"My…my….my Lord…AAARGGGHHHHHHHHHH."

Draco Malfoy writhed and screamed under the Cruciatus Curse.

"A child. A CHILD! Twice now that rotten whelp has defeated you! At least he did save me the trouble of killing Lucius."

Voldemort paced angrily while Draco tried to catch his breath.

"He is six years old, for Salazar's sake! How hard can it be?"

"P-P-Potter…" Draco wheezed.

"POTTER is still only 16! Snape is SIX! A teen and a child have managed not only to evade, but to actually KILL one of my most competent followers. That does not say much about the rest of you sorry lot."

"I am sorry, my Lord," Draco nearly sobbed, "I'm sorry. I tried…"

The rest of the circle trembled, certain that a whole barrel of painful spells would follow, finished off with a Killing Curse.

But Voldemorts horrid features softened slightly.

"Yes, little snake, you did try. It was not completely your fault. So I will give you another chance."

"Thank you, my Lord, thank you," Draco kissed the hem of the robes, "but how? I cannot return to Hogwarts."

"You have other uses," Voldemort said absentmindedly, "you're not half bad in Potions, and since my most talented Potions Master is indisposed, someone will have to brew. Besides, they won't be at Hogwarts forever. There's always the holidays."

-Grimmauld Place-

Remus Lupin groaned as he carried the heavy bucket of water to the kitchen. The house never seemed to get any cleaner, despite him working on it every single day. He wiped the sweat of his forehead.

He was given very little freedom. He would be awoken at 6. While he showered and dressed, his breakfast was left on the desk in his room. Promptly at 6.30, he was expected downstairs for his first chores of the day; fixing breakfast for whoever was in the house. Which was at least one person, since he was never left alone.

After serving breakfast and doing the dishes, he would be forced to tidy and clean. The house resisted any and all attempts he made to disinfect it, but he wouldn't be let off trying anyway. Then he would make lunch, clean up, have a quick snack himself, do more chores, make dinner, clean up, and after that he was finally allowed to rest. In his room. Locked in.

He was beginning to understand what Harry had gone through at the Dursleys, and he wasn't even beaten or starved.

Today was especially bad. This day of the week, his minders were Fred and George. And that always, always meant trouble.

As he put the bucket down and grabbed the mop, it sprang to life and began slapping him with the wet end. He ran and cowered in a corner, trying to protect himself, but the mop didn't relent. The bucket flew through the air and dumped its dirty and wet contents over his head.

Sighing, the werewolf began to mop up the dirty water, throw it out and clean the kitchen. He started on chopping the vegetables for dinner, but he had a lot of trouble catching them. They ricochet through the kitchen, clearly intent on avoiding being peeled and chopped.

Remus sighed as he heard the snickers of the twins from behind the closed door. Fred and George had been most upset when they learned what he had done to Sevvy. He was fair game to them, and he knew it.

-Hogwarts-

Christmas was approaching fast, and the teachers had given Dumbledore Sevvy's study results.

Harry walked into the Headmaster just as he was reading the letters. The old man was practically glowing with pride.

"What?" Harry asked, smiling.

"He got straight O's, all round," Dumbledore beamed, "look!"

Harry felt himself grin from ear to ear as he read the wonderful things the teachers had written.

"This calls for a celebration," he smiled, "even though it IS technically cheating; he has already DONE all of this before."

Dumbledore's eyes became a bit distant, the way they always did when he was reminded of his adult son.

"You miss him, don't you?" Harry said softly.

The headmaster smiled. "Don't worry, Harry. Yes, I miss my snarky, clever adult Severus, but I wouldn't miss this time with Sevvy for the world! It's wonderful to finally be able to give him what I feared I'd never be able to do for him; change his horrid childhood to a happy one."

Sevvy entered at that moment, after finishing his homework in his room.

"Hi," he said shyly, "is something wrong?"

Harry scooped him up in his arms and spun him around.

"You are the best, smartest, most wonderful boy in the whole world," he said, grinning.

He swung him over the desk, straight unto Dumbledore's lap.

"You certainly are," the old man agreed, "your teachers sent in your results so far. I'm very happy with them, and Harry and I decided we need to celebrate."

"I propose a chocolate party," Harry said.

"Chocolate party?" Sevvy's eyes shone with hopeful anticipation.

"Yes, chocolate party. Instead of dinner, we invite our friends here –Ron, Hermione, the Twins, Albus and me – and we eat chocolate cake, chocolate frogs, chocolate icecream, chocolate pudding and we drink chocolate milk."

"Oooohhhhh, yes, please," Sevvy bounced on his fathers lap in excitement, "Please, Daddy, can we do that? Please?"

Dumbledore found it impossible to say no with those large, dark, pleading eyes on his face. He never intended to say no, anyway; he silently wished he could have asked for a chocolate party for his birthday!

Sevvy ran off, eager to invite Ron and Hermione to his party, which would be held the next day.

Dumbledore looked at Harry intently. "You want him to have the things you never had, too," he said softly, "you want to give him the childhood you never had."

Harry nodded. "I'm…I'm kinda trying to let him be a child for both of us," he admitted.

"I am sorry, Harry, I really am," Dumbledore said, resting his hand on Harry's shoulder.

The young man patted the old, wrinkled hand. "I know, Albus. I know. At least I can accept now that you made an honest mistake. Anyway, this chocolate party…"

-The Burrow-

Remus Lupin half preferred the Burrow to Grimmauld Place. It was certainly easier to clean. It was more cheerful, though he was still kept on a very tight leash.

He was also more vulnerable to pranks.

He released some of his frustration on the garden gnomes. Degnoming the garden was a daily chore here.

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared.

Draco Malfoy.

"Having you work like a house-elf? Disgraceful," the youth said, wrinkling his nose.

"Do you want revenge?"

Lupin's eyes glowed. "Revenge?"

"It's nearly Christmas. They will all go to Hogwarts to celebrate with Snape and Potter. You will be brought along; the full moon is somewhere in that holiday. Crabbe and Goyle have assigned to stay as well. I am polyjuicing myself into Crabbe. Hand Snape to me. Our Lord will reward you most handsomely. No scrubbing floors or…degnoming gardens with him."

Lupin stared at the young man.

"I do not want to see Wormtail," he warned.

"The rat will be yours, as a reward, I am sure," Draco drawled. He turned. "Remember, Lupin. Christmas."

-Hogwarts-

"Give me the icecream bowl, Harry," Ron said, his mouth full of chocolate muffin.

Harry, gulping down some chocolate milk, quickly passed the bowl.

Sevvy was happily eating with both hands, covered head to toe in chocolate. Dumbledore had long since given up on Scourgifying him with every morsel he dropped.

The old man himself twinkled like mad at the mountain of chocolaty food. The twins had brought some of their chocolate gags. Chocolates with an effect similar to Muggle helium; when eating one, the victim squeeked for half an hour. Needless to say, they had all tried one.

"We tested these on Lupin," Fred giggled, careful not to let Sevvy overhear, "but it wasn't right yet; he was Silenced for a whole day."

Harry smirked. "So you're giving him a hard time, eh?"

"Certainly, young Harry…"

"Revenge is sweet…"

"and our chocolates even sweeter," George finished, handing Harry another one.

"He will come with your family for Christmas, though, that worries me," Harry muttered.

"He'll be in another part of the castle, far away from the festivities," the twins promised, "you have nothing to fear from him."