So, I have been gone a minute. I apologize. Here is a new chapter. I am thinking of firing Lockhart and have ideas as to who will replace him, please feel free to offer your own ideas. I am grateful to all your reviews and encouragements. I would ask that those who ask me to add more and to have longer chapters to realize I keep the chapters the right length in comparison to what is needed in content. Please, be respectful when reviewing.

Chapter Seventeen

The next morning didn't seem real to Harry. He had gotten dressed in school robes and his uniform just like last year but he was in his dad's rooms and being rushed along by the man. He gathered his bag and books for the day and walked out of the portrait hole with his dad following behind him. They were walking together in the Dungeons, and it was all real. Harry couldn't believe it after last night.

His father patted his shoulder as they turned a corner, and Harry looked up to see Draco. He had missed his older cousin even if it hadn't been long since they saw each other. Harry grinned as the boy came up to them. Harry was shocked to see the boy was not also smiling. The boy looked to his father first and nodded his head. "Good Morning, Professor, may I walk Harry to the Great Hall?"

Harry's dad gave him a look, and Harry nodded his head to the silent question. His father did his signature pivot and walked away from them. Harry focused on his friend who was glaring at him now. "What were you thinking, Little Snape? Are you mad? A flying car? You could have died. Do you know what that would do to Uncle Severus, to my mum and dad, to me?"

Harry felt his stomach turn with nerves as he understood Draco was angry with him. He turned his head away from the other boy and felt tears come to his eyes. "I-Im sorry, D-Draco. Honest."

Harry felt the boy hug him before realising Draco didn't hate him. "I love you, Little Snape. If you do anything like this again, I am going to cast the tickle jinx on you. Understand?"

Harry nodded against the boy and was allowed to pull away from him. "I really am sorry, Draco."

The blonde boy patted him and then grabbed his hand. "It's fine now, baby cousin. We should get to breakfast."

Harry nodded and followed the boy through the hallway. They made it to the Great Hall, and it was finally hitting Harry what day it was and where he was. This was the first day people would see him in school as Harry Snape. This was the first day he couldn't hide at home with his dad and avoid all the dramatics of the wizarding world. He was really going to need that time alone with his dad later.

He left Draco to go to the Slytherin table while Harry found Ron, who was sitting beside a sulky looking Hermoine. She was probably mad at them for what happened, but honestly, Harry thought they had been through enough. He had been pretty scared last night, and he wasn't worried his dad or Draco hated him now, but he didn't want his friends to hate him either.

He wasn't worried about anyone else. Fred and George were praising him and Ron for their actions and wanting to go on the next stunt. The other boys in their year were looking at him as well, but it seemed different. He knew it had been a weird summer, but he thought they would at least know he was the same as he always had been. He smiled at them and waved. "Hi, guys."

Dean smiled at him. "Hello, Harry, have a nice summer?"
Seamus smirked. "I bet he didn't. How is it living with the bat?"

Harry's smile died. "I rather you not call him that anymore. And my summer was good, I had a really great time with my dad."

Dean smiled and Seamus seemed to eye him oddly. "What happened? I thought you hated the slimy snake."

Dean punched the irish boy in the shoulder. "That's his dad now, okay, Seamus?"

Seamus rolled his eyes but nodded. "Sorry, Harry, I'll try to be nicer about him, mate."

Harry nodded and turned to the most silent one in their little group. Neville wasn't even looking at him. He was staring at the table and nearly shaking. Harry frowned. "What's wron…"

He stopped mid-word as the boy jumped. He saw the boy look up at him, and he looked like he was near tears. Harry saw the others were busy talking to everyone about yesterday, so he was stuck with figuring out what was wrong with Neville. "Neville, are you okay?"
The boy nodded, but it was way too fast to be honest. He seemed even more shaky, and even though he was looking up, he wouldn't make eye-contact with Harry. "I-I'm fine, H-Harry."

Harry wasn't so sure, but he didn't want to push the boy. He turned to his plate and was surprised to see it already had food on it. He knew who it was, so he sent a smile and wave to his father, which was returned with a brisk nod of his own. Harry knew it was going to be different with his father being nice now, but he was also realising everything was going to be different this year.

It was just as he was tucking into his food that he heard the hoot of the owls flying in with the morning post. Harry knew not to expect anything. He did watch as Fred/George shouted that Errol was coming down. The bird flew into the food, and Harry laughed with a few others. He looked to check on Ron, who the bird had flown to, and saw the boy's face was white as a sheet. He looked to see why and saw the bird had a red envelope in his beak. Harry felt confused until the thing was opened and Mrs. Weasley's voice was screeching about disappointment and poor Mr. Weasley's job, and Harry felt tears come to his eyes. He had done all of that to the poor Weasley's. How could he be so stupid? Ron wasn't fairing much better, but he was mostly embarrassed and not at all near tears.

Harry looked up to the head table and saw his father and grandfather giving him comforting looks. He nodded to them and turned back to finish his breakfast. Once they had finished their breakfast, Professor McGonagall handed them out their schedules. When Harry was handed his, she gave him a pursed smile that he came to expect. She was a little like his dad that way, always keeping her smiles almost serious. That's why Harry appreciated them all the more.

He and his friends went out to their first class, which was Herbology. Harry looked forward to working on it with Professor Sprout, who this summer had been really nice to him. They had almost made it there when they saw Professor Lockhart talking with Professor Sprout. He sounded like he was trying to tell her how to work with plants, and Professor Sprout did not look happy to have him around. Harry was pretty sure this man was as arrogant as his dad used to think he was. He must be since he was trying to teach Professor Sprout how to do her job. Harry hoped he could avoid him while in his class.

The man finally stopped talking as they were coming closer. He turned and smiled large as he saw Harry. "Ah, Mr. Potter, how lovely it is to see you. Children."
He nodded to his friends, and Harry was disgusted to see Hermoine preen. He didn't think he would ever understand girls. "Good Morning, Professor, I'm Hermoine Granger. I am ever so excited to be in your class."

Ron turned a laugh into a cough. The Professor smiled fakely at her and turned back to Harry. Ron grabbed Hermoine by the arm and led her toward their class. "Sorry, mate, meet you inside, alright?"

Harry nodded as they left and heard barely as Ron made fun of Hermoine, "Ever so excited, who says that?"
Harry would have laughed if he didn't have to put up with Lockhart. "Hello, Mr. Potter."

"It's Snape."

The man smiled. "So it is. Well that is something I wanted to speak with you about as well as the incident yesterday. You see, I find myself feeling guilty. I gave you a taste of the fame seeing me getting all those pictures and autographs the other day. I am sorry to say your father is trying to hold you back, and maybe that too is why you are acting out. I say this can remain between us, but I would be happy to mentor you. Of course, you don't need to go pulling stunts such as these. That does not make for a good celebrity."

The man just kept talking, and Harry felt both offended and embarrassed as the man tried to tell him how to master his fame. He stopped listening and was just staring at the man, hoping he would finish soon. He saw the man's lips stop moving and took his chance. "Sir, I am going to be late to class. I need to go now, and I won't be needing your help. Also, my name's Snape and I agree with my father."

The man seemed to be stuck looking as he was, but Harry just ducked his head and ran toward the greenhouse, where they were having class. It was odd having class with Hufflepuff, Slyherin, and Ravenclaw, but Harry found he enjoyed teaming up with Draco in this class while Ron and Hermoine were together. There was a Ravenclaw boy talking about Eton, and he seemed nice enough. They had a good time with the Mandrakes, and Neville feinted for a few, but Professor Sprout saw to him easily enough.

Draco seemed to be getting very odd looks from his Slytherin classmates except for maybe from Blaise Zabini, Daphne Greengrass, and Tracey Davis. They seemed to be the ones around him and Draco while the others like Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, and Crabbe and Goyle had moved far away from them. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were scattered, but they also were grouped by houses. Harry always found that kind of weird. Maybe he could be different from them now that he had a cousin in Slytherin.

They were done with herbology and cleaned up after themselves before the class had ended. They left the greenhouses and made their way back into the castle. Draco had left him to be with his other friends who were still talking to him. Harry felt bad that he might be the reason the others weren't his friends anymore, but he knew that Draco could make his own decisions about his friends.

Ron was talking to Hermione about their plant while Harry watched as Neville walked by himself a bit behind them. Harry fell back a few steps to walk with him, but that just seemed to make the boy jumpy. Harry was seeing that maybe he was the reason the other boy was acting so weird, but that didn't make much sense as Harry hadn't even seen the boy in months. Maybe it would be okay to just ask about it.

"Hey, Neville."

"Hullo, Harry."

"How was your summer?"

"Fine."

"Did you do anything fun?"
"Not really. Got a plant for my birthday."

"Oh. When was that?"

"July 30th, the day before yours."
Harry felt a little shocked that he hadn't known that. "Oh, sorry, I hadn't known. Maybe next year, I could come over to celebrate."

"Uhm, maybe, Harry. I, uhm, forgot my… uh, transfiguration book. I will meet you there."
The boy scurried away, and Harry felt a little hopeless at the way that conversation had gone. The boy seemed to be afraid of him or at least wary, but why? What had Harry done? He would have to find out. Maybe Ron could ask the other boy.

He caught up to his friends, and they went to Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall was first clear that Ron would not participate in practicals, but he was welcome to practice the wand movements until he got his new wand. Harry realised that his father had taken care of this for them and was happy to be able to practice in Professor McGonagall's class. They learned a new transfiguration that was rather easy for Hermoine, but Harry always had trouble with them. He hoped it would be easier, but he knew he would just have to try harder so that his father wouldn't be disappointed in him.

The class ended, and they went to lunch. It was easy to eat and forget about some of his problems while he and his friends laughed and had fun. Neville's constant silence still bothered him, but he would talk to Ron about it later. They finished lunch and were heading to their next class. Hermoine was with her dormmates giggling and acting all girlish while Harry dragged his feet with Ron. They were heading to defense class, and Harry was dreading seeing the man again.

Not only had the man made it clear he wanted to mentor him on fame, but Harry had told the man off in the most respectful way he could. He was just about to complain to Ron about it when he ran into someone. He looked to see a kid about his size with a camera and a bright grin. He was about to say something when there was a flash, and his eyes burned. "Bloody hell, what was that about?"

Harry could hear Ron shouting at the kid, but he was still rubbing his eyes. He finished and looked to see the kid ducking his head. He sighed and patted Ron to make him stop yelling. "It's fine, Ron. Hi, I'm Harry by the way. What's your name?"

"Colin Creevy! I am a muggleborn. I got sorted into Gryffindor just like you!"

Harry took a step back at the kid's excitement. He wasn't sure why the kid was acting like he was, but he didn't want to be mean. "Good to meet you, Colin, but why did you take a picture of me?"

"You're famous, Harry! I was going to ask if you would maybe sign my picture?"
The boy didn't seem to know how uncomfortable he made him, but Harry was also not going to sign a photograph. He wasn't Lockhart.

"Oi, looks like Potty is giving out signed photographs!" Harry looked to see Pansy Parkinson walking with Theodore Nott and the two oafs Draco used to be friends with. "They probably would sell for as much as Weasel's house."

Harry looked to see Ron turn as red as his hair. Harry was about to defend him when the worst possible outcome happened. Lockhart stepped into the hall and looked around smiling. "What's this I hear about photographs and autographs. Ah, Harry, my dear boy! Giving out autographs so soon. It really is too early in your career for this, but maybe we could take one together and sign it."

Harry glared at the man and Colin both. "I'm not signing anything. I don't know why all of you have gone so mental, but I'm just Harry."

He stormed into the class past the brightly coloured robe. Ron followed him, but he looked to see Hermoine giving him a disapproving look. Harry rolled his eyes at her and sat with Draco and Ron. Draco patted him on the back as well as Ron, and Harry grinned at them both. "Don't worry about it, mate. It will all blow over soon."

"Yeah, baby cousin, no need to get worked up. Everyone knows he is a prat."

"Yeah, Harry, and Parkinson is a right git for saying anything. Maybe we can get that Colin kid to throw away the picture."

Harry smiled weakly. "Thanks, guys. Really."

They nodded and the class began. Lockhart started them off with a useless pop quiz. It was fifty questions, and they were all related to him and his interests. Harry knew he would fail and hoped his father would understand. Maybe he could give him tutoring on his off time.

They finished the quiz, and Lockhart brought out a cage. It was filled with pixies… Harry was almost certain this was a joke. Why would they need to learn about pixies? Seamus seemed to think so too as he spoke up to the man. Lockhart looked flustered as he let out the pixies. They went everywhere. Some even dragged Neville up and onto the lights overhead.

Lockhart looked just as surprised and ran away leaving them to take care of it. Luckily they had Hermione, who knew the spells they needed to use to freeze them. "You wave your wand, and the spell is 'Immobulus.' Do you think you can handle it, Draco?"

Harry looked to see that the blonde had stayed and was nodding. Harry looked to where Neville was hanging and used wingardium leviosa to bring him down. He gently moved him to the ground while the others were shouting out the immobulus spell. Harry grinned at the boy who seemed to not be jumpy near him anymore. Maybe now he should ask about it since everyone else was gathering the pixies.

"Thanks, Harry."
"You're welcome, Neville. Uhm, could I ask you something?"
"Oh, yes, go ahead."

"You were acting weird with me all morning. I just want to know if I did something?"
The boy looked sheepishly to the ground. "Sorry, I was nervous. Your father, he scares me. He has since last year. I was worried now that well… it was stupid. I was worried you were going to be mean like him. I guess I just was acting really mad. I mean, you are the nicest boy I know."

Harry blushed looking away. "Thanks, Neville, and I am sorry about my dad. Honest, he will be nicer this year."

"I don't know if I can believe that, but thanks anyway, Harry."

The others had finished up on gathering the Cornish Pixies back into the cage. Harry left along with his friends, but he knew he would have to leave them behind to go back to his dad's. He said his goodbyes before heading with Draco down toward the dungeons. "So, little Snape, how has your day been?"

Harry sighed. "Busy. I think I am going to need some extra sleep and some tutoring for defense. Do you think my dad will do it?"

Draco laughed. "Of course he would. He probably would quit giving detentions to have more time with you."

"Professor Snape? My daddy loves giving out detention, Draco."

Draco laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "He loves you more."
Harry shrugged. They reached the hall that was branched between the Slytherin Common Room and his dad's rooms. They parted ways, and Harry opened the portrait hole to his dad's with the password. Seemed his father was not back to their rooms yet.

Severus

Severus had been worried about his son for most of the day. It was a distraction he hoped none of his students noticed. His first class were his fourth years. Unluckily, that included his problem children, the Weasley twins, who had gotten detention with him every day on the first day of his class for three years. He hoped for this to be a different year as he had someone waiting for him in his rooms after classes.

"Good Morning, as you should well know by now, there will be no foolish wand waving in this class. I am sure you do not need my coveted speech as you heard it in your first year. I will be teaching you more this year and with less supervision."

There was a murmuring heard through the masses, but Severus only had to glare for all of it to die down to nothing. "As I was saying, this year will be different. You can thank my son for this newfound outlook, but do not mistake my words. I am still who I have always been."

They looked as frightened as normal, but Severus knew this would change. He had promised Harry he would not be as berating and mean to the children unless provoked by their actions. It was all for Harry. His fourth year class went well even though it was not a practical day. Most were still too afraid of him to speak, which he appreciated as he lectured. Next were his seventh years for their practical and lecture. He lectured on the Draught of the Living dead and allowed them to take steps in the brewing, but no class is allowed to fully finish the potion as he did not trust them with the finished product.

He went to lunch where he kept an eye on his boy. He seemed to be having a good conversation with his friends and did not look too hassled by the day. He hoped it would remain that looked over to his father sitting beside him and his romantic interest of the past decade, Minerva. He still shuddered while thinking of them kissing.

"Good afternoon, Albus."

"I thought we had gone over this, Severus."

"Yes, Father; however, this is a public and professional environment."

The man laughed. "Ah, Severus, please, settle. I can wait for you to be comfortable in a public setting."

Severus sighed, because behind that laughter had been hurt. "I am comfortable, Father. I just do not want more attention on myself and Harry."

The man smiled and waved him off. "Then we keep it to the head table. I just want you to be happy, Severus, as well as Harry."

"Yes, well, I am sure that can be done, Father."

Severus hid his blush by taking a drink from his coffee. He heard Minerva and Pomona cooing down the table, but he ignored them. He was just going to have to get used to all these feelings and people since Harry had brought them into his life.

His last class of the day was his third year class pulling a double potions period. He did not tell the little miscreants the same speech as his upper years, but he explained the year's goals and details before beginning the lecture. It was the swelling solution for today, which was why he was going to be careful about letting on that he was being nicer this year.

He still had a problem with one student a Mr. McLaggen. He was not the brightest of the Gryffindor classes he taught and was an arrogant boy. He swooped over the child in his usual bat-like way and glared down at the boy. "Mr. McLaggen, what seems to be the confusion? Was it the step-by-step directions on both the board and your text, or was it perhaps your lack of care for the solution due to the weighed down feeling of your ego trapped in your tiny brain."

He did not feel bad about taking the arrogant boy down a peg. It would also keep his reputation from falling so much if he was seen berating at least one student today. One student who had caused a smoking cauldron. Severus banished it with his wand before spinning back to the idiot boy. "Well, no words you can come up with to explain your inclination to be so foolhardy."

He had not raised his voice once during his tongue-lashing of the boy, but he was on edge as the boy just sat there and glared. "Detention, tomorrow." He spun on the boy and stalked to the front of the class. "Oh, and twenty points from Gryffindor," he said with a smirk.

There were few that spoke after that, and finally all of his classes were over. He had them clean up after themselves before dismissing them from his classroom. He still had two hours until dinner, but he bet Harry was already waiting on him like a good boy. He walked a few halls down to his rooms and entered to find the boy sitting with his books scattered in front of the fireplace.

He came in quietly so as to not disturb the boy and leaned over the back of the couch to watch as he pondered over his transfiguration text. The boy was murmuring to himself about wand movements and focus. Severus chuckled, causing the boy to startle. Severus just smirked. "So, how was your day, Harry?"

His son looked back at him with a small smile. He expected more, but he was sure to get more information about the day from the boy. "I think Professor Lockhart isn't going to leave me alone."

"Leave you alone? Did he bother you, Harry?"

"Well, I guess, yes. He was being really arrogant and trying to tell Professor Sprout how to take care of her plants, and then he was talking to me about the car and how he wanted to mentor me, and I told him no thanks. Then there was this kid Colin Creevy, who wanted a picture with me and to get it autographed, but then Professor Lockhart heard and said we should do it together. I told him no so many times and stormed off. I really don't like him, Daddy."

Severus tried to keep his face measured rather than letting himself glare. He really would need to attack Lockhart if he kept this up. Badgering his son in front of multiple witnesses after Severus had already threatened him…

"How was the rest of your day, Harry? You seemed happy at lunch? How was class with Minerva?"
"Oh, uhm, I was having trouble with the transfiguration, do you think you could help me?"

Severus nodded settling down with the boy. "Anything else you had trouble with today?"

Harry nodded with a sigh. "Defense. He doesn't teach us. We had a test on the first day."

"Well, Harry, it is your second year, it is supposed to be more challenging."

That was very fatherly, Severus thought. He wanted to try to be more understanding of Lockhart's classes at least until he could get Albus to fire him. "No, Dad, the test was about him! We were supposed to know his favourite colour and a bunch of other rubbish, and Hermione fawns over him as well as all the other girls."

Severus snorted. "Well, then I suppose the rest of the class was also rubbish?"

His son nodded avidly. "He set a bunch of cornish pixies on us, and then without telling us how, he told us to round them up for him. He just left, and Neville was hanging from a light fixture above us, and I had to get him down. And, he was so scared of me all day because of us being related. And, well, he was okay after I got him down…"

Severus settled his son into his side and brushed his hair from his forehead. "I am sure that was very distressing being treated that way by a friend. I am glad it is settled, but let us talk about defense, yes?"
The boy nodded against him, but he did not pull away from under his arm. Severus kissed the boy on the top of the head, feeling a burst of love for the boy. "I want extra lessons, please."

Severus chuckled. "You are asking for more lessons? Are you feeling okay, Harry?"

His son sighed, burrowing closer to him. "I just know my grade in that class won't be good, so I wanted you to know I am trying to learn."

Severus sighed, pulling the boy fully onto his lap. "Harry, I will be happy to teach you more, but I am very worried about you thinking I would find you to be slacking."

"You did last year! All I could do last year was take it as you called me stupid and useless! I want to be better this year."

Severus tilted the trembling boy's head higher. "I was wrong last year, and I apologize for that. I believe you will try, and I will gladly teach you more."

The boy nodded, and Severus put him back down with his books. He went over the transfiguration with the boy until he could perform it acceptably and then left him to do what little reading he had left as he graded some papers. He would take care of Lockhart after dinner.

They left for dinner about five minutes til. They walked into the Great Hall together, and Harry settled with his friends while Severus took the long route past Lockhart to his seat. He bent to the man's ear. "After dinner, you and I will have a small conversation, much smaller than the one before."
The man gulped, but he nodded as Severus went to his seat. They ate dinner with Severus talking some with Albus. He would need to speak more with him in the evening, but talking to Lockhart would be first priority. He gathered himself as the blonde man left from the hall. He stalked past him once at the entrance hall and led the man out to the front lawn.

He turned on him, putting himself inches from the man. He grabbed onto the man's robes and lifted, pulling him up to his toes. "I told you to leave my son alone, but no, today, you caused him great distress. If you continue to do so, I will have to show you my displeasure. I cannot allow you to continue to bother him. I will bring it up with Albus if need be."

"Now, Severus, there is no need…"

Severus snapped, his hands coming up to grab the man's face. "I will do the talking, you will do the listening. You may not know who or what I am, but let me make this clear. I have served two masters over the years, and one, who will not be named, is dead. If you continue to make my son's life harder, I will put skills I was taught in his ranks to the test."

The man's pallor had gone white as a ghost at reference to Voldemort, but that was the point of threatening him. He shook the man a few more times before letting him go with a shove. "Stay away from my boy. I mean it, Lockhart."
The man gulped and nodded before scurrying away. Severus swept away from the man and went back inside the castle. He made his way up to his father's office, banging open the door to see him in a meeting with Minerva.

"Good evening, Father, Minerva. I am here to speak about Lockhart."

His father raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really, so soon?"

Severus nodded, sinking into a chair without the offer to do so. It was uncharacteristic of him, and he was sure the two knew that. "Severus, are you quite alright?"
He looked to Minerva and rolled his eyes. "The Lockhart dunderhead keeps bothering Harry. He keeps trying to mentor him on fame and what not, but Harry has refused and keeps trying to make the man leave him alone. He has persisted, and I have just bodily threatened him."

"Severus!"

He pursed his lips. "He was asking for it. It was the second time in as many days. I am not going to let him keep up this foolhardy ploy for more fame."

His father chuckled. "I am sure that you have handled it, Severus."

He sighed, "No, no, I want him out, Father."

"Who would you have me replace him, Severus?"

"I don't know. I don't want him here. He is useless."
His father sighed. "I will think about it. Now, how is my grandson, and why have I not seen him?"
"Father, you run the school. You can see him whenever you would like."

"I want to be sought out, is that so wrong, Severus?"
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Harry is having trouble reconciling the summer with our present. He will need reassurances and invitations to spend time with us as he does not have the confidence to ask himself. I felt so bad for the boy I punished him by having him stay in our rooms."

They both had a chuckle at his expense. "Such a softy you are now, Severus. Will you be wearing red and gold on Quidditch game days and cheering for Gryffindor?"
Severus growled at the witch. "I am as snide as I ever was, and I will not wear those ugly colours. I will of course cheer for my son."

He coloured red as the witch cooed at him. He ignored her in favor of his father. "Would you like me to extend an invitation to see you to Harry?"
"Please, Severus. I would like to have some time with him."

Severus nodded and stood from his chair. "It is time I put him to bed after checking over his homework."
They both nodded. Severus left out the door and made his way back to the dungeons. He spent some of that time thinking of possible replacements for Lockhart. Maybe the fool would mess up, and Severus would get him fired. He reached the door to the rooms and found himself catching Harry in his arms as he passed through. "Well, to what do I owe this?"
"Where were you, Dad? Did something happen?"

"No, of course not, Harry. I had detention to supervise. What did you do?"

"Oh, well, I finished the reading for Transfiguration and practiced some more. I wrote some on Herbology. We have an essay on Mandrakes, but it isn't due till next week."
Severus smiled, smoothing the boy's hair. "Alright, and then?"
The boy smiled. "Just played some. Can we read a book together?"

Severus nodded as he brought the boy to the couch. He left him to get settled as he grabbed a book from his many shelves. He walked back to the boy and read with him for an hour or so until he saw the child nodding off onto his shoulder. He picked him up and took him to his room, changing the boy's clothes for him and putting him into bed. He covered the child and kissed him on his forehead before turning out the lights in the boy's room and going to his own.

He left the hall light on in case the child had to use the toilet in the night. He dressed for bed and turned down his own covers thinking over the day as he settled himself. He shut his eyes and contemplated tomorrow as he drifted to sleep.