"Greetingsss, mate of Ssseverusss." said the snake wrapped around the arm of Salizar who was the painting that guarded the door to the Slytherin common room.
"Hello, Sssilvan." he greeted the snake then half bowed to Salizar who smiled softly back. "Good evening, sir."
"Good evening to you as well. What brings you this early from Severus' rooms?" Salizar asked in English.
"I have to speak with Draco concerning some family issues." Harry told the paint with just as much respect as if her were truly the founder and not just a likeness.
"Very well... But be careful. They seem to be up to some mischief. I would not be in the halls this evening. So run along now." Salizar waved a hand and the door swung open.
"My thanks, sir." Harry bowed again and hurried into the common room.
"Hey, Harry! What's had you out in the halls so late? Don't suppose you're up for a game of chess?" Blaise called from where he sat in front of the fireplace reading. Neville looked up and nodded from his own book before going back to it.
"Not at this moment... I have to speak to Draco." Harry smiled at the first sixth year who had spoken kindly to him after he'd moved to Slytherin.
"He should be back in his room... if not try in the classroom. I will can't believe he put that in for you." Blaise stood and tucked his book mark into before falling into step with his head-of-house's lover.
"The Slytherin's need as much if not more defense then the rest of the students here. Your house are the ones going home to increasingly insane deatheater parents... I will not let any more die." Harry eyes darkened as he said the last part as he recalled the comfort he and Severus had to give to even some of the older Slytherins. And he remember his horror when a frightened first year had come to him telling about how her parents were going to force the dark mark on her so she could 'serve her lord' when she returned home for Christmas.
There were so many he couldn't save, but he vowed he would save as many of the Slytherin children as he could.
The found Draco relaxing in the small library Harry kept his class books and dark arts books. Harry had long ago come to the conclusion that the best way to defend against something was to learn all he could about it.
Blaise went back to the common room to collect Neville for their nightly tending of their garden, leaving Draco and Harry to talk.
"Something's wrong." Draco started as he set his book to one side.
"Not wrong precisely... A person from your past has showed up... Someone you thought was dead." Harry hated easing around a subject, but he just didn't know how to tell him.
"Who?" Draco thought of various people that could back. He'd lost so many people.
"Your brother."
Draco paled as he stared at his friend then he choked. "Cros?"
"He's waiting in Severus' room." Harry barely got to finish his sentence as Draco ran out of the room. Harry followed and slide into Severus' room just behind him.
Harry settled against Severus as Draco wrapped himself around his twin.
Leaning his head against Cros', Draco held his twin for the first time in years.
"Dragon." Cros whispered as his hands traveled over Draco's face relearning the face identical to his own.
"Cros... you're been gone." Draco's voice broke as he allowed his twin to relearn him.
"I had no choice." Cros murmured pressing his cheek against Draco's and for a moment they held each other they had since they were born.
"Father will pay for the lies." Draco started to rage but Cros petting his hair made him calm down.
"He has paid, Dragon. He has paid with his life." Cros soothed im recalling the words he'd heard before Weasley had lead him out.
"What?" Draco drew back and stared at his twin.
"He was killed in the raid that set me free... I don't know what happened to Mother." Cros reached up and ran his finger tips over Draco's temples. "Dragon... can I see?"
Harry glanced at Severus wondering what the thinner twin was talking about, but Severus looked just as confused as he was.
Draco's eyes closed for a moment then opened again as he turned towards Harry and Severus. "Uncle, you've gotten old!"
Severus' eyes snapped to Cros' face as Draco stared at them. "How can you see me?"
Cros smirked as did Draco. T"here are times my brother will loan me his sight."
Harry's and Severus' mouths dropped open in shock. Finally Severus spoke. "You never said anything or showed this skill when you were younger."
"We kept it secret so Father couldn't use it against us." Draco said breaking the contact by pulling Cros' fingers from temples.
Severus didn't say it, but he was almost certain his 'old friend' wouldn't have separated the boys had he known about their odd ability. Shaking those thoughts off, Severus stood and drew Cros to his feet. "You should rest... Draco, you have special dispensation to not stay in your dorm this evening so that you might catch up with your brother..."
Harry looked to his lover with big eyes hoping he would hive permission for him to stay as well.
"As for you, Mr. Potter... you have detention..." Harry and Draco both stared at Severus with their mouths open. Then Severus went on. "All night, tonight with me... And as I don't wish to miss any sleep you will simply have to join me. Come along."
Harry followed Severus out of the room with a nod and a smile leaving the twins to themselves.
"Come on, I'm sure Harry will have the spare room ready for us." Draco lead Cros to the last door in the potion masters quarters.
Cros happily dressed in the night wear Draco summoned and together they settled on the bed facing each other, just as they did when they were little.
"There's so much I want to tell you. So much that's happened..." Draco said as they snuggled closely.
"Perhaps you can tell me about the bonding necklace you wear." Cros smiled as he felt the odd piece of jewelry on his twin's neck.
Draco blushed as he reached up and traced the dragon scales that made up his bonding necklace. "I'm in love, Cros... and he loves me... because I'm me and not because I'm a Malfoy. He might not be the richest man to even walk the wizarding world... but he loves me."
Cros touched the necklace trying to figure out what it was. "It feels like..."
"It's dragon scales. He works with dragons in Romania... After I graduate we're going to bond officially and I'm going to move there... Maybe you can come with us." Draco said as his mind went to his love that was so far away.
"And what is this man's name?" Cros asked as his hands came up to Draco's temples using their strange ability to see into Draco's memories.
"Charlie Weasley."
Cros' head shifted a little as the name struck a cord. "Any relation to Bill Weasley?"
"Yes, that's his older brother. How do you know him?" Draco asked as he unconsciously showed a mental picture of Bill to Cros.
"The robes I was wearing were borrowed from one Bill Weasley after he and Arthus broke into my room during the raid on the manor. They seemed like nice people to me... But isn't it a little odd to be bonding to a dragon master when you are named as the constellation of the great dragon?"
Draco blushed slightly. "He says that I'm the greatest dragon he's ever tamed to which I always say 'who's tamed whom?'. You're going to love him Cros... I never knew how happy I could be even with very little money."
"No, matter what Father taught us, money isn't everything, dragon. I learned that after I got locked in the room." the manner in which Cros said 'the room' had Draco shivering.
"If I ever have anything to say you will never be locked away again." Draco told him in a low and serious voice before he went on in a cheery voice. "And tomorrow Harry and I will begin helping you with your wizarding training. With your ability to look through my eyes and into my memory it shouldn't take you long to catch up. We'll go to Diagon Alley tomorrow... since it's a Saturday and get you everything you'll need."
"But I'm certain all of Father and Mother's funds will be frozen."
"Not exactly. I was disowned sometime back. Before that happened Severus and I talked Mother into transferring all of my inheritance from Grandmother Arisanne into an account in my name. We told her about how tax was just going to eat most of it away... and did she really want al of those family mones and lands to go to the Ministry?" Draco's voice held an evil chuckle.
Cros let out a soft laugh himself. "And she bought that? There are times I'm glad we aren't very much like her."
"As you see we have more than enough money." I've already sold the lands and houses. At last count we have around 200 million galleons. That should be enough."
"It should. Good night, dragon." Cros' murmured as he relaxed into sleep.
"Good night, Cros."
Draco woke up, nose to nose with a thinner version of himself. He was about to jerk back only to remember... Cros had been found. There were together again.
Rising as easily as he could Draco dressed himself and went out into the living room. Harry was sitting on Severus' lap eating a piece of melon from the potion master's fingers.
"Morning, Draco!" Harry said after he'd swallowed.
"Good morning. Uncle Severus, I need to take Cros into Diagon Alley for supplies... Oh and Harry you need to come with us because you're going help him catch up with our age group. I believe you can handle DADA and Blaise can work with him on Transfigurations while I take on Charms. We can get Neville to do Herbology. Uncle, I figure you can do potion and oversee the rest of the lessons. With the summer so close at hand we will be able to catch him up before we return to school."
Severus cocked his head thinking about it before nodding. "Why don't you go get one of your outer robe? He can wear a pair of Harry's pants and a jumper... They should fit. We'll leave after you and Cros have showered and eaten."
Draco nodded before hurrying out to get his things.
"This is going to be weird... I've taught anything other than DADA. I hope I don't mess up." Harry said obviously thinking over what he would need to teach the new Malfoy. Still thinking about it he rose to get something for Cros to wear.