Vireo sat up suddenly from Draco's lap and went prancing out of the lounge down the hall and barked at the door. The boys walked slowly over and opened the door.

Natalie, Jack, Dutch and Clo all stood there looking at each other confusedly.

"This house is incredibly easy to break into," Clo told them.

"Hey," Harry grinned, "Nice to see you too."

"I think you should be aware of the weaknesses of the facility in which you reside," Clo said and slid past them into their Hogwarts Quarters.

"This is a nice pad," Jack nodded, his arm around Natalie and they slid through as well.

Dutch grinned, "Woah, shit that's a nice room," he peeked into Blaise's room. The walls were painted with scenes from ancient, Greek mythology and the floor was a large spiral mosaic under a blue painted ceiling with gold inlay and detail.

"That's mine," Blaise smiled.

"Didn't it used to be really different?" Harry asked in a whisper.

Draco nodded, "He likes variety."

"Oh," Harry nodded and their friends checked out Ron and Harry's rooms.

"Classic and cozy," Dutch and Jack and Clo nodded approval.

They reached Draco's room and pushed open the heavy mahogany door.

"Christ," Jack's jaw slackened.

The floor was white, broken by dark green rugs and honey colored wood furniture. The bed was decked out in dark green covers and an array of pillows. A window showed the foggy Surrey day behind the house.

"Didn't your room used to be different too?" Harry asked Draco.

"I like variety," Draco shrugged and smirked.

"This house is massive," Clo wandered farther into Draco's room.

"It's a lot bigger than it looks," Blaise agreed, slightly nervous. He and Draco exchanged a look and then turned to Harry.

"Why are you all here?" Harry asked, "Not that we don't want you here, it's just…you know."

"Oh," Clo nodded, "We're playing again tonight, you should come."

"Just at the Running?" Ron asked.

"Same place," Clo nodded, "Danni and Jason are heckling for better pay."

"You'll never get it," Natalie warned, "I've been working there since I turned sixteen and I'm still getting paid ten pounds an hour to serve liquor to sweaty old men from the industrial district and underage kids on X with pegged pants."

"You have more patience than they," Jack assured her, "Oh Goddess of good."

She wrinkled her nose, "Don't turn into a sissy on me."

"See, I would be happy with one such compliment," Draco said and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Oh God, don't you start in on that couples shit too," Clo nearly screamed, "I have to be around Dutch-Boy and Jason, Nat and Jack and they're all 'oh, I love you soooo much.'" Clo did a whiny, nasal voice to impersonate the couples, "And if you do it too I'm leaving right now and I'll put a mic stand up your urethra when you come tonight."

Harry laughed, "I was just going to call him ridiculous and smack him."

Clo nodded, "I approve."

Draco pouted, "I do not."

"Oh, I love you soooo much," Dutch and Jack imitated Clo's impression.

Clo felt his eye twitch, "Mic stand," he repeated and they dissolved into laughter.

"Severus?" Tonks stopped writing. Snape had fallen silent, eyes focused somewhere else.

"What ever happened to your mother?"

"My mother?" Tonks frowned, "She's living in York with dad, why?"

"How is she?"

"Fine, I spoke to her yesterday…why?"

"Is she still working?"

"Yes, why?"

"Shut up Nymphadora," he snapped and stood. He went to the fire and called on the Tonks residence.

"Yes?" her mother's head appeared, "Oh Merlin, Severus, what's going on?"

"Come over." He commanded and with a frown and a whooshing sound Andromeda Tonks appeared.

She was only a little older than Snape, curling blonde hair, wide blue eyes and a smiling mouth. "What? Oh, hello Nymphadoa, what is happening?"

"Dumbledore is missing and Snape's being weird," she replied.

Her mother nodded, "Severus?"

"You know a woman who works at Il Libria Sola, right?"

"Margo Mortas, yes."

"I need to contact her," Snape said.

"Margo's an illusive woman; you'll have to go to Il Libria if you want to speak with her."

"I can't, I have to be here to protect the boys. Annie, please," he stared straight into her eyes and they exchanged some silent conversation.

"Dammit Sev," she shook her head, "I'll try, what's going on, I want to know."

"Dumbledore is spending a lot of time there, we want to know," Snape explained everything to her.

Andromeda nodded, "I'll make a trip down the afternoon and write you."

"Thank-you."

"Welcome," Caleb, the owner of the Running, was on stage, holding the mic and smirking, "I know you're all quite excited to see JSE."

Draco sat on the bar chatting with Natalie and smoking a Magic Black.

Harry and Ron were with Jack and Dutch near the stage, drinking Guinness and sharing a pair of cigarettes.

Clo took the stage, adjusted his junk and took hold of the mic, "I told my friends that if they got all cutesy and love-y I would put this mic stand in a very painful place. They have respected my threat and now I can use the mic."

The crowd roared with laughter and moved to form a pit as the music thundered into life.

Harry, Ron, Jack and Dutch shared a laugh.

"Fuck," Ron turned around suddenly, "Where's Blaise?"

"Shit," Jack scanned the odd, thrashing amoeba of a mosh pit.

"There," Dutch pointed to the door. A tall, darkly colored Italian entered.

"Dammit Blaise," Ron moved over and took him by the hand. Blaise had the decency to look a little ashamed of himself for sneaking off. Once Ron gave him a little kiss he brightened up and they returned to the other three, Blaise nearly skipping.

"Where'd you go?" Jack asked, eyebrows rising.

Blaise shrugged, "I got a call," he said.

Harry was immediately suspicious and glanced at Ron. "What's he mean?" he mouthed.

Ron motioned for Harry and they took a few steps away. "Snape sent an owl. His associate has a contact in Il Libria and she'll write him tonight so we don't have to worry about it. Tonks is coming to visit tomorrow and make us breakfast while the Durselys are away."

Harry nodded, "Did Snape say anything else?"

"Not that Blaise told me," he cast his eyes back and saw Blaise wandering towards Draco.

Draco spotted his friends, slid from the bar and they entered into a seemingly serious conversation. Harry spotted them too and the friends exchanged a look.

"Seduce more information from them," Ron suggested.

"Or ask, it's their safety as well as ours."

"We could do that," Ron admitted and broke into laughter.

"It's not nearly as fun," Harry relented and Ron's eyebrows rose.

"What would you prefer?"

"I always need an excuse," Harry walked towards Draco and spun him away from Blaise as a slow song came up.

"Dance with me," he smiled at the blonde.

"Apparently I have no choice," Draco let himself follow the lion in a slow, casual waltz.

"Having fun?"

"More so than I would at school," Draco answered.

"What were you and Blaise talking about?"

"Severus called in Tonk's mum, she's going to Il Libria so we don't have to make the pilgrimage and she'll write us tonight. Tonks is coming tomorrow to make breakfast."

"I knew that."

"Then why did you ask?"

"You and Blaise, just now, what were you on about?"

"Nothing important."

"Looked important."

"It was not."

"Must have been."

"Wasn't."

"Please?"

"Nothing we're ready to reveal," Draco spun and pressed against the lion. "Now stop talking and kiss me."

"With pleasure," Harry leaned over and kissed him.

Draco slid his tongue out and into Harry's mouth, meeting another tongue and they slid over one another. They forgot about dancing and lost interest in everything but each other.

"No decency," Blaise tsked loudly from the bar where he was leaning his back to Ron's chest. The red-head's hands slid to his hips.

"Jealous?"

"Dai-" his words died as lips began to tease his very sensitive neck. The Italian slumped against him and gave a little moan. He stubbed out his cigarette, whirled around and kissed the other boy.

I know it's short but it's there and now the blockage is back. I'm so sorry about all this, I just...yes, well, I hope I find the inspiration again soon because you all seem to love this story and I do too. I cannot thank-you enough for not coming after me with pitchforks and torches.

I really hope this summer brings good chapters from this and all my stories.

THANK YOU ALL!

LOVE
FireStorm