Severus sighed and stood and walked over to his potion stores. He took out the small vial of colorless, tasteless Veritaserum, just in case Fred needed to take some in order to get the truth out, and set it on his desk as Fred hesitantly knocked on the door, He had never been allowed into his Potion Master's Private Lab before.

"Come in," He called as he retook his seat behind his desk he kept in his lab for when he was brewing a potentially dangerous potion that needed to be constantly monitored and grade papers in the same night.

"You wanted to see me, Professor?" Fred asked slowly making his way towards his professor.

"How are you? I heard about what happened earlier today after you left," Severus said and conjured an armchair for the young man.

"I'm fine, it was nothing," Fred muttered as he sat in the new charily in front of his professor's desk, "It doesn't matter."

"It does matter, I know what Mr. Nott said," Severus said quietly but firmly, "And I know by how you just flinched that something did happen."

"It wasn't me," Fred said quietly looking at his hands, "They always took the youngest. They would make us watch, and it was always George. Charlie and I only ever got a few Crucios."

"That's bad enough," Severus replied forcefully, "Add in what you saw happen to your family, it would drive anyone to the brink of sanity. Plus the only person who can relate to you is in a different country and won't even reply to your letters, you have a right to be hurt."

"It doesn't matter," Fred muttered, still looking at his hands, "I have to be strong for George. I have to be his big brother; I can't let him see me upset."

"When you were younger, did you ever see Bill or Percy upset or scared?" Severus asked gently knowing the sore spot that his family still held in him. "They showed their emotions in front of you and your brothers and sister. George would want to know you trust him enough to show him how you feel. I've noticed that neither of you show your hurt very often, why?"

"He has enough of his own pain," Fred said, glancing up and then back at his hands again, "I don't want to add to his. George does show it though. I see it every time he wakes up screaming or crying from one of those nightmares and every time he rubs that spot where that bitch cut that word into him."

"Nightmares?" Do you have them as well?" Severus asked and sighed when Fred nodded.

"Occasionally," Fred muttered, "Not as often anymore. Not as often as George."

"I'll give you a Dreamless Sleep Potion tonight," Severus said, "But Fred, I don't want to talk about George right now. I already talked to him today. I want to talk about you."

"There is nothing to talk about, Sir," Fred said with a harsh tone in his voice. "I am fine."

"You are not fine, just look at you," Severus said standing and moving around his desk to prop himself against the front of the desk in front of Fred. "This is not the boy I trained last year after you came back. You threw yourself into your training, all three of you did. Even after the war, you didn't change, which leaves me to think that something happened over the summer."

Fred quickly looked up, "Nothing happened, honestly. I've just had a lot on my mind." Seeing his professor's confused look he sighed, "I learned how they found the location of the Burrow."

"How did you find out? Why didn't you tell anyone?" Severus asked quickly in shock.

"It was late, George was asleep and I had gone down to the kitchen, it was probably the first week of the holidays and I heard the front door open. It scared the bloody hell out of me."

Fred silently drew his wand and inched towards the front hallway of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. He didn't like being in the Black home, he would have preferred the Burrow, but it was too soon.

He raised his wand at the figure wearing a crimson hooded cloak.

"Would you really curse your own brother, Fred?" the person asked bitterly.

"Charlie?" Fred couldn't keep the relief and hope out of his voice, "What are you doing here? Why didn't you reply to George's letter?"

"Shut up, Fred," Charlie hissed and Fred flinched away at the sound, "I see we're still sensitive, good."

"Charlie, stop it," Fred whispered taking a step back from his brother. This wasn't the brother he remembered; Charlie was cold now, harsh.

"Stop what Fred? I've already accomplished what I set out to do," Charlie hissed again and smirked when his brother flinched once again. "The Dark Lord got what he wanted."

Fred froze and stared at his older brother, "You're one of them." He said it softly, yet angrily, "You're a Death Eater! You gave them the location of the Burrow!"

"Very good baby brother," Charlie sneered, obviously pleased with himself.

"Charlie, you killed Ron and Ginny. You killed Bill and Percy, Mom and Dad too!" Fred screamed and Charlie raised his wand at his brother.

"I'd be quiet if I were you," Charlie hissed and Fred flinched again, "Don't tell me that you actually miss them. Ron and Ginny couldn't change anything, all they ever did was follow us around. They got in the way and didn't know how to do anything."

"They were our little brother and sister! That's what they are supposed to do! And what would you know about them? You were gone throughout most of their childhood! They rarely ever got to see you!" Fred exclaimed.

"Bill and Percy were too uptight, you can't miss them telling you what to do. I mean come on Fred, really? You miss them too?" Charlie continued.

"They were our big brother! Damn it! They were supposed to keep us safe! Make sure we knew how to survive in the world!"Fred screamed with tears cascading down his cheeks, "Don't you even dare talk about Mum and Dad. They did the best they could for us! They raised us better than this Charlie!"

"I don't care anymore," Charlie replied, grabbing Fred by his shirt and pushing him into the wall by his chest. "I don't even know why I'm here. My plan didn't work completely Fred; you can be sure about that. You and George are still alive."

Fred froze again, up until Charlie had said that he could deny that this talk had ever happened, but knowing that his older brother wished him and his little brother dead put things into a different perspective. Then it all clicked into place as to why Charlie had only ever been tortured once, while everyone else had been tortured too many times to count.

"If you tell anyone, even that whore of a brother of yours upstairs, I will kill you, just like the rest of our miserable family were," Charlie said and let go Fred.

Fred slid down against the wall with tears streaming down his face as Charlie stormed out of the house. He heard George walk out of the room they were both staying in and stood up and dried his eyes. He wouldn't let George be hurt by Charlie, and he wouldn't let George see him cry like this, knowing he had had another nightmare.

"You weren't sending a letter to Charlie earlier, were you?" Severus asked and Fred shook his head.

"I am not letting him get away with this. I sent a letter to the Ministry with my memory," Charlie growled, "He can't get to us here."

"You should have flooed me at once," Severus said, "We could have taken care of this. Does George know?"

"No," Fred said loudly, "And you can't tell him! I can't hurt him like that! I just…I just can't."

Severus' eyes widened slightly as tears started to fall down Fred's face. The man had only seen the young red head cry twice since the end of their captivity. He had cried the night they were brought back when they were told that there were nothing but werewolf gnawed bones were left of their family and he had cried when they had buried the last remaining evidence of the deceased Weasleys.

"I can't put him through knowing," Fred gasped out between sobs. "I can't hurt him again."

"You haven't hurt him," Severus said softly, crouching in front of Fred, "You could never hurt him like they did. You won't be able to keep it from him for forever. He will find out," He didn't mention the deaging yet, wanting to tell all three of them together. "Dry your eyes and we will go out and join the others. I will take care of everything else, alright?"

Fred quickly moved to swipe away his tears and groaned when he caught his reflection in a storage cupboard. His eyes were bloodshot and red. Fred looked at Severus pleadingly, and Severus shook his head.

"No Fred," Severus said softly, "You need to let him see you like this." Fred looked down at his hands again but nodded to follow Severus out, "He won't think any less of you, nobody will."

"I know, Sir," Fred said softly and followed slowly behind his teacher as they left the lab. Fred silently looked around the room and went straight to where George was sitting with Neville and Draco playing Exploding Snap. Fred declined a hand in the game, but George laid a hand on his twins arm and smiled softly at him.

"Are you okay?" George asked softly and moved his hand to cover Fred's hand instead. Fred nodded but leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes.

Severus sighed and looked away from the four teenagers in his sitting room and over to the three adults. He quickly noted the absence of his young charge.

"Where's Harry?" Severus asked Remus, who was sitting at his dining room table with Minerva playing chess with Filius making helpful suggestions.

"He hasn't come out yet," Remus said with a frown at the closed door, "He didn't answer when I called into him either."

Severus nodded and went to Harry's door and knocked gently, "Harry, I'm coming in."

Severus slowly opened the door and stepped inside while closing the door behind him. Harry had curled himself into a fetus position on the floor at the foot of his bed and was staring at the door.

"Harry," Severus said softly moving closer to the trembling boy. "Harry, it's me, Professor Snape." Severus knelt down in front of Harry and put his hands on the boy's shoulders, "Harry, what's wrong?"

Harry shook his head and closed his eyes against the tears making them known by the stinging. He had been pulling on a pair of pants when he had saw the two puncture marks the snake cane had made on his inner thigh when a flash of his memories had forced themselves upon him. He had seen blonde hair like Draco's only longer and he had nearly screamed out when the memories his mind had suppressed had hit full force.

"Tell me, Harry," Severus ordered softly and pulled Harry up and sat him carefully on the bed. "Who is it? Who do you remember?"

Harry took a deep breath, "Malfoy."

Severus stood up and started to pace, "I knew we would see him again, it was only a matter of time. Was it over the summer?"

"Professor, I think…" Harry swallowed the vile that was rising in his throat. "I think he was the old man."

Harry couldn't keep the bile down any longer and he pitched himself off the bed and Severus got a bucket underneath his head just before he emptied his stomach. Severus muttered soft words as Harry lost all the food he had eaten at lunch.

"Hush, Harry," Severus said rubbing Harry's back, "It's just the stress. Just take deep breaths. You're safe here, here at Hogwarts." Harry shuddered as the clung to his Professor.

"Moony," Harry muttered as Severus wrapped his arms around him, "I want to see Moony."

"Go brush your teeth," Severus said softly but firmly, "He is in the sitting area with your friends. I believe Draco and Neville and the twins are playing a game of Exploding Snap."

Harry jumped up and ran to his bathroom and quickly brushed his teeth.

"I'm finished Professor," Harry said loudly as he turned the water off in the sink. "Are you coming?"

"Of course," Severus said and stood up, "You don't think that I would let you all stay in my rooms without me do you?" Severus smiled when a small smirk appeared on Harry's face, "Come on, Remus wants to see you."

Harry nodded, but didn't make a move to leave the room. Severus walked over to the boy and put a gentle hand on his shoulder and guided him into the sitting room. Harry glanced at where his friends were sitting playing with the cards and smiled when Draco's hand exploded in his face.

Remus stood up from his chess game against Minerva and waited for Harry to look at him. When Harry did notice him, Harry flung himself into the werewolf's arms and wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Hey there, cub," Remus said softly, pulling him closer to his body, "You're okay now."

"I missed you Moony," Harry whispered into Remus' neck, "I'm happy you'll be here this year."

"I am too," Remus said smiling and let Harry pull away.

"Hey Harry!" Draco called across the room, "Come plays the next game, and the twins keep cheating."

"Yeah," Neville said throwing his cards down, "This game can't be played with the two of them."

"Maybe Remus can get out the Flinch Quill," Draco said, standing up and moving towards Harry who had to take a steadying breath, he looked like his father.

"We could all do with a round of Flinch," Severus smirked at the thought of the game Lily had made, "But maybe we should talk first."

"I'll just go fetch the Quill," Remus said and started towards the fireplace. "Shouldn't take too long, I had it in my trunk, on top of course."

Severus nodded and motioned everybody into the sitting area and conjured up a few more chairs. When Remus returned he looked at Fred and George who were sitting on the couch next to Neville and then at Harry who was sitting on the love seat with Draco.

"We have been talking and we think we found a solution to help the three of you," Minerva said, motioning to Harry, George, and Fred. "The events during this war have caused long-term scars for the three of you. We would like to know, if you would like to be deaged? You would have fifteen years taken off of your age and stay that age for a year and then it would take another year to progress to you rightful age."

"What about school?" Draco asked, "Little kids can't take Potions and Transfiguration, obviously."

"The twins didn't even need to come back this year and Harry honestly doesn't need school. The three of you won't be affected by this," Severs said, "I already have guardianship of Harry, so if he agrees, I will be taking care of him. If the two of you would agree, I would be more than happy to take you in as well."

"What about Charlie?" George asked, "Shouldn't he get a say in this?"

Fred glanced at Severus and sighed, "Charlie was arrested today, George."

"Why? What did he do?" George asked quickly, looking around at his professors.

"I'll tell you later, George," Fred said softly, "Don't ruin a nice evening."

"No, Fred, tell me," George demanded loudly, "I want to know! I have that right! He is my brother and you refuse to tell me anything!"

"Because I don't want to hurt you!" Fred yelled back, standing up, "You are all I have left! And I won't do anything to hurt you!"

"It is not you who determines what hurts me!"

"Charlie is a Death Eater! He gave them our location!" Fred screamed, "I don't care anymore!" Fred turned towards his professors, "I think it's a good idea, I'll see you in the infirmary tomorrow." Fred turned on his heel and threw the portrait open and it slammed behind him.

Filius stood and sighed, "I'll go after him." He followed Fred out and Severus glanced at the other kids. Neville was staring wide eyed at the door while Draco looked at Harry who had shied into the corner of the couch during the twins fight. George had sat back on the couch and pulled his legs to his chest and put his head between his legs.

"Bloody Hell," George muttered, "Charlie? Is Fred sure?"

"Yes," Severus said, and took a deep breath, "He's the one who wrote to the Ministry and the Aurors. You are not getting anything else out of me now. Just know he kept it from you for a reason."

"He's going to hate me," George said getting to his feet, "He'll hate me, but I have to talk to him. I'll see you tomorrow, with Fred, in the hospital wing."

"Merlin," Draco said when George was gone, "We haven't even eaten yet, anyone else want to clear out?" Severus felt a weight leave his chest when he listened to Harry and Neville try to hide their laughter as their Transfiguration professor bid them good night.

"Alright," Remus said setting the Quill down on the table, "Get comfortable, and Severus you are playing this time."

Harry took a seat on the floor next to Neville and Draco as the two professors sat at the opposite side of them.

"Alright, test question," Remus said as everyone placed a single finger on the Quill, "Who is your best mate?"

"Ernie," Neville said and grinned sadly.

"Blaise," Draco added quietly, looking down.

"Filius," Severus smirked.

"Tom Riddle," Remus said and then flinched as the quill shocked him, "Just testing, Sirius."

"Ron," Harry said quietly and flinched, but not because he had lied because the Quill had released their fingers. For Severus this part of the game was always the best, they had to explain their answers, or in this case how they had met.

"I met Sirius on our first night at school," Remus smiled, "He and James were up at around three in the morning and they woke me up by levitating me into the showers, suffice to say that that was the start of the Mauraders. Your turn Severus."

"I of course had Filius as a professor, but it wasn't until 1981 that I counted him among my friends. He found me after my last Death Eater meeting and he… he was there for me." Severus smiled thinking of the small man, "Go ahead Draco."

"I don't remember when I met Blaise, we were little. He was always around the manor, and then at school he was the only person I could trust." Draco sighed and shook his head, "Neville?"

"Second year, Herbology. Ernie and I paired up when we were working with the mandrakes and we just sort of hit it off." Neville smiled sadly at the thought of his friend who was in Saint Mungos in the same condition as his parents. And then everyone's eyes were on Harry.

"Hogwarts Express, first year," Harry sighed, looking at the table with a small smile on his face, "We shared snacks, got into a fight with Draco, and he managed to insult Hermione for the first time."

Harry chuckled and Remus and Severus shared a quick smile and Draco muttered something about a stupid rat.

"One more round before dinner," Severus said, "Neville you ask the question."

"Er…Okay," Neville said, uncertainly as they all placed their fingers back on the quill. "Where did you spend your summer?" And Harry automatically tried to pull his finger off the quill but couldn't.

"Damn it," Severus groaned and looked to Remus, "We can't quit in the middle of a round can we?"

Remus shook his head and took in his honorary godson's pale face.

"I stayed at Longbottom Manor, with Gran," Neville said, regretting his question.

"I stayed at Hogwarts," Severus said not looking away from Harry.

"I stayed with my Aunt Andromeda," Draco said smirking at Remus briefly.

"I stayed at the apartment Sirius, James, and I used to share," Remus said and smirked back at Draco.

"I…I," Harry trailed off thinking about how to get out of this question, "I stayed in Surrey." Harry let out a sigh when the quill released them.

"I'm hungry," Draco said, quickly, pulling Harry up with him, "Come on, I think Dobby will go insane if we don't eat." Harry tried to smile at his friend's attempt to tear his thoughts away from the summer.