Georgie knew the name - oh, he knew the name all right! - and it took all his willpower not to punch the bigoted asshole right in the nose; that would show him to treat his Sevvy badly! But Georgie also knew what was at stake, not only Severus' life but the others' as well. Especially the life of a young teen Georgie had become so very fond of, a young teen that was currently hiding at the top of the stairs. Knowing this, the old man kept Lucius' vision blocked; he would not risk him seeing Harry.

"You can wait here." Stepping back, Georgie slammed the door in his face, it wasn't punching him, but it was something. He hurried up the stairs. "Harry, Ron..." He stopped in front of them, both pale and huddled together behind the plant. There was a spark of defiance in Harry's eyes, the boy was afraid but willing to fight if it came down to it. Georgie knew, however, that he wasn't ready. "Ron, go wake Hermione, don't leave the room and keep the door closed. Quiet as mice, got it?" Ron nodded and took off down the hall into their room, the door closing swiftly behind him. "Harry, I need you to go wake Sev, tell him what's going on, then, into your room with your friends. You...Hide. Even in the room, please. Closet, anything. " Harry nodded, frightened, he wasn't ready for this. "I'm gonna get my wand from my bedroom and wake Baylor. We need to move the other kids..." With a reassuring squeeze to Harry's shoulder, Georgie left him to retrieve his wand.

Down the hall, Harry knocked on Severus' door as he was opening it, too nervous to remember just who was in there.

"Oh, bloody hell!" He turned around quickly, red to his ears, and stared at the door he had just closed. Severus was just waking up and suddenly glad the blankets covered at least half his body. As for Lizzie, the professor just hoped Harry had seen breasts before and that he wasn't responsible for stealing more of the kid's innocence.

"Usually, when one knocks, Mr. Potter, that denotes actually waiting for said door to be answered."

"I'm sorry, Sir." Harry said, his back still turned, "But, this is kinda important."

Lizzie, who had sat laughing the whole time, the top-sheet now up and tucked under her arms, said, "Something wrong? And you can turn around now. I'm covered."

Harry paused, but turned to face them. He took a deep breath. "Lucius Malfoy is here. Looking for you, Severus." His cheeks were still red but his expression was pained and worried. He stared somewhere over Severus' left shoulder.

The light atmosphere that the room held was gone in an instant.

"WHAT?!" The potions master jumped up, nearly pulling Lizzie off the bed when he took the blankets with him. "Turn around! Turn around!" Harry hastily turned around as Severus searched for, found, and pulled on his jeans from the previous day. "How the hell does he know where I am?! Bloody fucking hell! Christ almighty, this is bad, this is bad, bad, bad!!" He spun in a circle quickly, trying to figure if he needed anything else. "Son-of-a-bitch!"

If it were under different circumstances, Harry would have found his professor's uncharacteristic outburst hysterical, but for the moment, he couldn't agree more. "Potter, stay here with Lizzie. DON'T move. Where's your wand?"

"It's...it's in other room."

"Shit, okay, STAY." Hurrying from the room, he burst open Harry's bedroom door. "Harry's wand, give it here, hurry!" Moments later, he skidded into back into his own bedroom and thrust the wand into Harry's hand. He quickly pulled a shirt over his head. "I know you know how to defend yourself. If anything happens, you use it. Harry," he took the young teen's chin in his hand and forced the scared child to look at him, "Listen to me. Regardless of what may transpire, you need to protect yourself. You need to forget that foolish Gryffindor bravery for once. YOU are the most important aspect in this war. You. Not Ron, not Hermione, not me, Georgie, Lizzie, or anyone else. You. Do you understand?" Harry nodded. Stepping back, Severus surveyed the boy in front of him; he gave Harry a tight smile, kissed Lizzie quickly, and pocketed his own wand before stepping from the room and disappearing down the hall.

Lizzie, now dressed in one of Severus' shirts that fell to her knees, locked the door muggle style and with her wand, wizard wise as well. She turned to face Harry, "Are you okay?"

Harry shrugged, "What can I do?"

She nodded and sat on the bed. "I couldn't imagine being you."

Again, Harry shrugged, but he didn't want to even think about what was going on at the moment. The very thought that Lucius Malfoy knew where he was made him shake in fear.

Harry numbly played with his hands. He didn't dare look up at Lizzie. "I'm sorry I just barged in, I, um, I didn't see anything."

"Liar."

"Okay, maybe a little."

She laughed and pulled on her jeans, "You can rub it in Severus' face later."

"So what's the story between you two?"

Sitting next to him, Lizzie cocked her head to the side, "Is this you trying to not think about that creep that is currently at the door?"

"Maybe."

"And are you using me as a scapegoat so you have something else to think about?"

"Is it working?"

"Uh-huh. Severus and I met about 12 years ago. We were friends first, lovers second. We didn't actually become an item until years later. I think it was the summer after you started school, yeah, so 6 years ago? I don't know, my math is bad." She smiled and nudged him and reluctantly, Harry allowed himself to laugh.

"My fault then?"

"Mmhmm. He came back here over the summer, ranting and raving about how you almost got yourself killed and," here, she did her best Snape impersonation: a deep voice with a bite in it, "'the reckless fool! Parading about like his God-damned father - acting as if he's invincible! I have never, in all my years, encountered such a frustrating child. Ever!'"

Harry chuckled, "You sound just like him."

She smiled, "He bitched and moaned for almost an hour before completely breaking down about your mother and how he'd be damned if Lily's child was to be harmed in any way and how dare that child endanger his life. Now, I know all about your mother, Harry, every last detail. His heart always belonged to her," Harry's head snapped up, "and he was proclaiming his love for a women who was long gone and cursing her son for putting her memory in danger. ‘I loved her, Lizzie, and she has no memory left save that child and here he is, being an utter imbecile!'" The look of disbelief on Harry's face was astounding. "You didn't know? Harry, how can you not know?"

"All I know is what Georgie told me, that they were friends."

"Well, they were, but Christ almighty, kid, you mean to tell me you had no idea that Severus was head over heels in love with her?"

"Was I supposed to?"

Shaking her head, Lizzie continued, "Well, regardless, I had fallen in love with the grump and was so over him and his woe is me the love of my life is dead, yadda yadda spiel, I was just...done. He was punishing himself by not allowing anyone to love him. Well, I slapped him, kissed him, and told him that if he even dares to try and deny me as his girlfriend - I'd break his legs. He had such guilt for Lily, the dope thought he could only love one woman. What a schmuck! I told him straight up that I knew I could never replace her, but Jesus Christ he needed to realize that, as corny as it sounds, a heart is infinite. Drove me crazy, that man, still does!"

"So, why did you break up?"

"Let's save that story for later, we have bigger fish to fry. I hate to bring you back to reality, but a douche bag is downstairs and I may just have to open up a can of whoop-ass if he hurts one hair on my Sev's head." Harry wasn't positive, but he thought he heard her growl.

It was a half hour before Severus returned. As soon as Lizzie heard footsteps in the corridor, she hid Harry away in the closet behind some boxes. She had just closed the door when Severus unlocked the door and entered, looking worn and tired. Lizzie visibly relaxed and opened the closet, "It's Sev..."

The potions master sat on the bed and watched as Harry climbed out of the closet. Both he and Lizzie were looking at him expectantly, yet neither spoke a word.

It was Severus who broke the silence first. "He received information that Harry was currently in America and performed a tracking spell on me, knowing that this is where I come in summer. My own personal wards did well enough save that this town knows me through Georgie, a few muggles asked and he was directed to the outskirts of Delilah's Pass. From there, a few more questions and, of course, everyone knows Georgie." Severus paused and gave Harry a long look. "I don't know how you were found out to be in America. As far as my correspondences go, even Professor Dumbledore knows not where you are." Lizzie sat behind him and rubbed his shoulders. "He was sent to fetch me and we were to track you down. For the moment he believes that I will be meeting him at the overpass near Sydney in an hour."

"But, sir..."

Severus held his hand up to silence Harry, "I will not be. It was to get him out of the house. Albus is on his way to help Georgie finally put up the wards he should have had up long ago. But you will not be seeing the headmaster, Harry. You, I, and your friends are leaving at once. I am, after all, about to be found out as a spy." He smirked dangerously and Harry instinctively took a step back. It was the same face Severus had used in his classes right before he was about to take a dubious amount of points away from Gryffindor.

"You forgot one person in that equation, Sev-baby, and that's me."

Severus stood and turned abruptly to face Lizzie, "Absolutely not! Over my dead and rotting body!"

"Oh, come off it, Severus! I just got you back, there is no way in fiery hell am I about to let you walk away again!"

"I will not risk you!"

"I'm a big girl; I wipe my own ass and everything!"

Both Severus and Harry were taken aback by this comment, though the professor certainly hid it better, either that or he was used to Lizzie's brand of honesty. "Well," he quipped with an annoyed face, "I'm glad you're at least out of nappies."

"Fuck off, Snape, I'm coming. Deal with it. And anyway, you need me."

Severus sputtered, "What on earth are you getting on about, Woman!?"

"Who else is going to go ahead and make sure your house isn't surrounded by morons in masks?" Without waiting for an answer, Lizzie grabbed her wand, hastily magicked her belongings into her bag and apparated with a loud crack. For his part, Severus stood with his mouth hanging open in such a dignified manner that he managed to not have drool drip from the corner.

Snapping out of it, Severus sent Harry to his room. "We don't have much time, get everything together, including Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley. Show me the meaning of quickness, Potter!" As Harry ran from the room, Severus turned and gathered up his belongings and stuffed them into an enchanted small leather bag. He hurriedly put his boots on. By the time he had his stuff in the car, Albus had arrived. The old wizard wasted no time in beginning to put wards up, Georgie and Baylor at his side. Lucy and Jena were helping the other adults gather up their progeny and were seeing them safely off when the trio made their way down the steps and into the front yard.

Harry was able to catch a glimpse of the headmaster before being ushered into the car. "Wait!" He yelled.

"Potter, now is NOT the time!" Severus snapped.

"I should stay."

"Are you mental?! Absolutely not!"

"This is my fault!" Harry said, "What if Lucius comes back?"

"Potter, get in the damn car!"

"No!"

Severus could only take so much, he grabbed Harry by the scruff of his neck and before he could protest, the professor pushed his student into the car. Harry's friends were already seated in the back, their eyes wide as they watched the going-ons around them. The door slammed shut beside him and Harry turned a weary face to Ron and Hermione. They gave him tight - but reassuring - smiles. When Severus entered the car, it rolled to life and he backed out of the driveway, his hands clenched on the steering wheel to keep from shaking.

"Sir?" Hermione asked, "Wouldn't it be quicker to floo?"

"The networks are being watched, Hermione." Severus replied, looking at her in the rear view mirror as they turned onto Center Street, "They will not expect us to drive."

As they pulled onto the Highway, Harry sank low in his seat.

Four hours from where they started, Severus was slowing down to pay the toll for the Throgs Neck Bridge. Both Hermione and Ron had fallen asleep somewhere back on the Thruway. The professor handed over the money to the toll worker and glanced over at the miserable teen next to him. Harry stared out of the window; he did not speak and had barely moved throughout the entirety of the trip. Severus sighed. He focused back on the road and finally switched the radio on.

As they exited the bridge, he attempted conversation. "This is the Cross Island Expressway. We're on Long Island now."

Harry made no move to face him. "That's nice."

"We'll be at my house within the hour. I live by a beach. The area is warded, so you'll be safe."

"Fantastic."

"He won't find you," Severus tried.

"Sure."

"Dammit, Harry!" The man hit the steering wheel hard; Harry jumped.

In the backseat, Hermione jolted awake. "What?"

"I apologize, Ms. Granger, go back to sleep." The young witch nodded and allowed herself to drift back asleep. The car was silent for a few minutes.

"Mr. Potter, you will cease this immature behavior right this minute," Severus hissed.

"How am I being immature?!" Harry snapped.

"Aren't you supposed to be a Gryffindor?"

"I thought you hated Gryffindor bravery?"

"Only when it isn't warranted," Severus spoke, his voice hard, "and right now, it's warranted."

"Yeah, well, we didn't get to say good-bye to anyone. I screwed up our trip," he gestured to his friends, "and your vacation also. Not to mention putting all of your friends in danger."

"Oh, yes, don't forget that some muggle in India stubbed his toe this morning - also your fault. And a little Chinese girl in China forgot her homework. Your fault as well. And some American teen was stood up last night by her boyfriend, that's your fault also. Oh, and of course there's that baby in Africa who..."

"All right! Shut up! I get it!"

Severus snorted, "Do you? You had no control over this, Harry. None what so ever. You didn't send Lucius bloody Malfoy to come knocking on Georgie's door, did you?"

"No," Harry sighed.

"Exactly. So, stop with the dramatics."

"Yes, sir."

"Damn right."

It wasn't long before the Camaro pulled up in front of a yellow Queen Anne home. The porch was a large wrap around that covered the greater part of the downstairs that sprang into a circular ending on the left side and shot up to support a rounded room and large cupola. On the right, facing the back but slightly visible from the side, was an upstairs deck attached to the house. Harry was able to see a barn some yards back that was old and decrepit looking, far from the restored beauty of the 1888 built home.

In other words, it did not fit Severus' personality at all. Harry shot his professor a look, which the older man answered with his own. "What?"

"It's just, well, this house seems nothing like you, even this new you I just met."

"I thought it had charm."

Harry balked, "Charm?"

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes," Harry answered and turned around to wake his friends. Both Ron and Hermione woke slowly and stumbled out of the car, barely noticing the house until they walked from the long driveway up onto the porch. The various potted plants and wild ivy caught Hermione's attention first. She open her eyes wide and looked at the hanging plants, then the ones situated along the railings, to the ones crammed into the corners of the porch. Her eyes then traveled to the massive ivy that wound its way along the railing and down the chain links that supported a hanging wooden porch swing. She turned back to Severus and raised her eyebrows.

Severus groaned, "I'm a potions master, Heaven forbid I have an appreciation for plants and flowers. Oh, no, some call the ACM and the Ministry, quick!"

"Har, har," she answered to his sarcasm, "You're hysterical."

"That's what I know." He smirked and pointed his wand at the door, unlocking it magically before pulling out and old antique steel key and fitting it into the keyhole. "The combination of magic and muggle locking throws some people off, but I prefer the double protection," he answered to the trio's startled faces. "Georgie, if you noticed, does the same thing."

"We've come to accept Georgie as slightly bizarre and we love him for it," Ron answered, "you, not so much."

"I'm touched."

"Naturally."

"SEV!" The group had barely stepped a foot into the foyer when, from one of the doorways across the small room, a mass of black hair and arms busted through and tangled themselves around Severus. "I was so worried!"

"We're fine, love. Cranky, yes, but fine."

"You didn't hear, then..."

Harry looked at her, his head slightly tilted and a worried expression caught on his face, "What? What happened?"

"Come into the kitchen," Lizzie said, "and sit and have something to drink, eat, whatever."

The trio followed Lizzie and their professor through a hallway and into a wide country styled kitchen. Hermione shot Severus another look.

"Blue and green?"

"Shush up, Ms. Granger."

Hermione rolled her eyes and took a seat next to Harry and Ron at the breakfast nook.

For a few minutes, Lizzie busied herself with making iced tea for the teens and popping open a Samuel Adams Lager for Severus and herself. She set the drinks down and rummaged through the refrigerator for a moment before giving up and sitting opposite the trio and next to Severus, who, for his part, was waiting not-so-patiently for her news. His leg furiously shook and tapped against the tiled floor showing his nerves.

"When you didn't show up at the overpass, Sev, Lucius came back to the house. That dirt-bag had the balls to shoot an unforgivable at Lucy."

"The wards..."

"Weren't finished yet," Lizzie finished for Severus. "Georgie's house took quite a hit; Lucius had brought reinforcements. They're certainly not happy."

"Well. That's a given."

Harry swallowed a lump in his throat, "How bad was it?"

"Pretty bad, but no casualties. As soon as that blond bastard took a shot at Lucy, Georgie went ballistic. Dumbledore kicked some major ass as well, but hell hath no fury like a Georgie scorned." She grinned slightly and Harry felt the slightest twinge of pity for those Georgie went after. It was gone almost instantaneously though. "Not only did Lucius set fire to the right side of Georgie's house but some of those idiots in ugly masks managed to burn Baylor pretty bad. Georgie went on a rampage; threw hex after hex at them before they knew what hit them. In the end, the ACM showed up with some Aurors and were able to fight them off. Lucy somehow got in contact with them. Unfortunately all the douche bags got away, of course, because that would be EASY, but the Aurors are tracking them down." She took Severus' hand, "That's why I was so worried; I was afraid they had found you." Still holding the potion master's hand, she looked at Harry, "But the wards around here are strong and holding more than well, so you are all safe. But when I spoke to Jena through the floo about an hour ago, she said that Dumbledore was going to come check them out himself. He seems to be in total support of Harry staying here."

Severus squeezed her hand, "Everyone is all right though?"

"Yeah, Baylor was treated and he's fine. Was cracking jokes before about how hot he is." Lizzie laughed. "Jena said he was telling everyone he was on fire today."

He gave a small laugh, "Well, that's Baylor for you. How bad is the house?"

"There is certainly damage, but nothing a little spit shine can't fix."

"Is he upset?" Harry asked.

"Livid. But not about the house. He's angry about the assholes that attacked everyone. He's on a warpath."

"Okay," Severus laid his palms flat on the table, "okay, here's the good news, this entire town is warded. I got a little carried away when I moved here. The bad news? Lucius will surely notice. However, there's no way in hell he's getting in here to hurt any of us. So you three are free to wander about the town. Do not, under any circumstances, leave the boundaries. Understood?"

The trio nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now, upstairs and to the right are my guest rooms. The first will be Harry's, the second, Ron's, and the third for Hermione. The guest bathroom across the hall from Mr. Weasley's room. My room is to the left. This, obviously, is the kitchen. Through the far door behind you is the dining room, but I barely use it. The door we came through is the parlor - also rarely used, and behind that, the bathroom. The basement is the den with another bathroom. Also, upstairs is an office and the round room a library. My lab is on top of that in the cupola. All three guest rooms open up to the outside deck. You may use the front porch and in the backyard is a nice big deck and a pool. The barn looks rickety, but is fine. If you wish to walk to the beach, just walk to the end of my back yard, you'll see a gate. That opens into the alleyway that leads down to the water. I own a sliver of the land there and no, there are no lifeguards on duty, these are all private beaches. My neighbors are not mean when it comes to traipsing on their beaches, just as long as they know you are with me. You reflect me while you are here. Let's try to steer clear of any trouble, yes?"

His verbal tour done, Severus told the teens to remove their bags from the car and settle into their rooms. When they finished, and met Severus back in the kitchen, he studied each in turn and nodded his approval. "You are to carry your wands at all times. Ron and Hermione, you are both of age and able to perform magic. Do so if there is any need. Harry, you still have a few weeks before you turn of age, but if you're life is in danger, I trust you know what to do?"

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent, now, Lizzie is going to go run to the stores to pick up some groceries and I am going to Origin Alley, the East Coast's version of Diagon alley, to pick up some supplies of my own. For today, at least, please stay on my property."

When both adults left, the trio could find nothing better to do than to refill their glasses of iced tea and take them outside to the porch. Harry took up the swing, stretching his right leg out and using his left to push himself slowly back and forth. Hermione and Ron took seats on the wicker chairs and placed their glasses on the small table between their chairs.

"This house is so pretty," the young witch said as she stared out and down the long and winding driveway. It was lined with old oaks that swayed gently in the breeze. Severus' home was shaded and hidden from view from neighbors.

"It doesn't seem like Professor Snape at all." Harry concurred.

"Well, we've learned a lot about him recently," said Hermione, "so I guess it shouldn't be that surprising."

"But, it is." Ron interjected, "He is still sarcastic and can be kind of snappy, but now it seems more of a quirk then of his actual personality." There was a murmur of agreement from the other two.

"When do you figure Lucius will find us?"

"He can't!" Hermione yelled, glaring at Harry for even mentioning it, "Professor Snape even said that the town was warded!"

"Warded, yes, but he also said that Malfoy will most likely notice it. An entire town completely warded isn't something you see every day, you know." Harry said, as he pushed himself again. The breeze blew his hair back to reveal his scar. "I'm sure Lucius has figured out by now that Severus would have strong wards around his home. It would only make sense, after all."

"That's true," Hermione moaned, "he'll see a heavily warded town and know right away that we're here."

"Then what?" asked Ron.

Harry answered, "Well, we know that he can't enter the town."

"It won't stop him from trying."

"Severus will figure something out."

"Well, he better figure something out fast!" Hermione yelled, jumping up from her seat and racing down the wooden steps.

"Wha-" Harry began, but he never finished. His glass fell and shattered to the floor, sending the iced tea rolling through the spaces in between the wood. Ron was already at Hermione's side and not far behind, the Boy-Who-Lived sprang to his feet and pressed himself between his two best friends as they stood and looked warily into the distance.

Over the horizon, at the border of the town, the Dark Mark hung menacingly high up in the air.