Severus stood to meet them as Albus swept out of the fireplace, resplendent as always in his sapphire robes. Draco stepped behind him. Severus watched the boy from the corner of his eye, judging his stance and reactions, even as he greeted Albus.

Draco was dressed plainly, for him, in a dark grey shirt and trousers. But simple as they were, the clothes were well-made as were the soft black leather loafers on his feet. His back was straight and his head held high. He carried his trunk, shrunk to miniature size, in one hand while the other rested calmly at his side. Most observers would have never guessed that he was nervous or uneasy, but Severus knew Draco better than most. He could see beyond the obvious façade to the tense lines of the boy's shoulders and the flicker of uncertainty in Draco's silver eyes as he glanced at Severus and then quickly averted his gaze.

Severus shook hands with Albus and exchanged pleasantries. Then the headmaster also glanced about the parlour. "How is Harry? I was hoping to see him."

"He's well." Severus was not sure that that was true, but he did not want to have a detailed discussion on Harry's state of mind in front of Draco. "Harry wants to see you as well, Albus. If you have a few minutes, I'll show Draco to his room and tell Harry that you're here."

"Of course," Albus agreed.

"Zan," Severus called, and an instant later the tiny elf appeared.

"Would you please see to Professor Dumbledore while I take Draco to his room?"

At Zan's affirmation, Severus motioned to Draco to follow him and led the way up the two flights of stairs and through a maze of corridors to the small room decorated in navy-blue on the top floor. Draco walked swiftly behind Severus and when they finally reached their destination, he looked about the room with an unreadable expression. His lips tightened slightly but he had the sense not to complain aloud.

Fortunately for him, Severus thought dryly.

Draco turned to face him. "Severus, I...I wanted to thank you for letting me come here instead of Azkaban."

Severus inclined his head. "You are welcome, Draco. But you should be aware that Harry had the final word in allowing you here."

Draco stared in amazement. "Pot-? I mean, Harry let me come here?"

"Yes, he did. He is the one you need to thank." Severus looked away from Draco's incredulous gaze and motioned to the room. "This will be your room while you stay here. That door on the far wall leads to your bathroom. Once we retire for the evenings you are not to leave these rooms until morning, unless there is an emergency. Is that understood?"

Draco hesitated, but then gave a single nod. "Yes, sir."

"I assume you've had dinner?" Severus asked.

Draco nodded again. "Yes, sir."

"Then you are to unpack and prepare for bed. I will be back later to discuss your schedule and responsibilities."

Severus swept away without waiting to see Draco's response. At the end of the corridor, he paused and turned back to raise his wand and murmur a low incantation before heading on his way On the floor below he stopped by Harry's room. His son was curled up on a window seat in his sitting room, leaning back against the wall with his knees drawn up to his chest. He held an open book propped against his knees, but was staring out the window at the darkening sky.

Before Severus could speak, Harry looked around at him.

"They're here," Harry said.

It was a statement rather than a question, but Severus answered anyway. "Yes. Albus is waiting for us downstairs in the parlour."

Harry set the book down and came to join him. He did not mention the other boy, but Severus told him anyway, "I took Draco up to his room with instructions to stay there."

Harry was silent for a moment before asking, "And there are monitoring charms on his room?"

"Yes, I just set them," Severus replied.

"Does he know?"

"No, I decided not to tell him. I want to see if Draco will obey of his own accord," Severus said.

Harry cast him a sidelong glance. "Very Slytherin of you, Dad."

"I will take that as a compliment." Severus gave a small shrug. "Of course Draco ought to know me well enough to suspect some such thing, if he stops to think about it."

They headed downstairs to the parlour to find the headmaster sitting in a stuffed armchair and sipping a glass of brandy.

"Harry, how are you? I hope you've been able to enjoy your afternoon back home," Dumbledore said.

Harry felt a tiny flash of the earlier resentment he had felt towards Dumbledore for leaving him with the Dursleys, but he did believe that the headmaster had truly believed it was for the best so he tried to push his bitterness away. "I have, sir. Thank you. Dad and I went flying this afternoon."

Harry sank down on the sofa as his father crossed the room to a tall cabinet. Severus poured a second glass of brandy for himself and a butterbeer for Harry. Then he came back to join them, handing Harry his drink and sitting beside him.

"Oh? That sounds delightful. I know Gryffindor will miss its Seeker in the next Quidditch game," Dumbledore responded.

Harry wondered if the headmaster had mentioned Quidditch in a deliberate attempt to entice him back to Hogwarts. It was possible, but he wasn't sure. In any case, it wouldn't work. Not even for Quidditch would he go back and face everyone at school.

But it did give him an opening to ask about his friends.

"I'll miss playing, sir, but I just can't go back. I'm sorry." Harry looked at Dumbledore beseechingly. "I really will miss everything though, especially being with my friends. I know it's not really school policy, but I wondered if maybe...if their parents said it was all right...if maybe you would let them come here to visit on the weekends sometimes? Please?"

"I think we could work something out, assuming that their parents agree, of course," Dumbledore said easily.

Harry gave him a genuine smile. "Thank you, sir."

Dumbledore smiled back and inclined his head. "You are very welcome, Harry. It is the least I can do."

They sipped their drinks in silence for a few minutes before Dumbledore spoke again.

"Severus, I know that you will wish to continue our search for a way to counteract the slavery spell. As all the materials are at Hogwarts, it will probably be easier if you come back there in the evenings."

Severus nodded. "Yes, I will, but I want to stay at home for a few days first, just to make certain that things are going smoothly here."

He didn't mention Draco by name, but Harry knew that he meant he wanted to be sure that Harry would be all right alone with Draco in the same house. Harry wasn't sure he liked that idea either, so he was glad that Severus recognized it could be difficult for him.

Dumbledore obviously understood the unspoken concerns too. He looked over at Harry and said, "Harry, you could come along as well if you wish. You could help us with our research, or you could study. I'm assuming that Severus will continue your education and give various assignments. But in any case, we'll be in my office and sitting room so you wouldn't have to see anyone else. Or perhaps we could arrange for you to visit with your friends then, too."

Harry nodded eagerly. "That would be brilliant, sir!" He glanced at his father. "That would be all right with you, wouldn't it, Dad?"

"Of course," Severus agreed. "So then Harry and I will come to Hogwarts on Monday evening."

There was another brief silence and then Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I'm sure you plan to continue Harry's education at home, Severus?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Why no, Albus, I hadn't. Education is over-rated, don't you think? I believe we should allow children to squander their time with idle amusements instead."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Ah, Severus, I'm going to miss your dry humour."

"Seeing as how we'll be working together in the evenings, I don't think you'll have to suffer for long," Severus responded.

Harry laughed and his father shot him a wry glance. "Am I entertaining you?"

"Yes." Harry leaned against him comfortably.

"Incorrigible brat." But Severus' tone was mild and he patted his son's knee.

Harry just laughed again.

Dumbledore beamed at them with an ‘I-always-knew-this-should-happen' expression.

Severus scowled at him. "Smug self-satisfaction is not a good look for you, Albus."

"Why, Severus, I don't know what you mean." Dumbledore was all wide-eyed innocence. But he quickly became serious again. "Returning to my original point, though, I had expected that you would tutor Harry. But, if you don't mind my asking, what of Draco? Do you think he should be tutored as well, or should his day be entirely consumed with chores?"

"I had planned for Draco to spend some time studying each day," Severus responded.

"But not with me," Harry said quickly, suddenly anxious again.

"No, not with you," his father reassured him. He turned back to Dumbledore. "I will need to work out a schedule, but I shall come up with a separate time to supervise Draco's education as well."

"That will take up a considerable amount of your time, tutoring first Harry and then Draco, won't it?" Dumbledore asked.

Severus looked at him sharply, his black eyes narrowed. "What are you leading up to, Albus?"

"Just that I have an acquaintance whose time is currently unoccupied, and I believe he could be a great help to you in instructing Harry and Draco," Dumbledore replied nonchalantly.

"I do not require any assistance," Severus said firmly.

At the same instance Dumbledore added, "And I thought that Harry might enjoy seeing an old friend again."

Harry sat up straight, almost spilling the rest of his butterbeer. "Remus? Did you mean Remus, sir?"

"I did indeed," the headmaster told him. He glanced over at Severus, whose pale face had tightened with disapproval. "But of course if you do not wish it, Severus...."

"Yes, you're very concerned with my wishes, aren't you?" Severus retorted. "As you so thoughtfully mentioned Lupin in Harry's presence."

"It's all right if you don't want him to come here, Dad," Harry said in a small voice. He did want to see Remus again, sort of. But he was also nervous about it. He had not seen or heard from Remus in months, not since the battle at the Department of Mysteries last spring when Sirius had died. Another small part of him was afraid to see Remus, because if he blamed Harry for Sirius' death, that would be so painful and Harry didn't know if he could take much more right now.

Even more, he was fond of Remus, but the man did have a habit of disappearing from Harry's life for months at a time. Harry liked him, but he couldn't really depend on Remus, not like he could depend on his father. Severus was always there for him, caring for him, protecting him, loving him. And Harry loved him too, with all his heart. He liked Remus, but he loved his father. There was no question of where his loyalty lay, and if Severus didn't want to allow Remus to come to Prince Hall, then Harry would abide by his wishes.

Severus studied him carefully and then said, "If you wish to see Lupin, Harry, it can be arranged."

He turned to Dumbledore. "I'm sure Albus will be happy to allow the use of his rooms at Hogwarts if we decide to have Lupin assist in tutoring. But we have only just returned, and Draco is here now as well. I suggest we wait a bit and let things settle down before we make a decision on whether Lupin's presence is needed."

"Whatever you wish," Dumbledore agreed easily.

"All right," Harry agreed. He studied his half-empty glass of butterbeer, wondering whether he really wanted to see Remus again or not. It was all so confusing. Well, his father was right. There was no need to make a decision right away. There was enough to be going on with already.

They finished their drinks and soon afterwards Dumbledore left to return to the school. It really wasn't very late, but Harry found that he was exhausted and when Severus asked if he wanted to read or play a game, he declined and headed back upstairs to bed. As he climbed the stairs, he wondered briefly what he would do if he happened to encounter Draco Malfoy, but there was no sign of the blond boy. Apparently Draco was following Severus' orders to stay in his room, for now at least.

Harry was so tired that he decided he would take his shower in the morning and just hurriedly changed to pyjamas before crawling into his huge four-poster bed and burrowing under the blankets. Despite the tensions and upheaval of the day...or perhaps because of them...Harry fell asleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow.

Downstairs, Severus went to the library and sat down at the mahogany desk. He took several sheets of parchment from a drawer and began planning. It was a couple of hours later when he finally sat back and read over his work. One sheet of parchment consisted of a list of daily chores for Draco. There were several other sheets of tentative lesson schedules and outlines.

Severus sighed as he perused them. Albus had been right. Tutoring both of the boys separately was going to take most of his day and he didn't like that. Besides keeping him busy it meant that he wouldn't have much free time to spend with Harry. But he would never force Draco's presence on his son so tutoring them together was not an option. Perhaps he should consider letting Lupin help. But if he did, the werewolf could do his part at Hogwarts. He was not setting foot at Prince Hall.

Well, not unless Harry really wanted it, anyway. Much as he despised Lupin, Severus would not deny his son the chance to see him. He had a feeling that Harry had allowed Draco to come to Prince Hall partially out of concern for his father. Severus would have never pressured Harry into giving Draco this opportunity and he was serious about putting Harry's needs first, but he still felt that Harry had been thinking of him when he had agreed to bring Draco here. And if that was true, it would be petty and hard-hearted to refuse to let Harry visit with Lupin. Severus had to admit that he had been petty and vindictive in the past, but he was working on changing. He wanted to be a better person than that, for Harry and for himself.

But there was no need to worry over Lupin just yet.

Severus took the list of chores and left the library, heading up to the top floor to Draco's room. He briefly considered knocking on the closed door, but then simply opened it and strode in.

"Draco, I have..." Severus abruptly checked himself as he realized that the room was dim. In the light from the hall and from the moonlight that spilled through the window, he could see that Draco was already in bed, curled on his side beneath the navy and white patterned quilt. The boy's eyes were closed and he was breathing deeply and evenly.

Severus watched him thoughtfully. He was not certain if Draco was truly sleeping or if he was putting on an act, but whichever it was, Severus decided he would wait and speak with him in the morning.

He turned and glided away, silently closing the door behind him.

***

The sky was misty-blue and a pale distant sun hovered above the horizon when Harry opened his eyes the next morning. For a second he felt confused and disoriented, but then it all came rushing back. Everyone knew about the slavery spell. He and Severus were at Prince Hall. Draco Malfoy was there, too, because Harry was ridiculously soft-hearted. But at least he didn't have to see Malfoy or have anything to do with him. And he wasn't. He was just going to enjoy being at home, safely away from all the questions and sneers and pitying looks. He wasn't going to have to face any of that, not here.

The tall grey grass of the moor waved in the wind and wispy clouds floated across the sky at a brisk rate. The air on his face was cool and Harry was content to huddle under the warm cozy bedcovers for a while.

But finally he decided to brave the early morning chill and threw back the covers. He hurried over to his wardrobe and quickly selected clothes for the day: a plaid shirt in muted colours, a thick olive-green jumper to wear over it, jeans, underwear and socks. Carrying the stack of clothing in one arm, he grabbed his glasses from the night table as well, and headed to his bathroom to shower and dress.

The warm water pouring over him felt luxurious and Harry lingered in the shower for a time. After finally getting out and dressing, he performed dental charms on his teeth and struggled to brush his hair into some semblance of order.

Harry grimaced at himself in the mirror, wishing for about the five-hundredth time that he had more manageable hair. But then again his father...his birth father, James...had had the same perpetually-mussed hair, and everyone had always said how handsome he was. Harry himself thought that James was quite good-looking in the photos that he had seen.

Everyone always said that Harry looked just like him, too, and Harry could definitely see the resemblance. Yet he never felt that he himself was handsome. On the contrary, he always felt like a mess. He tilted his head as he studied his reflection.

His dark hair was messy, but it was thick and shiny. His skin was a little pale, but it wasn't spotty at all. His face was thin and of course there were the glasses, but his eyes were a nice bright green.

Was it possible that perhaps he was a little bit more handsome than he thought? Maybe girls wouldn't mind his hair or the glasses. After all, James apparently had been considered a good catch by the girls.

But no, he was still short and scrawny, and even if he ever grew taller and filled out, nothing would change the fact that he was a slave. No girl in her right mind would want to date a slave.

That was just the plain hard truth, and Harry would just have to accept it.

He set the hairbrush down on the counter and turned away from the mirror. He was wearing his glasses now, but his vision blurred nonetheless and his throat ached from the painful lump that had lodged in it.

Blinking the tears away, Harry took a deep breath and headed back to his bedroom. It was almost time for breakfast. He needed to put on his brown loafers and go downstairs.

But as he crossed through the doorway, Harry abruptly froze and stared.

Draco Malfoy was standing in his bedroom.