Severus watched the potions bubbling gently in a line across the worktable. Several of them would be simmering all night. A few would only need an occasional stir. This left him free to concentrate on the eyesight-correcting potion. He already had a tiny vial with a few drops of Harry's blood in it. He had the base going and all he needed to do was add the most important ingredients.

Severus' mind wandered a bit while automatically adding the eagle feathers and rabbit whiskers and stirring in a figure eight motion. He wanted to get this first dose going for this last week before Hogwarts started, so he could see how things went with it. Harry would be needing to see the Healer weekly for glasses adjustments during this first month of the potion. Tom had the schedule written down, and knew to watch for headaches, in case Harry's eyes changed more rapidly than expected.

Severus had fallen asleep trying to think of events from Hogwarts, or any stories he had even heard about that involved James that he could tell Harry. Stories of Lily came more easily, and Harry certainly didn't mind hearing them as well, but he was aware that he would have to include more stories that involved James, now.

In a spurt of inspiration last night he had gone ahead and owled Roland Higgs, asking if he would owl Harry with stories of James' Quidditch exploits, and any amusing stories about him and his friends he could think of, cautioning him to keep them ‘fun stories, nothing too serious'. Roland had returned a reply that he would be happy to.

He had thought of having Arthur and Molly tell Harry tales of James exploits in the Order of the Phoenix, but he was wary of giving Molly any excuses to object to Severus' guardianship. Albus may appear to be resigned to the situation, but he didn't want to take any chances. The best he could think of was to ask Minerva to write to Harry with stories he was sure she had of the marauders. He would approach her when he returned to Hogwarts. Perhaps she would have ideas; surely she would have more pictures of those miscreants that Harry would like copies of.

Severus added the drops of blood carefully and stirred slowly. He could feel his shoulders hunching in dread. He had always wished for longer summers, but never as much as this year. He had never expected to enjoy having a houseful of youngsters underfoot. Now, here he was, almost homesick - and he hadn't even left for Hogwarts as yet. Usually he only had to find excuses to sneak down to Hogsmeade to see Rosemerta, but now he had found himself searching for excuses to use during the school-year to spend time at his home, Dragonsrest.

The only thing making it all bearable was to remember that Harry, Dudley and Draco would be at school with him the following seven years. Severus smirked to himself; they were even plotting ways to get Tom into Hogwarts as well.

None the less, Severus would be less than thrilled to be at Hogwarts this school year.

The potion finished and Severus decanted the potion into a large vial. Harry would only need a few drops each day, and Severus would be making a new batch each month with a fresh supply of a few drops of Harry's blood. Severus' heart lifted a little. He would see Harry at least once each month, for the potion. Severus would just have to think of more excuses to sneak home.

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Lucius and Draco left Andromeda's with hopeful hearts. Draco gave a last look behind him, smiling at Nymphadora's cheerful wave and turning her hair a brilliant Slytherin green for him. He liked his new cousin, although her mother seemed a bit wary of them. From what his father had said about things in the Black home, he couldn't really blame Andromeda for not being very trusting.

As they went through the gate Lucius turned to Draco, "Is there anywhere you would like to go today? I do have the day free." Lucius was determined to spend more time with his son, and he braced himself for whatever a ten year old would find 'fun'.

Draco blinked in surprise, and thought quickly. "The Wigtown Wanderers are having a home game against the Tutshill Tornadoes, today. The game starts in an hour." Draco looked at his father hopefully.

Lucius sighed, but he didn't really mind - Draco could have asked to go pet Grindylows, or something really awful. He could spend the game trying to remember all the things Abraxas and his friends had ever said about the Deathly Hallows. His heart had sunk a bit at the information in the letter the owl had delivered early that morning from Severus and Tom. He didn't like to think of any of those three objects in the hands of the Dark Lord - or Albus Dumbledore.

He managed an enthusiastic grin for Draco and apparated to Wigtown with him. Draco bought T-shirts for everyone and programs that listed up-coming games in the league. Lucius dragged him away before he could go too wild. Lucius managed to get some box seats for a little privacy and the game was soon on.

Draco, at least had a wonderful time. Lucius wrote down everything he could remember about the Deathly Hallows, while his son cheered loudly for the Wanderers.

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Rosemerta and Cho started at the Leakey Cauldron, and went into almost every shop Diagonalley boasted. Cho soon had everything on her list, and then some. Rosemerta had not forgotten Petunia, and had obtained several very pretty every-day robes in colors both she and Cho thought would suit her.

At the bookstores, while Cho found her schoolbooks and a few others she felt were interesting, Rosemerta searched for books that gave basic information on the wizarding world and traditions. She found a few wizarding novels that she felt Petunia might enjoy. She also bought the first two of a ‘wizarding mystery series' that one of the assistants had recommended.

Eventually they ran out of shops, and headed for the café at noon.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Tom and Harry headed for Gringotts first; he had a list of items and gold to be returned to some wizards and witches. He and Severus had gone over the list the Goblins had given of vaults that gold had been transferred from or vaults that had been completely emptied into the 'Voldie Vault'. Many of the wizards were dead, now, or the family one that would still follow Voldemort.

Still, there were those that could have money returned safely, and they started with those. Lucius had helped set up a front company to return the money and items from. They sent form letters from Gringotts telling the people that it had been found that money had been taken ‘wrongly' and was being returned by the front company.

Most would not question money coming their way, even if they suspected it was being returned from Voldemorts Vault, and if they did they would find it difficult to get by Gringotts stonewalling and then investigating a company that didn't really exist.

Tom, surprisingly was finding it interesting to track down children or family members who had ‘gotten themselves lost' in Europe or fled to the muggle world. He had only actually found one muggleborn who was working in a factory, but he hoped they could be lured back with a sizable amount of galleons and a sly offer to work at one of Lucius' or Harry's companies.

Tom had found surprising satisfaction in returning at least a little money, though there were still a lot of names and items to go.

One of the floor managers saw Tom and Harry and hustled them to a supervisor. Tom handed him the letters and instructions to return money and whom to return it to. The supervisor nodded and gave a toothy smile.

"Would you let the British Branch Supervisor Clawscar know that we have all but two of the items he wishes to be given in exchange for the dragon." Tom said quietly. The goblin's face lit with interest.

Tom could feel Yvane simmering angrily at having to give the goblins anything in exchange for freeing the dragon they still had chained in the depths of Gringotts. Tom found himself in the unusual position of soothing Yvane, instead of the other way around.

"We'll have him free soon. Lucius and Severus have a plan to get those other two items." Tom said.

"I know I should not be so outraged, goblins don't realize dragons are sentient. For some reason they can't speak mentally to dragons - they don't have mind magic, and even the most skilled dragon is unable to send thoughts to them. So they think we are all dumb brutes. However they have also always simply ignored any wizards who told them we could speak, and were intelligent." Yvane sounded tired and frustrated.

Tom and Harry left Gringotts and headed for Flourish and Blotts. Harry headed for a section on wizarding customs that Lucius had suggested, it was ‘well written, with loads of background on why things were done the way they were'. Harry had wanted it for Aunt Petunia, but he suspected he and Dudley needed to read it as well.

He browsed happily and found a book on something called Animagi forms. He was soon caught up in the idea of being able to find his ‘inner animal'. The book was well written and Harry gleefully added it to the other book. Harry found two other books on animagus transformation that seemed good, and curled up in a handy chair and started reading.

Tom browsed the section on ancient weapons and found a few books that seemed likely to list weapons spelled to defeat the dark. One of the assistants found a book on witches of ancient times and the spells they often put on weapons, and another on female magic. She giggled a bit when giving the last book to him, and he rolled his eyes and waved her off with a muttered thank you.

There were few books on the Deathly Hallows, he got a new copy of ‘Tales of Beedle the Bard', to refer to and two books that looked promising, and he added another that was recently written - although the author seemed to be trying to disprove the Hallows existence.

It was almost noon, and Tom gathered Harry - still engrossed in one of the books on Animagi. He bagged all the books except the one on female magic, as it was an awkward size, and easier to simply carry, and the animagus book that Harry was gleefully clutching. They headed for the café, Harry humming happily as he imagined what animal might be his form. He hoped for one with wings - that would be brilliant.

They came to an abrupt halt at a sneering voice at the doorway of the café. "Well, if it isn't Harry Potter." Ron's eyes flew to the book Harry was carrying. "Got a variance to try for an animagus form before even attending Hogwarts, too? I suppose this is your tutor?"

Harry's eyes narrowed, Ron had annoyed him on their visit to the Weasley home, and he seemed intent on adding to the insults he'd given on the last visit to Diagonalley where they'd met. "No, I'm just reading about them - if you'd read a bit, you'd know few manage the transformation before leaving Hogwarts." Harry answered loftily, causing Ron to flush angrily.

Charlie came up behind Ron, frowning a bit. He was sure his parents wouldn't like Ron annoying Harry Potter. He eyed the boy with Harry - he seemed to be the same age as himself. Bill had owled their parents, saying that Lucius and Severus had been to Gringotts with an older teenager, but all paperwork and communication regarding him was classified to the highest levels. This was apparently that boy.

"As a matter of fact, I am his tutor." Tom had heard about the Weasleys from Harry and Dudley, although Draco had remained strangely quiet except to concur with most of what they said. Harry seemed taken with ‘the twins' who wrote to him, however, Harry seemed to especially dislike this Ron who had earned his ire by insulting Severus. "We're late for an appointment with a party in the café, if you would let us pass." Tom said in glacial tones and leveled an equally cold stare at the pair.

Charlie bristled at the high-handed tone of voice. "Maybe you should say the magic word...please." Charlie sneered at Tom.

Tom's temper flared in answer. He hated it when someone treated him as if he was nothing, or sneered at him in that manner. He especially hated people who tried to make him beg for things. It was too reminiscent of his days at the orphanage, and usually any begging he did at that place had resulted in cruel laughter and a denial of whatever he had been asking for.

"He's just trying to goad you - he's not worth your being irritated over." Yvane intoned.

Tom tried to choke down his fury; he knew it was an excessive amount of anger for the rudeness Charlie had shown. He bared his clenched teeth as he answered in as sarcastic a tone as he could muster. "Would you please remove your uncouth presence from the doorway, so we might enter?"

Charlie's own hair-trigger temper exploded, and he whipped out his wand. "How dare you, you..." He glanced at the book Tom had in his hand. "You filthy ponce, studying women's magic? Planning on becoming one? Well, you live with Slytherins; I suppose you're a total pervert, like them?"

Tom lost whatever control he'd had on his temper and whipped out his own wand, the worst curse he could think of springing to his lips, but it never got past them. Yvane abruptly clamped down on Tom's magic, and didn't even allow him to voice the curse.

"No potentially fatal curses today, Tom. His insults are not worth Azkaban, I assure you." Yvane said calmly.

Before Charlie could summon the courage to use magic outside of school, and risk the ministry finding out, or Tom could think of a low-level hex Yvane might approve of, an Auror who was eating lunch wandered over.

"Oi!!, what are you lads up to? Put those wands away before you hurt yourselves." The burly and quite elderly man asked a bit pompously. Charlie put the wand away and he and his brother shrank back a bit. Their father would hear of this, for sure. Tom lowered his wand, as well. Harry looked at the Auror's uniform with interest; it was quite different from muggle police officers.

The weary café owner finally came up. He'd watched the exchange with resignation. He usually saw a hexing once or twice a week, usually between testosterone - charged young men like this.

"They were just exchanging unfriendly words, and then the red-head drew first, but neither one has sent off a spell...yet." The owner said.

"Well, put the wands away and be off with you." The Auror waved the Weasleys off, and Tom and Harry went in the café. All four boys giving each other hateful looks before the café door closed.

Charlie and Ron flooed home, and hoped nothing came of the encounter, after all the Auror hadn't taken their names. Of course Ron was soon whispering about the encounter to his siblings, so it didn't stay secret for long.

Tom followed Harry to Rosemerta and Cho's table, his own mind to taken up in a debate with Yvane to notice where they were going. Charlie's insult had been typical of a coarse teenager with no notion of manners, but Tom hadn't needed to aim a heavily charged Diffindo that would have left him with possibly fatal wounds, Yvane was insisting.

Tom's anger slowly leaked away, and he noticed the others concerned looks. "I apologize for what poor company I am. I'm afraid I let that oaf's remarks get to me." Tom managed a weak smile that held no humor, but reassured his dining companions that his fit of temper was over with. He gave his lunch order, and even ate whatever it was without ever noticing what he'd ordered.

Tom had forgotten that Yvane had such a tight hold on his magic. It was a little comforting to know that losing his temper wouldn't result in an arrest, since Yvane wouldn't allow it. It was also a little discouraging to realize his temper was still so volatile.

"The fact that you know it's too impulsive and that the curses you reach for first are too...harsh is a good first step. You'll learn to exert control, and to not reach for the worst curses you know." Yvane said softly.

Harry patted his shoulder and looked at him sympathetically. "It's okay Tom, they made me mad, too."

Tom smiled at Harry ruefully. Harry was a good kid, and he liked having him look at him with admiration. Tom was glad Harry hadn't had to witness Tom laying Charlie Weasley open like a butchered pig, after all. Harry would never have looked at him the same, after that. Tom silently thanked Yvane for stopping him from casting that curse.