Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling.

"Who is that?" Jason asked, gesturing to where a woman was laughing with Remus in the entrance hall.

"I don't know...oh, maybe she is the substitute for Transfiguration," Cassius said as he glanced their way. "Professor Weasley got hurt and will be out for a few weeks." he Enzo and Jason.

"Cassius!" Remus noticed him and waved him and his friends over.

"Hi Remus," Cassius smiled as he and his friends approached the adults.

The woman coughed. "It's Professor Lupin, is it not?" She eyed Cassius with a disapproving frown.

"Oh, Cass is allowed to call me Remus outside of class," Remus chuckled.

"I see." The woman smiled, though Cassius thought it looked forced.

"How was the train ride?" Remus asked.

"It was good," Cassius grinned. "No dementors this time," he joked.

Remus chuckled. "I would hope not. This is Professor McKinnon," he introduced. "She was in the same year and house as I was in school."

"Hello Professor," Cassius said. Jason and Enzo said the same.

"This is Cassius Malfoy, Jason Thormund, and Enzo Kenley. Third years," Remus introduced.

Marlene glanced at their ties. "Slytherins, I see," she commented. "It must be strange for you Mr. Malfoy. You were a Gryffindor."

"It was a little weird at first," Cassius admitted. "But it seems right now."

"Hmm," Marlene said. She turned back to Remus. "I should check that all my belongings have been delivered. I do hope to see you again, it will be good to catch up," she said warmly.

Cassius wasn't sure what to make of her, he got the feeling she didn't like him or his friends. Because they were Slytherin, maybe? Unfortunately, he had seen some unfairness by some of the professors towards Slytherins that he hadn't notice before.

"Did you have a good summer, Cassius?" Remus asked after Marlene had walked away.

Cassius nodded. "Yeah, it was pretty good. Well, I got into a little trouble but other than that..." he said a little sheepishly.

"Oh? And what trouble would that be?" Remus asked curiously.

Cassius fidgeted. "During our trip to Diagon Alley, I may have ended up in Knockturn Alley," he admitted.

"Cassius! That is not a place you want to be, it is very dangerous!" Remus scolded.

"I know."

Remus shook his head. "You must keep Draco on his toes, that's for sure." he gave a chuckle.

Cassius grinned ruefully.

"Go on, you better head to the feast," Remus said, patting him on the shoulder. "I'll see you later."

"Bye!" Cassius said, hurrying to join his friends. From across the hall he saw Professor McKinnon staring at him. When she saw he noticed her, she gave a tight smile and turned away.

/

"Good evening everyone!" Headmistress McGonagall addressed the students. "For you returning students, welcome back. And for you new students, welcome to Hogwarts. Before we eat, just a reminder that the forbidden forest is in fact, forbidden. And our caretaker Mr. Filch asks that you try to not bring dirt and mud into the castle." Minerva said wryly. "Also, Professor Weasley was injured and will be on leave for a few weeks. Taking over for Transfiguration is Marlene McKinnon, a former Hogwarts student and Gryffindor." She smiled big at Marlene. "We also have a familiar face to most of you. Draco Malfoy is now Professor Snape's apprentice and will be teaching potions for the first through fourth years. I hope you will welcome both our new Professors. Now everyone, tuck in!"

Cassius eagerly filled his plate with mashed potatoes, rolls, and some pot roast. He was buttering his roll when a dish of mixed vegetables floated near him and the spoon added a generous helping to his plate. He frowned and looked around. His friends looked confused as well. Then he looked up at the Head Table and saw Draco giving him a pointed look. He sighed. He was thrilled that Draco was still at Hogwarts but he supposed there would be a down side to it too. Such as his brother could still make sure he ate properly. And keep on top of his grades. And if Cassius got into any trouble, Draco would surely hear about it. Of course, even if his brother wasn't here, his godfather was. So he supposed either way he wouldn't get away with anything. But that was okay, because Cassius was determined to not get into any mischief this year.

"Can't believe Malfoy is teaching," An older student grumbled a few seats down.

"Hey, you don't even have to have him. You're a seventh year," Another student said.

"So? He still shouldn't be here. It's bad enough Snape turned out to be a traitor. Now we have both Malfoys here."

Cassius gripped his fork tightly. "Who is that?" he asked his friends.

"That's Bradan Elvern." Sadie whispered. "I heard his parents were death eaters. I think they're in Azkaban now."

"Oh," Cassius mumbled. Well. He had already known that not all the Slytherins were accepting of him but he had hoped they had all graduated last year. He knew there were still Gryffindors who were angry that he had turned out to be a Malfoy. He had to accept that there may be Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs who felt upset as well. He just hoped none of them started anything with him. He could ignore it if they said stuff about him, but if they put down his brother or godfather he may have to react.

"Are you still going to stay with your brother in your quarters?" Enzo asked.

"Yeah. I want to," Cassius admitted. "All of you got to grow up with your families and I just found mine." He couldn't help it. He had time hanging with his friends in the dorms when he had been Harry Potter. Now he wanted to be with his brother.

"We understand Cass," Jason assured him. "I think any of us would feel the same way."

Cassius relaxed. "Thanks. I get to hang in the common room tonight for awhile. Draco said he will come get me at nine."

"Do you still have to be escorted everywhere? You know, like last semester?" Sadie asked.

Cassius frowned. "I don't know. I hope not." Certainly there wasn't any need for that, was there?

/

Cassius and his friends were following their prefect to the dungeons when he felt someone bump into him. He turned around but no one acknowledged that they were the one who bumped into him. He shrugged to himself and kept walking. Suddenly a muffled voice rang out.

"Ossio Dispersimus!"

"Ahh!" Cassius fell, his legs unable to support him. He looked down in horror. He couldn't move his legs at all! He felt one and suddenly knew what was wrong. After all, this had happened to him before. The bones in his legs were gone!

"Cassius?" Enzo knelt down. "What happened?"

Cassius ruefully picked up his right leg. It bent oddly, like putty.

"Merlin, what happened?" Sadie gasped.

Jason's mouth dropped open. "Are the bones gone?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Cassius sighed. "In both legs." He looked around where there were students who had stopped to see what was wrong. He couldn't tell who had cast the spell. No one looked smug or happy to see him injured.

"Cassius?" The Slytherin prefect, Seraphina Jensen hurried over. "What happened?"

"Someone cast a spell," Cassius gestured to his floppy looking legs.

"Who did this?" Seraphina demanded, looking around.

"I heard a voice say the spell, but I don't know who it was," A fourth year Slytherin said. Those around him said the same thing.

Seraphina sighed. "Well, let's get you to the infirmary."

Cassius groaned. He always ended up in the infirmary! Merlin, his first time being a third year he was affected by the Dementors and for his second time doing third year, he gets his bones vanished! Draco was going to go mental.

/

Draco stormed into the infirmary after getting the message from Snape. He immediately zeroed in on his brother, who was laying glumly on one of the cots while Pomfrey waved her wand over him. Snape also stood by, looking tense. "What happened?" he asked as he stood by his brother. He ran his eyes over him. Cass didn't look hurt he looked...wait. He reached out and picked up one of Cass's legs. It flopped over as if made of rubber. "Someone vanished the bones in your leg?" He asked incredulously.

"Both legs," Pomfrey said.

Draco's eyes flew to his brother's. "Who did this? I want a name and I want it now!" he snapped. He wasn't angry at Cassius but at whoever had hurt his brother.

"I don't know," Cassius said, cringing back slightly.

"Apparently the voice was disguised as no one recognized it," Snape spoke up. He had spoken to Seraphina as well as Cassius's friends.

"Or they just aren't saying," Draco said darkly. "Somebody had to have seen something."

"I will question the Slytherins but it wasn't just them around," Snape told him.

Draco gripped Cass's hand tightly. "I can't believe this happened to you." He couldn't believe it. It was the first night back and already his brother had been attacked!

"It's happened before," Cassius said. At Draco's frown he said, "My first second year that dolt Lockhart accidentally vanished them when he was trying to heal my broken arm."

Poppy handed Cassius a vial of yellow liquid. "Drink it all, Mr. Malfoy."

Cassius took the vial but didn't drink it. He remembered how vile it tasted and how painful re-growing bones was. "Isn't there another way?" he whined.

"No. Unless you want to go around the rest of your life with rubber legs," Poppy said dryly.

Draco ran his hand through his hair. "Drink it, Cass." He knew it would be a painful night for his brother and he mentally ran through different pain relievers that would be strong enough to work through the Skele-Gro. "Sanatus Potion?" he asked Snape, glancing at his godfather.

Snape nodded. "I do not have any brewed but I can have it for you in about two hours," he said.

"Thanks," Draco turned back to Cass, who was still holding the full vial. "Cassius, drink it."

Cassius sighed and downed the disgusting potion. Ugh, it burned as it went down his throat. "Disgusting!" he coughed.

"Dobby!" Draco called out.

Pop!

"Draco Malfoy called for Dobby?" Dobby noticed Cassius. "Cassius Malfoy is hurt?" He asked in concern.

"He is but he'll be fine," Draco said. "Can you get him some pumpkin juice?"

"Dobby would be glad to, yes he would!" Dobby vanished and then a moment later reappeared with a tall glass. "Pumpkin juice for Cassius Malfoy." he beamed.

Cassius gratefully took the glass. "Thanks Dobby." He took a long drink, washing away the horrible taste of the Skele-Gro.

"Dobby, someone attacked Cassius. If you or the other house-elves hear of anything, please let us know," Snape said.

Dobby nodded eagerly. "Dobby will, Dobby promises!" He popped away.

"You two might as well go on with your evening, Mr. Malfoy will be spending the night here," Poppy said to Snape and Draco.

Cassius's gaze flew to Draco's, his eyes pleading. He didn't want to stay here.

"Actually, Cass can sleep in our quarters," Draco said. "I can keep watch of him and administer the pain reliever when it's ready."

"Well," Poppy sighed. "All right."

Draco carried Cass to their quarters and laid him carefully on his bed. He transfigured his brother's clothes into comfortable pajamas and tucked him in. "Do you need anything?"

"No," Cassius said unhappily.

"I know this is not how you would want to spend your first night back," Draco said quietly. "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

Cassius shrugged. "I should be used to it, right?"

"No, you shouldn't," Draco said, angry that this happened. It just re-enforced the fact that Cassius needed to be watched and protected. "We'll just have to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"How?" Cassius asked.

Draco looked at him for a moment. "Well, no walking around without -"

"No. No way." Cassius protested. "Not again. I'm not having a bloody escort everywhere I go!"

"Language, Cassius," Draco said in a slightly irritated voice. "And you'll do what I tell you to do, especially if it is regarding your safety."

Cassius slumped back into his pillows. "It's not fair."

"I know." Draco patted his arm. "I'll ask the prefects to escort you and I can do it too. It won't be that big of a deal."

"Yes it will," Cassius grumbled.

"I won't apologize for doing what I can to keep you safe," Draco said. He sighed his brother's unhappy expression. "I could read to you," he offered. "Your Sherlock Holmes books are here." Snape, who had grown up with a muggle father, had introduced many muggle books to Draco over the years and for Cassius's birthday, had gotten him a set of Sherlock Holmes novels. Cassius had read the first couple books and loved them.

"Okay," Cassius brightened.

Draco read until Cass fell asleep. He bookmarked the page they left off on and then went into the sitting room. He sat in a sofa chair and stared at the empty fireplace, brooding. The first night back to Hogwarts was supposed to be fun, a time where you caught up with your friends and looked forward to learning new magic. That's what he wanted for Cass but someone had dared to hurt his cub. He didn't care how long it took, he would find out who had done it. And Merlin, they would pay.

An hour later Draco heard his brother call out for him. He jumped up and rushed into his bedroom. "Cass?"

"It hurts, Dray," Cassius said, his eyes still filled with sleep and pain.

"I know, cub," Draco sat by him and pulled him into a hug. Cassius gave a whimper and he kissed the top of his head. "It's okay, you'll be okay," he soothed. He was relieved to hear the floo flare. "Uncle Sev is here with a potion to help," he said.

Snape walked into the room with a vial in his hand. He paused at the sight of his oldest godson comforting his youngest and it warmed his usually cold heart. He handed Cassius the vial. "This should help you."

Cassius eagerly swallowed the potion, not caring about the bitter taste. Instantly he felt relief from the pain. He relaxed and sighed happily. "Thanks, Uncle Sev." He fell back asleep.

Draco stayed with for a moment, watching him sleep before joining his godfather in the sitting room. "I want the attacker's head on a platter."

"Get in line," Snape said. "I intend to look into the matter. I also informed the Headmistress and she is very upset about this as well."

"Cass needs to be escorted to his classes again," Draco said. "I can do it and I figure the prefects can help."

"Of course," Snape said. "I made sure the prefects in Slytherin this year had no affiliations with death eaters and I believe they can be trusted to help keep an eye out for Cassius."

"Good," Draco said. "Cass isn't happy about it," he said regretfully.

"He will get over it," Snape said. "Although...how are you going to handle the Hogsmeade trips?"

Draco's eyes widened. He'd totally forgotten about that. "How much of a fuss do you think he will kick up when I tell him if he wants to go on those trips that I will be going with him?"

"I think he will react maturely about it," Snape said in a even tone.

"Really?" Draco asked hopefully.

Snape broke into a chuckle. "No."

Draco sighed. "That was just plain mean."

TBC: