Prologue

Author's Note: Takes place about five years after the 7th book. Harry is back and teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, as is Lupin who is teaching Werewolf Awareness. (My own creation!)

Disclaimer: All characters (save Kailee and Monica) belong solely to the lovely J.K. Rowling. I wish they were mine, but wishes are for fishes and I am no fish.

Author's Note Part 2: Review, review, review! I love to have my ego fed. Plus I like all criticism. But please, no flamers. I understand that some people don't like slash but you were warned earlier so don't blame me if you are still here.

Harry set down his quill, finished at last with grading the tests he had given his first years that morning. If the night sky outside his window was anything to go by, it was getting really late. Nearly everyone in the castle would be asleep. Which meant that he could go up to the owlry and deliver his letter in peace. Not that he had anything to hide, of course. He just didn't want an audience. After he had packed up his bag for the next day, he grabbed the Marauder's Map from its place between two books on his shelf and raced up the stairs of the tower, his letter grasped firmly in his hand.

Once inside the owlry, Harry set down the Marauder's Map aside and approached Lunelle. Hedwig had died only a year after Harry had graduated from Hogwarts. A week later, Harry had found a small owl chick in the room he had shared with his best friend, Ron. The small bird looked so much like Hedwig that he had kept her, naming her Lunelle. Now, nearly four years later, Lunelle was the very image of her mother. She waited patiently with her leg out for Harry to tie his message to it, then dove out the window after nudging his hand softly with her snowy head.

Harry watched Lunelle disappear into the night. The letter had been to his little cousin, Kailee, who was living with his Uncle Vernon and his Aunt Petunia. Just after Harry had graduated, he had been in Mr. Weasley's office, asking about getting a job as an auror, when he heard about the latest case being talked over. A little girl had been found whose parents had been spying on Voldemort for the Ministry for a long time. They had been killed by Voldemort when he had discovered their treachery. Harry offered to give the little girl a home and the Ministry had agreed. Harry knew that his cousin had just moved out so he went to his uncle's house to ask if they would take in the child.

Harry had to smile when he thought of his aunt. After years of standing behind his uncle and doing everything he said, Petunia had finally stood her ground when she realized that Vernon didn't want to adopt the girl. That had been two years ago and Petunia was as strong as ever. She had even begun to delve into the magic that ran in her blood. Harry often visited and, against his Uncle's wishes, taught both his aunt and his little cousin more about magic. In a few days, Kailee would be seven. In four years, Harry would be able to formally invite Kailee to go to school at Hogwarts. Until then, he would have to settle for surprising her with a trip to Hogsmeade on Halloween night.

"Well, well. If it isn't Harry Potter." A voice broke Harry out of his memories. The owner of the voice stepped into the moonlight and Harry was startled to see his old rival, Draco Malfoy. Draco grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. "Surprised to see me Potter?"

Harry was finally able to regain his composure. "What are you doing here, Malfoy?" His hand was already wrapped around his wand.

"I'm not here to attack you Potter." He gave Harry a sneer that would have made Snape proud. "Snape has asked me to be his understudy. Meaning that, should he retire, I would take over as Potions Master. I accepted of course."

"Well of course. Still Snape's little lapdog I see."

Draco face dropped its mask for a moment letting Harry see all the hurt. Before Harry could be sure, however, the masking smirk was back, as well as the attitude. "And I see you are following in your beloved Lupin's footsteps. You were able to get him back at the school, didn't you? Pitiful," Draco said sarcastically, shaking his head. "Well, I should get back. It's going to be fun seeing how long it takes you to snap, Potter." Draco walked to the open door before he turned around. "You should get some sleep. Don't you have a class to teach in the morning?" With that, Draco headed down the stairs towards the Slytherin dungeons.

Recovering from the unexpected encounter, Harry shook his head and hurried to the stairs, glancing at the Marauder's Map, just to make sure that he would not run into any other unpleasant people. He raced back to his own chambers in Gryffindor tower, shutting and locking his door behind him. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror above his dresser and laughed aloud. "You're a teacher now, you dolt. You can't get in trouble for being out late." He sighed and moved towards the bed, stripping off his teaching robes and curling under the covers. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his head, waiting for sleep to overtake him.

Draco walked into his bedroom, only mildly surprised to see that his things had already been put away. He smiled when he spotted the short note that had been left on his desk.

You know how much I hate it when you leave all of your things lying about. Your first class begins at 7:30. Get some rest. You have the Hufflepuff first-years to deal with.

Snape

'That's just like him,' thought Draco. He glanced at the clock by his bed. It read only half-past midnight. He nodded. Snape was probably still up, reading some thick book or working on more of his potions. Draco quickly changed into his dark silk pajamas and conjured a tray with two cups of tea on it, heading to Snape's rooms.

"Go away," was the answering shot when Draco had rapped softly on the door. He entered anyway and set the tray down on the table in front of the fire. Snape picked up a cup without putting down his book, nodding at a chair near the fire. "Sit down, Malfoy."

Draco sat down and picked up his own cup, accepting the book that Snape handed to him. They read in silence for a few minutes before Draco broke it. "I ran into Potter tonight. He knows about my being your understudy." Draco went quiet again, waiting for his mentor's reply.

Snape stare at the pages of his thick tome for a few moments more before he shut it softly and laid his hands upon it. "I assume, considering the fact that you are not a rat, that it went pleasantly?"

"You could say that. Potter didn't say much. I insulted him like usual, nothing special though." Draco decided against telling Snape the insult Harry had thrown at him in retaliation.

Snape nodded. "Good. I don't need my apprentice to be sent to the infirmary the day he arrived." He grew silent, contemplating something. Suddenly he stood up, placing the book on top of his desk amid the stacks of papers from his classes. Confused, Draco did the same. "Thank you for the tea, Malfoy. Now, though, I must retire to my bed. You should too, unless you are willing to let the first-years get away with anything." Draco collected his things and sent the tray back to the kitchens. He had only just stepped out the door when Snape's voice made him turn back. "You two aren't the boys you used to be. One can only hope you realize it before it's too late."

Before Draco could reply, Snape shut his door. Back in his own rooms, Draco couldn't help wondering what the older man had meant.. He put out the last candle and laid down on his bed, his head resting on his arms. As he drifted off to sleep, he realized in the back of his mind that the soft, kind eyes haunting his dreams were brilliant green.