Muggle London, especially during the tail end of the Christmas holidays, was a morass of people and autos darting here and there. Horns honked, Muggles shouted, children screeched with overly loud, obnoxious laughter.

Although raised in the Muggle world, Severus had yearned for another world from the moment he learned he was a wizard. He hated the noise and the smell of the Muggle world and much preferred the general "old worldliness" of the wizard world.

As a spy, though, he had sometimes been forced to spend weeks in some of the worst areas inhabited by Muggles. He'd hated it then, as well, but oftentimes it was safer for him than being near magical folk.

Severus Snape's meeting with "L" from the O'Gilvy circus was to take place in Muggle London. The pub, Grey Oaks, was only a few blocks from The Leaky Cauldron.

The wizard had transfigured his robes into a charcoal grey suit. His outer cloak had been transfigured into a knee length, black wool coat. The rest of his Muggle outfit consisted of a bowler hat on his dark hair, a pair of black leather gloves and his dragon-hide boots that passed easily for snakeskin. His outfit was not entirely up to fashion for men, but he had a "moneyed" look that gave him a right to have what was considered "acceptable eccentricities".

The Grey Oaks Pub was quiet as he stepped through the heavy, wooden double doors. His nose wrinkled as he took in the cloying odour of burning tobacco. Underneath that was the more pleasant aromas of pine, and lemon oil wood polish.

With a very slight twitch of his hand, he cast a Filtering Charm that would keep his surrounding air free of the more unpleasant odours that wafted through the dimly lit pub.

Taking in his surroundings, Severus' mind noted the number of patrons and possible outlets for escape. Such behavior had become second nature to him as a spy for the Light.

A very large fireplace was at the center of the pub and the tall flames kept the interior of the drinking establishment warm. The furniture was all raw pine, round tables with four chairs each. The bar, at the rear of the pub, was deeply stained oak and resembled most pubs with mirrors behind the bartender, as well as all the colourful bottles that held the many spirits served to patrons.

Finally, Severus' senses settled upon a familiar face seated at a table near one of the frost painted windows.

It puzzled Severus that Lucius Malfoy had not used a glamour to hide his distinctive looks. In London, he was merely a striking man with grey eyes and pale, white-blonde hair that usually hung loosely down his back. In the wizarding world, he was well known and with a newly announced bounty upon his Death Eater head, it would be suicide just walking down Diagon Alley.

The Lucius Malfoy that looked slowly up from his steaming cup of coffee wore his hair in a neat braid down his back that was adorned by a soft leather braid wrap as worn by Native American Indians. His Muggle clothing consisted of an Irish cable-knit sweater in a heather and cream colour, hardwashed, deep indigo jeans, and distinctive western cowboy boots that had seen better days. On an empty chair to his left was a wool pea-coat; the type favoured even into the present, by fishermen. Most disconcerting was the weathered look of Lucius' skin. Once, almost as pale as Severus, hard work as muscle for the circus had given the once aristocratic nobleman not quite a tan, but a healthy, warm colour. There was nervousness emanating from the man, but Severus had expected that. What he didn't expect was the deeper contented ease of his old friend's body language.

Severus paused for a moment and watched as Lucius hesitated uneasily before rising to his feet and beckoning the Potions Master to share his table.

Stepping forward, Severus was once again caught off guard as Lucius stuck out his hand in readiness for a handshake. Lucius as a well-bred, highly-mannered Pureblood would NEVER step to such an intimate greeting. Severus hesitated, then took the proffered hand.

Lucius' grip was strong. The slim, aristocratic fingers were stained, and sported a dozen or more scars, and callouses. Long gone were the manicured hands that the aristocrat had favoured.

"Severus Snape?" questioned the lost wizard in the cultured voice that was so distinctively Lucius Malfoy.

Severus nodded, and found he could not conceal his frown. Did Lucius not remember him? "Lucius?" he asked, half in question, half in challenge as he seated himself opposite.

"Hmm. Not quite, Master Snape." Lucius waved a waitress over and ordered more coffee for them both.

"You bear an uncanny resemblance to a man I once called friend," commented Severus with a touch of sarcasm in his tone.

"That is why I chose to honor your request to speak to me. What I know of Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape I have gleaned from the newspapers and..." He took a sip of the bitter brew and then continued, "...and nightmares."

"You've lost your memory," concluded Severus.

"You would think so," smirked the blonde haired wizard, reminding Severus of the man he once was. "However, it is a curse that has separated me from who I once was. The only time I am able to access those memories are through my nightmares." Lucius shifted his chair slightly and draped his right leg over his left knee. He regarded Severus solemnly.

"I realise, Master Snape, that I am wanted for Death Eater crimes and I take a huge risk by allowing my picture to have been taken for the Daily Prophet. From just the lurid tales in the Daily Prophet, I must admit that I am not eager to know my past." His hand shook slightly as he picked up his coffee cup. "I had hoped that you would be the one to come looking for me." He chuckled softly although there was no mirth in it. "Considering you were the only one who has come to verify what they saw in the newspaper, I'm a bit insulted that the Aurors have yet to discover my presence."

"Auror Alastor Moody is aware of your presence. As a favour he is keeping that information to himself. Moody is, however, waiting to give you Veritaserum to verify that you were trapped and a slave to the Dark Lord," explained Severus.

Lucius chuckled sourly and shook his head. "Veritaserum will not work, Master Snape. Unless you have a potion that will unlock my memories, your Auror Moody will only know of my last four years with the circus."

Severus' fingers drummed lightly on the table top. Shrewdly he inquired, "Why risk this life you have now by inviting the truth of your past into it?"

"Because of my nightmares. By those alone I would have considered myself an evil man, and cowardly though my actions might be, I would have remained hidden. I had dreamt of you, Master Snape, and that threw doubt onto what I thought I knew of my past." Lucius finished his coffee and glared down into the empty cup. He then raised his grey eyes and leveled them upon the wizard across from him.

"What did your dream tell you of me?" asked Severus carefully.

"Friendship." He leaned slightly forward, his gaze never straying from Severus' dark eyes. "You're hardly a popular wizard because no matter what you've done to redeem yourself, there are those out there who hate you. However, I've read the articles and saw the photos of you with your son in the Daily Prophet. You made a mistake. I believe that I could only befriend someone who understood what we both survived."

"Your son wishes to see you," Severus said bluntly. He had heard what Lucius said, but the man's openess was unnerving him. Lucius had always liked games. He could be as infuriatingly cryptic as Albus Dumbledore sometimes was.

Lucius stiffened in distress. "Draco. My son." He bowed his head and pressed his palms against his forehead. "He must despise me."

Severus slowly shook his head. "Draco has always craved your approval, Lucius. Unfortunately, he had a terrible habit of going after that approval in the worst possible of ways. You played the willing sycophant to Voldemort for the sake of your family. I know that there were many times you wanted to be the father he needed, but you and I both knew that to show such weakness could easily get you killed."

Lucius raised his head from his hands. "I need my memories back, Severus. Is it possible?"

"You'll need to return with me to my home, Fairwinds. I need to do an analysis to discover just what sort of spell afflicts your memory. Are you able to leave the circus for a few days?" asked Severus.

"My... responsibilities are being taken care of." Lucius stood and grabbed up his coat and threw it on casually.

Severus hesitated at Lucius' odd pause. As the man strode past him to the door of the pub, he knew that Lucius was hiding something from him.

It was late in the afternoon, and Harry's father would hopefully be home, soon. Echo was asleep on her chaise lounge in the parlor, and Harry and Dobby were at his art workstation near the large picture window in the living room. Harry was drawing Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, from memory while Dobby coloured with studied intensity in Harry's colouring book of abstract patterns.

"Dobby?" Harry began his question, not looking up from his drawing.

"Yes Friend Harry?" Dobby grinned as he adjusted the two knit caps he was wearing on his head. He had never known of any house elf that became a friend of someone in the family they were bound to. It delighted him everytime he thought of the little boy who was very sincere in his friendship towards the elf.

"You served the Malfoys once, right?" He picked up an orange crayon, stared at it a moment, and then began to colour his drawing.

"Dobby serve Malfoys for two centuries."

Harry's large, green eyes lifted from his drawing and propped his chin on the palm of one hand. "Were they all bad like the Blacks were? Well, except Sirius, cuz he really was a good guy."

Dobby shook his head vigorously, dislodging his caps. He righted them, and then replied, "No, no, Harry. There be many good Malfoys Dobby served under. Abraxas Malfoy..." Dobby shuddered and his hands were suddenly twisting the hem of the Hawaiian shirt Dumbledore had given him for Christmas.

"That's Draco's grandfather," murmured Harry. "Dad says he was really bad."

"Yes, yes he was. Very scary. Very evil. Abraxas Malfoy was first of Dark Wizard's Original 13."

"Original 13?" Harry handed Dobby a green crayon. The house elf coloured a bit more and then sighed heavily.

"Dark Lord needed galleons, political power. Abraxas, him tell Dark Lord which family like sheep; easy to control. All thirteen wizards take oath and evil Mark on arms. Not all bad. Some just greedy for money. For power. Abraxas... him so bad he hurt magic folk and Muggle folk."

"Abraxas sounds as evil as Voldy-mort." Dobby's head bobbled up and down, confirming Harry's statement.

Harry coloured his drawing silently for several long minutes. Dobby cocked his head to the side and clucked his tongue. "Why Little Harry ask question about Malfoy family?"

"Draco. I hope there's enough goodness in Lucius Malfoy that he'll make Draco happy. I think Draco's really missed his dad." Harry's head snapped up as he thought of a new question. "Dobby! You knew Lucius when he was little like me." Dobby's head bobbled again, and he grinned. "What was he like?"

"Ahhh!" Dobby's green eyes glimmered as his mind drifted back to those days. "Master Lucius was so smart! Funny, too. Him like jokes and Dobby always found a new one each day for little Master."

"But didn't he hurt you?" Harry tapped his orange crayon on the surface of the art table.

Dobby sighed, and shuddered lightly. He looked up from the colouring book and settled a very serious expression upon his friend. "Master Lucius scared boy that became scared grown up. Nothing funny anymore and..." the house elf sighed sadly. "No more jokes. Master Lucius'... always him had a hot head temper. Very much scared, he was. Mistress Narcissa was round with the heir. Lucius would get mad, shout, be very scary himself when he worry about wife and heir." Dobby's short legs began to thump rhythmically against the legs of the chair he sat upon.

"We colour more, friend Harry?" The request was plaintive and Harry clearly heard the undertone of sadness and hurt that Dobby wasn't hiding well. Harry leaned forward, his green eyes trapping the gaze of the house elf who began to wring his hands worriedly.

Before Harry could say anything, Dobby declared, "Is lunch time!" And he popped away.

Harry frowned, pushed his chair away from his small art desk, and trotted into the kitchen where he found a very busy house elf. Pans and food circled wildly above Dobby's head. Turning too abruptly, Dobby collided with Harry. The food and the pans dropped from the air and crashed onto the floor. Dobby began moaning and fussing terribly as he darted around the kitchen picking up the mess.

"Dob... " Harry tried to catch his friend, but the elf dodged swiftly and snatched up a pan. "Dobby!" After several more tries, he yelled again to get the house elf's attention. The elf, appearing extra droopy with his hats hanging off one ear, pans in each hand, and his eyes staring at the floor, let out a whimper.

Harry took the pans from the elf who began wringing his hands in the hem of his Hawaiian shirt.

"Dobby? Did I say something wrong?" Harry did what his father usually did, when Harry couldn't look up at the tall man. He used his index finger to force the elf to look at him.

Dobby let out a cry and startled Harry as he threw his arms around the child. Harry quickly steadied himself and then put his arms around the elf and patted his back. For a brief moment, Dobby relaxed into the comfort of his friend, and then he abruptly pulled away.

"Dobby is very sad and is very bad elf," shuddered the small creature.

"Why?" asked Harry.

"Dobby should not be thinking of past masters. Dobby is free elf but is bonded to Master Snape's family." The elf shook his head miserably. "Dobby is so sorry, friend Harry, but me misses Master Lucius sometimes." He dropped his head into his hands and started sobbing terribly.

"Whatever is going on in here?" Echo had been wakened from her nap by the noise in the kitchen. She'd almost gone back to sleep as she heard Dobby and Harry talking quietly. It was the sobs of the house elf, that had her scrambling up off the chaise and making her way to the kitchen.

Harry was patting his friend's back. "I don't know, mum. We were talking about Lucius and Dobby seemed fine, but now, I think he's crying about Draco's dad."

Her son glanced at the elf and then gave his mother a look of bewilderment. Echo stepped in and sat down at the kitchen table. "Dobby!" she spoke sharply to get his attention and to halt the tears. "Do you miss working for the Malfoys?"

Dobby sniffed and snuffled until Harry found some tissue for the upset elf. Dobby blew his nose loudly and made the tissue vanish. "Some Malfoys is good, some bad, some very bad. Some Malfoys must do bad things to protect family. Dobby is bad elf for still thinking of Master Lucius when Dobby is free elf."

"Oh dear, Dobby," Echo spoke softly. "You aren't forbidden to think of any of the Malfoys with fondness. You were a part of their family for a very long time." Dobby's head bobbled up and down in agreement with his mistress. "Is it Lucius Malfoy that you miss?"

Dobby let out a shuddery breath. "Master Lucius was very scared man. His master was evil. Tortured Master Lucius, tortured Master Severus, too." Again, he dropped his head into his hands and shook his large head back and forth. "Master Lucius not nice to Dobby, but Dobby must serve, but Dobby sad and scared. Master Lucius had so many bad dreams." The house elf lifted his head and let out a sigh of weariness.

Echo stood and patted the small elf's back. "You need a nap, Dobby. Why don't you allow me to take care of lunch?" Dobby nodded and stifled a yawn. Echo tried hard to cover the smile of amusement that threatened to lift the corners of her mouth.

Harry grabbed one of Dobby's slim hands. "Come on, Dobby. I'll read you some Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn like dad reads to me."

A small smile graced the house elf's features and not letting go of his friend's hand, he followed Harry docilely out of the kitchen.

Lucius and Severus Floo'd from the Leaky Cauldron and one after the other they emerged gracefully from the Floo at Fairwinds. Severus had expected to see his wife greeting them, but there was only Harry who gave his father a quick hug and then stared, warily, up at the tall, aristocratic wizard.

Lucius settled his grey eyes upon the de-aged Harry Pot...Snape. He regarded the child as warily as the child was assessing him. Lucius was unable to access any memories of the teenager the child had once been. He knew they were there and they were no doubt unpleasant, but he could not think of that now.

"You're wearing cowboy boots," Harry blurted as he stared down at the worn footwear. There was a pointed clearing of a throat that Harry knew was his father. He cheeks warmed with embarrassment realising that his outburst of curiosity was probably rude.

Lucius chuckled lightly and, to Severus' jaw-dropping surprise, the older wizard's grey eyes sparkled. Lucius lifted his foot and pulled up the jeans leg to show off more of one of his boots to Harry.

"My favourite pair of boots," declared Lucius. With a teasing smirk, he dropped his foot back into place on the floor. "So, you must be Harry Snape."

Harry nodded. "That's me. Are you Draco's dad?" The smile slipped from Lucius' face.

"Harry," Severus glared at his son.

Harry forged ahead as he crossed his arms over his chest, the same way his father did when he wanted to intimidate. "Cuz, if you are, Draco's missed you a lot and I don't want him hurting anymore."

Severus practically glided across the floor until he was behind his young son. He dropped his hands, heavily, upon Harry's shoulders. "Please forgive my impertinent son, Lucius. Draco means a great deal..."

Harry interrupted, "He's my big brother."

Severus frowned and gently placed a hand over his son's mouth for a few seconds. "As I was saying, he's very protective of Draco."

Lucius smiled down at Harry and then crouched down on one knee so they were eye-to-eye. "I am glad to see that you're so devoted to Draco, Harry. Thank you for taking care of him for me."

"Mum said you prob'ly don't remember anything. Is that true?" Harry looked worriedly into the pale wizard's eyes.

Lucius nodded. "I was cursed by a spell that has hidden my memories from me. Your father is going to help unlock those memories," Lucius explained.

For a moment Harry studiously looked at Lucius and then his glance darted upward to his father. Returning his gaze to Lucius, Harry asked, "So you don't remember Draco, Mr. Malfoy?" Lucius merely shook his head no. The little boy patted the older man's shoulder comfortingly. "Draco misses you."

Lucius wanted to reply gratefully, but his throat tightened with distress as he desperately tried to recall some memory, anything, of his son. All that he had was of the few days old Draco from his dream. Rising to his feet, he gave Harry a nod and then looked to Severus.

Severus saw the pain in his old friend's eyes. He was momentarily at a loss at what to do. He knew this was not going to be a simple task to accomplish. He hadn't, yet, determined just what the curse was. It could have been a simple curse, or a combination of spells. Either way...

"Severus?" Echo walked into the living room. She had a crisp, linen apron on over her simple, green dress, and was wiping her hands upon a towel she was holding. Her long, curly hair, had been twisted into a messy, yet complimentary, bun at the nape of her neck. "I have lunch ready if anyone's hungry."

"That would be most welcome," said Lucius graciously toward Echo.

"My dear, this is Lucius Malfoy." Severus stepped over to his beloved, a good bit of pride sneaking into his body language and his voice. "Lucius, allow me to introduce you to my wife, Echo."

Lucius, since living with the people of the O'Gilvy circus, had become used to firmly shaking hands in greeting. It had become a natural habit for him and so he stuck his hand out to shake Echo's.

Echo had lived most of her life in the United States, having gone to school at the Salem Academy for Witches and Wizards. She was very used to the "western" habit of hand-shaking. She didn't hesitate, but took Lucius' long, work roughened fingers into her hand and returned his firm handshake.

"It's very good to meet you, Lucius. Lunch is rather informal, so I've set everything up on the kitchen table. Shall we?"

Echo led the way to the kitchen through the much larger dining room and into the cozy comfort of the kitchen. The table had been set for three, so Echo quickly sent a plate and utensils floating over to the table for Lucius. Severus gestured that he should seat himself, and once their guest was seated, so did Harry and his father take their seats. Echo sat, too, but Harry glanced from his empty plate over to the food sitting, aromatically, on the kitchen counter.

"Watch this," Echo whispered conspiratorially to her son.

In the blink of an eye, all the plates were brimming with food, and drinks filled the glasses. Harry was absolutely impressed and he clapped his hands in appreciation. Echo just smiled.

Severus chuckled softly. "Don't tell me, Dobby taught you that."

"He did!" Echo laughed. "But only after I taught him some basic embroidery stitches."

Lunch consisted of cold turkey sandwiches, a simple salad, and sliced peaches from their Ever-growing peach tree that bore fruit even in the winter.

Conversation was light and mostly about the summer that Severus and Echo had met. Harry also injected into the conversation how his dog Hector, a terribly over-sized golden retriever, had been rescued by his parents. Hector was beneath the kitchen table hoping for falling food.

Severus was just finishing up the telling of the story about Market Day on the island of Solanus when Harry tugged the sleeve of his father's white work shirt. Severus gave Harry a sharp warning glance, and Harry blanched, smiling apologetically.

"Dad, you have'ta tell Mr. Malfoy about the duel on the beach!" Harry grinned at Lucius. "That was so cool, because there was water, and bubbles, and all sorts of really funny spells and hexes until dad cheated!"

Lucius gave his old friend a sardonic smirk of appreciation that reminded Severus wholly of the Slytherin prefect who had befriended him by standing at his side when the Marauders had ambushed him in one of the dungeon corridors of Hogwarts. Severus allowed Echo and Harry to tell Lucius about the duel on the beach during that summer while his own memories recalled his and Lucius' first meeting.

Severus Snape was a very studious first year student. He practically lived in the Hogwarts library. When he wasn't in the library, or the Slytherin common room, he disappeared to one of several small niches throughout the castle that were perfect for a small child to hide in. These niches eventually became bolt holes for when he had to run and escape the gang of Gryffindors who dubbed themselves The Marauders.

It was James Potter and Sirius Black who had taken an immediate dislike to the young boy. Potter's family was wealthy beyond measure and James flaunted it every chance he could. His robes were hand-tailored, he had the best broom possible (a very expensive Nova X), and the entire house of Gryffindor seemed to worship at his feet.

Sirius Black was an outcast from his family who all had Dark blood down through generations of ancestors. As far as Severus was concerned, Sirius, should have been put in Slytherin. He was a crafty, calculating boy who often spearheaded the torments against Severus.

At first, Severus tried to figure out why the gang of four (two others, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, made up the quartet) students hated him so much. Unfortunately, there wasn't just one reason he could settle upon and the bullies lumped all their grievances with Severus under the heading of "because he exists" as their excuse.

Even as a first year, Severus was no slouch when it came to defending himself. He knew spells and hexes that none of the Marauders had ever heard of. He was also a scrappy, wily youngster who could streetfight better than any student at Hogwarts. He'd grown up in the Muggle world and with a Muggle father who had, in rare moments of sobriety, taught his son some of his sneakiest moves.

So, it was often three against one (it was Remus who rarely participated in the ambushes). Severus, if not coming out unscathed, was pleased that his encounters easily sent his tormentors to the infirmary as well as himself.

It was during the Christmas holidays that Severus wound up staying with a few other students at Hogwarts. His mother was sick, again, and his father didn't want him coming home. That was just fine by Severus. As he'd grown older, his father resented him and his magic more and more. The last thing he wanted for Christmas was to be his father's punching bag.

Unfortunately, Sirius, who really had no reason to return to his Dark shadowed ancestral home, had opted to stay at Hogwarts. Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew were staying as well. James Potter would have gone home, but he wanted to show his friends how loyal he was and so he stayed.

It really wasn't difficult for Severus to avoid his tormentors that first Christmas away from home, but it meant he did have to be wary and on his toes at all times. On a late afternoon, two days before Christmas, the Marauders caught the small Slytherin off his guard.

Emerging from the library, he was going over the creation of a fascinating potion in his head. Four books weighed down his bookbag and so intent upon the brewing that was going on in his clever mind, that he walked right into a prime ambush by the Marauders. They caught him at the east entrance to the dungeons.

It was Sirius who threw the first hex. A Jelly-Legs hex that sent Severus crashing helplessly to the cold stone floor. Immediately following that was a Boils Hex thrown by Potter that caught his right leg. Jelly-Legs might be funny, but Boils were not. The skin became suddenly inflamed and the angry pustules burst. It was an exceedingly painful hex.

Severus used a clever spell that turned the floor beneath the Marauders into slick ice that had them all toppling into a pile of arms and legs. While they were so discomposed, it allowed Severus to gather himself together. He first tossed up a rather strong Shielding Spell, ended the Boils Hex, and then fired off four hexes, one of those being a Boils Hex. Unfortunately, not a single spell hit any of the Marauders as they were still moving and crashing about on the icy floor.

Sirius vanished the ice and Severus dodged as a particularly nasty Blasting Spell shot towards him in a sparkle of angry red light. The Bludger Hex, aptly named as an opponent would get hit with a conjured Bludger, was expertly aim by Peter who crowed and danced like a wormy idiot as the Bludger hit Severus square in the stomach. Three more hexes were making their way to the helpless Slytherin who could neither get to his feet, nor catch a pained breath to cast anything.

Severus suddenly felt a pair of strong arms lifting him speedily to his feet, just as a Shielding Spell was cast, causing the hexes thrown to bounce off harmlessly.

"You appear to be in need of some assistance," smirked Lucius Malfoy, a sixth year and a Slytherin prefect.

Severus gasped, finally drawing in a much needed lungful of air, and smiled at the tall, older boy. He just nodded his appreciation.

From that point on, Lucius' superior magic and balletic dueling skills sent the Marauders on their way... to the infirmary.

It turned out that Lucius had returned early to Hogwarts for that Christmas holiday. His parents had some fancy ball they had to go to, that Severus eventually discovered was one of many meetings between Voldemort and the Malfoy family.

Lucius had confessed, that evening in the Slytherin common room over hot chocolate and fresh biscuits, that he'd been meaning for some time to formally make his acquaintance with the young first year. Lucius quite admired the young child's intelligence, which had already put Slytherin ahead of Gryffindor by 40 points.

Severus discovered, too, that Lucius himself was a rather intelligent boy who had the secret aspiration of becoming the youngest Master of Charms in over a century. In the same breath, though, Lucius whispered that his father had already decided his future; a future that meant he had no choice but to follow in his father's footsteps to join with Lord Voldemort.

As Lucius talked quietly about his father's expectations, Severus saw the young aristocrat's hands trembling as he held onto his mug of hot chocolate. In the same whispered, frightened tones, Lucius told his new, young friend, about the one and only time he had dared to defy his father, Abraxas. Suffice it to say, that Lucius spent two weeks under the hand of the Malfoy's private physician as he recovered from his punishment. Only a handful of people knew just how the scars on his back of a lash had marred his otherwise flawless, noble, skin.

Harry's question about going to the circus drew Severus away from the past and into the present. "Can we please go, dad?" Harry asked in a plaintive voice.

"I don't know, son. I will be working..." Severus began.

Lucius interrupted by raising his hand. "You have to come, Severus," smiled Lucius. "I think you'll be able to spare one day. You'll be my guests."

Harry grinned magnificently at Lucius. Severus sighed. He knew he was out-voted. He nodded his head. "All right. One day for the circus. Why don't you write to Draco and Hermione and invite them?"

Harry jumped up from the table with excitement. "Okay, dad!" He raced out of the kitchen before any of the adults could stop him. Severus let out a breath of exasperation.

"My child is going to be a little maniac until we go," quipped Severus.

"Aren't all children like that?" asked Lucius.

Severus nodded in agreement. "So they are."