Of all the problems Draco faced, it was the inescapable cold that drained him most.

The biting wind whipped at his hair and cloak, as he walked the soaked Muggle street outside the Leaky Cauldron. He wanted to hug the little remaining warmth to himself, but Draco's stiff hands kept grip on the trunk and owl cage dragging behind him.

Cars passed in a blur, sloshing water against road and gutters. Draco kept out of their path, unable to prevent water gathering at the hem of his trousers from merciless puddles. He'd never imagined there would be a time he'd wished for the company of a Muggle, especially when it's the reason he'd been cast out of Malfoy Manor to begin with.

Blaming Muggles was easier than admitting the truth; anger was all he had left.

Taking shelter under the awning of a closed book store, Draco groaned miserably at heavy rain pelting the path. Pulling a map from his pocket, the eleven-year-old's blue eyes squinted at street names and possible routes. He'd researched and asked around, but Draco couldn't explain how he knew where to go. Impossibly, a part of him just knew he had to get to Privet Drive.

He dropped onto the book store's step, muscles aching and mood worsening. Hanging his head, Draco bit his bottom lip to force himself not to cry. He was all alone in a downpour, without Muggle money or means of transport. He'd saved Galleons in secret for a month, before the Malfoys decided to stop pretending he was their son, but wizarding gold was no use to Muggles.

He was stranded and night was almost upon him.

'Are you lost, lad?'

Draco quickly looked up, relieved to see a cloaked woman holding a wand loosely at her side.

'No.' He stood, brushing himself off out of habit. 'Just got no Muggle money.'

'Where are your parents?'

Draco hesitated. She was elderly and didn't seem too dangerous. Ten years with the Malfoys taught him what sort of people were the least trustworthy if met in a street. He'd only been kicked out earlier that morning; Draco wasn't ready to accept he was a homeless orphan now - a discarded burden.

'Dead.' He managed to force the word out, while that truth forced its way inside his chest. 'I was going to stay with my aunt and uncle, but...' Again, he hesitated.

The witch might not pose immediate danger to him, but Draco didn't know if those who hated Muggles were the majority or not. Would she refuse to help if she knew he was going to live with Muggles?

'Not to worry.' The witch smiled, deepening her wrinkles. She looked at his owl cage and trunk, nodding. 'Just raise your wand and the Knight Bus will pick you up. It'll take you where you need to go for eleven sickles. Take care.'

She ducked under an umbrella and headed down the street, vanishing into the mist of angry weather.

Draco dragged his trunk and empty cage out onto the side of the road. Rain dripped from his head, soaking every inch of his clothes as cold squeezed his bones. Shivering, Draco raised his wand and hoped the witch was right. He knew what a bus was, but hadn't heard of the Knight Bus beyond a few mutterings of disapproval from Lucius Malfoy about the sort of people who travelled on it.

Having learned he was the son of a Mudblood, Draco accepted he was one of “those people” now.

With a BANG, a light blinded his already-obscured view and sent Draco falling backwards into a puddle. Growling in frustration, he glared up at the violet bus. Ignoring the conductor, Draco hurried aboard. He handed over money and sat on the nearest bed, wishing to sleep the horrible day away.

The bus lurched forward and Draco went flying to the floor. Wincing at his bruised elbow, he decided to hang on now and yell at them later. He wrapped himself around a bedpost the best he could, as the Knight Bus swerved and screeched its way through London. His queasy stomach did not appreciate the mode of transport, but Draco couldn't find energy to care when the bus abruptly halted in Privet Drive.

He was finally there.

Yanking his trunk and cage off the road, in case cars also zoomed around residential areas at night, Draco looked to either side with a frown. Were Muggle houses supposed to be so neat and identical? Defeated by his situation and mood, Draco sat on his trunk and raked hands through blond hair. Knocking on every door at night wasn't the best idea, but it was the only one he had left.

Looking at the house closest to him, Number Four, Draco noticed an owl flying away as if swooping from a window around the back. Jumping up, not believing his luck, he thought that had to be the one. He didn't know how common muggle-borns were in a Muggle street like Privet Drive, but Draco was confident he'd found the right house. Behind its door should be his twin brother, who Draco would be joining at Hogwarts in two weeks.

The problem was, Muggles scared him terribly.

He didn't want to knock and announce himself a wizard, not after countless stories told to him by the Malfoys. Draco learned the hard way that most of what the Malfoys said weren't true, so he had to try. It was night and he was soaked with nowhere to go; there really wasn't a better option.

Draco carefully approached the house. He propped the trunk beside the front door and placed his empty cage atop it. Straightening his clothes, and removing his waterlogged cloak to drape over the cage, Draco nervously raised his hand to knock.

There were muffled yells inside, distorted by sounds Draco struggled to determine, and the door opened. In front of him, with messy hair and green eyes, stood his twin.

'Hello?' the boy frowned.

The Malfoys instilled importance of first impressions, and Draco was failing every rule so far. He didn't care – he'd made it!

'Hello.' Draco exhaled. 'Are you Harry Potter?'

'I am.' He nodded, looking Draco up and down. 'Who are you?'

'I...' Draco paused, considering how he could possibly be believed.

There was so much to say, but he didn't know what Harry might have been told. There were a hundred ways he could start to explain, if only he could pick the one that sounded the least crazy. Harry might not even know he had a twin; Draco hadn't either.

He'd found his brother and, against all Malfoy-raised instincts, Draco decided to just spill the truth.

'I found out my parents aren't really my parents,' he hastily began. 'They stole me when I was a baby. My real parents are the same as yours. We're twins.'

'What?' Harry's eyes widened, glasses slipping lower.

Before Draco had time to work out how his brother was taking the news, a woman approached and glared down at them. He assumed that was his mother's sister, Petunia.

'What do you want?' she asked sharply.

That was a big question, and one Draco couldn't answer without losing composure.

'Do I have a brother?' Harry accused their aunt. 'Did you lie about that too?'

'Brother? What?' Petunia's eyes widened as she carefully examined Draco. Darting a glance around the street, she pointed sharply into the hallway. 'In!'

Draco barely managed to grab his trunk and cage before Petunia took hold of his shoulder and steered him into the house. Harry stepped aside to avoid getting knocked into a wall, keeping his gaze on Draco's luggage.

'I-' Draco tried to speak, but the woman wasn't having any of it as she shoved him and Harry into the living room. Petunia used something to turn off whatever lights and pictures were coming from the box behind Draco – he didn’t have the chance to look.

'Don't move. You're all wet.' She jabbed another finger at Draco, cringing at the floor.

He remained beside Harry, shifting nervously as he glanced around the Muggle house. Draco had never been in one before, and already saw many things he knew nothing about. He didn't miss that there were a lot of photos of a fat boy and none of his brother.

'Is he my brother?' Harry tried again, fists clenched.

Petunia shuddered, then hurried from the room.

Harry sank onto the couch and met Draco's gaze.

'What's your name?'

'Draco,' he answered. He opened his mouth to say more, but nothing came out. Draco had finally depleted the strength and focus that got him this far.

'Why're you wet?' Harry spoke quieter, eyes glancing to the doorway. 'How'd you find me?'

'It was raining.' Words spent, Draco lowered his trunk to sit on.

Hanging his head, he wondered what happened next. The Malfoys hadn't exactly warned him or given him much of a chance to survive on his own. The fact he'd found the Muggle house, and was let inside before night had completely fallen, was something of a miracle.

'Vernon and Dudley will be home any minute...' Petunia muttered, hurrying back into the room with a lump that must be the least nice towel they own. 'Upstairs, both of you. We'll sort this out in the morning.'

Draco grabbed his trunk and cage, following Harry up the stairs two at a time with Petunia ushering them faster. Entering the small bedroom, Draco was at loss of what to do. Beside the single bed was a thin mattress with a sickly-pale sheet and chunky pillow. It was as far from the standards of Malfoy Manor as could be.

'So it's true?' Harry dropped on his bed, which groaned at impact.

Petunia didn't ask questions; she'd just sent them upstairs. Draco was highly suspicious, but had no energy left to invest in his aunt's behaviour.

Dumping his trunk and owl cage near the closed door, he grabbed the first dry clothes he was fortunate enough to have with him. He saw Harry eyeing the black clothes he'd changed into, and Draco noticed his brother wore what he assumed were rag hand-offs from the fat boy in the pictures. It was exactly the sort of thing a Malfoy would be horrified by and mercilessly belittle, but Draco was determined to stop doing what Lucius Malfoy expected.

He was never a Malfoy and Draco needed to shed that life to figure out who he really was - starting with his name.

'I'm Draco Sirius Potter,' he said. 'I mean, I was when we were born.'

'What happened?' Harry stared at him.

'I don't know. Everything was a lie...' He sank beside his brother on the bed. 'I was kidnapped by a wizarding family. They tried to make me like them, into their perfect heir: horrible and selfish. I wasn't good enough so they told me the truth and kicked me out.'

'That's horrible.' Harry frowned. 'Who would do something like that?'

Draco loved them once. Not every day was a nightmare; there were times he was happy and cared for. The truth ruined every memory and confused each emotion associated with the Malfoys. He'd never been so lost.

'They hate me here too – lied to me too.' Harry stared at his feet. 'I didn't even know I was a wizard until Hagrid came and told me. They lied about my family too. Oh, Hagrid's-'

'I know who Hagrid is.' Draco grit his teeth. 'Some things about Muggles are true then, if they'd keep that from you. What was that about your family?'

'How they died.' Harry paused, shoulders slumping. 'The Dursleys said it was a car crash. If you're my brother, then they're your parents too. It's our family.'

That was as much as Draco could handle. He slid off the bed, and crawled across the stiff mattress on the floor. He pressed his face into the pillow, which smelled of lemons and the unfamiliar.

'I'm sorry!' Harry landed beside him. 'I didn't mean to upset you or anything. I just thought-'

'It's not you.' Draco turned, facing the window. 'I found out this morning that my parents are dead, and the last ten years of my life are all lies. It's too much. I hate all of it.'

'Is there something I can do to help?' Harry asked quietly. 'Maybe we could talk about something else, like Hogwarts?'

Draco, despite everything, managed a small smile. 'I think...I just want to sleep. I want today to be over.'

'Okay.' Harry returned to his bed. 'I'm going to read for a while, if that's okay? I mean, I need the light on...'

'I don't care.' Draco shrugged, not about to admit his fear of the dark. 'We'll talk tomorrow.' He yawned into the lemony pillow.

'Night, Draco.'

Draco turned to look at his twin, still in disbelief he'd managed to find Harry and was given a place to stay – at least for the night, as the next morning could bring new problems. Until then, Draco believed he was where should be: sharing a room with his twin brother.

'Goodnight, Harry.'

There were exactly two weeks until Draco and Harry would attend Hogwarts, and those two weeks did not pass kindly. The boys believed such misfortune began with Dudley complaining over breakfast on Draco's first morning at Privet Drive, but it actually started several hours earlier when Albus Dumbledore received urgent news.

The message inspired misfortune because the Headmaster had never received one quite like it – and there was nothing to be done. It was remarkable in itself how stumped for solutions Dumbledore was, though those weren't words Severus Snape would choose to describe the occurrence.

The silence, as they sat in Dumbledore's office at sunrise, dragged on until it became uncommonly awkward.

'We do...Nothing?' Severus stared.

'Precisely nothing.' Dumbledore nodded.

'Have you lost your mind?' The dark-haired man growled, rising from his chair.

'Perhaps, for a situation as rare and unique as this, it isn't a matter of where to interfere but rather knowing when to leave well enough alone,' Dumbledore said. 'Yes, we will do nothing – for now. I have a feeling these two weeks are far more crucial than we're yet to realise, Severus. Young and confused as they may be, Harry and Draco are exactly where needed at this point in their merging lives.'

Severus sank back into the chair, shaking his head yet resisting everything he wanted to say. He had questions, and didn't dare ask them in fear of answers. Dumbledore had made his decision and that's all there was to it. For now, Harry and Draco were on their own.

On their own, but not alone...

'But I don't want him here!' Dudley shouted, fat fist squishing a strip of bacon.

Harry rolled his eyes, but Draco was afraid to blink. Meeting his cousin Dudley was certainly memorable, if only for how gross and upsetting it was. The shouted lack of greeting was as appalling as Petunia denying the twins more than a slice of buttered bread each.

'I know, popkin,' Petunia tried to calm Dudley by tempting him with more food. She talked about how it would only be for two weeks and he wouldn't have to be in the same room as them for too long, and so on.

Harry and Draco glanced at Vernon. The man sat beside Dudley, beady eyes reading the newspaper in silence. Draco didn't know much about his uncle, but the way Harry constantly looked at the large man indicated it wasn't quite in Vernon's character to react so nonchalantly to having to sheltering a second magical nephew. Even Petunia gave her husband side glances and creased thin eyebrows in confusion.

Draco remained in the kitchen, backed against a counter to keep his distance from the Muggles. Harry cooked and served breakfast, which stirred unwelcome curiosity in Draco. Trying to make sense of the situation was the easiest distraction from how overwhelmed he felt inside.

'Are all Muggles like this?' he asked his brother, when Harry paused to boil water in a kettle. Draco cautiously watched the device, but it didn't match the marvel of learning what a fridge was when Harry asked him to get food from it earlier.

'Like what?' Harry glanced at the Dursleys.

'They're treating you like a house-elf.' The blond said, angrily crossing his arms. 'You're doing servant stuff.'

'What's a house-elf?' Harry poured hot liquid into a mug.

Draco stared at him, voice stuttering as he'd never had to explain something like that before.

Harry made coffee, carefully delivering it to Vernon – who continued reading the paper without uttering a word - and gave Draco an intrigued look.

'Its a...' Draco frowned, thinking. 'Its a small creature who serves wizards. They have to do whatever we tell them to.'

'They're slaves?' Harry's green eyes flashed with disapproval.

Draco nodded, ducking his head with shame. He thought of Dobby, who he'd tried to set free and failed; he wasn't a Malfoy, so it hadn't worked. Not knowing at the time, and feeling guilty for getting the elf in trouble, Draco instead tried to trick Lucius or Narcissa into freeing Dobby.

'Do all wizards have a house-elf?' Harry asked.

'I don't think so.' Draco sighed. 'Only rich ones.'

'Like the Malfoys?'

Draco yelped, jumping backwards when toast shot out of a silver device. Harry snatched and spread jam on the toast for Dudley, pressing his lips tightly together in attempt not to smile. Their cousin, however, roared with laughter. Draco clenched his fists, and Petunia immediately ushered Dudley into the next room. His arrival at Privet Drive had unsettled the Dursleys but their fear of magic remained.

Harry and Draco shared a look, and fled outside with the extra toast.

~ G ~ 

Days passed with routine and growing tension.

Draco, having kept to himself as much as possible, slowly got used to being in a Muggle house. He and Harry, without openly deciding to do so, developed an even exchange of information – Harry asked how the wizarding world worked, and Draco questioned what Muggle objects did. Electricity and television were the hardest to comprehend, but Draco kept trying. Harry enthusiastically pointed to plugs and electrical sockets, and patiently taught Draco to write with a pen.

With September approaching, the twins often stayed up at night reading textbooks in between Draco sharing knowledge of Quidditch and how unfair it was they can't have a broomstick in first year. His bitterness was increased by Lucius confiscating Draco's broom a month ago.

'I don't want to be behind everyone else,' Harry added, green gaze set on the pages of his Potions textbook. 'But how are we going to read all this in two weeks, and do chores?'

'I'm not doing chores!' Draco scowled. 'They can't make me. If they try, I'll threaten them with magic. Not really, of course, but they don't know any better.'

'What if it doesn't work?' Harry sighed. 'They'll lock us in the cupboard and take away our Hogwarts stuff. Isn't it better to keep our heads down?'

Draco's anger deflated. Self preservation was essential around Muggles like the Dursleys, and the boys had nowhere else to go. He glanced at his empty owl cage and slumped his shoulders, lowering blue eyes to the open Transfiguration book on his lap.

Hogwarts classes didn't seem as boring as Draco dreaded, but it was hard to focus when reading wasn't something he often made a habit of. Privet Drive restricted any possibility of entertainment - especially when the Dursleys insisted the twins remain out of sight. Tucked away in their bedroom, Harry and Draco tried to study and instead quizzed each other on favourite food or memories they wanted to share.

Draco usually kept to himself, being a naturally private person, but talking to Harry was easy; he rather enjoyed having someone who enjoyed listening to him. There were no wrong answers, unlike with the Malfoys who deemed every word from Draco's mouth to be the wrong answer.

'Hagrid told me what happened to our parents,' Harry said one night, standing to cross another day off the calendar. 'Voldemor-'

'Don't!' Draco hissed, tucking his sickly-pale sheet around himself. 'Don't say the name.'

'Sorry.' Harry huffed, dropping onto the bed and bouncing sideways. 'You-Know-Who just left us there, but Hagrid didn't mention you...'

'The Malfoys wouldn't say much.' Draco sighed, not wanting to go over it again. 'They stole me after the Dark Lord left, and hid the evidence. Our parents never told anyone they had twins so Hagrid probably didn't know.'

'Don't you think that's a bit odd?' Harry frowned. 'Them not telling anyone, I mean. What's bad about having twins?'

Draco shrugged, refusing to explore possibilities. Petunia, though she scolded them to go away when it was brought up, never denied their relation. Harry insisted she would have, if it too was a lie, and that was the best proof they had.

From then on, boys swore to never to lie to each other like everyone else had. That was the first time Draco felt he actually had a brother, but it only further complicated his own confusions and internal debates.

'We don't look the same.' Harry tilted his head at Draco, sprawling on his stomach to reach eye-level. 'Maybe if you messed your hair up a bit?'

'No.' Draco glared, instinctively flattening his hair with both hands. 'It's bad enough its changing colour, I'm not turning it into a mop too.'

Draco's identity issues didn't stop with learning his true heritage; his own appearance began to shift, which Narcissa warned him would. The Malfoys placed colouration charms on Draco so he'd resemble them, and they'd stopped casting those spells a month ago. His blue eyes were as vibrant as Harry's emerald ones, and Draco's hair faded from pale blond to a light shade of brown.

Glancing at Harry, who grabbed a random textbook to read, Draco tried to find inherit similarities between them. They grew up differently – about as different as two young wizards could, but they were always twins.

'We need a mirror,' Draco decided.

The Dursleys watched television downstairs, laughing noisily at some comedy show, making it safe for the boys to leave their bedroom. Harry shut the bathroom door just in case. They frowned at their reflections, nudging the other aside for a better view.

'Wow,' Harry whispered.

Side-by-side, comparing appearances, they took turns trying to match each others silly expressions. Their ears and chins were similar, yet faces shaped the same way. Harry, battling Draco's protests, ruffled his brother's hair and smiled at the result.

Their eyes, it turned out, were the biggest difference in their features.

'You're so blind,' Draco teased, wearing Harry's glasses. 'This is ridiculous – what if someone knocks them off? You should order magical contacts before school.'

'How?' Harry pushed his glasses back on, mindful of the tape holding them together.

'By owl, of course.' Draco rolled his eyes, raising hands to re-flatten his hair before changing his mind. His wavy locks were less embarrassing compared to Harry's hair sticking up in every direction.

'I'm glad we're going to Hogwarts together,' Harry said. 'And that we get to be brothers now, like we were supposed to.'

'Does Aunt Petunia have any pictures of our parents?' Draco asked, choosing his words to show acceptance of his blood family.

He wanted to believe he was coping well and taking everything at stride, but in his heart it was pure resignation. Draco was cast out and defeated, with no energy left to fight what he once believed was beneath him. The golden rule of living with the Dursleys was not to ask questions - the Malfoys loved that rule too. Harry and Draco concluded that it's how adults are.

If they wanted real answers, they'd have to figure it out themselves.

'No.' Harry frowned, leading back to their bedroom. 'Do you think we could find pictures – at Hogwarts, I mean? Do think they'd have records or something?'

'Probably.' Draco nodded, re-wrapping his sheet around himself like a pitiful cocoon. 'What do you think they were like? I know our father played Quidditch, but that's about it.'

'You know more than me,' Harry said, shrugging. 'I wonder who looks most like mum or dad, since we have different eyes and hair...Do you think there's books about that stuff too?'

'Why are you asking me? I don't know everything.' Draco rolled his eyes. 'Is there a library-?'

The boys turned to the window, interrupted by a flutter of ginger feathers. A screech owl landed on the open windowsill, prompting Hedwig to straighten on her desk-chair-perch. The snowy owl watched closely as Draco rushed to greet the smaller owl.

'Pep!' Draco detached a letter from Pepper's talon. 'You found me.'

'That's your owl?' Harry's interest in the new bird earned a sound of indignation from Hedwig.

'I sent him away before...' Draco ducked his head, scowling. 'Before the Malfoys kicked me out.'

Harry stroked Pepper's gingery feathers, and fetched Hedwig's water bowl for the tired little owl. Unfolding the letter, Draco braced himself before reading.

Draco,

Thanks for trusting me with the truth, I know it isn't easy. I never believed blood is all that makes family, so you're still my cousin no matter what.

I respect that you want to keep this quiet, but I also won't let their crimes go unpunished. I've only just begun my training as an Auror and don't have the authority to do much for you right now, but I'll keep trying. The Malfoys went to great lengths to keep all this out of the Daily Prophet, and have gone out of country until it blows over.

Having received this letter a day later than you'd sent it, I asked my mentor to discreetly look into the situation - we can trust him, I promise. He said you're staying with Muggle relatives and it's the best place for you right now. You've found your brother and I'm so happy for that. Stay safe – in a week you'll be at Hogwarts and things will get better. You've been through a lot, but you're not alone.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help. My parents and I are here for you and your brother if ever need be.

For now, hang in there and have fun at Hogwarts.

Tonks.

'Who's it from?' Harry wondered.

'I...' Draco kept his head bowed, fighting tears. He'd expected the worst and yet the only cousin he'd ever liked once again proved the Malfoys only know how to lie. 'My cousin. She just graduated from Hogwarts. I told her what happened.'

'What'd she say?' Harry took a step back when Draco turned away. 'Sorry, it's none of my business.'

'Who else do I have to tell?' Draco whispered, patting his owl.

The Malfoys owned an eagle and barn owl, which he was meant to use at Hogwarts, but while shopping for school supplies Narcissa was adamant Draco got his own pet. Pepper was bright orange and playful – a stark difference from other owls in store. Being the odd one out was exactly why Draco chose him. Lucius wasn't impressed, as usual. Narcissa, however, smiled and bought the owl for Draco.

Thinking back on that day, he wondered if they'd already decided then to kick him out.

Meeting Harry's attentive gaze, Draco was beginning to recognise what was real. It took him days to understand how much his life shifted from living at Malfoy Manor to the Muggle house of Privet Drive. He never realised how much he'd wanted a brother like Harry to talk to – someone who was also different and unfortunate.

And so he sat with Harry and told his twin everything.

They compared growing up in a magical mansion to a Muggle cupboard under the stairs, and came to the unsettling awareness that the contrasts between Dursleys and Malfoys were very few. They shared fears and hurt, then hugged until everything felt easier. They built bridges and found common ground unlike anything they'd known before.

Draco and Harry wanted to prepare themselves for Hogwarts with united determination that no matter what happened next – the lies will not become them. The boys would only seek truth, and never let anyone separate them again.

~ G ~ 

Meanwhile, Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall stared at the list of students due to start Hogwarts in a few days.

They expected a Potter boy each to their houses, though Dumbledore cautioned against making such assumptions. The Headmaster retained a hint in his gaze that perhaps he knew something of what to expect when term began – secrets which, as it so often was, he chose not to share.

'Here.' Minerva pointed. 'Harry James Potter and Draco Sirius Potter. Both boys had their names down at birth. Everything's in order.'

Severus glared at the names, resisting memories of the Marauders. Minerva was sympathetic to the situation, but he remained certain the Potter twins would arrive as arrogantly as James had. Harry had Lily's eyes, but it was far too hopeful for Severus to believe anything else could survive the Potter genes each boy possessed.

Minerva shook her head at his glare, in the same manner she'd express disapproval for a student's misbehaviour.

'Really, Severus, at least wait until they've walked through the door,' she muttered.

'I've no idea what you're referring to,' Severus said, crossing his arms. 'Surely you don't agree with the Headmaster?'

'To do nothing?' Minerva asked, narrowing her eyes and avoiding his. 'My agreement is not necessary.'

'So, no?' Severus raised an eyebrow. 'Very well, is there anything else required of us?'

'No.' She leaned back with a heavy sigh, shutting a thick book. 'Now, we wait...'

'Indeed,' he said bitterly. 'And I shall be in my room, downing firewhiskey or something equally potent.'

'Ever the Drama Queen.' Minerva rolled her eyes, as Severus sulked from the room.

She glanced back at the list, wariness stirring with memories of James and Sirius. The certainty remained that it was going to be an interesting year at Hogwarts, to say the least.

Draco was a boy who contradicted himself by being both quietly reserved and prone to loud complaints.

Enough initial shock and fear of Muggle Privet Drive had worn off that he'd become quite fed up. Draco was hungry and cold in ways he'd never experienced at Malfoy Manor, and lashed out by threatening Dudley with pretend magic. Harry, though conflicted at first, would often egg his brother on in payback for years of torment at the hands of Dudley and his gang.

Their favourite was offering to give Dudley pig ears to match his tail.

During his stay at Privet Drive, Draco learned more than just how to use a toaster or microwave. When Harry almost dropped a heavy pot of stew, Petunia smacked his shoulder with a metal spoon. Draco froze by the counter and didn't know what to do. He'd received the same from Lucius' cane and knew it hurt.

Since Hagrid's visit almost a month earlier, the Dursleys kept away from Harry (then Draco) in fear of magic. Vernon still hadn't discussed Draco's presence in the house, but there were no shortage of rants and rages about “nonsense” the boys could be blamed for.

When Harry checked if the spoon bruised his shoulder, his brother noticed older bruises he didn't dare ask about. The lesson bothered Draco on a deep level - to know that being feared did not automatically make one safe.

When Draco wandered streets one afternoon, he figured out that baggy clothes weren't some disgraceful Muggle style. Other kids were dressed rather nicely, increasing Draco's disgust towards his brother's hand-me-downs. Thinking of the Weasleys, he'd run back to the house and emptied half of his own clothes into Harry's arms. His brother hugged him tight, then Draco went downstairs to bully Dudley into giving up a decent shirt.

It was the first time he'd broken quiet observation and taken action.

With three days until the twins left for Hogwarts, Vernon finally looked up from his newspaper one morning to narrow eyes directly at Draco. Having been about to give Dudley another scare, and be damned with Petunia's resulting fury, Draco quickly shrank back.

'So,' Vernon said, startling everyone in the kitchen – including Dudley, who looked away from the television. 'Draco Potter – funny name. Can't say your parents had much imagination.'

'Yeah, because “Dudley” is such a great name,' Harry said sarcastically, scrubbing dishes in the kitchen sink.

'Mind your tongue, boy,' Vernon snarled at Harry.

Petunia, sensing the mounting tension, took Dudley into the living room to watch his favourite cartoons. Draco defiantly raised his chin, forcing himself to meet Vernon's eyes and not back down from the first proper conversation he'd had with his uncle.

'Raised by freaks, were you?' Vernon asked.

'I...' Draco grunted, stopping himself. He stood stiff, and nodded. Although Petunia doled out a fair share of injuries, Harry's bruises were a clear warning not to anger Vernon.

'Twins...' The large man disapprovingly glanced at Harry. 'Two of the same bad seed – just as freaky and ungrateful. We won't have it, you know. Not after you two are off to that school of yours.'

'What do you mean?' Harry asked.

'He means we're not allowed back,' Draco said, anger melting to defeat. Once again, he'd be kicked out – was there no one who could tolerate him in their house?

'Precisely,' their uncle said with an unpleasant smirk.

'Vernon...' Petunia re-entered the kitchen, having a talent for eavesdropping. Her eyes wide with reluctance, it seemed she might defend them, but their aunt pressed her lips into a thin line and that was it.

Draco ran upstairs.

He kicked the dresser and dropped onto the bed, growling under breath. He ignored his brother's footsteps and dip in the mattress. His owl, Pepper, swooped to land on Draco's knee and nuzzled his hand until the boy pat him.

The brothers didn't speak of Vernon's threat.

The next day, they wandered to a park not far from Privet Drive. Draco learned to use swings, and they took turns on the slide, then tried to make Hogwarts in the sandpit. The circular platform Draco clung to, while Harry ran on the side to spin it faster, was almost as thrilling as riding a broom.

The twins laughed together in ways they weren't accustomed to, before dragging themselves back to the house when dark clouds gathered above – yet not so dark to overcome the gloom within.

Draco sat in the living room, watching the rain through a lace-curtained window. Lucius' shout echoed in his ears, as he'd told Draco to shut up and get out. Narcissa helped Draco pack and made sure he didn't forget anything important, but her eyes were just as cold and unloving that day. He'd tried so hard to be their son. Draco never found out if something changed, or if the Malfoys were always that way and he'd simply been blind to it.

'Sickle for your thoughts?' Harry wandered in, having finished cleaning the upstairs bathroom.

Draco watched Mrs Figg raise a bright umbrella. He only met her once, when the Dursleys took Dudley to see a Muggle healer about his tail. Her house smelled of cabbages and cats, but she was the nicest Muggle he knew so far.

'Draco?' his brother tried again.

'How do we get to King's Cross?' Draco reluctantly turned. 'It's tomorrow, and no one's mentioned it.'

'I just asked,' Harry said. 'They're taking Dudley to London to get his tail removed. Uncle Vernon says he'll drop us at the station, and we should...Pack anything we want to keep.'

'Because we're not coming back,' Draco said. 'Fine. We'll find somewhere else.'

'Where?' Harry peered hopelessly through the window. 'We've no family left.'

Draco thought of Tonks and knew it was not entirely true, but wasn't ready for that conversation. It got under his skin how he cringed less at spending two weeks in a Muggle house with Muggle relatives than the idea of living with Nymphadora's mudblood father. What sort of future did he have, or person would he become, if Draco couldn't escape the Malfoys' influence and lies?

Perhaps something broke inside him that just couldn't be fixed.

~ G ~ 

The real test came the next morning, though Draco didn't realise at the time.

He and Harry woke very early, sneaking downstairs to steal pieces of fruit as they had a long journey ahead of them. Packing was quick; everything they owned fit into their trunks with minimal compromise.

With Hedwig and Pepper safely secured in cages, the boys vacated their former room. They cooked breakfast for the Dursleys and kept comments to themselves; it may be their last day in that house, but they still relied on the Muggles for transport to the station.

'And flip,' Harry instructed, making hand motions.

Draco gripped the tool and flipped, watching the pancake land in the pan. Petunia lingered behind them, telling him what not to do, but was satisfied with his efforts. It was his first attempt to cook anything, and Draco was proud of the edible result.

'Where's my coffee?' Vernon barked from the table.

'Sorry, Uncle Vernon!' Harry gasped, hurrying to fill the mug.

'Harry...' Draco panicked, stacking the pancake on a plate. 'What-?'

'Use the spoon.' Petunia took over teaching, pointing to a jug of batter.

Draco carefully formed another pancake, barely breathing until the jug was back on the counter. He'd only helped at all with the bribe of eating one afterwards, having never tasted regular pancakes cooked by Muggle means. The Malfoys only preferred fancy food prepared by house-elves, and those pancakes had more things in them than he could name. Narcissa was capable of cooking simple meals, but Draco had never seen her do so.

Cooking was rather similar to brewing potions, and he believed both were just as likely to explode if a mistake was made. Draco's anxiety of using a Muggle stove was worth it; he and Harry hurriedly ate a spongy and sweet, blueberry pancake each. The rest went to Dudley, whose gluttony effectively rid the twins of their appetites.

And then, it was all over; their stay at Privet Drive ended.

Harry and Draco dragged their trunks and cages outside, pausing long enough to give the house a final glance. Squashed against the window by Harry and Dudley in the back seat, Draco's heart raced as his brother buckled the seatbelt for him. He didn't trust Muggle transport at all, and yelped when Vernon's key roared the car to life.

'I don't like this,' Draco said, staring wide-eyed through the window at other Muggle vehicles blurring by. 'I don't like this at all.'

'We're almost there,' Harry assured him.

Draco's stomach reacted badly, but was saved by the arrival at King's Cross Station. He shot out of the car, not even sure how he opened the door, and exhaled the longest breath of his life. Harry didn't laugh or mock Draco for his fear of cars, whereas Dudley never missed an opportunity to do so.

'Here you are,' Vernon said, leading them into the station.

He got the boys a trolley each and helped load their belongings.

'Funny way to get to your school, the train,' he said. 'Where is it, anyway?'

Harry and Draco didn't reply, having decided they wouldn't make a fuss that morning, even if baited.

'Have a good term,' Vernon said with nasty satisfaction. 'And good riddance.'

The twins watched the Dursleys leave the station, which felt quite a lot bigger once the Muggles were gone. Draco was glad not to see them again, but Harry's miserable slouch prevented him from saying so. Draco, attempting to give his brother something better to focus on, reminded him of their plan.

Harry crouched to dig through his trunk, frowning as he lifted a small container.

'Just put them in, like we practised,' Draco encouraged.

Harry nodded, taking a breath. He struggled with the magical contact lenses at first, and winced when poking himself in the eye. Harry blinked rapidly, gladly tucking his glasses into his pocket. He glanced at his brother for approval.

'Much better.' Draco nodded. 'How does it look?'

'Wow!' Harry's green eyes widened as he turned on the spot. 'It's so clear!'

'What'd you expect?' He rolled his eyes. 'Let's go, Harry. We can't miss the train.'

'Platform nine and three quarters,' Harry read off his ticket, as they pushed trolleys through the station. 'Where is it?'

'How should I know?' Draco huffed, ignoring Pepper energetically hooting at passing Muggles.

Distracted by strange clothes and devices, Draco was often reminded to watch where he was going. The clocked ticked overhead, reminding them they had to hurry before their train left. With nowhere to go back to, the twins grew desperate. Draco refused to ask anyone, while Harry questioned every person who looked like they might know where to go.

None of them did.

They stood near platforms nine and ten, Draco assuming that surely someone else would be trying to get onto the magical platform as well. With fifteen minutes before the Hogwarts Express was due to depart, they overheard a witch talking about Muggles.

'All right, Percy – you go first.'

Harry and Draco caught up the group as a teenage boy passed through the stone barrier between platforms.

'Red hair and hand-me-down robes,' Draco sneered quietly. 'They must be Weasleys.'

'Is that bad?' Harry frowned, examining the family.

'No,' Draco decided. He refused to be what the Malfoys wanted, but also didn't want to turn his own brother against him.

'He's not Fred, I am!' a red-haired twin exclaimed.

'Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother,' the other joined in.

Draco and Harry exchanged smiles, then watched as the older twins went through the barrier. Draco reckoned he'd figured out how to get onto the platform, but kept it to himself as Harry pushed forward and asked for help.

'How to get onto the platform?' the witch smiled warmly at them. 'Not to worry, dear, Ron's new too.' She indicated to her youngest son, who nodded in greeting.

The Potter twins listened intently and braced themselves.

Draco went first, knowing Harry was as wary of running at the wall as Draco had been to ride in a moving car. He pushed his trolley forward and felt a rush when passing through the barrier.

Standing on the magical platform with Harry shed the horrible past month they'd both had, even if only for a moment. Ron came through next, almost bumping into Draco. The honey-haired boy clenched his jaw to withhold a remark, and followed Harry to the luggage compartment.

'Want a hand?' One of the Weasley twins asked, as Draco and Harry struggled to lift their trunks.

'Yes, please,' Harry panted.

'Oi, Fred!' the twin called out. 'C'mere and help!'

Draco stepped back, letting them hoist his trunk aboard. The Weasleys were blood traitors and poor – easy insults were hard to dismiss. He stayed quiet and reminded himself those were lies too. He'd initially been disgusted to learn his mother was a mudblood, but his time at Privet Drive opened Draco's eyes to see beyond a Malfoy's narrow view of the world.

'Thanks,' Harry said.

'No problem,' Fred said, glancing at the time. 'Better get in.'

The Potter twins wandered through the train, searching for an empty compartment. Draco shoved anyone aside who got too close, not caring who he offended, while Harry muttered apologies on his behalf. Older students laughed and bustled around them - younger years were timid by comparison.

Draco, like Harry, was equally cautious and eager for the journey ahead.

'Here!' Harry opened a compartment door, slipping inside.

'Finally.' Draco sat across from him, glancing through the window at waving families with sad smiles.

Unable to watch, he kept his gaze on the hallway for anyone he'd have to tell to go away.

A whistle sounded. Harry grinned as the station began to peel away into buildings and countrysides.

'This is brilliant!'

'Yeah,' Draco said. He sat straighter, willing his worries to stay behind on the station. He wanted to be surrounded by magic again, and what better place to feel at home than Hogwarts?

'Anyone sitting there?' a voice caught their attention. A brown-haired boy peered through the open door, holding a toad with both hands, and eyed the space beside Harry.

'Do you see anyone sitting there?' Draco retorted.

'You can join us, if you like?' Harry added. 'We don't mind.'

'Thanks!' The boy hurried inside. 'I'm Neville, and this is Trevor.'

Draco cringed at the toad while Harry shared their names. He leaned back, pleased he was finally on his way to Hogwarts, but didn't care for conversation. He wasn't anti-social and didn't want people to think he was, but Draco didn't know how to muster the politeness and patience Harry showed Neville. When the compartment door opened again, he decided to try to make friends.

Draco only wished he could see the look on Lucius' face if he could see how this day went.

'Excuse me?' Ron stood at the doorway. 'Do you mind? Everywhere else is full.'

'Not at all,' Draco beat Harry to the reply.

The redhead smiled and sat beside him. Draco fought the urge to recoil, considering if it was cheating if he pretended to be friendly until he got used to it.

'I don't think we met properly,' the redhead said. 'I'm Ron Weasley.'

'Harry Potter.'

'Neville Longbottom'

'Dra-' Having opened his mouth to speak, Draco choked when hearing Neville's surname. 'Er, Draco Potter.'

'Oh, are you twins?' Ron wondered, to which Harry nodded. 'Wicked.'

'Are all your family wizards?' Harry asked.

Draco was glad it was his brother who started that conversation, else he'd have another internal dilemma to deal with. It was reassuring to share a compartment with two boys also from magical families; Draco needed more than two weeks in a Muggle house to break years of habits and teachings.

'I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts,' Ron said miserably. He listed great things his older brothers had done, which were impressive, but something about the way he said it intrigued Draco.

'You're in their shadow?' Draco asked. 'They've done it all, so if you do good it's not the same because they did it first.'

'That's right.' Ron nodded. 'I've even got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat.' He frowned, lifting a sleeping rat from his jacket.

Remembering Harry's rags from Dudley, Draco clenched his fists and could hardly believe there were wizards who lacked their own belongings. As a Malfoy, he'd never been left wanting for any item he needed – food, clothes, a broomstick...

'Maybe you'll be something they weren't?' Harry offered.

'Like what?' Ron asked. 'There's nothing left.'

'There must be something,' Neville said, adjusting his freedom-yearning toad.

'Do you think you'll be in the same house as them?' Draco nudged Ron. 'Gryffindor, right?'

'Probably.' Ron frowned. 'My whole family are Gryffindors. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin.'

'Our parents were Gryffindors,' Draco said, glaring. 'But I lived with Slytherins for a while.'

'Why?' Neville stared, as if it was such a terrifying concept.

'Doesn't matter,' Harry said. 'We're not them. I read about the houses, and just because our parents or family were sorted somewhere doesn't mean we will be. Or have to be.'

'It's true.' Draco nodded. 'There were identical triplets who each went to a different house, years ago. One of them ended up in Azkaban for murder, and another was the Auror to put her there.'

That story gave him nightmares, but Draco would rather die than admit it.

'Bet the murderer was Slytherin,' Ron muttered.

'Gryffindor, actually,' Draco sneered back.

Ron huffed, returning attention to his rat. Draco winced, mentally berating himself – he was meant to be making friends not stirring rivalries. His preparations for Hogwarts hadn't included this.

'You any good at chess?' Draco asked, glancing around the compartment.

'Good at chess?' Ron snorted. 'Yeah! I mean, I always win against my brothers.'

'I'm terrible.' Neville shook his head.

'We should play a game sometime,' Draco suggested to Ron. 'Harry's rubbish at it-'

'Hey!' His brother grumbled.

'-So I'd appreciate a decent challenge.'

'Deal,' Ron agreed, extending his hand.

Draco hesitated, staring at the offer before inhaling a sharp breath. He shook hands with his unlikely new friend. Not that he held much merit to the title, as the sorting ceremony often separated budding friendships. Weasleys go to Gryffindor and Malfoys went to Slytherin.

The boys fell quiet for a while, staring at cows and sheep as the train rumbled along the tracks.

Whatever Neville and Ron thought of the Potter twins greatly improved when the trolley came around. Harry and Draco, free from Dursley food restrictions, leapt to their feet. Fishing Galleons out of their pockets, the twins bought as many sweets as they could carry. They tipped treats on either seat to share with Ron and Neville.

'I've been wanting to start collecting these,' Harry said, ripping open a chocolate frog. He was startled by the enchantment, which escaped out a window, but happy with the Dumbledore card.

Draco had grabbed his tin of rare cards when he'd left Malfoy Manor, and knew they might come in handy to trade if making friends got too difficult. Leaving meant he never had to learn what a burden it would be to have Crabbe and Goyle follow him around everywhere. Not that Draco needed anyone besides Harry, but there'd never been a chance of forging real friendships while trapped under the Malfoy shadow.

'In, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos,' Harry was saying, amazing the other two.

Jealously crept up Draco's neck, with how easily his brother got along with the others, and he considered a topic for discussion to rectify it. Before he'd formed a witty plan, the door slid open and a girl looked in – just as Ron raised his battered wand.

'I wondered if...' the girl with bushy hair said, but halted. 'Oh, are you doing magic? Lets see, then.'

Draco glared at her, while others focused on Ron's attempt to turn his rat yellow. The Potter twins cringed at the spoken phrase, but kept quiet as Ron's ears reddened when it didn't work.

'Nice try,' Neville mumbled.

'Are you sure that's a real spell?' The girl, who said her name was Hermione, scoffed. 'Well, it's not very good, is it?'

Draco grit his teeth as she spoke fast about spells working for her, and revealed her muggle-born status. Ron stared at his rat with flushed cheeks and a frown. In a very different life, Draco would have mocked the boy's second-hand robes and obvious lack of magical understanding, but seeing Ron so embarrassed stirred something else.

Draco did everything wrong in the eyes of Malfoys, then Dursleys, and he'd had quite enough of it all.

'Of course it wasn't a real spell,' Draco rudely interrupted Hermione. 'He was only joking. You barged in here uninvited, what did you expect would happen? No one asked your opinion, Know-It-All.'

Hermione gasped, clearly hurt, and hurried from the compartment. Draco ignored Harry's frown, not feeling the least bit guilty for his choice.

'Thanks,' Ron said.

'Don't let anyone tell you you're not good enough, Weasley,' Draco said, angrily thinking of his own failure to do exactly that. 'Your brother was playing a joke, and you should have known that wasn't a real spell, but it doesn't mean she gets to walk all over you.'

'You're right.' Ron nodded, though he didn't seem so sure. 'Thanks, again.'

'Don't mention it.' Draco shrugged.

'So, what's your Quidditch team?' the redhead asked around.

Draco considered how insane his life had become, where he spent two weeks like a Muggle then defended a Weasley. Shuddering, he imagined how worse things could get. Even so, his twin was worth heart-attack-inducing toasters and the many hits to his pride.

As they continued their journey into late afternoon, Draco ate sweets and boasted Quidditch knowledge. At least one thing happened on the train that Draco hadn't thought could be possible – he made friends. Only time would tell if those forming friendships could survive the sorting, as a horrible thought suddenly occurred to Draco: what if he couldn't escape the Malfoy shadow and ended up in Slytherin?

Or worse, what if he and Harry were separated into different houses?

The compartment was quiet. Draco leaned his forehead to the glass window, watching outlined trees flicker among the darkened landscape.

They were almost at Hogsmeade Station.

'Let's make a pact,' Neville broke the silence.

'What sort of pact?' Harry looked up from his chocolate frog cards.

'That we'll still be friends, no matter what house we're in,' Neville said, holding out his hand. 'Wherever we go, we stay friends. Agreed?'

'Agreed.' Harry instantly placed his hand over Neville's.

Ron and Draco hesitated, sharing a glance as they considered the promise asked of them.

'What if I'm in Slytherin?' Draco whispered his fear. 'And you Gryffindor?' he added to Ron.

'Well, it's like you all said - we're not our parents.' Ron sighed. 'I thought all Slytherins were awful, but I'm not sure now. You're not awful.'

Ron placed his hand over Harry's, giving Draco an encouraging nod.

'I agree,' the redhead emphasised. 'No matter what house we end up in, we'll still be friends. Even if we become the only Gryffindor and Slytherin friends in school.'

Draco swallowed, ducking his head to hide his slipping composure. There sat a Weasley, not caring if Draco went to Slytherin and still agreeing to be his friend. Yet Lucius Malfoy thought all Weasleys were worthless and an embarrassment to the name of wizard.

'Okay.' Draco added his hand. 'I agree too. Friends over house.'

'Friends over house,' the others echoed.

It was then the train whistled and began to slow. Their pact was powerless against the anxious knot forming in Draco's stomach, but determination was enough to get him onto the platform. The four boys stayed close, as Harry greeted Hagrid.

Huddled together in a boat, they stared in awe at the towering castle across the night-coloured lake.

Draco, Harry, Neville, and Ron didn't say a word to each other as they entered Hogwarts and listened to Professor McGonagall. The Great Hall was as stunning as expected, and more so. Draco got lost in the lights and chatter until they reached the front. The sorting hat rested on the stool like a beacon of dread. Harry's shoulder touched his own, as Draco forced himself to keep it together. Everyone watched them, more than he could turn his head to count, and the knot tightened.

Dumbledore gave a speech, the hat sang, and everyone cheered. Then the sorting ceremony began, and there was no turning back.

The four boys shared a look and nod, as Professor McGonagall began reading from a scroll of names.

'Hannah Abbott!'

A girl stepped forward and sat on the stool, her pale face vanishing underneath the hat.

'HUFFLEPUFF!' it shouted.

The table somewhere behind their right applauded.

Draco's stomach flopped, as he dared to visually locate each house. Slytherins were far to left, and Ravenclaw far on the right. The Weasley twins winked from the Gryffindor table, and Draco debated if he had enough nerve to belong there. It would make sense to be in Gryffindor, as so far he'd been doing the complete opposite of everything the Malfoys intended for him.

'RAVENCLAW!' the hat shouted, and Terry Boot hopped off the stool.

Susan Bones became a Hufflepuff, Mandy Brocklehurst a Ravenclaw, and Lavender Brown the first Gryffindor. Draco tried to remember their names to evade the paranoia bubbling below the surface of his mind.

The hat stayed on Millicent Bulstrode's head a bit longer before declaring her a Slytherin, whereas Michael Corner became a Ravenclaw with barely a second to spare. Vincent Crabbe and Tracey Davis joined Slytherin, while Justin Finch-Fletchley went to Hufflepuff.

Memorising names and houses got dull. He noticed Harry staring at the staff table, gaze meeting a black-cloaked Professor with equally dark hair and eyes. The man shifted interest to Draco, who had a strange sense of familiarity.

'Hermione Granger!'

Glaring at the know-it-all, Draco didn't want to be in whatever house she was – which turned out to be Gryffindor, much to his annoyance.

'Sue Li!'

'I think I'm going to be sick,' Neville whispered. He clutched his toad, who croaked in protest until safely tucked away in the boy's robes.

'You'll be okay,' Harry said quietly. 'We'll still be friends so it doesn’t matter where you end up.'

'Exactly.' Ron nodded, watching Sue Li join the Ravenclaw table.

'Neville Longbottom!'

The shorter boy didn't move.

Draco didn't blame him, but wanted to get their ordeal over with. The sooner he knew which house his friends were in, the better Draco could brace himself for his own fate. He gave Neville a light push, prompting the boy forward.

Neville was shaking as he sat on the stool, but stared at his friends until the hat slid over his eyes. The hall stayed quiet, longer than it had for others, until finally --

'GRYFFINDOR!'

Draco groaned.

Neville hurried off the stool, taking the hat with him and shamefully having to return it to Professor McGonagall. He turned bright red as many laughed and sniggered, but Ron gave Neville a thumbs up and smile to reaffirm they had his back.

With Neville seated beside Hermione, Draco's dread climbed higher. He didn't know where he or Harry belonged. They spent hours comparing house traits and defining personalities best as possible, but ultimately it came down to an enchanted hat who knew their every thought and secret. He didn't feel especially smart or brave, so it was probably down to Slytherin or Hufflepuff.

For Harry...Draco couldn't even guess; he'd only known his brother for two weeks.

'Padma Patil!'

Draco and Harry moved closer when Padma sat on the stool. Blood relation wasn't a guarantee of belonging to the same house, but they wanted to be proven wrong.

'RAVENCLAW!'

The girl waved to her sister, then hurried to join the clapping Ravenclaws.

'Parvati Patil!'

The other twin approached, gripping sides of the stool as she sat with her head held high.

'GRYFFINDOR!'

'Bloody Hell,' Ron uttered.

'We're next,' Harry added. His hand bumped Draco's in tiny nudge of support.

'Harry Potter!'

As his brother headed to the stool, Draco noticed the black-cloaked man watching intently. The man's expression was blank, but dark eyes fixed on Harry as if equally invested in the sorting outcome. Dumbledore straightened in his seat, but otherwise no one else paid special interest. Draco's heart raced in his chest, and he wanted punch anyone who dared to look bored.

Draco wasn't sure if the sorting took a longer than even Neville's, or if time itself slowed just to torture him. Harry's face vanished under the hat, leaving no indication of which house he leaned towards. Draco had no expectations for Harry's sorting, yet was surprised by the hat's decision.

'RAVENCLAW!'

Harry emerged, meeting Draco's gaze. He fidgeted, green eyes trailing to the cheering table. Ron gave him a nod, and Harry walked out of view.

'Draco Potter!'

His nerves flared, as if McGonagall calling his name was a physical blow. Whispers spread through the room; it was finally announced to the world that Lily and James Potter actually had two children – and both those children survived. Draco shakily sat, gripping the stool as he tried to tune out the room and his own fears.

Darkness swallowed his view, and a voice spoke with intrigue.

'Hmm,' the hat said. 'Interesting. And difficult – yes, very difficult.'

'Do I get a choice?' Draco wondered.

'You have a preference? Curious...' the hat murmured. 'I see loyalty untested but true. You've a bright mind indeed, and there's a thirst to prove yourself. Very interesting. All that ambition...'

'No, please,' Draco winced. 'Not Slytherin. Anything but Slytherin.'

'Not Slytherin, eh? Your brother thought so too,' the hat sounded amused, and Draco wanted to set fire to it. 'It's all here, in your head. Slytherin could help you on your path to greatness, like so many before you.'

'I'm not like them...I-I can't be,' Draco whimpered, panic swelling in his chest. 'I refuse. Not Slytherin. Put me somewhere else – anywhere else.'

'Well, if you're sure...' the hat's voice increased. 'Better be...RAVENCLAW!'

Draco was stunned. He startled when Professor McGonagall lifted the hat from his head, raising a stern eyebrow at him.

Gulping, he jumped clumsily from the stool and hurried to the cheering Ravenclaw table to join his brother. Harry's grinning face was almost too much for Draco to bear. They were staying together, where they belong as family and now as Ravenclaws.

Their red-haired friend was among the few left to be sorted, so Draco temporarily set aside his own emotions to focus on the ceremony.

Ron looked at the Gryffindor table, where Neville sat across from the Weasley twins, then turned to catch sight of Harry and Draco nodding encouragingly. Being orphans, the Potter twins had no one to impress or disappoint wherever they were sorted. The man at the staff table remained watchful, often narrowing his eyes at them as if searching for something they've hidden. Draco wasn't sure why that's the impression he got, but even Harry kept glancing at the head table.

Harry leaned close, but his words were lost in cheers from the Hufflepuff table as Darius Traddles was welcomed there.

'Ronald Weasley!'

As Ron sat on the stool, Draco and Harry crossed fingers under the table. Draco didn't know how it helped, but his brother convinced him it could bring good luck. Joy from his own sorting faded as Draco sympathised with Ron.

The youngest Weasley boy was under the hat the longest – so long, in fact, that even the Professors began whispering among themselves.

'RAVENCLAW!' the house finally declared, and no one cheered.

The entire hall was shocked, as Ron emerged wide-eyed from underneath the hat. He ducked his head, refusing to look at the Gryffindor table where his brothers' mouths hung open. Ron's ears were so red Draco could see them change colour.

'A Weasley, not in Gryffindor?' someone gasped from the Hufflepuff table. 'That's impossible!'

Harry and Draco clapped as loudly as they could, prompting the rest of their house to finally cheer for Ron, as the boy rushed to join them.

'I don't know what happened! It must be a-a mistake,' Ron said, frantic. 'I'm not smart enough for Ravenclaw.'

'Apparently you are.' Harry shrugged.

The trio turned around, waving their arms to catch Neville's attention. The Gryffindor boy looked miserable, until they each offered a grin and thumbs up. Neville might be the only one of them who went somewhere else, but the pact remained strong.

Severus Snape prided himself in his ability to anticipate varied outcomes and deal with them accordingly, but the Potter twins both going to Ravenclaw had blind-sided him.

When the first years entered the Great Hall, he'd been quick to notice history repeating itself as the four boys kept close and whispered to each other instead of paying attention. As Severus was ready to call quits on any sanity he'd managed to retain over the years, Harry glanced at him with Lily's emerald eyes. It was a minor detail that neither Potter boy wore glasses, yet their resemblance to James wasn't as clone-like as expected.

As the Sorting Ceremony progressed, Severus mentally catalogued potion ingredients to maintain his disinterested mask. Neville Longbottom was the first of their little group to be sorted, and of course the boy went to Gryffindor. The other non-Potter boy was a Weasley, so there'd be no surprises with his sorting.

And yet, as Blaise Zabini joined the Slytherin table, Severus Snape was corrected and confused.

Everyone else was astounded that a Weasley went somewhere other than Gryffindor, while Severus resisted openly staring at Ravenclaw where the Potter boys clapped for their friend. One Gryffindor and three Ravenclaws – it was the beginning of a terrible nightmare for any member of Hogwarts staff.

The poorly-concealed alarm on Minerva's face was confirmation, as she sat beside him and the feast began.

'Ravenclaw,' she uttered in disbelief. 'Two Potters and a Weasley...In Ravenclaw.'

'Out of our hands, indeed.' Severus raised his goblet to sip, trying to appear calm.

There was a secret most students didn't know about their houses. Well, it wasn't necessarily a secret but rather something none of them cared enough to figure out. But the long-term staff did – oh yes, every Professor was acutely aware of this “secret”. Severus would argue that only Dumbledore remained unaware, or else was simply too focused on his “golden house” Gryffindor to pay much notice.

Severus and Minerva leaned forward, looking along the table to Flitwick. The short, black-haired Charms Professor cheerfully speared broccoli as if it was the gift of Christmas.

Every house had a reputation that, while not entirely false, did tend to cookie-cutter define its students. Ravenclaws were expected to be geniuses who spent most of their time doing homework and studying. There was an assumption that losing house points and breaking school rules were a common occurrence for either Gryffindor or Slytherin, but it was actually Ravenclaw who caused the most trouble. Not to say Hufflepuff was the innocent house, especially with the colourful legacy Nymphadora Tonks inspired before graduating, but at least their trouble was manageable.

Ravenclaw was far too unpredictable.

'Well,' Minerva sighed, trying to scrounge up some optimism. 'At least we didn't place bets.'

Except, Severus had counted on the Potter twins to be predictable. Harry would surely have gone to Gryffindor and Draco would either join him or, as a likely result of his Malfoy upbringing, be in Slytherin. Gryffindors were loud and disruptive, but Minerva could more than handle every bit of chaos they conjured up. Severus earned the respect of his snakes and they rarely created a problem big enough for him to deal with personally.

But the Potter boys were in neither houses.

'Bless him, already makin' friends.' Hagrid beamed at Harry. 'Good thing he's got his brother with him, tha' is.'

'Oh, yes,' Minerva said, gulping her wine. 'Good for them.'

'Not. For. Us,' Severus clarified.

By dessert, he'd forcefully accepted the odd situation – and a tiny glimmer of hope resurfaced despite his best efforts to squash it. James Potter had good grades, but he was Gryffindor through and through by blood and soul. Lily was the brightest in their year, and Slughorn had mentioned on more than one occasion that she'd do well in Slytherin. It couldn't have been traits from James' side of the family that placed both his sons into another house, or so Severus unwillingly hoped.

Perhaps Lily's sons inherited more than he'd assumed; something other than Harry having her eyes?

Harry nudged a Ravenclaw prefect, Cassie Reed, and pointed in his direction at the staff table. Severus bowed his head, giving the impression he was unaware. Black hair curtaining his face, he slackened the strong beliefs he'd held onto for ten years – that having Harry Potter at Hogwarts was only going to remind him of James. Peering at Ravenclaw, Severus noticed Draco watching him before turning to hear whatever Weasley was saying while waving chicken drumsticks.

Catching Minerva slyly watching him, Severus focused on his small bowl of ice cream and didn't return his glance to the Ravenclaw table.

As soon as it was reasonable to do so, he fled to his office in need of privacy. Severus pressed palms to his desk and hung his head, eyes closed as he theorised how to handle yet another absurd situation he'd somehow landed himself into.

No glasses or Gryffindor colours...The boys weren't echoes of bad memories, but something new. Something Severus was not prepared for. But appearances weren't everything; he'd bide his time before making any decisions. He supposed Dumbledore, the manipulative Headmaster who always planned five moves ahead of everyone else, was the least surprised by the night's turn of events.

Severus forgot to analyse the man's reaction.

'Professor Snape!' Hagrid burst into the office.

'Hagrid.' Severus pinched the bridge of his nose, willing his heart to still after the frightful interruption. 'Must I remind you-'

'I didn't know!' Hagrid insisted loudly, eyes reddened and upset. 'I need yeh to understand. When I went ter Godric's Hollow tha' night, there was only Harry; no signs of another boy. I didn't know. I'd swear to it on-'

'Hagrid!' Severus raised his voice and hand, halting the man's hurried apology. 'I too visited what remained of the house that night; I understand its condition. Draco was taken, and evidence of his existence removed. You are not to blame.'

Sirius Black was to blame for betraying his friends that night, and the Malfoys to blame for stealing Draco then discarding him. Severus blamed himself most of all, for not approaching Dumbledore sooner. He'd been so weak and blind, thinking that becoming a Death Eater would give him back control over his miserable life.

In reality, it only made things far worst than he'd feared possible.

'If I'd gotten there sooner...' Hagrid sniffled, reaching into a coat pocket for a tablecloth-sized handkerchief. 'They'd have been together all these years. Harry was lonely with them rotten Muggles. I could see it in his eyes. Maybe...Maybe if he'd had his brother...'

Lily's eyes. Severus sank to the edge of his desk.

'What's relevant is that Potter has his brother now,' Severus managed to say.

'Yer right.' Hagrid nodded, noisily blowing his nose. 'Best not ter dwell...How are yeh holding up, Professor?'

Severus scowled. He didn't owe Hagrid an answer, but the half-giant had been one of the few who ever stepped in when the Marauders outnumbered Severus four to one. Not often, but enough that Severus decided to be honest with his answer.

'No idea.'

'First years, let's go!' a dark-skinned, frizzy-haired Ravenclaw prefect spoke above the chatter. She stood on her chair, gesturing with both arms.

With a final longing glance at his barely-touched pudding, Draco left his seat to follow the other first years out of the Great Hall.

'All my family are Gryffindors,' Ron whispered, as they hurried to keep up. 'Do you know anything about the Ravenclaw common room?'

'Sorry, no.' Harry shook his head.

'It's in a tower,' Draco said. 'That's all I know - lots of stairs.'

'Great,' Ron grumbled. 'I hate stairs.'

Following their prefect up the grand staircase and into a tower, the newest Ravenclaws were faced with more than just a lot of steps. A tight staircase spiralled up with endless precision, as if it continued into the night sky itself. The first years groaned, but their prefect didn't pause to offer sympathy.

'Come on,' she said, marching forward. 'No use trying to avoid it. This is your life now – the Ravenclaw Tower awaits! I promise the views are worth the climb.'

'We're going to die doing this every day,' Ron complained.

The group came to a dizzy halt at the top. A plain door waited for them – it had no knob or keyhole, just an eagle-shaped knocker. The bronze bird spoke in a musical voice, its shining gaze glancing over the first years.

'What has an eye but cannot see?'

'Righto.' The prefect clapped her hands together once. 'First of all, I'm Cassie Reed. And welcome to Ravenclaw! I've got a bit of a speech prepared, been waiting four years to give one, but it'll be more impressive inside. So...What has an eye but cannot see?'

'What sort of password is that?' a girl behind Draco asked. He didn't turn to look, too interested in Ron's paling face.

'A rubbish one, if it was.' Cassie rolled her eyes. 'To gain entrance, you must answer a question.'

'What if we get it wrong?' Draco asked.

'Then you try again, or wait for someone else to get it right. Trust me, you do not want to forget anything when leaving the tower or you'll have to answer again,' Cassie said. 'It's not so much about getting a right answer, but rather avoiding a wrong one. There's more than one way to answer a question, after all. Go on, you lot, give it a try.'

'What has an eye but cannot see?' the knocker repeated.

'A needle?'

'A storm?'

'A one-eyed blind person?'

The door swung open. Draco, Harry, and Ron exchanged anxious glances; none of them gave an answer. Draco preferred to memorise a password than answer a riddle each time, and made a mental note to never forget his books or quills.

'Which one was right?' the girl behind Draco asked again. This time he did turn, recognising her as Mandy Brocklehurst from the sorting.

'All of them.' Cassie shrugged.

The group parted, as she walked ahead into the tower.

Catching up, the first years gasped and stared at wide Ravenclaw common room. Ron and Draco tilted theirs head back to see everything in the circular room – from arched windows curtained silken blue and bronze, and a starry ceiling that matched the carpeted floor. Comfy-looking armchairs and tall bookcases were scattered around the room. By another door stood a marble statue of Rowena, their house founder.

'Welcome to the Ravenclaw common room,' Cassie said. 'Gather around, I've got something I need saying. Many of you've probably heard this is the “smart house”, as if we're all obsessed with studying and homework...'

Her brown eyes landed on Ron, who nodded gloomily.

'I promise, that reputation does not come from here,' she said. 'Ravenclaw is the house of painters, composers, inventors...Outsiders. Wit beyond measure is our greatest treasure, but notice it's “wit” not “intellect”. After all, wit, by definition, is “inventive thought”. Creativity comes in many forms.'

'That's a relief,' Draco muttered, Ron and Harry nodding.

'Reciting textbooks only gets you so far.' The prefect glanced around. 'Ravenclaws enjoy the challenge of learning. We use our imaginations; our words and ideas create humour and fun. You can be smart too – my point is, don't limit yourself. Don't think you have to meet some sort of quota to belong here.'

Cassie paused, exhaling a breath, while they finished admiring the common room.

'Right, good. Not bad a speech considering I made it up on the train...' She muttered. 'Now, the official stuff: your belongings have already been brought up. There's a map of the castle on our notice board - memorise it like your life depends on it. Dormitories are through that door, with girls on the right and boys to the left.' Cassie pointed by Rowena's statue.

The exciting day, spanning from the Muggle car to magical Sorting Hay, left Draco exhausted. Heading into their dormitory with Harry and Ron, he also picked a bed to the left of the round room.

The four-poster beds had velvet, blue drapes that looked almost as comfortable as the bedsheets. Drawn to the enormous window between his and Harry's beds, the dormitory faded behind Draco. He stared at the castle and darkened grounds, in awe of the sight that was indeed worth all those stairs. He only turned away when they were joined by their remaining dorm-mates.

'I'm Terry, by the way,' said a boy with brown hair, shaking Ron's hand. Terry tapped an orb with his wand, which was placed on his bed stand and illuminated the room.

'Michael,' the last boy said, tucking black hair from his face. He yawned widely and dropped onto his bed to shuffle through a stack of drawings.

'I'm Harry. And this is my brother, Draco,' Harry said, after Ron introduced himself. 'Pleased to meet you all.'

'Likewise.' Terry nodded.

Draco tested his mattress, pleased with its quality, and decided to write to Tonks. He had to tell someone about his sorting, briefly wondering how the Malfoys might have reacted. They hadn't scorned Ravenclaw as much as Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. He needed to stop focusing on them; the thieves who decided Draco wasn't good enough.

'I don't know how to say,' Ron grumbled to Harry, who tried to help write a letter home. 'How do I tell them I'm not in Gryffindor?' he groaned, slouching with defeat.

'If you don't, one of your brothers probably will.' Harry shrugged. 'Just keep it simple, like it's no big deal.'

'You have older brothers here?' Terry asked Ron. 'Do you think they'll know what Dumbledore was talking about – you know, what could kill us on the third floor?'

'I dunno.' Ron finished scribbling a note, then put away his parchment and ink with a sigh of relief. 'I reckon they'd have mentioned it. Maybe it's new?'

'Seems a bit odd to warn us away, but not say why,' Terry continued. 'If anything, makes me more curious to go there.'

'Not me.' Draco frowned. 'No thanks. Why would we go somewhere that could kill us?'

Tired of conversation, and entire day itself, Draco quickly changed and climbed into bed. Yanking blue drapes closed for privacy, he drifted into much-needed rest. Draco enjoyed dreams of playing Quidditch, until he woke gasping for air. Tossing back drapes, he bowed his head to stare at the floor and remind himself he was safe now.

'You okay?' his brother whispered by their tall window. 'Another nightmare?'

'Yeah.' Draco lifted his gaze to glare at Terry's bright orb. He sat beside his twin on the stone floor in front of the window, where Harry stroked Hedwig's feathers.

'Me too,' Harry said. 'About going to Slytherin, then a flash of green light. What about you?' he glanced at Draco.

'I don't know.' Draco frowned, wrapping arms around his knees. 'It was dark, and someone was laughing at me. Telling me I'm not good enough.'

Harry didn't say anything, nodding as if he understood. He leaned to Draco so their heads touched, both staring through the glass at their new home. Hogwarts was stunning when illuminated only by overhead moonlight, as if glowing with new beginnings.

~ G ~

'Ron, come on, get out of bed!' Harry insisted, fully dressed in his new Ravenclaw uniform.

'Bloody hell,' Ron grumbled, rolling over. 'I'm trying.'

Draco combed his honey-coloured hair, adjusted his blue and bronze tie, then joined Harry in pulling off Ron's blankets.

With the promise of breakfast, Ron finally got up to search for socks.

Their first day at Hogwarts begun extra-early in effort to keep their promise to Neville. Terry and Michael, to Ron's annoyance, slept through Harry's nagging. Once properly awake, however, the red-haired boy regained his determination.

'So we go here...' Draco stood at the map in their common room. '...And the Great Hall is all the way down here. This is a nightmare,' he grumbled.

'We don't even know what we need for classes yet,' Ron added. 'Bloody stairs.'

'Let's go,' Harry said, leading the way.

They hurried around spiral stairs and entered the grand staircase, which was where their sense of direction failed.

'Guess the phrase “early bird” does apply eh, George?' Fred jumped a last step to join them on a platform. 'Lost already, little raven?'

'Stop it,' Ron grumbled.

'We are lost, though,' Harry said. 'Wait, you're Gryffindors! Do you know if Neville's gone to the Great Hall yet?'

'Longbottom?' George asked, joining Fred. 'Doubt it. Only a nutter gets up this early on their first day.'

'You're up this early,' Ron pointed out.

'Not necessarily,' George said mischievously.

'Is that the Fat Lady?' Draco glanced up the stairs to a large portrait. 'Entrance to the Gryffindor common room?'

'And how'd you know that?' Fred raised an eyebrow. 'Did a little bird tell you?' He smirked at Ron, who blushed and stared at his shoes.

'Leave him alone.' Harry frowned.

'I don't think we made ourselves clear, Fred.' George sighed dramatically, clapping a hand to Ron's shoulder. 'We should have put up banners and sung it from the towers! Proud of our little raven brother, we are.'

'Our other brothers, see, they thought a shiny badge would make them special – but oh no, Ron showed us how it's really done,' Fred said. 'Why roar when you can fly?'

'I didn't choose Ravenclaw,' Ron said, but relaxed and stared up at his brothers. 'You really don't mind?'

'We think it's brilliant.' Fred grinned. 'And you lot are welcome to sit with us any time.'

'That's allowed?' Draco asked. 'Sitting with other houses, I mean.'

'Best not during dinner, but why not?' George shrugged. 'Ron's still our brother, and you're still his friends.'

'Anyway.' Fred smirked, glancing around. 'We'll catch your names next time, but right now-'

'-We've got places we're not meant to be,' George finished.

With bows and grins, the older Weasleys headed off, leaving the Ravenclaw trio to make a decision.

'I say we go to the Great Hall,' Draco said. 'I'm hungry. Besides, either Neville's already there or we'll wait for him to show up. It's the same destination.'

'Good idea.' Harry nodded.

With only a few wrong turns, they entered the Great Hall and were relieved to see it mostly bare. A scatter of students sat at each table, but Neville wasn't among them. Being on one far side of the room, Ravenclaw didn't have the best angle to keep an eye out.

Ron and Draco sat to eat breakfast, while Harry stood on the seat between them to watch the main doors.

'I see him.' Harry jumped down, knocking Draco's fork into his cheek. 'Come on!'

Neville was startled by the attention, as the three Ravenclaws ran to greet him with beaming smiles.

'We meant it then and still do,' Harry said in a rush. 'Friends before house; our pact's as strong as ever.'

'Thanks.' Neville smiled, exhaling a breath. 'I was worried. When you all went to Ravenclaw...'

'I still don't know who that happened,' Ron said, shaking his head.

'We'll meet up at lunch, okay?' Draco offered, rubbing his cheek. 'Compare timetables and stuff.'

Neville agreed and headed to the Gryffindor table, where the Weasley twins made “caw caw” sounds at Ron. As students filled the hall, Draco took the opportunity to question older Ravenclaws.

'What's he teach?' Harry wanted to know as well.

'Potions,' Cassie answered, glancing at Professor Snape. 'People say he wanted Defence Against the Dark Arts instead, but he really knows his Potions.'

'What's he like?' Draco wondered, moving eggs around his plate.

'Uh...' Cassie winced. 'That depends on two things: if you're any good at Potions, or if you're in Slytherin. He'd head of Slytherin house and...Well, he goes easier on them than us.'

'That's not fair.' Harry frowned.

'Fairness is not a priority of Professor Snape,' Cassie said, glancing up as mail arrived.

Hundreds of owls swooped into the hall, dropping letters and packages from home. Ron's mood worsened, reminded he hadn't sent his letter home yet, and Draco was disappointed by Pepper's absence. He wasn't sure where Tonks lived, and tried not to expect a quick reply.

Harry, however, petted Hedwig after the owl dropped a note onto his toast. He'd just started reading when a high-pitched, shrieking owl flew close across the table and tumbled into a container of cereal – scattering food and feathers. Many Ravenclaw yelped and ducked, while those a safe distance away laughed at the display.

'Sorry!' Mandy, whose face was bright red, hurriedly retrieved the eagle owl. 'It's Knuckles, my owl. He has terrible landing.'

'No kidding,' scoffed a sixth-year boy, flicking flakes of cereal from his afro.

'Hagrid wants us to have tea with us, Friday afternoon,' Harry said, nudging Draco and Ron. 'Said he wants to hear about my first week, and meet you two.'

'I'd like to meet Hagrid,' Ron said, reaching for his pumpkin juice.

'Sounds like a plan.' Draco nodded.

Tiny Professor Flitwick came around to hand out time tables, which ended casual conversation. Their prefect said Ravenclaw's reputation for being the “smart house” wasn't entirely true, and yet it was the table who emptied fastest that morning.

'We should go.' Draco rose, frowning at his schedule. He didn't want to be the last one at their table, as if he didn't belong there. The hat's words about sending him to Slytherin still haunted Draco.

They had Herbology first, which the trio were almost late for – having battled stairs and the riddle to grab their books. Classes were mixed, so they got to walk with Neville and sit by his side each lesson. Transfiguration was harder than they'd thought, and History of Magic was so dull they'd tried to catch up on sleep. Charms was interesting, though they didn't get to use magic right away, and Astronomy was their last class of the day – at midnight, which no one looked forward to.

Draco hadn't expected their first day at Hogwarts to pass by as simply and quickly as it did. There wasn't time to think about Snape or nightmares. Most of their focus went to finding their way around, which the boys did badly, and keeping up with the Professors' detailed explanations.

The next day, though exhausted from their Astronomy lesson up yet another long flight of stairs, the four friends had already gotten better at locating the right classroom or corridor.

'Well, that was disappointing,' Harry said, as they left Defence Against the Dark Arts.

'Quirrell looked scared of his own skin.' Draco rolled his eyes. 'It's ridiculous.'

'Isn't that your owl?' Harry pointed to a window.

Draco glanced quickly, but frowned when it wasn't Pepper on the windowsill. Ron went to the owl, taking a letter from its leg with a wary look. He braced himself, then tore it open.

'What is it?' Harry rushed forward when Ron's eyes widened.

'Is it bad?' Draco asked. 'Is it from your parents?'

'Yeah, from Mum.' Ron gulped. 'She...She says they're proud of me, for getting Ravenclaw. Said it's great. They expect to hear all about it.'

'Well, that's good – isn't it?' Harry smiled.

'Yeah.' Ron leaned against a wall, relieved. 'Bloody hell, it's brilliant.'

Draco sighed, looking out at blue sky and white clouds over Hogwarts. He still hadn't heard from Tonks, but that's not what bothered him. For the first time since finding out the truth, Draco realised what it meant not to have parents. There was no one waiting at home to hear from him, to send him treats or things he'd forgotten, and no one to be nervous about telling how his day was or which house he got sorted to.

There was just an empty space, and nothing big enough to fill it.

Severus had been teaching Potions at Hogwarts for ten years, and not even his first day doing so was as nervous as now. There was a lot at sake – not for his career, but peace and sanity for the next seven years. Even that was rather optimistic.

Checking his robes, and holding his head high, Severus marched forward and slammed open the door. As intended, chatter instantly settled and all heads turned to him. He strode purposefully to the front of the Potions classroom and turned, obsidian gaze raking over the heads of his new first years.

Weasley's red hair made it easy to locate the Potter twins, who were creators of apprehension.

Severus, like Flitwick, made concious effort to learn the names of all his students. He called the roll, taking time to place names to faces, and lingered ever-so-slightly on the twins. Severus had long since adjusted to the lower temperature of Hogwarts dungeons and its Potions classrooms, but he felt the chill this time.

He could finally test things he'd wondered since Draco and Harry were born.

'There will be no foolish wand-waving or muttering silly incantations in this class,' Severus began, standing taller. He crossed his arms into the folds of his black robe, satisfied by the wariness he inspired. 'As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. If you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have in this room, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death...'

Pleased with his speech, Severus' obsidian gaze trailed over his rapt audience – landing on Harry. The boy was bend over his desk, not even bothering to pay attention. Severus inhaled an inaudibly sharp breath and glared at the boy.

'Then again, perhaps some of you have come to Hogwarts with abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to...Not. Pay. Attention!'

Draco nudged Harry, and emerald eyes darted to Severus. He was bitterly remorseful of his actions and Lily's resulting death, which would always haunt him as surely as Harry's green gaze would continue to provoke that guilt. Those eyes will be the death of him, Severus was certain of it.

'He was taking notes!' said the Weasley boy, with indignation that Severus quickly shredded with a cautionary glare.

'Five points from Ravenclaw, for talking out of turn,' Severus said through grit teeth.

Weasley's words hit a nerve, but Severus remained determined. Draco hardly moved or said a word; there was still hope.

Clearing his throat, Severus approached the Ravenclaw trio.

'Well then, Potter,' he said, gaze drifting to either boy. 'What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?'

It was the moment of truth.

A Gryffindor girl shot her hand into the air, which Severus completely ignored. The three Ravenclaw boys paled and shared glances, diminishing Severus' tiny shred of hope – until Draco inched higher in his seat and visibly braced himself.

'Er – isn't it a Sleeping Draught, sir?' Draco asked, anxiously trying (and failing) to meet the man's stern gaze. 'A powerful one. They're ingredients of the Draught of Living Death, aren't they?'

'Yes, very good, Potter.' Severus internally winced at the praise, caught off-guard by the boy's answer.

Perhaps he'd have a stronger hold on his intimidating demeanour if the twins wore Gryffindor robes, as he'd expected. Not only was Draco correct, but the words weren't copied directly from a textbook. The boy actually studied before coming to school.

'And you?' Severus focused on Harry, who raised his chin defiantly. 'Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?'

'Um...' Harry glanced at his brother, then Ron's wide-eyed face, and frowned. 'It's...'

The Gryffindor girl's hand rose higher, and Severus clenched his jaw. He knew exactly the sort of student Granger was going to be, but at least someone wanted to prove they weren't a dunderhead.

'It's a stone, I think,' Harry finally said. 'Yeah. It's from a...Sheep? No, goat! How does one get a bezoar out of a goat's stomach, sir?'

'Unpleasantly,' Severus said, leaning back. 'Indeed. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat. It's a rare occurrence that anyone should come to Hogwarts with enough sense to open a book before setting foot in a classroom.'

Severus was furious. The Potter twins were, so far, the opposite of what he'd expected and dreaded – what was he supposed to do now?

It had to be a fluke, surely.

'Let's try again – what's the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?' Severus directed at the boys, subtly glancing at Harry's parchment. Weasley was right; scrawled down the page page were key points of Severus' speech.

Draco's parchment, however, had a small sketch in the corner of an overflowing cauldron.

Granger stood to her feet, arm raised as high as it would go. Draco stared at his desk, eyebrows frowned deep in thought, while Harry glanced at the Gryffindor girl.

'I don't know, sir,' Harry said, looking back at Severus. 'But I think Hermione does. Seems a pity not to ask her.'

'Silence,' Severus growled at those who dared to laugh. 'Sit down!' he snapped at Granger, who sank into her seat but didn't lower her hand.

Severus looked down at the four boys, barely taking notice of Longbottom and Weasley at either end. Harry frowned back, but maintained eye contact and gave Severus his entire focus.

'For your information, Potter-'

'They're the same thing,' Draco boldly interrupted. 'There's also aconite. Why does one plant have three different names?'

Severus needed to sit down, but stubbornly held his ground. He asked a few more questions, and the twins deflated in their seats without further answers or cheek. Prompting the rest of the class to take notes, Severus returned to the front of the room.

Torn between seeing the quiz as proof, or if the boys were merely sorted correctly, he reserved judgement. Harry's cheek didn't discourage him – Severus couldn't deny it was exactly the sort of reply Lily would have given.

Beginning the lesson, Severus shifted focus. The first years were making a cure for boils, and he needed to determine dunderheads from walking disasters. He thought Longbottom would be the first to melt a cauldron, but the Gryffindor boy was saved by Draco – who whispered reminders when Longbottom was most confused. Harry's partner was Weasley, who frowned almost as much as Longbottom but fared less hazardously with his tasks.

Dried nettles were weighed, snake fangs crushed, and horned slugs stewed. Harry passed extra porcupine quills to Longbottom, and proceeded to the next step – he worked much faster than his twin.

'Very good, Potter.' Severus peered into Harry's cauldron at the end of lesson. He glanced into Draco's cauldron, nodding with approval.

Weasley and Longbottom's results were decent enough, and Granger produced a near-perfect Cure for Boils, but he reserved praise and points for Slytherins. The twins earned their encouraging remarks, but he won't make a habit of it lest his reputation take damage.

'Class dismissed!' Severus barked

Harry lingered behind his brother and friends, turning at the doorway to give Severus a small smile.

With students gone, he could release his breath of surprise. He marched from the classroom, glaring at anyone he passed, until safely hidden away in his private quarters. Collapsing into an armchair, Severus hung his head and wondered how his expectations had been so horribly dismantled.

There was a translucent vase sitting alone on his mantel, sparkling water holding the long stem of a lily. The flower barely held together its battered, white petals. Despite his countless preservation charms, the enchanted flower wilted since its castor died that night in Godric's Hollow.

Severus brought the vase there the day he'd moved into Hogwarts as a Professor. The morning of his first day teaching, he'd made a promise long since forgotten. He'd sworn to Lily that, when the time came, he'd be the sort of teacher her sons could rely on. He'd teach them the wonders of Potions, which she had such keen interest in and skill for.

His love for her, strong as it was, did not alter his teaching methods and now he needed to amend his original plan.

He'd give the twins a trial run. Severus made up his mind, and refused to second-guess until he saw how the boys really were. Heart weighed with grief, he glanced at the flower and considered how proud Lily would be of her sons during their first Potions class.

A healthy, green leaf sprouted from the stem.