Last time:

Though he disliked Draco, Dobby knew that Harry was more important, and it was the loyalty the elf held for the boy who had freed him that made the little house elf quicker than normal, popping directly to Professor Snape without hesitation.

It is a well-known fact: that fear for one’s charge can create amazing results. After all, it is not unheard of for a mother, from the rush of adrenaline, to pull a car single-handedly off her little boy or girl. This is likely the reason that Severus, the stone faced Potion Master, was seen speeding up to the seventh floor as if the devil himself were on his heels.

His heart hammered, his mind urging his body to go faster. Though he would deny it later, when he had heart Dobby’s whispered urgent message, he felt as if someone had socked him in the stomach, as well as feeling that his heart had stopped beating. Then, without pre-amble, he made his excuses with Albus before leaving the Dining Hall in a swift stride. It wasn’t until he’d made it to the second floor that he really took off, however.

His thoughts were along the lines of the fact that he couldn’t lose Harry, that the boy had better not die on him after he’d rescued him that summer. Despite the fact that he was travelling faster than any human, even a wizard, could truly achieve with only running, he was spending very little noticeable energy. The adrenaline rush likely wouldn’t die down until after he knew for sure whether he could save Harry or not. Then the exhaustion, and pain, would hit him full force, and he would be more than willing to lie down for the night with a pain reliever and Dreamless Sleep.

As Severus reached the seventh floor corridor, he was pleased to note that someone had had the foresight to open the door to the Room of Requirement. It made it far easier for him that way, than if he'd had to pace the three required passings. It also saved time, which they were incredibly short on. He slowed as he reached the door, his breath barely coming in gasps despite the fact that he'd made it there in half the time normally required.

Entering the room, he was not surprised to see Draco holding tight to Harry, a look of intense concentration on his face. It was obvious to Severus that the boy had been fighting to hold on to his BondMate since the event had happened. Without preamble, or much warning, Sev glided over to the two, and sat down next to them. He gazed at Draco briefly, and when the teen finally noticed him and relinquished his physical hold on Harry, he gathered the raven-haired teen in his arms.

The boy was still far too light, despite having had many months to put on weight. He was definitely built to be a Seeker, as well as a cheetah. Shaking his head mentally, he concentrated on making a connection with Harry. This of course required him to gently open the teen's eyes so he could create the link. He was as gentle as possible, but the awareness that should be there was missing. He began his search for the boy's soul, the awareness that had been ripped from the body when the snake had been killed.

He soon found the break, looking much like a sword cut. He also noticed a band of light that shot out into space, but came from Draco. Following this light, Severus was able to find the injured consciousness. He tapped into it, knowing that he had to be careful lest the temulous hold that Draco had on Harry was shattered. As he finally made the connection, his mind was assaulted with both pain and the continuous mantra 'I am dead, I have died'.

Severus had never seen such a case, despite his expertise in the field of mind magics. However, he pushed aside his concern and bemusement in order to concentrate. He began slowly to rebuild the torn connection between the body and soul, while telling Harry that he was not dead. Though it was difficult, a definite up-hill battle, his showing the teen all the proof that he was indeed alive finally got through to the boy. Once Harry was convinced, it wasn’t long afterwards that he finished reconnecting himself to his body with Sev’s help. The wound was healed, but a scar remained.

Once Harry finally woke up, he was gently assaulted by a concerned Draco, who demanded to know that his BondMate was alright. Despite his assurances to the other teen, Harry found that he had a shadow all the way to the Infirmary. There, he was checked over by Madame Pomfrey, who declared him fit but told him to get some sleep. He took the Dreamless Sleep she offered him, and walked back to the Gryffindor Tower, escorted by both Draco and Professor Snape (who said he was only there to make sure the boy didn’t cause any trouble). He bid them both good night when they reached the Fat Lady’s portrait, and headed to bed, grateful for the potion.

Draco was sent off to bed, though he looked somewhat mutinous at the thought. He did obey, however, and Severus went to Albus to inform the Headmaster of the latest development. He knew without a doubt that this event meant the early start of Occlumency lessons and a long end of term for both Harry and Draco.

***

Harry groaned softly to himself as he walked in from Quidditch practice, bundled up as tight as could be. It was the first week of December, the last month having passed even faster than September and October had. If he had thought he had been busy before Halloween, he was sorely mistaken. With the introduction of Occlumency to his and Draco’s schedule, it meant less time for other things. They managed to have some fun, but it was few and far between.

He started heading up to Gryffindor Tower, eager to enjoy the rest of the Saturday by the fire, even if it was to do homework or study. As he reached the sixth floor, however, and the split off from the two House Towers, he managed to glimpse a group of older students surrounding what appeared to be a younger one. Walking over on cat-like feet, he got close enough to see what was happening. There were four sixth year students, and they had formed a semi-circle around an all too familiar blonde: Luna.

Harry hated bullying, his feelings stronger than most because of his upbringing in the Dursley house hold. So when he saw that someone was getting hassled by older students just because she was different from them filled him with righteous anger. The fact that it happened to be the girl he was feeling a bond towards only added to that anger.

Moving over to the group quietly, his anger causing his magic to trail behind him like wings, he pushed his way between the sixth years and the smaller fourth year. He glared at them, and hissed “Aren’t you proud of yourselves, picking on a weaker student?” One of them, a stocky Ravenclaw, replied “What’s it to you, Potter? She isn’t one of yours.”

Harry’s magic flared before settling back into the winged formation it had taken on. He hissed “Besides the fact that you’re showing very poor House loyalty, she is a friend to me, by her own choice!” His lips pulled back in a wordless snarl, and he bit out “And even if she wasn’t, that is no excuse to pick on a weaker student. I claim her as being under my protection!”

The stocky Ravenclaw replied in a sneer “Under whose authority, Potter? We are not your subjects!” Harry growled mentally, and lifted his left arm. Pulling up his shirt sleeve (despite the risk involved) he bore his SoNA bracer proudly. He said in a voice that almost literally hummed with power “As a member of the Society of Natural Animagus, I claim her as under my protection!”

Though the Treaty with the Ministry was only involving the workers of said party, there was an unwritten custom that every SoNA member knew, as well as most pureblood children: that any person who a SoNA member claimed under his protection was also under the protection of the entire Society. While this normally only extended to the member’s friends, it had often been used in the past to protect a future prospective mate. So, once the older students saw that Harry was a Society member, they grumbled and growled but left the two alone.

Harry turned to Luna after that, asking softly if she was okay. She smiled her mysterious smile at him, and replied that she was indeed okay. She then did something totally unexpected: she gave him a light peck on the cheek before moving away. He stood there bemused, and sensed that somehow she also felt the growing connection between them. Though he was stunned at what she had done, his heart soared with gladness, causing Draco to chuckle at him over their link.

***

As Christmas neared, and nothing untoward happened, Harry began to hope things were going to end for the semester quietly. His studies were coming along smoothly, his mind rebuffing Professor Snape’s attempt at intrusion, his fencing and spell work improving immensely. And yet things were not to stay quiet for long, and on the day of the last Hogsmeade visit before Christmas, something unexpected happened that would turn Harry’s life upside down.