AN: I really hope you all enjoy this chapter! It's pretty Draco centered, and the next few likely will be too, but after that it should even out to follow both boys and Snape. I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year!

Also, I started using a new writing program and I'm still getting used to it. I think it messed with my formatting a little bit so if you see anything weird, please know that I'm working to fix it lol. It's just super late and I wanted to get this chapter up lol


"Do I really have to do this?" Draco asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Draco and Remus were sitting together in Draco's bedroom at the Manor. Remus had spent the last twenty minutes talking to him about what using his memories as evidence against Lucius, and though Draco didn't want to go back to his parent's house, he wasn't thrilled with the idea that people would see any of the things that had gone on there either.

"No," Remus said kindly. He sat in one of the chairs with his elbows resting on his knees as he watched Draco pace back and forth across his room. "These are your memories, Draco, and you have the right to keep them private."

"But if I do then we don't have any proof and he'll say I'm lying."

Remus sighed. "Unfortunately, that may very well be the case."

Draco bit his lip. "Will everyone have to see them?"

"Only the people who truly need to," Remus assured him, "and I promise that I will keep that list as short as possible. Likely only a very few people."

"Uncle Sev?" Draco's voice wavered despite how hard he worked to keep it steady. It was one thing for strangers to see how pathetic Draco was when Lucius had threatened him and ignored him, but it was something entirely different for Snape to see him that way. He wasn't sure he could handle the embarrassment.

Remus ran a hand across the scruff of his jaw and said, "I think it would be beneficial if he did, but if you truly don't want him to, Severus would understand."

"Can I think about it?" Draco asked.

"Of course." Remus said and Draco was glad that he wasn't pushing him.

After only another moment's hesitation, Draco finally nodded. "Alright. How do we do this?"


Harry lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as his tiny practice snitch flew around the room. It would come close enough that Harry could reach out and catch it if he wanted, and then zoom away again, as if it wanted Harry to try and get it.

Harry didn't feel like practicing though. He was content to simply lay there quietly, running his fingers through Rook's fur as he slept beside him.

A quick knock on his bedroom door pulled Harry from his thoughts and he sighed but didn't answer.

Not that it mattered for only a few seconds passed before Snape opened the door anyway. He didn't step into the room, though. Instead, he crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame as he took in the sight of Harry and Rook on the bed.

"It occurred to me that with everything going on, we didn't really have much of a chance to talk," he said when Harry still didn't look up.

"What's there to talk about?" Harry asked, keeping his eyes trained on Rook. "I mucked everything up again, and you grounded me again. Same as always."

Harry missed the way that Snape's eyebrows creased in confusion at his words, and in the next second Snape had moved further into the room. Though just as he was about to say something, the snitch flew towards him.

Snape reached out and caught it so easily that Harry did look up then, but as soon as Snape tucked the snitch into it's case on Harry's desk, Harry glanced away again.

"Is that what you think?" Snape asked as he shut Harry's door and moved to sit near the foot of the bed. "That all you do is muck stuff up and get into trouble?"

Harry shrugged. "It's how it's been so far," he muttered.

Snape shook his head. "No, it's not. First of all, you didn't muck anything up with Draco. He'll be staying here for the Summer at least, and everything else will get figured out later."

Harry dug his palms into the mattress to push himself up to a sitting position. "But you said-"

"I know what I said," Snape interrupted, "and I meant it. Helping Draco to sneak away in the middle of the night could have caused Lucius to become angry enough to use his position in the Ministry to force him to be sent back. However, as it stands, I went to speak to Lucius and managed to convince him to agree to let Draco stay here for now."

"How?"

"That's not important," Snape said, raising his hand to stop Harry from asking any more questions about it. "I am only going to tell you this because I believe Draco will tell you himself later, but Remus is talking to Draco right now, and it is our hope that we can use his memories as evidence that will get Draco safely away from him. The only worry we have though is that Lucius does have quite a bit of pull with the Ministry and it's very likely he would be able to convince them to believe that Draco is lying or that his memories have been modified, which is why we are trying to work this in a way that would keep it from coming to that in the first place."

"But how can you do that if-"

"Harry," Snape said firmly, "trust me, remember?"

Harry wanted to, he really did, but he still wasn't used to the adults in his life actually doing what they promised, so trusting them was just so hard. Still, he was determined to try.

"Alright," he said reluctantly. "But he'll get to stay for the summer, right?"

Snape nodded. "He's not going anywhere. He's safe now."

Harry grew quiet as he stroked Rook's fur. He had a fleeting thought that the dog must have been really tired since he hadn't stirred once since Snape entered the room.

"Now," Snape went on after a moment, "about you always being grounded."

"I am," Harry was quick to point out. Though then he paused. "Well, I'm at least in trouble a lot. More than Ron for sure."

"I see," said Snape as he shifted on the bed to better face Harry. "Tell me, Harry, when was the last time you were put on restriction?"

Harry nearly shrugged before he stopped himself and thought back. "When we went to the Shrieking Shack to save Sirius."

Snape shot Harry a meaningful glare and the teenager amended his statement to one he thought Snape would rather hear. "When we went after Ron who had been dragged down there by Sirius, who at the time we thought was a murderer."

Snape nodded. "When you were already grounded for what?"

Harry felt heat flood his cheeks as he looked away. "For sneaking out to Hogsmeade."

"Correct. And aside from those two times where you put yourself in dangerous situations like last night, if my memory serves, you got grounded twice last summer for sneaking out to go flying, and then again with Draco to that bloody concert. Other than that, you've had a few real detentions for fighting with Draco and for abysmal classroom behavior, you've had lines for eavesdropping, and a few times you've been very close to punishment for attitude. Yes?"

Harry groaned. "Why are you going over it like that?"

"Because I want you to think about something." Snape held up his index finger and said, "One, the difference between you and Ron is that his parent doesn't work at the school. If he gets into trouble there and it's something that isn't handled with a simple detention, his mother receives a letter and no doubt promises consequences when he gets home. Which she then likely forgets about by the time he goes home for break. It's just bad luck on your end that I'm already there to deal with things. And two, you're thirteen years old, Harry. Bad attitudes and a bit of mischief is honestly to be expected. Not that I want much of either, but it's just how things go."

Harry shook his head. "That's mental. You could just be like other parents then and wait til the summer to deal with stuff."

Snape's brow rose in amusement. "I could," he said. "I could treat you exactly like every other student while we were at school. Of course you wouldn't be able to spend any time down in our quarters, but I suppose I could send you care packages like Mrs. Weasley does. Oh! And I could finally send a howler! I've really always wanted to do that."

Harry rolled his eyes as he said, "That's not what I meant."

"But you can't have it both ways, Harry." He sighed then and Harry thought maybe he looked a bit sad, though he couldn't understand why. Harry was the one grounded after all. "And the truth of the matter is," Snape went on, "I don't want to be like other parents. I don't want to give up our after dinner tea, or keep you from coming down for weekends. I don't want to pass you in the hallways without speaking, or any of the other things that I get to do simply because you're there." He shrugged and it was such a non-Snape thing to do, that Harry's eyes widened in surprise. "So I suppose it's selfish of me, but you're just going to have to deal with it."

Harry took a moment to rub Rook's fur and the dog began to stretch as he woke up from his nap. "I guess it's really not all that bad," he said before looking up at Snape with a small smile.

"I'm glad to hear it," Snape replied. He reached out and gave Harry's knee a quick squeeze before standing up. "I've got a few things to do in my lab, but there's a list on the refrigerator of extra chores."

Harry groaned. He'd forgotten all about that part of his punishment. Though he supposed that in the grand scheme of things, he and Ron had probably gotten off lightly this time.


A memory began to unfurl around Remus and Draco and as it came into focus, Draco clenched his hands into fists by his side. He stood rigid next to Remus, his eyes focused on the memory version of him that sat at the table in the dining room of the manor.

"When was this?" Remus asked quietly.

"The summer after first year." Draco watched as his younger self filled a glass with pumpkin juice. "I'm about to get my end of year marks."

"Ah." Remus nodded and a second later Lucius stepped through the doorway.

"Draco," he snapped and both Draco's flinched in response.

Remus laid a hand casually on Draco's shoulder and though Draco would never admit it, he was grateful for the small measure of comfort that it brought.

Memory Draco jumped up, nearly overturning his glass in the process. "Yes, Father?"

"Sit down," Lucius growled, annoyance clear in his voice. He laid a parchment with the Hogwarts crest on the top on the table in front of Draco. "Your marks."

Draco looked down, a small smile spreading across his face as he read them out. He'd gotten "Outstanding" in every subject except Astronomy, in which he received an "Exceeds Expectations."

Remus raised a brow at the real Draco. "Very good," he praised.

Draco shook his head but didn't comment. He only continued to watch his younger self as he looked up to Lucius, clearly hoping that his marks had impressed his father.

Lucius wasn't impressed though, and a scowl now marked his face as he put down another parchment.

Remus's brows knit in confusion as he stepped up behind Memory Draco's chair and read over his shoulder. At the top of the page was Hermione Granger's name, and across from every subject was marked an "O."

"Father, I-"

Lucius leaned across the table, invading Draco's space as he said, "I don't want to hear your excuses. You allowed a filthy mudblood to get higher marks than you! You are a disgrace!"

"I'm sorry, Father." Draco rushed to apologize as he shook his head. "I-it won't happen again."

Draco turned his head. He didn't need to see his father to know that he'd come around the table and was now dragging Memory Draco roughly up by his arm.

Remus had moved behind him and he felt more than heard the low growl from the older man as he watched the scene continue to unfold.

Lucius pulled Memory Draco from the room, and reluctantly Draco and Remus followed them along a narrow hallway and into a sitting room where a desk sat in the far corner, facing away from everything else. Lucius didn't care that his son was tripping over himself as he tried to keep up, or that he was begging him to listen to his apologies and promises to do better, he only tightened his grip on his arm and then shoved him into the chair.

Lucius pulled his wand from the end of his cane and waved it at the desk, clearing it of everything. Then he said, "Accio Draco's Astronomy book," and seconds later the book came flying through the air. Lucius caught it and dropped it onto the desk. "You will not move from this chair until I am satisfied that you know this text so well that you could teach it," he snarled. "Is that clear?"

Memory Draco met his gaze and nodded his head frantically as he swallowed hard. "Y-yes, Father."

Only when Lucius turned and left the room did Draco turn to the book, opening it to the first page before letting his left arm reach up and rub his right, soothing what would later be a ghastly bruise.

"How long did you have to sit there?" Remus asked, drawing Draco's attention away from his younger self.

He blew out a breath and shook his head. "Couple of days I think, but it wasn't as bad as he made it seem. I had to eat there, but he let me up for the loo and to go to my room at night. And I've gotten an "Outstanding" in Astronomy the last two years." He tried to force a smile but he didn't think Remus believed him.

Before Remus could say anything though, the memory faded only to be replaced by a new one.

Now Draco and Remus were watching Lucius, Draco, and Marcus Flint as they stood in the entryway of the castle, just outside the Great Hall. Lucius pointed his wand at Draco's clothing, forcefully straightening them and tightening his tie while Draco stood there, surrounded by classmates, embarrassment clear on his face.

Remus looked to Draco with a frown.

"This is the day he came to Hogwarts last year," Draco supplied quietly, not taking his eyes off of his father.

"Do you think that I enjoy hearing from your professors that my son is falling behind in his classes? Stand up straight, boy!"

"Yes, Father," Memory Draco said as he did as he was told.

Draco watched as Ron and Hermione walked past them and he remembered how he'd hoped that they hadn't heard what his father had said. They had of course, and Draco knew that in a few moments Dumbledore and Severus would come down the stairs to save him. He just had to get through this part of the memory first.

He let his eyes focus back on Lucius and himself.

"I hear from Mr. Flint here that you are still disregarding my orders concerning the company you keep," Lucius was saying.

Draco's hands were shaking and he stuffed them into the pockets of his trousers. He grit his teeth, determined to watch the scene through to the end.

Once again, Remus put a hand on his shoulder, though this time he gave it a light squeeze as he asked, "Are you alright? Do you need to stop?"

Draco shook his head. "It's almost over."

"I shall not have a son who cares so little about the wishes of his father! I will not tolerate it, Draco. You will cease with this nonsense at once or so help me I will-"

"No!" Memory Draco yelled. He was breathing heavily and clenching his fists at his side.

"I beg your pardon?" Lucius was sneering as he stepped closer to Draco.

"I said no. You can't tell me who to be friends with! It's not up to you-"

"You stood up to him," said Remus, and Draco thought maybe he sounded a bit proud.

"For all the good it did," Draco said with a shrug.

"What happened next?" Remus asked, looking around when he heard Dumbledore call out to Lucius.

They watched as Dumbledore sent Draco and Flint away and Draco walked into the Great Hall. Remus moved to follow him but Draco shook his head. "I come back out in a minute," he said.

Draco pointed to Severus. "He goes out after him and then I come to listen at the door."

Sure enough, a moment later, Memory Draco returns and moves to the door that was left slightly ajar. They move closer just in time to hear Lucius accuse Severus of poisoning Draco against him. Then Severus threatening to make Lucius pay if he hurts Draco.

Draco cleared his throat. "Er, can he get in trouble for that?" he asked.

Remus only sighed as he continued to watch.

"I wouldn't need to denounce him publicly," Lucius was saying. "After all, the Blacks never had to do so publicly with Sirius and he still got the picture."

Draco felt Remus tense beside him.

"You would just ignore him? Pretend he doesn't exist? Your own child?"

Despite everything, Draco felt a warmth wash over him as he listened to Severus defend him.

"Examples need to be made, Severus," Lucius said calmly. "It would be wise for Draco to learn that now."

Draco stepped back as the memory once again began to fade. When Remus glanced at him with such a look of pity on his face that Draco thought he might be sick, he rolled his eyes and snapped, "See. It's not like he didn't warn me."

"Draco-"

"Last one," Draco said, cutting him off and turning away to watch as the next memory filled out around him.

Remus stepped up beside him and together they stood in the middle of Draco's bedroom. The massive four post bed took up most of the room on the right side. The dark green comforter lay in a mess near the foot and the pillows were scattered around it, as if Draco had struggled to find the right place for them.

His opened trunk sat at the end, robes and bits of parchment and quills lay around it but Draco didn't seem to mind the mess. In truth, it had been left that way on purpose, as if sensing the mess, one or both of his parents might come up and tell him to clean it.

"This was a week ago," Draco said before Remus could ask.

Memory Draco was sitting at a beautiful mahogany desk, staring down at his wrist. He was absently tapping it so that the phoenix bracelet would appear and then fade back to invisible over and over again.

"Bored?" Remus asked with a smile.

Draco snorted. "Incredibly." He walked around the room, looking at the books on his shelves and said, "They were ignoring me before I even got here. They didn't even pick me up at the station; just sent a house elf to apparate me here. And I knew it would be this way, I really did, but I guess I just didn't really prepare for it. Or maybe I thought it wouldn't bother me."

"I would have been really surprised if it hadn't," Remus said quietly.

Draco nodded. He turned back to face Memory Draco with a sigh. "I shouldn't have been messing with that." He pointed to the open door way. "Especially with the door open."

Right on cue, Lucius walked down the hallway. He cast a quick glance inside the room before he continued on, though the sight of Draco's room much have caused him to pause because a second later he was back.

"Draco," he snapped.

Draco didn't know what he had initially wanted because the moment that Memory Draco jumped at his sudden appearance, the bracelet disappeared, drawing Lucius's eye directly to his wrist.

"What was that?" he demanded.

Instinctively, Draco put his hands in his pockets. "Nothing, Father."

"You dare lie to me?" Lucius snarled, then he pulled his cane back and with a sharp thwack, he brought it back down against Draco's forearm, directly above his wrist.

Memory Draco hissed and pulled his hand out, cradling his arm to his chest.

"Show. Me."

"Father, please, I-"

Lucius raised the cane again but before he could hit him with it again, Draco thrust out his arm, tapping the bracelet and letting it become visible.

Draco watched as Lucius roughly grabbed Memory Draco's wrist, causing him to wince in pain. Without realizing, Draco rubbed his own wrist, but when he caught Remus staring at him with narrowed eyes, he dropped his hand and once again stuffed them into his pockets.

Lucius used his free hand to try and rip the bracelet off, but when it didn't budge he merely glared at him. "A phoenix? I suppose you've got Dumbledore buying into your lies about me. No doubt convincing everyone that I'm terrible and abusive."

Memory Draco was shaking his head. "No, sir. I-"

"Give it to me," Lucius said with a calm that was worse than if he'd shouted.

"It's nothing," Memory Draco tried again. "I swear. It's-"

Lucius clutched Draco's wrist even tighter, pulling him closer to him so quickly that Draco nearly lost his balance. "You will give it to me this instant, boy, or I promise you that I will make the beatings that precious Potter got feel like a walk in the park. You think he suffered at the hands of those Muggles? It would be nothing compared to what I could do to you."

Memory Draco's breath was coming in shallow pants and he tried to take a step back. His steel blue eyes were swimming with tears that he was stubbornly trying to blink back. But at last, Draco gave a faint nod and with shaking hands he undid the clasp on the bracelet, placing it carefully in Lucius's outstretched hand.

Lucius put the bracelet inside the pocket of his robes, then with a menacing snarl, he grabbed Draco by the front of his shirt and pulled him close once more. "Do not underestimate how badly this summer can go, Draco. Until now, you have been the pampered prince of Malfoy Manor, and I'd sure hate to see you lose your throne." Then without another word, Lucius shoved Draco hard towards his bed and left the room.

"I'm done," Draco said. "Let me out, Remus, now!" He had done his part and showed Remus his memories, but he wasn't going to spend another second here.

Remus was at his side immediately. He put a hand on his elbow and the next thing Draco knew, he and Remus were standing once more in Draco's bedroom at Snape Manor.

"Draco," Remus said softly.

"What?" Draco snapped. He stood with his back to the older man as he tried in vain to get his emotions under control. The last thing he wanted to do was start crying in front of him. He felt like everything was too much. It was too warm in his room and the blood rushing behind his ears was too loud. He couldn't think past the memories, but they were too hard to think about, so he kept replaying them, trying to block out the way that Remus had looked at him. It was too much and he was sure that one wrong word and he would just fall completely apart. But he was fourteen, and damnit, he was Draco Malfoy and he didn't fall apart!

"Thank you."

"What?" Draco said again, spinning around to glare at Remus.

"I know how hard it must have been for you to show me those memories. It took a great deal of courage and though it may not mean much coming from me, I want you to know that I am incredibly proud of you."

And just like that, Draco Malfoy lost his battle with his tears, but before the first one could fall, Remus was in front of him, gently wrapping his arms around his shoulders and whispering calming words in his ears.