Harry let his footsteps lead him through the halls. His anger–no, his fury– at Snape pushed him to run harder and faster than he had in quite a while. Why would that bastard think, after all his years of derision and hatred, that he could just order Harry to do as he said without even hearing what Harry wanted? His almighty pronouncement about what Harry could and couldn't do wouldn't stand. Harry would…

What?

Harry paused in the hallway, gulping air that was fresher than the dank air of the dungeons. He leaned against the stone wall, staring at the rough-hewn door before him. It was the door that led him to the Astronomy tower. Once his heart quit pounding in his ears, and his breath came more normally, Harry traversed the small space between him and the door. He opened it and found his way up into the tower. The sun was warm on his skin and a light breeze ruffled his hair. He went to the battlement, and sat between the crenellations, letting his legs dangle over the edge.

He thought idly that it was a good thing Hermione wasn't there. She'd have kittens at how close to the edge and how high up he was. Thinking of her brought back the fury at Snape again. It wasn't fair at all that Snape was ordering his life to Snape's own ideals.

It's not like Harry really had a great brain, not like Hermione. Harry was just himself, nothing special… except for the whole defeating Voldemort thing when he was too young to know what he was doing. And it hadn't even been him that did anything. It was all his mum and her magic that killed Voldemort. Harry had nothing to do with it.

He worried a pebble that was loose in the mortar that kept the big stone blocks of the wall together. It wasn't really true that he was useless in school though. He remembered one of his teachers in year four that had praised him for grasping maths faster than anyone in class. He had enjoyed maths then, until Dudley went home and cried to his mum about how Harry was showing him up. It had been one of the few times that Vernon had smacked him with his Smeltings cricket bat over something non-magical.

Harry had learnt that day that excelling in school wasn't something that was expected of him. He had quit trying and maths became just another thing that was too hard for the weird child, the one everyone believed had been sent to St Brutus'. It became hard and boring and Harry hadn't really tried in any of his subjects after that.

Even so, Snape didn't know that, did he? Harry couldn't let himself be smarter than Dudders at home, so… He turned his mind from that thought. Harry wasn't special. He really wasn't.

He flicked the pebble with his forefinger, watching it fall until he couldn't tell where it landed. Then he turned his attention to the horizon for a bit, trying to get his rage at Snape back, but ended up following Hagrid's tiny figure from the edge of the Forbidden Forest, to his hut, a dark shape that must be Fang loping behind him.

So, Arithmancy was what he had to do this year. He wondered what the worst thing he could do to Snape would be. Since Snape obviously thought Harry was too stupid to even pass Potions, he wondered why Snape would even think that Harry could do anything with numbers.

Obviously Snape wanted Harry to fail miserably. That was the only reason he'd make him take the stupid class. The old bat thought that Harry was too stupid to pass and he wanted him to fail! What a git!

Harry fumed for a bit as he watched Malfoy and Big Tony walk the grounds directly underneath his feet. He picked up another pebble and flicked it. Malfoy jumped and the little dog beside him started barking, his body bouncing with each utterance. Harry was surprised he could hear it all the way up where he was, but the dog obviously had huge lungs or something.

Harry went back to the Old Bat conundrum. If the Old Bat was setting Harry up to fail, he'd just show him. It wasn't like Harry would be hit for getting good grades, was it? He would show Snape that he wasn't the gormless idiot that he thought Harry was. He'd need help, obviously, and he had a best friend that was perfect for this scheme. He'd write her tonight and ask her what he needed to study to prepare for that class so that he wouldn't be behind when class started.

Snape could suck Merlin's hairy toes then and Harry would be able to tell him right off.

He was resolved, he would be the best in Arithmancy of his year. He swung his leg back over the parapet mentally writing to Hermione as he did. He almost lost his balance as the door to the tower was flung open.

"Fucking hell, Potter! It can't be that bad!" Draco shouted as he dashed to Harry's side. He grabbed Harry by his shoulders, nearly unseating him as he did.

Harry swayed, trying to dislodge the prat's hands from his body before Malfoy caused him to fall. "Gerroff me!"

"I won't let you!" Malfoy said, finally dragging the smaller boy off the parapet and making Harry land on the wooden floor so hard that his teeth clacked together. "Do you realise what Severus would do to me if I let you kill yourself? My life would be worth less than yours!"

"I wasn't trying to kill myself, Malfoy." Harry answered with a tremulous breath. For some reason, the entire situation made Harry giddy. He snorted once and then laughter took him over.

He howled as Malfoy stomped his foot in a fit of pique. "It's not funny, Potter! What kind of maniac sits on the edge of the tower?"

Harry tried to answer him, but then the crup jumped on his stomach knocking the air out of his lungs for a second. The dog bounced on his chest, alternately licking and barking in his face.

Malfoy sank down beside Harry and the dog. "Circe's cold tits! I swear by all the gods, Snape is right about you. You have no sense at all."

Harry, who had almost got control of his fit of laughter, guffawed again at what Malfoy said.

"Tha–That's…exactly what Snape said at lunch." Harry finally was able to say. "S-sorry for the scare. It's nice to know you care!"

"Sod off, Potter." Draco said without his usual heat. "I just don't want Severus to use me in a potion."

Harry smirked, 'He wouldn't. He wouldn't want to ruin a perfectly good potion using you as an ingredient."

Draco shoved Harry, "Just don't do that again, you prat."

Harry sobered, "I won't Malfoy. So, what do you have planned for this afternoon?"

Draco was still miffed at the Boy Who Lived who walked quietly beside him for once, not making inane comments or asking obvious questions about anything. Draco felt as if he had aged ten years from the time he saw Potter's precarious perch to when he got to the tower and was sure the prat was going to off himself. He was still stinging from his embarrassing show of panic, especially since Potter had a good laugh at his expense.

They had first gone to the chambers assigned to his putative family. He fed the mutt while Potter waited by the door. After that, they both traversed the school's interior and were close to the Muggle Studies classroom which was adjacent to the DADA class. A little further down the hall was his uncle's workshop.

Ted had told Draco that he needed help after he walked the dog. It was fortunate that Potter had captured his attention, even with the scare he had given Draco. Now Potter could do the drudge work and Draco could relax as was his due as a Malfoy.

They passed the first classroom. The door was open and both boys heard someone inside. They paused and looked. A man, with slumped shoulders and a mustache was waving his wand, placing charts with pictures of dangerous magical creatures on the walls. The man's clothes were threadbare and he wore shoes that were scuffed, even though the man had obviously made an effort to polish them.

"Must be the new Defence teacher." Harry observed. "I hope he's better than the last two."

Draco shrugged. "I doubt it. Everyone knows that the Defence position is cursed. Why would a decent teacher want it?"

As Potter stopped and turned towards the classroom, Draco grabbed his arm, "We have to go see my uncle, remember? You'll have time to do your arse kissing later, I'm sure."

"I'm not the arse kisser, Arse Kisser." Harry said with exaggerated affront, but he followed Malfoy down the hall to his uncle's makeshift shop.

When Draco opened the door, the hum of machines and the smell of pine hit them both. Draco coughed at the stench, but Potter stood in the doorway as if dumbstruck.

"This is brilliant!" Potter exclaimed.

Draco pushed past him and called out, "Uncle, I'm here, and I brought a… someone… student."

He peered around the room, unsure of where the noise was coming from, finally he spotted Ted's blond-haired head beneath a machine on a sturdy metal table.

He said, "Over here, Draco!"

Both boys moved forward. Harry seemed to want to touch every Muggle monstrosity that they passed. Potter had no self-control, it seemed, where Muggle machines were concerned.

"What did you need help with, Uncle?" Draco said as he pasted a smarmy smile on his face.

Potter covered his mouth and coughed. "Cough…ArseKisser…Cough."

Draco shoved Potter as his uncle moved from under the machine. He stood as he kicked a wooden wheeled cart away from his feet. "Oh, you've brought a friend. Albus told me that there was another student in house this summer."

Draco manfully restrained his eye roll at Potter being referred to as anything but a nuisance. He said formally, "Harry Potter, this is my Aunt Adromeda's husband, Theodore Tonks."

"It's just Ted," The older man answered with a smile and an outstretched hand, "Harry, it's nice to meet you."

Draco was horrified to see that the man's hands were absolutely filthy. They were covered in black grease, sawdust, and no telling what else. Harry reached out to take it but paused a moment before shrugging and shaking the man's hand.

"Oh, sorry about that." Ted said as he noticed the mess he made of Potter's hand. He proffered a red square of rough cloth for Harry to use. "So, Potter is it?"

"Yes, sir." Harry nodded, looking uncomfortable, not the expression Draco expected on meeting his uncle.

Ted considered Potter for a moment and as he opened his mouth. Draco could swear that Potter tensed, as if he knew what Ted would say. Ted finally said, "Gryffindor, right?"

Potter visibly relaxed, "Yes, sir."

"Good house. My daughter and I are both proud Huffelpuffs, and my wife Andy, went with the rest of her family into Slytherin." Ted said as he cleaned his own hands on another square. "Since you're here with Draco, do you mind helping me set up my drill press? It's a two or three person job what with how we had to shrink and transport it."

Ted twirled his fingers and a wand shot to his hand. "Here's your wand, Draco, Albus informed us that the trace doesn't work here, so you can use it."

He held out the slender piece of hawthorn. "Don't abuse this privilege, son."

Draco scowled as he reached for it–he was most definitely not this Muggleborn's son–but once his fingers touched the cool, smooth wood and he felt his magic rise to it, he relaxed.

His uncle turned back towards the drill press and Draco noticed a stricken expression cross Potter's face as he drew closer to the machine. It was intriguing enough that Draco asked, "What is it, Potter, have you seen a ghost?"

"Wha–?" Potter squawked.

Potter's stupid expression matched his verbal dexterity and Draco had to bite his tongue to keep from saying anything about it. "

"You're staring at the stupid machine as if it's haunted." Draco wanted to laugh as Potter glared at him. If Wonder Boy didn't want to be noticed he should learn to mask his emotions as any well-raised pureblood would.

"I-it's just it's a Grunnings Drill." Potter ran a hand over his hair, only making the mop of unruly curls worse. "My uncle works for them. I just didn't expect to be remi… see anything from ho– I mean there…"

Ted interrupted, stating absently, "Yes, Grunnings drills are the best and most easily manipulated to work with magic. Your uncle… Oh, erm, the company has superior products."

An uncomfortable pall was cast over the room as Draco realised why Potter had looked the way he did, and Ted apparently did the same. It was Potter who broke the silence. "So Malfoy tells me you do woodworking. What do you make?"

Ted began droning on about how his family, and how his dad got him into carpentry. He made some Muggle joke about the profession of some Muggle savior that was clearly beneath his notice, but caused Potter to snicker, making colour rise to his cheeks.

Once Ted's rambling speech was over, he rubbed his dirty hands together and said, "So, boys, I'm going to need both of you to hold the top of this press down whilst I bolt it to the table underneath. The shrinking spell caused the table top to warp and every time I've tried to fix the problem on my own, the damned press wobbles out of position."

Potter asked, "Wouldn't it be easier to straighten the table with magic?"

"You would think." Ted laughed as he scratched his head, leaving a spot of black where he touched. "And I tried, but it's a pretty ancient table that I bought at a boot sale when I was just married and didn't have the cash for extravagances like tables and such. Now I'm kind of fond of its eccentricities, you might say. That, and I'm not the best at Transfiguration."

Potter squatted, looking at the underside of the table, as if he knew anything about tools or tables. "I see what you mean."

The other boy stood up, dusting his hands off on his worn dungarees. "Maybe once we get it set up, you could ask Professor Dumbledore to look at it. He used to teach Transfiguration."

"Yes, Potter, because that's what the Headmaster is there for, to fix broken Muggle things." Draco said with a scoff.

The other boy glared at him, his ears growing red, "I just meant, Dumbledore is the only one around who is an expert right now, and the table needs to be safe."

"That's a good idea, Mr Potter, since we are going to be using this equipment for my class." Ted said with an undeserved look of irritation at his nephew.

"Brilliant." Potter breathed.

"If one of you will hold the press down whIle the other holds the table here and here." Ted indicated two spots on the warped surface. "You'll have to use some force to get it to bend a bit."

Draco chose to do the easier job that required less brawn, holding down the press. Let the Gryffindor show off his muscles since brains weren't their wheelhouse.

Ted ducked back down under the table, and began working once Draco and Harry were in place.

The work was punctuated by Ted's whistling, it was a song that Draco didn't know, but Harry did as he joined him with humming. The tune was catchy, causing even Draaco to tap his foot to the obvious beat. When they came to a certain spot in the music they both sing-shouted, " We will, we will rock you!"

Ted's chuckle broke the musical moment. "I can hear that someone knows good Muggle music."

A pleased, almost bashful smile wreathed Harry's face. Draco mimicked retching as he clutched his stomach with one hand, while still holding the drill down. "Muggles are odd if that is considered music."

Ted let the wrench he was holding down with a small clang of metal on stone. He clambered from under that table, "Well, you'd best get used to it since you will be taking the course this year. There will be all sorts of Muggle things I'm going to introduce, including art, literature, and some good ol' rock n roll."

"And you're going to teach people to work with all these machines?" Harry asked, his eyes wide, his tone full of wonder. "Sign me up! My friend, Hermione, said she was taking it this term too. She's going to go spare when she hears this."

Draco remained silent. There would be a discussion about his schedule this evening when he got back to their chambers. Malfoys did not take Muggle Studies.

"Severus." Came the voice of the old man, after the sound of the floo igniting.

"What is it, Albus?" Severus said evenly, continuing to decant Poppy's Calming Draught into vials, "I'm busy."

"When you finish, I would like a word with you in my office, if you please."

Severus paused for a moment to close his eyes and sigh inwardly. Of course he wanted him in his office. He was only wanted there when he was busy.

"Very well, Albus," he said, letting a minute bit of his ire into his voice."I shall inform Poppy her potions can wait. I have been summoned."

The soft chuckling of the Headmaster could be heard behind Severus, further irritating him. He sometimes wondered if he existed here simply to amuse the old man.

"In your own time, Severus," the Headmaster said, amusement evident, and closed the floo call.

"In my own time," Severus grumbled to himself, "In Albusspeak, immediately."

He sighed again, put down his ladle, took up his wand, and magically decanted the remaining potion into the waiting vials, stoppering and labelling them with a few more flicks. He could, of course, always swish and flick potions into vials in most cases, but the physical act was calming, peaceful, and allowed him time to think. Well, that was a moot point now.

Severus flooed into the Head office rather than walk. He was still put out, and the sight of a ready tea tray only exacerbated his annoyance. There would be no quick escape now.

"What is it, Albus?" he asked sourly, taking the seat obviously meant for him." Since I have been denied any sort of respite from this stone Gehenna? I am busy restocking the infirmary in preparation for yet another unending year of stupidity and mishaps, several that I have no doubt of which Potter will either be the cause or the victim."

Another chuckle from Albus, and Severus glared.

Albus waved his hand and tea served itself. "I have some news, and something to discuss with you. I have decided on the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

Severus glanced up from his tea cup, allowing himself the tiniest flame of hope, only to have it once again doused "...I have contacted a former yearmate of yours, a member of the original Order, to take the position, and he has accepted."

"And this has exactly what to do with me?" Severus asked in a bored voice. He would not let his disappointment show. That would entail insincere apologies and excuses from the Headmaster, which he was not in the mood to hear.

"I've asked Remus Lupin to take the position," Albus said. Severus could not help it, he gaped at the old man, his teacup crashing into its saucer, dousing him in tea, but he was too shocked to notice.

"A-are you mad?" He sputtered, as Albus waved his hand, vanishing the spilt tea for him "Have you completely gone round the bend this time? Why on earth, of all...people, would you invite a werewolf into this school? It was bad enough when we were students! He nearly killed me, and you're inviting him back? You have truly lost the plot now, Albus, and I won't have it! This is insanity!"

"Severus," the Headmaster sighed, but Severus was incensed now.

He stood up, depositing his tea cup and saucer on the silver tray with a clatter. "No! I will not allow you to bring that...that..creature into this castle with Harry! Member of the Order or not, for all you know he may have helped Black escape! Is probably sheltering him as we speak! And you know he will try to get to Potter, befriend him, use his friendship with his father to lure the boy, who is far too gullible for stories of his parents. Then he's got him right where he wants him! Easily led to Black, and then where will the Boy Who Lived be then, Albus?"

"Please sit down and listen to me, Severus," Dumbledore said. "There is a method to my alleged madness, if you would do me the courtesy of hearing me out."

It was said neutrally enough, but Severus knew it wasn't a request so much as an order.

Severus sat, a fierce scowl on his face.

"There is a saying, Severus. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. Being that we are as yet unsure of where Remus Lupin's loyalties lie, I believe it to be prudent to have him where we can keep a close watch on him."

"He's a werewolf, in a castle full of children! Only this time he's a full grown adult!" Severus ground out, his temper rising.

"Yes, this is true, however, now there are additional precautions we can take, besides isolating him in the Shrieking Shack during the full moon."

"And that worked so well the last time," Severus groused to himself.

Dumbledore heard, but apparently decided to ignore it, gazing placidly at Severus over his tea cup.

"So you wish me to spy on Lupin for you," he stated.

"To keep a close watch, yes. I would also, as an extension of the olive branch, as it were, like you to, if not befriend him, at least show no outward animosity to him."

"Perhaps you would like me to allow him to bite me this time, so we can be brothers in arms, as it were " Severus spat sarcastically.

Again, the infuriating amusement.

"While that is perhaps an idea, should worse come to worst, I shall not require such drastic measures from you at this time, Severus," Albus chuckled.

"Colour me surprised," Severus retorted, and picked up his tea cup.

The old man waved his hand, freshening Severus' tea and said, "No, I simply wish you to provide him with the Wolfsbane Potion.."

"Simply provide." Severus snorted. "You do realise there is nothing 'simple' about that potion."

"And yet, I have every confidence in your abilities," Albus said brightly, but with finality. Severus' scowl deepened and he made a disgruntled noise of acknowledgement.

"Are we finished, Headmaster?" He snarked. "I've just been informed I'm to brew a very complicated and time consuming potion, to be ready in a fortnight's time. I fear I have no more time for chitchat, you see."

"Just one more thing," Dumbledore said mildly.

"Now what?" Severus snarled, all semblance of patience gone.

"I do not believe Harry need know anything about Lupin's condition. Let him befriend Harry, he is a link to his parents after all, and if he and Harry become friends we can keep a closer watch over his activities. We can also know what exactly he is confiding in Harry. I need not..."

"I will not allow Potter to be put in danger, Albus," Severus protested, "it places him in too vulnerable a position. As you know, forewarned is forearmed. There is nothing to gain by not informing the boy of what Lupin truly is."

"I do not wish the students to know of Lupin's condition. He is to be a teacher here, it is essential we discover his true loyalties. If he is indeed abetting Sirius Black, he will be dealt with accordingly. If not, we will be condemning an innocent man to more ostracization than he has already endured. Hogwarts is nothing if not a safe haven for those who require our help, Severus. Surely you of all people appreciate that."

Always.

Always the dig at his past activities. No matter how his loyalties had changed, Albus knew how to hurt, how to keep him in line, and never hesitated to do so to get his way.

Severus calmly stood, quietly, yet deliberately, set his tea cup on the tray, and said, "Thank you for the tea and talk, Headmaster. I have work to be done. Good day."

He turned and swept out of the office to the spiral staircase, seething with quiet rage as he went.

Harry sat in the room Snape provided–it would never be his room–a stack of blank parchment in front of him, a quill in his hand, poised to write to his friends.

His afternoon had dragged, what with Draco being in a strop over his uncle making him take Muggle whole exchange had given Harry pause, to be honest.

Maybe guardians were supposed to make you do things you might not like for your own good. That's why he had made his excuses to Malfoy and gone to the library to see exactly what it was that he could do with Arithmancy. He still didn't trust that Snape wasn't trying to set him up for failure.

He'd found out that Arithmancy could be dead useful for lots of things that Harry thought were interesting. He could use it to study the movement of a snitch, just like Snape had implied. If he wanted to be an Auror, a Healer, or even a person who ran a business he could use it there. Hogsmeade could do with a Quidditch supply shop, if it didn't have one already.

He had resolved to write both Hermione and Ron this afternoon, so he could get Hedwig to deliver his letters before tea.

He raised his quill.

Dear Hermione,

This summer started out pretty normal but got weird when Snape became my

No.. he wouldn't be able to explain that to her at all, not on paper, and maybe not in person.

He siphoned off the ink with his wand and began again…

Things have changed for me this summer. I don't really want to go into the how or why, but I'm no longer living with the Dursleys. I'm fine, and in a place you'd never believe. I'll explain it to you and Ron when we meet to fetch our school supplies.

If, that is, Snape let him go with them to Diagon Alley. Harry made a mental note to ask Snape about it. If Snape wouldn't let him, he'd find a way. He may have to take the classes Snape wanted him to, but he wouldn't allow Snape to make him miss out seeing his friends before school.

I hope your summer is going well. Didn't you say your parents were taking you to France, or was it Spain? Anyway, take lots of pictures. I want to see what you did. You probably already know that Ron is in Egypt with his family right now. I'm sure you've seen their picture in The Prophet.

Harry had to pause a moment to tamp down the envy he felt at his friends' good fortune. The only place he'd ever been with his family was the London Zoo, and that had only been because old Mrs Figg was away on holiday. Even Malfoy the Prat had been to far more places than Harry. It didn't seem fair.

He sent me a postcard of the Great Pyramid of Giza and his mum sent me one of King Tut's golden mask. It was pretty brilliant.

Harry paused again. He couldn't just announce that he wanted to take Arithmancy. Hermione would have too many questions. She knew he wasn't the brightest or the most academically inclined.

There was no way he could sneak the subject in that he could see, so he just wrote:

I was looking at the lists of electives that we can take. I'm pretty sure Divination is a crap course, at least that's what I've heard, and was thinking about taking Arithmancy instead. I know you said you'd be taking it this year, so, if I do, would you be interested in being a study partner with me?

Hermione would eat that up, he thought.

Also, do you know if there are any books that could help me study up for the class before school starts?

Anyway, this letter is long enough, I'll sign off for now. You can answer me if you want to use Hedwig. Just tell her to wait for your reply and she will.

Thanks,

Harry

He cast a blotting spell and then folded the parchment in precise thirds, tying it shut. He then started his letter to Ron.

Ron,

I know you're in Egypt right now, so I'm going to use a school owl to deliver this to the hotel you're staying in. What do you think about taking Muggle Studies this year? I met the new teacher and he has awesome plans for the class. He's got loads of Muggle carpentry equipment and is planning on a section on woodworking. He's also going to play music for us and loads of other fun things. Let me know if you want to so I can change my schedule.

Also, my guardian won't let me take Divination. Sorry.

Harry

PS That was a brilliant picture of you all in the Prophet. Why did you bring Scabbers though?

H