The day was quiet for Harry. He stayed out of Snape's way, and Snape stayed out of his. Eventually, evening rolled around, and Snape began to yawn.

"I think we should go to bed," Snape suggested finally, after another yawn.

"Yes, sir," Harry replied immediately. Snape rose and motioned for Harry to follow him to the bedroom. Snape looked at the mattress on the floor for a moment. Taking out his wand, he made the mattress disappear. Harry winced, but Snape's actions were to be expected. Surely Snape didn't want to reward him with a bed when all he had done was mess it.

Then there was a pop in the far corner of the room. There was a nice bed frame, a mattress, and a box springs besides. The bed was made with a nice set of sheets and even had a blanket besides. Harry looked at it with wonder. What was this?

"Go use the bathroom before you go to bed," Snape instructed.

"Yes, sir," Harry replied, sounding confused, but he did what he was told without any hesitancy. After a moment, when he got back, Snape was already changed for bed. He had the leash in his hand, and motioned Harry over to the newly transfigured bed.

"Is this for me?" he asked in wonder.

"Of course," Snape snapped. "You're asking stupid questions."

"Sorry, sir," Harry backpedalled.

"Last night was a mistake, and it won't happen again," Snape continued, not looking at Harry, even as he attached the leash to his collar and the bed post.

"No, sir," Harry replied. "I'll be careful."

"No, Potter," Snape said sternly, grabbing Harry's chin and forcing the eye contact. Harry flinched, and he was terrified. "I was the one who made the mistakes. I fell asleep; I got drunk. It won't happen again; I won't let it happen again. I swear it. It was not your fault. You will not be punished for that which is not your fault when I can help it. This is your bed, and you should make a habit of using the bathroom before you go to bed. If you find you still need it at night, though, wake me up. That's why you're in my room. You can call to me if you need help with anything."

"But - but - " Harry stammered, climbing onto the bed.

"I never expected this to be easy for me either," Snape sighed. "Try to ask for the things you need if I happen to overlook something or am indisposed."

"Yes, sir," Harry said, laying down and pulling the covers over him. It was the most comfortable bed he'd ever been in. It was even better than the ones in the dorms. Snape finished pulling the covers up to Harry's chin, and he squeezed Harry's shoulder reassuringly. Then he crawled into his own bed.

"Good night, Potter," Snape called.

"Good night, sir," Harry called back.

Severus deeply regretted the events of the previous day, and had been aloof because of it. He hoped that transfiguring the bed for Potter would help make up for it, but he could tell he still had a long way to go before Potter could hope to even start to trust him. "Is this for me?" What sort of a question was that? Did he really expect to sleep on the floor for wetting a bed? Maybe he did.

He knew James Potter would have made him suffer that and worse if it were back during his days as a slave. Perhaps it wasn't unwarranted that Harry Potter fear the same from him. Severus vowed again that he would be a better man than James, and do right by the same's son. Last night was not what he had hoped it would be, and like he promised Potter, it would not happen again. He would stay awake if it killed him, and he would make sure to remind the boy to use the bathroom before tucking in for the night.

Tucking in for the night. What had that foolish demonstration been? Pulling the covers up and squeezing Potter's shoulder? It was probably just an apology, Severus reasoned. He was regretting the night before, and wanted Potter to know this one wouldn't be as bad.

Snape rolled over and fell asleep.

Bright and early at 5:30 AM, Harry's eyes snapped open, and he realized he had to use the bathroom, despite having used it the night before. Some things were trained into a body, and using the bathroom first thing in the morning was one of them for Harry. He had lived for so long making breakfast for his relatives that he couldn't unlearn it overnight.

This time, though, Harry was determined not to wet his bed. Snape had been so kind to him already. Snape hadn't made him sleep on the floor; instead, he had given him this nice bed. He wasn't going to anger the man by destroying the few nice things he had.

"I can just wait," Harry told himself. "If I try hard enough, I can just hold it." And he tried. The minutes seemed to turn into hours, and Harry began to feel the urine back up into his kidneys. In reality, not that much time had passed at all, but that didn't make it any easier. He bit his lips to try to keep from crying out. Instead, he whimpered. He screwed his eyes shut and tried to focus on something else. How much time passed, Harry wasn't sure.

Suddenly, "Get up! Go use the bathroom." Harry's eyes snapped open, and he saw Snape had undone the leash and was motioning for him to use the loo. Harry quickly slipped out of bed and did as instructed. When he came back, he saw Snape still standing next to his bed.

"I told you to wake me," Snape rebuked him. Harry felt the bond twinge a little.

"I'm sorry, sir," Harry replied. "I didn't mean to disobey; I thought I could hold it. I didn't want to disturb you." The bond still felt displeased. In a desperate effort to appease the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach, Harry fell to his knees. "I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again. Please forgive me." Understanding dawned on Snape's face.

"It's alright," he said patiently. "Just try to wake me next time." The odd feeling in his stomach went away. The bond was satisfied. "I suppose we should get up then," Snape continued. "It's such an ungodly hour."

"If you want to go back to sleep, I can be okay by myself now," Harry suggested. "Just tie me up again. I'll be fine for the rest of the day even. It's just in the morning that I need to use the bathroom."

"I won't be able to go back to sleep," Snape dismissed, but he didn't seem particularly upset about it. "Why do you only have to use the bathroom in the morning? I specifically had to send you last night."

"That was the only time my relatives let me use it," Harry murmured quietly. He felt ashamed at having to admit that, but it was a direct question. Harry wasn't sure how the bond would feel about him avoiding a question from his master. "I'm sorry, sir. I had to get up early to start my chores and get breakfast made in time for Uncle Vernon to get to work. I always got up before they did, and I used the bathroom then. No one complained as long as they didn't know I was doing it. They probably figured out what I was doing, but they never had to see me use their resources, so..." Harry's voice trailed off and he shrugged. Snape continued to stare at him expectantly. "They never liked me using their things," Harry continued to explain, feeling nervous about being under Snape's piercing gaze. "Like the shower, or food and water, or bathroom privileges."

"Bathroom privileges, my ass," Snape interjected suddenly. "The bathroom isn't a privilege; it's a necessity."

"That's what they called it," Harry defended. "And it was a privilege for me."

"Please don't hesitate to use the bathroom whenever you need to," Snape concluded. "And don't make me make that an order, because I will make the bond make you use the bathroom or wake me up if I need to. Do it of your own volition because I asked you to and I won't have to order you to."

"Yes, sir," Harry said, confused. Snape was going to make him use the bathroom and make him wake him up if he didn't do it on his own. Harry supposed the fewer actual orders he had, the better, because there was less chance of screwing up it up and earning a beating. "Yes, sir. I'll wake you up if I need anything, and I'll use the bathroom when I need it. You don't have to order me to do it."

"Good," Snape said. "I don't want to have to resort to that, but I will for your own welfare if I have to."

Severus was troubled by Potter's hesitancy to wake him up to use the bathroom. Sure, it was a bloody inconvenience to have to get up at 5:30 in the morning to unleash him, but he specifically told Potter to wake him up when he needed to use the bathroom.

Didn't Potter have enough respect for the bond to follow his instructions?

Realization dawned on Severus suddenly. Potter feared the bond. But the boy feared him more. For whatever reason, Potter feared him, Severus, more than he feared the bond. Perhaps it was because the bond was new, whereas Potter had lived with his abusive relatives his entire life. Even if Severus didn't know many details, it was obvious that the abuse had been severe. It didn't take a genius to deduce that after seeing Potter being beaten by his uncle, the lingering scars and malnutrition, not to mention Potter's sheer terror and reaction to things, the boy did not come from a loving home. It had been a rude awakening for Severus, seeing Potter scrambling up the steps at Privet Drive, shirtless, beaten, with his whale of an uncle behind. The signs were unmistakable, even for someone as blind as Severus had been, and damn it all if the Muggle hadn't admitted to beating him for being sick. Blind didn't equate to stupid. Severus admitted he had been blind, but after having it shoved in front of him so blatantly, even he couldn't find an alternate explanation for the evidence.

From Potter's perspective: What good could come of angering him enough to become as abusive as his relatives in addition to slave bond? It was probably better to risk the bond's anger than his anger, and Severus couldn't imagine waking someone as being something that won any rewards or kind words in Potter's previous situation. It probably went against everything he'd been trained to do, and Potter was torn. Should he do as he was told and appease the bond, or should he believe everything he'd be raised to understand, that under no circumstances should he wake someone, and ensure his master's good temper?

Severus decided to be patient with Potter, even if it killed him, and retrain the boy to speak up when he needed something.

Harry's days blurred into one long hell. He would wake up every morning with the leash attached to his collar. He never wet the bed again. For the next few nights, Harry had to wake Snape to let him use the bathroom in the morning. Slowly, his body began to grow accustomed to using the bathroom at other times of the day, and Harry began to wake Snape less and less. At least, he woke Snape less and less on purpose. It didn't take Snape long to figure out that Harry had regular nightmares, and he almost always woke for those.

"Wake up, Potter," Snape hissed at him, shaking him awake. It was only the second night he was in Snape's care. "You're having a nightmare. Snap out of it."

"Huh?" Harry mumbled, regaining consciousness. He caught sight of Snape still leaning over him. "Oh, my God, I - I - "

"Try to go back to sleep," Snape cut him off, more patiently than Harry had envisioned. Then Snape turned and stalked across the room, back to his own bed.

"I'm sorry," Harry blurted out. "You can move me somewhere else. I can manage on my own." Snape was climbing into bed himself before Harry finished his offer.

"I don't feel like moving your bed tonight, Potter. Good night."

But Snape didn't move his bed the next day, or the day after. Instead, Snape always came over and woke Harry from the nightmares, and every night, they had the same conversation. And Snape never brought it up the following days, and never suggested moving the bed.

So, wake up with a leash, eat a meal, study all morning, eat another meal, study most of the afternoon, do menial chores the rest of the afternoon, eat another meal, and then evening was free time. Snape didn't care what he did in the evening, as long as he was quiet and stayed out of the way. Harry was usually bored, because there wasn't anything child-friendly in Snape's apartment. Harry took to lying on the carpet and thinking while he stared into the fire. Eventually, Snape must have figured out that Harry was bored, and their usual pastime became a game of chess. Or rather, multiple games, because Harry found that Snape's skill was such that the games were quite short. Then, at the end of the day, Snape would tie the leash, and Harry would start the cycle all over again.

It wasn't pleasant, but it could have been a lot worse. Harry hated his life, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the Dursleys. Ironic, wasn't it, that it took slavery to improve his life?

Snape rarely spoke to him, except to give him directions about something or when waking him from a nightmare. He didn't even say good morning. He never looked at Harry if he could avoid it, even when they played chess. His gaze was always locked on the pieces. At first, Harry tried to talk to Snape. He said good morning, and even tried to make some small talk, but all his attempts were met with indifference or entirely ignored. And so Harry stopped. He still watched Snape carefully though.

Harry managed to avoid any more beatings so far. After that first incident, Snape had been scrupulously careful to never fall asleep. Harry noticed an increased number of pepperup potion bottles lying around.

All in all, life wasn't too bad. He had a bed, and he had food. But it was still hell.

"What would you like to do for your birthday?"

"What?" Harry asked, so startled that his fork stopped midway between his mouth and his plate.

"What would you like to do for your birthday?" Snape repeated.

"Um..." Harry stalled, setting down his fork. "I dunno." He shrugged and watched Snape warily, waiting for a trap of some sort.

"I would have thought there'd be something you'd like to do," Snape drawled.

"No, I'm fine," Harry said, more confidently this time.

"A cake? Presents?" Snape suggested.

"A cake would be nice, I suppose," Harry said, trying to hide his hopefulness, "but it's okay. I don't mind. And Ron and Hermione might send me some presents, if you'll let me have them."

"I mean, what would you like for your birthday?" Snape pressed. Harry gave him a puzzled look.

"Are you going to get me a present?" he asked finally.

Snape raised one eyebrow as if to say, "Well, duh."

"Oh," Harry said, clearly sounding surprised. He thought for a moment. "I don't think you can give me what I want," he finally said, sadly. Snape's lips pulling into a thin line.

"You know I would give you your freedom if I could," he said quietly. "And it wouldn't have to be your birthday."

"I know," Harry said. He believed Snape. He knew Snape didn't want him around, slave or no. "But I can't think of anything else I want."

"A trip somewhere? Visit your friends?" Snape finally suggested with a sigh. "I thought that would be what you would ask for."

"You'd take me to visit them?" Harry gasped.

"I asked you what you wanted, didn't I?"

"Well, I didn't know..." Harry trailed off. He meant to say, "I didn't know you actually wanted to know."

"You didn't know what?" Snape pressed calmly.

"I don't know," Harry sighed, looking down at his plate.

"You didn't know that I was looking for a truthful answer? I wouldn't have asked if I wanted you to lie." Harry nodded, but didn't say anything. "So you want to visit your friends, then?"

"Yes," Harry admitted. "If they'll see me. I mean, I don't know how they'll react..." He trailed off again, and pointed to his collar.

"If they really are your friends, they will see it through," Snape replied. "It is a risk. Do you want to take it? You may see an ugly side of your friends, or you may not."

"I don't know," Harry admitted. "I want to see them, but - but I don't want to lose them either."

"If you never speak to them again, you will lose them. If you wait until the school year, you will simply delay the reaction they would have now. If that is your fear, then perhaps it will be best to get it over with now, however it will resolve itself."

"Alright," Harry agreed. "I'd like to see them."

"I will ask the Weasleys to contact Miss Granger, and I will take you to them on your birthday then," Snape promised.

"How are you going to explain the situation to them?" Harry asked. "The Weasleys don't know I'm with you, do they?"

"They don't," Snape admitted. "I can say that I was charged with your care over the summer, and let it go at that. They won't question me. It will be up to you to explain." Harry looked sad.

"Hey, guys," Harry said nervously. Snape and Harry stepped out of the floo into the Weasley house. Harry wore his school uniform, which effectively covered his collar. He put a change of clothes in his bag, in case it were to become appropriate that could wear cooler clothes. The summer was beastly hot, and he didn't want to spend the rest of the day in long sleeves and a tie. Unconsciously, he hung back next to Snape.

"Yikes," Ron said when he saw Harry's uniform. "He makes you wear your uniform even when you're not in school?"

"No," Harry said quickly. "This was my nicest set of clothes." Ron was wearing a t-shirt and shorts, as was Hermione.

"I'm sure you'd rather not spend the rest of the day standing in the fireplace," Snape interrupted. "Why don't you go do whatever you and your friends do when you're not getting into mischief?"

"Yes, sir," Harry gulped. The trio left the room and escaped to the backyard.

"Severus," Molly said, once they left. "Please, have a seat." She offered him a chair at one end of their long dining room table. "Any tea?"

"Yes, please," Severus said. "Sugar, no cream." She quickly poured him a steaming cup. Arthur sat across from him, and Molly sat next to her husband.

"So what's this about Harry?" Molly questioned.

"What do you mean?" Severus replied, sipping his tea. It was quite good.

"Why are you in charge of Harry this summer?" Arthur clarified. "Albus knows we'd be happy to look after him."

"Mmm, yes, well," Severus stalled. "That is a delicate matter. Mr. Potter will be perfectly safe with me. As you can see, he's in a perfect state of health at the moment."

"I don't suppose you'd be bringing him to see Ron and Hermione if you weren't looking after him," Molly admitted.

"Hardly," Severus agreed. "It would have been infinitely more convenient not to contact you at all. Convenience is not always the most important concern."

Suddenly, all the adults heard a noise from outside. Ron screamed. Molly and Arthur were on their feet. Severus stayed seated, and sipped his tea one more time.

"It's nothing to be concerned about, I assure you," Severus said. "Stop gawking and sit." Despite Severus' stern suggestion, both of the Weasleys still looked out the window. They saw Harry and Hermione sitting under a tree, and Ron standing up. Any further conversation was inaudible. "If you don't let them have their privacy," Snape continued, "you might as well just go out there and listen to what they are talking about."

"You know what's going on," Arthur accused. "But you won't tell us."

"I won't," Severus confirmed.

"We're loyal members of the Order," Molly huffed. "Even if it hasn't been active for the last few years. I don't see why you have any right to doubt anyone."

"I don't doubt you," Severus replied without ruffling a metaphorical feather. "There is more than one reason to refuse to hand out information. One is that it isn't yours to hand out."

"Harry's relatives died?" Molly gasped.

"Unfortunately not," Snape denied. Molly glared at him. He smirked into his tea. "Do you know what they were like?"

"They weren't nice to him," Molly answered. "Harry never talked about it much, but he always asked us to come help him if we could. I'm sure you remember the embarrassing flying car incident last year?"

"Of course," Severus confirmed.

"The twins stole that car during the summer to get Harry from his relatives because he wasn't answering Ron's letters. They found him with bars on his window. That's what Ron and the twins said. Harry never mentioned it. Do you know anything more?"

"Nothing of consequence," Snape dodged. "Bars on the window. Interesting. Likely not to keep anything out, but rather to keep something, or someone, in."

"Happy birthday!" Hermione said when they got outside. "That was really nice of Snape to bring you to see us. But why are you with Snape?"

"How's that going?" Ron asked.

"Do you really want to know?" Harry asked the two of them.

"Of course," they said. Harry sat down under a tree, and Ron and Hermione did likewise.

"Please, try to understand," Harry swallowed, growing a bit pale. "It's really hard already."

"Yeah, having Snape look after you would be," Ron sympathized. Harry shook his head, unable to trust his voice at the moment. Instead, he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt.. It revealed the leather collar underneath. Ron screamed and scrambled to his feet.

"Harry!" he gasped. Hermione had no reaction. "How - how did that happen?"

"How did what happen?" Hermione demanded. She looked suspiciously between Harry's collar and Ron's horrified expression. "Sit."

"Hermione," Ron said, breathless. "That's a slavery collar."

"A - a what?" Hermione blinked. Ron sat down again. Hermione looked at Harry. "Is he right?"

"Yeah," Harry said, swallowing visibly. "It's okay if this changes anything," he continued quickly. "I understand. It might be rather difficult for you."

"I'm confused," Hermione said.

"It's ancient magic," Ron explained. "You mean you haven't read about bonding magic?"

"No," Hermione said.

"Strange," Ron commented. "Maybe they wrote the books for people who were raised in wizard society and grow up knowing about it. Anyway, bonding magic is what it sounds like. It bonds two individuals together in some way, and there's a slavery bond."

"It happened when Snape saved my life," Harry explained. "At the Shack. It's because I hated him so much. The bond is trying to make me pay back the life debt."

"That's stupid," Hermione said.

"I know," Harry murmured.

"Can't Snape just set you free then?" she pressed.

"No," Harry and Ron said together. "It's not something he can change," Harry continued. "He can't just forgive a life debt, even if he wanted to."

"Hmph," Hermione grunted as she sat against the tree and a dark look crossed her face.

"Snape treating you okay?" Ron asked.

"Yeah," Harry said. Except for the brand and the beating in the beginning, Snape hadn't raised his hand against Harry the entire time. The brand was necessary, and Harry figured the beating was forgivable. It was much less violence than he would have had to deal with at the Dursleys. So, yes, Snape was treating him okay.

"That's hard to believe," Ron observed. "You sure about that?"

"Yeah," Harry said again, more assertively this time. "He's been fine. He mostly ignores me, and I ignore him. It works. Neither of us like it, but we make due."

"Professor Snape wouldn't have brought him here if he were torturing Harry," Hermione pointed out. "He was under no obligation to give Harry a birthday present."

"I suppose," Ron agreed slowly. "It'll make school pretty hard for you." Harry nodded.

"I think this is truly barbaric," Hermione said. "Why would this affect his school?"

"Hermione," Ron said patiently, "not all wizards are as open minded as muggleborns. The pure bloods especially are very sensitive to this sort of thing. Even the half bloods. The bond represents justice, and very ancient, very powerful magic. It's a social stigma that is built into wizarding society."

"And how do you feel about it, Ron?" Hermione spat.

"I don't like it any more than you do!" Ron shouted back. "But I know how the others will react. I'm not stupid. Slavery bonds might not be common, but they're talked about."

"Will you be able to continue your education at all?" Hermione asked.

"Snape says I'll have to," Harry replied. "So...so you'll still talk to me?" he asked hesitantly.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped.

"Yeah," Ron said.

"I'm shocked that you'd think I'd stop talking to you over this," Hermione continued. "You mean you think this is something that should alter our friendship?"

"I'd hoped it wouldn't, but that didn't mean I wasn't worried," Harry muttered. "Ron?"

"I said yeah," he repeated. "It doesn't change who you are. You're still Harry."

"Thanks," he said, smiling weakly. "You're good friends."

"I hope you had a good time," Snape said when they flooed back to Hogwarts.

"I did, thank you," Harry replied. The three of them talked for some time more. Then it was time for dinner. After that, Molly had a huge cake, and Harry opened his presents. Hermione gave him some fancy parchment and an enchanted quill. Ron gave him some Quiddich trading cards. Molly and Arthur gave Harry a pair of socks. At that, Harry almost choked. Hermione and Ron saw his reaction, understood, and helped cover for him. They doubted Molly or Arthur had noticed anything. Lastly, Snape gave him a present too. Harry wasn't expecting anything. Snape already brought him to see his friends; wasn't that present enough? It was a photo album of Lily when she was young. Snape was in some of the pictures too. If Harry had almost choked at the socks, he did choke at the album. He began to blink quickly and felt his throat constrict. If he wasn't careful, he was going to cry in front of everyone, and that would be humiliating. So he put on a good face and smiled. Then, shortly after, Snape and Harry said their farewells and left.

"I did have a good time," Harry said again.

"Good," Snape approved. "It would have been a waste of time if you hadn't. Your friends took the news well then?"

"As well as could be expected," Harry shrugged. Snape nodded.

"I hope you had a happy birthday," he finally said. "I'm sorry for the circumstances."

"I did, and that's okay," Harry said. He wasn't smiling, but he was sincere. He did have a happy birthday, and he understood that Snape regretted the bond as well. He clutched his presents to his chest. "And you'll let me keep them?"

"Yes," Snape confirmed. "I've never actually taken anything away from you."

"I know," Harry said, backing up a step.

"You don't have to believe that I won't," Snape said. "But it's true. I won't take your things."

"But you can," Harry said. Snape nodded.

"But I won't."

"I can't know that."

"But perhaps eventually you can come to believe it."