Getting Things Sorted

A/N: I managed to finish the first draft of chapter 10 last night, so I decided to celebrate with an update! Chapter 10 was big fun to write, but before we get there, here's chapter 9 in all its freshly beta'd glory!

Speaking of betas, Vaughn rocks my socks!

And to all the folks who have been kind enough to leave me a review, you absolutely make my day! Every single one of you!

Disclaimer: They are not mine; I only take them out to play.

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Insanity destroys reason, but not wit.

-Nathaniel Emmons

For the next hour, the five people gathered around the coffee table in the library of number twelve, Grimmauld Place, discussed a variety of reasons that would explain why they intended to move the Order's headquarters. In the end, they decided the simplest reason would work to their best advantage.

"It will be big news when the Order finds out that you have Hufflepuff's cup here," Remus said. "If I explain that Hermione needs uninterrupted peace and quiet in order to sort how to destroy the cup, then no one is going to argue."

"That would also excuse Hermione from Order meetings, which would mean that someone would always be here at the house," Harry added.

"That not only works well for looking after Severus," Hermione said to Draco, "but if you ever needed anything, and Remus wasn't available, you could Floo here."

"That would be a relief, to be honest," Draco said. "It's not always easy to get in touch with Remus. When Severus and I found out that your parents' house was going to be targeted, it was a full moon. That's why the Order got the information so late. Remus was barely himself before I was practically beating down his door."

"Malfoy," Ron said, "how difficult is it going to be for you when you return to the Death Eaters without Snape?"

"You'd better get used to calling him Severus, even when he isn't around," Draco cautioned. "He'll throw a right fit if you call him Snape or professor."

"You'd best tell us what we should avoid while he's still asleep," Hermione said with a sigh. Even with her memory, it would be so easy to slip up.

"Too true," Draco agreed, "but let me answer the Weasel's question first. The Dark Lord won't be pleased when I come back without him, but it shouldn't be too bad. I'll just say that Severus took off his tracking bracelet and I couldn't find him. They'll assume that he'll show up eventually since they won't know that he has anywhere else to stay."

"You know, Ferret," Ron responded in kind, "if it gets too rough for you, you could always join Severus here."

For a moment, Draco simply looked stunned. Seeing the clear agreement on both Hermione's and Harry's faces prompted him to speak. "Thanks," he said simply. "It's good to know that I've got a bolt hole if I need one. I'm going to stick it out as long as I can, though. With Severus here, I'm the only spy that Remus has left."

"I can understand that," Harry said. "But don't leave it too long. Better a live fighter than a dead spy."

"Too true," Draco agreed. "Listen, Severus won't sleep long, so I'd better tell you what to avoid doing and saying around him. Even with my help, a lot of it's hit and miss with him. The other day I mentioned that I'd like a chocolate éclair. Severus started laughing hysterically until he gave himself the hiccoughs. I still have no idea why. I just want to warn you that no matter how careful you try to be, he's still barking mad and he's bound to act it sometimes, no matter what you do."

"He seems very calm most of the time," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Oh, he is, usually," Draco agreed. "He can spend most of the day calm and seemingly normal, and then go off like an insulted hippogriff for no reason at all. I want to make very sure that you understand what you are getting into if you keep him here."

"We know it won't be easy," Harry said seriously. "Look, I don't like the man, I never have, and I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him for what he did to Albus. But there's no arguing the fact that he has saved my life on more than one occasion. I owe him. The least that I can do is give the batty git a safe place to stay. If we can't deal with it, we'll find some other solution, but I'm not going to send him back to the Death Eaters to be tortured on a daily basis."

"If it gets too difficult, fire-call Remus. We'll find another safe house for him. We've already gotten my mother into a safe house. She's supposedly visiting Malfoy relatives in France and trying to recruit them to the Dark Lord's cause, but we've got her in a house protected much as this one is. I could always try sending Severus to her, but I'm not at all certain that she can handle him."

"Much as I hate the bloody idea," Ron said, dragging a hand through his hair, "Harry has made a good point. We all owe the nasty bugger for one thing or another. Let's try it and see what happens. At least Hermione seems to have a way with him. That should help."

"It will only help if I can manage to keep my temper," Hermione said with a wry grin. "He wasn't here fifteen minutes before I was itching to hex him."

At this, Draco laughed long and hard. "I don't think that a day has gone by that I haven't wanted to do the same thing. He may be mad, but he's still Severus and just as irritating, if not more so."

"Isn't he your friend?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"Of course he is," Draco replied, still grinning. "There's a great deal that I admire about the man, but that doesn't mean that he isn't a right prat when he wants to be."

"I suppose that we all have our little ways," Remus said in his gentle voice. "Speaking of which, you'd best fill these three in on Severus' more interesting ways before he joins us."

"Well," Draco began, "you already know the big ones. It's safest to call him Severus. Don't make any direct statements about Hogwarts or the fact that he was a teacher there. You can sometimes come at the subject indirectly, but you have to be careful."

"I did that earlier," Hermione said. "When you warned me off the subject of Potions class. I said something about 'the man who taught me Potions.' Severus got a bit snippy about it, but he wasn't upset."

"You did well," Draco said with honest appreciation. "Sometimes if you come at a subject from a different direction, it works. Sometimes he'll go off the deep end no matter what you say or do."

"What else do we need to know?" Harry asked.

"You can talk about most the staff at Hogwarts and most of the Order, but only if you stick to their given names. Don't use surnames or titles. Of course, that doesn't work with Dumbledore...it's best not to speak of him in any way. Oh, and don't mention Hagrid if you can help it. He won't throw an eppy, but it makes him terribly depressed."

"That makes sense," said Ron. "We spoke to Hagrid earlier today. According to Hagrid, he and Sn...er...Severus were better friends than we had thought. At least, until--" Ron's voice drifted away in embarrassment.

"Before I got Dumbledore killed, you mean," Draco snapped. His tone of voice was harsh, but his head dropped as he spoke and he looked completely miserable.

"Draco," Remus said kindly, "no one here likes what happened. But Voldemort threatened the lives of your parents. I don't think any of us are going to blame you for that. I only wish that you would have come to me sooner."

"I didn't truly realize that I could. I was brought up with my parents' beliefs, and I followed them because that's the only way that I knew how to be. That night on the tower, it hadn't occurred to me that there was any other way out, until Dumbledore offered it to me. By then it was far too late." Looking at Harry with eyes full of regret, he continued. "I am sorry for what happened...I wish that I'd been smarter...I wish..."

"I understand, Draco, I really do," Harry said with a gentleness that surprised the others. "I never knew my parents, but I love them, just the same. My first year at school, Voldemort told me that he would bring them back if I did what he wanted. I don't think I can possibly express how completely tempting that thought was to me at that age. Only my conviction that the bastard was lying about being able to bring back the dead kept me from making a huge mistake. Losing Albus was like losing a father. I don't think that I'll ever be over it. But I can't blame you for wanting to protect your family. I can wish that you'd found another way, but I can't blame you."

"Sometimes I remember meeting you in that robe shop. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if you'd accepted my offer of friendship. I don't know if I would have dragged you down, or you would have straightened me out."

"Well," said Harry with a sad smile, "it's a little late, but here we are on the same side. I suggest that we make the most of it."

"Potty," Draco teased, "I believe that you have a deal."

It was then that Hermione disturbed all four men by bursting into tears. She simply couldn't help it. She had hated Draco in school, but she was proud of what he was doing now. As for Harry, she'd never seen him act with such maturity or such mercy. She'd never been more proud of him in her life. Embarrassed by her emotional reaction while surrounded by staring men, Hermione scrubbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt and tried to pull herself together.

"What's with her?" Draco said, nonplussed.

"Nothing much," Ron teased, "except that she's a girl. Weepy, you know, girls. I suppose that it's that time of the--"

"Not one more word, Ronald Weasley!" she snapped. "Not one!"

That broke the serious mood, and even Hermione had to smile when she heard Draco snickering again. Suddenly it seemed like they were back at school, laughing together, only this time the blond young wizard who giggled like a girl was no outsider, but a part of their group. The feeling of camaraderie continued as Draco explained a few last things to avoid doing around Severus, and then it was abruptly shattered by an incensed voice.

"Exactly what, may I ask, is going on here? I was beginning to expect that you three had at least one brain between you. Now I return from my visit to find you entertaining a Death Eater in the library. I'm certain that Minerva will find this very interesting."

"Damn," muttered Harry. "I forgot about Phineas."

"We've forgotten about Kreacher as well," Remus added. "Leave Phineas to me, Harry. You'd best go find Kreacher and give him very specific instructions about not mentioning your guest to anyone."

While Phineas was not the most pleasant of portraits, he was no fool. Though he'd been the least popular headmaster that Hogwarts had ever seen, he'd been a very effective headmaster. His intellect was unquestionable. Phineas had also been present for many of the Order meetings which had taken place at Harry's house; meetings where Remus had offered information from his nameless sources. Despite Phineas' harsh manner of speaking, it did not take Remus long to convince him that his sources must remain secret, even the mad one that would soon be living with Harry.

When Phineas and Kreacher's silence on the matter had been squared away, Hermione brought up a question that had been bothering her.

"Draco, you said that you tried to get Severus to stay someplace safe before, and he refused. What makes you think that he will go along with the idea this time?"

"He always refused because he said he had to look for something." Draco replied. "I suppose that I'm assuming it was that odd cup that he gave Potter. Speaking of which, do I want to know what a Horcrux is?"

"I think it's better if you do not," Remus said firmly. "That's a bit of knowledge that would make Voldemort very suspicious of you, were it to come to light."

"I'll take your word for it," Draco said. "To be honest, I'll have enough to worry about when I return without Severus. I don't need any more things to hide. I'm a fair hand at Occlumency, but the less you have to hide, the easier it is."

"Perhaps that's why I have never gotten a good handle on it," Harry said. "I've always had so much to hide."

"Or maybe," Hermione said archly, "you only need to apply yourself more to the task. You've improved a lot these past few months."

The discussion was halted by the sudden appearance of Severus Snape. Obviously agitated, he rushed into the room, came to an abrupt stop just inside the doorway, and glanced briefly at the occupants of the room. Seeing that he had not been abandoned, he stood examining the suit of armor very intently. Severus had the air of a cat that's been caught doing something undignified but refuses to acknowledge it.

Rising from the sofa, Hermione went over to Severus and put a gentle hand on his arm. "I told you that we would be here when you awoke," she said kindly, "and here we are."

"So I see," Severus said to the vicinity of the suit of armor's chest. With the finger of one hand he was lightly tracing the breastplate's decoration as if it was the most fascinating thing that he'd ever seen.

"I told you that you would be safe here," Hermione continued. "Severus, how would you like to stay here with us? You could stay with us and be safe all the time."

"This isn't your house," Severus growled. "You can't invite me to stay. It isn't your house."

"You're right, it isn't my house. But Harry wants you to stay here with us. It was Harry's idea for you to stay here and be safe."

A loud snort and a melodramatic rolling of his eyes showed exactly what Severus thought of that idea. "Stupid little whore, the whore's son hates me. He would no more do that than he would try to fly a broomstick to the moon!"

Crossing to them, Harry said, "Severus, Hermione was telling you the truth. I know we've never cared for one another, but I don't want to send you back out there to be hurt. Stay here. Stay here with us and be safe."

This short speech caused a reaction very much like Hermione had caused when she asked Severus to let her heal him. Clearly flustered, Severus' eyes darted around the room. He looked at the window seat, the potted fluxweed plant, the cluttered top of Hermione's desk, the floor lamp next to Remus' chair. Then, for one brief moment, he looked straight into Harry's eyes. Dropping his gaze to the floor, Severus stood very still for a moment, lost in thought. When he eventually raised his head, he looked straight at Draco.

Crossing to where Draco sat, Severus kneeled before him. Placing both of his hands on Draco's shoulders, Severus stared into Draco's eyes. "Boy," he began softly, "will you be all right? Will you be all right in that nest of whores without me?"

"It will be easier for me if I don't have to worry about you," Draco said firmly. "Stay here, Severus. Stay here with Potter and let them look after you. I'll be fine."

"If it gets too rough, if the Dark Whore gets too suspicious, you promise me you'll get out of there, boy! Better a live Slytherin than a dead Gryffindor."

Draco laughed at that. "Potter told me much the same thing, though not as elegantly. Don't worry, Severus. I want to continue to spy for the Order, but I'm no fool. If things go south, I'm to come here. Potter told me I can come here and stay with you. But you need to stay here Severus. All right?"

Letting go of Draco's shoulders, Severus sat back on his heels. Rolling his eyes, he said, "Oh, I suppose."

That was the end of the matter. After taking a moment to explain Severus' tracking charm to Hermione, Draco left to make his excuses to the Death Eaters. Severus barely acknowledged Draco's goodbye, as he was having a heated discussion about wizarding law with Phineas' portrait.

That was one problem taken care of, thought Hermione, but where was the man going to sleep? The unoccupied bedrooms in Harry's house would give a sane person nightmares. For the moment, he could sleep on the sofa in the library, but they needed to get him a room sorted straight away. The room next to hers probably needed the least work to make it habitable, and Hermione could keep a better eye on the man if he was close to her room. That settled, she sat back down on the sofa with Ron and Harry to tell them of her thoughts on the matter.