Chapter nineteen: favours for a favourite

"Adequate," Snape allowed the Stomach Draught to slide back into the cauldron with hardly a splash and turned obsidian eyes onto Harry, "Your brewing has improved Potter."

"Thank you Professor," this was the highest praise Harry had ever had from the head of Slytherin, and he tried not to show his complete shock. Snape glided over to Ron's cauldron and tested it as well. Ron stuttered when he was also graded adequate, and they were told to decant their potions for storage. Snape stood with his arms folded and brooded while they worked, moving quietly to avoid triggering his impressive temper.

"Potter," Snape spat his name as Harry finished cleaning his cauldron and Harry almost whirled around, wondering what he'd done wrong. Snape was glaring at him, but Harry couldn't see any poorly cleaned surfaces or shreds of ingredients lying around, "I have something to ask of you."

The words were reluctant and heavy, as if difficult to get out. Then again, if Snape were asking Harry to do something for him they would be. Severus Snape hated owing anyone anything, you didn't have to be a Ravenclaw to see that.

"I have spoken to the Headmaster Potter, and now I need to speak to you. This is a very serious matter," Snape droned and Harry nodded, put his cauldron away and perched on the bench that Snape gestured to. Ron joined him, a hint of defiance about his shoulders as he settled beside Harry. The fact that Snape didn't object set off warning bells for Harry. Whatever this was about was sure to be serious and possibly unpleasant.

"I was approached some weeks ago by Draco Malfoy. He wished to speak to me about certain… obligations that were about to close in upon him," Snape's posture was stiff and uneasy, but he did not waver in his determination.

"He's about to be Marked?" Ron guessed, and got a sharp glare and reluctant nod in reply. Harry shivered in disgust. While he didn't hold Snape's Mark against him - it was hard to in the face of the danger their spy faced every single day - the very thought of that grinning skull and snake on his teachers arm was enough to turn his stomach.

"Sir, can he be trusted?" Harry asked quietly. Snape gave him an even sharper glare but Harry stared him down. This was the safety of Ron, Remus and Sirius Snape was talking about, not to mention the safety of Headquarters. He wasn't going to risk them on a snotty little brat that was likely to stab them in the back as soon as look at them.

"You would not accept my word?" Snape's voice was a lot colder than it had been in a long time. In fact since the lesson where Harry had defended him to James Potter, Snape had been almost polite in his dealings with Harry and Ron, keeping the sarcasm to a minimum.

"I would sir, but I wouldn't trust Malfoy's," Harry replied evenly, refusing to back down. Snape's eyes flashed, and a trick of the light made Harry think that it was in approval.

"He was interrogated under Veritaserum, by the Headmaster himself," the Potions Master revealed in a dark voice, "He took considerable risk revealing his changing loyalties to me, especially in the light of my activities for his fathers master. He also passed my Legilimency examination of him. When it comes to Occulmency, Potter, Draco is as skilled as you."

Which meant he wasn't skilled at all. Harry nodded and looked over at Ron, their eyes locked as they held a silent discussion. He could see in Ron's brown eyes uncertainty, not that Malfoy was about to betray them all, but if Malfoy would be able to behave himself according to the house rules. The blonde Slytherin was something of a pain in the arse on the best of days, and with the added uncertainty of betraying his family cause his behaviour would probably not improve.

"It wouldn't be hard to include him in the lessons we already have, and there's a small room near ours that he could move into. It isn't as posh as what he's used to though," Ron volunteered, not breaking their gaze. The redhead was speaking aloud for Snape's benefit only and part of Harry wondered if the dark haired man was even aware of that.

"If Sirius agrees to shelter him, we can include him as much as he wishes to be included. He'll have to help with chores and things like we all do," Harry nodded and smiled at his lover. Snape shifted against the counter he was leaning against and nodded when Harry turned to look at him.

"Black and Lupin have agreed pending your agreement," their teacher droned, "Need I tell you the importance of treating Draco well; misuse at your hands could well drive him back to the ranks of the Dark Lord."

"We'll treat him as he treats us," Harry replied quietly, "That's fair, Professor. We won't deliberately make him a target of jokes or temper, and we'll invite him to whatever leisure activities we do. Beyond that its up to him."

"Very well," Snape swept from the room in a flurry of black robes and Harry fell into Ron's arms, looking for a cuddle. It looked like they had just exchanged one set of tensions for another.

"Guess who's coming to dinner," Harry muttered, a quote that Ron failed to grasp.

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Draco Malfoy arrived at dinner, all pale skin, dramatic robes and a sneer firmly in place. Sirius could remember his father and wasn't too impressed by the pale copy the son presented. They'd agreed to treat him well though, and not to deliberately antagonise the boy, so he smiled politely when Harry made the round of introductions and then took Draco and his bags upstairs to his rooms.

Moony was headed for a full moon tonight, and was sipping at the Wolfsbane potion that Snape had brewed for him. Sirius was more than grateful for the potion, especially with their Cub and Pup in the house. He didn't think he'd be able to transform to Padfoot - and even if he did he wouldn't be strong enough to hold the wolf back. Sirius hauled his lover close and rested a head on his shoulder with a sigh.

"I'm sorry you'll be alone tonight," he muttered and Remus patted his hand kindly. They'd already had a round of discussions about this, and Moony knew that his lover was stronger he would no longer be enduring the night alone.

"Don't fret Padfoot," Moony sighed and Sirius shut up, not wanting to make things worse with his selfish wants. He sat up after a lingering moment, and Ron shot him a look of warm comfort across the table. He smiled at his Pup in thanks and looked up as Harry entered the room.

"Alright, Harry?" Moony asked, shuddering as he drained the last sip from the goblet. Ron pushed a glass of water across the table and the werewolf used a small mouthful to wash the taste away. Harry sat next to Ron, who hauled him closer automatically.

"No problems," Harry smiled, "He wanted me to send the house elf up to help him unpack, but I sorted that out."

Sirius snorted in amusement. He had no plans to get another house elf in, not after the way Kreacher had betrayed him. Senility or not, that house elf had been too fond of the Dark to serve adequately the needs of his newest Master. Additionally, Moony hated the things, something about their magic made him cranky and likely to snap at them if they went too near - from what his packmate had said of his year teaching at Hogwarts the tiny creatures had stayed well away from his chambers unless expressly invited in to clean. He couldn't infect them with his curse, so a bite wouldn't be a problem, but Moony had mentioned that house elves didn't taste very nice and Sirius wasn't willing to ask if that was a joke or a true comment. Part of him really didn't want to know.

"Is he coming back down?" Ron's voice broke into the animagus musing, and he looked up to see that Harry had snuggled into Ron's side, much as Remus would when Sirius hauled him over. Moony didn't like to be touched too much just before the Moon, as the lingering scents of his mate could upset the wolf, otherwise Sirius would have had his lover as close as possible for as long as possible.

"I don't think so. I offered to help with the clothes but he turned me down and asked what time breakfast was. I warned him to stay out of your Den, Moony, and he said he'd ward his door," Harry offered Moony a kind smile, and Moony sighed.

"Thanks Cub," he nodded, "It wouldn't do for me to eat Snivellus' protégé on the first night, would it."

"Think of the indigestion," Ron shuddered and they chuckled lightly. Moony glanced at the clock and got up slowly, offering a sad smile to them all. The werewolf was a pack creature and hated being shut away alone - Remus hated solitude too, though he would rather kill himself than risk biting a single person.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said quietly and Sirius leapt up to walk his mate down into the small room off the cellar that Ron and Harry had christened the Den. The door couldn't be opened from the inside, and was barred from the outside as well.

"I love you, my Remus," Sirius promised as his mate walked into the bare stone room. There was a pile of old blankets in the corner where the wolf could curl up once transformed, but it wasn't a very welcoming room, and Sirius hated that his childhood friend had to be locked in there.

"I love you too," Remus smiled, and Sirius blew him a kiss, which he caught and pressed to his heart, an old joke between the two of them. It was the last thing he saw of his lover as he swung the door shut.

"I'll come and get you as soon as the Moon is gone," Sirius knew that Remus would be in no fit state to walk back upstairs without help, and was glad that he could at least help him now. Harry would usually accompany them, their Cub taking most of Remus weight as they took him up to bed where Sirius would hold the man close while he recovered.

"I'll be waiting," the words come through the stout door as Sirius locked it and slid the bar into place gently, not wanting to thud the thing about and make it seem as if he was barring his lover away. It was irrational, because that was exactly what he was doing, but love was irrational, and there was nothing he could do about that. His Pup gave him a hug at the top of the stairs, and his Cub took him up the stairs to bed, to rest for as long as he could until it was time to fetch Remus from his cell and hold him while he slept.

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