Severus and Harry ate a simple meal of spaghetti with marinara sauce, salad, and bread with butter. Gavin woke up soon after and requested a bunch of Saltines with butter and some chicken soup. Afterwards, the Director queried the boy about his math quiz. "Why didn't you come to me when you were having a problem, Gavin?"

The boy shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "I dunno. I guess . . .I thought I could figure it out myself." He kicked the table leg moodily. "Fractions are dumb."

"I'm not even going to reply to that statement," Severus said. He took the quiz and summoned a fresh piece of parchment and an Everlast Ink quill to the table. "Let's go over this and I can show you how to do this properly."

Gavin made a face. "Why now? I'm still sick, Severus."

His guardian shot him a mild glare. "Oh? Then would you like some more Anti-Nausea potion?"

"No!" the kid shook his head.

"Ah. Then I guess you aren't too sick to do your homework, now are you?"

"Aw, Severus!"

"Stop whining. If you'd come to me in the first place, you'd not be in this mess now," Severus pointed out mercilessly.

"How'd I know you could do fractions? You're a wizard," the boy grumbled sulkily.

"What does my being a wizard have to do with my ability to do math?" Severus asked, frowning. "I'm a Potions Master, boy, if I didn't know how to measure precisely I could never brew a potion correctly. So of course I know how to do fractions."

"How about algebra and geometry?"

"Gavin, I know calculus," Severus replied, amused.

"Huh? What's that?"

"Really advanced mathematics," Harry put in. "Something I never mastered."

"Really? Good. Then I won't learn it either."

"Who says?" Snape demanded. "You'll learn whatever I choose to teach you, young man."

"What for? If Harry doesn't need it," Gavin began.

"You're not going to use Harry as an educational example," Severus cut him off. "He's lucky he graduated Hogwarts." Harry shot him an indignant glare, which Severus ignored. "Look here, Gavin. In order to add these two fractions, you need to find a common denominator . . ."

Gavin rolled his eyes. "I wish I'd lost this stupid quiz," he muttered.

"Then you'd have been in real trouble, young man." Severus gave him a warning frown. "If you ever deliberately lose a test or a report card because of a bad grade, you won't be allowed to watch TV or play video games for a month, and I'll personally stand over you and watch you do all your homework every night and send you to bed right after supper too."

"What? But, Sev, that's so unfair!"

"So is lying to me, Gavin. It's one thing to get a bad mark, it's another thing entirely to cover up for it by lying. That'll get you in twice the trouble you were in to begin with. Isn't that right, Harry?"

"Merlin help me, yes!" Harry told him. "Don't ever lie to him, Gavin. You'll end up with ten times worse the punishment than he would originally have given you. Take it from one who knows."

Gavin seemed suitably impressed by Harry's words, and after that settled down and allowed Snape to show him how to add and subtract fractions. Once the Director was satisfied that his apprentice had mastered the lesson, he told the child to go and get ready for bed. Since he still wasn't feeling well, Gavin did not bother putting up a fuss at going to bed at eight o'clock.

Fifteen minutes later, Severus came to tuck him in and give him a final dose of each potion, much to the apprentice's dismay. Still, he knew better than to refuse the medicine, and took it with a mulish scowl.

"Goodnight, Gavin. Pleasant dreams."

"Night, Sev," the boy replied sleepily. A minute later he was fast asleep.

The Director and Harry remained awake for another two hours, reading a Hunter journal in Severus' case, and writing a letter to the Auror department in Harry's, which he would send off with Hedwig by Express Post tomorrow. In it he detailed the situation he found himself in and Severus's assistance. He knew Moody would keep his silence on the matter unless it became obvious that Ginny couldn't be recovered. The last thing Harry wanted was to alarm the Weasleys, even though he knew he'd probably catch hell from Ron later for not telling him immediately.

Soon afterwards, both men decided to turn in, for they wanted to get an early start the next morning. Severus left Harry snoozing on the couch and went into his room, accompanied by Scout, who slept on the floor beside his bed most nights. Severus found himself curiously wakeful even after the events of the long day, and remained awake for twenty minutes until the peaceful silence lulled him into the realm of dreams.

He was awakened an hour later by a hair-raising shriek.

Scout bolted up from the floor, whining sharply in concern.

Severus was on his feet in a flash, his hand summoning his wand almost before he was out of bed.

Even as he did so, he knew there could be no intruder in the house, for the wardstone would not permit anyone of evil intentions near the house. And Scout was not growling either. He yanked open his bedroom door to find Harry standing there, his untidy hair even more rumpled than usual, blinking sleepily behind his glasses.

"Severus, I heard a scream," he began. His wand was in his hand too.

"Gavin," Severus sighed. "Sometimes he has nightmares." He led the way down the hallway to the boy's room.

He gestured and the lamp beside the bed blinked on, illuminating a bizarre scene.

Gavin was cowering against the wall, curled nearly double, his hands clasping his knees, his eyes unfocused, shivering violently. Several books and video games were flying about the room, spinning in the air like miniature whirlwinds. The dresser drawers were opening and shutting and a model of a dragon suddenly took wing off of a shelf and breathed a short tongue of flame, setting the carpet on fire.

"Merlin!" Harry exclaimed. "He's casting in his sleep?"

Snape nodded shortly. "He does that sometimes, it's a result of suppressing his magic." He pointed his wand and said, "Finite incantatum!"

Immediately, the books and video games fell on the floor and the fire went out, the dragon dropped to the ground and the drawers stopped opening and shutting. But the boy on the bed was still quivering and whimpering, tears trickling down his pale cheeks.

"No, please! I'll be good, sir! I promise!" he sobbed. He jerked as if slapped, huddling even further into a ball. "No more magic! I swear! Magic is evil."

Harry stared at the child in horror. "Holy Merlin! Severus, was he . . .?"

"Yes. He was raised by a Muggle who regarded magic as a tool of the devil," Snape answered, his eyes burning. "The bastard beat him every time he accidentally used magic. Until he ran away."

Harry shook his head sadly. "God, like the Dursleys," he murmured.

Severus barely heard him, he was too busy trying to comfort his son. "Gavin! Wake up! It's a dream." He went to stand beside the bed, not daring to touch the child yet, knowing from experience that his touch would only bring more terror to him right then, for Gavin was lost in his horrible memories of his early life, being beaten by Ferrous the orphan manager.

The boy sobbed louder. "Please . . .I'll never do it again . . .I'm a devil's spawn. . . I said it, sir! Magic is evil, now stop! STOP!" he began to howl, shaking so badly it was all Severus could do not to grab him and hold him.

All of a sudden the window behind the desk shattered, spraying glass everywhere.

"Sweet Merlin!" Harry yelled, then chanted a repairing charm.

Severus winced, then cried, "Look at me, Gavin!"

The boy's head jerked at the sharp tone, and he lifted his face from his knees and stared at his mentor without seeing him.

But that glance was enough. Snape pointed his wand and whispered, "Legilimens!"

Gavin gasped as the Director entered his mind.

* * * * * *

He was sobbing and cowering against the wall, waiting for Ferrous to strike again, his backside and legs crisscrossed with welts from the switch the orphan manager wielded with such righteous fury. It hadn't been his fault, he had never meant to cause the plates to fly off the shelf when he was drying them, but he'd wanted to finish his chores early so he could gain a few precious minutes of reading before bedtime.

He'd forgotten that odd things sometimes happened when he wished for them. Things that were not normal . . .things that little boys should never be able to do. He was a freak, an unnatural devil-spawned freak, and someday he would end up in hell, with all the other devils and demons who used magic.

But until then, Ferrous took it upon himself to keep the demon in the child subdued, and punished the boy savagely every time another "strange thing" occurred.

"Devil's whelp! When will you EVER learn?" Ferrous growled, lifting the switch again. "Will this teach you? Or this? Wicked child, better you had died than been born!"

The switch whistled through the air, striking the child's bottom with a sharp crackling sound. Gavin shivered and cried out, praying the punishment would end soon.

"I'm sorry, sir! Please!" he hated begging, but he couldn't help it, and he knew if he remained silent Ferrous would only wield the switch harder.

Ferrous snarled and brought the switch down again, once, twice, and again, ignoring the boy's desperate wails to stop.

"ENOUGH!" cried a soft voice, one that made time seem to freeze.

Gavin spun around, his face lighting up.

A large man dressed in a billowing black cloak stood between him and Ferrous, giving the orphan manager a look that could have melted stone. The switch Ferrous held exploded into fragments.

"Get away from him!" the tall figure ordered. He pointed his wand at Ferrous, who suddenly seemed to shrink and dwindle to nothing. "You have no power over me, Ferrous. Now be gone!"

And Ferrous vanished.

Gavin stared up at his rescuer, tears of relief falling down his cheeks. His guardian angel had come, and he would never need to fear anything again. His dark protector would keep him safe.

"Come, Gavin," the dark guardian ordered, holding out a hand. "It's time to wake up."

Gavin crept out of the corner and placed his small hand trustingly in the other's large one.

* * * * * *

Severus blinked, coming out of the Legilimancy spell in a heartbeat. He was sitting on the edge of Gavin's bed, one hand extended cautiously towards the child.

Gavin shivered, then woke all at once. His eyes sought Severus and he gasped in relief. "Severus! You came for me."

"I will always come for you, Gavin." He held out his arms. "Never doubt that, child."

"I'm sorry . . .I didn't mean to do magic . . .honest!" the child wept, a part of his mind still lost in the nightmare.

"Gavin, son, it's all right," Severus soothed, reaching out a hand to pat the child soothingly. "You can do magic here, it's not forbidden, remember? Magic is never forbidden here."

The boy nodded, then threw himself at Snape, who caught him easily and held him tight, rocking him back and forth. "I'm sorry, so sorry . . .I'm sorry . . .!"

"Hush, hush, child, you're safe," Severus murmured, rubbing the child's back in gentle circles over and over. "You have nothing to apologize for. You did nothing wrong."

"I did . . .that's why Ferrous punishes me . . .because I'm a devil spawn . . .!"

"Never!" Severus whispered firmly. "You are no devil, Gavin. You're my son, Gavin Snape. My wonderful magic son and there is nothing evil about you!"

Gavin burst into renewed sobs at that statement, almost as if he was unable to believe what his father said, and Severus hushed him and rocked him back and forth, humming softly. Gavin clung to him, burrowing his face into the Potion Master's shoulder, heartbreaking sobs shaking his small frame.

Harry stared at the poor child, swallowing hard, his own eyes stinging in remembered empathy. How many times had he heard those same words from his aunt and uncle? How many times had he cried himself to sleep in his cupboard, convinced he was a freak and not fit to live with normal people? His eyes met those of Severus's over the dark head, and he saw with a sudden flinch that Snape too had endured his own version of Gavin's nightmare.

For one moment, dark eyes locked with green, and in them was a shared understanding of sorrow and pain and a terrible empathy. Harry shivered and closed his eyes for a moment, tears of sympathy streaking his cheeks. He knew exactly how poor Gavin felt, God how he knew!

He opened his eyes after a moment, dashing away the tears, and caught Snape doing the same with one hand. His other was still holding his son protectively.

Severus turned his gaze down, not wanting to meet Harry's eyes a second time. He had already revealed more than he wished to with that one glance. He had seen the instant comprehension in Harry's emerald eyes, the comprehension of one who knows intimately the hell and fear of an abusive childhood. Like himself, like Gavin, he too had once been at the mercy of the beast. For one instant it created a bond between the three, a shadowy link of remembered anguish.

For several long moments the only sound in the room was Severus humming softly and Gavin sniffling and whimpering. Snape never ceased stroking the kid's hair and back, and gradually the boy relaxed against him, not caring that he was too old to be held, wanting only the comfort of Severus's arms, the solid strength that protected and shielded him.

"Are you all right now?"

Slowly, Gavin nodded, lifting his head and looking at Severus from swollen red-rimmed eyes. "Yeah. I'm sorry I woke you up, crying like a little baby. It was only a stupid dream."

"That's okay, son. You can always come to me, no matter what time of the night it is," the Director said. "Do you remember what I told you the first night you spent here?"

Gavin's brow wrinkled. "I-I think so. You said . . .you'd never get mad at me if I had nightmares and woke you up. You'd only get mad if I had one and didn't wake you up. Right?"

"Exactly. There's nothing to be ashamed of. We all have nightmares, son, and everyone needs someone to help them at one time or another. You know that if you ever need me, all you have to do-"

"Is ask," his son finished, and smiled at him. Then he sighed and snuggled into his father's arms again. "Will you stay with me until I fall asleep again?"

"Certainly," Severus said. He gently transferred the boy back to his bed, allowing the child to hold his hand while he pulled up the blankets. Then he stroked Gavin's hair and hummed quietly.

But Gavin was still restless, even though he was tired and Severus's humming was very soothing. "Relax, child. Nothing will hurt you. I'm here. I'll keep watch. Now close your eyes."

"I can't. I'm afraid . . ."

"Of another nightmare?"

"Yes," Gavin admitted, blushing furiously.

"Hmmm. I think I can help with that," Severus said. Then he summoned a Dreamless Sleep Potion with a wave of his wand. "Drink this and you'll sleep without dreams."

Gavin eyed the crystal vial with the lavender potion warily. "Promise?"

"Promise."

Snape helped him sit up and uncorked the vial. Gavin swallowed it obediently. It tasted of chamomile, mint, and some other fruity substance he didn't recognize. It hit the back of his throat in a soothing caress and all at once he felt his eyelids grow heavy.

"Severus," he whimpered, and felt the other man stroking his hair.

"Sleep, Gavin," whispered his teacher and Gavin quit fighting and allowed the potion to send him into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Once Severus was sure the boy was sleeping, he rose from the bed and beckoned Harry out of the room. He left the door partially open and the lamp on, even though he knew Gavin would not wake until morning.

Harry followed silently, returning to the den and seating himself on the couch. Severus sat in the recliner opposite, plainly upset at what had occurred. The two stared at the dying embers of the fire for several interminable minutes before Harry said, "Uh, does he have nightmares like that often?"

"Sometimes. But he hasn't had one like that in a long time. Arista's therapy sessions took care of most of the anxiety and fear he was suffering subconsciously."

"He's had therapy?"

"Yes. It was necessary for a kid with his background. Too much emotional residue was making his magic go totally out of control. With Arista's help, we managed to get him to stop suppressing his magic so violently. So now when his magic expresses itself it isn't quite so . . . spectacular."

"He's very strong."

"I know. His latent ability is amazing." Severus said with a note of pride in his voice. Then his eyes darkened. "That damn Muggle! He nearly crippled the boy for life. Another few years and he might have ruined one of the greatest magical talents of the age. If it weren't for the fact that he is currently rotting in Riker's Island prison for abusing several other children under his care, I would go find him and curse him until he begged for mercy."

The icy fury in Severus's tone sent chills up Harry's spine. Once again he thanked God he wasn't Snape's enemy. "Can't say I blame you. In fact, I'd probably help you."

"Yes, I don't doubt you would." Severus eyed the other wizard shrewdly. "For you, like us have walked your own dark night. And you survived to see the promise of the morning as well."

"Yeah, I guess you could say so," Harry admitted softly. "Seeing him like that . . .it brings back memories . . .things I thought I'd forgotten . . ."

"You never forget. You only stop letting it hurt you." Snape shook his head. "For me the nightmare ended at last with my father's death. For you, however, it still haunts you."

Harry bristled, angry that the older man could still read him so unerringly. "What makes you say that, Severus? I put my past with the Dursleys behind me long ago."

"Have you?"

Harry opened his mouth to snap out an affirmative. Then he closed it, for he knew that saying so was a lie. And he had spoken enough lies to this man without adding another. "No. I thought I had . . .but now . . ."

"It's difficult to close the wounds when the source of them is still alive," Snape said quietly. "Did no one ever suggest therapy for you, Harry?"

"No. Why would they?"

"Because it would have been the logical thing to do after what you've been through. Not just with your relatives, but Riddle also. I can't believe Albus never dreamwalked you."

"Dreamwalked? What's that?"

"An advanced wandless spell that allows a person to walk through memories in your mind and help you confront them and heal from them. The spell is called the dreamwalk spell. It's used as a last resort, most times, when all other Memory Charms have failed. I would have thought Albus, of all people, would have seen your need . . ."

"Well, he didn't!" Harry snapped. "All he saw was The-Boy-Who-Lived. No one cared about anything else, did they? Not even you, Severus."

Snape winced at Harry's barb. Then he met the younger man's eyes. "I deserved that. I should have seen the signs long ago, I knew what to look for. After all, I'd been there too." He shook his head angrily. "But all I could see was another James, my tormentor. Stupid, and me with a Master's Degree in Psychology."

"There are none so blind as those who will not see," Harry quoted, more for himself than for Snape.

"There was never a truer saying," Severus said ruefully. "Albus, God rest his soul, probably figured you were dealing with it and never thought to look deeper," he sighed. "I respected and loved that man like my father, but sometimes he could be as dense as a post. He manipulated people for his own ends a lot of times, he was as cunning as any Slytherin, granted it was for a good cause, but still . . ."

"He used me to the end," Harry said bitterly. "And you too, come to think of it."

"Yes. There were many times I argued quite fiercely with him over that. Oh, not for myself, but for you. He wanted to make a boy into a hero before he was even a man."

"And he did."

"But he never reckoned on the cost, I think. All those years when he was flinging you into harm's way, on one mad quest after another, I used to want to shake him till his teeth rattled. It was no way to treat a child."

"Then why the hell didn't you stop him, huh?"

"I couldn't. He had me swear an Unbreakable Vow to aid him in whatever way he saw fit in order to defeat Voldemort. I was pledged to the Dark Lord's destruction, I couldn't really oppose him. Much of what he had you do I didn't agree with. Much of what I did to you myself, I never liked. But he insisted you be tested, tested by adversity, and so you were."

"Damn meddling old fart!" Harry swore. "He could have at least asked me first, if I wanted to be a bloody hero."

"And what would you have said?"

"God only knows," Harry sighed. Then he eyed his former professor thoughtfully. "What would you have done differently, if you'd had a choice?"

Severus smiled wolfishly. "Well, first off I'd have put you in Slytherin so I could keep an eye on you. And there would have been none of that foolish wandering about after dark in and out of the castle either. You'd have been made to follow rules the same as any other student."

"I was made to follow the rules!" Harry objected.

"Oh, come now, Harry, Albus let you get away with things that would have earned another student an immediate expulsion. That incident with Arthur's car not the least of it. What about the incident with Black? Or the hippogriff?"

"You knew about Buckbeak?"

"Of course I knew. Albus had appointed me your protector, you know. The unseen protector, but I was charged with keeping you safe. Which you made bloody impossible sometimes. Oh, Potter, you don't know how many times I longed to shake you senseless. Either that or wallop the living daylights out of you for being such an impulsive reckless idiot. I'm still amazed you lived to adulthood."

"Looking back on it, so am I," Harry admitted with a wry chuckle. "I think a part of me was trying to live up to my father's reputation."

"I agree. Which was why I wanted to throttle you so many times. Your father was many things, not the least of which was brave, but he took too many risks, and in the end he paid for it with his life. Albus always loved that reckless devil-may-care attitude, which was why no doubt he encouraged it in you. I would have never done so had I been in charge of you. In fact, I did my best to discourage you."

"Tell me about it. Too bad it didn't work."

"Indeed."

Harry shook his head. "Funny, I used to think Dumbledore was such a wonderful man, he was like my grandfather, I guess. The kind I never had. I used to think he could do no wrong. But he did."

"Yes. Albus was only human, like the rest of us."

"I can see that now. He should have taken me away from the Dursleys and given me to someone else to raise. Blood bond or not, there had to have been a better way to hide me than leaving me there."

"I said that often to him."

"Matter of fact, he ought to have given me to someone like you. Someone who would have treated me more like a kid instead of a hero. I can't believe I just said that."

"I can. Your perspective changes when you become a parent," Severus explained, amused. "You look back on all the insane things you did as a child and a young man and you say, God but I'll never let my child make the same mistakes I did, or do the things I did. If you caught your son sneaking around in the middle of the night with a killer on the loose, I'd wager you wouldn't just sit back and say, oh well, boys will be boys."

"No. I wouldn't," Harry answered, somewhat dazed. "I'd be spitting mad and-and wanting to do what you said before. Much as I hate to admit it, you're right."

"As usual."

"Oh, shut up, Sev."

"Manners, young man," Severus chided teasingly.

"Fine. Kindly shut your mouth, Professor Snape, sir."

Severus's mouth twitched into a reluctant grin. "Still a disrespectful brat. I ought to have made you scrub the dungeon floor more often. Then maybe my lecture would've sunk in." Harry snorted. "Or perhaps a few swats would have got your attention."

"From you, maybe. It never did with Uncle Vernon."

"There is a difference between what he did and what I would have done, had I the raising of you." Severus countered. "Like I said earlier, when we were discussing Umbridge, there's discipline and then there's abuse. You ought to know the difference by now. I'm only sorry I never paid as close attention to you as I should have, then you wouldn't have been quite so alone."

"The way you were alone?" Harry guessed.

Snape nodded. "My father taught me long ago that I had no one except myself. But he was wrong, because I did have someone. And no, it wasn't Albus. When I was your age I met my Amelia, and it was she who taught me all the things about love and friendship I had never known. Like Arista, she was an empath, and she could heal souls. She healed mine and I will be forever grateful for it. Through her I gained a family. She was the very best thing in my life."

"How did she die, Sev?"

"She was killed hunting down Livia Nightshade twenty years ago. She was a Dark Hunter, like I am now."

"Merlin! I never knew . . .wait a minute! You're cited as having assisted in Nightshade's capture and death, according to our records. That was why you went after her, right? Because she killed your wife."

"That was part of it. But also because Nightshade was a criminal who deserved to face justice for her crimes. And so she did."

"I only hope I can do the same for Ginny. Make that I will do the same for Ginny." Harry corrected.

Severus gave him a nod of approval. "Keep that attitude, Mr. Potter. I pray your story has a different ending than mine. And now, I think I'm going to go back to bed." He rose to his feet.

"Me too," said Harry, yawning.

The two bid each other goodnight and went back to sleep.

Barely an hour later, Severus was yanked out of a most pleasant dream of Amelia and him walking along the beach, arms wrapped about each other, whispering sweet nothings inbetween kisses. This time it was Harry who was moaning and crying out in his sleep.

Smothering a groan, Severus rose, threw on a black velvet sleeping robe, and went into the den. He found the young Auror thrashing about on the couch, the blanket tangled about his feet, his face twisted in a grimace of agonizing worry.

"Please . . .not my Ginny!" he whimpered. "I'll do anything . . .I promise . . .just don't hurt her! Please! She's gonna be a mother . . .don't you hurt them, you miserable SOB!"

This last he shouted in a menacing tone and then shot bolt upright from the couch.

Or at least he tried to. But the blanket bound his lower body tightly and all he succeeded in doing was making himself fall off the couch.

He landed on the floor with a thump. His eyes popped open then. "Huh? How'd I do that?"

"Harry, are you all right?" Severus limped over to the younger wizard.

"Severus?" Harry blinked owlishly at the black blur hovering over him.

Then Snape put Harry's glasses on him, and suddenly he could see again. He glanced down at himself, puzzled. "What am I doing on the floor?"

"You were having a nightmare and knocked yourself off the couch," Severus explained, trying to detangle Harry from the blanket.

Harry blushed furiously, then tried to help Severus, who batted his hands away and told him to be still. Feeling utterly embarrassed, he obeyed, allowing the Director to free him from the tangle of covers. He thanked God he was wearing a pair of sweats and not just boxers, the way he usually did when he slept with Ginny. At last his legs were freed and he managed to stand up, wincing at the dull ache in his lower back and behind, which had absorbed most of the impact of his fall.

"Are you all right?" Severus repeated.

"Fine. Sorry I woke you," he apologized, feeling like an utter idiot. Could this day get any worse?

He waited for Snape to return to his room, but Severus did nothing of the sort. Instead he gave Harry a searching glance, then relit the fire with a word and seated himself in the recliner. "That was quite a nightmare you were having. Would you care to talk about it?"

Harry started to shake his head, ashamed that Snape had to see him like this, whimpering like a child over night terrors. He half expected the other man to sneer at him and accuse him of having bad dreams in order to make himself feel important. But Snape was not sneering. Instead he was looking at Harry with something very like concern. It was almost the same expression he'd worn when he went to comfort Gavin.

"You wouldn't understand," he muttered in a soft voice, so low that Snape almost couldn't hear him.

"No? I've lived through plenty of my own nightmares, Harry. Sometimes it helps to talk about it."

Harry hesitated, clearly torn between keeping silent and sharing the terrible dream. Severus waited patiently, not pushing the younger man. Perhaps he was not the ideal confidante, but he was the best Harry had at this time. He could tell the younger man was overwhelmed with conflicting emotions, not the least was his great fear that he would lose Ginny to the Shifter, and along with her their unborn children.

Harry stared down at his hands, wanting to speak, yet not knowing where to begin. At last he said, "I dreamed about Ginny. I saw her with the Shifter, he was going to kill her or whatever, and I knew I wouldn't be fast enough to stop him, so I . . .cried out for him to leave her alone."

"That much I heard," Severus remarked. "Then what happened?"

"He had a knife to her throat . . .I wanted to curse him so bad, but I daren't risk Ginny like that, so I . . .begged him not to hurt her. I hated that, but I had no choice. I swore a long time ago that nothing ever would come between Ginny and me. Not even my pride. So I gave in and did what he wanted. And then he laughed in my face and said it wouldn't do me any good, because he was going to kill her anyway." Harry closed his eyes, shivering as he recalled his wife's face, pale and terrified, silently pleading with him to save her and their children.

"I . . .tried to stop him, I think I went to cast at him, but he laughed and . . .then he killed her. Blood everywhere . . .so much blood . . .God help me, but I failed her . . ." Bitter tears fell through his cupped hands, which were pressed against his face.

"No, you didn't. Harry, that was a dream."

"Felt more like a vision than a dream," he murmured brokenly. "What the hell kind of hero am I, if I can't even save my wife and my kids?" He lifted his face from his hands, and in his eyes burned a terrible grief intermingled with fear. "Tell me, Professor, since you're so bloody smart!"

Snape did not reply for a long moment. Why do you expect me to have all the answers? Simply because I'm twenty years your senior does not mean I know everything there is to know, by Merlin's Beard! And he was no Albus Dumbledore, to pretend to a knowledge he didn't have. So he simply said, "I think you're reading too much into this nightmare, Harry. Sometimes dreams are just dreams, despite what Trelawney believes. I hardly ever rely on prophecies, they're too ambiguous. That was one thing Lily and I agreed on absolutely."

Harry looked startled at Severus's mention of his mother. "She did?"

"Yes. She never took Divination, said it was a waste of time. Opted for Ancient Runes instead. As did I. Crystal gazing and tea leaves have never been my forte," here his lip curled in a sneer. "Tea is good for medicinal purposes and drinking, but utterly useless in divining the future. You might as well look for the hidden meaning in a dust mote. Would you like a Dreamless Sleep Potion? That's what I gave Gavin."

Harry considered. Then he shook his head. "No. They always make me fuzzy headed the next morning. Maybe some of that stress tea, though. . ." he rubbed his eyes, looking oddly like a small boy, a tousled headed little kid in need of a hug to chase away the terrors of the night.

Severus turned away to glance into the fire. He couldn't believe he'd just thought that about Potter, of all people. He'd never felt the least bit paternal towards the famous wizard before. Well, that wasn't quite true. He'd often thought the boy could use a father to teach him respect for his elders and the folly of risking his fool neck on one harebrained scheme after another. If he'd been Harry's father, he could have straightened the brat out, he'd thought on more than one occasion. Not that he was volunteering or anything, he amended hastily.

He snapped his fingers, summoning a steaming hot cup of his stress tea. The large green mug appeared with a pop on the end table beside Harry. "Drink that all and then lie back down and meditate for a few minutes," Severus ordered. "Clearing your mind might help you relax."

"I guess," Harry said glumly, but he sipped the tea as instructed, not in the mood to engage in a debate with Snape at this time of night. The tea was soothing, it contained mint and lavender and chamomile, among other things. Harry was not up to analyzing the herbs in it, besides it was Snape's special recipe and he did not share the formula with just anyone, Slayer of Voldemort or not.

Eventually he finished the cup and stretched out on the couch, which was very comfortable, much better than the one he had at home, he admitted silently. The Director had good taste in furniture. He closed his eyes, attempting to clear his mind the way he did for Occlumency lessons so long ago.

But he found his mind drifting away from the blanket of nothingness he tried to cast over it. He kept seeing Ginny in his mind, alone and frightened, trapped in some dank cell, freezing and being sneered at by the Shifter, whom Harry pictured as looking very like Draco Malfoy, his old school nemesis.

Please let her be all right, he prayed. Please. I've lost too much in my life, don't make me lose this too. Please, Lord, let me be in time. I'm nothing without my Ginny. Nothing. She's the only one ever to care about me, just Harry, not the damn Chosen One.

He tried to do the meditation exercises Severus had taught him, but his mind refused to settle, it whirled like a gyroscope, round and round. Irritated, he sat up, scowling. "It's not working, blast it!"

Severus raised an eyebrow at Harry's vehement statement. "Perhaps a Sleeping Draft? I could make one up in a few minutes. I used the last of my store on Gavin."

"No. I'll just. . .try and fall asleep normally. This won't be the first time I've stayed up all night."

"If you're overtired, you might miss something crucial to our investigation. You need to sleep," Severus told him firmly.

Harry shot him an arctic glare. "Well, I can't, Director, since I keep seeing my wife being hurt and killed over and over. What do you suggest I do, count sheep? Follow the butterflies? Wait, I know! Maybe you can sing me a lullaby?"

"I can't sing," Severus said, amused at the other's sarcastic tone. "But I can hum."

"Whatever. Nothing you do is going to help me sleep," Harry said grumpily.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Nope. It's a fact. Like the sky is blue."

"I beg to differ. I've put difficult four-year-olds to bed, Mr. Potter. I can certainly do the same for you."

"Without using magic?"

"Of course. I never use magic on children unless it's absolutely necessary."

"I'm not a child!"

"You're acting like one right now," Severus said with a hint of sharpness. "Now lie back and close your eyes." He waited until Harry had followed those directions before he said, "All right. Now breathe in and out, slowly, ten times. Inhale. Good. Exhale. Slowly, there's no rush. Now hold for a count of three." Severus coached the reluctant Harry through the beginning stages of meditation.

He watched the younger man carefully, noting the precise moment when Harry started to relax, all his muscles going limp, his breathing even and deep. Then Severus began to hum. The song he hummed was the same one he'd used on Gavin, the same one his own mother had sung him to sleep with as a little boy, it was the only lullaby he knew-Hush Little Baby.

He had a suspicious feeling that Harry had never had a lullaby sung-or hummed-to him ever. Like Gavin, the Slayer of Voldemort had known precious little affection in his life, Severus knew better than to assume that Petunia would ever treat her freak sister Lily's child with anything more than a cold sense of duty and contempt. Ah, Lily, I'm sorry I was such a blind ass. I let my jealousy and anger over James blind me to the fact that the kid was as lost and lonely as I ever was. He had friends, sure, but no adult to talk to, no one to advise him. Albus, for all of his kindness, saw the hero he needed, not the boy in need of a parent. And I saw James reincarnated, not Harry. Even Sirius Black, that overgrown mutt, only saw a companion, just like his father was to him. We were all fools. Severus continued to hum, watching as the lines on Harry's brow smoothed out and he slipped into a true sleep.

The Director hummed for a few minutes more, satisfying himself that Harry was out, then he stopped and walked over to the couch. He paused to drape the blanket over the young wizard, then stood looking down at the dark-haired son of his best friend regretfully. "Ah, Harry. The sins of the fathers. . .should not be passed onto the sons. Maybe someday you can forgive me for doing so." He sighed heavily. "Maybe one day I'll forgive myself." He removed Harry's glasses, brushed a hand lightly across his hair, a gesture of affection Harry would have never permitted while awake. "Pleasant dreams, Harry. I hope."

Then Severus glided from the room, his black robe billowing like the wings of a hawk, to seek his own bed and the sleep he'd lost somewhere in the middle of the night.