-1He sat silently on the edge of his bed as he had the entire time, not a peep was issued from his thin pale lips. As he sat though, the world around him darkened slightly, and he could feel the temperature begin to drop in the room. Without moving his eyes, he could see the shadows in the bare corner of his room expanding outward… thickening. He could see it, he could see the flare of magic in that area, and it was plastered to the back of his mind.

That was something he had noticed as of late, his memory was expanding and incorporating such long forgotten knowledge. Every spell he had ever seen or heard of was writing itself out into the walls of his brain… and knew that if he tried to cast it, he could. His mind was opening to things he had thought lost, things he didn't even know were there, and things he should remembered by now. All those small little details one would normally overlook… he could see them now.

"Potter… you are dead." The sneering voice of his esteemed potions master struck out at him. He had watched the man through his peripheral vision erupt from the shadows that had magically transported him there. As Snape had come closer, he watched tendrils of magic shoot off to places in the room and begin drawing heat away… causing the temperature to drop even more.

As Harry opened his mouth, he could see the fog of his breathe appear, "What can I do for you, Professor Snape?" His voice was so soft… so insecure in the face of the man who had given him years of mental torture.

Snape frowned as he crossed his arms, "I have been given the honor of inspecting your dwelling of any signs that it might have been infiltrated or noted by servants of the Dark Lord." His voice held deep content, it was obvious to Harry that this was far from a honor. Harry's head bowed slowly, and Snape in his pre-emptive anger mistook it for Harry's natural way of ducking out of a problematic position, "You are so incapable of protecting your own mind, we must make sure that you don't run off again and get someone else killed."

Harry didn't respond immediately, his body didn't move… his lips merely cracked a bit. He murmured something, but it was so inaudible that Snape didn't even know he had said something. After a few seconds he spoke louder, "I am afraid… this house is not safe of the things which you seek."

This immediately set Snape's guard on high alert, his wand coming up in a flash as he circled around, prepared to take on a slew of different Death Eaters that had somehow gotten the drop on him. When he saw nothing, he realized what had happened… and frown dug so deep into his lips, he could feel the anger climbing up his chest. He turned slowly, his eyes turning into slits as he prepared himself to see Harry's smiling face at having tricked the older male.

What he found, was not what he expected. Harry was still looking at him, with the same intense serious look. After a moment, he realized he had lost the anger in the face of such an astounding truthfulness. Harry honestly and truthfully believed his home had been penetrated by Death Eater forces.

Snape of course found this ludicrous as he stared pointedly down at him, "What are you babbling about, Potter? There is absolutely nothing wrong here. The wards are in place, and have not been tampered with."

Harry's head shook slightly, his eyes becoming more focused, the room dropped several more degree's in temperature. Snape's eyes shot over to the corner for a moment then back to Harry, he had set the room to a particular temperature… it was going even further down. It was not his work. The young Gryffindor's mouth opened again, hesitantly, then closed. Finally he plucked, what Snape could only assume was courage, from his mind and spoke in a soft yet steeled voice, "I mean sir… that my home has been infiltrated by a Death Eater."

The potion master's face didn't budge this time, years of Occlumency training kept his mental focus as years of dealing with Potter came into his face. He focused… yet he could not see what Potter was talking about . There was nothing here, no one. The wards hadn't been breeched, he knew that before ever coming. "Explain yourself, Potter."

Harry didn't buckle this time, "You sir, are a Death Eater." He spoke so honestly, it couldn't be helped to be interpreted as a joke. Yet the look on his face, did not strike you as one of a joking man.

The Death Eater-spy wouldn't have it though, with a frown he spat out at the child in front of him, "You twisted little boxxen. You will keep your mouth closed about such information. Your inept little mind shouldn't even contain such delicate information. I am surprised the Dark Lord does not already know of my treachery in the face of such frail protection!"

Harry tilted his head, "Does that scare you sir… that, I know such intimate information about you? Your classification as a spy… your past with my fath-" The words were cut off though by Snape screamed out, anger boiling over him.

"Shut your mouth! You will never again speak of these things. This house is secure. You will be getting a visit from the Headmaster in 38 minutes. Be prepared for company." With that, the enraged professor swept around and walked back into his shadows, and without even a second thought closed the gateway down.

Harry didn't smile, merely gave an odd sad look in the direction of the gateway. He could see something on the other side… he could feel Sirius's home there. It pained him to think of that place… to think of his godfather having hated it so much. Soon, he knew, he would be there through the directions of Dumbeldore. Preparation would have to be taken into order if he hoped to concentrate in that place with such memories.

After that thought, he looked back forward, his eyes peeling into the wall in front of him as his mind began reorganizing itself once more without the distraction of Snape's melodramatic outbursts. That would have to be handled sooner rather than later above anything else. Snape would be an invaluable asset in his knowledge base, and he would need someone as experienced as him in other areas of the magical arts.

True to the man's words, 38 minutes from the exact moment the shadow portal closed, there was a shimmering in front of Harry. The young wizard quickly ruled this out as apparation, Dumbledore's previous entrance into his room gave off a completely different show of power then this. It was as Dumbeldore and Hermione appeared, holding a piece of parchment that he identified it as a portkey. He knew how to make those, the imagine of Dumbeldore swiveling his wand… the incantation… he knew how to make a portkey, one of the most advanced translocation enchantments in the known magical world.

Wait… Hermione? He blinked and looked at her. Bushy hair… muggle clothing… chocolate eyes. "Hermione?" his voice croaked out slightly, gravelly from it's lack of use.

Hermione's eyes flickered to him instantly, a dawning spreading through her iris as her pupils dilated to take in his form in the dramatically dark room. He was thin and frail, pale skin exposed, and blood shot eyes showing a lack of sleep. She bit her lip as she remembered what Dumbeldore had told her as they packed up her belongings.

-Flashback-

"Now, Miss. Granger, you must be very sensitive to Harry's needs. He is now in a very dark place, so dark I am afraid he might never come out of it. The death of Sirius is a harmful factor in his life as this junction. It is your duty to help Harry to your greatest extent. I will be placing magical wards after I drop you off, so that yourself and Harry may practice magic with absolutely no ill-effects from the Ministry. I want you to use this summer to your full benefit.

"As well, you won't be moved to headquarters this summer. You will remain at Privet Drive for your ultimate security. Do you think you can handle this Miss. Granger?" Dumbeldore turned from his packing of her books to look at her.

Hermione shook slightly under the weight of this responsibility, but she had very few options if she wanted to see Harry survive this. With a nod she looked at the Headmaster, "Yes, sir. I can, and I will."

-End Flashback-

Harry saw the bags behind her, and her trunk. His eyes narrowed instantly in alert as his hands remained on his lap. He watched Dumbeldore as the old man slowly took out his wand, "Headmaster, what is this?"

The aged wizard didn't speak at once, merely walked over to the corner Snape had come out of and looked at it for a moment. When he did speak, his voice was stemmed with frustration, "Nymphadora is unable at this juncture to meet the needs of the Order. However, Miss. Granger has been gracious enough to lend her services in our needs."

With that, he lifted his wand to the corner and began to draw on the wall with it, each swishing movement leaving a bold red line behind it. Each time he finished some unknown figure to Harry's eyes, until there was a defined set of the red characters going down the corner of the room. Harry's eyes narrowed dangerously as he stood up, "What are you doing? I thought you said this place was already warded? If the wards in place are so strong, why more?" His voice was cutting and stopped the older man in his tracks.

Dumbeldore's eyes focused on the boy in front of him, and noticed for the first time Harry's wand was in his hand. His facial expression did not change, "The runes I am transcribing on your walls, are to expand the room… and to allow you to perform magic undetected here." It was a straightforward and honest answer, and Harry had seemed to realize this as he tucked his wand away and allowed Dumbeldore to continue scribing the runes on the corners of the walls.

As he worked, Hermione moved a little closer to Harry who was watching the professor work his magic around the room. She focused on his face at first, watching how is scrunched up in concentration. Then her focus honed in on those dazzling emerald eyes as they dug into the magic at work. As she watched, she could of sworn she saw something… something deep in his eyes flicker, then it was gone. He turned and looked at her, his eyes graven as if seeing a ghost.

Slowly she moved forward, closing the distance between them as she slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a soft hug. He didn't return it, nor did he stiffen up… he merely accepted it for it's face value as she held him for a moment. She pulled away and looked at him, he looked so small and delicate. She could feel every bone in his body, he was wasting away in front of her even as they looked at each other.

Suddenly they blinked, and as they looked around they found the room considerably larger. Dumbeldore stood silently next to his bed, his head slightly bowed. As they both looked at him, he looked up with a tired smile, "I will leave you both now. There will be no guards, you are both on your own. Miss. Granger… remember what I said." And with that, he was gone with a soft pop.

Harry looked at where he stood, before looking to Hermione. His gaze was like a syringe, stabbing into her and injecting her full of some foreign feeling she had never associated with Harry. Fear. He frowned as he pulled his wand back out, and she couldn't help but take a step away from him. Advancing slowly, she retreated till her back was pressed hard into the wall, his face less then a foot away from her.

"Why are you here, Hermione?" His voice caused goose bumps to run up her spine, spread out along her skin to her very finger tips.

She looked up to him, he was taller then her… only a little, but still. Her mouth moved, but no words came out, she was speechless. His eyes hardened at this as he looked over, each sweep running up and down her length. Suddenly he took a step back and his wand-gripped tightened just a bit, but a bit was all she needed to be scared into action, "Dumbeldore. He came to me, told me you needed help. I have been owling him up till now, telling him you needed someone here… not just those, people down there."

His face was deadpanned as he nodded, "I see." He turned slowly and moved over to his bed where he sat down. Harry's face seemed to slacken, and his eyes unfocused, he seemed to have escaped off into a world that only he could see.

Hermione slowly slid down to the floor, her knees being brought up to her chest as she wrapped her arms around her legs… and she wept.