AN: This one was written because the little boy insisted that his tale be told. The first scene is an expansion of a scene that took place in "A Place" and then the tale continues. There will be three chapters for you to enjoy.

If you are coming from "Once a Headmaster" did you guess the right character?

On a more serious note, my grammar/typographical error beta (Raya) has been buried in work and is only on Chapter 5 of "A Place". Eflina (the one that checks for my characterization) has agreed to help out, but unfortunately she is cursed with the same problem I am. My mind automatically fixes errors and does not let me know about the mistake. I can literally read the same mistake over ten times and never notice it. So, please be kind as we wait on Raya's life to let her catch up. If you spot something that is glaringly wrong, PM me and I'll fix it.

Thanks!
Ree

Chapter 1: Trusting Thrown Stones

Eric did not know what pulled him out of his dream. All he knew was that he had to get to Gretchen's and Marie's room. Normally when he felt like that one of his sisters were having a nightmare. Grabbing his dressing gown, he headed across the hall, slipping silently into the girls' room. He didn't want to wake his parents up. It was only because he was listening intently that he heard someone moving up the stairwell.

Slipping quietly across the room, he woke the girls up and got them into their dressing gowns and slippers. He had just got the window open and was about to help them out of it when the door opened. Turning, he faced the masked man, his worse fears confirmed. He had overheard Mom and Dad talking about these bad men, the Death Eaters. He placed himself between his sisters and the dark robed intruder.

Severus quietly shut the door behind him. He smirked behind his mask as he took in the scene before him. The boy was smart, he hadn't waited to find out who it was. He was just getting out of there. Severus wished more children understood the danger. Quickly pulling out two pebbles, he showed them to the girls' guardian, before talking to him in a quiet hiss. "These will take them to safety. If you will let me give it to them, I promise your sisters will be far away from the others."

Brown eyes met black as they studied each other. Severus tried to show the boy that he could be trusted, and he assumed that he succeeded since the boy stepped aside.

Eric looked deep into the black eyes, the only thing he could see of the man besides his hands. Something in them told him that the intruder was telling the truth. It was his sisters best chance. He knew that there had to be other Death Eaters outside. Stepping aside, he watched carefully, hoping he would be able to tell if the man had lied.

The girls looked at their brother before they let Severus near them. Moving as nonthreatening as possible, he placed a pebble into the little trusting hands and sub-vocalized the activation phrase. "Promise."

As he turned to send the boy off on his way, he heard footsteps coming down the hall. His wand was in his hand before Avery came through the door. Severus looked the child in the eye, hoping the boy would understand. Casting a stinging hex at the boy, he looked over at Avery. "This one is mine. Go see if there are any others."

"He is the last. Have fun." Avery leaned against the wall to watch.

Eric winced when the hex hit him, but he caught the other masked intruder's words. 'Mom and Dad... they are gone.' He looked back at the one who had helped his sisters. He knew with the other one watching that there was no hope for him. Gathering all the courage he could dredge up in his almost eight year old body, he decided to help the man who was saving those he could. He would accept his death as necessary to let the man save someone else. Putting on his bravest face, he resolved to die well.

Severus narrowed his eyes as he took in the older man's stance. Shifting just slightly so Avery would see what Severus wanted him to see, he cast towards a near-by desk. "Reducto." The desk shattered, the pieces pelting the boy while they bounced off a shield he had around himself. Avery was hit with a few as well. While Avery was distracted blocking the debris, Severus tossed a pebble to the boy. He hoped he would take it.

Eric almost frowned when the black eyed man shifted his stance, and it finally slipped onto his face when the desk became the target of the spell. He had been sure it was going to hit him. Then he noticed the pebble amidst the splinters that were flying at him. Moving quickly he grabbed it, hoping it would make him vanish like the others had done with his sisters. He barely contained his disappointment when he felt the splinters slashing against his face and hands. 'Of course it couldn't be that easy.'

The black eyes locked with his once again, and in their depths Eric saw the apology. He nodded just a bit, showing that he accepted it. The man had tried, but the spell didn't work.

Severus saw the resignation in the boy's expression."Diffindo." The spell sliced through the top layer of skin of the boy's arm, lacerating it. He heard Avery pulling Nott into the room. While the man's back was turned, Severus whispered the safe-key activation word towards the boy, willing him to understand and say it.

Eric winced as the spell sliced through his dressing gown and nightshirt, skinning his shoulder. Blinking through the pain, he refused to scream. The man didn't need to hear that. Latching his eyes on the black eyes, hoping he understood, that he would make this as painless as possible. Lost in his thoughts he almost missed the whispered word. 'Why did he say that? What does it mean?' He searched the man's eyes, trying to find the meaning. All he could see was cold masking the demand for understanding.

Severus watched the confusion cloud the brown eyes. He had hoped that this fighter would understand. He didn't want to kill him while the other two watched.

Eric clutched the pebble tight as he stared for what seemed like forever at those eyes, before shifting his gaze to the stained fingers that were clutching the wand. As the wand moved to start the next hex, he decided the man hadn't said the word on a whim. There had to be a reason for it. Holding the man's dark, cold gaze he mouthed the word the man had said so quietly that the others wouldn't be able to hear him . "Promise." Suddenly he felt a pull at his navel and his room vanished. The last thing he saw was the man's eyes smiling for just a moment.

The next thing Eric saw was a line of scrub brush that was on the edge of the woods. Gretchen's hand reached out and pulled him into them. Marie cuddled next to him. Dipping his head next to his sisters, he fought off the thoughts of their parents. He could think about them when they were safe. Grasping both of their hands, he pulled them through the bushes and into the woods. He had a hiding place here and he hoped it would keep them safe enough.

He cuddled the girls close, the pebble clutched in his hand, as he waited for the floating skulls to be banished. It wasn't long before the first one disappeared. After slipping carefully through the woods, he made Gretchen and Marie hid in the bushes. Clutching the small stone he walked out of the tree line, his eyes darting back and forth looking for the wizards that had come.

Albus Dumbledore watched as a small boy came out of the woods. They had already found one group of children that had escaped the massacre. Albus looked over the boy, taking in the bleeding arm and the cautious eyes. Moving slowly and speaking softly, he tried to put the boy's fears to rest. "They are gone, my boy. Let me help with your shoulder." He raised his wand carefully watching the child. The boy didn't flinch as he cast a healing spell on him. "Are there any others that survived?"

Eric waved to Gretchen and Marie, signaling for them to come out.

Albus watched as two little girls emerged from the woods. Whoever it was that was getting the children out had saved seven this time. He had a feeling who it was, but the children could not describe the person. It was almost like they were forcing themselves not to remember. 'And with the trauma they have gone through, I can believe that.' He had scanned their surface thoughts to see if there was a clue floating in them. But not one had a clear image. Just an impression of black robes and a white mask. That could be their savior, or it could be what they were afraid of.

The aurors ushered the children into the nearest safe house and started questioning them on what occurred.

Eric locked his eyes with Gretchen and Marie. Whispering in their ears so quietly no one could possibly understand, he asked them not to tell exactly what happened. "Don't mention the man. If you have to say something, say that someone caused you to vanish. We can't give him away. If we do, he might not be able to save someone else." His sisters' eyes met his with fear and understanding shining in them.

Eric watched as the other children talked to the aurors. He could tell by the aurors faces that they were not getting any useful information. They looked like Mom did when he and Gretchen babbled on and on, but didn't answer her question. 'Mom...' Holding in a sob, he clutched his stone tighter. 'Later... I'll cry later, when Gretchen and Marie can't see me.'

When it was Gretchen's turn, he could see her spinning a tale, salting confusion in the already confusing accounts. Marie did just as good a job.

When it was his turn, Eric rolled the pebble between his fingers.

The auror pinned him with an exasperated look. "How did you get hurt, boy?"

Eric shrugged.

"How did you get out of the house?"

He shrugged again.

The auror growled before glaring at the white haired wizard. "They know less than the others did. This is hopeless."

When Albus shifted his attention to the last boy, he noticed that he was clutching a pebble in his hand. "What is the stone for, my dear boy?"

Eric shrugged again and tucked the pebble into his pocket.

Albus sigh lightly. They were not going to get anything out of the boy. "Let's get you and your sisters settled for the day."

Eric shoulders slumped with relief. The questions were done. Now he could go grieve.

セヴェルス サナペ

Severus settled at the head table. After three years of teaching, he should find sitting in front of a school full of children normal, but the opening feast was always a bit disconcerting. He watched as Minerva headed out the door to greet the newest batch of first years. Settling back in his seat, he watched as Filius quietly reassured the newest Defense teacher. 'You think that he would get tired of doing that every year. But Sprout assures me that he doesn't. She says he has been doing it ever since I was a student here.' Shifting his eyes back to the door, he waited to see who would come through it. He needed to pay close attention to those sorted into Slytherin as he was just made the Head of House.

Eric Grayland peered through the night sky trying to see as much of the glowing castle as he could. He couldn't believe he had made it to Hogwarts. Not that it was surprising that he did. It was just that it seemed like a dream come true. He followed Hagrid into the room where they were left with the Deputy Headmistress. His eyes took in everything he could see. Here was the place he was going to learn to use his wand and how to brew potions.

Reaching up his hand, he started to roll around the small pebble that was hanging off his necklace. His guardian didn't understand why he wanted a necklace made out of that stone. It looked just like any other pebble on the ground, but Eric was sure he could pick it out of a handful of similar stones. Letting go of his necklace, he followed Professor McGonagall into the Great Hall.

Stepping through the door, his eyes were dragged upwards. He had heard and read of the ceiling. It didn't disappoint. As his eyes picked out the different constellations in the night sky, the feeling that something wonderful was about to happen ran through him. It was the same type of feeling that he had learned to never ignore. 'Maybe I should take Divinations. I wonder what is going to happen? Wonderful is such a vague idea.'

He let his eyes drift down from the ceiling and landed on the head table. Skittering across the unknown faces, his eyes slammed to a stopped when they met a pair of black eyes. He knew those eyes. The image of flying wood, spells, and black eyes filled his mind. 'It's him. He is here. He teaches here.' Clutching his stone almost convulsively, he barely heard Professor McGonagall calling names.

Severus watched the first years follow Minerva into the room. He glared lightly at them as over half of them were staring at the ceiling instead of paying attention to where they were walking. The glare faded away, the room faded away, the moment a pair of medium brown eyes met his. He knew those eyes, that face. Yes, the face had matured some, the eyes had darkened just a tiny bit, but he knew that boy. 'I should have expected to see him here sometime. At least he doesn't know...' The end of that thought was blown away when he saw the recognition in the eyes that were boring into his. He didn't even bother to wonder how the boy knew it was him. That moment was most likely engraved in the boy's mind. It was in his.

He caught the fluttering motion of a small hand as it reached up to something strung on a necklace. 'That is the safe-key pebble. He still has the pebble.' He tried to tear his eyes away, but he couldn't. This boy had made an impression on him in that small bedroom all those years ago, and part of him had to know if the child was afraid. Looking as deep as he could into those brown eyes without penetrating the boy's mind, he saw happiness and relief not fear. An unexpected warmth curled about his heart. This boy, whom he had attacked, had hurt, was happy to see him. He held the boy's eyes as Minerva started calling names. Finally breaking the contact, he glanced about to see if anyone noticed the connection between them. No one seemed to. Even Dumbledore was engrossed in the sorting. 'Minerva's already in the Cs.' His eyes drifted back over to the boy, noticing that he was fidgeting now. 'I will finally learn his name. And he will learn mine.'

"Grayland, Eric."

Eric started a bit as he heard his name called. He knew what to do since he had watched the others go sit under the hat. It had surprised him when the hat had begun to speak, calling out the names of the houses. He wondered if it could say anything else. Walking up to the stool, he once again met the black eyes. He wanted to make it into a house that would make that man proud of him. He broke the eye contact as he sat on the stool and the hat was dropped over his head.

"Ah, which house to put you into?"

He jumped at the voice in his head. 'I guess you can do more than call out house names.'

"I sang a song at the beginning, but I can see that you were a bit distracted by Professor Snape."

'Professor Snape? That is his name? Can I go into his house?'

"Slytherin? No, you do not have the qualities to fit in there. No, there is only one house you can fit into that you can do as you wish. Others do not respect this house as much as the should. Do you mind going to a house where you will be picked on just because you are in it?"

'It is my only chance to gain his respect?'

"It is. And you will fit well there."

'Then I'll take it. I can handle the picking.'

Severus watched as the hat was placed on Grayland's head. 'His name is Eric Grayland. There is no doubt where he is going. He is a Gryffindor if I have ever seen one. Who else jumps between a Death Eater and his prey? Or impetuous enough to take a stone thrown at him and say the word the same Death Eater tells him to. It is a shame that he is going into a house that I still have to ridicule.' He watched as the hat deliberated, thinking that it was taking far more time than it needed. Settling back into his seat, he watched as the split on the hat finally opened to give its pronouncement.

"Hufflepuff!"

Severus fought to keep a blank face. He had not seen that coming. Minerva pulled the hat off the brown haired child. The brown eyes met his again, seeking approval. Keeping the eye contact, he gave the briefest nod. He knew Grayland would see it and he doubted anyone else would.

Eric heard the name called, and felt the hat removed. Pulling up his courage, he turned his eyes to meet the black ones once again. He searched them for the briefest moment, hoping not to see scorn written inside them. Instead he saw the approval he wanted and caught the slightest nod from Professor Snape. Letting his eyes slip over the rest of the professors, he smiled before he headed off to his table.

It was only when the Headmaster stood up to speak did he recognize Albus Dumbledore from that morning.