In the morning Lucius walked his son up to the headmistress' office. Harry was a bit reluctant especially since he had not been there since Albus had retired but his father and Severus had both convinced him that he had nothing to fear. The woman simply wanted to talk.

Minerva smiled when he came into the office which had not changed much. "Thank you for bringing your son Lucius. I'd like to speak to him alone for a bit."

Lucius kissed his son on the forehead. "I will see you at lunch Harry."

Harry nodded and watched as his father left the room and then took a seat when McGonagall motioned for him to sit down. He reminded himself she had been his teacher for five years and his head of house. He could trust her, but he reminded himself he had thought the same thing about Albus.

Minerva was a blunt woman. "Harry, why did you never tell me what happened at home?"

Harry looked up at her in surprise. "Mam?"

Minerva sighed. "I'm your head of house and your teacher. Why did you never tell me that you were being beaten and starved at home Harry?"

Harry had been told by his father and Severus that she was feeling guilty about never having known what was being done to him. Harry had told only the headmaster and his pain had been over looked for the good of the war. He had used glamours so that Poppy would never see.

"Mam I didn't think that you would really care, I mean the war was more important." Harry said.

"Harry, you're one of my students and your health and safety is most important. This war was meant to protect children, not to over look them during it."

Harry shook his head. "The headmaster told me I was safer there and that the people required to keep an eye on me if I was else where, were too busy fighting."

Minerva was battling with a mixture of emotions as he was speaking. She had never been a teacher to coddle her students or grow close to any of them but she had never imagined anyone in her house was suffering like this. She knew many of the pure bloods in Severus' house were, but her house, no.

"Harry, Albus was wrong and I'm sorry I never saw the pain you were in. I apologize Harry that no one protected you when you needed it." Minerva offered.

Harry shrugged. "There is nothing you can do about it now mam. No one can go back and undo what has been done. But I now have my dads and my brother."

"Your father had led me to believe that you'd like to consider a re-sort. Can I ask does it have anything to do with me?" Minerva asked.

Harry shook his head. "No mam. My brother is in Slytherin. I think perhaps I'd be safer and happier with my older brother with me."

Minerva was still shocked even after seeing the happy family at dinner the night before to hear Harry refer to Draco as his brother. She knew he had reason to be worried for his safety as there would be those who would not react well to the news he had been adopted by a Malfoy. And if any one learned of what had happened that summer or that he was the reason Dumbledore was fired, things would be worse for him.

"You do have loyal friends in your house. I know most of your old quidditch buddies are gone but Katie, Neville, Ron and Hermione are here." Minerva told him.

"Mam I know that I am the best seeker you have had since Charlie as you often tell me and quidditch means a lot but I think I'd be happier with Draco."

"Harry, don't think for one moment I'd suggest you staying any where so my team wins at quidditch. You are my concern here." Minerva assured him.

"I would like a chance to get to know Draco's friends and housemates before I consider. I am not asking for a re-sort right now." Harry explained.

Minerva was reluctant to switch Harry over to Slytherin and her eyes drifted over to the sorting hat. She really did believe Harry would still be better off in Gryffindor and thought that if Harry gave his friends a chance, he'd choose to remain there. Perhaps the answer though lay in the sorting hat.

"Harry re-sorts are permitted but they have to be performed by the hat. There is no certainty you'll wind up with your brother." Minerva informed him.

Harry nodded. "I know. But back when it sorted me it wanted to put me in Slytherin but I had heard all the rumours and begged it to put me any where else."

Minerva was stunned. She had never heard of the hat giving a student the choice. "Very well. If you choose to be re-sorted I will permit it."

She made him stay for a while longer and speak to her about what had happened when he was a child, though no details of the summer. She again before he left, reiterated her comment on him talking to her when ever he needed help. Her guilt over never knowing what the boy had been through, had not been abated much. She worried at the fact that Harry had thought quidditch might be a priority to her over him, and hoped she'd be a better headmistress then Albus had been master.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Harry found Draco when he came back down from the headmaster's office. His brother looked positively bored and Harry decided he was himself in need of a distraction of some kind.

Harry dragged his brother into the bedroom Draco was sharing with him for now. "I was thinking of what you said before we came back to school."

Draco looked up confused. "About switching houses?"

Harry smirked at the hopeful tone of his brother. "Can you ever stop thinking of converting me, for a moment? I was thinking more along the lines of mischief."

Draco smirked as he watched his brother rustling through their trunks and knew Harry had a huge supply of Zonkos and Weasley products in his trunk, and they could get up into some real fun though they had to be careful though as there were no other students on campus to blame them on.

Draco knew his brother was avoiding talking about how his meeting went and decided not to ask. "So what did you have in mind?"

Harry smiled when he found something. "We can't really target any of the teachers but I was thinking that Mrs Norris has been a real pain in our side for years."

Thinking of Filch's cat, Draco had to agree. "That bag of fur is like a second set of eyes for that man. I'm surprised the cat hasn't been drowned by anyone yet."

Harry smiled. "We have to be careful about it so that Filch doesn't catch us but I think we can take that cat down a few pegs and have some fun with it."

Draco smiled as he helped his brother select some of the products that they could use and stuffing their pockets with the items Harry and Draco took off out of their apartment, almost running their father over. Lucius decided the boys wouldn't get into too much trouble and it was nice to see them both smiling so he left it.

Harry and Draco enlisted the help of Peeves for the first part of their little stunt. "Peeves, do you think you could give us some help with a prank?"

Peeves looked at him. "Oooh, little Potty and Draco want to pull a prank?"

Harry and Draco nodded and when peeves agreed as he had not had fun with students since the twins had left, they explained what he wanted them to do. The ghost was only too happy top agree to help.

Harry and Draco took off to the quidditch pitch as a good alibi, making sure some people saw them go. "We should go get some practice in." Draco called loudly.

Harry nodded. "We need to get out new brooms and start practicing on them so we can completely shock everyone when school starts."

Neither of them noticed Severus see them pass and like Lucius he knew that the two of them were up too something but Severus had always been one to over look the stunts of his house if they did no serious damage or harm to anyone. He was just glad to see some of a smile on Harry's face, he didn't stop them.

They were flying around the pitch when an angry Mrs Norris was brought and deposited not far from the field. "Kitty, kitty kitty,"

Harry looked and directed his brother's attention towards the cat. "You know it is pretty hot out here."

Draco smiled and they headed down towards the stands where they had their water bottles but as they went Harry took a small little item which looked like a water balloon but as soon as it hit the cat the balloon dissolved and thought it didn't look wet, she had been hit. It was a new test product of the twins.

They were drinking some water when they saw Mrs Norris go screeching past them being chase madly by Fang. "The dog seems to like his exercise." Harry laughed.

Draco chuckled. "You would think he was chasing some bitch in heat or something. I think Hagrid should check his dog out later."

They went in to join their father and Severus with the teachers for lunch after only an hour of flying though they intended to hit the air after, and they found both Filch and Hagrid in odd moods and they had to hide a bit of their smiles.

Filch was clutching his cat and glaring at Hagrid. "You keep that mongrel of a dog away from my cat. Mrs Norris doesn't climb trees, ever."

Hagrid looked confused. "I have no idea what got into the dog. I have never seen him so aroused before, and by a cat, I have no idea. Keep your cat inside."

Lucius shot his sons a look but Harry and Draco just gave him an innocent smile. Lucius had no idea how the two boys could have got the dog to do something to a cat and since they had caused no harm to anyone, he let it pass. He thought maybe he would join the boys in a prank.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

After dinner that evening Severus was working in his lab when there was a knock at the door and he was not surprised when Harry slipped inside or that Harry simply took off his robe and putting on an apron, headed over to the cutting board for the slugs.

Severus didn't look up when he asked. "Do you mind me asking what you did to that cat?"

Harry looked up. "I don't know what you're talking about Severus. Draco and I were flying all morning after I finished with my meeting."

Severus chuckled slightly. "I assume you were. And form what I hear Peeves was seen taking the cat."

Severus watched as Harry worked on the slugs for a time and he saw a bit of the brash young Harry that had not been seen much of since the last school year. He liked the light of mischief he saw in Harry's eyes and he never thought he'd say that. He wanted more of it.

He broached the second subject. "And your meeting with McGonagall?"

Harry looked up. "You were right; she just wanted to know why I never told her. She said she'd allow me to re-sort if I chose, after meeting with more Slytherins."

Severus was relieved to hear that. "See your father and I don't always tell you things to make you feel better only. We do tell you the truth."

Harry shrugged. "You do. I know you're always honest with me Severus though you're always gentle about it. But father does have a tendency to try and protect me."

Severus knew Harry was right but it came natural to Lucius who was following a simple paternal instinct to try and protect his son and make sure Harry felt safe. He could not be blamed for wanting to shield Harry, considering all his new son had been through, especially but not only, that summer.

They worked on the potion for about an hour and as it was finishing he noticed Harry looked a bit tired. "Would you like some coco before bed?"

Harry smiled and took off his apron and hung it up. "I would like that."

Severus turned off the equipment and led Harry into his private apartments where he called a house elf who brought them a tray of hot coco and some biscuits, and handed Harry a mug of coco. They had not spoken a lot over the potion so he got Harry to tell him a bit more about his meeting with Minerva, and Harry had even admitted after Severus assured him it would not leave the room, how he and Draco had pulled off their stunt.

Severus laughed. "Your brother and you are going to turn into the next Weasley twins. I will keep my mouth closed as long as you don't pull anything on me."

Harry smiled and nodded his head. "Draco and I have agreed you and our dads are off limits. Well for now."

Severus chuckled slightly at that and as they finished coco he decided to try something. "I have to go to Hogsmeade for some ingredients tomorrow, would you come?"

Harry knew that the man wasn't asking just for someone to carry bags for him but he nodded. "I wouldn't mind going into town. I'm interested in the apothecary."

Severus actually smiled at that. "I never thought I'd hear you say that Harry but I guess with all the time in the lab with me, I should have expected it soon enough."

Harry was suddenly nervous a bit though. "This isn't, I mean you don't consider it a..."

Severus cut him off. "A date? No. I said I was patient and I'd wait till you were ready and it would be your choice. I'd just like company and thought you could use something to do."

Harry smiled relieved and as he stood up to leave he promised to accompany Severus after breakfast the next morning. They got to the door and Severus gently lowered his mouth to Harry's, a brush of a kiss like the last time but enough to make Harry blush slightly. Harry's heart was fluttering just a bit as he escaped to his rooms.