Harry nodded, knowing better than to ask again. "All right. Um, so about the funeral--"
"Do you wish to go? I thought better than to ask in front of young Mr Weasley."
Harry gave his father an incredulous look. "Yes, I want to go."
"I rather had the impression you never much cared for Percy Weasley."
Was Snape really this dense?"Yeah, but I care about Ron a lot. And the rest of the family, too. It's not about him, it's about them."
"I should have remembered your insistence about seeing your aunt laid to rest." Snape nodded. "Very well. I will arrange matters, as I said."
Draco started shaking his head. "What if there's another attack?"
"Unlikely, as Voldemort has slain the small army he built up over the summer. Strange as it may seem, Lupin is indeed in his confidence now, and he assures us that Voldemort has no more captives in his amulet. But just to be safe, I will ask Albus to arrange Portkeys for everyone. At the slightest sign of trouble, all the funeral-goers will be whisked to safety."
"I'll stay here--"
"No, you will not," Snape admonished Draco.
"I'd hardly be welcome," argued Draco. "That was why I took the time to tell Mrs Weasley tonight that I was sorry."
"You are Harry's brother, and my son, and the Weasleys would not dream of excluding you. Not to mention, I am in no mind to leave you alone at Hogwarts for several hours."
"You did it earlier today."
"I left you with Harry, not alone."
Draco shoved his hands in his pockets. "So now I need a child-minder, is that it? Why don't you just say I'm a weak wizard and be done with it?"
"Because you aren't. You don't have Harry's powers, but you have strength enough, I have no doubt. But when Harry is here, the adoption wards will protect you both."
"Oh." Draco almost sagged. "That makes sense. Er . . . does that mean you want us both to stay on here even after term starts?"
"I can't possibly evaluate that now." Snape sighed. "It's been less than a full day since the attack on the Ministry, gentlemen. Perhaps you could allow me some time to consider the best course of action."
"Of course, Severus," said Draco, subdued.
"I think we all need dinner," Harry added. "Whatever suits?"
Snape glanced at him, clearly distracted. "Oh, one more thing, Harry. Sals." Reaching into a pocket, Snape drew out a gleaming, snake-shaped bracelet, then murmured a spell to bring the little snake back to life. "I meant to give her to your earlier. My apologies."
Harry tickled the top of Sals' head, hissing at her a little as she swayed in his hand, Snape's spell only slowly losing its grip on her. He was sorry that she'd remained transfigured for so long, but he didn't have the heart to complain. Forgetting about Sals, more than anything else, told Harry how much strain his father was under.
Whatever suits, with Galliano, he decided as he carefully draped Sals around his neck. Or some kind of nice wine, if the liquor cabinet is still warded.
"What about Loki?" Draco suddenly asked.
"Loki?" asked Snape and Harry both at once.
"My ferret. I just realised, Loki wasn't included with the other gifts sent through the Floo earlier. Hmm, maybe ferrets don't take so well to going up in smoke, though."
Snape sighed. "I take it you're planning to keep her?"
"Him, I'm pretty sure. But yes."
"I don't care to have a ferret running loose through my rooms." Before Draco could reply, Snape was waving a hand as though to take that back. "But as I've never complained about Harry's snake, I suppose my fate is sealed. You're to house-train this ferret, though, Draco. The library should have some books that will guide you as to which spells may be of use. I warn you now, the animal will be banished to Hagrid's care if I find any of my books or papers chewed."
"As if Loki would do a thing like that," Draco said, pretending outrage.
"Or my furniture. I'm quite serious."
"She'll only gnaw your robes. I promise."
"Draco--"
"It'll be fine. I learned to live with a snake creeping about, after all." Draco smiled. "I'll collect her when the funeral's over, then. So that all sorts."
"Oh, no," said Harry, groaning. "Sals is going to be afraid of being eaten again!"
"Ferrets don't eat snakes. Do they?"
Neither Harry nor Snape had any idea.
"We'll work it out, Harry," said Draco, giving him a bit of a hug. Sort of a half-hug, really. Just an arm slung around Harry's shoulders. "That's what brothers do."
Harry huffed a laugh, unused to such open affection from Draco. Huh . . . Rhiannon really had been good for him, he supposed.
Snape was smiling, just a little, as he glanced at Draco. "Well, at least dealing with your pet will keep you occupied for the next few weeks. I regret that it won't be possible for you to see Miss . . . see Rhiannon, that is."
Draco covered his disappointment with a brave face. "We'll write. We'll . . . well, we'll make it through this, somehow."
"And I'll use the time in the castle to get that mirror working," said Harry, determined. "Might as well do something useful with the rest of the summer."
"Summer's over," said Draco. "We're back at school, after all, and there'll be no more trips to the theatre or the seaside. No more lazy mornings lolling about."
"Dad never let you have those, anyway."
"No more sunning at the pool," Draco went on, undeterred. "Oh, no. No more telly."
Harry laughed. "Well, I won't miss my swimming lessons, that's for sure. They were hard slogging near the end, all those endless laps. But Roger was a good sort, I think."
Snape seemed about to say something, but he must have decided the time wasn't right. "Dinner, then? Would you see to it, Harry?"
Later, when they all sat down together, each one with a different meal, Harry thought it almost seemed like the summer had never come and gone at all. It was just like last year, really, the three of them eating dinner together . . .
But in another way, it wasn't like last year at all. Harry wasn't worried now, not about what Snape might think of him, and certainly not that Draco might hex him any second.
They weren't just Snape and Draco any longer. Father and brother, that's what he had. And that was something to celebrate, even in the midst of the terrible events that had overtaken their world.
Smiling, Harry picked up his wine glass. Apparently they'd all needed a drink; when Harry had ordered whatever suits, a bottle of dark red wine had arrived with three stemmed glasses.
"A toast, then." Harry lifted his glass high. Once he had it there, though, he felt a bit shy of saying something soppy. "Er . . . to the future."
Draco nodded. "To our final year at Hogwarts."
They both looked at Snape, whose dark eyes gleamed with something Harry thought he could recognise, now. He'd seen it often enough, though he hadn't always known to call it love.
"To family," said Snape quietly. "My family."
The End
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Author's Note:
Coming Soon: A Family Like None Other
The working title for the Year 7 story in this universe has long been Brothers in Arms, but on reflection, Mercredi and I have decided that the title A Family Like None Other fits the story content on far more levels. AFLNO will pick up where A Summer Like None Other has left off, and continue the storyline through the end of Harry's final year at Hogwarts.
I do hope you have enjoyed the summer interlude and that you join us for the continuing adventures of Harry, Snape, and Draco as they face new challenges and obstacles in the coming year.