The following day, Harry released his new owl so the creature could stretch its wings. After nipping Harry on the fingers briefly, he watched as the magnificent bird flew off into the midday sun for some fresh air. He had to remind himself that this bird was not Hedwig, and thus, he appeared to dislike being around humans too much. Harry had to find that fact amusing and seemed to sense the others within the house. At one point that morning, the owl screeched as Draco bounded towards the stairs to the kitchen, taking flight and chasing the Slytherin downstairs. After allowing himself to chuckle at the amusing situation, he called the bird off and released it outside. At least he knew to avoid giving the bird a name that would falsify its snippy demeanor. At least Hedwig had a sweeter disposition, but this bird seemed to have its own sense of humor which kept Harry rather entertained.

As promised, Harry left Grimmauld Place shortly after to pay Hagrid a visit as Hermione had indicated the day prior, although he felt slightly guilty that he didn't stop to greet him during his ill-fated visit to Dumbledore's portrait. Thinking back on that unfortunate conversation, he felt mad with himself that he expected too much from a portrait that had zero ounce of empathy. He really didn't know what else to anticipate from him, but he definitely learned his lesson well from that encounter.

Harry Apparated within Hagrid's newly planted pumpkin patch, carrying a container filled with food from the party thrown for him the day before. Everyone clearly went overboard and had far too much leftover, even for the three still occupying Grimmauld Place – and one with barely any appetite left.

The pumpkins, as Harry could see, were tiny and growing slowly in its ideal warm soil required for successful growth. Harry fondly remembered the large carved pumpkins during his last Halloween spent at Hogwarts – before everything went south - which also happened to take place on the anniversary of the death of his parents. Harry made his way along the pathway, where he was surprised to find Buckbeak the hippogriff preening its feathers beside Hagrid's hut. Through the crunch of the cobblestone path, the magnificent large, winged creature arched its head upwards and began to slowly make his way towards him.

"Hey, Buckbeak, " Harry smiled as he reached out with his hand, to rest it upon the smooth surface of its large beak, who let out a shrill of delight. Harry proceeded to scratch the side of his head, "Hope you're staying out of trouble." Buckbeak lightly stomped his large front talon, as Harry proceeded to run his hands through the creature's soft grey feathers.

Upon the sound of Harry's voice, the door to the hut swung open to reveal Hagrid himself, who greeted the Gryffindor with a beaming smile underneath his shaggy beard, "'Arry!" The half-giant threw a piece of raw meat just beyond where Buckbeak was standing, and Harry watched as the creature bounded towards it, eagerly gobbling it down.

Harry walked up to Hagrid, who enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug, "Good to see you, Hagrid."

"Oh, look at yer now - Eighteen! No longer the eleven-year-old I delivered his Hogwarts le'er, to, " Hagrid playfully ruffled Harry's messy hair, as if he was still the same little kid.

"Has it really been that long? I hadn't noticed, " Harry responded sarcastically, as he began to follow Hagrid inside the hut. Harry settled himself down on a chair across from Hagrid who started to brew a fresh pot of tea by the fire, fumbling around with the delicate tray of mugs as he did so.

Hagrid gave a hearty chuckle, "Trus' me on that. Time moves too quickly for me to keep track of. "

Harry placed the container of food on the kitchen table, "We had a lot leftover from yesterday, and Molly insisted you try her chocolate chip cookies. You know she doesn't take no for an answer."

"Sorry I couldn't be there for yer birthday. Had some business to attend to, organising the new lot o' creatures for class this year – " Hagrid shakily placed a tray of tea, with two large slightly chipped mugs, and a large faded green teapot. Harry crinkled his nose as the smell of ginger wafted a little too strongly under his nostrils. At least Severus didn't try to kill him with over-seeped ginger.

"It's fine, Hagrid. Hermione told me you wanted to see me. Sorry I didn't stop the other day. I kinda just wanted to be alone for a bit – " Harry gratefully retrieved the mug and allowed it to cool slightly in front of him.

Hagrid nodded, "I figured that'll be the case. Hope things are alrigh' now?"

"For now, yeah, I suppose. How're things with you?"

Hagrid retrieved a cookie from the container and ate the entire thing in two bites. Crumbs fell onto his beard, as he hastily brushed them away, "Oh, yer know. Same ol', really. Nothin' new around here. Just been focusin' on extra fortifications for the school. Jus' in case. We're all a bit behind schedule."

"I heard Professor McGonagall interviewed a few people for the Defence position yesterday, " Harry asked, curiously.

Hagrid chuckled under his breath, "Well, I've heard no complaints so far from her. Last I heard, one of 'em is an Auror. Migh' do well for the position to have someone who knows what they are doin' this time."

Harry nodded his head in agreement, "That sounds like the right decision, as long as it's actually an Auror and not a Death Eater in disguise – We've been through that one before. I think Hogwarts has had its fair share of disastrous Defence teachers." Although, at least Severus knew what he was doing.

"Righ' you are, 'Arry, " Hagrid shifted from his chair, and retrieved a large and slightly dusty fragile box from under the table, and slid it towards Harry, "'appy birthday!"

The large box appeared a little old and worn, and Harry could hear loose objects clanking together as he moved it. It wasn't a decorated box, so it made him wonder what on earth was inside. Ever curious, Harry carefully pried open the top to find an assortment of objects inside. As he retrieved one, he saw what looked like a small wooden plaque with his mother's name etched in gold on its surface. His eyes widened as he ran his ringers over its writing. The plaque read:

Lily Evans – 12th February 1977 – Master Potioneer - Winner of Alchemy Club Contests, hosted by Professor Horace Slughorn – Slug Club

"Wow – " Harry noticed it had been cleaned and looked as good as new. He carefully placed it down treated it like a fragile piece of thin glass, and retrieved a small silver trophy, running his fingers over the small, engraved inscription at the bottom.

James Potter – 26th May 1976 – Chaser – Gryffindor Team – Quidditch Cup Winner

"I was patchin' up a wall in the trophy room the other day and found a few of yer parent' trophies from their school days. I fixed 'em up, and figured you'd like to take 'em with you as keepsakes, " Hagrid explained, "They'll be a lot safer with you, 'Arry."

Harry was grateful, "I didn't know my mum did competitions like these."

"Skilled witch, she was. Very modest in 'er achievements, " Hagrid responded, smiling proudly as the teenager studied the treasures with such awe, "Yer mum and dad were model students. But yer already knew that." …Mostly.

Harry was still in awe of the box filled with his parents' Hogwarts achievements, and each one he picked up, was a puzzle of a life they once had before things turned for the worst. It was almost difficult to believe that they were once students much like he was, with such innocent aspirations and dreams and far beyond the idea of enduring a war. He had no idea his mother involved in such Potions contests, and he didn't know the extent of her talents. There were a few more of her trophies scattered within the box, but Harry was more than eager to take them back home.

Harry looked up grateful at Hagrid, "Thank you, Hagrid. This is fantastic."

Hagrid smiled warmly, "I'm glad ye like it. I couldn't think of a possible thing to give ya, but I so happened to stumble across 'em by chance," Harry watched as the half-giant reached into his pocket and retrieved a small blue pouch, passing it Harry, "Oh, and I 'eard you got yourself a new owl. I have some treats in the bag for you to give 'em."

"Brilliant, " Harry took the pouch and placed it into the box, so he was less likely to be swooped on by rogue owls on the way home, "Everyone has been spoiling me rotten."

"So, they bloody well should, " Hagrid chuckled.

Harry sat with Hagrid for close to an hour, mulling over such simple things, and reminiscing Harry's time at Hogwarts when things weren't so life-threatening. It was strange to think how many years had passed since Hagrid gave him his very first birthday cake and took him on his first visit to Diagon Alley. It still all seemed so surreal to think of the journey that Harry had so blindly been whisked away on, and every threat and danger that was so vehemently presented to him since. It all seemed like a strange dream, or another life, even. Pondering each and every school year was almost like someone reading a book of your life; Harry had a difficult time believing that even he changed through all of it. He knew he did, but you never realise it until someone else points it out. You would never truly understand your growth until you are forced to see things differently.

There was never really any room for proper growth in Harry's life, as he grew up. With a looming threat, he had to grow and mature quicker than he should have. And by seventeen, he was roaming the English countryside seeking refuge and safety from people who were trying to capture him and his friends. Only to face certain death. That seemed like so far away, now. And now these days, posed its own set of problems as he tried his best to pick up the broken pieces as best he could, with whatever willpower he had left after the fight of their lives.

At the age Harry was now, his parents would have been thinking about the wedding, and finally wanting to tie the knot on their vows. And in a few years, they were planning on having their first child. Harry couldn't help but think of how much he wasn't ready for anything such as marriage, or kids. He could barely keep himself afloat these days and keep Ginny happy enough not to consider leaving him. Harry couldn't help but chuckle to himself at that thought. He had far too much to think about first, although holding Teddy for the first time the day before, really put his life into perspective. Harry still had so much left to do before he felt even remotely prepared in the prospect of settling down with a family. He knew for certain Grimmauld Place was out of the question, although he always imagined himself to settle on a house in Godric's Hollow. Or even consider his own offer to Severus, and find their own little cottage in the English, or Scottish, countryside and away from the rest of the world for a while.

He clearly wasn't ready for too many grown-up decisions just yet.

After his casual conversation with Hagrid, Harry bid him farewell as he made the stop home to drop off the box of trinkets belonging to his parents in light of their school achievements. He'd have to find a place to display them somewhere, but it might not be wise with Severus still around. He'll ponder on that problem later.

Once Harry returned home, he went to check up on Severus during his brief stop before leaving again. Stepping carefully on the creaking floorboards, he peered inside Severus' room to find the older Slytherin snoring lightly in his bed, buried underneath a tangled mess of blankets. Beside him was Draco, who had shifted the single armchair closer to the bed, and curled up within it, sleeping soundlessly. Harry lingered at the doorway for a few moments, keeping a watchful eye on both Slytherins. Occasionally, Severus would cough and shiver, as his seemingly frail form shuddered from the recoil. Draco would stir at times from the sound, but for the most part, both of them seemed settled. That was enough for Harry to feel comfortable with leaving again, and he knew he shouldn't be too long. If he could trust Draco with anything, it was keeping an eye on Severus. There was one place that Harry wanted to go, and given his conversation with Hagrid about his parents, Godric's Hollow was on his mind. He had hoped that Severus would join him, but the man was clearly in no state for such a task.

Leaving Grimmauld Place once again, he Apparated directly into one of the side alleyways of Godric's Hollow and immediately began to make his way towards the cemetery. Something he hadn't mustered up the courage to do when the Battle of Hogwarts had ended, and he didn't want to risk going when all hell broke loose here when Ginny was taken by false Aurors over a month ago. He hadn't visited since Christmas Eve last year, and even that was a quick affair given the fact that they were on the run, and disguised. At least now, he could afford a little extra time with them. He desperately needed somewhere to clear his head, and he felt like he needed to talk to them again. Harry walked towards St. Jerome's Church, and once he entered the side gates to the cemetery, he noticed some of the granite headstones were damaged. Harry had concluded that some were damaged in the last battle, and no one had bothered to come here to repair them.

As he approached the headstone of his parents, he was heartbroken to find that theirs were one of the headstones damaged. He saw their white marble headstone lay in crumbled pieces scattered around the grass. This one appeared to be the most damaged, and Harry had the sickening feeling that it was purposely targeted. As he fell to the grass before it, he raised his wand and began to mend it with the Repairo Charm. Slowly, the pieces of the stone began to melt back together, restoring it as it once was.

'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.'

Harry sat back cross-legged on the grass, glancing over the inscription he had read once before. It was almost bittersweet to be here now, after everything that unfolded this year, because that was quite literally what he did only three months ago. Since reading this inscription with Hermione, never in his wildest dreams did he ever expect to take this to heart. He had already confronted death. Willingly. On that night he confronted Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest, during his final walk to his end. Or what he thought was the end. To be here now just seemed a little too unbelievable.

"Mum. Dad, " Harry lowered his head respectfully, twirling his wand nervously within his hands, as he stared blankly at the newly-repaired headstone, "I wanted to say how grateful I was to have you with me in the Forest that night. Although, I wish you were here now…I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to do…I'm feeling a little lost - " Harry paused to close his eyes, wishing he had some kind of response. But none came, not even a sign. He opened his eyes again, and sighed, " - I wish we had more time. I hear so much about you both from other people who have spent time with you, and I can't help but feel a little envious…I wish I got to know you both in person. I just…I can't do this…W-what do I do now?"

Harry paused to compose himself, as he reveled in the peaceful tranquillity of the space around him. The only sound he could hear was the soft chirping of the small birds in the trees hanging over the headstones, "…Dad, I know you're probably screaming at me from the ether, but really, it's okay. You're both probably worried about me, but…I hope you both know what's been happening. You know…everything. You probably don't approve of me spending time with Severus, but…He's looked out for me all this time. I suppose you're both as shocked as I was. I know you all never got along, and there was never any chance of settling aside your differences…Things would have been so much different if you did. But it's all in the past, I know, and we can't change that. I just don't want the mistakes to repeat themselves, and I hope you can understand why I wanted to finally settle this with him and do the right thing. I guess I'll never know if you'd ever forgive him, but…I do now. But, we won, and Voldemort is gone for good this time. And…I just really wish you were here. It's been seventeen years without you, and it hurts even more than the last. "

Harry shifted his body and leaned against the headstone for some measure of closeness with his parents. It was agony to resist using the Resurrection Stone still in his possession, but as Severus had mentioned, it was not a good idea. There was a reason it was a highly addictive object, and people would become mad with the sheer longing of a loved one. Much like the long-term effects of the Mirror of Erised – He had to learn to live without it, as painful as it was.

Losing his parents never got any easier. He just had to learn how to keep on living.

"Potter, I have an idea, and whether you agree to it or not, I'm doing it."

Harry had returned from Godric's Hollow a few hours later, to the Slytherin requesting a plan of attack as soon as he entered through the front door. The Gryffindor sighed, not particularly wanting to hear what Draco had to say, but regardless of how he felt after visiting his parents, he followed the other teenager to the sitting room to try and deal with the next potential problem. Draco casually slumped on the couch, as Harry remained standing, making his way towards the perch where his new owl was preening its feathered wings. Harry reached out to pet the owl, as the bird leaned into his touch. Besides the owl, was a letter with a scarlet blob of wax of a golden engraving adorned with the Ministry seal stamped on its opening. He stared at the envelope but decided to open it a little later in private.

Without looking at Draco, Harry answered a little too dully, "What did you have in mind?"

"So – " Draco cracked his knuckles, " – I was thinking we find a way to lure and capture a Death Eater and interrogate the crap out of him. "

Harry turned sharply around to face the Slytherin, "…What?"

Draco raised his eyebrow, "I see that caught your attention."

"You must be joking."

Draco gave a dry chuckle, "Hell no, I'm not. The next opportunity I get, I'm going to capture one of the cretins and see what information we can get out of them. Once I deem them useless, I'll send him directly to the Ministry and move onto the next one. We haven't tried that yet."

"How?! Are you planning on using Veritaserum?"

Draco crossed his arms over his chest, "Not unless you have any conveniently lying around. But no, I was thinking we get Severus to use Legilimency on the poor sod."

"No, we don't have any Veritaserum – " Harry shook his head, "- That plan has danger written all over it. You know they never operate alone."

"Obviously – I was one of them. Besides, like you've never given a damn about danger before, Potter. Come on, it's not a bad plan. What are you now, suddenly law-abiding? Oh, please."

Harry hesitated, "Yeah, but none of them have resurfaced since the incident at Hogsmeade, in which they disappeared before anyone could get to them. You're boldly assuming we'll able to predict the next attack."

"I know that, but you're missing the point, " Draco sat up straight in his seat, as his expression turned serious, "We play their game. Focus on capture to interrogate, rather than render them unconscious and send them safely on their merry way to Azkaban. We have a chance, here."

"Severus won't approve, " Harry responded grimly.

"So? He doesn't have to know. We do this our way – or my way, rather. Maybe I can draw them out, and pretend to take their offer – "

" - No! That's…Hell no, they'll kill you on the spot! We find a better way, " Harry exclaimed.

"What better way, Potter? If you prefer to sit here moping around in self-pity, then go right ahead. Meanwhile, I want to make the next move, because we can't wait around for them to make theirs."

Harry gritted his teeth, not particularly supportive of this plan, but admittedly, it could provide them with the information they needed. It was incredibly risky, but if it were successful, they could move a step ahead. "We have to be careful. Although your pretend offer won't go down well because they'll expect to be ambushed. You refused their offer – what makes you think they'll accept your word this time? They don't trust you any more than they trust me."

"I haven't thought that far yet, " Draco looked displeased, "I don't exactly have a concrete plan for kidnapping an old colleague."

Harry sighed, "If you mess this up, they'll know you're working with us. You have the element of surprise."

"I could re-approach Blaise. He still has contact with the others, so maybe I can get him to relay a message."

"Bad idea. Again, he'll know."

"Well, do you have any more bright ideas, oh Chosen One?" Draco curled his lip.

"Not particularly, no. They'll attack again, and this time, we'll catch them off guard, " Harry paused for a moment, "Although, they are still disguising themselves as Aurors in order to get in and out of public areas undetected, right? What if one of us disguises ourselves as an Auror as bait? From what we've seen, they catch them off guard and drag them somewhere else in order to take a hair sample and kill them, taking their place. Hermione says she has a small amount of Polyjuice potion left."

Draco nodded as he ran his hand through his platinum blonde hair, in interest, "Hmm. Could work. I suppose we only need one of us as a disguise – " The Slytherin suddenly chuckled, " - And the only way to do that is to do the exact same thing the Death Eaters have been doing. Very cunning of you, Potter."

"Well, that wasn't really my intention, but how else are we going to do it?"

"No way we are going to get anywhere without a little risk, " Draco smirked, "I'll leave tonight, and scout Hogsmeade again. We need to know what Aurors are around, and what their rotations are."

"You're not going by yourself, Malfoy."

"I'm better under the radar than you, Potter, therefore I'll let you know what I find out. Even with that stupid Cloak of yours, you don't exactly make the effort to better conceal yourself. Do you have the Polyjuice potion with you?"

Harry shook his head, looking uneasy, "No, Hermione has it. She'll question me about it if I ask her for it."

"It's best the famous crime-fighting squad wasn't made aware of what we are about to do."

"I can't not tell them, Malfoy, " Harry frowned, getting rather annoyed, "They need to know. Besides, what if this plan goes sideways? We might need the backup."

Draco curled his lip, "You and your bloody self-righteous Gryffindors. You can't manage one thing without them, can you?"

"You don't have to be such a prat, Malfoy. Just because your pathetic henchmen decided to abandon ship, doesn't mean my friends should, " Harry snapped, "We are going to discuss this plan with Hermione and Ron, and figure out the details from there. In the meantime, we both go together tonight, scope the place out quickly, and see what we are dealing with. Then we decide on our next plan. If for some reason you decide to do something that will risk our lives, then you better find somewhere else to crash and I don't care what Severus says about that. We need to work together, alright?"

"Whatever. You'll thank me when we get answers."

"We'll leave later. In the meantime, try not to be an ass, " Harry narrowed his eyes, as he made his way out of the door, hearing a loud squark from his owl, and Draco's remark of 'Bloody bird', allowing the Slytherin's voice to disappear as he ascended the stairs. Once it was quiet enough, Harry slowly began to open the envelope still clasped within his hand, and scanned the neatly written contents:

Addressed to Mr. Severus Tobias Snape,

As per discussion, the Ministry would like to provide you with the allocation of the details of your trial to further assess your crimes as Death Eater, and your war efforts against Tom Marvolo Riddle (alt. Voldemort) accordingly. As discussed with the Minister, it had been decided that Mr. Snape is to be detained and withheld in the temporary holding chambers in the duration of the trial to prevent any possible tampering with the subject and the allocated witnesses. A designated Healer will attend to any medical needs as required during temporary detainment. Once concluded and results are sufficient, his destination will then be decided.

Mr. Snape's wand will be confiscated in the duration of the trial and will only be returned if the charges are successfully cleared.

The details of the trial are below:

Ministry of Magic - Wednesday 9th August, 9 am – Level 10 - Courtroom Ten

Please arrive 30 minutes prior to commencement, for pre-registration of wand and further details

Signed,

Kingsley Shacklebolt – Minister of Magic

Griselda Marchbanks – Senior Undersecretary to the Minister

Elphias Doge – Chief Warlock

Gawain Robards – Head of Magical Law Enforcement

Harry clutched the letter tightly in his hand, re-reading the letter several times over. The date was just over a week from today, and suddenly, the reality of the situation hit him severely. This is it. This is the trial that will determine Severus' freedom, and hopefully, clear him of the charges of a past that would forever consume his life. He knew it was a shot in the dark, but Harry was more than willing to exhaust every power possible to free this man, whether Severus would survive or not. He wanted his name to be known as the man who risked everything in the face of the enemy.

On his way up the stairs, Harry heard a sharp clang of metal that sounded like a goblet falling upon the wooden floor. Making haste, Harry entered Severus' room to find that water had begun to pool beside the bed, with the fallen silver goblet. Severus growled in frustration with himself, as he attempted to lean over the bed to retrieve it.

"I've got it, it's fine – " Harry retrieved his wand, and cleared up the mess, picking the goblet up as he did so. He placed the cup on the bedside table and proceeded to use a water charm to fill it up. Harry assisted Severus to sit up in his bed and steadied the goblet as the man took a few shaky sips. Severus was definitely having an off-day today, which were usually resulting in almost no energy for even the simplest of tasks. Harry knew that there were some days he'd have a little more energy, but those days were becoming far rarer now. Harry helped Severus to lean further forward and stashed another pillow behind the man's back in order to keep him elevated enough to help ease his breathing and keep him comfortable. Harry hated to see him like this.

Severus steadied himself for a moment, wiping off droplets of water from his lightly stubbled chin. He tilted his head slightly to peer at the envelope still clasped in Harry's hand, "…What's in your hand?"

Harry grimly passed the letter to Severus, who opened it up immediately, "It's the date for your trial. Just over a week from now."

Severus focused his attention on the letter as he skimmed through the words, with a subtle nod on occasion. It was difficult to tell what the man was thinking, but all Harry knew, is that he tried hard not to show any ounce of concern. His expression was blank, "A joyous occasion. Perhaps, better late than never." He slid the letter back within the envelope and reached over to place it on the potion-laden table beside him, giving a heaved sigh as he did so. Harry noticed that he clutched a slightly blood-stained cloth in his hand, due to his occasional coughing fits.

Making a quick decision, Harry wandered to the chair stationed by the bed. Due to Draco's urge to rearrange the room the other day, it worked rather well, "I suppose they moved it as early as they could. Unfortunately, it's a little more than a week before the next full moon."

"Yes, so it seems, " Severus winced slightly as soon as he moved his neck in his desperate bid for further comfort. He glanced over at Harry with a raised eyebrow, "So…Have you named your owl yet? Or is it doomed to forever be called 'owl'?"

"Oh, um…" Harry frowned in thought, and all day he'd been pondering on possible names for the new creature. He straightened up in his chair, and the more he thought of the name, the more he felt confident about his choice, "…Godric."

Severus looked at Harry like he'd finally lost his marbles, "…Very Potter of you. "

Harry couldn't help but smirk, "Well, I can't give it a mundane name, now could I?"

"Here I thought it would be Hedwig the Second."

Harry chuckled lightly to himself, "Well, no. I settled on Godric, for several reasons. Apart from the obvious Godric Gryffindor, it was also his sword that we used to destroy Horcrux's. But it also stands for Godric's Hollow, where I was born, and where my parents died and were laid to rest. Plus, I like the name Godric, all bias aside."

"Well, Salazar couldn't possibly be an option, " Severus smirked lightly, "Pity."

Harry drew in a sharp inhale, "So…I visited my parents today. I hadn't visited their graves since Christmas Eve, so it was a little well overdue. It wasn't safe to go last time."

"Ah, " Severus' tone was soft, as he paused comfortably for a few moments, "Harry…once this is over, whichever way it goes, I will accompany you next if you are still willing to allow me there."

"You changed your mind?" Harry couldn't help but smile at the idea, "That'll be wonderful, sir. "

Severus gave a satisfied nod, as his eyes gleamed with assurance, "I do not do well with promises, therefore I will not make one, but I will do my best to see to it. When I don't feel like Death himself."

"I won't say no to that, " Harry looked over at the bedside table at the potions supply, before rising up from his chair, "Are you running out of anything, Severus?"

Turning his head to the table, Severus exasperatingly observed the mess of vials he had prepared, "A little low on the stronger pain relievers, but that particular supply should get me through until tomorrow evening. Might have to strengthen the next batch with an extra one-third of a teaspoon of dried valerian root, with an extra crushed sopophorous bean. Ask Draco to assist you - He knows what to do. If he complains about it, tell him to see me."

"Okay. I'll get right onto that, " Harry glanced helplessly at Severus, "Would you like me to send up anything for you to eat? I've barely seen you have anything in the last few days."

Severus gave a heaved sigh, wearily looking upon Harry's concerned face, "A mere waste. Food no longer stays within my stomach long enough to be of any nutritional value. I can barely keep down the vitamin-rich potions, and as you can see, fluids are starting to become a problem."

Harry couldn't help but bite his lip, nodding wordlessly. He walked back towards the door and lingered for a few moments between turning back to the ill man lying in the bed. He reached inside his pocket to retrieve the DA coin, and held it up, "Don't hesitate to use the coin, okay? I'll be downstairs if you need."

Without another word, Harry left the room, closing the door gently behind him. As requested, Harry began to work on the next batch of potions, eventually and begrudgingly, asking Draco for help. He figured this was enough to kill some time before their quick venture that night. Harry did feel a little uneasy leaving Severus alone for a short while, but he knew the man usually took one of the stronger analgesics before bed, which usually rendered him drowsy and asleep soon after. Harry was only comfortable if Severus was, and he was going to do his best not to be away for so long. He didn't exactly trust Draco taking the risk by himself, and even though he was still a capable wizard, the idea of leaving him to his own devices had Harry feeling uneasy with the idea. He figured he'd much rather get the task over and done with so that they were able to discuss the next plan once they had an idea of what they were up against.

Despite Harry's protests, he knew Draco was right in making the first move. They could not afford to waste any more time.

Once Harry delivered the next batch of potions a few hours later, he made sure that Severus was comfortable enough, and had what he needed. He felt a little horrible, but it was the choice he had to make at the time. Severus had the coin and knew how to use it, so at least there was a way to contact him if needed. However, Severus had no idea that the two of them would venture out, and Harry was sure to keep it that way. Severus was able to tolerate several hours on his own, so he wasn't fully reliant on the teenagers as of yet. Although weakening by the day, he was still able to do certain tasks by himself. Severus was prideful, yet stubborn and would never ask for help until it was absolutely necessary, and Harry respected that. McGonagall was also right about that.

As soon as the dark of the evening settled in, Harry held onto the Invisibility Cloak as he met with Draco at the entrance hallway ready to depart. The Slytherin was already waiting, sporting his quite sophisticated black suit – one Harry has seen him wear on several occasions – clutching his wand eagerly within his hand.

"About time, Potter, " Draco huffed, as he departed through the front doors first, with Harry trailing closely behind.

Once the pair reached the small, enclosed park across the street, they Disapparated away, reappearing along the tree line of the Forest bordering Hogsmeade. The crescent moon was slowly rising from behind the clouds, as the stars above glittered across the darkened summer night sky. Harry and Draco crouched down, making their way between the shadow of the trees whilst keeping themselves as hidden as they could. Once Draco found a spot between the dense mass of twisted roots, they were able to find a clear view of Main Street, enabling them to keep an eye out for any wandering individuals. Harry threw the Invisibility Cloak over himself, allowing at least one of them to remain hidden as they waited.

It was just past eleven at night, as the place was as dark and desolate as Harry expected it to be. Hogsmeade was the largest complete wizarding community in Britain, so it the likelihood of danger threatening the other wizarding families in its vicinity was high. Harry peered around from their view and spotted a few Aurors making slow laps around and through the Hogsmeade cobblestone streets. Neither of them looked suspicious, but Harry still had difficulty trusting them completely. Harry and Draco sat in silence for almost an hour, feeling more uncomfortable the longer they waited. As they watched, they saw an older male Auror wander through the pathway of a small garden, with his wand at the ready.

Harry, upon that amusing thought, found their task rather boring and was somewhat glad to have declined the offer to become an Auror himself. It definitely didn't seem as glamorous as one would expect, as opposed to the boring guard duty that was also required of them. He couldn't help but picture Ron standing idly by, complaining about lack of action. To think Harry spent so much time aspiring to be an Auror, since defeating Voldemort himself, he decided he didn't want to spend the rest of his life chasing dark wizards. He was already doing that now, and he wasn't even a qualified Auror. Sending and coordinating a teenage rebellion team as a united front was enough of a task to dedicate himself to. There was no way he was willing to keep doing this for the next several years.

At the corner of Harry's eye, he looked over to his right to find movement at the far side of the tree line, on the east side of the village. It was quite a distance away, but despite Harry's poor eyesight, he noticed three figures obscured behind a row of thick oak trees. Harry nudged Draco lightly with his elbow, whispering to the Slytherin as to what he could see. After watching Draco strain his own eyesight, he nodded in understanding. Death Eaters were prowling the borders, likely waiting for the opportunity to attack an Auror. He wondered how often they performed this task. They appeared far too confident for it to be the first plan of attack.

Almost as if he were reading his mind, Draco whispered back, "They've been doing this every day this week. Usually the norm for upcoming attacks. They plan based on repetition, like this idiot Auror who probably does the same thing every bloody night."

Well, there's that question answered.

Draco began to move slowly along the tree line, crouched down as low as he could, as he edged closer towards the Death Eaters. Harry whispered harshly in protest, but the Slytherin chose not to listen. Grumbling under his own breath, Harry followed Draco in an awkward crouching position behind him. The pair was slow, as to be careful in not rustling the dry leaves too dangerously under their feet. Once they got closer, they ducked behind a hedge, watching the enemies closely. As they watched, one of the Death Eaters ventured in the opposite direction, leaving their line of sight entirely. Another Death Eater remained in their position, while the third one slowly made their way towards their direction. Slightly alarmed, Harry nudged the Slytherin again a little more harshly, but Draco shot back at him to be quiet, raising his wand at the ready. Harry had to remind himself that he was under the Cloak, so instead, he decided to move slightly away from Draco just in case things decided to go awry. He had the element of surprise, so he needed to be methodical about this.

He could practically imagine Severus whispering harshly for them to 'Fall back!'

Harry was not expecting any type of pursuit, which had him immediately concerned, but it was obvious to him that Draco was not going to let this opportunity slip, despite Harry repeatedly telling him not to do anything stupid. Harry watched as Draco pressed on forward, ready to ambush the Death Eater slowly making their way towards them. With a sudden flick of his wand, Draco cast what appeared to be a Silencing Charm at the enemy, causing their lips to immediately seal itself shut. The hooded Death Eater – absent of mask – looked around him in horror at the sudden attack, unable to usher a word. But before he could raise his wand in defense, Harry cast a non-verbal Disarming Spell, as he watched their wand fly out from their hand, and into the bushes away from him. Taking that opportunity, Harry and Draco made their way towards them, as Draco cast the Incarcerous Charm, enabling wild ropes to fly out from his wand, encasing the enemy helplessly as they fell to the floor.

The THUD from their fall alone was enough to send Harry on high alert, wincing at the sound it made. He tried to search the clearing for the fallen wand, but with no luck.

"Okay, now what? We didn't exactly plan this – " Harry spoke in an angry hushed whisper at the Slytherin beside him.

"Shh. We take him somewhere – "

"Where? We are not taking him to Grimmauld Place. Don't you bloody dare, " Harry frowned, furiously.

"No, I wasn't going to – " Draco paused in thought, "Lets' – "

A jet of blue light suddenly flew over their heads, as one of the other Death Eaters closer to their position happened to spot them, casting an assortment of hexes to where they were crouched. Draco ducked further to the ground, as another jet of yellow light exploded at the tree beside him. Everything seemed to escalate too quickly for Harry to register because suddenly the Aurors began to run over to the tree line. Harry watched as one of the Aurors fired a spell at one of the hidden Death Eaters, who now appeared to become locked in a dangerous duel at the far side.

"Malfoy, you idiot!" Harry growled, "You gave us away!"

Still clutching the Cloak like a lifeline around him, Harry began to fire spells at the other Death Eater who began to run over to the pair in an attempt to rescue their fallen comrade. Draco pursued ahead, firing whatever non-verbal spells he could muster in order to bring the other Death Eater down. Harry had to make a quick choice, so he abandoned the fallen Death Eater and went after Draco. The enemy they disarmed was still struggling with their magical bindings, so there was still time to get back to them. In the meantime, Harry was already furious with Draco running off.

Harry fired another Disarming Spell at the other hooded Death Eater, but it missed terribly as the jet of red light soared over his head past the target. Running ahead, he raised his wand again, this time doing his best to fire off a Freeze Charm. He tried this non-verbally for the first time and was able to summon a sizeable spinning sphere of ice, and wildly flung his wand arm, watching as it was hurled into the air, exploding at the enemy's feet. It caught them off guard, enabling the other Auror to discover their location to pursue them. Satisfied with the mild distraction, Harry pulled roughly on Draco's sleeve, pulling him to the side as soon as he felt an unnatural chill in the summer night's breeze.

"Stop, Malfoy!" Harry snapped at the Slytherin.

"What?!"

Harry glanced up in horror to find two Dementors swooping in on their location, "Dementors are here! They've summoned them – We have to leave now!"

"Let's go back for the other one before we leave – " Draco turned on his heel to look behind him to find that their previously incapacitated Death Eater was missing, " – No! They're gone! We lost them - "

"- This was a mistake, we have to get out of here, " Harry brandished his wand, without removing his gaze from the incoming grim-like reapers above, "Expecto patronum!" The bright silvery stag bounded from the tip of his wand, and cantered towards the Dementors, fighting them off in its magnificent harsh light. As Harry heard the shrieks from the Dementors above, he saw several more Death Eaters appearing to the aid of their comrades. Not too far from them, he watched as two Aurors engaged with a Death Eater, with the other Auror barely able to disarm the other. Draco could not take his eyes off the Dementors above, and Harry had to pull on his sleeve yet again to redirect his attention elsewhere.

Suddenly Harry felt something hit him sharply in the back, causing him to immediately topple over and crash head-first onto the forest floor, his head inches away from smashing against a rock. In his obscured vision, he saw Draco move past him, immediately attacking their unknown assailant behind them. Harry's body was seared with agony as he tried to push himself up off the forest floor, but it was no use. He felt something wet trail down his back, soaking into his shirt feeling the absolute dread that it was blood. Harry had stupidly shrugged off the Cloak earlier for him to cast his Patronus, but someone else must have seen that and took that opportunity once Harry's location was discovered. A few more enemies must have been summoned and joined the fight, once the other Death Eaters realised their position was compromised.

He heard quick footsteps again, finally seeing Draco drop down beside him, "Bloody hell, Potter."

"They attacked us from behind…What the hell did they hit me with…?" Harry's voice struggled through shooting pain radiating from a section of his back.

"Hold still."

"What they hit me with?" Harry repeated.

"A-an arrow…I said hold still – " Draco seemed to hesitate, "Stop wriggling, Potter!"

"Just…not here. Get me out of here, first. Now's not the time to even be thinking. Apparate us out of here. The Aurors will handle the rest. Hurry, before they come back for us."

Harry felt a firm grim clasp over his forearm, as he immediately felt the world swim around him before his eyes, before landing him back into the park by Grimmauld Place. Draco tried to heave Harry back onto his feet, as they both struggled back across the street and through the front doors of Grimmauld Place. Draco had to half-drag Harry down the corridor, making far too much noise as intended, thumping across the wooden floorboards. Harry grimaced in pain, as he did his best to climb the stairs until they eventually landed back in the sitting room. Harry felt further blood stream down his back, as he finally slumped to the floor over the sofa he could barely make it to. He heard Draco cursing himself, until a sudden thundering of the floorboards and stairs above.

Oh, no.

Harry spun his head around to Draco, and both exchanged horrified glances as soon enough, Severus stumbled into the room looking panicked and disheveled. His face was as pale as he had remembered earlier, and yet the man's cheeks were mildly flushed with a slight crimson tinge. He wasn't sure if was due to the illness taking over him, but all he saw was the man's face twisted in rage; teeth-baring and breathing heavily. The man's eyes flashed in pure anger at the sight of both teenagers and the post-battle state they were in.

"We can explain – " Draco responded immediately.

" – Oh, I will hold you to that…" Severus bellowed as much as his hoarse voice could tolerate, as his eyes widened at the sight of the arrow protruding from Harry's back. He stumbled towards the fallen Gryffindor and knelt – or rather collapsed - immediately by his side. With bared teeth, he shot a disappointed look towards his Godson, "Help me get him onto the couch. NOW - " Harry yelped in a surge of pain as both Slytherins hauled him onto the couch, laying him on his abdomen, "What in Merlin's name were you both doing?!"

Draco stuttered, not knowing what to say, "We were only meant to observe. We – "

"- YOU did. I told you that it was a…bad idea. You didn't listen to me!" Harry grimaced in pain.

"Fine, I went after a Death Eater because I wanted to capture one."

Severus' was absolutely livid, "Capture one? Are you barking mad, Draco?! Both of you! I supposed you ran in there without an inkling of a plan?"

"We were only supposed to…scout the area and leave…That was it….Malfoy thought it would have been a wonderful idea to get a…step ahead, " Harry's breaths were heavy, as he tried to speak through the sharp pain in his back, "They summoned Dementors…I held them off…but other Death Eaters were appearing so we…made our exit."

Severus still looked furious, "Why would you both risk your lives like that? Foolish. Absolutely foolish of you!" The older Slytherin turned sharply to Draco, "Run upstairs to my quarters and obtain the antiseptic solution, a blood replenishing potion, and a Wiggenweld potion – Now, quickly, Draco!" Draco didn't waste any time until he bolted out of the room once he received those instructions.

Harry gasped again in pain, as he felt Severus carefully peel away at the shreds of his shirt around the wound, "We didn't plan on being there long…It went sideways very quickly."

"I hadn't noticed, " Severus curled his lip, still seething with anger, "You cannot go and risk yourselves like that, Harry. Opportunity, or not, that was extremely reckless behavior."

"I'm sorry. I know, we messed up – " Harry drew in an uncomfortable breath, as he recoiled sharply from Severus touching the arrow, "Yell at me later – How bad is it?"

"The arrow-tip is completely embedded into your skin and will take some time to carefully remove."

"Fantastic, " Harry grumbled, "Can't you just, vanish it, or something?"

"I cannot vanish what I cannot see, Harry. I can easily remove the steel rod; however, the arrow-tip is concealed, " Severus sighed, "With some manipulation, I can pry it out."

Harry exhaled sharply, "Great."

Harry could hear heavy footsteps as Draco bounded back into the room, with a handful of supplies. Severus immediately retrieved the antiseptic, as poured it lightly around the wound, causing Harry to shudder under the hot pain surging through this body, as the liquid seeped painfully around the wound. Harry did his best not to yell out, as he clasped the sides of the sofa, turning his head away shamefully from the Slytherins.

"Now Draco, listen carefully to my instructions, " Severus retrieved two small pocketknives from the concealed hilt at his belt. Harry had never seen the before and frowned at the idea, but he soon realised that it made sense for a man dedicated to potion-making, to carry a tool that would help him obtain certain ingredients. He was like a walking potions dispensary. Severus handed one of the blades to Draco, "It is not ideal for me to attempt even the simplest of charms as my magic is fading, so I leave that task to you when I ask of it, Draco. Activate a fire charm and heat the blade immediately. "

Harry's eyes widened, "Seriously? No, no, no. There isn't another way?"

"No, Harry, there isn't. The tip must be carefully extracted. I can't just forcefully tear it away. Just…hold still, " Severus spoke firmly, and Harry knew better not to further argue with that. Through a haze of pain, Severus was communicating further instructions to his Godson, and soon enough, Harry felt a comforting hand on his shoulder in reassurance considering how anxious he was about the entire thing and the fact that he was unable to see what they were doing. It was likely for the best, but he just wanted this over and done with. Harry scrunched up his fist, as he felt a cloth move across his back in an attempt to clear the area of the blood seeping from the wound.

Harry barely gave himself time to compose himself when he felt a cold blade dig into his skin, in an attempt to scoop out the arrow-tip. Harry continued to bawl his fist, nails digging deep into his skin, as his body shuddered, feeling a new hot wave of pain ripple across his skin.

"Keep still, Harry – " Severus was patient and careful. The pain was closely matched to the Cruciatus Curse, and Harry had wished they would have just knocked him out instead. Although it took a little longer than Harry wanted it to, he was able to finally pry out the embedded piece and remove it completely. Then as quickly as it happened, he felt the second hot blade sear over the wound, causing Harry to yell out in pain that time, and that time he could not hold it in. A few agonising minutes had passed, and Severus was able to successfully cauterize the wound to stop the bleeding and prevent any further infection that may occur. He felt a strange sensation, as Draco ushered an incantation, as the now-cleaned wound began to slowly knit itself up. Severus withdrew a small jar within the pocket of his robes and began to gently lather it over the new scarring now evident on his back. Once Severus was finished, Harry tried to sit himself up, but a firm hand held him down.

"Wait a few moments, then when you are ready, you can sit up, " Severus held up the two potions vials for him to take, "Take these once you do. Use every drop."

Nodding gratefully, Harry gently clasped the two vials and allowed himself a few moments to gather his thoughts. His mind felt hazy after this ordeal, and he wanted nothing more than to climb into his bed and sleep for the next few days. "Thank you."

Severus managed to climb back onto his feet and stumbled over to the adjacent lounge with a heaved sigh and he collapsed on top of it. He clasped his hands tightly together, "You both may have created further problems."

"If anything, we stopped them from taking another Auror, " Draco crossed his arms and sat down on the other seat.

"Not necessarily, " Severus looked frustrated, as he ran his slender hand over his pale face, "How many Aurors were there before you left?"

Draco scrunched up his face, "I dunno. Three or four."

"And how many Death Eaters?"

"I didn't count, but more kept on appearing. That's why we left. Well, apart from Potter getting impaled – "

"- In no way is this amusing, Draco!" Severus shot the younger Slytherin a venomous glare, "Those Aurors would not have been able to hold them all off. I fear they have been overpowered."

Harry managed to push himself up from his torso and flipped onto his back. He shuffled slightly upright in his bid to down the two potions handed it to him, "Wait…What are you implying?"

The older Slytherin turned sourly at Harry, "The unintentional sabotage may cause them to further retaliate. You cannot intervene, and not expect consequence. From the enthralling tale you've both spun in my direction, those Aurors were vastly outnumbered. And Dementors? Those Aurors had not nearly as much firepower as they anticipated."

"The Death Eaters had the upper hand?"

"Give me a good reason why they wouldn't have?"

Harry hesitated, feeling utterly stupid with himself, "And we messed it up. I knew it was a bad idea. Malfoy, you should have lay low like we were supposed to."

"Hey, you agreed to tag along!" Draco spat, "Don't blame this all on me!"

Harry threw his hands up in the air, "Yeah, tag along, not engage. Bloody hell. You're lucky I was able to conjure my Patronus, otherwise, we'd end up far worse than just a damn arrow in my back!"

Severus shook his head, absolutely aghast at the poor decisions made by the teenagers. The look of disappointment on his face, however, struck Harry a little too deeply. He didn't want the man to be disappointed in him, and yet, he was. He looked more than stressed out, and any more anger-fuelled breaths would likely cause him to topple over from the build-up of the strain. The man was already running on empty.

"Enough! Both of you!" The two teenagers sat in silence, seething at each other from across the room, as Severus pinched the bridge of his nose in his attempt to diffuse the situation. "Now listen carefully. If I'm correct in my judgment – and I usually am – then I believe they will attack Hogsmeade, likely tomorrow. If our enemies have been frequenting that location recently, then they have already begun planning another attack. That much is obvious. Now with this...mishap…They will likely push their plan forward. Especially if they have indeed defeated the Aurors in their wake."

"So…What do you suggest we do?" Harry asked, quietly.

Severus glanced at Harry with a gleam of defiance in his eyes, "Beat them to it. Round up your DA. Make sure each member knows the spell to eliminate toxic fumes and protect themselves from it because it is foolish to presume that they will not attempt it on a larger scale this time. Have them ready and be there before they do. You need your numbers – that will give you the upper hand if you catch them off guard. I will be there to oversee."

"No! No offense, sir, but you can barely move around Grimmauld Place on your own, " Harry shook his head, "You're not going back out there."

"For once, I agree with Potter. You're basically a dead man walking at this point. You can barely stand on your own feet, " Draco curled his lip.

Severus shot Draco a sour look, "Thank you for your thoughtful assessment, Draco. " He glanced between both teenagers with equal expression of disapproval, "I will ensure my attendance so that I can be there to observe the plan, provide support and coerce with the enemy. I will use the Cloak, and Draco will accompany me as I do so. While Harry and the DA distract them, then Draco and I can move to a target so I can gain access to their mind."

"You shouldn't be there – " Harry looked at Severus with concern. He hated the idea of Severus going with them because it just wasn't necessary. And now Harry felt guilty because Severus felt like he needed to be there now due to their sideways plan earlier. However, if this plan worked, then all Severus needed was to cast Legilimency on an unsuspecting Death Eater and obtain a visual on the location they've been seeking for weeks. All they needed was one opportunity. That was it. Then they could finally plan their endgame and put a stop to all of this and rescue the others. It was another risk, but with a proper plan, they could make this happen.

But still. He didn't want to see Severus out there.

"Far more reasonable than the two of you gallivanting off into danger unprepared, is it not? Please, do not attempt such a thing again, " Severus spoke sharply, but Harry could see the exhausted worry etched across his face, "It's late – Get some rest. We'll discuss this further in the morning." Severus rose gingerly from his chair, and made his way out of the sitting room, stumbling slightly as he did so, grabbing hold of any available surface he could reach for on his way out in an attempt to keep himself upright.

Harry turned to Draco, "Go with him." Draco didn't protest this time, as he nodded and followed his Godfather as they ascended the old wooden staircase up to their respectable bedrooms.

Harry leaned back into the couch and decided to sleep there as he was too tired to move. The gentle hoots of his newly named owl Godric hooted softly on his perch in the corner of the room. The window was slightly ajar, allowing a welcoming cool breeze to take away the scent of blood and sweat from Harry's dangerous ordeal. This wasn't exactly what Harry had in mind for an evening, but he now understood the risks of blindly pursuing an enemy. Although he was mad at Draco, he was more than annoyed at himself for not doing more.

Eventually, Harry closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep so he was sound enough to face the new set of problems tomorrow.