Harry had already thought he was having a bad day, even though he was barely a few weeks into the new school year; his third year at Hogwarts. He had missed breakfast because he'd slept in which had resulted from a nightmare he now couldn't even remember. Hermione and Ron aren't on good terms with each other over yet another silly incident and they had double Potions with Slytherins first up. Lovely. And to top it all off, they were late for that as well and the only seats left were right in front of Draco and his Slytherin pals. Thirty points from Gryffindor later and Harry was ready to bang his head against the desk. Which of course would be a very bad thing to do with his failing potion inches away and while Snape loomed nearby, no doubt waiting for a reason/excuse to make Harry's day even worst.

"Alright there, scarhead?" Draco asked with casual mockery while smirking at Harry from his desk directly behind him.

"Shut up, Malfoy" Harry ground out through his teeth while avoiding the blonde Slytherin. He just flipped through his textbook for their work even though the instructions were up on the board at the front, several feet away.

"You know, I'm surprised you're still here, to be completely honest" Draco said in a tone that suggested he wasn't having an entirely honest conversation. "But I suppose to mudblood-" He was saying but Harry was so not in the mood and unwisely turned in his seat and opened his mouth to yell at Draco only he was met with the raised eyebrow and daring expression of Snape.

"What is the meaning of this, Mr Potter?" Snape asked while narrowing his eyes at the knife clutched in Harry's hand and the way he had been turning quickly towards Draco with it.

"Nothing" Was all Harry could say as he turned back around and lowered his knife, seething silently with anger but Slytherins were always known to make his day even worst.

"Nothing?" Snape sneered. "Hardly. Twenty points from Gryffindor for endangering another classmate" He added while walking past.

"But..." Harry caught the look from Hermione and went silent, instead moving to work on his potion. Which of course, ended up as sludge and resembled nothing alike it was supposed to; it was to be expected with the moodiness of his day.

---

He thought it was over when he finally left the Potions classroom, but Draco had noticed his mood and was taking advantage of it.

"It's amazing that Gryffindor doesn't come last every year" Draco smirked as he caught up with the trio.

"That place is reserved for Slytherin" Harry retorted.

"Harry, come on" Hermione urged as she too knew of his mood and Ron wasn't helping as he clenched his fists and prepared to argue with Draco as well.

Draco frowned at Harry's reply and eyed him until he noticed something sticking out between two books, not knowing what it was but since it was in the form of a photograph...he was curious.

"Carrying out a picture of your girlfriend?" He mocked and with a quick action, swiped the picture from the books to sneer at it.

"Oh, my mistake" Draco added. "Looks like your dead parents" He raised at eyebrow at Harry. It was lucky he had, or else he might not have been able to dodge the punch that came his way.

Draco stepped back and wondered what to do and why he was even acting this childish. He had wanted to get Harry in further trouble and it was always amusing to rile the three up, but today he really couldn't pinpoint such a motivation. Perhaps he had just noticed Harry's mood and took a chance? Either way, normally he would not allow himself to act so foolish that it would result in him taking off down the corridor and up some stairs with Harry chasing behind him, determined to retrieve his photograph.

He was much faster than Draco had expected, but he was fit and determined, plus he knew his way around easily enough. The ran up stairs mostly and no matter how much practice Harry had with Dudley, he simply couldn't get close enough to Draco. And he wasn't letting that photograph go either, it was one of the only ones he had like that of his parents.

"You'll never catch me, Potter!" Draco called over his head, his breath shaking and his legs starting to hurt slightly, but he was still outrunning Harry so he pushed onwards.

Remembering reading about the Room of Requirement, Draco was pleased to see the area and thought will all his might “A place to hide” and than pulled open the door the moment it had appeared. But Harry had gained ground and ran in after him, managing to tackle him to the ground.

"Give it back, Malfoy!" Harry yelled while struggling.

"Get off me!" Draco snarled back but still did not release the picture clutched in his sweating hands.

While the boys fought like a pair of eight-year-olds, Dobby appeared; he had heard the commotion from the room he had been cleaning not far down the corridor. His large eyes narrowed when he spotted Harry Potter fighting with non-other than his young previous master.

"Argh!" Draco yelped when he suddenly flew off Harry and the picture slipped from his hands.

"Dobby?" Harry clutched the photo and turned towards the doorway where he spotted the elf he had freed from the Malfoys the previous year. The same elf responsible for getting him locked and barred in his bedroom, nearly being expelled from Hogwarts when he resorted to another method of getting there after the barrier had sealed and also the same house-elf that put Harry in the hospital with a bludgered arm and bones to painfully regrow.

"You!" Draco got to his feet and spat at the elf. "What are you doing here?"

"Dobby is helping Harry Potter" The elf frowned at Draco. "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"

"Friends with Mudbloods, blood traitors, half-giants and freed house-elves..." Draco shook his head at Harry while rubbing his bruised elbow from being expelled from their struggle. "No wonder you're so pathetic."

"Shut up, Malfoy" Harry scowled. As he looked at Draco's face he realized that he too appeared to be shocked with how seriously and childishly they had taken their rivalry this time. Normally a few mocks and laughs, followed by retorts and anger (sometimes even detentions and Gryffindor point deductions), and they would end it there. But this wasn't a typical fight and neither seem to know what to do now.

"Dobby wonders if Harry Potter is okay?" The elf asked.

"I'm fine" Harry sighed. "Thanks" He added. "But what are you doing here?"

"Oh spare me the story" Draco rolled his eyes and walked past Harry while heading for the door but Dobby blocked his path.

"Move it, elf!" Draco shoved him aside, ignoring the yelp of surprise as well as Harry's growl of annoyance.

"Leave him alone!" Harry said to his enemy.

"No, why should I?" Draco frowned back and rolled his eyes as though Harry was stupid for even suggesting it.

"What was that?" He than frowned and looks around, just as Harry feels a small tinkering sound as well, like dull wind chimes.

Without warning, the room began to shake violently and both boys fight to remain upright. They yell out in surprise and panic while a increasingly blinding flash fills the room from a center point. It reminds them both of an explosion, one in which throws them off their feet and into the air.

Their consciousness shuts down before they even had the chance to realize that they disappeared and were yet to touch the floor again.

The first thing Harry noticed was the utter, nerving silence that surrounded himself. The first thing Draco realized was that his face was pressed against an oddly smooth carpet and he quickly reacted by sitting upright, his head spinning as he and Harry take in their surroundings. Neither were aware that they had been transported from the Room of Requirement, Hogwarts to...Prince Manor, several months previous.

"W-what happened?" Harry gasped as he readjusted his glasses and looked around. He remained on the floor whereas Draco was standing in seconds, looking around in equal confusion and worry.

"How should I know?" Draco scowled.

Harry finally joined his side and they turned on the spot, each taking in their new surroundings the best they could. It was clearly a grand living room, with the deep maroon carpet, fancy fireplace with flames flickering calmly within, two large comfy and deep grey sofas facing each other with a wooden coffee table positioned between them. The walls had portrait, unmoving paintings hanging on the stone walls although none was larger than the one behind the boys; although they were yet to notice it.

With a small pop, Dobby appeared in front of them with a confused expression on his small face.

"Dobby is most surprised" The elf said, his eyes wider than usual. He raises a finger and points behind them. The boys quickly turned and their biggest shock is received from the moment they stare at the pictures resting atop the mantel.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Draco asked although his tone was quiet and disbelieving.

"I...I don't know" Harry replied while staring at the frames (some were moving in black and white while others were stationary and coloured), each progressed through a sort of time line. Starting from Draco and Harry as toddlers and than messy, young children with big toothy grins. The photos became more recent as their ages progressed in image, right up until the final one of them now (although perhaps more towards the end of their second year), only it was nothing alike they were now. On more than one occasion, they were pictured together as though they were best friends or had...grown up together?

"Um...Draco?" Harry swallowed as he glanced upwards and saw the large, family portrait hanging on the wall above the fireplace in front of them. Gulping as he eyes at the coloured picture staring back at them, showing something they could not believe to be real.

Draco glanced up to stare at the picture as well. There was himself and Harry standing side by side with large, genuinely happy smiles on their younger faces. He estimated them to be in first year, especially since they were dressed in their clearly new school robes, demonstrating the house they were both differently sorted into. In that sense it wasn't unlike the pictures below, except for one key change...there was someone else pictures.

"Is that...Snape?" Harry tipped his head lightly, staring at the dark-cloaked man in the pictures, positioned behind the images of the boys although he had a hand resting on each their shoulders and...was that a smile on his face? Surely not...Snape never smiled; smirked sickeningly perhaps...but never did he smile. Or at least, few had witnessed such an expression from the sour man.

Draco said nothing and just continued to stare at the picture, frowning as he looked happy even though of course to him that picture had never been taken and everything around them did not exist. While Harry looked around some more and conversed briefly with Dobby, Draco examined the picture closer, trying to work out where it had been taken; it looked like a private room, somewhat Slytherin-like and had some distant potion jars in the background...Snape's private quarters, perhaps? That did not comfort the blonde any further than the image itself did.

Mentally and otherwise silently, each boy tried to work out what had happened. However they were not given even enough time when the opening of a door caught their attention. Each reached for their wands but found them to be lying a few meters away instead. Surely they hadn't been there before? Grabbing them, they turned quickly towards the approaching sound but his voice caused them to freeze.

"Why is the house entirely silent?" Snape wondered aloud and than stepped into the living room, dressed as he always was in black robes but his expression wasn't as glaring as it normally was in their memories. Finally, he spotted them standing there and staring at him with wide eyes. Confused, Snape frowned and eyes the room uncertainly.

"What are you two doing?" He asked. His tone wasn't demanding or angry, merely curious and befuddled. It was unnatural.

"Well?" Snape crossed his arms and continued to eye them both but neither Draco nor Harry were able to form speech and just continued to stare in nothing sure of pure shock.