Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor any plots or devices from the books or movies. This fan-made story is making no profit.

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The night was young when Harry woke, the smells of sterile air and pungent potions instantly telling signs of the Hospital Wing. Twilight shone through the thin drapes around his bed. His body was encased in a buzzing numbness as his mind wandered. He'd gone for The Battle. He remembered that. Everyone had been with him to get the prophecy but…there had been fighting all around, and then… 'What happened…'

"And so, you'll be staying with Sirius at the Black Manor and return here in the fall for your 6th year." Albus Dumbledore's eyes gleamed happily and Fawkes crooned in the background. "Harry, we, the Wizarding World, cannot thank you enough for what you have done. I wish you the best happiness and look forward to your return to these halls for next year."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Harry responded, lowering his head to hide his embarrassment at being addressed with such a speech. He hadn't done anything special. The prophecy simply played through. And now…he looked over to his God-father, beaming at him from the doorway, it was a dream to final be free from the Dursleys. It had been a mere fantasy to get to live with his God-father, and now, now he could. "Thank you."

"WAKE THE FUCK UP, POTTER!"

Draco jumped from the edge of the bed where he had been shaking Harry, calling his name, trying anything to wake him up for the past 15 minutes. But now, finally, he was awake. Sitting straight up and staring around the room with unfocused eyes, feeling at the soft sheets around him uncomprehendingly.

"Potter?"

The emerald eyes focused on him. "Malfoy? What…?"

"I must say, I had no idea anyone could react so badly to a simple sleep spell. We were sure you weren't going to wake up." Draco took a step back, snapping for a House Elf. One instantly arrived, dressed in a clean, white shift.

"Yes, Master?" it said, raising its large eyes to look hopefully for an order which Draco gladly gave.

"Retrieve some cloths and prepare a bath and food for Mr. Potter." The elf popped away. Harry understood zero of what was going on around him. Why was Malfoy here? Where was here? Most of all though, what in the world had happened? There was a large window leading out onto a picturesque terrace and it was clearly winter outside. But just yesterday it had clearly been summer…letting his head fall into his hands, Harry pushed it all away. It made no sense.

"Oh no. You're not allowed to hide, orders from up high." Draco pulled Harry from the bed, "a bath is ready, and everything will be explained later."

Harry didn't comprehend anything that Malfoy said until he was shoved, cloths and all, into a steaming tub, large enough for at least 4 grown men. He heard a snap behind him and turning saw a House Elf holding a large woven basket of washing supplies.

"Take care of him, and when he's done see him down to the Master Office."

"Yes, Master."

After that, Malfoy disappeared and it was a flurry of scrubbing and rinsing and repeating till Harry was sure his skin must have fallen off a few cycles back. Dragged out of the water and toweled down, the House Elf-who grudgingly introduced herself as Abby-than preceded to hand feed him the plate of oatmeal and fruit that had appeared next to the bed. Harry would have protested between the bite of food but his mind was still too fuzzy, though the bath had certainly helped clear it a bit and by the time he'd been led to what the Abby called the Master Office and seated thoughts had stopped hiding under a haze. Master Office….why would anyone need a Master Office…Harry wondered, taking in the blatant grandness of the room. The carpet was a plush emerald green and the walls were paneled with light, richly grained wood that Harry didn't recognize. He'd never had much education on manors and such; it all seemed so absurd- having such large houses.

Against one side of the room was a large, meticulously organized desk. Opposite were two leather sofas, one on which Harry had been sat to wait, arranged around a simple glass coffee table edged in tarnished silver. There were no light fixtures, leaving Harry to assume that the light was from a magical source, and the walls, while lacking any paintings or decorations, did have full bookshelves pleasingly placed along it.

The one door-made of the same mystery wood as the rest of the room- opened, revealing Lucius, Draco, Minister Shacklebolt, Auror Moody, and- much to Harry's surprise and delight-, Auror Tonks. Harry was momentarily fazed by their attendance before Tonks broke though that with a hug that his spine strongly detested.

"Oh, Harry! I'm so sorry this happened. I-I can't believe I never noticed! This is all my fault, if I had only visited or-or something. Merlin, I'm so sorry…"

"Tonks, it's great to see you and all…but…what are you on about?"

Tonks pulled herself away from harry, taking hold of his shoulders and studied his confused eyes. "You really don't remember anything, do you?"

Moody snorted from where he stood, "we told you he wouldn't."

"Shut it one-eye." Tonks snapped. "Harry, what is the last thing you remember?"

"W-What? Remember?" Tonks nodded. "I see, well, it was defiantly not all wintery outside. It was summer, umm…let's see…I'd moved in with Sirius. Where is he by the way? I thought he would be somewhere around."

"He's busy," Lucius cut in, "Continue please, Mr. Potter."

"There wasn't much. End of school. Moved in and went to sleep. Woke up here two seasons later…apparently. What's this about?" Tonks had let go of him, resigning herself to stand sadly against a bookshelf while Moody and the others looked as if they'd know what he would say all along. He silently watched as Lucius dismissed the Aurors, leading Draco and himself to the second sofa and ordering tea from a House Elf. The room filled with a worryingly heavy scalene, only broken by the popping of the House Elf and the soft clinging of tea being served.

There must be a reason that he was here. Had something happened at the Ministry? Was Voldemort back? No, that's not possible, Harry quickly interjected, I killed him. He is defiantly not coming back. Ever.

Harry could feel a headache starting.

"Mr. Potter," Harry's attention jumped to Lucius, who placed his tea cup down with elegant practice. "Do you have any notion to as why you are here?"

"Only guesses…but they aren't exactly appealing." He answered honestly.

"I apologize for leaving in such an unknown state; however, I do hope to help, though it is not good news."

Remembering Tonk's reaction earlier Harry asked, "It has something to do with Sirius doesn't it? That much is pretty obvious."

"You are quite observant, but yes, it has much to do with Sirius Black." Lucius confirmed. "You see, it seems that Azkaban did more damage than anyone knew, or could even tell I'm afraid. He became delusional and self-absorbed, quite true to his title as a Marauder. In effect, he cursed you with a Servitude Curse, though we have yet to find out why he used this particular curse. Black did a very good job of it, layered a Memory Charm and a House Binding Charm in it so as to keep away suspicion and to avoid notice. It was effective; in fact, if Draco hadn't needed to find you I doubt anyone would have ever noticed at all."

Harry just stared into his tea. There were no leaves in it to foretell his death, he noticed. Maybe the lack of leaves meant something too, though Professor Trelawney would probably still foresee death. "The lack of anything includes life, you poor dear," he could almost hear her saying in a mournful voice. That's what she would say.

What did Lucius say? A spell…no, a curse. Servitude, Memory, House Binding? What did that mean anyways? He'd said something else too. Sirius was delusional form Azkaban. That's what he had said, but then, half of the Wizarding World was delusional. Self-absorbed…was that supposed to be a read mental diagnosis? "What does this all mean?" Harry's thought pushed out of his mouth.

Still lost in his tea cup he heard Lucius try to explain, "The spells made you a servant of House Black, or, more specifically, Sirius Black. The Servitude Spell is something that is put on House Elves only if they agree to it and draw a signed Document of Rights for the family to consider. To use such a spell without a Document of Rights makes it a Curse rather than a spell. According to what you recall, the curse was used the very first night of your stay in the Black Manor."

"So that's…"

"About 6 months. Today is December 28th. The school was tricked by Sirius, which is why no one looked for you earlier."

"6 months….of what amounts to slavery that I don't remember…from my God-father. I see."

"Pot- Harry," Draco was watching him now with dangerously watery silver eyes, "my father is right, Azkaban did damage that no one could see and there will be a trial soon. Until then, we've gotten permission for you to live here. I'll be taking care of you."

Taking care of, Harry though, do they think I'm sick or something?

He missed Lucius' sharp look to his son, "What Draco means to say, is that you will live here as a part of the family and we will be seeing to your needs. I have given my son the privilege of helping you adapt and learn what is needed till you both return to Hogwarts. Both of you will also be tutored so you don't miss anything, but that is most defiantly a discussion for another time." He vanished the tea with a flick of his wrist. "Draco, please escort Harry to his new rooms. I will see you both in the morning." And then he left, the air around him radiating a thoughtful anger, though Harry could tell that it was directed at someone far away from the Master Office.

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A/N: So, I hope that help clear up some questions about time, year, and age. Both Harry and Draco would be 16 at this point, seeing as the 6th year has already started (and is indeed near half way over).

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Review and a big thank you to everyone that has!