"Arthur," Molly stated seeing the owl at the window, "will you see what that is about dear?" Arthur stood up from his cup of tea opening the window and taking the message from Shadow, Snape's black owl. Molly sighed, there was no doubt in her mind who it was from. As the man had surrounded himself in darkness every since he lost Lily. Yes she was aware of what had happened and keeping that secret was one of the hardest things she had ever had to do. But she respected her best friend Lily, enough to do so.

"What does it say Arthur?" Molly stated as the kids started to come towards the table.

"Who's owl was that mum?" asked Ginny standing up from where she had been lying next to the fire with her head on Hermione's lap.

"It's from Severus Snape," Molly stated, "it will be about Harry,"

Ron wandered into the room at that time stating, "From Harry? What is it? Is he ok?"

Arthur called the other children towards the table and opened the letter with his letter opener. Such a neat little muggle device. Had someone had seen him do this they would have wondered why the man had just opened a letter with a butter knife! But butter knife's were rarely used in the wizarding community. It seemed that bread already came fresh and already buttered…as if by magic.

"It states that Snape would like Harry to come and see us," Arthur stated with a smile at Molly, "But…dear…you should read this bit,"

"What does it say Mum?" Ron asked, "please…I have been so worried," Ron looked like he was about to cry which was not an easy thing for him to experience whilst his big brothers were around. If even a single tear fell his brothers would never let it go. They would never understand how much he cared for his friend. Like nothing else in the world mattered when he was around, not even food and for Ron that truly is saying something!

Molly came and put her arms around Ron, "Ronald dear.." Ron's heart sank as did that of the rest of the family (and Hermione) when Molly used that tone of voice they always knew bad news was soon to follow. "Ron, honey," Molly took a deep breath unsure as to how to state it aloud.

"Ron, Harry…hasn't been thinking correctly since the incident in the joke store. I'm not sure exactly what is wrong until Severus tells me but," Molly sighed, showing a weak smile and squeezed Ron's hand, "I'll have a talk to Severus and see what is going on. At least we know that no physical harm has come to him because if there had been he would have mentioned something about it in the letter." Molly hoped that she was right and that no harm had befallen the boy. But at least she knew that Harry was under the care of Snape, one of the best healers in the whole of Great Britain. If anybody could find help for the boy, he could.

"Molly why don't you floo Severus from the office," Arthur suggested, "who's up for a game of quidditch?"

He looked at the kids who still looked utterly miserable thinking of what could have happened to Harry. For he had touched all in that room deeply in his own special way. But Arthur knew it was important for the children to be distracted from anything going on with Molly and her conversation with Severus. To make sure his wife truly had privacy and to ensure that the children were not traumatised by any bad news. His wife did have a habit of getting emotional at times.

"Come on you gloomy pussies," he stated, "let's go!" He ushered the children out the door and allowed for Hermione to borrow a broom.

Snape was sitting in his office filing through papers and looking for some older class notes that he had kept from his own time at school. Something to help Harry through this situation and to get him to understand the last few years of lessons. That was going to be difficult. But he knew that somehow he would manage. This was his son, he had to manage. Snape sighed, "somehow," he stated looking hopefully at the fire as it sprung to life and Molly Weasley's head appeared in his fireplace.

"Severus do you mind if I come through?" Molly asked.

"Sure Molly, give me ten minutes I just want to check on Harry and then we can talk," he stated.

He stood leaving the room and going to the window of his study. He took out his wand pointing it directly at the window "Volublis" he chanted. The window started to show different parts of his expansive yard slowly as he watched it. Considering the day outside, he wouldn't be surprised if the boy had decided to go out and play with the dogs. He smiled when he spotted his son on the quidditch field.

Lily, the cat, was sitting back on her tail and back legs attempting to bat at the glistening lights that were appearing out of Harry's wand. Snape smiled seeing this, he had obviously been reading as this was the Ebullio, a spell which created bubbles which when burst created glistening lights. Great for children's parties and entertained children for hours. He chuckled thinking of times in his past when his mother had used this charm when he had been younger…much younger…than he was now. He laughed seeing his great mangy dog Harvey barking at the bubbles and jumping up at them bursting them with his snout and paws and the little terror, Ralph, was barking at them, running around in circles and chasing his own tail. Harry looked every part the playful child that he should have always been allowed to be. He would be fine. So Snape looked at his desk and decided he should tidy it before Molly's arrival. This would most likely be one of the hardest conversations he had ever had to have.

As Snape was filing his papers away in a nearby cabinet the fire burst to life omitting Molly Weasley.

"Welcome Molly," he stated greeting his old friend.

Molly took one look at her old friends place and no words needed to come between them for her to know.

"It's bad isn't it?" she asked

Snape looked at her and sighed, "worse than you can imagine," he stated.

"Tell me Severus, what's happened?" Molly asked gently.

She waited for the man to respond, knowing that admitting to an issue involving his immediate family has always been difficult for him.

Snape sighed and gently said, "Molly, he has lost his memory,"

"How bad is it?" she asked wanting more information.

"Well his long term memory, that of the Dursley's and his earlier childhood are unaffected. He," Snape poured himself a cup of tea silently asking Molly if she wanted one, who shook her head in response, "he doesn't remember anything about Hogwarts. Not even his lessons. Not even…me."

Snape turned his back against Molly's instant gasp, sat down in an arm chair with his cup of tea staring at the cup for a while before slowly adding milk and sugar and giving it a stir. Stirring continuously with the patience of a potions master whilst he was deep in thought.

"School starts in just a couple of weeks, what can we do?" Molly stated.

"It's alright Molly, I will work it out…somehow," Snape sighed again taking his spoon out of his tea and taking a sip.

"Come on now Severus, you know that I would love to help as much as I can." Then her eyes lit up as a thought suddenly struck her mind "you know, Hermione is staying at the burrow at the moment. You know how Ron and Harry often use her to help them study for exams and things."

"Oh do they?" Snape stated as if questioning the mentality of the woman in front of him.

"Yeah, so maybe she could help out a little bit, it might be that…what did you say in your letter…yes, the yearning for company his own age…it might just be the ticket to helping him get ready for his next year in Hogwarts. It would also free you up for the more important activities you need to do," Molly stated, she hoped that by mentioning Snape's other activities he might be more motivated to letting her help him. After what had happened with Harry whilst he was underneath her care Molly wanted to help in any way possible to make sure that Harry would not be targeted in his next year of school.

"I shall take it into consideration Molly," Snape stated gently, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to allow for that know it all to help him, after all her studying habits were definitely needed to be heavily impressed upon Harry, maybe this might just be what's needed. An extra pair of eyes and ears for when he needed to waste his time teaching the dunderhead students potions. Very few students succeeded into his senior year potion making classes and some of them barely made the marks required.

"Why don't you and Harry join us for dinner Severus?" Molly asked, "It should be ready at around 6."

"Sure," Snape stated, knowing that Molly had always believed him to be skin and bones and would never take no for an answer.

Molly walked back through the fire stating "see you there" leaving Snape alone with his thoughts. It wasn't long before he decided to go down to the quidditch pitch himself to allow Harry a little bit of fun before they had to leave.