"Are you okay?" Harry asked Ron when he got up.

"Of course I am," Ron said. "Did you have one of your dreams again?"

"Were you splinched?" Harry asked.

"We can't apparate here," Ron said. "You must have been dreaming."

After breakfast, Harry cornered Remus.

"Sirius told me you had lots of concerns this morning," Remus said, "although your visit to the ministry seems to have been a success."

"Tom is torturing Gregorovitch," Harry told him.

"No he's not," Remus said confidently. "Voldermort was destroyed. He can't torture anyone."

Harry survived his first day of classes. This year was more of a struggle as Harry didn't learn the material before. Remus and Snape understood why Harry was stressed. McGonagall and Flitwick saw that he wasn't up to his usual standards but didn't call him out on it. All the boys in Harry's room plus Ginny and Hermione asked Harry if he's okay so many times that he decided to do occlumency every free second. The next day, he ate a lot at breakfast, thankful not to be hungry.

The first seven weeks of school passed quickly. Harry made sure to eat his fill at every meal, remembering what it was like to be hungry. At some point, he cornered Dean.

"Are you okay?" he asked him.

"I'm fine," Dean said. "You've been distant this year. Are you okay or is Tom invading your head again?"

"I keep dreaming that you're running away from death eaters," Harry said. "I wanted to make sure you're not really in danger."

"I'm fine," Dean said, "but I'm going to join the crowd reminding you do to occlumency every night."

"Thank you," Harry said.

He went to Dumbledore's office.

"Where is Gryffindor's sword?" Harry asked.

"What do you need it for?" Dumbledore wanted to know.

"I have to destroy a horcrux," Harry told him.

"Are you referring to the cup or are you contemplating suicide?" Dumbledore asked.

"I need to destroy the locket," Harry said.

"Kreacher did it already," Dumbledore reminded him.

Harry left the office, leaving a concerned Dumbledore behind. He started looking at the map every chance he got between classes, but he didn't know what he was looking for. Snape was rarely in the headmaster's office and neither Carrow appeared on the map. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all on the map since they all went to school this time. He still managed to do his schoolwork although his work wasn't up to its usual level. He continued being captain of the quidditch team and Dean replaced Katie as chaser. He had regular practice and made sure to focus during practice. He didn't go to Hogsmeade, preferring to sit with the map instead. Sirius, Remus, Snape, and Dumbledore all tried talking to him. They each tried individually before trying in a group. Harry sat silently and kept his mind closed. During the quidditch game against Slytherin, Harry sat on his broom in the air. He didn't fly around looking for the snitch. He seemed perfectly content to let Malfoy do it. His team was winning since their players were better than the Slytherin players. After Gryffindor was up fifty points, Malfoy finally spotted the snitch. As soon as Harry saw Malfoy heading towards it, he beat him to it and won the game. While the rest of Gryffindor partied, Harry sat silently looking at the map. Every night that there wasn't practice, he was up in Dumbledore's office with Snape, Remus, and Sirius's mirror. They all spoke to him and asked him things, but he sat silently and kept his mouth closed. His friends tried talking to him too, but they soon gave up and joined the adults in worrying. Finally in December, they got through to him. Harry was sitting in Dumbledore's office as usual with Remus, Snape, and Sirius in the mirror.

"Do you have anything you want to do for Christmas?" Sirius asked. "I started decorating the house."

"I want to go to Godric's Hollow," Harry said quietly, the first words he spoke outside of class or quidditch practice in over a month.

"Is there anything in particular you want to do there?" Sirius asked.

"I want to see my parents' graves," Harry said. "I also want to see the house where it happened."

"We'll all go with you," Dumbledore said.

"No," Harry said. "Your parents and Arianna are buried near my parents. There's no reason for you to go back there. I already made Sirius and Professor Snape cry this summer when I insisted on seeing all the pictures of my parents and reading all the letters. I need to do this alone."

"We're all coming for moral support," Dumbledore said firmly. "We can leave you alone at your parents' grave and at the house for a few minutes, but we can't leave you too long because you haven't been yourself all year."

Harry sat quietly.

"I want to show you something," Snape said. "It's down in my room."

They all followed Snape to his office. Harry looked around curiously when Snape opened a hidden door in back that led to his bedroom. Snape sat down on his bed, reached under his pillow, and pulled something out. He motioned for Harry to sit down next to him. Harry stood next to the bed until Remus forcibly seated him. Snape showed Harry the picture of Lilly holding baby Harry and the letter that said with love from Lilly.

"Every night, before I go to sleep, I take out your mother's picture and letter. I look at it every night. Sometimes I talk to your mother. Other times I cry, but since you gave me this picture, I never went to sleep without looking at her. I miss her and I feel horrible about the role I played in her death. I know our situation isn't the same, but any time you want to talk about her, you could come to me," Snape said, his voice cracking as he talked.

Harry had tears dripping down his cheeks at this point. Snape put an arm around Harry's shoulder, but Harry shook it off. Remus tried hugging Harry. Harry pulled away.

"You know that's not going to work," Remus told him. "I think I showed you many times that I'm able to hold you and hug you no matter how much you fight it."

Harry continued to resist. Remus yanked him off the bed, sat down, and wrapped his legs around Harry's before Harry could get away. He then sat Harry down on his lap and held him tight. After a minute, Harry stopped resisting.

"That's better," Remus said. "Severus tried to hold you before and you resisted. You are going to let him hold you until you are both ready to come to my office and see the pictures I have of your father. Is that understood?"

"It's okay," Snape said. "You don't need to force him."

"I think you both need it," Remus said. "If Harry is looking for a connection to his mother, you are the one who was closest to her for most of her life. We need to break down his wall he put around himself. It's not healthy for him to be stuck in his own world of grief all day. Would you be more comfortable in your office?"

"I think so," Snape said.

Remus kept his arms around Harry and walked him into Snape's office. Harry tried to break out of his grasp. Snape sat down on his chair. Remus positioned Harry on Snape's lap and told him to wrap his legs. He then told Snape to bring Harry to his office when they're both ready. As soon as Remus left the room, Snape looked down at a still struggling Harry.

"I did not ask to have a teenager sitting on my lap," Snape said. "I understand that Remus thinks it's good for you, but since we both obviously disagree, let's stop this drama. Is that okay with you?"

Harry nodded. Snape released him.

"Do you want to talk about your mother?" Snape asked.

Harry shook his head.

"Maybe you should wash your face before we go to Lupin's office," Snape suggested.

Harry reluctantly washed his face. He and Snape left the dungeons to walk silently to Remus's office.