Harry carefully led Asphodel around the small round pen he was in, minding his posture as he followed along the wooden fence, remembering to lead with shifts and changes in his body rather than tugging and pulling on the reins as he originally thought he would be doing when he first started to learn to ride. Miss Trifle sat in the saddle in front of him, leaning back into Harry as he moved the horse along the fence.

               Asphodel was an easy-going and patient horse, and Peadar decided she would be best for Harry to learn to ride on, as the other ponies could be stubborn or too rowdy for a beginner. Harry glanced behind him, smiling at Shel, who was eagerly following behind his mother while Harry practiced.

               “Eyes forward, Harry,” Severus said from the other side of the fence where he was riding Acting the Maggot, nicknamed Maggie, around the round pen while Harry practiced moving with Asphodel. Maggie’s foal, Riona, trotted behind her mother, staying close to the older mare. Severus slowed Maggie down to a walk as he moved alongside Harry and Asphodel. “Do you want to try trotting again?”

               Harry nodded and encouraged Asphodel to move faster, and she did not disappoint or hesitate and began trotting around the exercise pen, Severus trotting Maggie once more to keep pace. Harry adjusted Miss Trifle in his arms as the rabbit kicked herself up into a better position. He loved the feeling of riding, though he still never went faster than a trot, but for his sixth riding lesson, he was making a lot of progress. Even Severus had said he was doing very well and trusted Harry (and Asphodel) enough to allow Harry to practice without an adult in the same pen as him (though not without someone around at all). Harry couldn’t wait to start cantering and then maybe galloping, but for now, he was comfortable at the trot speed and could work on his commands and communicating with Asphodel until he was ready for controlling a faster horse. Shel trotted at Asphodel’s side, doing his best to keep up with his mother.

               “How do you feel about going to Gallagher’s Fantastical Summer Camp on Monday?” Severus asked as they continued trotting around the pen.

               “I can’t wait!” Harry exclaimed, slowing Asphodel down again to a walk, Severus copying Harry with Maggie. “Ollie and Draco are going to be there, too. We’re going to have so much fun. It took Draco forever to get his dad to sign the permission slip though.”

               “And a few well-timed tantrums,” Severus remarked.

               Harry smirked at his father.

               “I would have done the same thing if you said no.”

               “As if I would ever deny you such an opportunity,” Severus said. “And if you ever pull tantrums like that, you can say goodbye to camp and to the outside world and get very acquainted with the architecture of your bedroom.”

               “You praised Draco for his tantrums,” Harry pouted, though he knew he would do his best to never give his father too much trouble over things.

               “Draco’s lifestyle is very different from yours,” Severus said. “That doesn’t mean I should encourage throwing tantrums, but Draco needs opportunities to be a kid and less of a trophy that his father can show off. Summer camp will do wonders for Draco’s social wellbeing, but we’re not talking about Draco. How do you feel about leaving home for a week at a time for the next four weeks? I know this has only been your home for a few months now, but this camp will be a new experience. You’ll be spending the night at camp through the week and coming home for the weekends.”

               “I know,” Harry said. “It was kind of scary at first but then Ollie said his parents were letting him go and it was less scary. And now Draco’s going too! I’m just excited now.”

               “Well, if you get homesick, I’m only a floo call away.”

               “It sounds like you’re already homesick,” Harry joked, smiling at his father.

               Severus snorted, smiling back at his son before he said, “Cheeky brat.”

               Severus reached over and ruffled Harry’s hair, earning a laugh from his son. Maggie huffed loudly and side stepped away from the pen, looking off into the grounds eagerly, but Severus reined her back in toward the fence. She shook her head and huffed again but resumed walking.

               “I suppose I’ll miss you more than you’ll miss me,” Severus said.

               “No, I’ll miss you, too, Daddy,” Harry said. “I just can’t wait to have fun with my friends. I’ve never been to a summer camp.”

               “I’m excited for you. And Nana will be with you as well, though she may not be your camp counselor.”

               “She told me that. She’s usually with the older kids. But that would be okay as long as Ollie, Draco, and I are together. What are you going to do while I’m gone?”

               “Same as always, I suppose. Work.”

               “That’s not fun. It’s vacation time now.”

               “For you, maybe. My job is year-round. Although I did take a week off for us to do something very special after your summer camp.”

               “Really? What is it?”

               “I can’t tell you now, it would ruin the surprise.”

               Harry pouted at his father, watching as Severus corrected Maggie when the mare stubbornly stopped walking, then cantered forward suddenly, forcing Severus to pull her into tight circles to regain some control. Maggie’s ears pivoted back as she returned to walking along the fence, her foal right at her side.

               “I think Maggie’s bored with the walk,” Severus said. “How are you feeling with Asphodel, Harry?”

               “Okay. She’s being really good for me.”

               “Yes, I noticed. She’s always been a well-behaved pony. I can’t say the same for Maggie.”

               Maggie snorted, her ears falling back, as if she was highly offended by that remark. Severus snorted himself, then pulled Maggie further away from the fence.

               “Do a few more laps around the pen while I take Maggie for a run, then we’ll get them to the barn for a quick clean up and turn them out.”

               “Okay, Dad,” Harry said.

               Severus pulled Maggie further away before having her run in a full gallop through the gardens and into an empty field behind the house, passing the barn and galloping along the fence, the little foal galloping at their side. Maggie appeared to enjoy the gallop much more than the slow walking. Harry watched longingly for a moment, excited for his chance to have Asphodel gallop like that, but he still wouldn’t push his luck. Sometimes he felt like he would fall off at just a trot, so he kept practicing walking and keeping his posture and working on commands. It was still exciting to just be on top of the horse, communicating with a much larger animal in subtle ways, forming a bond of trust that they were working together and as one at the same time. Harry glanced back at Shel, excited for when Peadar would help Harry break him into an amazing riding pony.

               After a few more circles, Harry asked Asphodel to come to a stop, and she did so with no hesitation, giving Shel a chance to come up to her side. Harry looked over his shoulder in time to see Severus galloping over to them once more, slowly slowing down to stop in front of the pen before Severus hopped off the horse, taking her leads and pulling her after him into the pen. Harry waited until Severus was close enough to help him step off Asphodel, and he carefully pushed into his stirrup as he swung one leg over and slid down the horse’s side, feeling for the ground with his foot. He was still too short to reach the ground without pulling his other foot free of the stirrup, so Severus grabbed Harry’s waist and helped him the rest of the way to the ground.

               Severus then picked up Miss Trifle and set her on the ground. She shook herself out before sitting up and watching Harry curiously.

               “That rabbit has gotten very heavy,” Severus commented.

               Miss Trifle’s ears fell back as she narrowed her eyes and thumped her foot aggressively twice.

               “She’s all grown up is all,” Harry said, reaching down to give his rabbit a few long strokes down her back. “The vet said she’s a giant breed, so she’s supposed to be big.”

               “Yes, all thirteen pounds of her. Come, let’s get the horses cleaned up. It’ll be a good chance to give the foals some bath time exposure.”

               Harry pulled Asphodel’s lead and followed Severus to the barn, where they gave the ponies and foals a quick wash and dry before turning them out into the pasture with the other mares and foals. Miss Trifle stayed close to Harry’s heel, sniffing at new objects, and exploring the barn while staying close to her human.

               “When will Shel be ridable?” Harry asked as he hopped up on the fence, leaning over a rail as he watched the ponies trot out to the pasture. Miss Trifle hopped up on the ledge at Harry’s feet, dangling herself over the wood playfully.

               “Not for a while,” Severus answered. “He’s still just a baby and he’s nowhere near big enough to carry someone.”

               Harry pouted at that.

               “However, Shel will need to keep working on his manners. Leading him around and picking up his feet for cleaning will do him a world of wonders in the future.”

               “I do all that already,” Harry said.

               “And you’ll need to keep doing that. You can also get him acquainted with being rubbed and pet all over rather than just his face and withers. He’ll need to start getting used to the crossties for grooming and the farrier, he won’t be standing with mum for the rest of his life. He’ll be weaned soon enough as it is.”

               “I can do that. But what about when I’m gone?”

               “Papa will gladly work with Shel while you’re gone, as he does with all the foals. But when you get back from camp, Shel is your responsibility.”

               “I know. I’ll spend every minute with him on the weekends.”

               Severus smiled at Harry, then gestured for his son to follow him back to the house. Harry jumped off the fence and followed his father, Miss Trifle shuffling after him.  

               “You need to finish packing for camp. I don’t want any floo calls about you forgetting your toothbrush or a clean pair of pajamas.”

               “I wouldn’t. But you’d probably like if I did so you could drag me home.”

               “On second thought, forget as many things as you’d like.”

               Harry laughed at that, then raced Miss Trifle back to the house. Severus shook his head at his son fondly as he continued a leisure stroll to the house. He had one more task to do before the day ended, and it was not one he was looking forward to.

               Albus stroked his beard thoughtfully as he studied the stone structure, tilting it ever slightly from one side to the other, carefully studying every crevice and design. He adjusted his glasses and held the stone out from afar, as if seeing from a different distance might give him some clue to this riddle. Finally, he lowered the fairy statue and resumed stroking his beard and glanced up at Severus.

               “A horcrux, you say?” Albus asked.

               “Yes, we’ve all witnessed it,” Severus answered.

               “From the memory of a . . . dog.”

               Severus rolled his eyes.

               “You and I both know that most animal memories are honest and factual and very unlikely to be manipulated. They do not have the capability to alter a memory to deceive a wizard.”

               “But they do have the ability to perceive the world in a very unique manner than mankind.”

               “Yes, yes, but this is not the case. We saw the horcrux removed from Harry’s scar. You know what, she also took this.”

               Severus jerked up the sleeve of his robe to reveal the bare skin of his left forearm. The gasp from the headmaster did not escape Severus’s notice, and he rolled down his sleeve and crossed his arms as Albus returned his gaze to the fairy statue.

               “It is not that I do not believe you, Severus,” Albus said. “It is merely what you are implying that frightens me, and I must be sure that it is what we are dealing with. As you are aware, for Harry to be a horcrux was most likely unplanned. An accident Voldemort did not intend.”

               Despite the absence of the Dark Mark, Severus couldn’t help the slight shudder that ran up his arm at the name of the Dark lord. He ignored it and instead concluded, “He must have made one before.”

               “I agree. However, the soul is not so persuaded to fall apart on accident even if it has already been compromised before. The soul is something that wishes to stay intact at all costs as it is what keeps us alive. To fall apart so easily, accidentally, the soul must be more than compromised.”

               Severus’s eyes widened as he realized what Albus was getting at.

               “It must be completely shattered. Into several pieces.”

               “Yes. I fear Voldemort may have left behind several horcruxes, who knows how many for sure. And they are not easy to dispose of, even if someone was to find every single one of them. It requires careful handling and sometimes, sacrifice.”

               Glancing at the fairy statue in the headmaster’s hands, Severus swallowed dryly and refolded his arms, contemplating his decision as far as the fairy residing in the stone. He had told Albus what the kind fairy had done for Severus and Harry, but he had not told Albus of the Bond the fairy had given Severus and Harry, and he planned to never reveal that aspect of his relationship with his son. It may prove useful one day, and the less who knew the better. It had taken enough courage and trust to bring the matter to Albus’s attention, but Severus knew that if anyone could find and dispose of the horcruxes before the Dark Lord’s return, it was Albus Dumbledore.

               “I will look into Tom Riddle’s past and see if there were any objects that he may have been attached to and see if I can track down these horcruxes.” Albus lifted the fairy statue and looked at Severus. “Have you considered what you wish to do with this?”

               “I would like to free the fairy within before I even think of destroying it.”

               Albus held Severus’s gaze for a moment.

               “You do realize,” Albus began slowly, “that the horcrux may affect the fairy herself. It may attach itself to her. The darkest magic against some of the lightest magic on Earth; the repercussions may not be in favor of the little fairy. I am sure she knew this.”

               “I am, too. But I must try to help her. She saved Harry. And myself. It would be a dishonor to not even try to save her in return.”

               Albus smiled softly and handed the statue back to Severus.

               “I understand. I can only suggest that you get started sooner than later in finding a solution, as we do not know how this dark magic may manifest itself within the statue.”

               “Of course,” Severus said, stuffing the statue into an inner robe pocket. “Thank you, Albus. May I ask that you keep me up to date on any findings you have with any other horcruxes?”

               “I will let you know what I uncover,” Albus said. “And I trust that if you find anything yourself, you will let me know?”

               “I will,” Severus said, and while he meant the words wholeheartedly, it didn’t mean Albus would be the first to know of any future findings Severus came across.

               Albus met Severus’s gaze once more, then nodded softly.

               “Good luck, Severus. I’ll be in touch.”

               Severus nodded once before stepping out of the headmaster’s office and walking down the stairway. He took his time strolling out of Hogwarts’ castle, reminiscing on old school days as he walked down familiar halls. He considered checking out the potions lab in hopes of finding any evidence of who took over the potion professor position, but he decided against it as he didn’t want to start any awkward conversations should the new professor still be around packing up for summer vacation. Severus continued his way out of the castle without any detours and passed the gates so he could apparate back home. He felt more at ease now, placing the problem of the horcruxes in more powerful hands.

               Harry found the book he wanted, and he ran back to his bed, climbing in next to his father and holding the book out for him to take. Harry snuggled under the blanket with Miss Trifle curling up at the end of the bed. Severus read the title and quirked a brow at Harry.

               “Another “Choose Your Own Adventure” book?” Severus asked. “You know I do not enjoy these.”

               “But it’s about summer camp!” Harry said. “Please?”

               “How do you always find books that somehow relate to something you’re about to do? You might as well as make up a story if you’re going to “choose your own adventure” anyway.”

               “I like these books.”

               “And I like a straightforward beginning, middle, and end. This makes me think the writer couldn’t decide which direction to take the story in so decided to include every possible way they could think of.”

               “Dad, it’s supposed to be fun! I get to make the story go in the direction I want.”

               “Yes, and break every camp rule in doing so.”

               “That’s what makes it fun. I can make all the characters go canoeing instead of hiking and then see what adventure they find!”  

               “How about an adventure of escaping the giant river monster because you kids went without adult supervision?” Severus asked before pinning Harry down and pretending to growl and eat his son while Harry laughed and squirmed under Severus’s ticklish fingers.

               “There’s no river monster!” Harry cried in between fits of laughter.

               “How would you know? Did you ask a camp leader before taking the canoe?”

               “No.”

               “Then there might be.” Severus tickled Harry a few minutes more, earning loud squeals before he let up and held the book up, sighing in resignation. He looked at his son. “You really want me to read this one.”

               Harry nodded.

               “I’ll pick the adventures.”

               “Of course, you will.”

               Severus opened the book to the first page and began reading about a group of kids at a summer camp who do in fact go on a few adventures, some of which Severus told Harry he better not hear about. The book was a small multi-chapter book, so it took nearly forty minutes to get through the entire story, mostly due to Harry’s delay in deciding what he wanted the characters to do. When it was finally over, Severus kissed his son goodnight and turned the lights out, shutting the door behind him.

               The next morning, Harry frantically searched for last minute items to back in his bag, his toothbrush, toothpaste, Miss Trifle’s food and litter, which magically shrunk in his bag, a charm his father put on the bag, so everything fit into it when he put things in. It was quite mesmerizing, and Harry had distracted himself earlier by trying to fit as much of his bedroom into it, only for Severus to have him take most of it back out.

               Harry finally put one of his small fleece blankets in the bag and was satisfied that he had everything. He double checked just to make sure, mostly for Miss Trifle’s sake. He was so excited to bring his rabbit along, as he had been concerned about who would take care of her while he was gone (which seemed to offend Papa), but Nana had said all kinds of familiars were welcomed.

All familiars had to pass a loyalty test that would tell the supervisors that the familiar would not stray far from their owner, and then certain familiars needed additional charms such as for protection from other familiars or predators (in the case of Miss Trifle) or for removal of predatory instincts while at the camp (in the case of cats). Familiars larger than a small dog were not welcomed unfortunately, but as Nana had said, it was rare for children to have familiars at all, much less that of a large dog. Harry was one of seven children who had received approval for their familiar to attend camp with them, and five of the children were eleven to fourteen years of age, and the older kids were in a different section of the camp.

               Harry zipped up his bag and threw it on his back, then looked around for his new trainers Severus had bought for camp specifically, something new to dirty up. He was sure he put them next to his bed, but he didn’t see them anywhere.

               “Harry,” Severus’s voice called to him, “do you have everything you need? We need to leave soon.”

               “Almost Dad,” Harry called back as he dropped to the floor to look under his bed. They weren’t there. Honestly, did they walk themselves out of the room? “Just got to get my trainers on.”

               “That hardly takes a minute. You didn’t lose your trainers, did you?”

               “No, Dad, I just, err—”

               “If I have to come up there and place a locator charm on your new trainers, Harry James, I am not going to be happy.”

               Harry rolled his eyes. He had a small tendency to lose some of his things, like his jackets, or his shoes, or his socks, but he never had so much space before to call his own, or things that were his and no one else’s. It took some practice to be organized, but he eventually found everything anyway so what was the big deal?

               Miss Trifle sniffed around the room, then thumped her foot loudly near the wardrobe, and Harry ran over and found his new trainers under the wardrobe.

               “Good rabbit,” Harry said, grabbing his trainers and kissing Miss Trifle’s nose. He slid his trainers on, then adjusted the large pink bow around Miss Trifle before picking her up and carrying her downstairs.

               Severus was waiting at the bottom of the stairs with his arms crossed, and Harry offered a smile as he pointedly held out a shoe.

               “See? I knew where they were.”

               Severus narrowed his eyes at Harry, then sighed and gestured for Harry to follow as he walked toward the living space.

               Harry and Miss Trifle shared a relieved look then Harry followed his father. In the living room, Eileen was finishing her last-minute checklist as she shuffled through a shoulder bag. After a minute, she patted the bag with a satisfied nod then glanced down at Harry.

               “Are you ready to go, sweetie?”

               “Yes, Nana. Are you coming, too, Daddy?”

               “I’m just seeing you off,” Severus said. “What will I do without you here?”

               “You’ll figure it out,” Harry said cheekily.

               Severus pretended to clutch at his chest while Eileen laughed.

               “Ouch, that hurts,” Severus joked. “I suppose that means I’m going to miss you more than you’ll miss me?”

               Harry set down Miss Trifle before hugging his father tightly.

               “I’ll miss you, Daddy,” Harry said. “But I’ll be back for the weekend and I can tell you all about the fun I had!”

               “I can’t wait to hear all about it,” Severus said, then he hesitated as he felt along his robe, then pulled away and grabbed the fairy statue out of an inner pocket. “Almost forgot about her. While you’re gone, I plan to do some research into how to free out little friend from the stone.”

               “Because of the dark magic she ate?” Harry asked.

               “Yes, because of that,” Severus agreed as he settled the statue on the mantle. It had been all the information Severus had been willing to share with Harry about what had happened the night the fairy pulled Severus’s Dark Mark off and Harry’s horcrux out of his scar.

               “She’ll be okay, right?” Harry asked as he picked up Miss Trifle once more.

               “She’s going to be just fine,” Severus said. He checked his watch. “We should get going. We don’t want to be the last family checking in.”

               “At this rate,” Eileen said, “we’ll be the first family checking in. But you’re right, we should head out.”

               “I didn’t say goodbye to Papa,” Harry said.

               “I’ll tell him for you,” Severus said. “He had to stop Durmstrang for a few things this morning.”

               Harry nodded in agreement then stepped into the fireplace with Eileen and Severus, holding on to Miss Trifle securely as Eileen announced her destination and dropped the powder. The small family disappeared in the flames.

               The living room was silent. Then, the statue on the mantle shook the slightest before a black hue emitted from it, and the eyes of the fairy stone structure turned red.