"Is it ever," Draco murmured in wonder, glancing about before he turned to eye Harry. "Very Slytherin color."
"It's the color of my mother's love," Harry realized, remembering what Snape had said before. But why was his mother's love that particular shade of green? Harry didn't think it had to do with her eyes. As far as Harry was concerned, the walls were tinted Avada Kedavra green, because the essence of his mother's love had been to take the curse for him. To die, for him.
It wasn't a color he much liked looking at, all things told.
"Could somebody please heal Dudley?" he asked to get his mind off it.
"Severus, you're drained," Draco said when Snape made a motion as though to get up and do it. "I'll take care of it." One quick flick of his wand and a simple incantation had the cut vanishing from the Muggle boy's hand.
Two fat tears rolled down Dudley's quivering jowls. "I... I wish you could have helped Mum like that, you know. Dad and I thought it would be so s-- s-- simple..."
"Oh, Dudley..." Harry couldn't help it. He wrapped his arms around his crying cousin and pulled him close. This time, he didn't feel the phantom needles haunting him; he just felt sad for Dudley.
"I'll miss you a bunch," Dudley admitted when they pulled apart. "Strange, huh? We grew up together, all those years, but it's only now I feel like I've ever gotten to know you."
Harry could have told him that it was hard to get to know someone when you were punching them, chasing them, or sitting on top of them. "You'll see me again," he promised.
Dudley swallowed. "Uh, well now that you've got a real wizard to live with, I'm not sure how often you'll end up visiting the er... Muggle world. When will I see you?"
Harry hardly knew what to say, as it wasn't up to him. He looked expectantly towards Snape, who had his eyes closed, though he was clearly listening, as he said, "Summer, if his magic is back under his control. If it's not, we probably can't risk an outing to London, but we will arrange something."
"Thanks," Dudley said.
"It is I who should be thanking you," Snape corrected, rising to his feet. "For helping me safeguard Harry, you have my most profound thanks. Now, if you will excuse me, I must sleep and recover. In the morning, the headmaster will help you return to your aunt's house..." Snape's voice began to waver, his words a bit rambling as he went on, "Remember to return the ring to Albus Dumbledore before you part ways..."
He swayed, and Draco caught him under the elbow, saying, "Come on, Severus," as he led him down the hall to his bedroom. The wards flickered slightly as Draco's arm entered the room to gently nudge Snape inside towards the bed.
"Do you trust Severus' spell casting?" Draco questioned when he returned.
"Well, yes," Harry replied, mystified. "Of course I do."
"Good. I want to show you something." Draco strode to the door. "Abrire."
"What are you doing?" Harry cried. "You can't go out!"
"I have to." But all Draco did was step outside into the dark corridor, wait five seconds, and stroll back in, right through the filmy haze of green that hung across the open doorway. He shut the door with his hand.
"What's that all about?" Dudley questioned.
It took Harry a minute to reason it out himself. "Oh. The rooms let him in," he told his cousin. "The wards aren't supposed to admit anyone who intends me harm." Harry turned to the Slytherin boy. "I suppose you think that means I have to trust you."
"No, Harry," Draco scorned. "You don't have to. Ignore the fact that your new father's wards trust me just fine. That's right. You go live in your own little world. Don't mind me at all."
"Oh, you want facts?" Harry sneered. "How's this for one? Number Four Privet Drive was good and warded, wasn't it? It wasn't supposed to let in anybody who wanted to hurt me. So how come my Uncle got to stroll in every night after work? How come Dudley here--sorry, Dudley--was able to walk through the door?"
"Because they lived there!" Draco hotly retorted, and then said in a meekish voice. "Oh. I thought that would do it, I really did."
Dudley looked from Harry to Draco and back, but decided not to interfere. "I think I'll go to bed," he decided. "Um, Draco... could you?" He gestured vaguely at the couch.
Draco shook his head, his mood still subdued as he said, "Harry doesn't need me in there to protect him, not now that the wards are up. You should take a last chance to catch up before you have to leave."
Nodding, Dudley wandered off towards the bedroom.
Harry was tired too, but he wanted more Truthful Dreams potion. Snape's door was closed now, though, and he hated to bother him, especially since the man was likely to tell him it wasn't terribly smart to take it every single night.
But he wanted to dream of his mother and father again.
"What?" Draco asked, just sounding tired.
"I... never mind," Harry gave up, miserable. Maybe it was wrong to long for dreams of his dead parents, on this first night he really had a new one. Wizard Family Services might not consider it "official" quite yet, but the counters and the warding spells did. And Snape did.
And that was good enough for Harry. He was adopted, now. It was final.
I really should have said something to Snape, he realized. But what? He doesn't much like thanks. Maybe I should try to call him Severus like he asked.
"What?" Draco demanded again.
"The color on the walls is fading," Harry thought to say. It was true, but definitely wasn't the reason he was dithering in the living room.
Draco shrugged, then ventured, "Look, I know your cousin doesn't like your snake any more than I do, but I can't sleep knowing it might come creeping out all over me...."
"But you've been sleeping out here for nights and nights!"
"Yeah. I, um, sort of kept casting Stupefy on your pet."
"Draco!"
"Shh, you'll wake up Severus and he needs the rest. Interaxial magic really takes it out of you. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is I don't want to keep doing that, okay? So could you please take the bloody snake into the bedroom with you?"
Harry looked at him doubtfully. "Well, sure, but you know she could just crawl out under the door while you're asleep."
"Are you trying to give me nightmares?" Draco sighed. "I'm planning to cast a breachment spell across the crack."
"All right," Harry agreed. He went and gathered Sals up, ignoring Draco's look of disgust, and went in to bed.
Maybe it was because Sals was curled around his arm, the light motion of her breathing somehow comforting, or maybe he was just all dreamed out, but whatever the cause, Harry didn't have any nightmares that night.
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By noon the next day, Dudley was gone.
By evening, Harry had his mother's ring back around his neck; the headmaster had collected it from Dudley after they'd arrived at King's Cross Station and made it back onto the regular platform.
The promised adoption document, however, had not arrived; nor had an official seal appeared on Harry's copy. He knew, because he checked it every half-hour or so. After Harry had made about six such forays into his bedroom to peer at the contract stashed in his trunk, Snape insisted he get his mind onto something else. "A game of chess, perhaps," he suggested.
Harry was pretty sure Snape would wipe the floor with him, but that wasn't what made him shake his head. "What if they say no?" he asked, surprised and a little dismayed to hear his voice wavering as it emerged.
Snape pointed at the sofa until Harry stopped his restless pacing and sat down. "Why would they do that?"
"Well, you know," Harry muttered, looking down at his own hands.
"You are thinking of my past, perhaps?"