It had been several weeks since Lucius’ funeral. Draco and Harry had adjusted since then. They had become thick as thieves. They explored the castle playing one thing or another. Some days they would go flying. Since the first time they used the snitch, they stayed away from the Quidditch supplies. They just settled on racing each other around the stadium.

Now their latest expedition was searching the Room of Requirement. Harry found it accidentally when they were trying to hide from each other. The Room of Requirement became their new playground. Since the room could become whatever the person wanted, Harry and Draco would take turns creating new rooms.

On this particular day, Draco oversaw creating a room. He decided they would have a huge living room with different items around the room. Harry knew when it was like this, Draco wanted some quiet time. It didn’t last long, but when it hit, Harry wouldn’t complain.

“So, Harry,” Draco said, sitting long way on the sofa. His feet dangling over the arm of the sofa.

“What?” Harry asked, sitting backwards on the chair. His head was hanging off the seat of the chair while his legs were draped over the back of the chair.

“Your birthday is coming up,” Draco said.

“How great of you to notice,” Harry quipped.

“Ha ha,” Draco said sarcastically. “No, serious, have you thought about what you want for your birthday?

Harry thought about the question for a second.

“No,” Harry said. “Never thought about it. Never celebrated before.”

“All the more reason to have one now,” Draco said sitting up on his elbow.

Harry slid his legs to one side of the chair so that he could look straight at Draco. It took a minute for Harry’s eyes to adjust since he was hanging upside down for a while.

“What should I do?” Harry asked. “I’ve never asked for a birthday party before.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you have a big brother to help you out,” Draco said, smugly.

“You do know that you are only a few months older,” Harry said.

“Age is measured in experience, not time. Still older,” Draco said, smirking.

The clock over the mantle chimed.

“Come on,” Draco said, sitting up correctly. “It’s lunchtime. We’ll ask Grandpa Albus what he thinks.”

Both boys stood up and made their way to the door.

“Why Grandpa Albus?” Harry asked. “Wouldn’t daddy be better?”

“No,” Draco said, opening the door. “Once we have everything planned on how you want it, then we go to Uncle Severus. But for right now, we go to Grandpa.”

Harry shrugged, saying, “Okay, whatever you say.”

The two boys ran down the stairs. They’d been on the stairs so much they knew which set of stairs moved at which time. They knew how to trick the stairs and get them down or up faster.

“What are you two doing?” Severus was standing at the bottom of the stairs. He was going to get the boys when he heard their peals of laughter throughout the staircase.

Draco and Harry leaned over one of the banisters.

“Hey, dad.”

“Hey, Uncle Severus.”

“What may I ask are you doing?” Severus asked again.

“Coming down for lunch,” Harry said. Harry tried his best to stop laughing long enough to answer his dad.

Draco gave up trying to reply; he was laughing too hard.

“Well, come down,” Severus said. “I would like for you to eat while the food is still warm.”

“Coming,” both boys said at the same time.

Harry and Draco were coming down at full speed. When the two boys got to the last staircase, Severus didn’t think they even touched any of the steps. Severus opened his arms and the boys fell into both arms, Harry on the left and Draco on the right. Both boys were laughing as Severus started poking their sides.

 “What am I going to with you two?” Severus asked, putting his hands on his hips.

“Absolutely nothing,” Draco said, smugly, stepping away from his godfather. “You love us too much.”

“Yeah,” Harry said, agreeing with Draco. Unlike Draco, Harry leaned into his father.  

“That is true,” Severus said, tightening his arm around Harry. He opened his arm for Draco to come back to him, and the three of them made their way towards the Great Hall.

___000____0000____0000

Dolores Umbridge was sitting at her desk when an owl came in and dropped the Daily Prophet on her desk. Putting aside what she was working on, she reached for the paper. Seeing the article at the front made her almost drop the paper.

The main story was about Lucius Malfoy’s memorial service. There was a large photo of several people standing by the grave stone. Draco was standing next to another child with a known Death Eater standing behind them. Then behind them was the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts.

This cannot be. Dolores pulled a magnifying glass out of her side drawer and put it on the picture. She looked at the other boy she couldn’t recognize. The magnified boy in the picture was Harry Potter.

Dolores gripped the paper and rushed out of her office. She always held herself as a dignified witch. She held herself to a high standard. But seeing that article in today’s paper, all those standards went out the window.

Minister Fudge was sitting behind his desk looking over paperwork when his office door came open and the door hitting the adjoining wall.

“Undersecretary,” Cornelius said. “What is the meaning of this?”

Dolores slapped the paper on the Minster’s desk.

“Look at this,” Dolores squealed.

Cornelius looked at the paper and looked back up at Dolores.

“Forgive me,” Cornelius said. “What am I missing?”

Dolores slammed her finger on the picture.

“This is Severus Snape. The Death Eater, standing next to Harry Potter!”

Cornelius pulled the paper closer to his face. Now he could see that it was indeed Harry Potter.

“I thought he was with his muggle relatives,” Cornelius said. “Find someone to check this out. This is very important.”

“I know the perfect person,” Dolores said, walking out of the office.

___000___000___000

Everyone was sitting at the table in the Great Hall having breakfast. The boys were whispering amongst themselves. Albus and Minerva were talking with Filius and Pomona. Severus was reading the morning Prophet.

“Well, this is unexpected,” Severus said.

Albus turned to Severus, “What’s wrong?”

Severus didn’t answer. He looked at the boys sitting across from him and saw that they were talking more than eating.

“Are you boys finished?” Severus asked.

“Yeah,” Draco said.

“Go have fun,” Severus said.

Both boys got up and was about to leave when Draco stopped and looked at their Grandpa.

“Grandpa Albus,” Draco said. “Can we come see you later?”

“There is no reason to ask permission,” Albus said, smiling. “You boys are always welcome.”

“Thanks Grandpa,” both boys said at the same time, then turned and ran out of the Great Hall.

“To think,” Minerva mused. “Last year, they were at each other’s throat. It’s amazing how they are now.”

“So true,” Albus said, then turned his attention to Severus. “What is it that you wanted to talk about?”

Severus gave the paper to Albus. “Have you seen this?”

Albus looked at the picture and sighed. “Yeah, I knew this picture was taken. I hoped that they wouldn’t publish it.”

“What is it?” Minerva asked, reaching for the paper. “Oh dear,” she said, after reading the article.

___000___000___000

Draco and Harry ran out to the front courtyard.

“What did you have in mind, today?” Harry asked.

“You want to go see Hagrid?” Draco asked.

“You want to spend time with Hagrid?” Harry asked, skeptical. “I didn’t think you liked Hagrid.”

“I didn’t,” Draco said, glumly. “But before we started…well before you helped me, Hagrid let me sit with Fang. It helped.”

“Well,” Harry shrugged. “Come on.”

Both boys ran towards Hagrid’s hut. That was the plan, but it didn’t happen. A blinding light flashed in front of the boys and they were both knocked to the ground.

An alarm sounded in the Great Hall. All the adults were on their feet running towards the Hall entrance.

“The courtyard,” Albus barked out before apparating out of the school. It was one of the benefits of being the Headmaster.

Severus blasted the Entrance door opened before flying out of the door. The Potions Master got to Albus first. Albus was kneeling on the ground. Severus stomach dropped. He could see blond hair against the green of the grass. He landed on his knees next to the boy.

Draco was unconscious. There was no physical damage on the child. Severus breathe a sigh before his heart squeezed. The boys left out at the same time. Looking around Severus couldn’t see him. His son was nowhere to be found.

“Where’s Harry?” Severus said. “Where’s Harry?!”

Albus looked around the grounds. The usual twinkle in his eyes were gone. There were only harsh and cold blue eyes looking around.

The rest of the adults made it to where Albus and Severus were. Minerva could see Severus shaking, while he picked up Draco’s limp body off the ground. Minerva put her hand on Draco’s chest and could feel it rise and fall. That scare left her.

“Severus,” Minerva said. “Take Draco to Poppy.”

“Harry’s missing,” Severus said.

“We’ll look for Harry. But you need to have Draco checked out.”

Severus stood up and rushed back into the building and went towards the Infirmary.

“Albus,” Minerva said, standing next to Albus. “What do you think happened?”

“I’ll have to check it out,” Albus said. “But I know someone crossed the warding. Someone took Harry.”

TBC