PART FOUR

The rest of the week passed smoothly with little interruption. Draco and Harry barricaded themselves in Harry's rooms, it was safer that way. Harry worked on his book and Draco helped or read some of the Dark Arts books Harry kept on his shelves. Or they both sat there talking to one another, feeling each other out to see the little changes that had crept upon them during the past three years. Finally Harry decided that they would have to face Hogwarts, sooner rather than later because eventually Severus would demand it and they would both rather be adult about the whole thing rather than treated as students who had both lost points in Potions Class.

"We should eat in the Great Hall tonight," Harry said as he cleared the table from their lunch. "We've kept out reality long enough."

"A grand entrance then?" Draco smirked at the thought.

"Yes," Harry nodded smiling with a glint in his eye. "Do you have any of your old battle outfits? If not I think I have a few of your old ones along with my own."

"I have two or three with me," Draco said. "I used them to practice in."

"I'll send a message to Severus to meet us here after his last class today," Harry told the blond. "We'll have plenty of time to plan our entrance. It's a good thing too, word will spread fast once the students have seen us."

Draco merely nodded. He knew exactly what that implied. He watched Harry write out a rather vague message to his former Head of House. Dobby appeared in a flash.

"You is called me Master Harry?" Dobby asked excited to be doing some task for his favorite person at Hogwarts.

"Yes Dobby," Harry said sealing the letter with his own personal seal. "I need you to take this to Professor Snape. Don't let anyone else get their hands on it. It's very important."

"Yes Master Harry," Dobby nodded reaching out both hands to take the letter. "I be doing it now."

Dobby disappeared with a "POP!".

"Well that's taken care of," Draco leaned back in his chair. "Now we wait?"

"Yeah, we wait," Harry seated himself.

The two looked over the latest chapter of the Dark Arts book Harry was working on. They had nothing better to do and they did not want to discuss what was coming. There would be time enough for that once Severus arrived.

"I don't know how to thank you for coming back," Harry finally said once they had set his notes aside.

"It's fine Harry," Draco shrugged. "You and Severus are the only people I can really trust anymore. I realized that while I was living in America."

"We missed you a lot," Harry said. "It was hard when you left right after. I woke up in the Hospital Wing and you were already gone."

"It was easier that way," Draco sighed. "I couldn't hang around with Hermione and McGonagall here. It was too soon. I was still pissed as all bloody hell. They had sacrificed Pansy, just to get at her parents who were low ranking Death Eaters. Pansy had nothing to do with it and they killed her."

"I know Draco," Harry's eyes hardened at the memory. "I know. They got off light, Hermione and McGonagall. They get to keep their jobs but they have to be under Dumbledore's supervision. Like an extended probation. It's not enough but it's all the Ministry would do to them, even with my testimony against them."

"McGonagall sure doesn't seem pissed at you," Draco commented.

"She thinks I'm delusional," Harry stated calmly. "She confronted me about it and has also spoken to Albus and Poppy. She feels that with enough time and kindness I'll eventually recover from my delusions and realize that she was just doing what was best."

"That sounds like something she would do and say," Draco coldly noted.

"Hermione wouldn't talk to me at all the first year," Harry shook his head. "I'm not sure what she expected out of me but obviously I didn't give it to her. She tolerates me, which is something. But I can't trust her any longer."

Draco nodded. He knew all about broken trust. He had almost lost his two war bonded because of others actions. It was yet one more reason not to just forgive and forget.

The door to Harry's quarters burst open and slammed shut just as quickly. Severus Snape leaned against the doorway, black eyes searching out the room. He relaxed once he saw only Harry and Draco were present.

"Severus?" Harry asked, brow furrowed at the abrupt entrance of the Potions Master. "What's going on?"

"It felt like someone or something was trying to follow me," Severus finally stepped away from the doorway and made his way over to the couch. "I prefer not to take chances Potter. Hello Malfoy, it's good you're here. Now what is it?"

"We're going to make a grand entrance tonight Severus," Draco unfolded his body from the chair and stood. "And we're wearing our battle robes."

Severus smile was cold and chilling. The other two wore similar expressions. They were going to make a stand without words, sometimes those were the very strongest and the most impressive and long-lasting. The three men dressed in their battle robes, serious expressions over coming their features as they recalled the last time they had worn similar clothing together. Those had been dark times and darker ones were about to replace those old memories with more terrible ones.

The three men emerged somber and sinister looking from Harry's rooms. All the students and most of the teachers would already be in the Great Hall. Draco looked to the two dark haired men, one on either side of him. It was what they had decided upon, a united front.

Harry halted them on the stairs leading towards the Great Hall. He brushed his hair back and away from his famous scar, willingly showing it like a badge. Draco smirked at the deliberate gesture. He took the time to carefully run his hands over his two knives tucked into their holsters, one on each side. Harry and Severus did the same. They all tucked their wands into wand holsters before nodding to one another. They were ready to face the masses.

Severus led the way, Draco right behind him followed by Harry and the famous scar. All the laughter and pleasant chit chat slowly died out as the trio began walking through the doorway down the center isle towards the Head Table. None of the three bothered to look to the students.

The three men sat next to one another at the Head Table and looked out over the sea of faces staring at them. They stared calmly back until the students began looking away and slowly the talking returned but more subdued and about why there were three well known wizards wearing battle robes at the Head Table during dinner.

"Well," Severus smirked cruelly. "That went well don't you think?"

"Quite well," Draco gave a half smile.

"News will be at the Ministry by late this evening," Harry added. "We do know what we've gotten ourselves into, don't we?"

"Of course," Severus said.

"That's good," Harry smiled. "I think it would have been easier to take an add out in the Daily Prophet."

"It wouldn't have quite the same effect," Draco pointed out.

"True," Harry grinned.

"Potter, Malfoy," Severus growled. "You are adult wizards now. Take care to act like it or people might begin to believe you really are deluded."

"Well I don't know about Draco here," Harry said. "But I for one am sane."

"That's highly debatable Potter," Severus droll tone bordered on laughter.

The three fell into a companionable silence, eating their meals and sharing a silent conversation. None of the other teachers spoke a word to them, although they got several long and disapproving stares from Hermione and McGonagall.

Severus, Harry and Draco finished quickly, before most of the other students and teachers. Silently as one they stood and filed back out of the Great Hall the same way they had come in with Harry leading. They hurried back to Harry's rooms to change once they were out of sight.

"Pour me a brandy will you Harry?" Draco asked stumbling out of his room in black slacks and a t-shirt.

Harry merely walked over to the kitchen area and poured three large glasses of brandy.

"Let's get smashed," Draco took a deep drink.

"Some of us have classes to teach in the morning," Severus scowled but drank his brandy anyway.

"Oh take sobering potion in the morning Snape," Harry refilled their glasses. "It's not like you don't have one in your pocket."

"I'll have you know that I happen to have three of them Mister Potter," Severus pulled out three vials from his robes. "And if you're not nice I won't be sharing."

"Fine, sorry," Harry said handing Severus his glass.

"Let's just drink and be merry while we still can," Draco pulled the bottle from Harry's hand and took a pull from it. "We'll have enough problems in the morning from Hermione and McGonagall."

The three shared a look. It had been worth it though, more than worth it.