Harry paled at the question. How could he have been so stupid to forget the silencing charm? He always put it on himself because with sleeping in the dorm-rooms he didn't want to wake his house mates. He opened and closed his mouth like a gaping fish, the air seemed to escape his lungs and he couldn't utter a sound.

"Harry?" Lucius asked as he placed a hand on his knee. And just like that the air rushed back into him and he came back down to Earth. He looked back and forth between the two.

"Potter it's alright. You can tell us," Snape said as he too placed a hand on the boy, this time on his back. Deciding to play it safe Harry responded,

"It was just nightmares about the past sir," he said but did not meet their eyes. The two men looked at each other before speaking.

"Potter, when we healed you, we-I found some things that need an explanation," he said. Harry glanced at the professor.

"W-what do you mean?" he asked him as he looked him in the eye.

"There were some injuries that you hide prior to you being captured and some of them yes came from you being at school but, most of them I know came from somewhere else." Harry remained quiet and kept his eyes trained to the ground as if the answer would come up out of the ground.

"Harry, has your aunt, uncle or cousin ever hurt you?" Lucius asked him. Before Harry could even get a hold of himself alone year made its way down his face.

"I-I never really did anything wrong," he said in a small whisper. "I did what they asked of me, but they still hurt me. Nothing too extreme, they did it because they just never wanted me. Then when I started with the accidental magic, that's when things started to get really bad. Soon instead of just insults and slaps it became getting whipped with a belt, hand and arms burned on the stove. Starved for days on end, broken bones, cuts, bruises,"

"Why did you never tell anyone this?" Severus asked him.

"I tried to tell Dumbledore. Asked him if there was anywhere else I could go and he said I couldn't leave there because it was to protect me from Voldemort," he replied now full on crying. Lucius wrapped his arms around the boy and brought him close and hugged him, letting him cry on his shoulder. Meanwhile Severus was cruising the headmaster to hell and back and back to hell again. He was absolutely livid.

"Of course he wouldn't care," Severus spat.

"What do you mean?" Lucius asked him.

Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "He never cared. Because I asked him the same question."

"You asked him to find another home for you?" Harry asked him.

"Yes I did. And for the same reasons as you. Except my father didn't beat me because of accidental magic. Oh no, he stared beating me long before then. Really you could say he started it from the moment I was born. Constant beatings and verbally being downgraded for the simplest things. He even did it to my mother. Then one year he actually killed her. He was never charged since it looked like a suicide so I remained with him. I had asked Albus numerous times to put me somewhere else and he brushed it off. That's why I came to the Death Eaters. I knew Tom's past history. I knew he wouldn't let it slide and he didn't. He took me under his wing and helped me. I killed my own father. And that was the first day I ever smiled at the man," he said as he focused on the ground before him.

"See, I never had that problem," Lucius said, "Well, with the headmaster anyway. You do see this is in MANY pureblood families. The parents literally beat the traditions into their kids. That's why you see so many Slytherins are so closed off and cold to others. They are really never shown affection. My own father beat the Malfoys traditions into me. I messed up reciting the family tree, or I forgot my manors at the table the reminder was a beating. Even my own mother would sometimes take it into her own hands to correct me."

"Did you ever do it to Draco?" Harry asked him.

"I did for a short while. They when I was going through the family vault I found the whip my father used to beat me with. I realized then and there I was starting to become him. I almost became sick at the thought of it. So I stopped, and I just gave him simple reminders and soon I didn't even half too. He learned on his own, or he corrected himself until he knew the traditions down to a t," he replied. The three of them stayed out there for a while, each now holding a part of the other person's past with them. They each can understand the other one's actions and personalities a lot more. It was how they were raised. When lunch came around none of them really had an appetite so they headed to the dueling room instead. 

Just like before, practice dummies were lined up around the room. This time they were metal ones. Ones that would resist against his attacks longer than the wooden ones.

"Today we will be doing the same as we did yesterday," Lucius said as they stepped down into the room. "But we will see what you can do to more resistance."

"If you hit a person with a spell, unlike with wood, it will not simply explode once hit," Severus said, "It will show resistance, stumble, and get back up. You will be repeatedly attacked by the same figure for a few moments before it finally falls." They all stepped down into the training area, Harry once again in the center of the room. When from the corner of his eye did he see Lucius flick his hand, bringing the metal figures in front of him to life he closed his eyes for a single second. To the unknown observer, it would look as if he simply blinked. But to the two standing in the room with him from the day before knew, in an instant, he had tapped into his core. And like the lighting bolt he was off, firing spell after spell at them. Yes they stumbled, but before they even had a chance to get themselves back up, he attacked them again and forced them to stay down. The fight only lasted a few mere moments before none of the figures moved. He turned and faced the two men.

"You are doing better than I thought you would," Lucius told him. Harry gave the man a small smile.

"I'm just full of surprises aren't I?" he asked.

"Indeed," said Severus, "You've been doing most of this non verbally, so we shall continue to work with that. However we shall attempt wandless magic."

"But not today," Lucius said as he glanced at the clock, "we are already late for lunch," he said as he made his way towards the door with the other two trailing behind him. Lunch was a simple meal, usually is. After lunch the four of them split in opposite directions. The Dark Lord off to his own devices, Severus in the direction of his potions lab, Lucius in the direction of his room and Harry towards the garden. He sat in his usual spot by the bond and relaxed in the grass. He had set up three stones, of different sizes, in front of him. He focused on the smallest one first. The smallest one was a white pebble he picked up off the path. He concentrated on it and continued to move his hand in the motions of the Acio charm. Once he felt confident he had it down, he tapped into his core and felt the magic flow through his veins. Then he pictured small little holes and the end of his fingertips.

So when the magic went to circulate through his veins to go back towards his body instead the magic flowed out of him. He didn't feel it branch out and flow around him. Instead he felt the magic just settle on the outside of his fingers, almost as if a cloud was around his hand, and just sat there waiting to be used. Focusing on the smallest pebble, he lifted his hand and forced more magic out of his fingertips and waved his hand in the proper motion of Acio and summoned the small stone. Unprepared for the force it came at his with, instead of catching it he ducked out of the way. He turned around and found the stone hand landed a few feet behind him. He continued with the small little stone for the rest of the afternoon. He wanted to catch the thing in his hand before turning to bigger objects. Unknown to him, he had a watcher.

He watched him up from his own balcony in his room. He watched silently as the boy practiced and practiced with the same object, not stopping till he reached his definition of perfection. He admired the boys determination, though for the life of him he couldn't figure out what he was so determined for. Hearing the dinner bell sound throughout the manner he turned and looked back down in to the garden to the boy who was unmoving from his spot and still going at it. Walking from his room he found the creature he was looking for and approached it.

"Go down to the garden and make sure he comes in and eats," he told it. The creature only slithered off in showing any sign he heard him.

Harry was starting to get the hang of his wandless magic. He started to get the stone to come at him at a slower pace. Not a safe slow pace, but a slower pace nonetheless. He was about to try another attempt when he heard a bush move behind him. Turning his head he saw the head of Nagini pop out from underneath.

"It's time for dinner young one," she told him as she fully slithered out.

"How late am I?" he asked as he gathered his things.

"Not at all, the bell just sounded," she hissed and slithered off back into the manner, no doubt to join her master. Harry followed her in and into the dinning room. For the bell just sounding, the three of them must have already been in the room for they were already seated and waiting on him. Feeling a slight hint of guilt, Harry took his usual seat next to the potions master. 

"I see you are on time today," the Dark Lord said though his tone held a hint of amusement. Harry only nodded and took a sip of his drink. The food arrived and the eating commenced. Harry was lost in his own little world and was soon surprised to find he had finished his meal before everyone else. Not wanting to be the first on up, he stayed sat in his seat, playing with his fingers. He looked across him to Lucius, and then to his silverware. Seeing he wasn't using his spoon, Harry moved his one hand up on the table. Slowly he began to move his fingers and soon Lucius spoon shot across the table. Not ducking out of the way, Harry just held his hand open, he would let his magic guide the spoon to his palm. And sure enough it did. Harry had caught the spoon in his hand and he had to fight hard not to let a smirk spread across his face as he twirled it in his fingers.

"When did you learn wandless?" Severus questioned him.

"This afternoon," he said.

"Impossible," Lucius spoke up, "You just read the book on wandless magic this afternoon?" he asked and Harry nodded his head, "And already you can summon things?" he asked with an amazed look on his face as he looked from Harry to the place where he spoon was just moments ago.

"It appears he can," Severus said. 

"I can only do small objects for now," he said as he placed the spoon down on the table.

"Practice a little more and we'll soon use that in your training," Lucius said as he took his spoon back. "Speaking of, whose up for a friendly duel after dinner?"

"I'm afraid I'll have to pass," Severus said, "The idiot decided to call an order meeting."

"About what?"

"I'm afraid Harry's disappearance is now know," he said placing his silverware down "it appears your little red-headed friend made a visit to your home and found you not to be there. When he told some order members they went to your house to find you. Your uncle told then they haven't seen you all day and so I assume a search party will be formed now," he said letting out a long sigh. He knew this meeting was the start of a long headache.

"He came to visit me?" Harry asked astounded

"Why do you seem so surprised?" He asked.

"Well, usually he writes but never-" and that's when something occured to him. "Hedwig!" He practically screamed at the table.

"What?" Lucius asked.

"Hedwig, I left her in her cage when I was taken," he said dropping his head into his hands. Everyone at that table could tell the boy was distraught over his owl now. Pushing the rest of his plate away Harry headed off to his room. Silently looking at one another before each of them went there seperate ways.

_______
_______

Severus arrived at headquarters just as the meeting started. Mostly everyone was in a panic, Molly Weasley being the most frantic.

"How could this have happened?" She cried "he should have been protected there. I told you those muggles where no good Albus! He should have just stayed with us!" She yelled at the headmaster. Severus, not having entered the room yet, let a small smile grace his face. Even to a man like him, molly was the mothering type. She was born to be a mother and that's exactly what happened. She treated random people as her own, including him. His own mother never really paid him any thought and so Molly made it her personal duty to look after him.

Stepping into the room he was greeted with stares. Sure he was an order member, that didn't meant people trusted him.

"Well, look who finally showed up," Mad-eye retorted as Severus took his seat. Severus only shot a glare back at the man. Before he even had proper time to settle into his seat Molly had rattled off a question to him.

"Did He capture him?" She asked fearfully.

"No, He does not have him," he replied and watched as she physically relaxed into her seat.

"Well, something did," Tonks shot at him, "you were sent a few days ago to make sure he was okay. And you said he was,"

"And he was,"  he shot back, "Potter was perfectly fine when I checked up on him. None too happy to get a visit from me over the summer, but fine nonetheless."

"I find that hard to believe," Mad-eye shot back at him. Severus just remained quiet, with a sneer plastered on his face. The Order meeting continued on with quite a few people sharing shady glances with Snape. The conclusion of the meeting was Tonks, Molly, Arthur, and a few others would be in one group to search for Harry in Digon Aley and muggle London. Severus was to remain by The Dark Lords side to see if he catches any wind of where Harry may be, and the rest were set to patrol and other places they can to find anything regarding the boys' whereabouts. 

Severus swiftly left the meeting and appereated to number 4 Privet Drive. Noticing the families car was gone, Severus used the cover of night to sneak into the house. Taking the stairs, Severus came to the end of the hall to a door with what appeared to be seven locks on it. Opening each, Severus stepped into the little room and glanced around. A very old and tattered looking bed, a small wardrobe, a desk that looks like it could collapse at any second, broken bars across the window, and an owl cage in the corner containing a snowy white owl. Going over to the cage Severus reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of owl treats. The little snowball hooted to life. Severus dumped a few treats into his hand and fed them to her. Then opening the cage he gently took her out.

"You'll be able to find the boy on your own yes?" he asked as he gently stroked her feathers. She gave a hoot and a gentle nip at his fingers. He went to the window and opened it and watched as she took flight. No doubt to go find a meal before heading off to her owner. He shrunk down the owl cage and placed it in his pocket. Making his way back to the door, he tripped over a loose floorboard. Looking closer, he lifted it to find a quill and ink and parchment on top of it. Lifting it out, he found it to be the boy's summer work. Taking that as well he then looked through the rest of the room to find the boys' other school work. 

Finding nothing he searched the rest of the house and found a small room under the stairs. Although, this room had a mattress as well. Finding small broken toys and other childish things in the room Severus quickly gathered the school supplies and headed back to the manor. Making his way up to the boys' room, he found him sprawled out on his bed, tear stains evident on his cheeks. He placed the boys old school trunk at the end of his bed and placed the cage next to it. Finally, he conjured up an owl perch for the owl to sit on. Just as he placed it next to the bed he heard a tap on the window. Looking over he found the snowy white creature waiting to come in. Allowing the owl to enter, she immediately flew to her new perch and started to clean her wings. Smiling to himself he headed off to his room and practically did the same thing as Harry. Changed into his night clothes and threw himself on his bed and fell asleep.