shortly.”

“We?” Harry asked, deliberately sounding surprised and disappointed. “You’re going too?”

A flicker of hurt passed over Severus’s face and for a moment, Harry wondered if he had gone too far. With two short strides, he came to sit next to Harry on the bed.

“Don’t do this, Harry,” Severus said softly. 

“Don’t do what?” Harry asked innocently.

Severus looked at him with those fathomless dark eyes. “Do not play ignorant. It does not suit you,” he snapped halfheartedly. “Now that the Dark Lo-”

“Voldemort.”

“Yes, I know his name. Now that he has returned, we must be more vigilant than ever. This is not the time to be squabbling amongst ourselves. This is not the time to be torn apart; we must all work together.”

“It’s a bit hard to work together when you don’t even know who’s working,” Harry muttered.

“Harry, stop. Now you know what is going on, and we are going to join the others. Other than your feelings and your head, nothing has really been hurt. It would be easier if you simply let this go.”

“‘Sometimes we need to choose between what is right and what is easy’,” Harry quoted automatically.

“What?” Severus asked, his solemnity broken by confusion.

Harry shrugged. “Dumbledore said that once; Hermione quotes it every time Ron and I try to skive off homework.”

“Does that happen often?” Severus asked, raising a brow.

“Not with Hermione around.”

Severus shook his head, a bit exasperated. “Regardless, are we alright now? Or would you like to stew in your anger a bit longer?”

Harry knew he was being snide but Harry had forgiven him somewhere along the line. He nodded and returned, “Yeah. We’re good. Sorry.”

“I am sorry too, Harry,” Severus said softly. “I am sorry that you were attacked, I am sorry that I cannot protect you here any longer. I am sorry that there is nothing I can do to protect you from the Da-Voldemort.”

Harry smiled lightly at his guardians use of Voldemort’s name. Finally. 

“Er, there’s something I should probably tell you...”

Severus started in concern. “What?”
Harry’s lips twisted as he gathered his thoughts. “I’ve uh... My scar’s been hurting a lot lately.”

Severus’s brow furrowed. “When did this start?”

Harry hesitated. “At the beginning of summer.”

Severus looked at him, deeply worried. “Why did you not say anything sooner? Merlin, Harry, it has been months!”

For a moment, Harry felt guilty that his withholding information was causing Severus such distress and concern. But then again, didn’t that go both ways? “You seemed to be so busy and I didn’t really think it was important. The first few times, yeah, but then I kind of started ignoring it. Got used to it.” After a moment, Harry admitted, “Then I wasn’t going to tell you because I was angry.”

Severus ran a hand through his hair. “Harry, no matter how busy I am, I will always have time for you. Please do not keep anything like this from me again, even if you are angry.”

Harry thought for a moment. “I’ll promise if you promise to not keep anything like the Order of the freaking Phoenix from me again.”

Severus hesitated.

“Severus...”

“I can only agree under the stipulation that I can keep something from you if by telling you, you would be placed in mortal danger,” Severus said.

Harry weighed this in his mind. “Agreed.”

“Agreed, then.”

Severus reached over with an arm and gave Harry a half hug. Harry leaned into his guardian’s shoulder. “I’m glad we got that resolved,” he admitted.

“As am I. Are you ready to go?”

“In a few minutes I can be,” Harry said. He sighed. “I’m not so sure I want to see my friends though.”

“Are you still angry with them? I thought you had given them a second chance.”

“That was before I knew they were at headquarters. They know more than I do; that’s worse than them all together simply having fun. Now I know they’re having informed fun. Plus, they lied to me,” Harry said stubbornly.

“Do not be too hard on them, Harry. They never actually heard anything. The meetings were private. They have been cleaning, mostly,” Severus informed him.

So they had been serious about that. Harry scoffed, “‘Privacy’ has never stopped the twins. I bet they know something.”

“Let us hope that they do not.”

Harry looked at him in askance.

“Or else Mrs. Weasley will have to think up some new and creative form of punishment.”

Harry laughed lightly. He could only imagine that was true.