Walk the Shadows

in an appropriate place, emotionally, to deal with either of those things. It was no surprise he'd blown up. As well, Albus didn't seem fazed by the idea that Harry's magic had taken a Darker turn. He'd just nodded, a little sadly, truth be told, and said, 'With all he's been through, it's a miracle his magic is as Light as it is.'

But now it was Severus' responsibility to see it didn't happen again.

He stepped in front of Harry and waited until the boy looked up. 'Here,' Severus said and handed over a parcel wrapped in brown paper.

'What's this?'

'A package.'

Harry smirked – had he learned that from Severus? Heaven forefend! – and took the oblong package. 'I gathered.'

'I took the liberty of ordering this for you,' Severus said quietly. He knew Harry would turn his nose up at what he perceived as charity, and further, was unused to gifts of any kind, so he added, 'You may consider it a . . . welcoming gift, as my ward, if you like.'

Harry frowned, brows drawing down in a V. 'But I didn't get you anything.'

'I am not the one becoming a ward.' Severus paused, then, 'Just open it, Harry.'

As he expected, the use of the boy's name wore down his reluctance to accept the present and he did as he was told. The moment he had it unwrapped, his mouth formed an O. He gripped the book hard, staring at the burnished, leather cover of Practical Defensive Magic and Its Use Against the Dark Arts, a copy of the book Harry had received from the Mutt last Christmas. 'You . . . you got this for me?'

'I don't know anyone else named Harry,' Severus said drolly, starting to feel uncomfortable. 'I merely thought you might enjoy a replacement, as yours is . . . no longer available.'

'I do . . . I just . . .' His gaze rose from the book, and those green eyes – Lily's eyes – had a look of such lost confusion that Severus was taken momentarily aback, pulled into memories of more than two decades ago.

Then, realizing how his words might have been construed, he lifted his hands, palm forward, as if to ward off the boy's ire or any other untoward displays. 'Rest assured, it's just a book I knew you enjoyed. I have no intention of making myself into a replacement for your Mutt. I know it's not even possible to be . . . whatever he was to you.'

'Godfather.'

'Well, yes,' Severus agreed with some pique. Really, why had he even brought the subject of that foul man up? It wasn't as though he could even think about him without an attendant inchoate rage.

'But he didn't . . .' Harry shook his head.

'Didn't what?'

'Didn't ever fight for me. Not like you did.'

Severus frowned. 'Of course he did.'

'No.' Harry swallowed and stared at the book again, one index finger tracing the embossed lettering on the cover slowly. 'I mean, he fought for Peter, to get his hands on Peter, but not for me, not really. And he never once tried to contact me, that whole year when we all thought he was evil, or tell who he was or that he was there. If he knew Scabbers was Peter, and that Ron had him, why didn't tell me?'

With a sigh, Severus sat on the edge of the chair across from Harry, and rubbed a hand over his face. 'I don't know,' he said quietly. Oh, Merlin, reduced to