"You."

The quiet in the room was deafening. After uttering that word, Draco put his head down and closed his eyes. He knew what happen next was not going to be good. A part of him wanted to run out of her office and go as far as he could, but there was a weight on his legs that prevented him from moving. So, he was stuck in place on the sofa waiting for the proverbial ax to come down.

Minerva was completely stunned by the answer. She knew that there was an attempt on her life. She thought that Severus was being overly protective and his claims to have a bodyguard was unnecessary. She could handle herself very well. Never in her imagination did she think that her would be assassin would be one of her students. She knew she would need her son now.

Sirius stayed at the boy's knees. He was just as shocked as Minerva at Draco's confession. Since spending the few days with Harry, he could feel that Draco was wanting to run. The teen's legs were tense under him. He could understand why the child wanted to run, but what the child needed more than anything was help. And the only ones that would be able to help was the ones in this room. So letting his weight settle more on the child he prevented the boy from standing.

The flames in the hearth turned green, bringing everyone out of their own musing.

"Mother," Severus' voice could be heard coming from the hearth.

Both Minerva and Draco jumped on the sofa. Draco's was more restricted as Snuffles did not budge.

"Yes, Severus," Minerva said, walking over towards the flames, setting a pillow so that she could kneel by the fire.

Severus' brow creased through the flames. Looking at his mother, he could see that she was unsettled.

"Is everything alright?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Minerva answered, a little too quickly, causing Severus to raise his eyebrow.

"You startled me is all," Minerva said, smoothly. "Is everything alright?"

"Fine," Severus answered, still a little wary. "I was calling about tea."

"Oh," Minerva smiled a little. "Would you mind if we forgo tea today? Something came up in my last class. I'm counseling a student."

"Are you sure everything's alright?" Severus asked again.

"Yes," Minerva said with a smile. "I may come down after lights out. I still want to hear about your first day."

"I am no longer a child," Severus sighed.

"No, but you were excited," Minerva said, easily. "I'll see you later."

The flames died out after that, letting Minerva know that Severus broke the connection. She sighed and got up from the floor. Turning back to the sofa she could see that Draco was on the verge of panicking. He was white as a sheet.

Walking back to the sofa, Minerva sat down, closer this time, and wrapped her arms around the teen and brought him into an embrace.

Draco was so scared. He just knew for sure that his Head of House was going to come through those flames. It didn't even register to Draco that his Transfiguration professor was actually keeping Severus from coming through. He felt hands on his shoulders and he stiffened. He didn't know who was touching him. Worried that it was his godfather, he braced himself for the onslaught of pain he knew his godfather would give him. When he felt the embrace of Min-Min, memories began to flood back of when he was younger and he would have a nightmare or he was hurt and Minerva would come and hold him. The calm feeling would wash over him when he was in her arms. That same feeling was happening now. Letting out a shaky breath he didn't know he was holding as he melted into her arms.

Feeling the tension leave the boy in her arms, Minerva began to slightly rock back and forth, saying soft comforting words in Draco's ear.

"We will find a way through this," Minerva soothed.

_0000_0000_000

Severus disconnected the floo when he heard the knock at his office door. Thinking that it was Harry, standing up and walking to his desk, he granted permission for entrance.

Albus walked into the office and closed the door.

"Albus," Severus said, still standing behind his desk.

"Severus, my boy," Albus said, his eyes twinkling. "How was your first day of Defense?"

"Fine, Headmaster."

"No problems?" Albus walked over to the desk and sat across from it.

"None, Headmaster," Severus said, sitting down in his chair. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes," Albus pulled the phial out of his robes and sat it down on the desk.

Severus looked down at the phial and back up at Albus. Seeing that one moment in his life that he truly regretted made his heart jump in his chest. He hated that Albus had this on him.

"Have you told Minerva about this?" Albus said tilting his head towards the phial in the middle of the desk.

Severus said nothing.

"It would be a shame if she were to know that her precious son was in fact a cold-blooded murderer."

Again, Severus said nothing, his eyes never leaving the Headmaster's.

Albus stood and leaned down in an effort to retrieve the memory. But instead of going for the memory, he grabbed hold of Severus' robes and pulled him closer so that Albus' mouth was next to Severus' ear.

"You may think you have won," Albus growled. "You will never have anything. Everything you love dearly will slip through your fingers. Filthy half-blood."

Albus straightened up and grabbed the phial from the desk.

"Good evening, Severus," Albus said, his voice soft and his eyes twinkling again.

Severus' fingers were gripping his desk so tightly that his nails were beginning to bleed. Taking a deep breath, Severus tried to calm down. He knew that Harry was going to be coming down for dinner and he didn't want to worry the child. Once Severus was able to occlude and loosen his grip on his desk, he stood up and went to the loo behind his desk. Looking down at his hands he saw that a few of his fingers were bleeding. Turning on the tap he put his hands under the running water. After making sure that his fingernails weren't bleeding, he walked over to his store cupboard and went automatically to the healing salve on the shelf. After applying and healing his fingers, Severus went to his chambers and sat down in his chair.

A small pop brought Severus to awareness.

"Master Sev'us."

"What are you doing here?" Severus asked. His voice didn't show the anger that was in his tone the last time he saw the elf.

"Come to take care of Master Sev'us," Tami said, walking slowly towards the potions master. "You hurt yourself."

Severus arched his eyebrow at the small elf.

"How do you know that?"

Tami didn't answer. She walked closer to Severus and looked at his fingers, moving his hand around in her smaller ones. She went from one hand to the other. Severus just watched as Tami looked over his hands. Even though Severus' healing salve healed the small cuts on his fingers, he still had the twinge of pain behind it. While Tami had her hands on his, the pain that was left behind was quickly vanishing.

When Tami finished, she lowered his hands and gave him a small smile.

"All betters," Tami said.

"Why?" Severus asked.

"Will always take care of Master Sev'us," Tami said and vanished with a small pop.

Severus looked down at his fingers and knew she healed him completely. The question that plagued his mind was why.

He was brought out of his musings as the door to his chambers opened up, and a messy haired child came in.

"Hi, Da," Harry said, smiling.

Severus looked up at the child and it seemed that everything he was feeling just completely moved to the back of his mind. Nothing else mattered but the child who was putting his bag down at the small table in the kitchenette. Severus stood up and walked over to Harry, putting his hand on the child's shoulder. Harry looked up at Severus and smiled.

TBC