Sitting in her clean and precious living room, Petunia Dursley looked at these frozen moment of time unsure of what to feel. Three days after learning her nephew had been taken for the summer, Petunia found herself looking at an old family photo album. An album she had not looked at it for several years and kept hidden away in her bedroom closet. She did not know what exactly made her take the album out. Looking at the pictures caused pain. They were cruel reminders of the past. Old feelings were brought back up and they stabbed at her heart.

Each picture featured her and Lily as children. One picture showed the two of them having a tea party with their stuffed animals. Another one was of them playing in their backyard. The next one showed their mother's birthday and them handing her a bouquet of flowers. The last one on the page was of the two young girls playing at the neighborhood park, both swinging high on the swings. That one had been taken a month before Petunia's world came crushing down and everything changed between her and Lily.

Despite everything she told her nephew and kept telling herself, Petunia really did love her sister. When Lily had been born, Petunia had been happy. She had begged her mother and father for a baby sister instead of a baby brother. But as she and Lily began to grow and Lily started to show signs of being able to do magic, Petunia felt the pressure of being an older sister and trying to protect her only sibling from danger.

"Oh Lily, why did you have to go and join them?" Petunia asked out loud as she thought of Lily going off to learn magic while she was unable to. All Petunia ever wanted was to be able to be a part of the special world her sister had been a part of and not lose her.

So she had written a letter to the Headmaster, begging to be allowed to join Lily so she would not lose her but, yet, she did lose her not just once but twice.

The first had been she had learned Lily and that Snape boy had read the letter she had received from the Headmaster. After that, all she felt was hatred and distain for her younger sister. Magic was for the abnormal. Vernon agreed with her, but Petunia did keep in touch, though distantly, with Lily for the next several years until she lost her again. The second time was that Halloween night in Godric's Hallow. Lily was killed and next morning, Petunia found her nephew on the front porch and she knew her little sister was gone for good.

She saw to his needs but only to the minimalist degree possible. He was her last link to Lily but she knew what he would grow up to be. When her nephew started to show signs of magic, her concerns were realized. Her apprehension then turned to her son. Dudley would be in the exact same situation she had been in. He would ask why he could not do magic like his cousin and go to a school to learn it. He would feel the same disappointment she had felt. Petunia did not want to see her son hurt just as she had been. Her old feelings of anger returned. Harry was just another cruel reminder of Lily being special and allowed a life Petunia had been denied. So she and Vernon set out to squash all the magic out of their young nephew. They told him lies about his parents and gave him the smallest amount of attention and hardly any affection.

Despite all their actions, Harry had learned the truth and was attending that school. And because of it, her family had been exposed to the freakiness of that world. They had to deal with his bouts of accidental magic during primary school, the relentless plague of owls and letters four years ago, Vernon's ruined business dinner with the Masons, the incident with Marge and that entire fiasco last summer when those horrid red headed freaks who destroyed her clean living room and played that malicious trick on Dudley. But the appearance of the Dementors just days ago had been far more frightening. Petunia knew what could have happened to Dudley.

Looking out her kitchen window, Petunia pondered on her relationship with Lily's only child. Lately, she had started to think the time had come to treat her nephew better then she had. She did not mention this to her husband. Vernon had been in a foul mood ever since he learned the All England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition was not real. He had already been furious when they got to the hotel and learned that there was no such event was taking place or even existed. Then when they returned to find Harry was gone and that more wizards had been in his house, Vernon was outraged. But he was happy to have his nephew gone for the rest of the summer. After reading the letter left for them, Petunia figured that the entire thing had been a ruse by the wizards who had taken Harry. They obviously did not want a repeat of what happened last summer and she was fine with that.

'Even after the way we treated him and all we've done to him, Harry saved Dudley' Petunia thought as she walked into the kitchen for a cup of tea. Her nephew had shown more care for his cousin then either he or his parents had ever shown him. 'He's just like his mother.'

The conflicting emotions she was feeling were becoming too much for her to bear. Setting her neglect cup down on the counter, Petunia collapsed onto a nearby chair. Putting her face into her hands, Petunia Dursley started to weep as she could think of only one thing to say.

"Lily."

Minerva McGonagall looked at the list of future Hogwarts students in her hand and sighed weary. It seemed that the number of new students who were coming from non-magical families was getting larger each year. For these children, their acceptance letters would be hand delivered instead of owl. As Deputy Headmistress, Minerva would see to that. To help, she would often enlist the assistance of several of the other Hogwarts professors, practically, the Muggle Studies professor, to help explain to them and their families about the existence of the magical world.

Removing her squared framed spectacles and giving her strained eyes a rub, the Transfiguration professor could not help but wonder in the back of her mind if that was the course of action that should have been taken four years ago in regards to Harry Potter. Never in all her time at Hogwarts had so many letters been sent to a single person. Hundreds of letters had been sent off by the time Albus dispatched Hagrid to deliver the boy's letter. When he came back, the gentle half giant told both her and the Headmaster how Vernon Dursley had threatened to shoot him and how he declared his nephew was not going to be taught to do magic tricks by some crack-pot old fool. Hagrid then went on to explain how kind and quiet Harry was and how he did not know anything of the Magical World.

"Albus, how could those Muggles have done that to him," she had exclaimed. "To think that child has grown up these past eleven years without knowing the truth about himself and his parents. It's…it's…" Minerva could not find the right words to continue till a few moments later. "It's just unthinkable. To be told that his parents died in such a mere Muggle fashion after the way they give up their lives to save him. I know you had your reasons for placing Potter with them but I still say that from what I saw of them that day, they were the absolute worst kind of Muggles."

"And they only family he had left Minerva," Albus reminded her gently. "It was vital for his safety that Harry be hidden away from the Magical World. Yes, Voldemort was gone but Bellatrix Lestrange and the other Death Eaters were still free. Had Harry been placed with a magical family, Bellatrix and the others would not have rested till they found that family and killed along with Harry. There was even the possibility that Lucius Malfoy could have manipulated circumstances and arranged for Harry to be placed with his family. There would have been nothing then to stop Lucius handing the boy over to Voldemort on a silver platter the moment he returned. Lily's sacrifice allowed me to invoke the most powerful of Blood Wards for young Harry's protection but they could only be enacted by a blood relation taking him into their home. Petunia Dursley was the only option. Once she took him in, the wards were activated and will remain in position till he turns seventeen."

Minerva could still recall the sadness in both the tone and periwinkle eyes of the powerful wizard as she eventually nodded in agreement. The Head of Gryffindor knew the elder wizard had been correct in his fears. Just a few short days later, Frank and Alice Longbottom had been attacked and tortured into madness. It took several months for the remaining Death Eaters to be caught and for their trials to take place. Looking back, anything could have happened.

Characteristically, Albus steepled his fingers together and gazed over them to his former student. "I do, however, agree with you that the fact they told him nothing does strike me as odd. I had stated in the letter that while the decision on when to tell Harry about the existence of our world was their choice. I informed them Harry was on the Hogwarts acceptance list and he would start to perform accidental magic as he grew up. I assumed they would have spoken with their nephew when he received his first letter yet with the myriad of letters continuously sent to Number 4, shows the opposite. It seems that I, despite what many think of me, made a mistake. It will be interesting to see how young Harry takes to Hogwarts."

When Harry finally arrived at Hogwarts, Minerva was greeted with the sight of an identical James Potter with Lily Evans' eyes. Harry latter showed that while he had James' flying skills and attracted trouble like flies to honey, he had his mother's heart and personality. Yet, Minerva would continue on to worry about Harry's placement especially now with the return of the Dark Lord and the fact that Harry would turn seventeen in just two short years. 'Then what happens?' she wondered.

A knock at her door brought the aged witch out of thought. Allowing entrance, the door opened and a slightly hassled looking Madam Pomfrey walked in.

"Hello Poppy."

"Hello Minerva," the matron replied as she closed the door behind her and crossed over to the Deputy Headmistress' desk. "I'm sorry for disturbing you but I was wondering if you knew where Albus was?"

"He's not in his office?" Minerva asked arching her eyebrow.

"No. I was just there and it was empty with the exception of Fawkes."

Sitting back in her chair, Minerva furrowed her brow. As far as she knew, Albus had no plans on leaving the school to see any one. Nowadays, many people were keeping a safe distance between themselves and Albus. They had spoken last evening about the plans for the upcoming year, but nothing relating to the Order or the Dark Lord. The Headmaster only briefly touched upon the subject of Mr. Potter by saying he would act on the boy's behalf at the trial.

"I don't know where he could be. I haven't seen his since last night," she said as she motioned for the matron to take a seat. "All he told me was that he was trying to figure out what to do about the vacant Defense post. There've been no applications for it, with the usual exception of Severus, since word got out what happened to the last person."

"Perhaps he went to see about an applicant."

"Maybe," the Transfiguration professor replied as she flicked her wand and caused a teas tray to appear. Another flick and the pot poured two cups of tea by itself. Once poured, a final swish allowed one cup to float to the matron.

Taking the offered cup in one hand, Poppy withdrew her own wand and pointed it at the small pitcher of milk. Charmed, it floated over to her and tipped its contents to her tea. "I take it from your tone that you don't think that's the case." She waved the pitcher away once the appropriate amount of milk had been added. She blew on it, but did not speak until after she took a sip. "Do you believe he's off doing something secret for the Order?"

"That just might be true," Minerva replied before taking a sip of hers. Poppy, along with Professors Sprout and Flitwick knew about the Order, but were not full-fledge members. Albus himself had insisted upon this. That way, should something have happen to him and Minerva, the remaining two teachers would assume control of the school without being connected to the Order of the Phoenix. "I just hope that whatever he's doing, he does it carefully. Otherwise, he'll end up in Azkaban."

Poppy grimaced and hummed in agreement. The two witches sat in silence for several minutes, drinking their tea until the Transfiguration Professor placed her cup down on the desk and looked to her friend and colleague. "What did you wish to talk with Albus about?"

"I wanted to talk to him about Harry," the matron answered as she lowered her own cup. "A couple of days after that night," referring to the night of the Third Task, "I spoke to Albus about having Mr. Potter talk to somebody because of everything he witnessed and went through that night."

"You suggested he go to a Listener?" Minerva asked raising her eyebrows in surprise as she concluded where Poppy's topic of conversation was heading. Listeners were the equaliveant of Muggle psychiatrists just as Healers were to doctors. St. Mungo's employed a number of them and several had their own practices. Just like psychiatrist, a Listener received special training in the inner working of the mind. Unlike a psychiatrist, a Listener also employed the use of mind aiding potions, Pensives and Legilimency in their therapy.

"Not a Listener necessarily," Madam Pomfrey answered. "I did mention that I know a few of the Listeners at St. Mungo's quite well but I didn't say it had to be one of them. It might even be better if it was someone he was more familiar with. Like Remus or Arthur, but somebody and the sooner, the better. I told Albus that if didn't talk to somebody, it could be harmful to his mental well being. No one can be all right after seeing somebody killed right in front of them and be tortured repeatedly by the Cruciatus Curse. Not to mention being tied up, attacked with a knife and have their blood taken from them. He could take the stress out on his own body or worse."

It was impossible for the Deputy Headmistress to miss worry in the Matron's words which caused a cold shiver to go through her. With the recent Dementor attack, his upcoming trial and the events surrounding Dark Lord's return, the Head of Gryffindor had not given even the slightest bit of thought to young Harry's mental state as she had given to his physical well being. In fact, she was surprised that the dear had not collapsed under that strenuous burden already.

"Minerva?"

Hearing her named, Minerva realized she had been lost in her thoughts.

"I'm sorry Poppy. I was just thinking…You said you spoke to Albus about this?"

"Yes and he did say I was right about my concerns. He told me that he would get back to me when he gave it some thought about who would be best."

"But you haven't heard from him yet?"

"No and I have to admit Minerva, it is partly my fault. I've haven't had the time to see if he has done anything about the matter. I had to take inventory of the infirmary's potions stocks for Severus and then my niece went into early labor a few days ago and I went to be with her. I just hope Albus hasn't forgotten especially with him having to have deal with the Ministry and so much more."

Poppy returned to attention to her tea while Minerva reflected on what she had been told. Danger always seemed to be lurking around Harry Potter. The elder witch looked to the Matron and offered her a consoling smile.

"Well, I should be getting back to the Hospital wing," Poppy said rising from her seat. "Thanks for the tea Minerva."

"You're quit welcome Poppy. I'm sure Albus hasn't forgotten about Potter. We both know how he cares for him. I'll be sure to let him know you need to see him and if that means I have to petrify and levitate him to the Hospital Wing then so be it." Minerva assured her troubled friend as she rose and escorted her to the door. A smile appeared on Poppy's face as she envisioned the scene in her mind and was laughing by the time she stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind her.

As she returned to her desk, Minerva reflected on what she had been told. Poppy's warning carried a foreboding tone to it. Unaware she had bypassed her desk, she found herself looking out her office's window. She sighed deeply and a profound sense of disappointed consumed her. She always claimed to have her young lions' best interest at heart and looked out for them, but she no longer felt she had lived up to this belief. In the past four years, she'd never given any thought to Potter's mental health. It was his physical well being that always worried his professors. Suddenly, she remembered the concerns of Severus regarding the boy's living situation with his Muggle Relatives. Had he seen Potter starting to show possible signs of the trauma he suffered? She prayed it was not the case. Reaching for her spectacles, Minerva decided to write a note to the Headmaster. He needed to talk with Poppy about Potter. She knew young Potter needed both physical and mental protection from the Dark Lord but would his state of mind be able to handle Albus' eventual plans? Sadly, Albus Dumbledore could be very nearsighted. He would focus on a particular thing and not see the full picture at times. Minerva feared this is what he may be doing with Harry. When finished, Minerva spelled the note to the Headmaster's office.

Picking up her quill again, the Deputy Headmistress returned to her former task. All student letters would be sent out in the forth coming weeks and the only thing that was holding them from being sent out on time was the lack of a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to provide her with the recommended text for their class. But as she went back work, she suffered with the guilt at the thought of the pain the only son of one of her favorite students might be in at that moment.

Buckbeak raised his head when Sirius entered the bedroom but did not narrow his orange eyes at him. After they had escaped from Hogwarts the hippogriff and wizard had bonded closely together in the past year and a half. Sirius smiled at the winged beast and held up a large bay.

"I got your lunch Buckbeak."

The large Hippogriff rose and treaded over to the wizard and sniffed the contents.

"Here you go," Sirius said empting the bag and pilling the dead rats before the hippogriff. "Enjoy."

As Buckbeak started to gnaw on one of the rat carcass, Sirius went about cleaning the room. With a wave of his wand, he banished the old straw and replaced it with it with fresh. All the molted feathers were also removed as well as the droppings. Sirius then went to check on Buckbeak's water trough and refilled it with fresh water. He did not mind cleaning up after the hippogriff. Sirius cared for the winged beast and Buckbeak become his familiar.

What he hated was being trapped in his ancestral family home. Sirius hated his parents and everything they had stood for. Scanning the room, he shivered when he looked at the dust covered bed. As far as he was concerned, his parents only had sex three times. The first was on their wedding night and the other times, for their duty to continue the Black Family lineage and preserve the purity of Wizard blood. On that end, Orion and Walburga Black had only been half successful. Their second born son, Regulus Black, had been a true Pureblood wizard in both blood and ideals. Sirius, their first born on the other hand, had been a failure. Sorted into Gryffindor, friend to Half-Bloods, Muggle-Borns, and Blood Traitors and stood against everything the Dark Lord sought to achieve. He hated being in this house and hated being placed under house arrest even more. He wanted to be out helping the Order not cleaning the house under Molly Weasley's supervision. During the last war, he had fought bravely against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. On a few occasions, he had even dueled his own brother, but that was in the past. Albus had forbidden him from leaving Grimmauld Place. It was for his own safety Dumbledore had told him. Peter Pettigrew had no doubt informed the Dark Lord of his animagus form and the Death Eaters would be watching for him. Remus and other members of the Order were sensitive to his situation, but Snape went well out of his way to pour salt in his wounds with gleeful malice.

Snape. Sirius scowled as thought about childhood nemesis. Since the very first train ride to Hogwarts, Snape had shown a clear love for the Darks Arts which was evident to both him and James. They saw him for what he was, a greasy hair git who worshipped the Dark Arts. Sirius recalled the numerous times when Snape would attack them and show off his skills with dark spells. By the time they first faced off during the First Wizarding War, Snape had become a master of the Dark Arts and demonstrated it during their many battles together.

'I don't care what Albus says,' he thought to himself as slumped into a nearby chair. 'A Death Eater is a Death Eater.'

Albus and Remus repeatedly told him how Snape had turned spy for their side, but Sirius could not believe it. It had to be some type of trick. The man had sworn allegiance to Voldemort and no one leaves his service alive. Then he used his Slytherin skills to bypass going to Azkaban. Snape was a master of deceit and double talk. He had the Headmaster and Remus believing the lies that spilled from his mouth. But Sirius was too smart to be taken in by Snape and his lies.

As much as Sirius hated to admit it, Snape had been right about one thing. During the past few days, he and Harry were finally able to spend time together and talk. With the threat of being caught gone, he was finally was able to have real conversations with his Godson. Yet, there was still one little snag. As much as he liked the time they were now able to spend together, it not as much time as he would have liked. Molly kept Harry and his friends busy with helping her clean Grimmauld Place and working on their summer assignments. Sirius could not help but think Molly was still upset with him over his actions at the last meeting and at dinner. Sirius let out loud sigh and looked over to the hippogriff.

"Harry said he would like to come up and see you some time," Sirius told Buckbeak when the hippogriffs had finished eating. Buckbeak looked at wizard with his fiery orange eyes and tiled his head to one side. He gave Sirius a concerned look. Walking over to him, the winged animal knelt down beside the depressed wizard and Sirius started to gently stroke Buckbeak's head. There were so many thoughts running around in his head. He wanted to do so much, not just for the Order but for Harry as well. He wanted to give Harry a home, a family, a sense of security and safety, but he could not. He was prisoner. First in Azkaban and now as a prisoner in this decrepit and hated house. He wondered if he was going to be a prisoner for the rest of his life. A prisoner in a world he could see, but never touch.

Remus was sure to take it easy. As he made his way to his destination, he walked slowly, leaning on his cane to help support him. The few Muggles he had passed hardly gave him a second glance. All they saw was a man in a shabby suite walking with a cane. Even with the Wolfsbane potion and pain reliving potions, his body still pained him from the transformation. He was fine with the slow pace as he had a lot to think about regarding Harry. The images he witness at Number 4 painted an unwelcoming picture in his mind. He needed to speak to somebody.

He knew he could not speak to Sirius. The man took his role of Godfather seriously despite the many years he had spent in prison. He was protective of Harry, yes but he was also hindered by his emotions. Sirius refused to admit it, but his time in Azkaban did have an effect on his mental well being. It saddened Remus to see his friend still trapped in the past. His unyielding views about Snape were proof of that. Remus was afraid that his best friend would go straight for the Dursleys and truly earn a sentence in Azkaban or worse, the Dementor's Kiss.

The Weasleys had been an option. It was clearly evident they cared deeply for Harry. But again, he was afraid what would happen if he told them of his concerns. Like Sirius, Molly would descend upon the Dursley and by the time they got there, they would be nothing left of that family. And he was sure Arthur, always calm and collect, would have lost his composer when he heard what his friend had to say about the boy he considered a second son. The twins would use them as test subjects for their joke products and never undo any of the products effects. They saw themselves as Harry's older brother and it was that same duty that led them to fly Arthur's enchanted car all the way Surrey to get him.

There was Minerva. She was protective of Harry and had a good grasp on her emotions so she would not run off to hex the Dursleys. She had once told him that she had great reservations about the Headmaster leaving Harry with his relatives. Most likely, she would highly upset after hearing her former student's worries. After calming herself down, the target of her eventual angry would not the Dursley but Albus. Molly would go after him as well and he felt sorry for the man should he ever face the combined furry of Minerva McGonagall and Molly Weasley.

The Headmaster should have been a logical choice to talk to but the former Defense Against the Darks Arts teacher recalled the talks with Molly about how he never allowed them to take Harry for the summer. He always told them that Harry had to return to Privet Drive for the first few weeks of the summer. Remus knew Dumbledore kept things to himself regarding his plans and he was fine with it to a point but he hated he might be doing that with Harry. If there something amiss in that house, Remus would need irrefutable evidence to show the Headmaster.

Remus continued to contemplate the sensitive matter in his head as he continued to his destination. The decision to come here had been in his mind for several days, but the trip had to wait till after the full moon. He knew he should have waited till his strength had full returned but he knew he could not wait till then. Harry's safety and well being could be in jeopardy.

'Here goes nothing," Remus thought to himself as he knocked on the door and waited.

After several seconds, the sound of footsteps and a bolt being drawn back was heard. The door opened and Remus smiled at the scowling figure on the other side.

"Hello, Severus."