Epilogue

"You guys, I'll be fine!" Harry said to Ron and Hermione for the thousandth time that day as they stood, ready to board the Hogwarts train.

"You said that you get depressed when you have to stay at the Dursleys," Ron pointed out, stubbornly.

"You can't blame us for being worried, Harry," Hermione added, concern wrinkling her brow.

"I know, I know," Harry said, looking at his feet. "But I am going to see the muggle psychiatrist like you wanted." Uncle Vernon had agreed to let him after a visit from Dumbledore in which the professor assured Vernon that he would not have to pay for this care. Harry was sure that Vernon was thrilled to learn that Harry needed therapy, but disappointed that he was getting help.

"Don't forget to go to the group meetings either," Hermione nagged. "They say it helps to talk to other people."

"I won't," Harry assured her, smiling a bit. Going back to the Dursleys was never good, but somehow Harry felt that he could face it this summer.

"Harry!" a voice called his name through the crowd.

Harry looked to the side. "Caydon?" he exclaimed. Caydon was still weak and spent most of his time in bed. Harry was surprised to see him out of doors. Caydon gave him a big smile. The boy's face was thinner and whiter than it had been before the sickness, but he was beginning to look better.

"I had to show you something," Caydon said and Harry saw that he was a paper something in his hand. It was an issue of the Daily Prophet. "Look!" He opened the paper and Harry looked at the article. There had been various articles about Lucius death at Hogwarts and Harry's involvement, so Harry expected it to be one of those. When he saw the title "Harry Potter Speaks out Against Owning" he smiled.

"I hadn't expected it to come out this soon," he said.

"It's great, Harry!" Caydon said. Impulsively, he hugged Harry around the waist.

"Caydon," a voice said sharply. Harry turned and saw Snape glaring at his son.

"Hi, Papa," Caydon said brightly, completely ignoring Snape's stern look.

"You should not be out of bed," Snape told his son. "You do not want to make yourself sick."

"I know, Papa," said Caydon "I just had to show Harry the paper."

"Harry would have seen the paper eventually. It is time you were inside."

"I know," Caydon said and then he turned to Harry. "I get to spend all summer at Hogwarts," he said, as if Harry did not already know this.

"Are you excited?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Caydon said, then he frowned a little. "But I miss my family."

"Have you seen them lately?"

Caydon shook his head sadly. "Not since my accident." Caydon always referred to the injuries that Lucius had inflicted on him as an "accident".

"I saw Malfoy earlier," Harry said. "Darius was with him."

"Darius is coming back to Hogwarts next year," Snape said. "He is … pleased," Snape's lip curled in disdain. Harry was a bit confused by this, since Snape had liked Darius so well, but he realized that Darius' loyalty to the Malfoys must have been a disappointment to the professor.

"Hey, Harry," Caydon said after a moment, smiling a bit. "I guess that you are sort of like my family now."

Snape frowned at this, but did not correct his son. Harry crouched down so that he was looking Caydon right in the face. "I guess so," he said. "Have a great summer, Caydon. And get well."

Caydon hugged him again. "I will," he said.

Harry stood and looked at Snape, wondering what to say. "You better go," Snape said, not too harshly. "Your friends have already left and you'll miss the train if you stay too long."

"Yeah," Harry said and he got on the train. He found a seat next to a window near Ron and Hermione. As he looked out the window, he could see Snape and Caydon standing on the platform. Caydon was waving at him enthusiastically, but Snape merely looked at Harry, unmoving. Harry thought of how much things had changed since last year. Last year he had hated Snape and had never even considered what the man's personal life or past might be like. He had never known that Snape was Owned or that he had a family. Last year, as Harry had went home, he had been on his way down. With every day, he had become more angry, more hopeless, more depressed. Now, Harry was on his way up and with each day, he gained a little confidence and felt a little more like he could live a normal life.

Harry looked down at them and gave a brief wave as the train began to move. He then turned back to Ron and Hermione with a feeling of contentment such as he hadn't felt in a long while.