Four days until the Full Moon.

It was late in the evening when the group arrived home from the Ministry that day.

They had successfully retrieved Severus from the holding cells before the courtrooms, but the journey back to Grimmauld Place was wrought with a painful silence and no one dared to speak. They did not receive the outcome Harry had hoped for, although at least they could agree that Azkaban was not a place Severus should be succumbed to at this moment. Despite the tiny victory, however still, Severus was not yet a free man. The fact was that he was yet again, unable to leave the premises of Headquarters or Hogwarts as the Ministry placed a magical trace on him. He could not yet roam outside to face the public, not that Severus would risk that anyway. Or want to, really. He knew full well the capabilities of an angry mob who would take pleasure to further condemn, degrade him and kick down an already wounded man. Either way, the outcome still seemed to end in disappointment. Severus had his wand confiscated, and even though he was now unable to perform any kind of magic during his severe illness, it was still an unimaginable loss.

Severus himself didn't speak a word once they returned home. As they filed through the doors one by one, he stumbled up the flights of stairs alone and resisting any form of offered assistance, almost half-dragging his weary feet, and remained sealed away within his quarters for the entirety of the night. It was understandable, though. What could any of them say, or do? The day was heavy on everyone, but Severus endured the worst of it much to his own shame.

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione silently parted from the remaining three once Harry told them that he could handle it. In all honesty, he really couldn't. But some sort of peace was all they needed for the time being. Molly had even offered to return with them to help around the house, and assist Severus in all of her growing worry, but Harry politely refused. He couldn't bear to deal with anyone else at this point, as the residence grew suffocatingly heavy with emotions once more. Besides, Severus dealt with enough that day – he had interacted with enough souls already; alive or dead. Some good, some hostile.

Harry felt saddened by the entire fiasco – almost a mockery of a man who gave up everything to fight against the cause. He felt almost betrayed by the Ministry, who even had a difficult time believing his own words. It really wasn't fair. What hope could Severus have had, if the Ministry wouldn't listen to the plea of the Boy Who Lived? Deep down, Harry felt like he betrayed even Severus. He was adamant and confident he could set the man free, and yet here they were, almost back from whence they began. It felt like a mighty punch to the gut – Harry felt absolutely terrible that he was unable to do much else for him. Sure, he was able to bring him back to Grimmauld Place. A place that the both of them had called home for the last three months. But he was still confined and relinquished of his wand – the man's source of comfort, protection, and reassurance. After trying so hard to rebuild their fractured relationship, Harry knew deep down, that he had disappointed him yet again. He never knew he would ever feel that way with Severus Snape after the uncovered revelations, but since things were different now, those feelings wounded him deeply.

No one was able to get a wink of sleep that night. Harry sure as hell couldn't. Draco could be heard tinkering away in the potion's lab at odd overnight hours, likely trying to get his own mind off the events of the trial. At one point, Harry could have sworn her heard things shattering in the basement, but he figured it was the Slytherin attempting to cool off. He didn't dare disturb him. He knew as they arrived, Draco looked mad and frustrated with himself. Perhaps he felt just as horrible for not doing or saying anything more as he was brutally questioned. The younger Slytherin obviously had his own built-up guilt for his hand upon Dumbledore's death and was likely rattled by the appearance of said wizard in his ghostly glory. Not to mention reliving his own memory of the slaughter of Professor Charity Burbage.

Too much went wrong.

The clock ticked just over two thirty in the morning, and Harry simply lay wide awake in bed unable to switch his mind off the thoughts of the previous day. He hardly saw the point of trying anymore. Feeling frustrated with himself, he sat himself up on the edge of the bed and reached over to place his glasses back on his face from the bedside table. As his sight adjusted once more, he noticed a small glass vial of the Animo Silentium elixir Severus had given him a few months ago. He reached for the improved calming drought and proceeded to administer several drops underneath his tongue, almost immediately feeling the coolness of the potion wash away the tension within his body and calm his racing heart. Giving up on any attempt at sleep, he pocketed the almost empty vial and began to make his way downstairs through the darkened residence.

Quietly passing the third floor, he immediately heard the light snores of the younger Slytherin rattling from within his room. Draco must have finally had enough of tinkering within the potions lab to finally retreat. At least one of them was getting some measure of sleep. Continuing his descent, he arrived at the second floor and stopped at Severus' bedroom door. Neither of them had checked up on him since arriving back from the Ministry, and in all honesty, both Harry and Draco were hesitant to approach him for fear of making things worse. Harry's hand hovered over the door handle, and finally psyching himself up for the task, slowly turned the handle and opened the door slightly ajar.

Dull moonlight beamed through the dusty stained window, casting moving shadows from the winds blowing the trees just outside. A soft whistling of the night winds tapped at the glass upon the warmer summer night, echoing with a sound enough to mask the creaking floorboards underneath Harry's bare feet. Squinting through the darkness, he tried to fixate his gaze upon the bed, but no occupant could be found within it. Frowning, he took a few more steps inside, closing the door gently behind him with a CLICK. As he moved closer to the bed, he found the sheets a tangled mess, with some piled onto the floor in a state of disarray. As he looked around the room in the paled darkness, his eyes were set upon a hunched figure in the corner, beside the old wardrobe. The curled-up figure of Severus shivered and coughed several times as he sat against the wall, with his knees pulled up to his chest.

As he peered closer, he saw the man's head seem to twitch and tilt to either side, breathing heavily as he murmured and gasped under his breath. The man appeared locked in a nightmare, raising much concern for Harry. Without a second thought, Harry knelt down in front of Severus and grabbed both of his shoulders, gently trying to shake him awake. Waking a sleeping Snape was definitely not a good idea, but he really couldn't leave him like this.

"Severus, wake up! It's me. You're having a nightmare – " Harry whispered harshly towards him, hoping that he could be heard.

It took several rounds of yelling at the man, as Harry's voice grew stronger with each word of concern. But eventually, Severus managed to jolt himself awake, taking a few extra moments for him to regain his bearings. He seemed to be awake now still breathing heavily, and upon Harry's appearance, he broke the silence in a cold, hoarse tone of voice, between struggled wheezed breaths, "Go away…Just leave me be. Go to bed."

Eyeing the man helplessly huddled in the corner clearly in some distress, Harry retrieved one of the twisted, thick blankets on the bed, and wrapped it around the deathly-ill man shivering uncontrollably. Severus grumbled under his breath in a silent protest but clutched the blanket tightly around him instead. Harry hadn't said a word yet, and he considered adhering to the man's request, but he didn't feel comfortable doing so. He knew Severus was damaged in his current state especially given the emotional turmoil of the trial, yet Harry showed much concern for leaving him alone this time. Instead, Harry quietly dropped down to the floor beside him leaning up against the wall almost shoulder to shoulder with him. He couldn't help but think of how the tables had turned, when Harry was wrought with his own nightmare-induced panic attack that night, leaving both sitting identically as they were at that moment. By the state of the shattered man beside him, it was possible he had his own nightmare, too.

Harry bit his lip. Yes, it was highly likely Severus Snape also endured his own nightmares. And Harry was too selfish to think he was the only one who did.

As Harry dug back into his pockets, he retrieved the Animo Silentium elixir and held it out for Severus to retrieve, "I think you'll need this more than I will, this time."

Severus still hadn't really shifted his attention to Harry since he entered the room but continued to stare off within the shadowed crevices of the room. The older Slytherin heaved a few rasping breaths, as the crackling of his lungs had begun to worsen significantly. Eventually, his glistening eyes darted to the vial within Harry's hand and reached out to gingerly retrieve it with a tremoring hand. Harry nodded gratefully, as he heard the pop of the tiny cork, and watched as he administered his own dosage of the calming elixir he had brewed himself. Severus then outstretched his arm to hand it back, but Harry pushed the vial back closer to him.

"No…keep it, sir."

Severus was far too weary to argue at this point, so he clutched the vial like a lifeline against his chest and looked back away closing his eyes gently for a few moments. After a short pause against the howling winds outside and realising the Gryffindor was not going to leave, he sighed until he finally spoke again, "Why are you here?"

"…I couldn't sleep."

The Slytherin wearily opened his eyes and turned to frown at Harry, "You're a terrible liar."

Harry turned to glare at the man beside him, then leaned his head back against the wall, "It wasn't a lie. But…Okay, fine. That wasn't the only reason. I messed up the trial yesterday. I'm...sorry."

"The fault is with the Ministry, not you. You did what you could within your limitations, and I was certain even the Council will refuse to listen to the plea of the Chosen One. My faults are far too many for them to see reason. I can hardly blame them for that, however."

Harry shook his head, "I don't believe that. Kingsley is on your side, and I know Elphias was willing to compromise. It just…didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped."

"I am wandless, and yet again, confined to this residence indefinitely. I suppose it's the lesser than being thrown into Azkaban – " Severus sighed, " – Harry, why did you use the Stone? That was foolish of you to expose such a powerful artifact like that."

"Foolish?" Harry turned his entire body to face Severus beside him, "The Council needed to hear directly from Dumbledore. They sure as hell won't hear from a portrait. They didn't even take it seriously when you told them you were working with him in that way."

"Yes, I am well aware of their ridicule, " Severus spoke, dully, "I was limited in my options. It's not like Albus ever gave me a decent exit plan if I so happened to have survived long enough to make it to a trial. Albus, and even I, predicted I wouldn't have made it this far. Albus was a brilliant man, but sometimes even he was still blinded by the bigger picture."

"Look, once we get the others back, they'll have no choice but to free you. Officially, this time. You'll get your wand back, and then Phase Three will happen, and things will be okay. We'll fix this."

Severus pursed his lips coldly, frowning as he studied the Gryffindor beside him. He looked slightly deranged, "You really believe that, don't you? Do you really believe that any sense of normality will erase all that has taken place? Potter – Harry – if this is your silly teenage way of telling me to simply get over it, you have another thing coming."

Harry hesitated, "What? No, that's not what I meant. I meant, that you can finally get your life back, instead of jeopardising it to save others. You don't have to put yourself in danger anymore."

The man huffed under his breath, "My life has never been my own. It always seems to be dictated from one power and circumstance to another. It is far more complicated than you could ever dare to comprehend. The only time my life was my choice, was when I took the Dark Mark and barked out half the prophecy to…to Riddle."

Harry couldn't help but crack a small smile, despite the grim situation, "…You stopped calling him the Dark Lord."

Severus stiffened, "I figured I must finally begin somewhere. It's not an easy habit to break."

There was another pause in silence amongst the shattered pair, as they sat quietly in the dull glow of the beams of moonlight emanating throughout the room. Severus' shivers had begun to finally die down again, and he seemed a little less distressed since Harry entered the room. Perhaps the company was all he needed, as much as he usually detested it. No one should be alone, not even the pair of them.

Harry at this point, could no longer bear the silence. His voice was low, as he was anxious to speak the next words, and yet his voice was barely louder than a whisper. "Sir, I wish you had told me earlier that you knew my mum – Actually knew her. You let me hate you for years because of my dad, and yet you never once bothered to tell me you knew my mum growing up…It could have changed things sooner."

Severus paused in hesitation, as it took a little while longer for him to form the right words. His dark eyes flickered from Harry, and then averted away not wanting to admit anything directly into the green eyes that always caused him to falter, "I couldn't tell you, because it would have ruined everything. I could not allow you to see me in that way, therefore, I had to keep you at a distance. That is why I could never tell you because it would mean you had to know why I made a pledge to Albus to keep you safe. I would not have been able to bear it if you knew then, and yet even now, I…still cannot bear it."

Harry looked down to stare at his own hands, "You…You gave my mum a choice that night, though. When you asked Tom to spare her…and she chose to sacrifice her life. You had a hand in Tom's downfall the first time. If you never asked to spare her life, she would have died without that choice and wouldn't have been able to enact that blood protection, which meant I would have died that night, too. Severus, you did a lot more good than you think."

The Slytherin's eyes suddenly glossed over in a deep sadness, as he looked away in disgust with himself. He shook his head, not wanting to believe a single word of it. "Nonsense. I should have perished with them, on that night."

"Dumbledore gave you a chance to fix things."

"He gave me a chance because he felt pity for me."

Harry looked back at Severus, "He saw something good in you that was worth saving. Why is that so hard to believe?"

Severus shook his head and peered back at Harry, eyes flashing in a deep anguish Harry had never seen before, "Because anyone that has ever claimed to have seen any good in me, realises it was all a waste, thus, they turn away. My own parents gave up on me. Your mother gave up on me. Albus gave up on me - "

" – I won't…We won't, " Harry's face softened, "Look how many people stood up for you yesterday, even despite what those others were saying. You can't turn around and say it was all a lie. Those people stood up for you because they were willing to look past your faults, and see what really mattered. Some of those people in that courtroom are alive, because of you – "

" – Do not speak another word. I do not want to hear it."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because it won't make any shred of a difference!" Severus paused; his face twisted in a terrible sadness that caused Harry to be taken aback by it. The man pulled the blanket tighter towards him in a strange comfort, when after a few moments passed by, his body began to relax once again. He exhaled slowly, once he was done re-composing himself, "I valued your life, beyond my own. I cannot simply…move on. Rebuilding my life was never personally part of the plan. Even if I so happened to have survived unscathed, there was nothing else binding me here…Until now. Do you understand now? Why I never wanted to stay? Why I could never face you after what I did once you knew? I am the reason you grew up an orphan – "

"- Sir – "

" - No, allow me to finish! " Severus hissed, but soon realised that he did not intend to snap at the Gryffindor in that way, "My mistakes were my own doing, and I chastised myself for it every single day. I never saw myself as a good man. I am unreasonable, selfish, and ruthlessly cruel. I am a horrid, bitter man. Life moved ahead without me, and I knew that is what I deserved in exchange for all the torment and pain I caused. I cannot erase or forget it. I cannot reverse those disastrous choices I made out of fear. Furthermore, ironically, you're the only person who has seen this side of me. Not even Albus, or even Minerva, knew to this extent…How damaged I was – am - But you…You didn't condemn me for all you now know of me, and I am still unable to understand why. You deserve far better than I."

Harry blinked several times, unmoving, as his gaze fixed upon the man huddled against the wall beside him. He allowed a soft silence to fall over them, defusing the heaviness within the air around them. He watched as the man's head tilted away from him, hiding whatever expression he did not want Harry to see. But after a short pause, Harry continued quietly, "I'm not going to continue hating you again if that's what you are implying. I thought we've moved past that. I told you once before, that I want to do what my parents never could…You chose to stay, and I chose to forgive you. Please take some solace in that."

The older man – although seemingly appearing twenty years older at this moment – turned to glance at Harry with a look of utter defeat upon his face. A shell of a man, with all his usual glory, stripped away raw and heavy during their conversation. The façade of strength he placed upon his face so well for many years, now nothing more than someone incredibly broken and lost behind it. Someone who clearly struggled with the notion of an actual future; a concept so seemingly foreign to him. The idea of the possibility of some ounce of a future clearly seemed to frighten him beyond anything Harry had ever seen. In a strange way, sometimes he missed the overbearing, ruthless Potions Master berating Harry at every turn. But truthfully, he found this once-hidden conflicted side far more endearing and intriguing, as Harry learned more about Severus each and every time.

In the span of three months, Severus was more human than Harry ever dared to see. At the end of it all, he was just a man who made terrible mistakes, owned up, suffered immensely for it, and did his best to do the right thing despite the unfair odds. Even though he wasn't kind, or even compassionate. He was tough and strict, and yet taught Harry in ways he didn't comprehend earlier in all his previous blind hatred against him for so long. He cared – in his own way. Severus did have a heart if anyone ever bothered to look beyond the mask he wore, and Harry was lucky enough to be one of the rare few to truly witness that.

He understood why Severus wanted to keep all of this away from him – admitting it all to the teenager he essentially bulled during all his unresolved issues and deep-rooted trauma, was hard enough for him. Admitting that even he wasn't as terrible as he blindly led himself to believe, was also a tough thing for him to come to terms with. But also, in admitting this guilt, drew them both closer and Harry knew the man had eventually become fond of him. There was something new within him Harry could sense, and for a strange feeling, it felt familial. He felt oddly like a father to him, and Harry seemed absolutely comfortable with the notion of that. A few years prior, that would have been an utter nightmare to him, but now…It felt normal. It felt right. A connection that was denied far earlier for the both of them.

But Harry wanted to do the right thing too and give him a chance to live. Like Severus had done for him.

Severus suddenly shifted position on the floor beside him, and drew in a sharp breath, reaching out to clutch the wound against his neck, as he seemed to double-over in discomfort. There was a barely audible whimper, as he did his best to breathe through the sharp, stabbing pain he was all too familiar with. Tears pricked at the man's eyes, as even he struggled to manage it. Harry quickly jumped to his feet, and strode over to the bedside table, retrieving one of the half-empty vials of the crimson red, analgesia potion. As he dropped back down beside the man now unable to sit still, he forced the open vial to the man's lips and assisted to pour it down. Some of the red liquid trickled down the front of his nightshirt, as Severus struggled to ingest it. In his wild discomfort, he accidentally flailed his arm, knocking the now-empty vial from Harry's hand, which shattered against the other wall. Severus growled under his breath, followed by what sounded like, a dry sob that barely slipped from his lips.

Harry sat quietly, watching as the man buried his face silently within his hands in broken dignity, as another wave of burning pain hit him again. Harry felt upset and bothered by everything that seemed to be going wrong, as his own eyes began to sting with tears watching helplessly at the man dying slowly beside him, leaving him unable to do anything else. And the fact that Severus valued Harry's life, beyond his own, felt like his own heart being ripped out of his chest. Severus never thought his own life was worth anything, and Harry couldn't believe those words. He refused to. No, his life meant something. Maybe not for too many others, but it was worth a lot to him – He knew that now.

The Gryffindor didn't leave his side and remained with him until the familiar wave of pain subsided again shortly after, leaving a reassuring hand on the man's shoulder to provide whatever sliver of ease he could. It seems now that was the norm, and Harry was relieved that Severus no longer appeared to be visibly annoyed by his presence anymore. Or more so, the physical contact. It was all Harry could really provide, not knowing how else to help. Severus had now learned and accepted his company, and Harry was relieved by that. It just seemed normal now, and less of unfamiliar territory for the both of them.

Once Severus was seemingly settled with the potion seeping through his system, Harry assisted the feebly sick and weakened man back to bed who fell asleep almost instantly, as soon as his head rested upon the pillow.

As Harry finally left him for the night, he had retreated back to his own room and suddenly broke down as if the dam had finally burst. No one was around, and to him, he was grateful for that. However, he could not stop the tears that fell this time as he cried behind the Silencing Charm he placed at his door. His chest hurt with an aching sadness for something so far out of his reach. He felt useless now. A promise he had broken to try and free the man, which came to an unsatisfying outcome. The unfairness of it all made Harry angry, and incredibly upset. Even though Harry had managed to haggle to the Council to bring the man back to Grimmauld Place as opposed to staying in temporary detainment, he still felt like they achieved absolutely nothing. And yet taking the man's wand away was yet another painful blow.

He tried so hard to make this work and please the Council, but it just seemed to make the situation worse. Without an inkling of a resolve, Severus was still not free. And he was slowly wasting away before his eyes.

After finally subsiding his own tears, he was exhausted enough to drift off to sleep as his mind finally grew weary and devoured of all energy.

Perhaps in one week, after Phase Three, everything will be okay. It just had to be.

Three Days until the Full Moon

The following day was a quiet one, and like the previous, none of the inhabitants of Grimmauld Place could bear to interact with each other. Draco had done the Severus check-ins several times that morning, but for the most part, the younger Slytherin also hid himself away within his room.

Harry sat in the kitchen and attempted to eat some of the scrambled eggs Kreacher had prepared for breakfast that morning, but he felt sick to his stomach and felt like he was yet again, losing his appetite. Aside from the recent stress, he also felt guilty because Severus was unable to eat anything and was refusing to even try anymore. Certain smells of food wafting through the house were even enough to make the older Slytherin want to dry retch, and even now, fluids had a difficult time staying down. It made the Gryffindor feel a burning worry in his gut, as the man barely had the energy to walk a few paces anymore. Severus had even stopped attempting to sit in the living room as the stairs were almost a little too much for him.

Harry had spent the morning alone in his own room, as with the other residents in the household. But it took him a long time to summon the energy to even attempt to shower and shave off the horrible stubble that was forming around his chin. As anxious as he was these days, he didn't want to look haggard as he knew Hermione or Ginny would point that out and question him about it. Most days, self-care took far more effort than he ever anticipated.

Once he finally managed to shower, he made his way downstairs to the living room to sit with Godric for a while. He'd have to set a time and date for the next Order meeting to discuss their next plan of attack. Frankly, it really couldn't wait. Even despite how sickly and worse Severus was getting by the day, they needed to get this mission together soon. Time was precious, but now that the trial was more or less over – despite the outcome – they had something else to focus on now, aside from everything else.

As the clock chimed just past midday, Harry heard the front doors slam downstairs, causing the portrait of Mrs. Black to scream and curse once again. But he heard the hushed voices of McGonagall and Kingsley before the pair made their appearance at the top of the staircase at the first floor.

"Ah, Potter, you're here – " McGonagall glided within the living room, and settled on the seat across from Harry, with Kingsley joining beside her.

Harry merely shrugged, feeling a little beaten down, "…Where else would I be?"

Kingsley clasped his hands neatly upon his lap, over his turquoise and silver robes. He looked genuinely concerned, "How is Severus holding up?"

Harry couldn't help but frown, "How else would he be holding up? I dunno - Should he be overjoyed?"

The elderly Headmistress lowered her head, "We realise that the trial did not go as we had hoped. But at least he is able to remain here, or Hogwarts, which is far better than ending up in a murky old cell in the middle of the ocean."

Harry bit his lip, "Yeah, well, he is still stuck here on Ministry orders. I know he's too sick to exactly go out for an afternoon stroll, but that's not the point. I just want him freed."

"I know, Mr. Potter. We do, as well, " Kingsley nodded, earnestly, "There was only so much I could do…I do hope you understand that."

Harry felt defeated, as he sighed heavily not bothering to mask his disapproval, "Yeah. I know. But I'm still mad about it. It's just…not fair. It's not fair on him."

"We will keep trying. I'm sure the Council may even consider dropping all charges once the others have been retrieved, " Kingsley responded, "Though, that comes to my next point. We must set up another Order meeting to get this mission up in the air as soon as possible."

"Technically, below, " Harry mumbled, feeling slightly annoyed.

McGonagall thinned her lips at Harry's poor attempt with humor, "Yes, this cannot wait. Perhaps tomorrow would be wise? I will seal off the Great Hall, as the new term will not begin for a few weeks, yet. The sooner we get this mission underway, the sooner Severus has a chance."

"I'll send a message to the DA and set it for tomorrow. Unfortunately, there are too many of us now to hold it here. Hagrid has difficulty getting through the door, and he'd want to be involved, too, " Harry explained, "I suggested to Severus that maybe, we can utilise the Floo Network from the Burrow, and get him directly there."

"Good idea, Mr. Potter, " McGonagall agreed, "He didn't look well enough to be on his feet, and the Apparition barriers are much too far for him to travel on foot."

"I do have another important point to address, " Kingsley spoke in all seriousness, "Will Mr. Malfoy be present at the meeting? I only ask because, well…The others may not take so kindly to his direct involvement."

Harry paused for a moment, "I had been pondering that. He has been helping us plan it, but the only people who know about him, other than Severus, is Hermione, Ron, and Ginny. The others would not allow him to help if they knew he was there. That much I'm certain."

"Alright. I just do not think it is wise to bring him along. We cannot afford any more unnecessary conflict."

"Honestly, I don't think he'd want to be there, anyway. Regardless of that, he'll be helping in the retrieval. I'll go over the plan with him, afterward. "

"Good - " McGonagall nodded but was seemingly distracted by the sound of the front door open and slam shut yet again.

The three of them stopped their train of thought, until the voices of Hermione, Ron, and Ginny made their way up the flights of stairs, halting in their tracks when they realised Harry had additional company.

Kingsley greeted the three with a warm smile, as he stood up from his seat, "Impeccable timing, you three. I am just about to head back to the Ministry and ensure my schedule tomorrow is completely clear. Mr. Weasley, give Molly and Arthur my best."

Ron shoved his hands in his pockets, "Alright. Thanks, Kingsley - anything we missed?"

The Minister shook his head, "We were just discussing with Mr. Potter in regard to the next Order meeting. Tomorrow is likely."

"So, we are finally doing this – " Hermione breathed in a tensed sigh, "- We'll bring all the information we have gathered."

"Wonderful, Miss Granger. I look forward to seeing what you have, " Kingsley responded, as he edged closer to the door and turned back to the others, "I will see you all tomorrow, in the Great Hall. Stay safe."

"Thank you, Kingsley, " Harry acknowledged, as the Minister disappeared out of the sitting room.

Barely a moment later, McGonagall also rose from her seat and turned to Ginny, "Miss Weasley, you did remarkably well at the trial yesterday. You and Potter, both. The Council can be rather ruthless, but you handled it well."

Ginny sat down on the edge of the armrest of the couch, "Thanks, Professor. I wasn't about to let them get away with it. I had a feeling they wouldn't be so forgiving…I hope we did Professor Snape justice, though."

McGonagall smiled proudly, "You both did wonderfully. I am proud of you for standing your ground. If the Council was willing to reconsider immediate detainment, then that is already a step in the right direction."

"They took away his wand, though, " Harry added, sadly.

The Headmistress looked at Harry, peering over her spectacles, "At least he is here, and safe. It was, unfortunately, a small price to pay. But as the Council decided, they are withholding it temporarily."

"Is there anything else we can do, Professor?" Hermione asked.

The older Gryffindor shook her head, clasping her hands in front of her, "The only thing we can do, is bring the others back safely. Once that is successful, and the Council realises that Severus was not lying and that his motives were genuine, then he has a chance. For now, we focus on the retrieval. Speaking of which, I also came here to pay Severus a visit. Do excuse me."

With a final nod, Minerva McGonagall exited the sitting room, as light creaks of the staircase could be heard ascending up to the next floor. Ron and Hermione slumped over to the unoccupied couch, as Ginny and Harry settled into the opposite one.

Once the Headmistress was out of earshot, Hermione lowered her voice, as she ducked her head subtly, "Is…Is he alright?"

"I don't really want to talk about it, " Harry responded grimly.

"…I'm sorry we didn't get the result we hoped for."

"Yeah, well, if this doesn't free him, I honestly don't know what will. This is all my fault, " Harry looked down sullenly at his hands, feeling upset.

Ginny turned to Harry and frowned, "Why are you blaming yourself? It's the Council who can't see reason."

Harry ran his hand frustratingly through his messy hair, "Because he did all of this for me…for my mum. Because of guilt. How can anyone heal from that? I really don't know how he dealt with this for so many years by himself. He made himself hated by everyone, so he can complete the mission on Dumbledore's orders. And now…Earning everyone's trust back again has been difficult on him."

"He's a tough bloke, " Ron said, as he leaned back into the couch, "No one could have done better than he did."

"That's not the point, Ron. He should not have had to do this alone. "

Hermione bit her lip, "At least we had Dumbledore himself to vouch for him again. Although, you still haven't told us how you managed that."

Harry looked at each of his friends, "I gave the Resurrection Stone to Professor McGonagall. It was a huge shot in the dark because I really didn't know if he would be visible to everyone else in that room. I'm glad it worked because…it was our last hope."

Ginny reached out and clasped Harry's hand, "We won't give up, Harry. We see how much this means to you."

"I feel like I'm being selfish, though. I have been, haven't I?"

Ginny shook her head, "Oh Harry, of course not. You are far from being selfish. You care a lot about what happens to him. Considering how much you used to be at each other's throats, you…care. And I think he finally realises that, too."

Harry squeezed Ginny's hand back and managed the smallest of smiles. Without another word, he reached into his pocket with his other hand and retrieved the golden DA coin. Whispering the incantation to activate the fake galleon, he relayed a message to the others. Simultaneous vibrations of the coins Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had in their pockets, had activated at the same time. This may even be the last Order meeting for a long while if any, and there was something almost bittersweet with re-activating the coin again. They've all come so far from the early days of the DA. It all began because Umbridge refused to teach them practical defensive spells almost three years ago. Then they used it as a rebellion, and now, an active fighting force in the resistance. It was strange how things had changed since then. It felt so far away, and yet at the same time like no time has passed at all.

They had all come so far, although not without their own troubles and obstacles. But they faced them together, no matter what odds seemed to be stacked up against them, and refused to give up. Everyone in the Second War had their own role to play, and those brave acts were not going to go unnoticed. The gleaming marble monument stood tall by the Black Lake at Hogwarts, as a reminder of those who gave their lives to the cause. Who fought valiantly to protect their loved ones and rid the world of an evil threatening to overcome them. The mothers, and fathers, and brothers, and sisters, and cousins, and friends…All fought for the cause.

They fought in unity.

Harry was proud of them all. Immensely proud. People of all ages fought in the resistance to prevent Voldemort and his Death Eaters from taking over the wizarding world and succumb to the darker regimes they harbored. The twisted blood purity, who would have ultimately ended in the death of Muggleborns, and possibly even half-bloods. Those who were not pure enough would have been slaughtered. All those threatened innocent lives. And for what? Decrease magical numbers, so a ruthless half-blood Dark Lord can reign supreme? To take control over their futures?

Power, was ultimately, his own downfall in the end.

For much of the day, Hermione was relaying all the information that they had gathered on their little treks to the outskirts of the Clearwell Caves, using the map that Luna had kindly drew for them. There were colored slips with notes plastered around them, along with glowing pins indicating each of the entrances. However, many of the smaller entrances were marked by a question mark. Those were the pathways that they were unsure of where they would lead. Would they lead back out? To a pit far below their intended target? Would they drop back into the main caverns in plain view of the remaining Death Eaters? A dead-end? Each pathway was a potential death trap, and that was what frightened everyone the most. They were essentially running blind.

As Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny discussed the grim venture, McGonagall had begun to descend the staircase to exit headquarters, when Draco almost ran into the Headmistress as he climbed the stairs. The four in the sitting room stopped in their conversation and turned to listen to the pair in the hallway.

McGonagall studied Draco's face, uncertain of how she should be feeling. After a short pause, she gave a small, curt nod at the Slytherin, "You did well at the trial, Mr. Malfoy. Severus is lucky to have your support. Your father would not have been able to support him in that way, and for that…I thank you for doing what he couldn't."

Draco seemed to scrunch up his face upon the mention of his father, "Yeah, well, if I don't get my father or mother back, Severus is all I have left."

The Headmistress sighed, "I know I have not been a great influence on you, and sometimes I wished I had done more to help you, but your assistance here is much needed and appreciated. I am pleased to see you finally making the right choices on your own, no matter how selfish some can be. Let this be a lesson to you."

The Slytherin looked a little sour, "I just want my family back, alive and well."

"Rightfully so, " McGonagall clasped her hands in front of her, "And on that note, I hear you have been taking take of Severus well. "

Draco turned to Harry and frowned slightly from the odd compliment, looking mildly confused.

"I will bid you all farewell for today, " McGonagall gave a small wave to the others, "See you lot tomorrow, and try and stay out of trouble in the meantime." And with that, the elderly Gryffindor departed Grimmauld Place.

Draco, still mildly stunned, slowly entered the living room with the others. He walked over to the single sofa that Severus usually occupied, and slumped down within it, crossing his arms over his chest, not knowing how to comprehend that encounter. He turned to Harry, crinkling his brow, "Did you seriously just compliment me to your Head of House? What the hell has gotten into you, Potter?"

Harry shrugged, a little innocently, "What? I wasn't kidding."

"Don't do that again, " Draco frowned.

"Take it or leave it, Malfoy, " Ron added, "That's probably the only one you are ever going to get."

Draco sneered, before turning to Hermione, "So Granger – Have you been practicing the incantation? There's no room for error, so make sure you get it right the first time."

Hermione looked a little offended, "I have been practicing, actually. I'm surprised even you had to question me about it."

"Just checking – It's not exactly a simple swish and flick spell."

"I do happen to realise the complexity of it, thank you very much, " Hermione frowned.

Ron shifted within his seat, "So since this tosspot won't be going to the meeting tomorrow, what's been decided for him in terms of the retrieval?"

Draco snapped, " - Oi!"

"Shove it, Malfoy. You've caused too many problems with us already and we're not taking any more chances."

"You bloody piece of – "

"Shut it!" Ginny yelled, until both men fell silent, and yet continued to glare dangerously at each other.

Harry cleared his throat, "So, Severus had the idea of sending us into groups at each entry point, right? One person per group will have the ability to stay hidden, and scout ahead for danger before advancing. I have the Cloak, so I will lead one group. Hermione knows the cloaking spell now, so she'll lead another. Malfoy does too, so I was thinking he'll lead one – "

"NOT BLOODY LIKELY!" Ron snapped.

Draco sat up in his chair, "HEY!"

"SERIOUSLY YOU TWO!" Ginny yelled again, "Cut it out!"

Harry turned to Ron and Draco, "Do you two have a better idea?"

Ron huffed, "Yeah, leave him behind."

"I will not sit idly by when I have family in danger!" Draco growled.

Harry sighed heavily, "Look, I know you guys don't like the idea, but Malfoy knows the spell. Unless either you or Ginny can learn the spell within the next few days, then he's our only other option. If you don't have anyone else undercover down there, then you risk being caught or trapped. We don't know what defences they have down there. Ron, for the Order's sake, you are to lead one. But once you get down there, Malfoy can move ahead. Malfoy, you mess this up, and we can all be in danger. Including your mother. If they discover we are down there hunting them down, they could start killing the captives. And no offense, but your mum will be high on that list, and you know it. "

"I won't mess it up. I know you don't trust me, but bloody hell, I didn't give up my sanity to hide away in this miserable, desolate place sharing the roof with you Gryffindors just to wait around and do nothing. You need me down there. We have a mutual goal. I don't like any of this either and I want the other Death Eaters gone, but…"

"- Typical Slytherin."

Draco sneered, "Well, one of the groups need to be led by one. I can at least prevent you idiots from running headfirst into danger like you have been known to infamously do in the last seven years. I want to help this time. For my mother, and for Severus. I don't give a dragon's dung what you think of me."

After a brief silence, Hermione spoke, "I can't help but agree, but…Malfoy's right. We need another person cloaked down there."

Ron looked shocked, "Hermione, you can't be seriously trusting him with this?"

Hermione sighed, "Ron, I know. Look, Malfoy could have sold Harry out at the Manor that day, but he didn't. Without his father around, he gets to make his own decisions now. Like us, he has people in danger too. We have to set this right."

"What about him trying to kill us the Room of Requirement?"

"And then we saved his life - "

" - Guys, I know this is not easy for everyone, " Harry interrupted, "We're all still dealing with the aftermath of the war, aren't we? We've all lost people. Not just the fight at Hogwarts, but even since Voldemort came back…Aren't you all sick of the fighting? I know I am. I'm not giving Malfoy a free pass here and he knows this, but I trust him enough to help us with this. The Council was able to let him go after his own trial, so I highly doubt he's going to jeopardise that by doing something stupid. "

Draco sighed, trying his best to avoid their gazes, "I don't want to end up like my father. You have no idea what it was like, walking on eggshells around Voldemort…He invaded my home. Controlled my family. Dictated everything that I did. Yeah, I blame my father for being a coward. But I don't want to become him. I'm not going to grovel pathetically at your feet for mercy, or an apology, but I damn well will try and set this right somehow. After this, you won't be hearing from me again."

Harry and his friends exchanged glances, as they heard Draco's unexpected plea. Harry didn't really know where he stood with the Slytherin. They had been rivals ever since their First Year, and have butted heads ever since, hexing each other under whatever opportunity they could grasp. It was true Harry was still weary with the Slytherin's presence within the Order headquarters – Harry's home. But under the tense and complicated side of things post-war, he was willing to let the past slide until they could truly finish this. Severus had rescued him from the ruins of his home when his old Death Eaters attacked him and took away Narcissa. Despite Severus' discussion with him upon remaining in safety, the younger Slytherin still could have fled and run away. However, because his mother was in danger, he chose to stay against his own morals and opinions. Harry knew Draco wasn't happy being around them, more than he and his friends being around him, but they all knew that the only way to truly fix this, was to work together. Too many years were spent morally apart, with the clashing of the Houses and tides of war, but now, they had a chance.

Harry didn't blame his friends for not trusting him – he understood. If this weren't the situation they were facing, Harry would have thought the same way. But there had to be a time where they needed to put aside all biases and past events, and that time is now. Draco had already been helpful to them so far, despite having difficulty following orders and risking himself and others unnecessarily. But Severus needed him, too. Draco knew he couldn't abandon them because he was also doing this for his Godfather. Everything Severus had fought for, would be all but a waste if Draco didn't make the effort to assist and do his part.

"Alright, Malfoy – " Harry nodded, "- Just try not to make his harder for us than it already is. Okay? You won't be able to rescue your mum without our help. And for Severus' sake, you better not do anything stupid. You best be ready to help one of us when we need it. No fooling around."

"I know Severus will have my head…I've disappointed him enough, " Draco inhaled deeply, "…Whatever. I just want to get this over and done with."

"Well, I'll keep an eye on him. He ain't going to leave my sight down there, " Ron added rather distastefully.

"Wonderful. I can't wait, " Draco responded, dully, "While you lot gallivant off tomorrow, I'll have the remaining burn salves finished. I also took the liberty of concocting more essence of dittany. And before you complain, no, I haven't poisoned them. I'll take them to Severus if you don't believe me."

"Relax Malfoy, geez, " Ron responded, almost half-amused.

"Speaking of potions, I need to make a stop at Hogwarts shortly and check up on the last two for Snape. They are almost finished, " Hermione said.

Harry felt a little relieved, "Oh, brilliant. How is the other one looking?"

Hermione frowned slightly, "Definitely unlike anything I've seen before. When it's done, you'll see it. Right now, it smells like a strange mixture of licorice and red wine."

"Thank you for keeping an eye on them, Hermione, " Harry added.

Hermione gave a small smile, "It's the least I can do."

"Bloody hell, spare me, " Draco curled his lip as he rose from his chair, clearly irritated, "I'm going to sit with Severus, rather than listen to you lot get all sappy. Disgusting."

Draco hastily made his way out of the room, and disappeared upstairs, leaving Ron to snort in amusement.

But Harry looked a little more serious, "Ron, I know he is a jerk, but if you keep getting on his bad side, he'll refuse to help. Just tone it down a little, so we can get this done, alright?"

"You can berate him afterward, " Ginny smirked.

Ron crossed his arms over his chest, "I can't guarantee it, though."

"Ronald, honestly. He's right. Just…Keep it minimal. Don't give him a reason to turn on us, " Hermione interjected, "It's odd enough we are working with him, but let's not make this more problematic than it already is."

"Alright, alright, " Ron sighed in defeat, "Doesn't mean I have to like it, though. He gets on my nerves."

"Gee, we hadn't noticed, " Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Even Malfoy said, once this is over, he's leaving. He has no reason to stay after that, " Harry said, "Just…Use that as an incentive. Besides, if I can put up with him all this time, then you can for a short while."

Ron grimaced, "I still don't know where you get your willpower from. I would have choked him in his sleep – "

"Ronald!" Hermione scolded.

Harry shrugged his shoulders, "I don't really have a choice, do I? If I threw him out, the other Death Eaters would have killed him. I don't like him any more than you do Ron, but I don't want his blood on my hands. "

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny remained silent. Harry knew that, although he wasn't happy with it either, it was the right choice. But all in all, he was just tired of the conflict. The war drained too much of their lives already, and it was time to deal with it appropriately. He wasn't about to go and pick fights with someone like Draco, because it wasn't worth it in the end. Draco was too proud to admit it, too, but a line had to be drawn somewhere. There was a lot he could never forgive Draco for, but things would have taken a horrible turn if he sold him out directly at Malfoy Manor. They would have lost more than just Dobby on that day.

Hermione departed Grimmauld Place shortly after to check up on the potions for Severus – Harry was nervous merely thinking about it. The final potion would mark three entire months of dealing with this, and it was one of the things that would either kill him or save his life. It was like a Russian Roulette of potions. You were either going to be healed or be further condemn to death. Not the most wonderful of odds.

Ron and Ginny left for the Burrow shortly after, leaving Harry alone to his shadowed thoughts once again.

In three days, everything will change. For better or for worse.