Harry felt like he was about to wake up from the most wonderful dream, as the Malfoys stood up from their table at Fortescue's and gathered their things, to leave. He wasn't ready for the dream to end. The real world was lonely, and harsh, and uninspiring. He wanted to stay asleep and fly on broomsticks, and fight for the top spot in the school with the boy who had chosen to be his friend, and become the sort of proper wizard that would make Mr. Malfoy and Professor Snape proud.

His dejection must have shown on his face, because Draco straightened his spine, gripped Harry's shoulder tightly, and looked him directly in the eye as he solemnly proclaimed, "I will write to you every day this summer. I won't forget about you, I promise."

"If you have any questions about anything in your study material, or about how wizarding society operates, or if you need any kind of help, whatsoever, do not hesitate to ask," Mr. Malfoy added. "The Malfoy family would be honoured to help a respectable young wizard, such as yourself, any way we can."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Harry Potter," Mrs. Malfoy said with a graceful curtsy. "Severus."

"We'll talk soon, Severus," Mr. Malfoy said, with a bow to Professor Snape.

Harry did his best to put on a brave face, and say goodbye to his new friends with a smile, but his heart was sinking fast.

Draco gave his father an inscrutable look, before huffing, and plastering himself against Harry in a tight hug. "You have to write me every day too, Harry. Do you promise?"

Harry hugged his friend back, a little unsure of what he was doing. "I promise."

"Good," Draco said, pulling back and straightening his robes and hair. "Apologies, Father."

"A break in decorum is sometimes warranted, son. As long as you are aware of your surroundings, and calculate the risks."

"We've been training him on formal farewells," Narcissa said, with a fond smile. "For such a hyperactive little monster, he's doing quite well."

Draco pouted. "I'm not a monster."

Mr. Malfoy chuckled. "No? Have you swapped places with our chaotic ball of energy in the last five minutes? Do I need to start a search for the shallow, unmarked grave of the boy I raised who forgets his manners entirely whenever he gets too excited, or is holding a grudge?"

Draco sulked harder, but the corner of his mouth twitched up into a smile, despite his best efforts. "No, I'm still here."

"Ah," Mr. Malfoy teased, "so you are our little monster!"

Harry's heart ached at the display of familial expression. He gripped the griffin statue he still held in his hand more firmly. He had been someone's little monster, too. He had been loved. It was unfair that it had been taken away from him so early, but knowing that he'd had it was more than he'd had yesterday.

"Let's get you home, Potter," Professor Snape said.

With a final goodbye wave to Draco, Harry let Professor Snape grab him by the arm, and apparate him back to Privet Drive.

Harry stumbled as they landed.

"Do you have a key?" Professor Snape asked. "I doubt your relatives have made it home, yet."

Harry shook his head.

The professor pointed his wand at the Dursley's front door, clearly enunciated the word 'alohomora', and pushed his way inside when the lock clicked open.

"Now," Professor Snape said, firmly, "show me the cupboard your first letter was addressed to."

Harry swallowed hard, and took a step back. "What?"

"You heard me, Potter. I'm not leaving you here alone before I've checked on a few things, and that cupboard tops the list. Show me."

Hot shame flooded Harry's being and tears stung his eyes as he desperately held them back from falling. "Please, Sir. It's not important. I'm not staying there anymore; they gave me Dudley's second room. Can't I just show you that one?"

"I am not prying into your life to embarrass you, Potter, but I am responsible for your safety. I need to see it."

"But it doesn't matter!"

"It matters to me."

Harry wanted to run. He wanted to go hide under the covers of his bed in Dudley's room until Snape left him alone and went away. Deep down, though, he knew it wouldn't work. Professor Snape would poke around until he found it on his own, and if he did that, who knew what else he would find?

Scrubbing the welling tears from his eyes with bitter ferocity, Harry stomped forward and flung open the cupboard door.

"There. Are you happy, now?"

"Nothing I fear your relatives have done to you makes me happy, Harry. My only goal is to understand enough of your situation so that I can protect you properly, if and when you ever need my help."

Harry hid in the living room while Snape examined Harry's childhood prison and home.

"This was your primary sleeping space up until the first Hogwarts letter scared your aunt and uncle into moving you somewhere more appropriate?" Professor Snape muffled voice came from within the cupboard. What was he doing in there? It was small enough to see the whole thing from the doorway.

"Yeah," Harry admitted, hating that his voice cracked with emotion on the simple word.

Professor Snape came into the living room, casting a cleaning spell to clean the cobwebs from his robes and hair. "How often do you get fed?"

"Depends," Harry mumbled, wrapping his arms around his knees. "When I'm bad they make me skip."

"How often does that happen?"

Harry shrugged listlessly. "Depends."

"Look at me, Harry. Do they ever hit you?"

"Dudley does. Him and his friends hit me a lot, but that's normal, isn't it?"

"Bullying may be common, but it is never justified. Your aunt and uncle know what your cousin does?"

Harry nodded.

"And do your aunt or uncle ever hit you? Push you around? Grab you hard enough to leave bruises?"

Harry was already shaking his head at the first question, but paused awkwardly as the list grew, and fidgeted. "Maybe, sometimes."

"And what other punishments or unfair things do they do, Harry? You can tell me. I won't use it against you."

Harry sighed again, defeated. "They locked me in the cupboard, when I was bad, or when they had visitors over. They gave me extra chores, when they never give Dudley any. They call me names. They never give me real presents at my birthday, or Christmas. They told my teachers I was a trouble maker, and a liar. …They hate me."

"Thank-you for telling me, Harry. No one deserves the things that your family has done to you. Can you show me your new room, now?"

"Yes, Sir," Harry said, clambering arduously to his feet.

He climbed the stairs, with Professor Snape following behind him, and opened the door to Dudley's second room, standing shyly to the side to let the professor in.

Professor Snape tested Harry's bed, first pressing down on it with his hand, and then sitting on it, with a frown. He muttered a few spells, making the mattress plump up, and the blankets patch themselves up.

"Are these toys yours?"

"No. They're Dudley's old things. Most of them are broken."

"Is there anything you want to keep?"

"Not really. Maybe the books."

Professor Snape nodded. He pulled a couple toys out of the pile, and used spells to change them into some extra furniture, a cozy chair, a little end table, and a hook stand for Harry's owl's cage. He grew the bookshelf and child's desk until they were full sized.

The tiny room was suddenly very cramped, and Professor Snape pointed his wand at the outer wall.

Harry goggled in shock as an extra window appeared in the wall, and the rest of the room seemed to grow to accommodate it.

"This window will be invisible, on both the inside and outside of the house, to all muggles. You can use it to send mail or to escape, if there is ever an emergency, but you are never to use it to sneak outside when you're not supposed to. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good." Snape flicked his wrist, and the rest of Dudley's toys floated themselves out of Harry's room, and up into the attic. "I expect you to write to me at least twice a week, to update me on how your relatives are treating you, now that they know you know the truth, and to tell me how your studying is progressing."

Harry smiled. "Okay, Sir."

"I'm going to spell your bedroom door to not open to anyone who means you harm, but don't take advantage of this to become a spoiled little brat. If your relatives have reasonable demands of you, I forbid you from angering them as a means to lock them out and avoid your responsibilities. If you are unsure if their demands are reasonable, if you think they are cruel or unsafe, write to me. I will help you tell the difference."

"I will."

"That figurine I gave you is also charmed to freeze in place when a muggle is close by, so it will give you an early warning if you keep it somewhere visible. Oh, and one last thing. LOFTY!"

A soft pop made Harry jump, and he gasped as a strange little creature with big, floppy ears materialized in the room.

"Lofty, please procure a renewing sandwich tray from the kitchens, and bring it here."

The creature nodded and disappeared.

"What… what was that?" Harry asked, his eyes impossibly wide.

"That was a house elf. This one works in the Hogwarts kitchens. They can be cumbersome little beasts, but their mastery of magic is useful."

"How did it hear you call it?"

"It is a part of the magical contract that binds them to Hogwarts. As both a professor, and the Head of Slytherin House, the Hogwarts elves are attuned to hear my call."

The elf popped back into the room, carrying a large silver platter with a domed cover.

"That will be all."

"Yes, Master Snape, Sir," the elf said, in an amusingly squeaky voice, and left.

Professor Snape rolled his eyes, and set the platter down on the little end table he had made.

"This tray will provide you with fresh food daily, should you need it. However…"

"Let me guess!" Harry said, slyly, "I must not ignore my relatives and refuse the food they offer, just because I can. If they want me to join them for meals, then I should join them."

"You do have some common sense, good. Yes, magic is not an excuse to be antisocial or rude. Even if your relatives are disagreeable, that is no reason for you to cease in practicing your manners, as long as you are safe. Being polite is an important skill in the Wizarding World, so keep practicing, for your own sake, even if they don't deserve it. Don't sabotage your own future just to make some kind of petty point."

"I'll be good."

"Good. I expect you to come to Hogwarts prepared for your classes, so study hard. You've got one month to prove how sharp your mind is. Here's your train ticket to get to the school. There is a section of wall between Platform Nine and Platform Ten where the entrance to Platform 9 ¾ is hidden. You simply need to clear your mind and walk through the wall. If you get stuck, or lost, just look for another wizarding family to help you. I'll leave you to unpack, Potter, but send me an owl if your relatives aren't back soon."

"Sir?"

"Yes, Potter?"

"Thanks. For everything."

"…You are very welcome, Potter. I will await your first owl, and I'll see you in September. If you need someone to take you to the train station, let me know."

And with that, Professor Snape walked out of Harry's new room, leaving him alone, with a trunk full of magic and a head full of thoughts.