And Then There Were Three

Chapter 6

Harry stepped out of the fireplace and immediately dropped face first onto the couch in the living room of the manor. "I've missed your house so much," he mumbled into the cushion.

Snape, stepping out behind him, merely raised an eyebrow at the teenager before saying, "It's our house, and we've only been gone a week."

"It was a long week," Harry said as he rolled over and held his hand out to pet Rook, who stood beside the couch, wagging his tail excitedly.

"I can't believe she said yes to keeping that dog."

Harry grinned. "Of course she did. You didn't actually believe she would say no?"

"I thought she'd know better than to spoil you this much." Snape pointed his wand to his luggage and it disappeared with a pop. "Please take your stuff upstairs and unpack."

Harry glared at him as he sat up. "You could send mine up, too, you know?"

"I could but that would bring me no enjoyment whatsoever," Snape replied in his usual slow drawl before sitting down in his armchair. The moment he did so, several letters appeared on the table beside him. "Go on, Harry. Get unpacked."

Harry rolled his eyes and stood up. He reached for the suitcase and backpack that was left beside the fireplace, tugging it dramatically as if it were suddenly too heavy to carry. When Snape paid him no mind, however, he simply picked them both up and called for Rook to follow him upstairs.

"Harry," Snape said just before Harry left the room.

Harry turned back to see a letter floating towards him. He snatched it out of the air and said, "Thanks."

"Hurry up," Snape said opening a letter of his own. "Lunch will be ready soon."

Harry quickly went upstairs and deposited his luggage on the bed before sitting down in the overstuffed chair to open the letter. He noticed immediately from the handwriting that it was from Draco.

"Potter,

Sorry it took so long to write. It's been a busy summer so far, and I had to smuggle this letter out inside one for Astoria Greengrass.

Don't write back. And don't tell Uncle Severus. I can't explain anything right now, but my father is going on a trip this Friday and won't be back until Monday, so if you can, floo call me Friday night after Uncle Severus goes to sleep.

I'll try to explain everything then.

Draco.

P.S. The Phoenix is gone.

Harry was certain that he felt his heart stop beating in his chest. Snape had said that the only way the phoenix bracelet could come off was if Draco took it off himself. But why would he do that? His first instinct was to go straight to Snape and tell him what the letter said, but Draco had asked him not to.

Today was Thursday, only one day until Draco wanted him to call. Harry knew from experience that a lot could happen in one day, but what if Harry told Snape and something happened to Draco because of it.

Harry looked from the letter to Rook who was walking around his bedroom, sniffing everything he came to. "What do you think?" he asked the dog. As expected, Rook didn't answer.

He took his time unpacking while he tried to figure out what to do. This definitely seemed like the kind of think Snape would murder him for keeping to himself. But also, a sneaky part of Harry's brain offered, what if by some chance, Draco had just taken the bracelet off on his own and there really was no problem at all? What if Draco was being his usual dramatic self?