Back in the common room, Ginny had evidently found what she'd been looking for. She was at a table poring over a very large and very old-looking piece of parchment.

"What's that, Ginny?" Hermione asked, coming to look over her best friend's shoulder.

"Marauder's Map," Ginny answered shortly. "Fred and George gave it to me before they left school. Said it shows every person in the castle and where they are. But this thing is huge! Help me look," she ordered.

Draco and Neville crowded around to help search, but Hermione stood back, shaking her head.

"Ginny, what if Harry's wards somehow also made him Unplottable?" Hermione asked. "If they do- and I'm assuming that's true, since no one could find him for sixteen years- he won't show up on that map. I'm certain of it."

"He's not here, Ginny," Neville said, looking upset. "Looks like Hermione's hunch was correct." The four of them sank into chairs, staring at the floor.

"We should probably ask Maggie for lunch," Hermione spoke up finally. "I doubt the Professors are going to let us miss afternoon class. Though…can we even call Maggie?" she wondered aloud, frowning. Usually Harry did that.

"Allow me," Draco said. "Dobby!" he called.

Dobby appeared. "Yes, Young Master?"

"Lunch for five, please," he requested.

"Certainly, Young Master Draco, sir," Dobby said, bowing with a flourish and disappearing with a pop.

Nobody questioned Draco getting lunch for Harry as well; that's just what should be done, after all.

"Dobby seems…nice," Hermione finally said tentatively, breaking through their thick silence over lunch.

"He was my father's house elf," Draco explained, grateful for something to do besides worry about his friend, whom he was beginning to see almost as a brother. "When he was sentenced to Azkaban, that made me the head of House Malfoy. Then I came to live here, so he came with me. Hogwarts has plenty for him to do, after all."

"What about your mother?" Hermione asked. "Won't she be needing help?"

Draco said nothing, his expression completely blank. He had not told the others about his mother; just Harry.

"Dray?" Ginny asked quietly, "Something…something happened to your mother." It was not a question. "Is she…is she ok?"

Draco took a breath, then let it out, shakily. Then, slowly, he shook his head. "She's dead," he said, his voice coming out no louder than a whisper. "The Dark Lord…killed her. Because of me."

The others didn't say anything, not knowing what there was to say. For some reason, though, Draco's emotions were running wild; now that he'd let out a little, it seemed the dam had broken. He shot from his chair, pacing the floor as he continued.

"Mother betrayed the Dark Lord to keep me safe. And he killed her for it," he said dangerously, clenching his hands into fists, his body trembling. "And I will make sure he suffers for what he has done."

Hermione could see his pain clearly in that moment. He was no longer Draco Malfoy, the bully, the cocky, arrogant teen who threw his father's name around to get his way. He was just Draco, the boy who lost his mother; the boy who needed a friend.

Slowly rising from her chair, Hermione made her way over to the hurting boy and gathered him into her arms. He stiffened, not used to being showered with physical affection, but slowly relaxed, wrapping his arms around the girl and holding onto her tightly. Hermione noticed that he was still shaking as he buried his face in her hair.

"We're here for you, Dray," she said quietly. "We're here for you."

After a moment, Ginny and Neville also came forward to show their support. They hung back a step or two, letting Hermione take the lead.

Suddenly, a flash of flame ended the moment as a phoenix feather and a small scroll fell to the floor. Neville hurried over to unroll it, so only Ginny noticed as Draco and Hermione jumped apart, both looking embarrassed.

"Professor Dumbledore has cancelled our lessons for this afternoon," Neville read. "He wants us to take time to recover from this morning and concentrate on finding Harry."

The four sat back down to finish their lunch. "But where do we look for someone who doesn't want to be found?" Hermione wondered aloud.

Ginny looked at her seriously. "I might have a few ideas."

Harry was a mess. He was angry. He was afraid. He was hurt. And he was vulnerable. He'd revealed himself to his godfather, at the urging of the person he had been coming to trust more than anyone else, and it had gone horribly pear-shaped.

He not been able to stop himself ducking away from physical contact with the man, revealing more than he'd intended about himself and his past between that incident and his monologue in defense of Severus. He still couldn't believe he'd had to do that! He couldn't believe that Sirius had been so immature that he'd not been embarrassed to feud with Severus in front of people he hardly knew.

Harry also couldn't believe the things that had come out of his own mouth. He'd essentially put all his feelings out there for everyone to see- all the gratitude he felt that Severus had come for him and introduced him to his magic, that he'd looked out for him and helped him start learning the things he was lacking, the way he looked up to him as if Severus were his godfather or parent instead… it was all out there now. He felt exposed just thinking about it.

And then he'd run. Disappeared. Into nothingness, where it was safe. Where no one had any expectations for you, because they didn't know you existed.

He had to admit, he was angry with Ginny. He had felt like she'd cornered him; he knew Sirius needed his help, but this situation had been less than ideal. The visit had been sprung on him without warning, and he'd had no time to prepare. He'd have wanted to know more about Sirius, maybe see what his reactions would be to certain things, before coming to face him without the wards. He'd have wanted to feel a little more…safe…during the first meeting with his godfather.

As it was, the whole encounter had terrified him. Sirius was a friend of his father's. Severus, even though it was plain that there were bad feelings between the two men, had vouched for him…to a degree. And yet, Sirius's mental and emotional state made it difficult to want to be near him. Harry grimaced. He wanted to say he'd give Sirius another chance, but the thought currently filled him with dread.

Noticing where his feet had taken him and attempting to push away the looming thoughts, Harry set off around the Quidditch pitch, running laps as he'd been every morning since that first day with Draco. So far, Hermione was the only other to join them, but Harry had been optimistic they'd get the others to come one of these days. He ran and ran, letting his exhaustion take his thoughts away. Finally when he could run no more, he walked. And when he could walk no more, he flopped down on his back in the grass, not bothering to stretch.

"Harry?" he heard a voice call. He didn't move. A moment later, he found it was Neville who was making his way into the Quidditch stadium. "Harry, are you in here?" He called again. Harry again didn't answer. He wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone, not that Neville would be able to hear him anyway. He was surprised when Neville didn't immediately turn and leave upon getting no answer. "It's fine if you don't want to talk," Neville said, leaving Harry wondering if Neville was some sort of mind reader, or an empath perhaps, before remembering that Neville didn't even know he was here.

"You can just listen, then," Neville continued, sitting down on the grass not far from where Harry was. "Harry, we're sorry about what happened with Sirius…Lord Black…" Neville shrugged sheepishly. "Not sure what I should call him…anyway, nobody's more sorry than Ginny. She feels terrible. She was nearly in tears back in the common room," he added.

There was silence for a moment. "Although, I kind of get how you feel," he said finally. "My parents have been in St. Mungos- that's the wizarding hospital- since the day after your parents died. They were tortured by Death Eaters who thought they might know You-Know-Who's location." Neville explained.

"My gran started bringing me to visit them when I was around five or six. I remember being so excited to see them…and then once we got there…they didn't remember me. It was like they didn't even know I was there." Neville said quietly. "Gran told me I should talk to them, give them hugs and everything, but I was afraid. They couldn't talk back to me, they didn't know me, and they looked weird from what the spell had done to them. But Gran made me anyway."

Harry processed this. Yes, that was a little bit how he felt.

"Gran keeps bringing me back to the hospital to visit. It's worse now than when I was young though, because now I understand what I could've had." Harry could see Neville was changing tracks, now just letting his feelings out indiscriminately. "I understand what was done to them. I understand how different my life might have been.

"My gran sometimes has impossible expectations for me; she wants me to be my father. He was an Auror." Harry didn't know what that was, but filed it away to study on later. "But I'm not like him. I'm not really a fighter; I'm not brave or powerful. I just…like plants. I feel like I'm going to be a disappointment to her. And if the Death Eaters attacked, I would just be a liability." There was a pause, and Harry could see a hint of determination steal over the other boy's face. "But no matter if I like it or not, I will stand by you. And the others. I will train my hardest so that if I'm the one that has your back, I won't let you down."

Harry's eyes softened, and he sat up as he studied his Hufflepuff godbrother, slowly letting the wards come back down. Neville looked at him intently, not really all that surprised to see him.

"Thanks brother," Harry said heavily.

"You alright, Harry?" Neville asked, looking the other boy over, taking in his sweaty, disheveled appearance. The black-haired wizard nodded.

"Just confused," he admitted. "I want to know my father's friends, but…"

"But that interaction made you wary of having a repeat," Neville finished, nodding in understanding. "I get that." There was a pause, then Neville added, "Ginny said you'd probably also feel vulnerable because you spilled more of your emotions than you meant to."

Harry looked away, embarrassed.

"We don't think any less of you, you know, Harry," the other boy spoke up. "Draco just came down from his own emotional thunderstorm a little while ago. He told us about his mother, and Hermione had to talk him down. Afterward he seemed almost as embarrassed as you. I don't think he meant to say all those things, they just kind of…popped out."

Harry looked at Neville curiously at this piece of news. Up to this point, Ginny had grown closer to Draco than anyone else, other than Harry, almost taking up the role of little sister to the blond. She could read the two impassive boys better than the others. To have Hermione step up for Draco like that…it was huge progress. The Hufflepuff smiled slightly before continuing. "Dray would probably kill me for saying that, but if it helps you, I think I'll risk it."

Suddenly, Harry's stomach rumbled. "Did you guys eat already?" he asked his godbrother. Neville nodded.

"Draco ordered lunch for you, too. When you didn't come back, Hermione left it for you in the common room under a stasis charm."

Harry sighed appreciatively. "Magic is awesome," he said. Neville grinned.

"You can say that again."

Once Harry had disappeared, Severus retreated to his study, thinking it best to leave finding the boy with familiar green eyes to the other students. His friends would know where to look in order to try to reach him. Severus, himself, was too worked up.

How dare Black come in here without warning and throw everything off? Didn't Black know what that boy had been through in the past few weeks? Though if he were being fair, he didn't know everything Harry had been through either. The other children probably had a clearer picture than anyone else.

By the way, when had Severus begun thinking of the boy as simply Harry?

Severus was lost in thought for some time, mulling over what had just happened and whether or not Harry would let himself be found sooner rather than later. Suddenly, a bear patronus appeared before him, speaking in the Longbottom boy's voice.

Professor Snape, sir, I found Harry. He's alright, just a little shaken. I'm taking him back to the common room to get something to eat.

Severus breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure how he'd have been able to explain to Lily in the afterlife if he'd lost her son. After all, he'd seen in the past few weeks that, even though Harry looked like James Potter, he was truthfully more like Lily. He could see that plainly now. Harry's curiosity, love for books, and his cold fury when he was upset was all Lily.

Severus' relief quickly turned to anger. What had Harry been thinking, running off on his own like that without a word? What if something had happened to him while he was invisible? They'd never be able to find him!

Getting swiftly out of his chair, he strode to his office door, intending to go search for that Potter boy and give him a piece of his mind. All at once, the door opened without warning, admitting a lost-looking Draco.

"Draco, what is it?" Severus asked immediately, stepping back so Draco could take a seat. The boy just shook his head for a moment. "Are you hurt?" Draco shook his head again, brow furrowed. Severus waited patiently watching the boy intently.

"I told the others about Mother," the blond said finally. Severus couldn't quite keep the look of shock from his face. He understood that the blond had needed to tell Harry in order to gain his trust. But he'd thought that Draco would keep it otherwise to himself until his dying day. He perceived Draco would find little value in opening up to the other three.

"What happened?" Severus asked finally, studying the blond teen. Draco looked up at him with wide eyes.

"I…I don't know," he said slowly. "I had Dobby bring us lunch, then Hermione was asking about how Mother was managing without him, and then with everything that happened and Harry missing…" Draco trailed off, looking slightly ashamed of himself. "…it just kind of slipped out."

"And…what happened next?" Severus prompted, when the boy seemingly retreated into his head. Draco looked at Severus; the awe and surprise in the boy's eyes was striking.

"They…they…hugged me," he said finally. "There was no disgust at my outburst. There was no walking away and leaving me to deal with everything myself. There was support. And affection." He looked up at Severus curiously. "Is that what family is supposed to be like?" he asked. Severus allowed himself a small smile.

"So I am told," he replied. "Not that my own family was anything like that. I had a friend in my youth that treated me the same way as you described. She was very precious to me."

"She…died?" Draco asked hesitantly, picking up on the potion master's use of past tense. Severus tried to keep the pain from his eyes, but he was sure he hadn't managed it, because Draco shot him a pitying look before he could stop himself. The potions master brushed it away brusquely.

"You're acting like a Hufflepuff," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Thank you," Draco quipped automatically. It had become something of a running joke between the students that this would be the accepted response whenever someone made a joke about one of the houses and their qualities. Severus glowered at the teen.

"Now you're acting like a Gryffindor," he muttered darkly. Draco grinned.

"Thank you," he repeated, before sobering. "Would you…would you tell me about her? Your friend?"

Severus was about to shut down this train of thought immediately, but something stopped him. It might have been Draco's pleading look, or perhaps the thought that his godson had just shown his own pain to his friends, a feat that Dumbledore would say took more strength than fighting a myriad of battles. Finally, the potions master nodded.

"Very well," he said quietly before turning away. "Maggie," he called, and the house elf instantly appeared.

"Yes sir, Master Snape?"

"Maggie, please bring Mister Potter and whatever is left of his lunch here to my office at once. Then, please inform the other three where he and Draco have gone. They will worry otherwise after Potter's disappearance this afternoon."

"Yes, sir," the house elf replied, disappearing in an instant. Draco looked askance at the older man. When he didn't not explain himself, Draco tried the direct approach.

"Uncle Severus, what's going on?"

"Ha- Potter has the right to hear this story as well. I would rather not tell it more than once, if you please." Draco raised an eyebrow, but the potions master would not elaborate. Just then, Maggie popped in, towing a surprised-looking Harry Potter by the hand.

"Potter," Severus acknowledged. "Have a seat."

The boy did as he was told, returning his face to its blank state before nodding to Draco. The blond acknowledge him silently. Snape did not begin speaking, slowly pacing his office. After a few moments of silence, the dark-haired boy could stand it no longer.

"I apologize, Professor," he said cautiously. "I should not have disappeared like that. I was upset, and judged it would be better to resolve my emotions privately. However, I violated the rules you set down for my and the other's safety. I will take whatever punishment you see fit."

Severus looked at the young man, who was looking at him calmly, though he could detect hints of shame and embarrassment in his expression. This boy- Lily's boy- never failed to surprise him. He quickly and humbly admitted his wrongdoing, whereas Potter Sr. would have argued and fought until his last breath to escape punishment.

"And sir…about what I said…to Sirius…" Harry continued when Severus still did not reply, though trailed off, unsure of what to say next. A flash of memory crossed Snape's mind as he remembered Harry confidently defending him to his own godfather, letting his power show in his anger. He hadn't really had a chance to contemplate this, but now Severus realized that the boy probably thought his defense and affection toward him was about to be harshly rejected.

"Was it sincere?" he asked finally. Harry looked up into the man's obsidian eyes.

"Yes, sir," he answered. Severus could see he was afraid.

"How extraordinarily like your mother you are, Potter," he said at last, studying the boy who stared back at him with those familiar piercing green eyes.

"Sir?" the boy asked curiously. The potions master took a seat facing the two boys.

"Draco came to me a short while ago with an intriguing tale." The dark man said slowly, glancing toward the blond. "It seems he revealed the story of his mother to your other companions and received an…unexpected outpouring of support. I, also, had a stalwart friend as a child. Your mother, Harry," he said quietly, turning toward the raven-haired wizard. The boy's eyes widened only slightly, apparently having remembered from McGonagall's slip during their magic testing.

"I met Lily when we were children," he said softly, looking at he boys' intrigued faces. Severus stopped, his heart thumping against his ribs as the realized what he was about to do. Pain overwhelmed him as he remembered his childhood friend's smiling face…her help…her support…her anger…and her death. He couldn't do this. He couldn't… Quickly, he slammed his occlumancy barriers back into place, blocking out the memories.

"Professor," Harry's voice said calmly, but when Severus turned his cold eyes on the boy, he could see his gaze was pleading, almost begging. "Please. I know next to nothing about my mother."

He closed his own eyes tightly. He never could refuse Lily anything when she looked at him like that. A swirl of anger towards Petunia burned through him at the thought that Harry wouldn't know anything about his own mother, one of the kindest, most selfless, and most brilliant witches he'd ever known.

He was startled when there was small thump on the table in front of him. Opening his eyes, he saw that Draco had his wand out, and his Pensieve was resting on the surface before him. The blond wizard said nothing, but gave his godfather a small smile of encouragement. Severus looked from Draco to Harry, who was studying the basin in undisguised fascination, then back again. Slowly, he drew his wand, lifting it to his temple to extract the memories.

"Uncle Severus will put his memories in there," Draco was explaining softly to his friend. "Then, if we touch them, we can essentially go inside his memories."

The boys raised a hand, eager to see, to understand.

"Wait, Potter," Severus said, stopping their progress. "Knowledge…can be a dangerous thing," he said at last. "You may learn some things you wish you had not. And…I sincerely apologize for my part in them."

The boys shot him a confused look, but he just waved them toward the Pensieve. And with that, the two young wizards disappeared into the memory. His memory.