What do we do now(Harry Potter/Severus Snape

Chapter 21: The Lost Boys

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything that you would recognize in that universe.

A/N: Sorry it has taken so long for this chapter to get posted but life has a habit of sneaking up on you and demanding your attention. And demanding my attention it really has.

"Snake Talk"

Chapter 21: The Lost Boys

Over the next couple of months life seemed to pass by with out anything out of the ordinary happening. Daylan had not had another dream since that night which in itself was a blessing but as it were they were no closer to finding Voldemort. Albus had been sending out various Order of the Phoenix members to check out vague tips but all had come back empty handed.

Daylan was adjusting to life with Severus as well as could be expected but there were some days when he would find the small boy curled up in some dark corner in his animagus form trying to escape from whatever it was that plagued him. Severus could never get Daylan to tell him why he felt the need to hide in his animagus form but he would tell him that the colors were never as bright as they were when he was a puppy. Of course Daylan would never explain exactly what that meant and to Severus that was more disconcerting than anything else. Severus guessed that Daylan would eventually be more open with him but he realized that it would take time, patience, and a lot of love to erase everything that the Dursley's had done to his child. But Severus vowed that he would be there for him every step of the way.

At the present time Severus was sitting silently in his office trying to grade his seventh year class essays on the properties of the mandrake root. He was starting to honestly wonder if anyone actually listened to his lectures. It was disheartening to see that so many students had no drive to do well in their subjects, especially with their NEWTS coming up at the end of the year.

Rubbing his head tiredly Severus wondered what his son had been up to during the day. Draco had stayed the night before and it was hard to tell what all the boys had gotten into. He just hoped that anything they did wasn't life threatening or permanent.

He was still trying to appease Filch after the last prank Daylan and Draco had played on Mrs. Norris. For some odd reason, which Severus couldn't fathom, Filch didn't seem to appreciate his cat being tuned into a Chihuahua. It had taken Minerva several days to undo Daylan's prank, which they found out later had been helped along with a potion that the boys had swiped from a seventh year Slytherin. He still thought that Mrs. Norris's change had been a large improvement.

Lucius had been bringing Draco over on the weekends so that Daylan would have some company of his own age. Last weekend Narcissa had come as well and had met Jocelyn for the first time. The two women had gotten along famously much to Lucius's horror especially when Narcissa started telling some rather embarrassing stories from their time at Hogwarts.

Both women had been brought up to speed on what Dumbledore had told himself and Lucius. Narcissa had wanted immediately to pack up and move to Hogwarts so that Draco would be safe. As much as Lucius wanted to do the same thing there was just too much stuff that they had to do before that would be an option. Dumbledore had already agreed to let the Malfoy's stay at Hogwarts whenever they were ready.

As Severus returned to his grading his son and godson were wondering the castle looking for something that would capture their attention. Little did any of them know that today would be the day that would break up the monotony that had plagued them since the night of Daylan's nightmare.

Daylan and Draco where wondering through the lower corridors of the Dungeons even though both of them were told time and time again not go there with out an adult. But being the normal children that they were they did not do what they were told.