Someone was knocking on Harry’s door. Groggily, he raised his stiff body into a sitting position and grabbed his glasses. “Come in,” he said loudly.
Draco Malfoy, formidable in his dark robes, entered his room, a smug look on his sharp edged face. He clutched several letters in his hand.
“What are you doing here, ferret boy?” Harry spat. He carefully stretched to loosen himself after such a prolonged sleep.
“Trust me, it wasn’t my idea, Potter,” Draco barked, steely eyes cold. “I was told to bring these letters to you. I respect Severus, which is why I’m doing this. Don’t think for a second that I came here for you.” Draco threw the thick bundle of letters at the foot of Harry’s bed.
Harry glared at Malfoy, wondering why the blonde Slytherin wasn’t at his own house. “Are you going to stand there and gawp at me all day?”
“I told you, dumbass, Severus sent me in here. I’m not ‘gawping’ at you. Don’t flatter yourself like that. I don’t swing that way.”
“Sod off, bighead,” Harry growled before reaching for his letters. Leaning too far, his side burned in discomfort and he was unable to suppress a small gasp of pain.
“What is your problem, Potter? Golden boy get in a little accident?” Malfoy’s eyes glinted.
“If you say one more word to me, Malfoy, I will make it your last,” Harry threatened.
Draco looked amused. “And, pray tell, how are you going to manage that?”
Harry was burning with rage. He was furious with the prat that stood before him; Dumbledore’s death and the mess that he was in fueled his passion. Clumsily he launched himself at Draco making them both fall to the polished hardwood floor. “I told you to sod off, Malfoy,” Harry yelled, swinging wildly at the young man before him. “And when I tell you to sod off, I mean for you to sod off.”
Both boys tumbled across the floor, each trying to get a punch in at the other. Harry was dimly becoming aware that his body was no longer completely under his control. Pain was shooting through his frame. He aimed a particularly fierce punch at Malfoy. The Slytherin was able to dodge it and Harry fell forward, smacking his head upon the floor.
IOIOI
Voices. Quiet voices. Harry could hear them coming closer to him, or maybe it was just himself coming closer to the conscious world. His head throbbed and he emitted a smothered moan.
“Potter,” a deep voice addressed him. “I am going to raise you to a sitting position. I need you to drink this potion.”
Harry felt a vial being pushed to his lips and obediently he swallowed the foul tasting liquid. His head stopped pounding and he found he could open his eyes without pain. Snape was standing above him, holding quite a number of potion bottles.
Draco was sitting in a nearby chair, nursing a swollen wrist, his face was impassive, but from his terse movements, Harry could tell that he was still fuming. The proud Gryffindor sent him a glare before refocusing on Snape. “Sir, can he leave?” he asked, motioning to Malfoy.
“No, Potter,” Snape said icily. “I want no more fighting between the two of you. It will help nothing.”
Harry carefully sat back against his plump pillows with a dejected sigh. “Hmph,” he mumbled.
“I want you to understand, Harry, that neither of us are truly how you perceive us. We are not your enemy. In fact, we share a common enemy with you- Voldemort. If we are to stop him, both you and Draco must learn to cooperate.”
“Severus, it’s him, the golden boy, I wasn’t doing anything,” the blonde haired Slytherin drawled.
“Do you truly expect me to believe that?” Snape inquired, one eyebrow raised.
Draco lowered his gaze. “It was worth a try,” he muttered.
“Potter, I want the two of you to understand that I am here to help, but I am also at the beck and call of Voldemort.”
“Sir,” Harry interrupted, “is Malfoy also not at the service of Voldemort?”
“I am in the room, Potter,” Draco growled. “You could have directed the question to me.”
Harry ignored this comment, focusing his attention on his former professor. He was shocked to see lines on his face that were not his in the previous year. He knew his professor was relatively young to others at Hogwarts. He gulped anxiously as he waited to see if the man would respond to his inquiry.
Snape met Harry’s gaze, eyes revealing nothing of how he felt. “No, Harry,” Snape informed the young Gryffindor. “After Draco and I fled the grounds at Hogwarts, I hid Draco and returned to Voldemort. I told him that in the melee, Draco was killed by an unfriendly curse and I had not had the time to retrieve the body. No one saw us in our final escape, so the Death Eaters could not tell Voldemort otherwise.”
Harry was awed at the forethought showed by his two enemies. Former enemies, he corrected himself mentally. At least former if I choose to believe what they are saying. “I see,” he verbalised his acknowledgement curtly.
Snape drew a long breath and finally spoke. “Well, I think that is as far as we are going to get right now. Draco, you are free to leave, Harry and I need to discuss a few things.”
“Whatever,” was the dark acknowledgement they received from the blonde man. He quickly stood and left the room, pulling the door closed a bit harder than was necessary.
Snape turned to Harry. “I understand that you and he were not made to like each other, but for the sake of the wizarding community, try to at least accept that he is good.”
“Yeah,” Harry grumbled noncommittally.
“I have some potions that you need to take to assist with the healing that we began two days ago. I have written to Mrs. Weasley informing her that you are currently in residence at my manor and that I will deliver you to her house in time for the wedding. I did not, however, give her any information about your current state or reasons past your well being for your current location. Provided that your healing continues in an adequate manner, you should be able to embark on your journey after the ceremony with your friends and Draco.”
“I understand, sir,” Harry said.
“Drink these,” the Death Eater ordered, handing Harry two bottles containing light blue liquid.
Harry obeyed and immediately felt more at ease with the entire situation. “Sir, what was in those bottles?”
“The first was a simple nutrition potion, and the other was a calming drought. I figured it would be easier for you and I to discuss some things were you under the influence of something that would encourage you to speak. I will not make you speak of what you have endured, but I do insist that you at least consider talking to someone.”
“Sir, was that entirely fair to give me those?” Harry asked, somewhat giddily.
Snape frowned for a moment. “Potter, in my opinion, you will be angered with me once the effects of this potion wear off, however, I felt that you would not be open to speaking with me under usual circumstances.”
“I see,” Harry said, his voice lacking any seriousness.
“Now, Harry, I realize that it will be quite awhile before you trust me, but I want you to understand that what you have gone through at the hands of your uncle was unfair to you. You did not deserve any of it.”
“Sir, you say that, but I can’t believe you. If what you say is true, why didn’t anyone ever say anything? Dumbledore or whoever sent my Hogwarts letter knew about the cupboard. They knew of that, how could they not know about the other things?”
“Harry, I am not the one who can answer these questions. I don’t have answers to these questions, but with your permission, I would like to examine your mind further.”
“No. Absolutely not.” Even under the influence of the calming draught, Harry began to panic.
“Harry, if I am to understand you better and help you, there is information I need.”
“No, sir. I am not ready to have you poking in my mind again. Please leave. I am tired and wish to go to sleep.”
“Harry, think about reconsidering. Try not to be too angry with me when the potion wears off.”
“Please, sir, leave,” Harry requested once more, this time with added vehemence.
“As you wish,” Snape said respectfully before exiting the large room.
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Harry,
I am so worried about you. You haven’t responded to any of my letters. I wish I knew that you are alright. Ron says that he hasn’t heard from you either but told me not to worry and that you probably just had your hands full with stuff. Please, if you get this, just drop me a line letting me know you are okay. Hope you are well. My summer’s been pretty uneventful so far.
Lots of love,
Hermione
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Harry,
Mate, haven’t heard from you in a bit. Hermione keeps writing me all worried about you. You know her… always panicky. When you get this, just send her something to make her lay off me. The wedding should be fun. I hear that they are trying to get some famous muggle to sing at their wedding. How weird. Anyroad, write back when you get the chance. Make Hermione happy. My parents are kind of worried about you. They say that if that if you don’t write before the week is up, they are going to visit Privet Drive. We don’t want a repeat of last time, so just send a line back.
See you,
Ron
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Harry,
I’m very worried now. You haven’t written to Ron or me in so long. I hope you are well. It wouldn’t do for something to happen before the wedding. Please write back. Ron and I are keeping in contact so just write to one of us if you don’t have a lot of time. I hope those muggles are treating you right.
Love,
Hermione
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Harry finished reading the letters and quickly drew out a piece of parchment so that he could respond to Hermione. He didn’t want her worrying. He was just beginning when he heard a tap on his window. It was pig.
Harry,
Mum got a letter today saying that you are staying with someone of the group. She told me not to be too specific in case the letter got intercepted. Well, I guess that means you’re okay. I know that Hermione is a lot calmer now. When you get this, just send her something saying you’re alive and that you are coming here in time for the wedding. I used Ginny’s owl to send her a message saying you were okay.
See you soon,
Ron
The Gryffindor sat on his bed, deep in thought. He was grateful to his friends for their concern, they were the family that he’d never had, yet, he was anxious about their reunion, wanting to avoid any awkward questions. He scribbled quick notes to both Ron and Hermione to reassure them and then drew out his textbooks, intent on commencing his summer work. Snape was adament that he should return to Hogwarts for a time, and he didn’t want to look an idiot when he turned up his first day back.
Bemusedly, he opened his Transfiguration text and began reading.