I decided to re-post this after doing a bit of editing, but also because I have began an epilogue. I can't say when it will be posted, but it's almost finished.

Chapter one

No matter what Harry Potter said or did, he kept getting surrounded as more and more people turned up upon hearing the news that Voldemort was dead. Harry needed to rest, he needed healing and he needed some air. As he tried to push through, more people moved in front of him. He was being hugged by strangers, he even had people kiss him, people that he didn't know. He felt himself starting to panic as his thoughts drifted to what if one or more of these people wanted to kill him, he would have no chance at trying to fight not with how tight the people were around him.

It felt like hours, that's what it seemed to Harry before he finally got through a gap and he ran, he ran as fast as he could. He ran outside, down the stone steps and he just kept running until he ended up alone at the back of the damaged castle. Harry was gasping for breath, he was shaking violently and had no idea why. He felt hot and again he had no idea why. He collapsed onto the ground, his back against part of the busted wall, he wrapped his arms around his legs then he started rocking, he was just sitting there rocking back and forth. Every time he moved, his back hit hard against the rough stone of the castle.

After speaking with the new minister Kingsley Shacklebolt, Draco Malfoy was released, his mother was going to be placed on house arrest, so she was being watched by a man in a long black robe. His father had been bound and taken away within minutes of Voldemort's death. Draco had sat in complete shock when Potter killed the dark lord. Draco always knew Potter's friends believed him, he was the golden boy of Gryffindor, he also knew the staff believed in Potter. If Draco was honest with himself, he had hoped Potter could pull off a miracle and he had. He's eyes kept straying to the raven-haired hero being surrounded by people thanking him, but he could tell Potter was trying to get away from the hands that grabbed at him. At one time Draco thought he saw panic in the startling green eyes, a few seconds later, Draco definitely saw Potter panic.

As he sat close to his mother, he saw more people being brought in, more of the dead, but at one time he saw Hagrid carry in someone in long black robes. They disappeared passed the busted doors and walls. Draco thought those robes belonged to Severus, but he never got a good enough look to make sure.

'Mother, if they take you home before I get back I'll meet you there. I need to see if that was Severus that Hagrid carried in.'

'Alright Draco, please be careful, there are a lot of people still here that might try to harm you.'

'I know, I'll be fine,' Draco kissed his mother's cheek then headed out of the great hall. He looked around and saw a healer going into one of the old classrooms on the bottom floor, so he made his way towards it. He realised that this room was being used as a makeshift hospital. He then saw Severus being tended to by Madame Pomfrey with McGonagall standing beside the bed. Draco could see Severus was awake and talking, but he couldn't hear what was being said. He decided to wait until McGonagall and the matron left before going to speak with Severus. He stood with his back against the wall but gazed around at all the people in the beds. Draco though most looked okay, a bit battered but nothing serious. He thought maybe the most seriously injured had been taken to St Mungo's. It was another twenty minutes before the two women left Severus so he hurried down and sat on the bed.

'Are you alright Severus?'

'Of course, what is going on, is Potter alive?'

'Yes, he ran out of the castle about an hour ago because he kept getting surrounded with people thanking him. He's dead Severus, the dark lord is dead, I saw it but I also felt it,' Draco tapped his arm.

Severus pulled up his sleeve, 'The dark mark is gone, completely gone and that could only happen if he truly was dead. Did Potter kill him or was it someone else?'

'Potter did, at one time we were told he was dead. The dark lord had Hagrid carry him out of the forbidden forest, then he appeared, out of the nowhere. It's over Severus, but what happens with us now?'

'Have they arrested you and your parents?'

'Father was taken straight to Azkaban, mother is being placed under house arrest. I'm free but they will need to question me further. What about you, will they arrest you?'

'I do not think so, I explained to Minerva there is proof that all is not what it seems. She needs to speak with Potter about that.'

'If she can find him, he was being surrounded by people, finally he broke free and ran outside. But Severus, I saw it, just for a second but Potter looked scared and he panicked before he left.'

'In case Minerva can't find him, you go Draco, make sure he is alright. I will explain why I am concerned later, now is not the time.'

'Alright, will you still be here?'

'Poppy said I should stay for at least another couple of hours, so I'll stay unless something happens.'

'I won't be long,' Draco stared down at Severus, 'I wish we were alone.'

'So do I but we are not, we'll have time later, now go.'

Draco nodded and hurried from the castle. He looked around but he never saw Potter, just more people searching for injured or the dead. He's hurried steps moved from one part of the grounds to another, always searching for the dark unruly hair he knew so well. Finally Draco saw Potter, sitting on the ground, rocking back and forth, his arms clamped tight around his knees that were tight to his chest. Draco stood staring down at Potter wondering what was wrong, finally he walked closer until he stood directly in front of him.

'Potter, are you okay?' Draco couldn't believe he just asked Potter that, but he never got a response, 'Potter,' Draco knelt down and finally got a look at his face, it was scared, that's the only way Draco could describe the look on Harry Potter's face. He was scared, but why now? The dark lord was dead, the war was over, Potter should not be scared anymore and even though Draco hated to admit it, Potter never looked scared, even facing the dark lord, 'Potter, can you hear me?' again Draco got no response, but he felt it, like hot sparks and they seem to be emanating from Potter, 'I better get help,' Draco stood then hurried away, but he didn't go to one of Potter's friends, he didn't even go to a teacher, he went back to Severus, he would know what to do. After explaining to Severus what he saw Potter doing, they both slowly walked out of the hospital and out onto the grounds. Severus taking very slow steps, holding his chest as he walked. They rounded the back part of the castle and both men stopped, looking down at Harry Potter and both men stared in stunned silence at what they were seeing.

'It looks like power is coming directly off him,' Draco stares down at Harry.

'He's come into his full power, if he doesn't get this under control he could hurt himself and others. We need to get him away from here so he can calm down.'

'But he should have come into his power when he was young, so why now?'

'I'll explain later Draco, I think it might be best to take him to my place, away from so many people.'

'You do that, I'll tell mother then meet you there,' Draco turned and ran back to the castle.

Severus Snape knelt down in front of Harry Potter, then gently touched his arm, he could feel the heat radiating from Potter.

'Potter, listen to me very carefully. You're power is coming off you, you need to calm down before you hurt someone,' Harry slowly looks up with blank eyes, but he doesn't say anything or move in any other way, 'You must have seen my memory, you know I would not hurt you, but I need to get you out of here before you hurt others. I'm going to take you to my home where you can calm down and I can explain what is going on. Please don't fight me on this,' Severus, having to use force, unclasped Harry's arms from his legs then pulled him to his feet, but all Harry did was stand motionless as he gazed straight ahead, 'I'm going to take you by side along apparition,' Severus again took Harry's arm, then quickly turned on the spot. They quickly made their way into Severus' home and into large barely furnished room, then Severus led Harry over to a sofa, 'Sit there.'

Harry sat, 'You died, this is a dream.'

'No, I wasn't dead, I passed out from loss of blood, but Hagrid found me,' Severus knelt down in front of Harry and all he saw was a blank stare, 'If you saw my memory you went to die, didn't you?'

'Yes, but I'm here, it didn't work, he'll come back, again.'

'It did work, listen to me. Albus could not tell you that allowing him to use the killing curse on you would destroy his soul but keep you alive at the same time. He needed you to believe you were going to die so the dark lord would believe he was killing you. He could not get suspicious.'

'It worked, you mean he's gone, properly?'

'Yes, Draco said you killed him so yes, he's gone and he can't come back. Our dark marks are gone, completely gone which would only happen if he was dead. Last time they were faded but not gone. But your power Harry, this is why you are like this. Since that fateful night in Godric's Hollow you never came into your full power, now you are because it's finally gone. Do you understand what I'm saying?'

'I feel strange.'

'I know you do, it's your power, so you need to relax or it could explode from you. That is why I brought you here, away from everyone.'

'My power, but it's never felt like this before.'

'I know, as I said, his soul stopped your power from coming out. Usually at the age of seven is when a witch or wizard will come into the power, you only came into your basic power, not your full power. Do you remember doing magic as a child?'

Harry shrugged, 'Some things, nothing too big, I never knew why, I wasn't told.'

'Yes, Albus explained that your relatives did not tell you that you were a wizard. I'll make us some tea, you stay there and try to think only calm thoughts,' Severus stood and saw Draco watching them, 'Draco, sit with Harry, if you see him get upset, try to calm him down, anyway you can.'

Draco nodded then sat beside Potter, 'You were glowing before.'

'Glowing?' Harry slowly lifted his head to stare into grey eyes, 'You have nice eyes.'

Draco's eyes widen at the comment from Potter, 'Um, thank you, but why tell me that instead of some smartarse remark?'

'I don't want that anymore, I'm so blasted sick and tired of all the sniping,' Harry shakes his head, 'I'm so hot.'

'You will be, you need to calm down. I remember going through this as a child, I kept exploding with power and breaking all the windows whenever I got upset or angry.'

'So what Snape said is true, it's my power making me feel like shit?'

Draco reluctantly smiled, 'Yes Potter, don't you know anything about magical power?'

Harry shrugged but shook his head, 'I was never told, I had no one to explain, then he was after me.'

Draco looked around as the windows started to rattle and shake, 'He's dead, calm down or you'll slice us all to bits,' Draco wasn't sure if this would work, but he placed his hand over Harry's hot arm, 'Try to think of something soothing?'

'Soothing, water, water is soothing, cool,' Harry closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, 'The smell and feel of cool water, but I'm still so hot.'

'Severus, I think we need to get Potter's temperature down, he's burning up.'

'Alright, Potter, come with us,' Severus took Harry's arm and pulled him to his feet, 'Draco's right, you're burning up, you need to get your temperature down.'

'How?'

'A cool bath, come on,' Severus and Draco took Harry into the bathroom, Severus ran the bath making sure he wasn't cold but wasn't warm, 'Now undress and get in there, we'll be outside the room.'

'I can't feel my fingers,' Harry stared down at his hands, 'Their red, they feel like their burning.'

'We need to do this quickly,' Severus said, 'Help me undress him Draco.'

Between Severus and Draco, they got Harry out of his clothes and into the bath, but both men could not believe the scars that covered Harry Potter's body, but they also saw another large lightning shaped cut. They could see steam actually rising from the water and knew they got him in the cool water just in time.

'I'm still hot.'

'Yes, but it's working, stay there. Now tell me, where did all those scars come from?' Severus saw Harry tense and the water started to bubble, 'Sorry, don't think about it,' Severus turned on the cold tap and cooled the bath off, 'Think of only the cool water, nothing else.'

Harry nodded then slowly relaxed, then moved down until he was lying in the bath with just his face outside the water. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart.

Severus and Draco moved over to the door, 'I'll need to go back to Hogwarts and explain, they will be looking for him.'

'I could go Severus.'

'No, they know I'm innocent, they might think you kidnapped Potter, it will be safer for me to go,' Severus knelt down at the bath, 'I need to go to Hogwarts and explain that you're here or they'll think something has happened to you.'

Harry slowly turned his head, 'Your memory, it's still in Dumbledore's pensieve, I forgot to take it out.'

'I will get it while I'm there, Draco is going to stay here with you. Stay in that bath and do not move until I get back.'

'Yes sir,' Harry said softly then turned his face back and closed his eyes, so even though he was hot and feeling strange, he was calm and relaxed for the first time in years. He still had no idea what was going on, but for some reason he trusted Snape so he was going to do what he said.