Severus' head spun as he left his Lord's office. He couldn't believe what the man had just told him. Not even after reading over the papers himself. Lucius had stood behind his lover watching Severus closely as he had read over the Gringotts documents. At first he was nervous, worried that he had done something to displease both men. But as he read he realized it wasn't that, it was Luc's way of showing support. Not to just for his lover but for his friend.

He sighed and leaned against the cool stone wall, at least now he understood why his friend had kept Harry's secret.

He closed his eyes and tried to sort through everything.

His Lord regretted killing Lily. That thought had shaken him to his core. All his anger at the Dark Lord was over that betrayal. The fact that the man he looked up to and all but worshiped had killed his best friend, after swearing to spear her. It was the very reason he turned on his friends and even some of his own beliefs. It was why he went to Dumbledore in the first place.

Hearing that it wasn't just because she was his daughter, but because prophecy and the circumstances around it didn't make sense. Left him angry, and heartbroke.

How had he missed it? No teacher in Hogwarts history had ever been interviewed outside of the school, let alone in a public and packed pup. The only thought he ever had about the where was that it had been odd. But he had pushed it aside, forgotten about it.

They were in the middle of war, why would the location of her interview matter?

Sure over the years he had thought of Sybill as a fraud. An over dramatic attention seeker. But he never doubted the prophecy, after all Dumbledore believed in it. Who was he to doubt it?

How stupid he had been. He never trusted anyone at their word. Always checking and double checking. Yet for some reason he'd never thought about researching or looking into the words the supposed seer has spoken.

They hadn't spoken about his betrayal. His Lord just said he understood Severus loyalty and wished he had been in his right mind that Halloween night.

He thought about it then, how the knowledge of having a daughter had affected the Dark Lord and he wondered what it had been like for Lily. She had been so proud about being a muggle-born. The fact that she was born of two worlds and got to experience the miracles of both. She had been headstrong and stubborn whenever other's tried to make her feel like she was less, just because she wasn't a pure-blood. Had finding out the truth changed how she looked at herself?

He gritted his teeth as he thought about the letter in his Lord's desk. Oh how he wanted to read it. See what she had written to the father she just discovered. Had she been nervous? Excited?

Most importantly had she wanted to meet him? Has she thought about introducing him to Potter and Harry?

He swallowed over the lump that had built in his throat, as he thought, would it have saved her life?

He shoved away from the wall. Those kinds of thoughts would drive him mad. What he needed to worry about now was Harry.

Heading towards his room, he wondered how the boy would take this news. He would be outraged now doubt, but would he believe it? Accept it? Severus shook his head. He couldn't tell the boy yet. Not while he was trapped as a cat. It wouldn't be fair. Harry needed to be allowed to rant and rave when he found out. He couldn't do that as a cat.

With his Lord searching for Harry and Lucius' deadline, Seveurs was running out of time. Both to cure Harry and warn him.

As he reached his bedroom, he thought over the last bombshell his Lord had dropped. The one that answers so many of his unasked questions.

The Dark Lord had revealed that after he had heard about Harry's supposed demise and Severus' doubt about its genuineness. He, like Bill Weasley, had sought out the goblins. Only instead of looking into the activity of the Potter Vaults, he had checked the status of his own. Which by blood Harry was linked to. With the goblins' word that his grandson was alive, his Lord was able to take a breath and allow Severus and Lucious to keep their secrets, the man made sure to point this out with a very pointed look at both men.

While he let them do what they were doing he had set out with his own play. He had sent out his Death Eaters to whisper in all the right ears about how they doubted the boy-who-lived's death. He had them ask people about how it had happened? Where was the body? Why were there no details? The questions and doubt spread like wildfire and Severus was impressed by the simplicity of it all.

On one hand Dumbledore was making a show of the boy's supposed death. Doing everything and anything he could to make the people believe it. The article, the memorial, Ginny's upcoming speech. On the other, his Lord was using whispers in the dark and doubt to undermine the headmaster's moves.

He worried about what would happen when Albus figured out his plans weren't going to work. The man had already, to his knowledge, killed Potter. What would he do when the people didn't move to follow him? Severus released a breath, whatever it was, it wouldn't be good.

He opened his bedroom door and froze. He had expected the two young men to be goofing off on his bed, like they had been before he was pulled away. Instead they were wrapped around each other on the floor, sound asleep. He gave them a small smile.

Stepping into his room, closing the door behind him. He moved to his bathroom hoping a hot shower would help him figure out what he was going to do.

Harry

When he woke up the next morning it was to Fred nipping his ear. He hissed at his friend and opened his eyes. Fred just bounced backwards and looked toward the bedroom door, then he barked. Harry wished he could snort as a cat, because it was clear the twin wanted to explore the manor.

He didn't see the harm in showing Fred around. Besides he had been so excited to see his friend the night before that neither of them had eaten. He figured he could show him the kitchen first, then the biggest library, Fred would get a kick out of some of the books he'd seen when looking around, then he would drag the fox to Draco's room and see if they could scare the blonde.

The hallways were empty as they wandered to the kitchen. Fred, like Harry did when he first arrived, stuck his head into every open door they passed. None of the Death Eaters that saw them seemed surprised by the appearance of another animal. Harry wondered if there were wards that should have warned the dark wizards about animagus running around. And then he wondered if it was broken, since him and Fred were moving around freely.

By the time they ended up in the kitchen Harry was practically pushing his friend from behind, Fred was just too damn curious. Fred froze at the door and Harry stuck his head around to see why.

Both Lestrange brothers sat at the table, breakfast in front of them as they talked excitedly about something.

Harry could feel how nervous Fred was all the sudden. He didn't want his friend to be afraid, so he nudged him forward gently and then walked around him to meow at Bastan's feet. The Death Eater looked down at him, smiled, and then got up to start searching for food.

Harry meowed again, walking over to Fred and nibbing him playfully in the ear. His friend squeaked and Harry could feel both men watching them.

"Where'd that one come from?" Rod asked his brother.

Bastan shrugged his shoulders, "Probably Barty."

Neither brother seemed over concerned about the random fox showing up in their hide out and Harry could tell this surprised the hell out of Fred as his friend looked at him and then back at the brother's head titled as he seemed to ask, "are they stupid?'

He snickered in a not so cat way, but neither brother seemed to take notice as Bastan put two plates of stew on the floor for them.

Harry didn't hesitate to dive in and only after a second of hesitation Fred copied him.

His friend finished first, he tried to watch Fred as he ate, worried about what he redhead would get into. His worries were mostly unneeded as Fred just walked around the kitchen smelling and inspecting any and everything he could reach in his animal form. When he seemed to grow bored of cabinets he headed towards the Death Eaters,who ignored him completely, as the fox inspected them.

When Fred started pawing at Bastan's feet, Harry decided he was done eating and meowed at his friend. When the fox looked at him and winked, Harry started to worry.

Before he could stop him, Fred barked at the man, who startled and looked down at him, eyebrow raised. The fox barked again, his tail suddenly wagging behind him.

Harry hissed at his friend which went ignored by everyone.

Bastan reached down, ready to pick up Fred, however the fox jumped back and barked again. Harry saw the Death Eater's eyes narrow before he reached again for Fred. Amused his friend let out an excited yip before dodging away from the man's hands.

There was a snicker from Rod as he watched his brother trying and failing for a third time to catch the animal.

"Stupid animal." Bastan growled out before he threw a piece of meat from his own breakfast at Fred. It hit the fox in the forehead and it was Harry's turn to snicker. Harry saw Fred title his head to the side as he watched Bastan carefully. Not sure it was a good idea to let Fred plot revenge he ran over and tackled his friend.

Fred yelped in surprise as they hit the floor.

Then before he could retaliate Harry darted off, preying that Fred would follow him instead of staying behind and messing with Bastan anymore.

He was halfway down the hallway when he heard Fred's chasing behind him. He grinned and raced for Draco's room.

Thankfully the blonde door was open. Harry didn't even think about it as he rushed into the room and jumped on Draco's bed. The blonde who'd been reading jumped and was about to shout at Harry when Fred landed on the bed behind him. Harry looked behind him at his friend, meowed and then hid behind a very confused Draco.

He tried not to laugh as Draco and Fred stared at each other. Draco clearly trying to figure out who the fox was and Fred probably trying to figure out why the hell Harry was hiding behind his rival.

"Who the hell are you?" Draco finally asked, sounding frustrated. Fred let out a snort. Harry could practically hear what his friend was thinking.,which of course was how the hell was he supposed to answer that question?

Draco seemed to realize the same thing because he turned his head and glared at Harry.

He grinned as much as he could as a cat, which probably looked really weird. Draco sighed and pulled out his wand, waving it at his door. It slammed closed then Draco muttered something under his breath. A strange orange light came out of the blonde's wand. It circled the room before expanding and covering the walls, a second later it shimmered and disappeared.

"No one can sense you now." The slytherin said to Fred.

Fred cocked his head, eyes searching the blonde before he looked at Harry, questioning him with just a look. Harry nodded his head. They could trust Draco.

A second later Fred sat on the edge of Draco's bed, looking intrigued.

"Impressive." the red head muttered, as he reached behind Draco for him. Harry squealed as he was picked up and placed into his friend's lap. Fred's fingers instantly running through his fur.

"You brought a Weasley into my house!" Draco hissed, sounding pissed, then panic flickered across the blonde's cae "have you lost your bloody mind?!" Harry snorted amused while Fred openly laughed.

"This isn't funny." Draco snapped, "do you two idiots now what would happen if you're caught?" The question was directed more to Fred than to Harry.

His friend stopped laughing, "I know." he said seriously, "but we wanted to check on our friend. George is making sure no one notices I'm missing and I've already been warned to be careful."

Draco didn't look happy about it but his shoulders dropped and he let out a breath. Clearly resigned to what was going on, he looked down at Harry, "I'm not responsible if something happens to him." Harry nodded his head and stretched his neck out enough that he was able to lick the blondes hand in thanks. Draco made an appalled noise but didn't pull his hand away.