It was after supper and I scratching Munk's belly on the porch. It was Harry's and Hermione's turns to clean up the kitchen and a rather tired Minerva was boring Draco as she talked all about how cute her niece's baby was. It was a girl and her name was Serena. Personally the talk bored me, so I gave Munk one last scratch and went into the house to be with Harry and Hermione instead. Draco looked like he wished to follow, but he stayed and let Minerva gush over the new baby, seeing as it had only been born last night.

      When I reached the kitchen Hermione and Harry were busy scrubbing dishes and Harry was drying them. Their backs faced me so I did not see the expressions on their faces. Though I could tell they were talking rather heatedly about something. I sensed this was something they would want me to be quiet for so I leaned up against the wall to listen, my presence unknown to them.

    "Harry you need to tell someone," Hermione said, moving her hands around in the soapy water to look for another dish.

    "No I don't, it's fine," Harry brushed her off, taking the now clean dish she handed him.

    "I don't think it is," Hermione replied over the clink of silverware, sounding worried. "You've been muttering, and I saw Sev talking to you last night."

      Harry froze. He then said slowly, "What did you hear?"

     "You're afraid he won't come back, aren't you?" she sighed sadly, not answering his question.

     "It's none of your business what I'm afraid of," Harry said mechanically, shoulders tight. I felt my shoulders tense too; I knew that tone.

     "Harry please ... talk to someone about it," Hermione reasoned. "I know you're worried, but so am I! You don't even need to talk to me about your nightmares. When he's back you can talk to him. He would want to hear about them. Or even Sirius!"

     "You know what Sirius is like with him," Harry said.

     "I'm sure he'd be willing to listen," Hermione told Harry.

      Harry didn't respond, he merely continued to dry dishes. This went on for a minute or two.

     "Don't do that!" Hermione cried finally, sounding upset.

     "What?" Harry mumbled.

     "Shut down on me. Please don't bottle things up Harry, you need to tell someone ..."

     "Just drop it Hermione!" Harry said loudly, a plate slipping from his grip and shattering on the floor. Hermione leapt back, startled.  

         Suddenly Harry and Hermione faded from sight and I was lost in a memory of not too long ago.

       "You're the worst thing that's ever happened to me!" screamed a hooked nosed man as he chucked a plate across the room, a frail woman backed up against the wall, watching in dismay as the plate shattered on the floor. "You and your stupid son. He had to go and break the door on my liquor cabinet, he did!"

     A little boy stood, rocking back and forth on his feet as he watched the scene unfold.

     "He's your son too," the woman said bravely

    "He's no son of mine!"

   The woman backed away as the man began to yell some more.

    "My fault my fault ..."a muttered the little boy, still rocking back and forth on his feet as a tear slid down his cheek.

              I shook my head and let out a little cry, running out of the room. I thought I heard someone call out as I ran out of the kitchen, through the back door, out into the field, and under the fence. It was happening again. I shouldn't have let myself get lulled into a false sense of security. All my fault. My fault Daddy yells at Mummy, my fault Harry yelled at Hermione. My fault.  Just like Daddy says. All of these thoughts whirled through my head as I ran blindly away from the house. I had to get away. I needed to be away so they wouldn't fight no more. After all, I was the reason they fought anyway. If I weren't there they would all be happy, just like Daddy told Mummy.

       After running for a long time I realised that it was getting dark. Real dark. Where would I go? I didn't know what to do, and as the crickets started to chirp and the stars began to peek out I heard something howl nearby. Another howl answered it, this one sounding closer. I suddenly realised that there were dangerous animals around here, and so I started to shiver, even through the night was warm. I cried out when I saw something bound through the grass ahead of me, but let out a sigh when I realised it was only a deer. She perked her ears up and looked at me. I looked back, and her eyes shone in the light of the rising moon. She turned her tail and bounded a little ways and over a low stone wall and promptly disappeared. I gasped, wondering where she went. However, I was shaken out of my stupor when I heard another howl, even closer this time. I decided to go toward that stone wall. If it was safe for a deer in there it was safe for me, so I ran the distance to it and fumbled my way onto a fallen stone in order to climb over it. I felt this funny little tingle in my fingers and toes, and quite suddenly I could see a house ahead of me. There was another fence down the hill, only this one was made of wire and wood. I just about laughed with relief when I saw that the house enclosed within the fence was the Burrow. I walked down the slope to the house. The deer was still nowhere to be found. I figured it must be hiding somewhere in the bushes. I wished I could thank her for showing me the way.

      I looked over to the house and I longed to be inside. Mrs Weasley would understand; I just knew it. I sniffled a little, remembering just why I was where I was. I couldn't believe Harry had tricked me! He seemed so nice, and then it turned out he was just like Daddy all along. I choked a little as I reached the fence, impatiently rubbing my eyes so I could survey it. I figured I could crawl under it, so I got down on my hands and knees. I wiggled under the barbed wire, getting a little dust in my nose from the dirt and making me sneeze. A chicken squawked nearby in the chicken coop as I continued to wiggle under the fence. After what seemed like forever I was finally free of the fence, and started to get up.

     "Uh oh," I whispered, eyes widening.

     I was stuck.

     I twisted my head around. The seat of my overalls was snagged on part of the wire. I reach around to untangle myself, but I had a terrible time. I couldn't get my overalls free, and I didn't want to rip them. I felt my bottom lip tremble, and I wrapped my arms around myself for comfort, fearing I would be stuck forever. My arms made the clasps on my overalls clink slightly. I had a sudden idea. I didn't really like it, but it was that or get stuck there forever. I undid the straps on my overalls and wriggled out of them, leaving them on the fence. I frowned when I saw them, all tangled up there on that fence. I liked those overalls.

     I dragged my feet over to the back door of the Weasleys' house, wearing nothing but my pants and a shirt. I felt a little silly. I hoped Mrs Weasley wouldn't mind how I was dressed as I knocked on the back door and waited for someone to answer. The house remained quiet. I tried the handle. It was locked. Nobody was home. I should have noticed that the house was all dark. All of this was far too much for me, and I sat down on the back step, put my head in my arms and cried.

      At least five minutes had passed by when I heard someone come round the side of the house. I didn't really notice it though, as I was too upset.

     "Severus!" exclaimed a surprised voice not far from me. I hiccupped and looked up. It was Mr Weasley. He looked about as exhausted as I felt, and his hat was on crooked and he had a pile of papers in his arms.

     I sobbed louder and tried to tell him what happened but it all came out as a jumbled mess, which only made me more upset.

     "Shhh," Mr. Weasley said, sitting down next to me, a little bewildered. "You wouldn't know where everyone's gone, would you?"

     "You don' know?" I asked, worried.

      "I just got back from work Severus," he told me patiently. ‘Hmm ... how about you tell me what's going on first."

      I put my arms around my legs, which were getting a little cold in the night air.

    "What happened to your trousers son?" he asked softly, setting down his pile of papers.

    I looked up at him tearfully, finding it hard to speak.

    "Why don't you show me," Mr Weasley suggested, holding out his hand. I took it and led him out to the fence, where my overalls were still tangled, looking forlorn and rippling a little in the breeze.

     Mr Weasley was really nice and got them untangled for me, and mended the little rip where the barb had caught with his wand.

    "There," he said, straightening the straps over my shoulders, having helped me into my overalls once more. "Now why don't we go inside and you can tell me what happened."

     Sensing I was really tired he lifted me up and carried me into the house. I didn't mind in the least, forgetting for a while that I was a big boy of six and a half. He brought me into the sitting room and we sat down in an old armchair.

     So there I told him how Harry had yelled at Hermione and how I was scared that it was all my fault just like when Daddy yelled at Mummy. I told him how I ran away and stumbled upon the Burrow (Mr Weasley seemed relieved that I had found my way there). How it scared me when Daddy yelled, and I was scared Harry would get louder and turn on me too.

    "I bet the others are out looking for you," Mr Weasley said when I had finally talked myself into silence. "Harry, Hermione, Minerva and Draco must be very worried."

     "Harry isn't," I sniffled. "He's mean."

     "Harry isn't mean," Mr Weasley said. "He didn't try to hurt Hermione's feelings like that, and it wasn't your fault either. It sounds like Harry is a little bit worried and got upset because of it. I know Harry, Severus, and he sometimes says or does things he doesn't really mean when he'd worried or upset. Everybody does that sometimes."

     "But he yelled," I whispered, trying to get Mr Weasley to understand. "He yelled at Hermione."

     "I know he did, and it wasn't right for him to do so," Mr Weasley said. "But sometimes people don't make very good choices and they say things they don't mean. Just because a person yells doesn't mean they are a bad person. Give Harry another chance Severus. He's probably worried sick about you. You'll see."

     "I guess," I said, fingering the slightly frayed end of Mr Weasley's sleeve. I certainly wanted to believe what he was saying. "Are you sure he's not mad at me?"

     "Yes."

     I let out a sigh, leaning my head on Mr Weasley's shoulder. I liked him. We were silent for a while.

     "I suppose we should see if Minerva is home now," he said as I nodded off in his lap. "She must be worried."

     I didn't respond, but let Mr Weasley set me on the ground and go into the kitchen to stick his head in the fire.

     "Nobody there," he said, brushing the ash out of his hair. I watched as Mr Weasley grabbed a quill and piece of parchment and scribbled a few words on it. He walked over to a little owl that was sitting on a perch by the open window.

     "Take this to Minerva McGonagall, will you?" he said to the owl as he tied the note to his feet. "She's probably somewhere around the area."

      The owl hooted and flipped out the window, leaving Mr Weasley to return to where I was standing. I yawned and rubbed my eyes.

      "Well, why don't we sit down and wait for them?" he said to me. And so we returned to the armchair, and he let me doze in his lap while he thumbed through a book that had a bunch of muggle machines on the front.

      I let the world wash over me in a haze, allowing my mind think of nothing so that I could be at peace. It seemed like a long time before someone came into the living room, or perhaps it hadn't been so long and I just believed it had been. I was mildly aware of Mrs Weasley coming over to where Mr Weasley and I sat. She looked quite relieved.

     "I'm so sorry I forgot to leave a note Arthur," she said, her voice sounding far away. "I was just so worried! The kids should be back soon. Fred, George and Draco are searching the village and the others are out and about in the fields. I'm so glad you found him ... why did he run off?"

     "That can wait Molly," Arthur muttered as I stirred a little.

        I was more awake now, and was woken up further by the sound of footsteps outside.

        "Are you alright dear?" Mrs Weasley asked me. I rubbed my eyes, nodding.

        "Severus," Minerva gasped, rushing into the living room, clutching the note Mr Weasely had sent. She was followed by Harry and Hermione. I scrunched up a little, trying to look small. "I was so worried! Whatever made you run off?"

       I squirmed a little. Minerva looked to Mr Weasley.

      "Would you like me to tell her?" Mr Weasley asked me kindly. I nodded, glancing nervously at Harry. "Severus was upset by Harry yelling at Hermione. He seems to think it is his fault."

      "Severus, I'm so sorry," Harry said, looking pale. "I didn't mean to raise my voice like that. Sometimes I overreact when people are trying to help me out, and I lose my temper. I'm not used to people trying to help me, as I sort of had to go it alone when I was little. Please forgive me."

      "Please listen to him, Sev," Hermione pleaded. "And it wasn't your fault at all."

      "Okay," I said finally, and a little sheepishly. You could tell that Harry was sorry by the look in his eyes. Daddy's eyes were always cold when he was lying, and Harry's weren't. "S-sorry I ran away."

       "You had a right to be upset that Harry and Hermione were arguing, but you shouldn't have run away," Minerva said sternly. "I'm so glad you're safe ..." She scooped me out of Mr Weasley's lap and held me close. I was glad to see her again; I thought I never would.

       Just then Draco, Fred, and George came into the house, followed closely by Ginny and Ron. Draco said goodbye to the twins and followed us over to the floo, where Minerva was getting ready to leave.

      "Thank you so much," Minerva said gratefully, addressing the Weasleys, "For everything."

       "That's what friends are for," Mrs Weasley said, looking very relieved.

      "And if you ever want to talk Sev, I'll listen," Mr Weasley said with a smile. I smiled back, and in an instant Minerva and I were travelling through the floo in a roar of emerald green flames.

      When I was in my pyjamas and being tucked into bed Minerva gave me a stern talking to about what would happen if I didn't think before I acted. She went on for what seemed like forever, and Alex seemed to be just as worried as I was by her speech. I could feel tears prickling at the edge of my eyes as she told me how worried she was and exclaimed many times over, "what would have happened if you had been kidnapped or hurt?".  But eventually she talked herself out and she gave me a good long hug and told me she wasn't mad and that I should go to sleep. Then Hermione came in to read me a story, which I gladly listened to. I was thankful for the return of my bedtime routine, seeing as a good scolding wasn't usually part of it.

     Harry and Draco came in to say goodnight too, and sat near my bed to listen to Hermione read a wonderful tale about mouse who was good at telling stories and poems. I smiled shyly at Harry, who returned it and straightened my quilt on my bed. It was then that I figured out that Harry wasn't bad at all; he was just a bit grumpy sometimes. Kinda like me.