Chapter 3

Empty. It echoed through the halls around Harry as he made his way through the cavernous passages. Walking through the entrance hall, listening to his footsteps echoing off the walls, felt almost like an out-of-body experience.

Only as he began to descend into the dungeons did the out-of-place feeling dissipate. It still felt empty, no surprise there. He was actually somewhat skeptical about his destination. On the say-so of a notoriously rather off- kilter portrait by the Great Hall, since he had been unable to locate anyone more reliable, he was heading into the dungeons in search of Lupin.

He knew that Lupin had moved into the school, having taken the again-vacant Defense Against the Dark Arts position and lacking a better home to retire to for the summer.

Now as Harry found himself deeper in the bowels of the school, he didn't know where to start to look, so he decided to move towards a semi-populated area.

Well, at least occupied by one person, he thought dryly.

But as he moved towards that particular area he started to hear voices.

Multiple voices.

As he neared the offending classroom, he started to hear bits of conversation between Snape and...Lupin?!

"Remus! You're not doing it right," he heard Snape bark out.

"Severus I'm doing the best I can. It just won't...fit." Lupin's response was followed by the sound of feet scuffling and the sound of someone bumping into a table. Harry's hand froze of the doorknob, unsure of whether of not he should go in.

"Remus, just hold still. It won't hurt."

"But...but, it's too...long!"

In the background Harry heard laughter...deep musical laughter. After a few minutes of scuffling Harry heard Snape yell, "Oh forget it! I'll put it in myself."

The laughter increased, then Lupin responded, "Oh Sev, you're no fun."

Okay now Harry was officially confused. If those two were...talking? Then who was laughing?

Braving the possibility of many years of therapy, Harry slowly opened the door to the classroom, closed his eyes, and called out, "Um, I'm not interrupting anything am I?" "What the...HARRY!"

Remus yelled, happily. Harry slowly opened his eyes, and was greeted by the sight of Lupin and Snape standing over a bright fire, surrounded by glass beakers. And there, half-collapsed with laughter, was Draco Malfoy.

Wait, Draco Malfoy?!

"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Harry nearly growled. That sobered Draco right up, "None of your business Potter."

In an effort to diffuse the already tension situation, Lupin walked over to Harry and guided him farther into the room, away from Draco.

"Now Harry, last I checked you were staying at the Weasley's."

"I couldn't...Ron," Harry started but couldn't finish.

"Had a lover's spat with the Weasel, did you?" Malfoy snapped.

Harry froze. But after a few minutes he forced out, "Ron's dead." The silence in the room, if possible, intensified.

Draco mouthed nothing for a moment, doing a great impression of a fish, then finally croaked out, "I'm...sorry. I didn't know."

In an attempt to move on, Harry turned to Lupin, "Professor, are you staying in the faculty wing?"

"For the hundredth time, Harry, it's Remus. We went through a bloody war together, I think we can dispense with the niceties." Snape gave Lupin a funny look but let it pass.

"Remus, then, are you staying in the faculty wing?"

"No, I'm not. I will be staying down here in the dungeons for matters "

"Now, Remus," Snape began to make his way around the table, bringing his lower half into view. Harry knew he had been injured in the war, but it felt the first time he found out when he saw the cane and, while his robe covered most of it, his leg was a wee bit mangled. "No need to bite your tongue, the cripple can take it."

"Sev, you know-" Snape held up a hand and addressed Harry, "He's staying in the dungeons to save me the difficulty of climbing up stairs to...administer his wolfsbane potion."

Inexplicably, Malfoy collapsed laughing, yet again.

Harry shot Malfoy a look, "What the hell is wrong with you?!...Since when can Malfoy's laugh?"

The blonde pulled himself together enough to sneer, though rather more good- naturedly than was his habit. "Since...oh forget it."

Harry turned back to Remus, "So why don't you just come down to get it?" Remus tinged a bit at the cheeks, "Well, actually Harry-"

"He...tends to forget, Mr. Potter. And the dungeons are a more suitable location for his transformations, safe or not." Snape once again interrupted the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

Harry wasn't sure just what he was missing, but it was obviously hilariously funny, as Malfoy was actually tearing in the corner.

"Well, Harry, I suppose I should ask you where you're staying, since I'm assuming you will be here for the summer." Lupin brought them back to the topic at hand.

"In the faculty wing. It's pretty nice."

Lupin didn't get to answer.

"The faculty wing?" Malfoy spoke up from the corner. "Yeah, why?"

"I'm staying in the faculty wing."

"You're...here for the summer too?" Harry couldn't believe his luck, staying two months in the same hall as Draco Malfoy. "But, why?"

"I...I'd rather not talk about it Potter," Malfoy suddenly looked uncomfortable. Harry had never seen him like that, he didn't force the issue. Of course, since Harry didn't answer, and Malfoy had nothing to say, they immediately fell into an awkward silence, broken only by the bubbling cauldron.

After a short eternity, Snape swept, or, at least, attempted to sweep, his leg and cane prevented his previous fluidity, between them. "Well, Mr. Malfoy, I do believe Re-Professor Lupin has this under control," he indicated the cauldron, "so we can discuss that advanced course in my office." Snape turned around to address Remus, "Professor Lupin, if you could drop by my chambers after supper?" He began to leave, then turned again, "Oh, and bring the potion."

Malfoy was hardly breathing through his laughter, as he followed his Head of House out of the room. Harry turned to Remus, "What's with him? If I didn't know better I'd say he'd been hexed."

"More like he is a hex, but never mind all of that," the werewolf walked over to Harry, "how have you been?"

"As well as can be expected," Harry answered diplomatically.

"I know it's hard. It always is." His eyes got a far-away look, "It seems the good always die young. I remember your father-"

"He was twenty-two when he died. He had a son, a family, a job, a life. Ron was sixteen, he didn't even get a chance to graduate!"

Remus wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulder, "I know. I know."

Harry and Remus spent quite some time catching up while the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor carefully tended the potion. Some half-hour before supper, they finally parted company to return to their respective rooms.

Harry made his way down the faculty hall, hoping that he would recognize the door. Ah, there it was he thought, "Constant Vigilance." Thankfully the door swung open.

Malfoy was sitting on his bed.

This was his room, right? Yes, there was his trunk.

"Potter, we need to talk."