The rest of the train ride was peaceful; no one bothered Harry or the Slytherins. The tension had mostly faded and everyone had loosened up considerably. The softly spoken conversations and lulled Harry to sleep, but he often had nightmares. When Harry started having a nightmare, Draco was quick to send calm and loving emotions through the bond allowing to Harry calm.
Draco woke Harry about fifteen minutes before the train reached Hogsmeade. Harry was almost vibrating at the chance to see Severus and Remus again.
The other Slytherins formed a protective circle around Harry and Draco when they got off the train. The other students cleared a path for the group, their eyes lingering on the mysterious person beside Draco. All they could tell in the fading light was that the person Draco kept his arm around had a slim body and long dark hair. All the staring caused the two mates to be on edge. When they had reached the castle gates, Harry was visibly shaking with tension. Draco tightened his arm around him to offer some comfort but it didn't seem to have much effect.
The Slytherins were the first to reach the Great Hall and it was a good thing too. As soon as Harry got past the thick, wooden doors leading to the great hall, he bolted across the room, leaping over chairs and tables if that stood in his path. The other students who had been streaming in behind the Slytherins stopped to watch Harry, to them the mystery person that was with Draco, race towards the staff table. As Severus saw Harry approach, he stood and walked around the table, waiting to greet his adoptive son. There were only around sixty students in the room but extremely loud gasps were audible as they saw Harry who had flung himself at the man. It was easy for the Slytherins to guess that the other students thought Harry was attacking Snape, and it amused the Snakes greatly. They were all speechless when their most feared professor wrapped his arms around the person hugging him, hugging him back.
Dumbledore chose then to speak to the students, directing them to their seats. Everyone complied and after everyone was seated there was a moment of awkward silence.
Snape gestured for Dumbledore to draw closer, as Harry moved behind Severus. The old man seemed even darker than he had yesterday and it unsettled Harry to no end. As Severus was telling Dumbledore that Harry as going to sit with him, Harry felt a warm, gentle presence surround him. There was an odd sensation of rightness and happiness that only lasted a second but it was almost otherworldly. Harry tuned back in to the conversation between Severus and Dumbledore just in time to hear Dumbledore allowing him to sitting at the staff table, but only for that meal.
"You cannot sit on my lap in the Great Hall, Harry. I will allow hugs but you cant sit on my lap in public", Severus said in his no nonsense voice, Harry knew better than to argue choosing to instead. When they sat down in their seats, Harry instantly moved his chair closer to Severus until they were touching shoulder to shoulder. It was only then that Harry relaxed. Harry rested his head on Severus' shoulder and started softly purring. Feeling Severus sending an inquiring thought, Harry replied with a mental shrug. They were both waiting anxiously for Dumbledore to begin his vague explanations.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts."
A/N: Filler chapter, sorry. I have a busy schedule for the next few days and it will be crazy. I had a Fangirl attack for a different fandom and that interfered with my writing time. I was unable to use spaces for like an hour. It was that bad a fangirl attack. :P Theia Pallas wants to try and beta my chapters so it may take an extra day to post sorry!