A week into Harry's stay at the Burrow, Harry awoke to Hermione arguing loudly with the twins in the kitchen. He shuffled past them to the table, where Mrs. Weasley was already setting out a plate for him. He sat down and immediately started in on the cup of coffee she'd also provided. As he slowly came out of the fog of sleep, he began to listen to the heated words passing further down the table.

"What are they arguing about?" Harry asked, turning to Ron.

The red head shrugged, and Ginny rolled her eyes. "Fred and George are working on a new potion for their shop. They won't tell us what it does, or at least what it's supposed to do, just that they can't get it right, even though they're supposed to release it at Christmas. Apparently, every time they add the holly berries, their cauldron melts. They've apparently gone through a dozen cauldrons already."

Harry turned with more interest towards the argument at the end of the table.

"Hermione, we've already tried that!"

"Well if you won't listen to me, you can just keep melting your cauldrons!"

"We are listening-!"

"But you aren't telling us-!"

"Anything we don't already know!"

"We've already tried everything we can think of!"

"Well, have you tried substituting the holly berries with just the leaves?!"

"Yes!" The twins shouted simultaneously.

Harry looked over to see Hermione pursing her lips, which was a sure sign this argument wouldn't be coming to an end any time soon.

"What about peppermint?" He suggested. Hermione and the twins looked at him askance. "No, really, I know it sounds too simple, but it really works. Holly berries react poorly with most ingredients, and the only way to stabilize them is with peppermint. Any Third Year could tell you that."

Hermione and the twins continued to stare at him, and Harry became suddenly aware of silence in the kitchen. He looked around to find everyone staring at him. He blushed, but could understand their looks. He was supposed to be terrible at Potions, and he doubted he would've recalled such a random detail on his own, if it hadn't been for Severus' midnight lectures. After a moment, Mrs. Weasley, bless her, returned to fixing a breakfast fit for an army. This seemed to signal the others, and they gradually stopped staring. The twins moved down the table and each clapped him on the back.

"See, now that's helpful!" Said Fred.

"Thanks a ton, Harry!" George added.

And with that, they apparated out of the house, startling their poor mother. Harry turned back to his breakfast and ignored his gaping friends. Hermione moved down the table as well and took up the seat beside him.

"Since when do you know Potions?" She asked incredulously.

Harry shrugged, smothering an urge to blush again. "I dunno. I was bound to pick up something from Snape's lectures. And winter is my favorite time of year, so of course the stuff I'd remember would have to do with that time of year."

Hermione frowned. "I suppose that does make sense," She murmured thoughtfully. "You know, you've been kind of mopey this summer. Did something happen at your relatives?"

Harry shrugged again. "Nothing more than the usual. I'm just…I still can't remember anything about the Final Battle, y'know? So that's been kind of bugging me. Sorry if I haven't been great company because of it. I really am trying to move on."

"Well, you know you have us, right?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, Harry," Ron said. "You can always come to us. I know we can't help you remember, since we weren't there, but you don't have to shoulder it alone."

"I-" Harry bit his tongue. He had come so close to saying 'I haven't been'. But then his friends would want to know who else had been shouldering his burden of remembering. And he couldn't tell them. There wasn't anything bad about Severus visiting him, but Severus was his…even if he didn't get to see him again until they were back at the school. He certainly hadn't seen him since his arrival at the Burrow. Hell, he hadn't seen him since the night before the first, and last, apology his relatives had ever given him. Still, those moments, in the dark, they were his, and he no longer felt the need to share everything with his friends, who had never done the same. Instead, he shrugged a third time. "Thanks guys. I'll try to keep that in mind."

Hermione smiled, satisfied, and accepted the plate of food Mrs. Weasley brought her. Harry was immensely grateful that his friends left him alone after that, consumed with talk about the homework he'd already finished but Ron and Ginny had barely started. The reprieve gave him time enough to sink into a deep sulk. He missed Severus a lot, and had done his best to avoid thinking about him until now. He understood why the visits had stopped, but it didn't mean he had to like it.