Draco was lounging against the wall, in a most uncaring attitude, but the moment he saw Harry and Worty, he straightened up.

"What are you doing with him?" Draco demanded. "Get away from him, Worty. You don't wan to get the Potter disease."

Harry was sure the little boy didn't believe Draco, but Worty took a half of a step away from Harry.

"That's it," Harry decided. "Worty, will you excuse us while I have a word with Malfoy?"

"Oh, what are you going to do?" Draco tried to sneer, but he looked slightly worried.

"How about I make you eat another wall?" Harry took a threatening step towards him.

"You can't - Snape will hear."

"Then what say you and I find a quiet place so we can have a good chat?" Harry crossed his arms.

Draco glanced around, but no one else was around. "Fine," he mumbled.

"Fine, what?" Harry retorted.

"Fine, sorry you got your knickers in a twist over the kid," Draco motioned toward Worty. "Bunch of bleeding hearts."

"Worty," Harry turned to the small boy, "did Draco tell you what he did this summer, all the fun he had?"

"Shut up," Draco ordered.

"Why was Worty outside Snape's office?" Harry asked. "Shouldn't he be - I don't know, playing somewhere?"

"What are you - his nanny?" Draco scoffed. "I told him to watch Snape's door because that's the only way he'll be safe."

Harry felt even more annoyed, guessing that this wasn't going anywhere pleasant. "Because?"

"Because Snape's a vampire," Draco grinned. "And the only way to keep him from seeking up on you is to watch his door all day long."

Harry resisted the urge to pop Draco in the nose. "That makes no sense," Harry said. "For one thing, vampires can't go around in the sunlight, and Snape went outside yesterday."

"Oh, yeah," Worty realized. He glared at Draco, "Yeah! That's right."

"And vampires don't eat regular food, and you've seen him at mealtimes, eating like regular people," Harry continued.

"Yeah!" Worty scowled at Draco.

"And how is watching a door going to save anyone? If you ever see a monster, you run, don't sit around and stare at doors."

Worty bared his teeth at Draco. Had he been any older, he might have gone and hit Draco, but instead he continued to give the blond death glares.

"I was just having a bit of a laugh," Draco grumbled. "He's just a kid."

"Worty," Harry turned to him calmly, "did you know Snape is Draco's god-father?"

"Really?" the little boy's eyes widened.

"Yes, and do you know what Snape does to Draco when he's bad?"

"I'll hex you into next week," Draco growled, pulling at his wand.

"Accio wand!" Harry shouted. To Draco's shock, his own wand actually flew out of his hand and into Harry's.

"See?" Harry showed Worty both wands. "Draco can't even keep track of his own - omph!"

Draco tackled him, knocking him to the ground. Both wands fell from Harry's hand, but he was too busy pushing against Draco to care.

"Go, go, go!" Worty cheered as he watched the two older boys grapple on the floor.

"Gonna rip your face off," Draco grunted, trying to mash Harry's face in the floor as Harry grabbed Draco's own face.

They rolled and pushed and growled without doing too much damage.

"Just like summer," Harry said around Draco's hand. "Too much a mummy's boy to fight."

"We'll see about that," Draco snarled.

"I bet she still spoon feeds you," Harry taunted. He had no idea where that idea came from, but it worked because Draco looked livid.

"You shut up about my mother," he ordered.

"She probably tucks you in at night with a bottle and lets you suck your thumb!" he hollered, pushing Draco aside. Harry rolled over and tried to grab onto a stone of the floor to pull himself away, but Draco jumped on him.

"You're dead, Potter," Draco roared. "Enjoy this floor because you'll be a permanent part of it now!"

Harry grunted as Draco grabbed him by the back of the neck. Harry looked down at the floor, knowing his face was about to be smushed into it, and he wondered if he deserved it or not.

"Boys!" a male voice bellowed from behind them.

Immediately, Draco scrambled to his feet, and Harry stood up a second later. Snape stood in the hallway, furious. Worty ducked behind a stone pillar, trying to look invisible.

"Oh, there they are!" Harry pointed to the floor. "Draco and I were looking for our wands. See, Draco, I told you they were nearby."

"You're right, there they are," Draco stooped down and grabbed both wands. "Here's yours, Potter."

"Thanks," Harry took his wand. "Good as new. I'm sorry, Professor Snape, did you need something?"

Snape looked a second away from crossing the space between them and boxing both their ears. "Let's try to keep it down out here," Snape ground out. "I would hate to give you both detention on such a nice day."

"Yes, sir," Draco nodded, and Harry put on his best angelic face.

"Mr. Commultington," Snape snapped.

Worty's face went white, but he stepped out from the pillar. "Yes, s-sir?" the little boy stammered.

"I need to have a word with you in my office," Snape said sternly. "Please come with me."

Casting a terrified look at Harry and Draci, Worty slowly started towards Snape.

"Uh, wait," Harry objected.

Snape gave him a warning look, and Harry amended, "I mean, I just wanted to tell Worty that we'll be outside. Maybe he would like to play by the lake this afternoon? Come find us later, Worty."

Harry tried to give Snape his best "Be nice to him" look, but Snape pretended not to see it or, if he did, not to understand it.

"Mr. Commultington," Snape ordered.

As soon as the small boy stepped past him, Snape ushered him down the hall and towards the office. Worty gave one last pitiful look back to the older boys before Snape made him go into the office and the door shut behind them.

"So," Draco turned to Harry, "you want to listen at the door?"

"Are you mad?" Harry replied. "And have Snape find us?"

"He won't know we're there," Draco insisted.

"Right. And Voldemort's just a snuggly teddy bear. You're an idiot."

"Fine," Draco shrugged. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't want to do anything with you," Harry retorted. "You were spying on me."

"You already got me for that," Draco returned. "And just so you know, I don't like people slamming me into walls."

"Well, I don't like people spying on me," Harry stepped up to Draco.

"You're looking for a bit of a tussle?" Draco challenged. "I didn't want to do much with the kid watching, but now I'll break every one of your teeth out of your mouth."

"I'll break your Pureblood nose," Harry did not back down.

"I'll rearranged your face and erase that scar," Draco stepped up as well. "I'll -"

The office door opened, and Snape stepped out halfway to glare at both boys. "Don't even think about it," he warned. "If I have to come back out here -" Snape let ominous silence hang in the air before he went back into the office and shut the door.

"What's he doing in there with Worty anyway?" Harry wondered.

"Who cares?" Draco hopped up on the waist-high ledge and casually leaned against the wall. "Why do you care so much about the tyke?"

"I dunno," Harry admitted. "I feel sorry for him - he seems so small."

"You were that small when you first came here," Draco remarked.

"Maybe that's why I understand how he feels," Harry confessed. "It's hard on the first years."

"So you were home-sick," Draco rolled his eyes. "Boo-hoo, cry your eyes out."

"I wasn't homesick," Harry said, refusing to get riled up again. "I loved coming to Hogwarts, and I still do. But I felt lonely and isolated and - oh, what? You never felt lonely?"

"No," Draco replied, "I've always had friends."

"Where are those friends?" Harry spread both of his arms out. "Where is your faithful - what do you call them? Entourage? Henchmen?"

"They're around," Draco muttered.

"Yeah, that's why you're hanging out with the Half-Blooded freak," Harry sneered. "Aren't you worried your family will find out you're talking to me?"

Draco glared at him, but then Harry asked,

"By the way, how did the rest of the summer go?"

"Fine," Draco shrugged. "Just hung out at the Manor. Thought about sneaking over to Snape's, but Mother took me to get new clothes. What about you?"

"Snape adopted me," Harry couldn't help grinning, especially when Draco looked livid. "Yeah, official paperwork," Harry tried not to look too satisfied with himself. "All legal, and snarky git made me his heir, too. His idea, of course."

Draco looked overwhelmed, but then the livid look began to turn into jealousy and something close to hurt, prompting Harry to quip,

"But you understanding, I plan to turn him Gryffindor in the end. No more of this Slytherin business. Before you know it, you'll be begging to come over to our side, and Hogwarts will only have three houses . . ."

"You're dead," Draco pushed himself off the ledge, but Harry was already running, trying not to laugh.

-----

He and Draco hung out until lunchtime, finding a quiet corner of the castle to sit around and talk about nothing. Harry stopped by Gryffindor Tower to get the toy Snitch Snape had given him during the summer, and he and Draco played around with it for while. Draco could run after it faster, but Harry had faster reflexes so they were pretty evenly matched.

Of course, there was a great deal of bragging about who would win at Quidditch this year. Draco was not happy to hear that the ban on Harry had been lifted, and Harry told him that the ban was the only chance Slytherin could win at all, which led to some more scuffling until the ignored Snitch thudded on Harry's head.

By the time, the bell rang for lunch, Harry was very hungry from running around. At the door of the Great Hall, Draco headed for the Slytherin table and Harry went to join Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table.

"Where were you?" Hermione demanded the moment Harry sat down. "We were studying this morning."

"You were?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Ron said, wearing a martyr's face, "for two hours on a Sunday morning. Welcome to sixth year."

"Stop complaining," Hermione snapped. "You'll thank me later."

"That's what you've been saying for five years," Ron replied. "Five years, and not once have I wanted to say thank you. Well maybe, in our first year looking for the Stone. And our second with the whole pipes/huge snake thing."

"Let's not forget when she saved Sirius and Buckbeak," Harry reminded him, starting to eat.

"All right," Ron said shortly. "But only those times."

"And every class she helps us," Harry grinned wickedly at Ron. "Otherwise someone would be repeating a year."

Ron looked murderous, and Harry added,

"I'm talk about myself, of course."

"Stop it, boys," Hermione leaned in closer to them. "We want to know what happened last night. I thought about waiting up, but I got tired. Ron said you never came back to bed."

"Well," Harry lowered to his voice, "I met with Moretta. And I saw Voldemort."

"Harry!" Hermione reached over and smacked his shoulder. "You're telling us this now?"

"Sorry," Harry gave his shoulder a quick rub. "But it was in a vision thing, and I got away. I woke up and Moretta looked crazy so I left. And I left my Cloak there, too! And then I went to Commons Room, and Snape was there."

"What?" Ron looked outraged. "That's for Gryffindors, not Slytherins."

"But he's a teacher," Hermione pointed out. "I guess teachers can go anywhere they choose in the castle. What did Snape say about your vision?"

"Well, he knew about it all along," Harry confessed. "He was all mysterious about it, telling me that it was about me, not Voldemort, whatever that means. Why can't anyone ever give me an honest answer? Instead, they throw out all these cryptic sayings that I'll never understand until it's too late, and of course then I look stupid."

"So are you still in trouble?" Hermione asked.

"What?" Harry came out of his self-degrading grumbling to glance at her.

"Snape found that you were sneaking around," Hermione pointed out. "I know he didn't like you wandering after curfew before, but with the whole new, you know," she looked meaningful, not wanting to say adoption with so many people close, "he must have been furious."

"Is that what happened?" Ron asked around a mouthful of food. "He take you to the dungeon and rake you over the coals?"

"Something like that," Harry muttered.

"Ha," Ron snorted after swallowing. "Not all it's reported to be, eh?"

"What?" Harry's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Parents," Ron replied. "Everybody wants them, and then you get them and they're all over you. Pain in the -"

"Ron," Hermione warned. "And you're completely wrong. Parents are wonderful things to have. I have my parents to thank for everything I am."

"Thank you, Grangers," Ron muttered.

"My parents were so supportive when they got the letter from Hogwarts," Hermione went on, ignoring Ron. "Imagine two dentists, wanting me to go to a private college, and then I started setting my bed on fire."

Harry and Ron stared at her.

"I didn't mean to," she told them. "I was playing with my toys, and I pretend that my bed was a forest on fire that my dolls had to get across. So I kept saying ‘Burning, burning fire.' And then my bed caught fire."

"What did your parents do?" Ron asked.

"I told them I didn't know how the bed caught fire, and I was so frightened, my dad held me and let me pick a book for him to read."

"Sounds about right," Ron scoffed. "My mum would have hung me out by ears. What about you, Harry? Snape read you a story last night? Or did he do the normal thing and take kitchen spoon to you?"

Harry's cheeks flushed red, but Hermione glared at Ron.

"Ronald, really! No hits a teenager with a wooden spoon anymore."

"Tell that to my mum," Ron said into his food.

"Well, your family's different," Hermione pointed out. When Ron looked indignant, Hermione explained, "Seven children? Six of them boys, two of them twins? I would be using a spoon, too, if I were your mother. But one Harry? Come on, Snape has a very easy job of it."

"Does Snape agree with her?" Ron turned to Harry, refusing to admit that Hermione might have a point.

"Snape doesn't agree with anyone," Harry sidestepped the question.

Ron grinned. "Can't imagine how he tortures you. You walked right into that trap, mate. He must have wanted to get even, just a little."

"Yeah, a little," Harry admitted. He wondered how quickly he could finish his food and get out of there before Ron asked too many questions.

"Ron, leave him alone," Hermione told him. "Obviously Snape reprimanded him, and he doesn't want to talk about."

Harry wondered if his face would catch fire like Hermione's bed.

"Oh, please," Ron retorted. "After all the times he's seen me get in trouble with my parents, it's high time I get some back. The time we drove the car, who got a Howler and who got nothing?"

"This is different," Hermione insisted.

"Yeah, the whole school doesn't know that Harry's in trouble," Ron retorted. "In my case, everyone knew!"

"You were twelve and decided to fly a car!" Hermione snapped. "A six-year-old would have better sense than that."

"Well, pardon me, Miss Perfect," Ron said. "We all don't get held and read to when we make a mess."

"The fire? An accident. Flying from London to Hogwarts? A death wish," Hermione told him. "Of all the childish, foolish, insane -"

"‘Childish, foolish, insane'," Ron mocked in a falsetto voice.

"Stop it, Ronald!" Hermione ordered.

"‘Stop it, Ronald'," Ron mocked again.

"I mean it!"

"I mean -"

"Snape spanks me!" Harry blurted out, unable to take the fighting.

They both fell silent, staring at him.

"Harry?" Hermione's mouth fell open. "Why didn't you tell someone?"

"Ha," Ron snorted, recovering from his shock. "Is that it?"

"Is that it?" Hermione looked outraged.

"Yeah, it embarrassing," Ron admitted. "But what's the big deal? I thought it was going to be something like the Cruciatus Curse or removing your fingers."

"Snape hits him!" Hermione hissed.

"So?" Ron asked. "Snape wallops him a few times? My dad's done the same to me and my brothers. Ginny's got it a few times, too."

"Your dad hit Ginny?" Harry jerked in his seat.

"Have you met my sister?" Ron replied dryly. "We've all gotten it at one time or another. Me, not as much though. I learned watching Fred and George. I quickly discovered I shouldn't stay around when they started cooking up schemes, or I'd have to line up with them to face mum and dad."

Hermione still looked horrified. "Harry, you have to report this."

"Report what?" Ron asked. "Unless Snape's hitting him across the face or cutting him - he's not, right, mate?"

"No," Harry didn't know where to look.

"Then who cares? Besides, can't be any worse than living with his relatives. Do you know what they used to do to him?"

Harry wanted the conversation to be over. He felt he had revealed enough for a long while yet, and he wished he could change the conversation to something else.

"He won't be going back to his relatives," Hermione said shrilly. "Harry, did he beat you all night?"

"No," Harry said hastily, praying no one could overhear them. Their table was mostly empty, but who knew what nosy students were listening. "I just - you know, went to sleep down in his study. I was tired and er, that's all."

"I don't like this," Hermione decided.

"What else is new?" Ron quipped. "You've got to loosen up, Hermione. You're wound so tight, you'll never get a bloke at this rate."

Harry could almost feel the air turn cold as Hermione turned slowly on Ron.

"I beg your pardon?" she looked ready to tear Ron apart. "I can't get a bloke? Who went out with Viktor Krum while he was here?"

"That was two years ago," Ron told her.

"He still writes," she protested.

"He does? What does that lout have to say to you? I didn't think he could read, let alone write."

"I'll have you know he's sent me beautiful letters," Hermione was growing louder. "He would write me poetry if I asked him to."

Harry got from the table, knowing they would be arguing for some time yet. As he got up, he saw Worty at the Slytherin table. The little boy sat beside Draco and seemed to be eating so Harry saw no reason to stop at their table.

Harry had just made it to the doorway of the room which led to the stairs when Madame Moretta blocked his way.

"Come with me," she ordered. "I have something you must see."