"Honestly, it's been a month and a half since that night and I still can't get past the nightmares and the guilt. Will it ever go away?"

"With time, it will lessen to the point you won't notice it any longer, but I doubt you will ever be rid of it entirely. You're simply to loving to let something like this just fall aside. I know you don't want to believe this Harry, but you have the capacity to be far more powerful than you are right now and part of the power comes from the love you have inside you."

Harry looked at Poppy like she'd grown another head and sprouted wings. "Exactly how does my being a sappy mess make me powerful enough to do what needs to be done?"

"Well dear," Poppy said with a smile, "I don't know what you think is left to be done, but the love you feel right now for those in your life, that will be the one thing you can depend on. Always."

Harry nodded, though he was still confused. Love wasn't going to give him a new werewolf skin rug. And it certainly wasn't going to give him his little sister back, not at this point – she was too far gone now.

Poppy handed Harry a cup of tea and as he took his first tentative sip, she asked, "So, I think it's time we discussed your magic. I would like to do a full scan of your core and get an idea of what we're working with before we delve too far into the subject, but I think we need to look at these burst and see what we can do about controlling them."

Harry nodded in agreement. "I'm concerned that I'm going to hurt someone one of these times. I nearly did the other night; when I heard about The Burrow, I just about lost control. I would have hurt everyone had that happened."

Poppy was suddenly very interested in hearing the story, "How did you manage to stop that from happening? How did you control the reaction?"

Harry allowed a small smile to grace his lips as he remembered, "Draco. He put his hand on my arm and talked me down. Hearing him made me remember there were others in the room that I didn't want to hurt and I was able to let the magic redistribute without a problem." Harry didn't think the little white lie was going to hurt anything and he knew tell Poppy that Draco's hand in his own was the real reason.

"An anchor…interesting. Harry, let's stop for today. I need to do some research and then we can talk again. Let's give it the weekend." Poppy stood and walked toward her office library, "Harry, let's talk again on Monday. I should have some answers for you by then."

Harry watched Poppy get lost in her books and knew he'd been dismissed. He silently left the Medi-witch's office and walked through the halls of his treasured past. He smiled, remembering the exploits he and his friends had gotten up to in these walls and how just months ago, he would have cursed Draco's skin from his body if he'd so much as breathed in his direction. Now, he couldn't imagine feeling that way.

Minerva watched as Harry meandered across the grounds toward the front gates. She was worried for his safety but Severus had assured her that he was safer there than at Hogwarts, but she had her doubts.

"Minerva, I need to talk to you about Harry," Poppy's head announced from the floo.

Minerva waved her hand and opened the floo for the Medi-witch. Poppy walked in, and with preamble said, "Draco's Harry's anchor."

Minerva turned around after watching Harry apparate and said, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I have no doubt."

Minerva sat down hard on her chair, "Oh dear. That's going to be interesting."

Narcissa watched as Draco sat peacefully in the conservatory in front of the windows. She knew the moment Harry appeared at the garden apparition point because Draco's posture relaxed and she heard him sigh.

Harry's smile lit the room as he walked in the door and saw Draco, "Hey, having a bit of a lay about today?"

"Not really. Just waiting to see what the day will bring and it apparently brought you to annoy me," he said with a smile.

Harry flopped on the chair next to the blonde's, "So what do you wanna do?"

Narcissa glided into the room at that moment, "Well, what are you boys up to?"

Draco stood and faced him mother, "Not much Mum. Harry just got back and we were trying to figure out what to do now."

"Well Draco, why don't you go and help your Uncle in the Lab. He's working on a supply of the Wolfsbane for Remus. I'm sure he wouldn't mind and extra set of hands."

Draco nodded and left.

"Did you have a nice visit with Poppy?" Narcissa asked as she sat in Draco's vacated chair.

"Yeah, I guess. I left with more questions than I had when I got there. It happens that way sometimes."

Harry looked out the windows thoughtfully and finally nodded and turned to the elegant woman on his right, "Narcissa, may I ask you a question?"

"Of course dear; you can talk to me about anything."

"Have you given any more thought to Lucius and your marriage? What I mean is, it seems to me that if you divorce him, you will lose any inheritance rights you have and may lose the Manor."

"Yes, I have spoken with my solicitor and he has advised me of that little hiccup. I am making a visit to Azkaban tomorrow morning and will be talking with Lucius about this."

"Please be careful. I wouldn't want us to lose you now that we've got you back," Harry said with a smile.

"Thank you dear. Now I have a question for you."

Harry nodded, waiting.

"What do you typically do for your birthday? I believe it's coming on soon isn't it."

Harry's smile fell and he looked toward the ground, "Nothing. I usually wake up at midnight and wish myself a happy day and then take in the couple of owls from Hermione, The Weasley's and Hagrid."

Narcissa tutted as she heard the description, "Didn't your family ever give you a celebration?"

Severus was kind enough to answer that as he walked in flanked by Draco, "Harry's family was never inclined to take the date of his birth as anything to be happy about or to acknowledge. They were the worst people Albus could have placed him with, but unfortunately, it was the safest place at the time."

Narcissa stood and beckoned to Harry to follow her. She had watched as the tears gathered in his emerald eyes, while Severus answered her question with all the tact of a rock. She wouldn't allow him to feel like less than he was and she needed him to see just what she did and she wouldn't do it in front of Severus or her son.

Harry followed Narcissa into the hall, almost running into her when she suddenly stopped. "Harry," she said as she turned to face him, caressing his cheek, "I know how hard that was to hear, and I apologise for the less than pleasant way it was said, but I am glad to know that bit of your past. Now I know how to proceed for you future."

Harry looked confused as he raised an eyebrow in question.

Narcissa placed an arm around his shoulders and pulled him into a fierce hug. He melted into it, having rarely gotten that kind of contact from anyone other than Molly and not even from her since before the battle.

Harry pulled away after a couple of minutes and said, "Thank you. It's nice to be hugged like that."

"That will be happening a lot now. And anytime you need to release a little emotion that you don't want anyone else to know about, come see me. I'll make sure you have the privacy you need."

Harry thanked her and smiled as he wandered away, wiping the slowly falling tears from his cheeks that had begun at Narcissa's touch.

As the door burst open, both Draco and Severus jumped and turned to watch Narcissa walk toward them with purpose saying, "I am making a trip to Azkaban tomorrow morning and when I return, we will be sitting down to plan a wonderful party for Harry's birthday."

Pointing at Draco and Severus in turn, she continued, "You two will help, without complaint, and we will make this day is perfect for him."

"Mrs. Malfoy, please follow me. I will have your husband brought into the meeting room and I'll wait outside. When you're ready to leave, just ring the bell on the wall and I'll open the door for you."

Narcissa smiled broadly at the nervous Auror, "Thank you young man. Do you happen to know if Auror Tonks is on duty today?"

"Yes ma'am she is."

"Please let her know that I'm here and that I'd like to see her."

"Yes ma'am."

As the door behind her closed, the one opposite her opened and Lucius stepped into the room. "Narcissa?"

"Hello darling," she said, taking in the look on her husband's face. "You seemed surprised to see me. Now, why would that be?"

"Well dearest," Lucius began, his voice dripping with saccharine, "the last news I received from that ungrateful wretch of a child was that you were hospitalized. No one has notified me of your progress."

"Well, as you can see, I am quite recovered and back to normal."

Lucius took in the vision of his wife – her sleek blonde hair shining like the sun, her elegant moss coloured robes hanging from her slender shoulders – and was reminded why he had married her all those years ago.

"You look exquisite my dear. I'm thrilled you are well and have come to see me. Am I to wonder why the sudden visit?"

"Not for long my love. I have come to discuss our family. Draco has informed me of his choice with regards to your relationship."

"Yes, I was very disappointed in his behaviour that last time he was here. He showed an extreme disrespect for me and my position as head of the family with his deplorable attitude. I expect that when I return to the Manor, he will have been reminded of the respect due Lord Malfoy and will be showing it."

Narcissa began to laugh, a lovely melodic tinkle falling from her lips as she watched the confusion float across Lucius' face. "Oh Luc, I had forgotten the incredible sense of humour you possess. Darling, you will not be leaving this lovely chateau anytime soon."

Lucius watched his wife laughing at his predicament and felt the beginnings of worry float into his chest. He had hoped that her appearance would signal his opportunity for release but that hope was quickly flying out the window. "And what makes you think that lover?"

Narcissa reached a hand out and caressed his stubbly cheek saying, "Because, lover" her voice dripping with disdain, "I will be making sure you never leave here."

When Narcissa sat back, Lucius knew he'd reached the end of his rope, "So tell me, who will be catering to your every whim if I never leave here? Certainly not your whelp of a son."

An icy smile spread across her lips as she dropped the next little bomb, "My son has more class and style than you could ever hope to have, but no, that is not who I will be spending my time with. You see, dear husband, I am here to let you know that I intend to move on now that you are most decidedly unavailable. While my son has seen fit to reverse the effects of the potion you had that healer injecting into me, I would never allow myself to become a burden to him. No, I have found someone with whom I can be myself and relax."

Lucius was seething with anger at the gall his wife had to sit and talk to him about her illicit affair. His mind wandered through the possible candidates and as he dismissed each person, his unease at his wife's happiness grew. "I will not have my wife whoring around like some commoner."

Narcissa stood and rang the bell on the wall, "That will be rectified very soon."

The door opened and Tonks walked it, "Cissa, nice to see you. Are you ready to leave?"

"Hello Dora dear. I am quite through here and am ready to leave. I wanted to talk to you about Harry's birthday. I know he'd love to see you and we'll be having a party for him at the Manor…"

"THAT LITTLE BASTARD WILL NOT BE ON MY PROPERTY!" Lucius hollered jumping to his feet.

Tonks flicked her wand at him, holding him in place for the newly arriving Aurors, while escorting Narcissa from the room, "Oh I would love to see Harry. I feel like it's been forever."

Lucius strained against the hold of the Aurors, swearing and trying to get to his wife.

"How was my timing on that one?" Harry asked, sweat dripping down his face.

"Better, but you're still a little slow on the draw," Draco answered, as he reset the targets around the room.

Harry took a deep breath and centered himself, visualising his core, pulsing with magic and slowly expanding to encompass his entire body, "Draco, can you make the targets move?"

Draco flicked his wand toward the targets and watched as they began to bob up and down and weave around the edges of the basement training room they had created. Draco watched as the targets floated in and out of shadows and wondered when Harry would make his move.

Harry stood, eyes closed, and focused on the feeling of the room. He pictured each target, its shape, size and relative distance from the next. He reached out with his magic to feel the atmosphere of the room, the breeze as a target would pass him, the sound of them scraping the walls or bouncing off the floor.

Without warning, Harry yelled, "Down!" and began firing at the targets as Draco hit the floor.

Draco watched as target after target exploded, sending wood shards and pieces of brick all around the room. The protective shield he surrounded himself with was being severally tested by the debris Harry was creating, but he couldn't stop himself from watching.

As the last of the ruined targets fell to the floor, Draco released his shield and stood, "Harry, do you realise you never opened your eyes?"

Harry released the breath he'd been holding and quietly answered, "Yeah, it was easier to see without looking. I could feel them moving and hear the air being displaced." Harry began walking up the stairs to the kitchen and he continued, "It's an old muggle trick, when you have no sight, your other senses take up the slack and become enhanced."

The pair emerged into a warm kitchen filled with the aroma of the night's dinner being finished. When Draco made to snitch a warm brownie from the plate warming on the stove top, Teensie swatted his hand and said, "Master Draco sir, Teensie will not let you spoil your dinner."

Harry laughed out loud and said, "Come on, let's have a shower. You Mum will kill us if we come to dinner stinking like this."

Draco smirked, "Is that an offer wonder boy?"

Harry blushed fiercely and smacked him on the back of the head before walking into the bathroom and soundly closing and locking the door.