School was out and Harry was excited as he was going to stay with his godfather at Black castle with Hermione just a few miles down the road! What was even more exiting was the fact that Hestia was pregnant and was due to have a wizard child in August, and she looked so happy and beautiful with the baby growing inside her. Sirius was over the moon and waited on her hand and foot, or tried to as Kreacher sulked if he was not allowed to help. He had changed from an unhappy spiteful elf to a kind, happy and very helpful elf. Black castle was clearly a much better place for him than Grimmauld Place ever had been. Dobby now wore the same type of brown livery that the other elves did but his had the Potter crest on it instead of the black crest. He too was very happy under his new master.
The only person not happy was Draco, he only came to meals and stayed in his room the rest of the time. He was not sulking, Sirius knew that much and he was very worried as was Narcissa who could not reach her son. Sirius knew he needed to speak to the boy and see if he could help him. He headed up to Draco's room and saw Severus on his way up as well. Severus was very concerned, Draco was never this withdrawn and as his godfather he was nearly panicking but he could not show it, he just had to see if he could reach the boy. Both wizards walked into the room and saw Draco huddled on the bed, his eyes were red rimmed and he looked tired and sick. Severus sat on one side Sirius on the other.
"Hey pup, it's not your fault." Sirius said reaching out and gently putting a hand on his cousin's shoulder, "you were tricked and trapped."
"I should have known better, I knew not to touch the dark books unless father was there." Draco said, "I-I nearly killed people!"
"You did not, Tom Riddle did." Severus said, "those that were petrified are fine now."
"But it's my fault!" Draco said curling up refusing to look at them.
"No, you were possessed, you are no murderer nor did you try to kill anyone." Sirius said, "you are innocent, not like me, not with what I nearly did to Severus here. When we were in school I well, I thought it would be grand to have Remus, well you know what Remus is don't you?"
"Yes, and he would not hurt anyone." Draco said, "and now he takes Wolfsbane he is mostly safe."
"Yea but this was the days before Wolfsbane with what I did, I thought it would be fun to have Severus go and meet Remus at the full moon." Sirius said, "I was a horrible boy, so full of myself and well James ended up saving three boys that night. I spent the next year and a half until the end of my seventh year on probation."
"Wait that means, well Severus told me that he tried to tell Lily Potter about Remus in fifth year…"
"Well the prank took place winter of our sixth year," Sirius said, "I was a horrible boy, a wicked horrible boy. I am sorry for all the pain I caused you Severus."
"Thank you, again for your apology." Severus said then he turned to Draco. "Now will you be alright?"
"Yes Uncle Severus, though I could use some chocolate?" Draco asked. "I think so, thank you for telling me that Sirius."
"You are far better than I was at your age." Sirius said, "you really are."
Severus gave him a large bar of chocolate and Draco grinned and gave him a large hug, he even hugged Sirius who was surprised but glad that Draco had warmed up to him like that. Draco followed him out and down to the drawing room where he saw his mother, wand out pointed at one Lucius Malfoy. All three wizards stepped back at the furious look on Narcissa's face, she was showing her Black blood nicely in the magic cracking around her and her normally gray eyes glowing blue. Lucius was on his knees whimpering in terror as he was sure he was about to lose something rather dear to him.
"Mother please don't." Draco said stepping forward, "it's my fault taking the book."
"If it had not been in the house then you would not have nearly been killed!" Narcissa said.
"Narcissa you have lots of dark objects in the house with Lucius, Draco has never touched any before if I am right." Sirius said, "it could have compelled him to do so."
"I never would harm my son, I could not!" Lucius said looking very pale, "please don't kill me or…"
"Fine, you can live." Sirius said, "but I think Draco should stay here for a bit, it would be good for him."
"Very well lord Black." Lucius said, "you must believe me when I say I love my son" Lucius looked at Draco, "I do love you Draco."
"I love you too dad."
Draco ran to his father, he did not blame him for what had happened, he had taken the book and how could it be his father's fault? He hugged his father and Lucius let him not caring who saw this, he loved his family and though he had done lots of horrible and wicked things he was not a wicked man himself. He had done those things as he believed he was helping the magical world, now he knew different and was not going to allow certain dark lords to rule his life again. In fact he had spent a long time with Dumbledore telling him all about his time as a death eater and he even promised to serve as spy, as long as his son was protected. He had his faults and problems but deep inside he really was a good man and would die for his family and now he would die if it got rid of Voldemort too as he knew how evil and horrible that fiend had been.
"Hello Padfoot, Severus, Draco, Mrs. Malfoy, Lucy." Harry said coming into the house showing just what kind of respect he had for the head of the Malfoy family.
"You horrid little brat." Lucius said towering over the teen boy. "Where are your manners?"
"Oh you want respect is that it?" Harry said coolly, "as if, you have done horrible evil things and you have not earned my respect."
Lucius stepped forward trying to intimidate this boy before him. All that happened was Harry looking up at him arms on his hips glaring at him. Severus was amused and proud of how brave Harry was, then again he was more powerful than Lucius and when he was fully trained he would own the pureblood wizard before him. Harry was still a foot shorter than Lucius and, if he had his father's build he would not reach six foot tall. Height did not matter, his raw power did and Lucius knew it, he backed up from Harry and it was clear who had won the power war. Narcissa walked forward and smiled at Harry then put a hand on her husband's shoulder.
"Shall we go to tea?" She said.
"Yes let's." Severus said, "I got your favorite brand of dog biscuits Sirius."
"Funny Severus, really funny." Sirius growled as Harry and Draco tried not to laugh.
"You know it was." Lucius said.
"Oh do shut it Lucy." Sirius growled.
"Don't call me Lucy!" Lucius snapped.
"What will you do to stop me?" Sirius said.
"Mutt."
"Blond whore…."
"Sirius Orion Black!" Narcissa snapped.
"Er oops, sorry Harry, Draco should not have said that in front of you!" Sirius said.
They headed to tea and slowly the frost that had developed between Lucius and Severus melted away and they became friends again. Draco started to do a lot better, that summer he became friends with Harry and invited Crabbe and Goyle over too. Harry found he got along with the two boys, they had a down to earth personality and rather earthy humors and were good young men. The "cold war" between Hermione and Draco did continue for a while longer but they did manage to tolerate each other. It was all any could hope for at this time.
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Molly Weasley was a powerful well liked witch who had given birth to eight children, seven who survived to this day. She kept her large, varied brood together with love, a bit of fear and lots of good food and comfort. She was a Prewett through and through, a family known for strong fierce warriors and loving and strong matrons. She still had fiery locks of red hair without a strand of gray which, considering all the things children (and her lively brood did) put her though with pranks, wounds and the like. Yet today as she was making lunch she was thinking on a young boy with messy black hair and green eyes playing in the backyard with her children.
She had invited Harry and Hermione over to the burrow and both had claimed it was brilliant and loved the crooked tall house with lots of fun and interesting magical things in it a lot. Hermione had become friends with Ginny at once and both girls, along with Luna Lovegood, a pale girl with light blond hair and blue eyes who was Ginny's good friend. Both girls had drug Hermione outside and Hermione was now, for the first time playing house and dolls with two other girls and was finding it quite fun. While they played in the shade and pressed Hermione with questions about Hogwarts the boys decided they wanted to go swimming, they had got to the pond when Sirius and Remus came up and decided to join them.
"Good idea, it's hot out today." Sirius said stripping down to his boxers as the boys had done.
"Agreed, I am glad there is the pond here." Remus said diving in as soon as he had stripped down. "Oh that is cold!"
"Oi' Severus come in, the water is nice!" Sirius said seeing Severus walking from the house where he had been talking to Molly.
"I don't have a swimming suit." Severus said.
"None of us do, just our pants." Harry said.
"I burn easily." Severus countered.
"Half the pond is in shade." Sirius said, "come on in, you will be fine."
Severus was about to refuse, he knew his dark mark was faded and barely there but he was not sure if he should swim. But the boys were pleading with him and how could he refuse when it was rather warm out? He stripped down to his shorts, hung up his clothing, put a spell on it and dove into the water coming up to fling his hair from his face. He turned and grabbed Sirius just as he tried to drown him and took the other man under and did the same to Remus. He let Sirius up first then Remus and looked at the two Gryffindors coolly, he may have been a shorter and thinner than Sirius but he easily took him down.
"The log." Bill said smiling, "this should even things out for them."
"Agreed, " Fred said, "do set it up Bill brother of mine."
"Yes, I will watch for mum." George said.
"This is fun, we do this all the time, in the summer." Ron said to Harry, "as long as mum does not find out."
A log was set up a few feet over the pond and both Sirius and Severus were helped onto it. Two stout sticks were handed up and the men sized each other up. Harry was sure someone was going to get hurt but then again both men had agreed to this. They did not see girls come up to watch the wizards battle on the log, Ginny was used to seeing her brothers battle but two adult wizards in the prime of life was new. They watched as the battle began and it was clear that though the men were playing (sort of) they were here to prove a point. Or they would have had not Molly come out to call them to lunch and saw what was going on.
"That is enough, lunch is ready come inside." Molly said looking at Severus, "did you make sure to put sunscreen on?"
"I have not been out here that long." Severus said.
"You are a bit red, Bill make sure he gets some of my special paste will you?" Molly said.
"Sure mum." Bill said turning to Severus grinning, "it really works, if you have burned this will take it away."
"I look forward to seeing how it works." Severus said.
He took the small jar Bill handed to him and with a bit of help spread it over his skin before he dressed and headed into the house. He saw Harry and Hermione seated together talking with Ginny who had, it seemed got over her shyness with Harry. In fact she was delighted when Harry stuck up for her and did not treat her like a baby like many of her older brothers tried to do. Severus was grateful that Lily and James had made the trunk but most importantly the portrait as it had helped change so many lives for the better.