"So you just threw him out! That was your solution?"

Harry paused at the end of the hallway when he heard Lupin's angry voice coming from around the corner.

"That's what you wanted, isn't it?" Snape answered calmly.

"No!" Lupin snarled. "I told you he couldn't keep hiding down there. I asked you to talk to him."

"He won't be hiding any longer, will he?" Snape said. "As for talking to him, I think that's best left to those whose opinions matter to him."

"Who would that be?" Lupin demanded. "You are the only one he doesn't freeze out. Don't ask me why, it's beyond my understanding. You've never shown him a moment's kindness, but he's seeking comfort from you."

"He prefers my company because I leave him in peace, not because I offer comfort."

"It doesn't matter why. What matters is that you have a responsibility to try to reach him, and instead you've cast him out."

"I have no such responsibility."

"You do!" Lupin's voice rose angrily again. "You are all he has left. The holidays are coming up. Will you really leave him in the hands of the Ministry? Where do you think they will place him?"

Around the corner, Harry shivered involuntarily. That was something that had been bothering him for a while, and now only a week remained before the summer holidays. He told himself he didn't care what happened to him, but he was finding he cared more than he could admit.

"I'm sure they will select a suitable guardian," Snape said.

Lupin snorted at the suggestion, but Snape continued, ignoring him.

"I'm sure if you bothered to ask the boy for his opinion, he would leave you with no doubts he does not wish to spend his summer with me..." Snape paused, "... and Draco."

"Draco?" Lupin repeated. "Draco Malfoy?"

"Or did you forget that Harry Potter is not the only war orphan we should be concerned about?"

"You would take home Draco Malfoy..." -- Lupin struggled with the anger permeating his voice -- "... and leave your own -- "

The rest of the sentence was lost, because at that moment they rounded the corner, and Snape shoved Lupin hard to silence him.

They both stared, dumbfounded, at Harry, who stared back calmly.

"Harry..." Lupin began, but apparently could not think of anything else to say.

"I was just on my way to breakfast," Harry informed them, and walked past them.

He had gone only a few steps when he stopped and turned around.

"I really would rather spend the holidays with you, Professor Snape," he said. "And I'm glad you're taking Malf--Draco with you. The way some of the others treat him is disgusting."

With that, he turned and walked away, not waiting for a response.

When he was out of range, he stopped to catch his breath, which was coming in small gasps.

He didn't care who took him. He didn't!

He sighed. It was a lie.

More people staring at him. Asking him questions. Strangers.

He thought he was finished caring what people around him said or did to him. It was distressing to realize that he was still bothered by it.

What if Dumbledore took him? Or McGonagall? Or any of the other professors? He knew Lupin couldn't, and he was glad of that. Lupin wouldn't give him a moment's peace.

If it was up to the Ministry, what if that fool Fudge, who took such an interest in him, decided it was his duty... Harry shuddered at the thought.

If Snape took him, he could have a whole summer away from... Everything.

He imagined what Snape's home might be like, and visions of dark, cavernous, silent rooms filled his head. Rooms he could lose himself in...

"Harry," Lupin's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

He turned and saw Lupin approaching.

"May I accompany you to breakfast?" Lupin asked, falling into step beside him.

Harry nodded, knowing that his opinion did not matter. Lupin was clearly intent on attempting a conversation with him; he could tell by the way Lupin was nervously running his fingers through his hair.

"Look Harry," Lupin began, "I don't know how much of that you heard..."

Harry gave no indication that he knew what Lupin was talking about.

"And I know you're probably angry with me for interfering," Lupin continued. "I just thought that you were spending too much time alone. You're withdrawing from your friends. You quit Quidditch. I hardly ever hear you speak anymore."

Harry said nothing, though he knew his silence validated Lupin's point.

Lupin sighed. "If you can't talk to me, or to your friends, or to Professor Dumbledore..." He made a helpless wave with his hand. "At least talk to someone. I just want you to talk to someone."

"Even Snape?" Harry asked sarcastically.

Lupin gave him a strange look. "Even him. If he can help you..."

They had reached the Great Hall, and Lupin's words were lost in the din.

Exam results had been posted, and everyone crowded around, craning their necks to see over the heads of those in front of them. Harry excused himself and pushed through the crowd. He didn't care about his grades; he just wanted to get away.

He had passed all of his classes. He even had a decent grade in Potions, for once.

He stood staring at the parchment pinned to the wall longer than necessary, feeling rather than seeing that Lupin was still waiting behind him. Finally he saw out of the corner of his eye than Lupin had moved off in the direction of the staff table.

He sat down next to Ron and Hermione, who were having a heated discussion regarding something that happened the previous evening. Harry filled his plate, and didn't interrupt him.

"Harry," Hermione said, seeming to notice him for the first time, "I meant to ask you earlier..." She paused, looking a little fearful.

"What?" Harry asked.

Ron was the one who answered.

"It's just that summer holidays are coming up..."

"And we were wondering where you would be." Hermione finished.

"I really don't know yet," Harry said honestly.

"Oh," Hermione said, swallowing and looking down at her hands. "Sorry."

"I'm sure something will come up," Harry told her, taking a bite from a cinnamon roll.

"How can you be so calm about it?" Ron burst out.

"Do I have a choice?" Harry asked, turning to look at him.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them, which did not bother Harry, who was used to it. He ate, hardly noticing that Ron and Hermione did not touch their own plates.

He noticed a list of classes lying next to Hermione's plate.

"Have you decided what classes you'll be taking next year?" he asked, hoping to change the subject.

Hermione brightened.

"I have, but Ron is stalling. I'm going to take Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced Charms -- "

"In other words every class Hogwarts offers!" Ron put in, grinning and rolling his eyes.

Hermione gave him a push.

"I just want to be sure not to limit myself. I still don't know what I want to do." She sighed unhappily and looked down at the parchment, as though expecting the answer to suddenly come to her if she stared at it long enough.

"I thought you wanted a job in the Muggle Relations Department?" Harry said. That much he had gathered from the few conversations he had not completely tuned out.

"I'm exploring all my options."

"At least you have some ideas," Ron grumbled.

"What about you, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know yet," he said, because until that moment it had not occurred to him to think about it, but suddenly he realized that he did know. "Most likely Transfiguration, Defense, and Potions."

Ron sputtered, choking on his orange juice. "Potions?"

Harry shrugged, wishing he hadn't said anything. He was saved from having to answer by Dumbledore, who made several announcements.

Most of the professors chose to use the class times following exams to either review old material or to explain what students who continued with their class in Sixth and Seventh year would learn. Harry's attention wandered.

He found himself repeating in his mind the conversation he had overheard that morning. Some of it just didn't make any sense to him. Why had Lupin said that Snape was all Harry had left? If it was that ridiculous debt to his father again... When were people going to let that rest?

He couldn't understand why Lupin was so determined to send him off with Snape for the holidays. He could understand why Snape would take Draco Malfoy, who had always been one of his favored students, but what reason would Snape have for taking him?

He couldn't find any answers, and satisfied himself at last by deciding Lupin simply wanted Harry to be with someone from the school, rather than abandoned to the whims of the Ministry. That seemed likely enough. He forced the conversation out of his mind.

After lunch he found that his afternoon class had been canceled. He had nowhere to go now that he was no longer welcome in the dungeons, and Ron and Hermione seemed full of plans.

"We were going to visit Hagrid," Hermione told him. "He's been asking about you, and we've had to keep telling him you're busy with your study group. I think it would be nice if you --"

"Potter," interrupted a voice from behind.

Ron whirled around. "What do you want, Malfoy?" he demanded.

Malfoy glared at him, but turned to Harry.

"Professor Snape wants to see you in his office, Potter," he said in the cold voice Harry hadn't heard him use in many weeks.

Harry shrugged for the benefit of Ron and Hermione, who looked annoyed at the fact that their first chance to catch up with him was being interrupted. "I'll join you as soon as I can," he told them as he headed for the dungeons staircase, not in the least sorry to be missing out on the visit.

Malfoy followed him, still glaring at him out of the corners of his eyes.

Snape was waiting when Harry came into the office, hands folded on the desk and looking less than welcoming.

"Sit," he commanded.

Harry sat down on one of the rigid chairs in front of the desk.

"After some deliberation, I have decided to extend an invitation for you to spend the summer holidays with me," Snape said, wasting no time getting to the point, and looking sour as he did so.

Harry fought down the sudden urge to tell Snape he wouldn't spend the summer with him for a thousand galleons.

"Thank you," he said instead.

Even if Snape didn't want him, Harry would be better off with him than with anyone the Ministry would appoint to be his guardian. But, he thought angrily, Snape didn't have to be so wretched about it!

"You may go," Snape said, motioning toward the door.

Harry left the office, and ran into Malfoy just outside the door. Malfoy scowled at him, eyes narrowed.

"Anyone ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop?" Harry asked, trying to push past him.

"Did it ever occur to you to consider other people before you ruin their holidays?" Malfoy growled.

"This wasn't my idea," Harry said defensively.

"Liar," Malfoy spat. "Professor Snape told me the only reason you're invited is because you begged to go."

Harry didn't know what to say to that. He supposed it was true, although he thought it was more likely that Lupin, or even Dumbledore, had more of a hand in convincing Snape than his own words did.

"It's always about what you want," Malfoy continued angrily. "Everyone is so concerned about Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived! Do you even see the way they watch you?"

"I would have to be blind not to," Harry said, pushing down his own anger. He didn't want to be standing in the drafty dungeons corridor, arguing with Draco Malfoy.

"Well, just... Just -- " Malfoy made a frustrated sound, turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving Harry staring after him.

Giving the other boy a few minutes' head start, Harry followed him out of the dungeons. Reluctantly, he trudged toward Hagrid's hut.

It took some getting used to, spending so much time with his friends again. It was nowhere near as hard as it used to be, but he missed the heavy, somber atmosphere on the dungeons.

Who was it that Snape thought would pull him into the light? Surely not his friends, so concerned with their summer plans, their romances, their futures. He had no part in any of that. They had already left him behind. There was no help to be found here, even if he wanted it.

And Lupin? Lupin had pawned him off to Snape for the summer, apparently giving up on reaching Harry himself. No help coming from that corner either.

Even Dumbledore hadn't attempted to get through to him lately. Dumbledore, who never lost faith or gave up on anyone, had given up on trying to make Harry normal again.

What was he supposed to feel, besides grateful that he wasn't expected to discuss Lavender Brown's new love interest or Lee Jordan's upcoming internship at Wizard Wireless Network?

The world had marched on, as if no one had died, as if no one of any importance was missing from their ranks. And everyone around him was willing to go along with it, to live in it and to go on enjoying it, forgetting what the world had done to them. Just accepting it...

Only Harry was standing still, in his own small corner, where nothing changed and the darkness never lifted. He could never forget, and the emptiness in his life could not be filled by the shallow concerns of his friends.

True to Snape's words, Harry had been left behind. But, he told himself firmly, it was much better this way.