Chapter Ten: Asphodel and Wolfsbane

Horatio got a couple hours sleep in the Slytherin dormitory before he was awakened by his watch warming against his skin. Between the few hours of sleep and the wakefulness potion he felt refreshed and ready for his second Friday. The first years gathered for their last escorted trip to breakfast with Agnes and Sterling. He cringed inwardly as he spotted Goyle sitting with Crabbe and Selwyn unharmed and unaware of what was to come. They traveled to the Great Hall together and Horatio waited until the post owls arrived to begin gathering his breakfast. It was a habit he had picked up after losing Monday's breakfast when Ron received his letter from home. He glanced up at the familiar rushing sound and smiled as Pollux detached himself from the parliament of owls.

"Hey buddy," he stroked his eagle-owl's mottled brown feathers. Pollux dropped a neatly folded slip of parchment onto Horatio's plate. He recognized his Uncle Sev's spiky black handwriting.

Horatio,

It has been a long week for the both of us, and I would like a chance to catch up with my nephew. You are fortunate to have this afternoon free, but I have classes throughout the day. I propose that you and Draco join me for dinner in my quarters this evening if you both wish to come. If you are too tired after the day's events I will understand, and we can reschedule some other time. You can inform me of your intentions before Potions class today. I will be in my office during morning break.

Severus

P.S. I look forward to our first lesson.

Horatio tucked the note away in his school bag and offered Pollux a bit of toast. He assembled a couple bacon sandwiches on toast with slices of tomato. Horatio took his first bite when he spotted Harry Potter crossing the hall. Ron was startled to hear Harry's voice and hastily swallowed his bite of food before answering.

Draco turned to Horatio and said, "Second inter-house visit in two days. You and Weasley are popular."

Horatio adjusted his glasses and said, "We do have class with the Gryffindors today. It is possible that Potter wants to talk to him about that."

It was far stranger seeing himself up close as Harry than it had been the first go round. Because Harry looked as he always had in a mirror; he had the same bright green eyes, the same untidy black hair, and the same scar. The only difference was the setting, and that his ill-fitting hand me downs had been replaced by tailored wizard robes. Remembering to say his line of the interaction made it all seem like Horatio was a character he was portraying in the theater or cinema, and he supposed in some ways that was exactly what he was doing. He focused on Draco as the other two continued their conversation.

Horatio said, "Uncle Sev invited us to dinner in his quarters this evening."

Draco raised a quizzical eyebrow, "That's what your letter was all about then. Do you want to go?"

Horatio glanced down at his watch, "it depends on how tired I am by the end of the day." Draco nodded and the two of them resumed their breakfast.

When Harry was gone Ron turned back to them, "Do you think I should go to tea with Hagrid?"

"You were just invited by the famous Harry Potter," Draco drawled. "I wouldn't risk turning it down if I were you."

Horatio elbowed his best friend in the ribs, "Don't mind Draco, he's just jealous that you're on first name basis with Potter." He took a moment to have another bite of his sandwich before asking, "What is it that you're worried about anyway?"

Ron chewed his lip, "I'm not sure if Hagrid invited me because he wanted to, or if it was because I was standing there when he invited Harry."

Draco sighed, "Look Weasley, Potter invited you himself. Do you honestly think Hagrid is going to send you away? I bet he just lets in whoever turns up." Horatio nodded in agreement.

"You're both right, even if you are a prat about it, Malfoy." Ron grinned letting them know he was joking.

Agnes came along the table at that moment, "Hey you three, the Slytherin first years will be in classroom four, for Forms from now on." She grumbled, "Ugg say that five times fast. Anyway, Sterling and I will show you all where it is after breakfast." She continued down the aisle between the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables as she informed the rest of her charges.

On the way from Herbology, Horatio overheard a conversation between some of the Ravenclaw first years. One of Terry Boot's friends was saying, "But the subject would be so much better in another teacher's hands. Some of it would still be boring, but wars between magical humans and the Goblin Nation wouldn't make half the class fall asleep." He thumped his fist against his school bag in agitation.

"Michael, I get what you're saying, but if Dumbledore hired another professor," Terry asked, "What would he do with Professor Binns?"

Michael shrugged, "I don't know, send him to direct students in the library. He'd be a sight more helpful there than what he's doing now."

A third boy with curly brown hair shook his head, "I doubt he'd be able to make the transition Michael. Ghosts are the imprints of souls left behind. That's why they fall so easily into old patterns. He might not be able to vary how he teaches, or indeed do anything else."

Draco snorted and cut into their conversation, "Dumbledore will never replace Binns, and there is a simple reason why."

The first speaker looked over his shoulder, "This should be good, go on then Malfoy."

"It comes down to Galleons, Binns as History of Magic professor saves the school gold." He ticked off the evidence on his fingers, "They don't have to pay him because what would a ghost do with money? He does not need to eat, a place to sleep, or sick leave because he is dead. Basically, as long as Binns is around the History of Magic position is covered."

The first boy asked, "In your cost analysis, what do you make of the abysmal test scores on the History of Magic O.W.L.?"

Draco shrugged, "No one cares." When the three Ravenclaws opened their mouths to protest he held up a hand to forestall them, "Ok so almost no one cares. People fall into two categories, either they care enough to study the material despite the horrid teaching so they do well, or they do just enough to get by until they can drop the subject in which case they fail their O.W.L. because the subject doesn't matter toward their future careers."

The third boy ran a hand through his unruly curls and sighed, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

"You're right Anthony, but unfortunately most people don't see it that way," Terry gave his friend a consoling pat on the shoulder. He turned to Horatio, "How is your head so far today?"

Horatio shrugged, "It hasn't troubled me yet, but it usually doesn't hurt until the evening. I do plan to take it easy this weekend as you suggested." They reached the History of Magic classroom at that point and separated to take their usual seats.

After the lesson, their escort was waiting outside the classroom, but he was accompanied by a burly Ravenclaw boy who was pointedly looking away from the older Slytherin. Flint for his part looked completely at ease.

"What are you doing here Davies?" asked Michael Corner as he Terry and Anthony filed out of the classroom behind Horatio and Draco.

"I'm here to escort you all—" Davies checked a piece of parchment in his free hand, "—to the common room."

Michael rolled his eyes, "It's morning break and I doubt we're all going to the same place."

Davies frowned, "But according to Weasley you're all supposed to go back to the common room for break."

"But" a sandy haired girl spoke up. "Lisa and I were supposed to go do our Charms homework with Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones of Hufflepuff."

"Oliver and I had plans to play Wizard Chess in the courtyard." The swarthy Zabini gestured to his friend.

Padma frowned, "I was going to catch up with my sister before her next class."

Terry turned to Michael and Anthony, "We were going to the common room anyway, why not just-"

Michael grumbled, "I have half a mind to go to the library instead…"

Flint cleared his throat, "As much as I would like to stick around and watch the fledglings leave the nest, I do have a class to get to after break."

Horatio remembered that Uncle Sev had said he would be in his office during break, and this would likely be his last chance to warn him of what was about to happen in Potions. He asked, "Flint, is it alright if I go see Professor Snape before class?"

Flint shrugged, "Sure Prince, at least I know you won't be late to class."

Draco adjusted his schoolbag, "Is it absolutely necessary for us to all go back to the common room today?" He shrugged his unburdened shoulder, "I mean we all know where everything is at this point."

The Quidditch captain smirked over at the still protesting Ravenclaws, "You all go do what you want, be sure to make it back to the common room before your next class, or Farley will have my head."

"Brilliant," Ron moved away to speak to Zabini and his friend "Mind if I come watch your chess match?"

A slim Ravenclaw girl tapped Ron on the shoulder, "I'm Sophie Roper, and I have a chess set. We could play next to them if you want."

"She's good too," Zabini grinned. "Then the winners of each match could play. What do you say Weasley?"

"That sounds great," Ron sighed, "but I have Potions next, so we probably won't finish the game."

"We could still watch Blaise and Oliver play" Sophie smiled.

The Ravenclaws scattered to the winds, and Ron joined the trio of fledglings who were bound for the courtyard. Most of the Slytherin first years remained gathered beside their escort.

Draco fell into step beside Horatio, "So are you going to tell me what has you so distracted today?"

Horatio shook his head, "Later, when the halls aren't so crowded."

Flint called over the heads of the younger students, "Stay away from that bleeding forbidden corridor, or it will be all our arses in detention with Snape."

The corridor outside Professor Snape's office was deserted as Horatio and Draco approached the heavy wooden door. Horatio knocked and waited a beat, when there was no answer he knocked again and asked, "Professor Snape, are you in there?" He sighed pressing his ear to the door but heard nothing within. Draco gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and arched an eyebrow when Horatio met his grey eyes. "I'm worried about someone doing poorly in potions."

They were very aware of how sound tended to echo in the dungeons., which meant they could not speak openly. Draco affected a nonchalant posture and quipped, "Well if you want a different partner, I'll understand…"

Horatio rolled his eyes, "Draco I'm not worried about you being able to do the work. What if we get paired randomly, and I end up with Greg or Vince? They're not known for nimble fingers."

Draco snorted, "The smoldering wrecks of Exploding Snap decks are a testament to that. Oh Merlin, what if they were paired together?"

The idea surprised a laugh out of Horatio, "Now that would never happen." He mused, "Poor Greg, poor Vince, they really do try."

Draco glanced at the office door, "I suppose we'll have to wait here if you still want to speak to Uncle Sev. Do you know if he has a class before this?"

"He said in his note that he had classes all day," Horatio checked his watch, "we have six minutes until break is over."

"Then we'll wait four minutes and head to class." Draco leant against the wall, "Do you know how to get there?"

Horatio nodded, he remembered from when Gemma had escorted the rest of the students to class. He wondered now though which of their classmates had suggested that she guide the Gryffindors to Potions as well. Time passed and still Professor Snape did not appear. I guess I know what I was doing now, nothing. He perused the letter once more and confirmed that Severus had said he would be in his office at break.

Draco checked his watch and shook his head, "If we wait any longer, we run the risk of being late."

Horatio tucked the letter into his robes, "Alright let's go to class."

Draco held out a hand to stop him, "Horatio are you worried about Theo? If he gets hurt his Head of House will probably have to write home."

"I hadn't thought of that," Horatio winced at the thought of Theo's father receiving a letter from Professor McGonagall about his son. "But no, I'm not worried about him."

He led them to the classroom, and they slipped inside. Most of the class had already taken their seats; the Gryffindors and Slytherins sat apart with the isle from Snape's desk to the wash basin dividing them. From the doorway Horatio could see two sets of open seats; Daphne and Tracy were near the front on the Slytherin side, and Esme and Izzy were on the Gryffindor side near the wash basin. Looks like we are expected to sit with our house mates. Besides Daphne will see it as a snub to her and her cousin if we choose to sit with unknown Gryffindors. Horatio crossed to the desk closest to his godfather's desk and the blackboard.

"Sorry there was limited choice," Daphne nodded her head to the middle of the Slytherin side. "Your wing man tried to sit with us, but got drug off to sit with Selwyn, Crabbe and Goyle. They were quite interested to know where you two had disappeared." Her eyebrows quirked in interest.

"I tried to speak with my Uncle," Horatio explained, "but he never showed in his office." He checked his watch which showed 11:30, and furrowed his brow in confusion, "in fact he's late."

Tracy shook her head, "Gemma said that Potions Class doesn't start until Master Snape arrives, so anyone who is here after him is late."

"She also hinted that he was planning a dramatic entrance for our first lesson." Daphne folded her hands upon the desk, "and we were supposed to wait quietly until he showed."

Draco smirked, "Professor Snape has always had a flare for the dramatic."

The door banged open at that moment and they all fell silent at once. The Potions Master crossed to his desk and retrieved the roster; this close Horatio could see his eyes sweep the room once, and then examine the list of names. Furthermore, Severus was almost scowling at the parchment. It seemed that whatever had delayed him had not been to his liking. Severus let the scroll roll back up as he said, "I have counted twenty-two students sitting here and there are the same number of names on this list. I think we shall assume you all are accounted for and begin our lesson." The Potions Master tossed it back onto his desk and strode to the center of the isle before speaking once more.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

In the silence that followed Draco caught Horatio's eye and whispered, "Flare for the dramatic." Horatio grinned back at him despite his worry of what was to come. Daphne was a picture of the focused student and appeared to be drinking in Severus' words. Tracy removed her glasses, polishing them nervously on her robes. The questioning began and Daphne rolled her eyes when Hermione's hand was the first into the air.

"That's why I didn't bother trying to answer the first question." She studied the interaction across the dungeon, "and there is Potter reigning her in as usual."

Tracy had taken out parchment and quill when the questioning began, and now paused in her note taking, "I wonder if the brewer of Draft of Living Death had a dark sense of humor."

"Why do you say that?" Horatio asked.

"Because the flower asphodel means 'my regrets follow you to the grave'." She chewed her lip in thought, "and wormwood typically means 'absence' and symbolizes bitter sorrow."

Behind his square rimmed glasses Horatio's eyes widened and he asked, "What sort of flower is asphodel?"

"It's a lily." Tracy said distractedly as she resumed taking notes.

Horatio turned focusing on Severus; to the rest of the class it might seem that he was paying close attention to the lesson, but he was far too caught up in his own thoughts. Was that a message? Was the flower referring to my mother? He remembered Aunt Petunia's words in the wee hours of his eleventh birthday, "You weren't her friend you were in love with her. I don't know what you did to her, but she cried about you, every night that summer…" Then Severus had answered, "Do I love Lily Evans Potter? Yes, and at first it was romantic, but it changed when I realized that type of bond was out of reach. The summer you speak of was after our fifth year at Hogwarts. I will not speak of it in detail but suffice it to say mistakes were made on both sides." Did the potion ingredients have a message in them? Does he still regret whatever happened between him and my mother?

Draco tapped his friend's shoulder jerking Horatio out of his thoughts. Half the class was on its feet collecting ingredients, and the other half was readying cauldrons. The blond boy frowned in concern, "Are you having another one of your headaches?"

Horatio shook his head, "No, I was just lost in thought." Draco gave him a skeptical look, "I swear I'm fine, go get the ingredients and I'll prepare the cauldron."

He hefted the cauldron that Severus had picked for him and headed to the back of the class to fill it halfway with water. He spotted Goyle standing at the basin and thought to speak to him, but then noticed Harry filling his cauldron beside the larger boy. Horatio closed his eyes for a moment trying to get his bearings. When he opened them again both boys had moved on, and he resigned himself that there was nothing he could do to avert the disaster. When he returned to the front of the classroom Daphne and Tracy were preparing ingredients together with a practiced ease. As he bent to light the fire beneath his cauldron, he caught a few words of their conversation.

"I don't see why he gave points to Selwyn if he disagrees with him." Tracy was saying as she poked the slugs to the bottom of their cauldron.

Daphne paused to check the consistency of the snake fangs she was grinding, "He did it for two reasons Trace; first he wants us to think for ourselves even if what we think is… different than what we are told. Second, he is keeping the points even to keep us all on our toes. The rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor is such that we will all want to break that tie, so we will work harder to do well."

Draco returned with their supplies, "You alright Prince?" He placed them on their side of the table.

Horatio nodded, "I'm good, so how do we want to divide the work?"

Draco slid his mortar and pestle over, "Crush those to a fine powder, and I'll get to work on these slugs." He made a face at their sliminess as he reached into the jar. "We can figure out the rest later."

Horatio smirked, "Are you sure you don't want me to handle that part?"

"I can't let you have all the fun now." Draco grinned as the pair set to work.

Horatio took comfort in the manual task of crushing the snake fangs. When he had reduced them to a fine powder, he turned the mortar over to Draco who began to stir them into the cauldron. Horatio checked the instructions for the required amount, set the proper counterweight on his scales, and slowly added nettles until they were balanced. He handed them over to his brewing partner as well and turned to gather the porcupine quills. Two tables away Goyle's cauldron collapsed with a hiss, drenching him in boiling liquid, and filling the dungeon with acrid green smoke.

At the table in between the other girls Slytherins shrieked with pain and fear as the spilled potion began to eat through their shoes, and they clambered onto their stools to escape the corrosive fluid. Severus came into focus as he vanished the potion and smoke. They could all see the twisted wreck that had been Goyle's cauldron. Selwyn and Crabbe were perched on their stools on the far side of the table. Horatio could not blame them for wanting to get out of harm's way. Ron had not abandoned his brewing partner; he had the larger boy's arm slung across his shoulders and was muttering words of comfort to his friend who was shaking. Goyle's face now resembled something that would have been at home in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, and angry red boils were sprouting all over his exposed skin.

Severus dismissed them to the Hospital Wing and called the minor injuries up to his desk. Millicent, Harriet, and Adamaris limped up to the front of the room, along with Dean and Seamus who had been working across the aisle from Ron and Goyle. The Potions Master administered properly brewed Cure for Boils to each and told them all to owl home for new footwear tonight. Then he advised his students to all collect samples of their potions and bring them up to his desk.

"I will take the disruption to the lesson into account when marking these. After you have all handed in your samples you are dismissed." Then he sat down at his desk and pulled out fresh parchment.

Horatio turned to Draco, "Should we turn it in as is, or add the final ingredient?"

Draco gestured to their cauldron, "If you want to add the quills I'll wait here with you, but I'm not touching them…" his pale complexion was ashen and he clenched his hands into fists to stop them from trembling.

Horatio lifted his cauldron off the fire before carefully adding the porcupine quills. He stirred them into the mixture allowing them to dissolve, stabilizing the potion. Across the table Daphne and Tracy were clearing up, they had completed their potion seconds before the incident occurred. Daphne labeled their sample and took it up to Snape's desk. Most of the class had already done so, and now Horatio followed suit. It did not even register to him that their potion was precisely the correct shade of blue and the proper consistency. When he approached the desk, Severus was still writing. He caught the words, "To the parents of Gregory Goyle" at the top of the letter. Realizing that his godfather was busy, he carefully placed his sample with the other nine flasks and turned to leave.

Severus looked up and searched his face, "Horatio are you alright?"

"Yes sir."

His godfather's dark eyes softened, "It is just you, Draco, and I. You need not call me sir." He raised his voice somewhat, "Draco are you alright?"

Horatio glanced over his shoulder to see Draco coming up to the desk. His stride was not his usual swagger but wobbly, "I am… a bit shaken up to be honest."

Severus nodded, "I'm delighted that you two are physically unharmed at least." He sat back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose, "It is unfortunate that this should happen during the first lesson. Perhaps I should have been more explicit in my instructions."

"I tried to warn you that this was going to happen, but you weren't in your office." Horatio blurted with a pained expression.

Severus met Horatio's accusing gaze, "I am sorry I was not where you could reach me." Breaking eye contact he continued, "I was waylaid by a sixth year Ravenclaw who believed they should be permitted to my N.E.W.T. potions class, but he did not meet the required grade on his O.W.L."

"It wasn't Perfect Weasley by any chance?" Draco asked with a scow, "because I'd love to give him—"

Severus let out a bemused chuckle, "No, Percy Weasley has yet to take his O.W.L. exams. He is a fifth year like Miss Rockwood and Mr. Mulciber." Severus retrieved his pocket watch from his robes. "You two should go to lunch. I will join the staff table when I have finished these letters and checked that Madame Pomfrey does not require any additional potions to heal Mr. Weasley or Mr. Goyle."

Horatio held up his own wrist, "Is it your pocket watch that my new watch is linked to?"

Severus raised an eyebrow, "I take it the watch was a gift from Narcissa?" Horatio nodded and Severus continued. "I would hazard a guess that it is. I have known that Draco's watch was linked to mine, and it is possible that yours was added to the spell later. I should have known she was up to something when she borrowed it over the summer. She claimed she wanted to check that the Costus and Protean charms were still active because Draco was going to be so far from home."

Draco grinned, "But Horatio's watch is posher than mine."

Severus arched a quizzical eyebrow, then glanced down at his unfinished letter. "You will have to tell me how your mother has outdone herself later. Will you two be joining me for dinner this evening?"

Draco looked to Horatio who said, "Yes, we'll be there."

Lunch was a subdued affair for the young Slytherins. Daphne and Tracy had saved seats for Horatio and Draco. The three girls who had been hurt, returned from changing their shoes a few moments after the pair sat down at the table. Pansy was already sitting beside Selwyn with Crabbe on his other side. Ron drew the eyes of his classmates as he crossed the hall to the Gryffindor table.

"Where is Weasley going?" Maris asked.

Horatio looked over his shoulder, he spotted one of the twins wrapping an arm around their younger brother. "It looks like he's talking with his family."

"It must be tedious having such a large family," she mused. "Especially with them being spread across the whole Great Hall."

"I dunno, it might be fun." Millicent smiled. "I have a younger brother, but he's too little to do much with yet."

"I wish I had a brother," Crabbe frowned. "Maybe that's why I'm so close to Greg…" He trailed off and looked back down at his plate.

Harrie patted him on the arm, "Greg will be alright Vince."

Ron ambled over to his housemates and took a seat beside Draco. "Thanks for saving me a seat." Ron surveyed the food in front of him and reached to add some to his plate.

"I guess you're all better then. Your appetite seems to have returned at any rate." Draco smirked over the rim of his goblet before taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Very funny, Malfoy." Ron rolled his eyes. "All the excitement made me hungry is all."

"You are always hungry." Selwyn scowled. "Now, are you going to tell us how Goyle is doing, or do we have to wait until you're done stuffing your face?"

Ron put down his fork, "Sorry, I do that when I'm stressed…" He gnawed his lip before answering, "Madame Pomfrey is keeping him overnight to make sure he's all patched up. She said the healing was more complicated because he got hit in the face."

"He'll be alright though?" Crabbe asked hopefully.

Ron tried to reassure him, "Yeah, she says he'll be fine by tomorrow."

Things calmed down after that and the students all resumed eating their lunch. Talk turned gradually to what the others would be doing on their free afternoon. Accustomed as they were to traveling in a pack, the twelve students all went back to the Slytherin common room together. They separated from there to follow their own pursuits; Millicent sat in one of the armchairs with a copy of Which Broomstick in her hand and Luna lounging in her lap, Harrie and Maris were starting on their homework and had it spread across one of the tables, and Daphne and Tracy headed to the library to return the books they'd checked out earlier in the week. Ron went down to the boy's dorm to assess the damage to his robes and shoes. Selwyn sat in one of the armchairs by the fire and stared brooding into it. Horatio and Draco sat down together on their usual sofa.

Draco glanced across to one of the armchairs where Crabbe was squinting at a book with his tongue between his teeth. "What are you up to Crabbe?"

He muttered, "Trying to find out how Greg's potion went wrong."

"Professor Snape already said how," Selwyn snapped. "He said Goyle didn't take the cauldron off the fire before adding the last ingredient. You'd think he would have told us to do that in the first place."

Horatio was snapped out of his own thoughts by the accusation, "Excuse me, but he warned us twice to pay attention to the steps and it was written on the board."

Selwyn raised a dark eyebrow, "Are you saying it was Goyle's fault then?"

"No, not at all…" Horatio shook his head. Some of the older students were watching now. Horatio could see their furtive glances, for no one would be so rude as to stare. He took a breath and tried again, "I was just saying that Professor Snape did give us warning."

Selwyn scoffed, "Was that before or after he talked about helping werewolves?"

Draco's pale eyes narrowed, "What is your problem Selwyn?" He gestured to the other first years, "The rest of us are worried about Goyle too, but you don't see us lashing out at other people or blaming the instructor because we didn't pay attention."

Dominic pummeled the arm of his chair, "Just because your best friends with the instructor's nephew—"

"That is quite enough, Selwyn." Sterling drawled as he crossed from the common room entrance. "Do not make a spectacle of yourself." He glanced to the two other first year boys—Draco's eyes were narrowed in cold anger and Horatio had a restraining hand on his shoulder—the prefect arched an eyebrow. "What is the cause of this ruckus?"

"There was an accident in potions class," Horatio explained, "and Selwyn is blaming Professor Snape, claiming he did not warn us about the danger of adding the last ingredient without taking the cauldron off the fire."

Millicent had lowered her magazine to watch the proceedings and now spoke, "Selwyn, you were still talking about werewolves when the warning was given."

"No one asked you, Bulstrode. So, keep your nose out." Selwyn snapped.

"You're the one making a scene in the middle of the common room." Terrence Higgs pointed out, "So you can't tell any of us to stay out of it really."

Sterling muttered something that sounded like, "Impertinent first years" then shook his head. "Can someone who is not in the middle of this tiff, please explain to me what happened in your lesson today?"

Millicent shot Selwyn a quelling look and explained, "Professor Snape told us clearly to pay attention to the last step, he even warned that if we didn't there would be nasty consequences. Selwyn wasn't listening to those warnings because he was still talking about Snape's remarks about werewolves…"

"What I don't understand," Charlotte Wilks said, "is what werewolves have to do with the price of tea at Madame Puddyfoots?" Some of the older students laughed but the younger forms looked confused. She brushed back her blond hair and continued, "I mean this is a potions class not DADA."

"Master Snape asked us for the difference between Monk's Hood and Wolfsbane," Maris did not look up from her book as she explained. "One of the Gryffindors mentioned the Wolfsbane potion, and that is how the topic came up."

"Alright, I get the gist." Sterling turned back to Millicent, "What happened next?"

She shrugged, "We were all brewing the potion, and when it came time to add the porcupine quills, I suppose Goyle didn't move the cauldron first. It melted spilling all over the place, and he and Weasley got splashed."

"Are they both in the hospital wing?" Sterling asked.

"Greg still is," Crabbe muttered. "but Weasley is alright now. He said Greg will be better tomorrow."

The older boy nodded looking relieved, "Good, no lasting damage then. I do not doubt that Master Snape gave clear warnings and instructions." He glanced between the other first year boys. "Have your issues with one another been resolved?"

Draco sat back in his chair, "I have no problem with him, so long as Selwyn stops insinuating that my godfather can't do his job, and ceases making snide comments about my cousin Horatio."

The prefect sighed heavily, closing his eyes for a moment before speaking, "As I said on the first night of term—we Slytherins present a united front to the rest of the school—so we expect that you do not take this outside the common room. Furthermore, I have a lot of homework to do and do not wish to be interrupted by your sniping. I understand that you all had a trying time in your lesson today and that emotions are running high, but if the three of you cannot be civil to one another then do not converse." He dropped his bag on a worktable and sat down before beginning his own studies.

The door leading down to the boys' dormitories opened and Ron emerged. He crossed the common room with his head down. Horatio watched him go, wondering if he had heard any of the conversation between the rest of their house. As Ron neared the door Draco called, "Enjoy tea-time Weasley."

Ron looked over and grinned at them, "I will so long as I'm not thrown out."

"Oh, who are you going to tea with, Weasley?" Charlotte asked from where she was sitting with a couple older Slytherin girls.

Ron muttered, "Um just some friends of mine…"

Another girl asked, "Would one of those friends happen to be The-Boy-Who-Lived? We all saw him come over to speak to you at breakfast."

"Why does it matter if he's going to be there?" Ron shrugged, "Several people were invited."

"Are they all Gryffindors?" Charlotte smirked, "so what are you their token Slytherin?"

Ron's ears turned pink, "Harry didn't invite me because I'm in Slytherin. We made friends on the train."

"That's just because you sat in the compartment with him." Crabbe pointed toward Selwyn. "He wasn't very nice to Dominic, me, and Greg when we came to introduce ourselves."

Ron gave Vince a surprised glance—he had become friends with Crabbe and Goyle because of their shared love of chocolate frog cards and exploding snap—he shook his head, "Loads of people came to meet Harry on the train including my brother Percy. Selwyn wasn't exactly nice to Harry either. He insulted Harry's family and his muggle-born friend."

"If you're such a Gryffindor-lover why don't you just go ask to be resorted?" Selwyn shot back.

Sterling threw down his quill, "What did I say about sniping? Weasley weren't you saying you had somewhere to be?" When Ron nodded, he waved a hand in dismissal, "Go on then. Selwyn go down to your dormitory. I do not want to see you in this common room until it is time to go to dinner."

Selwyn remained in his chair, "Are you seriously sending me to my room like a child?"

"If you're going to act like a child that's how I'm going to treat you. From the moment I came in here you were disrupting everyone else." The older boy crossed his arms, waiting for Selwyn to comply.

Charlotte tossed her hair, "Why send him to his room like a baby? He's just saying what we're all thinking."

"Speak for yourself Wilks." Flint snapped, "I have no problems with Weasley."

She shot the Quidditch Captain a haughty scowl, "You just want him on the Quidditch team next year Flint."

Sterling turned to glower at her, "And Wilks don't think I haven't been hearing you either. You are already on Snape's shit list for how you failed when escorting the first years. Don't make me give you detention because he'll want to know why, and I would hate to be you when he found out."

Charlotte stood, pointing an accusing finger at the prefect, "Mulciber, you know what? You used to be cool, now you are hung up on that badge and being Snape's lap dog. Well I don't have to listen to this." She swept across the room in a huff and opened the door to the girls' dormitories, letting it slam on her way downstairs. In the chaos of her leave-taking Ron had slipped quietly from the common room.

Draco tapped Horatio on the shoulder, "Come on, let's get out of here. I want to have words with Weasley before he meets his friends."

"Alright," Horatio watched their prefect rounding on Selwyn. He stood to follow Draco from the room.

"Hey Malfoy, Prince?" Crabbe closed the book he had still been holding and stood. "Tell Weasley I'm sorry. I didn't think Potter was nice to us, but what Dominic said to him was out of line."

"I could tell him," Draco shrugged, "but it might be better coming from you."

Crabbe hesitated, glancing back to where Selwyn and Mulciber were still arguing. "I might talk to Ron at dinner…"

"Suit yourself," Draco nodded toward the pair, "but you should really let Selwyn calm down before you try to talk to him either. He might say something that could damage your friendship because he's angry at all of us."

"Yeah," Crabbe scratched his chin. "I think I'll go check on Greg in the Hospital Wing."

"Do you remember the way?" Horatio asked. Crabbe nodded and moved ahead of the two boys into the corridor.

When the stone wall closed between them and the common room; Horatio and Draco paused to let the sound of Crabbe's footfalls fade before putting some distance between themselves and the hidden entrance. They walked in silence from one pool of torchlight to another. They emerged into the brightly lit Entrance Hall finding it deserted. Draco stopped and turned to face his friend.

Horatio shook his head in disbelief, "No wonder Slytherins and Gryffindors don't stay friends, if this is the kind of backlash they can expect." Distractedly, Horatio ran a hand through his hair, then groaned in frustration at his lapse.

Draco placed a hand on his shoulder, "The only one here to see that was me. Maybe we should go and wait for Uncle Sev in his office and you can relax."

Horatio nodded gratefully and the pair turned back to the staircase leading down to the dungeons, "I just thought from McGonagall's speech and what Sterling and Agnes said that first night, that we would be like a family."

Draco snorted, "Families fight, that's perfectly normal—" he paused, tilting his head thoughtfully, "—ok maybe that was a bit more dramatic than it needed to be, but it was just a family quarrel."

Horatio furrowed his brows, "but your family doesn't fight."

Draco laughed, "Oh yes we do, but you haven't really seen it, because we were on our best behavior on account of you." At Horatio's puzzled look he continued, "It's because you were our guest. Half the time Stella and Bella drive me mad following me around everywhere. Even my parents disagree on occasion, but they try to do it privately."

Horatio stopped beside Severus' office door and turned to his friend, "So are you saying you all were treating each other differently because I was there? Are you normally really awful to each other or something?"

"Not at all," Draco shook his head. "I'm just saying that occasionally we disagree, and sometimes we fight for no good reason." He raised his hand to knock, "Uncle Sev are you in there?" The door swung open before his hand touched it and a fire flickered to life in the grate. The two boys exchanged quizzical looks and stepped inside; finding that the office was unoccupied. There was a note resting on the spotless desk, it was addressed to the pair of them.

Horatio and Draco,

After my preoccupation during morning break, and the events of this morning's lesson, I have decided to give you both special access to my office. Either of you will be able to enter if you speak my nickname, and the door will only respond in this way to your voices. I provided the wards with the necessary information from my memories of you. Feel free to make yourselves comfortable and I will join you when lessons conclude this afternoon; provided of course that there are no other complications.

-Severus

They sat down together by the fire, glancing around at the specimens floating in glass jars. The wall behind Snape's desk was lined with bookshelves containing leatherbound tomes of differing size. The fire cast warm dancing light in the room, but the dark wood furnishings absorbed much of it. Draco finished his inspection and frowned turning to Horatio.

"Cozy isn't it?" the blond asked sarcastically.

Horatio grinned, "I felt the same way when I was here the first night of term."

Draco stood and crossed to the bookcase. He examined the books without touching them. After a while he asked, "Do you care to share what had you so distracted in potions? Was it just what was about to happen to Weasley and Goyle?"

Horatio sighed heavily, "It's complicated, but no that's not all it was." He removed his glasses, folding the arms and placing them carefully on Severus desk, before running his hands over his face. "It was what Tracy said about the Draft of Living Death, about what the ingredients meant. I just wondered if there was a message in it."

Draco turned from his perusal of the books, "I suppose there could be a message, but unless you knew the brewer responsible for making it, I doubt the message was meant for you or any of us in class."

Horatio's view of him was blurry but he did not put his glasses back on, "But remember what Gemma said—"

Draco moved closer and said evenly, "No, I wasn't there with you. Did it happen with Horatio or Harry?"

"It was Harry today," He lent his head back against his chair and watched the wavering light dance across the ceiling. "She said he was going to give this greeting he gives to all his first-year classes, but she also said to remember what he said because he doesn't bandy idle words either." He dropped his gaze to look at his friend, "It just makes me wonder if it has something to do with… my Mum."

Draco came over to sit beside him again, his hand lifted as if to touch Horatio to comfort him, but he thought better of it, "What would it mean about your mother? That Uncle Severus regrets something about her death?"

Horatio stood drawing the hawthorn wand from his robes. As he touched the familiar wood it warmed beneath his fingers making the changes that he sought. Draco watched as his friend's eyes brightened to green, his hair darkened and receded into his scalp, and beneath the fringe of untidy bangs he could glimpse the scar on his forehead. Reflexively Harry reached out to tap the glasses resting on the desk, he removed the watch and transferred it to his other wrist, and exchanged the wands while fishing his Potter signet ring from the pouch around his neck.

"I don't have the proper robes with me—" Harry said as he gave his watch a tap, changing its appearance to lighter tones.

A smirk lifted the corners of Draco's lips, "The first time I saw you, you were wearing my clothes. I don't care what you're wearing or what you look like Harry."

Harry smiled gratefully and continued as if there had been no interruption, "The night Severus came to get me, my Aunt Petunia said that he was in love with my Mum, and that he hurt her and she cried about him all summer."

Draco arched an eyebrow, "What did Uncle Sev say?"

Harry began to pace in front of the fire, "He said he loved her like that once, but his feelings changed when he realized she didn't love him back, and he said they both made mistakes… I don't really remember the rest because then they started talking about Voldemort."

Draco winced at the name but ignored it. "It sounds like one of them broke the other's heart. If a girl cries about someone that much they usually love them. Stella cried a lot when her best friends moved away when she and Bella were eight."

Harry furrowed his brows, "Do you think they really wanted to be…" His face flushed as he gestured vaguely, "Ya'know together? I mean, then why be with my Dad?"

"Harry, adult relationships can be confusing." Draco's brow creased as he thought. "Another one of my Dad's friends—we call him Uncle Bastan—loved two women. He has two daughters that are Bella and Stella's god sisters, and each of them have different Mums."

Harry blinked, "That is confusing. Do they go to Hogwarts, or are they your sisters' age?"

Draco shook his head, "No, Rosalyn goes to Beauxbatons in France, and Charity goes to Durmstrang… somewhere in eastern Europe."

"I read about those schools in the Manor library." Harry nodded thoughtfully, "It said Durmstrang has a reputation for the Dark Arts."

Draco waved a dismissive hand, "Charry has a good enough time there, a mutual acquaintance of our fathers runs it. About a month before we met you in Olivander's, he tried to convince father to send me there, but Mum was having none of it. She didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away, and I don't think she trusts the Headmaster."

Harry observed, "Aunt Cissy is very protective of you and the girls."

Draco snorted, "She's protective of you too in case you haven't noticed." He cocked his head in thought, "As for Uncle Sev and your Mum—I dunno Harry, ask him if you really want to know—but he might not be ready to talk about it. I mean he told you a lot of stuff the night he came to get you, right? So, if he held something back there must be a good reason for it."

Harry nodded solemnly and stared into the fire for a time, "Hang on, you said he loved them. What happened to the two mums?"

Draco scowled, "My mother's sister happened. She is Uncle Bastan's sister-in-law, all I know is that she was terribly angry at him for something…"

Harry's eyebrows rose, "What did she do?"

Draco shook his head slowly, "No one ever told me." The pair lapsed into silence. Draco checked his watch and said, "Uncle Sev should be getting out of class soon." He gestured toward the Potter ring on Harry's hand, "I don't really have a reason to be sitting with Harry and someone might come in here looking for Professor Snape, especially after the… family quarrel in the common room."

"Right," Harry stood and began adopting Horatio's appearance, but before he could finish the door opened…

A/N: This chapter surprised me, as the Slytherin-centric chapters usually do. While Harry is following the cannon curiosity of the mystery package; Horatio is a bit preoccupied with more personal mysteries. More broadly with the Slytherins as a whole, I did not expect things to erupt so dramatically in the common room. Fear not though because next chapter will not leave these events incomplete. I also plan to return to my biweekly schedule as we move forward.