Harry's first inclination was to scribble down, "I'm fine," but he knew full well that ‘I'm fine,' meant ‘bugger off' and he was sure that Snape knew it too. He wasn't supposed to lie, but he really wanted to. It was hard to keep things down inside if you were being reminded by worried looks and notes by own each day.

Taking up his quill Harry scribbled down, "Need more candy." He supposed if his father would be subtle he would too. Harry was struggling, and while he wanted to lie, it was nice to know he wasn't going through it alone. And so it was that each night his father's owl appeared asking how things were, and each night he scribbled down ‘need more candy.' Each morning at breakfast a little bowl of candy would appear near where Harry was sitting, and he'd take it all and stuff it into his pocket. He thought he'd gained a pound already and had decided to ask about something else he could use to distract himself without sugar in it.

Harry had stopped making potions with Draco, though Draco had continued on with a variety of products, and had even agreed to let Ron sell some and keep half. Ron had his eye on the new Cleansweep, and Harry knew he'd never have enough money to get it. Ron's broom was Percy's old one, an old Shooting Star 120. It wasn't a bad broom, though it was several years behind the Firebolt. Several people on other teams were riding them.

In a desperate bid to turn a new leaf over, Harry had made many important decisions after that first day leaving his father's quarters. After just sitting on the steps, he had decided to stop with the business not only because he had just enough for the Blue Zephyr, but because he felt it had in some way lead to him to taking the caffeine pills, which had in turn led to worse. The very next decision that Harry made was that he would by the Blue Zephyr, and give it to someone who was more than deserving. The Firebolt was still reserved for Ginny he thought, but he had been an awful jerk to Ron and Ron for the most part had always been there for him, even when he'd told him about his new father and becoming friends with Draco.

Harry really wanted a reason to feel good about himself. People always had expectations of him, and he'd tried to live up to them simply because he had to. The prophecy had made sure of that. But after his father had given him his expectations, Harry really wanted to live up to them. He didn't feel good about who he was because he didn't have a reason to. Giving Ron something that he really wanted and deserved made Harry feel like he was going in the right direction. And so it was that seven days after Harry had gone out on his own again, he lay the Blue Zephyr wrapped up in red wrapping paper on Ron's bed with a golden bow on it. He gave the Firebolt to Ginny earlier that day since Quidditch training started in a week and she wanted to get some extra flying in. He'd blushed red like a tomato when she gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek as a thank you. Ron had blown his bangs out of his face in an ‘oh, well there goes my broom' moment, but Harry worked hard to keep quiet about the Zephyr.

As Harry sat on his bed studying that evening, Ron opened the door to their room and came in, eyes immediately falling on the bright red shiny package.

"Harry, what's that?"

"Huh?" He pretended not to know.

"On my bed. Someone must have bought a present for you and put it on mine instead."

"It's not my birthday. What makes you think it's not yours?"

"Mine?" Ron raised his eyebrows. "Who'd give me a present? Christmas is a long ways off." He walked over to his bed regardless and saw the tag that said his name. "Hey, it is for me." A smile lit up his face and Harry grinned. Ron didn't even know what it was yet. Harry had made sure to pack the broom with clothing to make it unrecognizable.

"Lumpy whatever it is," Ron said as he began to pull the paper off.

"BLIMY!" The paper fell away along with the clothing, and there lay the Blue Zephyr, the handle a deep shade of blue, sleek and shiny, with a black tail of perfectly trimmed bristles.

"Harry, is this, am I dead?"

"Looks like a Zephyr."

"A BLUE Zephyr Harry! Who'd give me a-"

Ron turned then, mouth open a little and stared at Harry. "Harry, it's the same broom you wanted! We'll ride Blue Zephyr's together and Ginny's got your Firebolt, we'll all be so fast!"

Harry laughed out loud then. Ron was so shocked he hadn't pieced it together yet, and a burst of happiness was filling Harry from the inside out.

"I don't think so Ron," Harry said. I'm riding a Shooting Star 120."

Eyebrows scrunched, Ron tried to work it out. "A 120? That's what I have... oh." He looked up at Harry slowly. "You're taking my broom, and I'm taking yours?"

"No," Harry said. "I'm taking one of your brooms. You're a rich man Ron. You can afford to lend me one." Harry went to their shared wardrobe and opened it up, taking Ron's old broom and switching it over to his side of the closet. "See, now there's room for your new broom. It's a win win situation."

"No bloody way," Ron said, "I'm not putting it in there. I've got to take it out for a ride!"

Ron ran to the door with the broom, but then turned and surprised Harry with a very ‘manly' hug. "Sorry that," Ron said. "Brooms get the best of me."

Harry nodded. "Go on then."

Grabbing the Shooting Star, Harry followed Ron out of the room and down the stairs. Ron holding the new broom up above his head and whooping as he went into the common room full of people.

"What is that!?" Dean shouted excitedly, and leapt up to follow as Ron and Harry went for the portrait hole.

"Blimy, that's a Blue Zephyr!" Seamus shouted jumping up too. The common room, interested now, moved to follow them as Seamus shouted, "Weasley's got himself a Blue Zephyr!"

Half of Gryffindor followed them down through the castle and to the front doors. It was just getting dark out and if they hurried they'd still be able to ride for twenty minutes before it was too dark to see. Draco, who happened to be lingering after dinner wondered what the excitement was about and came up to Harry as they exited the castle, people abuzz with chatter.

"Get your new broom then? They're excited. Remember, I get the first ride."

"Yep," Harry said. "Got it." He held out Ron's old broom and Draco frowned.

"What's this? Where's the Zephyr?"

Harry pointed up at the front of the crowd where Ron was still holding the broom up for everybody to see as they walked.

"Do-gooder," Draco scoffed, and Harry shrugged.

"Want to ride my new broom?"

"Give me that," Draco said, snatching the broom. He leapt on it and rode to the pitch ahead of the crowd. Harry gave a little laugh and picked up the pace to catch up with Ron.

Back in the Entrance Hall, Severus crossed his arms at the front doors and watched as the happy gaggle of Gryffindors plus one Slytherin hurried out to the pitch. Weasley looked a little too happy about Harry's new broom, he thought, and it took him a moment to take his mind off of Harry's big smile to realize what had happened. Harry had given the broom to Ron straight out of the box. Had that been the plan all along?

That night after he sent his owl off with a message for Harry, the reply he got back made him stare. The only word scrawled on the parchment was, "Happy," and in that moment a little pride swelled in his chest. Harry was still Harry, and goodness prevailed in him. Perhaps there was hope after all.