Chapter One - I Hate Potions

     Harry really wasn't listening as Snape droned on about a potion they were to be making in class that day. He had too much on his mind at the time, far too much. With everything he was shouldering, Snape had still forced him to be partners with Malfoy, and he had hated every second of it so far.

     He was brought out of his racing thoughts when Malfoy nudged him with his elbow, the first touch he had had in several days. He didn't have time to register the thought before he heard an order, at least that was something he was used to.

     "I said, chop this up and then stir it, Potter," Malfoy repeated, shoving some sort of root toward him. Harry rolled his eyes in a half-hearted show of defiance but did what he was told regardless; chopping it into almost even, small pieces. He added in the root and started to stir it slowly, unsure of the direction he should be going in. Had Malfoy told him? 'Like this?' He thought. Surely that was correct. He went to turn to Malfoy for feedback.

     "No, not like th-" Malfoy started but was cut off by an explosion from the cauldron. A light bluish smoke rose from their project. Malfoy held his breath to prevent breathing any of it in; Harry had stood no chance with his proximity. Draco glared at the spot he last saw Potter standing, the smoke had engulfed their entire workspace and Draco couldn't make out his hand as he waved it in front of himself to clear the air.

     Draco heard coughing, knowing it was Harry, though he must have fallen down as the sound was coming from below him. He hadn't heard the other boy fall, but Draco did hear that his voice was different, higher in pitch, certainly, but when the smoke cleared he didn't see Potter at all. Instead, a small boy stood, gazing back at him from where Potter had been. If Draco had to guess, he'd assumed the boy was around five years of age. The resemblance to Potter was stark, in fact, he looked like a smaller version of him. The child was wearing muggle clothes that were more than a few sizes too big. He had tangled and unruly, curly black hair and, and his scar, the famous scar that Potter was known for was there on the child's forehead, far less faded then Draco had seen it only moments before.

     The only real difference, neglecting the age gap, was that the boy looked like he was hit by the Hogwarts Express. He had a bruise on his left cheek and several cuts on his exposed skin that seemed as if they had only just stopped bleeding, that's all that Draco could make out in the short time before chaos reared its head. The child looked up with big, curious green eyes looking straight at Draco, into his soul, with such innocent puzzlement that Draco forgot where he was for a moment; the quiet before the storm.

     Snape started, getting over the surprise that the entire class remained entranced by, and the little boy took notice. He ran behind Draco before anyone could react and looked at Snape from behind his legs, fear in his green eyes. Draco's brain could not catch up to what he was seeing, as much as he willed it to; all he could do was stare. The child was holding onto Draco's pants leg for dear life. He looked up at Draco, who was still staring at him, with pleading eyes, silently begging for Draco's help to get away from the strange man walking towards him. Draco couldn't react in time to his plea that reminded him so much of himself.

     Snape roughly grabbed the boy's shoulder and pulled him off of Draco's leg. He turned around and started walking away with the boy. Snape stopped as if remembering his class and called over his shoulder "Finish your potions, bottle them, clean your cauldrons, and I expect a three-page essay on your findings. Draco, come with me."

     Draco snapped out of his trance and quickly realized all eyes were on him and the boy. The other students, save for Ron and Hermione, ducked their heads and got back to work. Weasley and Granger, on the other hand, started towards Snape, who was already halfway out the door, and the little boy, who looked like he was about to cry.

     Draco went to catch up with them but was blocked and nearly shoved back by Weasley and Granger. They were going after Snape. Draco finally got out the door to see Snape walking down the hallway and the child's face covered in tears, looking desperately back, with Granger and Weasley at their heels.

     "Where are you taking him?" Granger demanded as Draco caught up.

     "To the headmaster," Snape said, not even looking at her as he continued walking. The boy looked over his shoulder to see the older boy he saw when he appeared here, wherever here is... Truthfully he was scared, he had no idea where he was but somehow he felt safe with the older boy. He didn't know why, but he did. After all, he was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

     There was another boy, one with red hair, and a girl that followed the man that took him and the platinum-haired boy was behind them. He was suddenly yanked around a corner and he tripped over his own feet, falling to the ground. The man tighten his grip to keep him from falling, but his small hand easily slipped out as it always had.

     Draco watched as the little boy started crying again, he had stopped before at some point when he was looking back at Draco. Draco didn't know what to do as he stood behind everyone else and he watched as Granger went over to the small boy and tried to comfort him but the boy just backed up to get away from her, shielding his face with one hand. The boy looked over at Draco, eyes red and puffy, and begging for help. Draco hesitated but moved to the child. He knelt down beside the boy and he scrambled over to Draco, grabbing his robes, practically forcing Draco to pick him up.

     Hermione watched in awe and jealousy and Ron looked as confused as he did when Hermione told him to come with her to follow Snape. Snape just told Draco to "Come with me," and continued down the hall. Draco obediently followed, easily matching Snaped long strides with his own practiced ones.

     Once they had gotten to the staircase that led to Dumbledore's office Snape started naming off sweets, he was trying to figure out the new password. "Chocolate frogs... Acid pops... Fever fudge..." It was quite funny to everyone to watch Professor Severus Snape naming off candies, but they all wisely kept it to themselves. "Licorice snaps... Sherbet lemon." The gargoyle staircase turned, allowing access to the headmasters' office. Snape went first, leading the way. Draco went next, careful not to drop the trembling child. And then lastly Ron and Hermione.

     Snape didn't even bother knocking as he opened the door to Dumbledore's office. The headmaster looked up from his work to watch Snape expectantly as though he was already expecting him. "We have a problem," Snape said as Draco walked in with the small boy.

     "Oh?" Dumbledore questioned. Snape gestured towards the boy. "I see."

     "Potter seems to of made himself, ah, younger when his potion exploded," Snape said quite aggravated. The boy flinched.

     At the moment, said child was clinging to Draco, his head on Draco's chest. Draco was puzzled, so this was Potter as a kid? He doesn't seem like it at all, but then again the boy did look like a mini version of Potter. The miniature Harry Potter was terrified though, he never thought the famous Harry Potter would have that look on his face (although he seemed to relax slightly when Draco had picked him up).

     "Looks like he'll be staying with Mr. Malfoy." Draco looked up at the headmaster saying his name. He had accidentally tuned them out while looking at miniature Potter. It took two moments to process what Dumbledore had said.

      "What?!" Malfoy, Ron, and Hermione yelled at the exact same time. Miniature Harry buried his face further into Malfoy's chest, the sudden noise scaring him. Why did everyone have to scream? Was it his fault again?

     "He seems to be scared of all of us, yet he's clinging to you," Dumbledore stated calmly with a small smile, his blue eyes sparkling, his words directed towards Draco.

     "But- but-" Draco stuttered, at a loss of words.

     "He will stay with you in the Slytherin dorms," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. Draco stared at the headmaster with eyes as big as saucers, Ron and Hermione doing the same.

     Poor little Harry had no idea what was happening, he didn't even know if they were talking about him. All he knew is that he felt safe in these arms and he never wanted to leave them, especially after what they had done to him. Maybe he would stay safe here.