This had to be the worse day ever. Remus walked into his flat and sat down on the threadbare sofa, letting his head rest on the backrest, inhaling deeply as he closed his eyes and tried to relax. It was three days after the full moon, and he was still sore. Much against his better judgment, he had gotten up that morning and went to work. It was a small establishment, and they didn't mind him requesting a few days off each month. The owners didn't know about his “furry little problem,” and he hoped that they never would. It was still hard for him to find a decent job with the unfortunate stigma of werewolves still going around.

After the day he had, he just wanted to get out of his clothes, curl up in his bed and not come back out until the next full moon. Even though the owners understood about him needing the time off, it didn't mean that there wouldn't be three or four days worth of work waiting for him when he got back. It was manual labor work and the first couple of days after returning from his time away were always the hardest.

Remus could feel himself falling asleep when clanking on the window woke him up out of his daze. Sitting up, Remus saw an owl perched on the window ledge. Slowly getting up, he walked over to the window and allowed the owl entrance. It didn't stay long. Only long enough for Remus to relieve him of his burden. The bird left without any treat or payment.

Closing the window, Remus looked at the envelope. Seeing the handwriting, Remus knew precisely who it was from. Opening up the letter it read:

Remus, please come to Hogwarts as soon as it is possible. I have something of great importance to discuss with you. Hope to see you soon. Albus.

A little more alert, Remus reread the letter. Wonder what could be so important that he needed me? Remus wondered. He guessed it could wait until tomorrow. He was just too tired to go anywhere tonight. Since he was standing, Remus went into his room and got ready for bed, falling asleep almost instantly. Hopefully, he could get a full nights sleep. That was his last thoughts before finally losing consciousness.

CRACK! BANG! “Aaahhhh!”

Remus woke with a start. His wand in his head, ready for whatever attack was coming his way. In times like these, Remus was happy about his condition. Being a werewolf, he could see clearly in the dark. It wasn't just blackened shapes, but objects with great detail and in his room, he could see that there was nothing or no one there.

“Aaaahhhh.”

The crying wasn't loud, but Remus could hear it and knew about where it was coming from. Getting up, Remus headed for the door. Quietly opening the bedroom door, he quickly cast Lumos to light the entire living room. With a curse on his lips ready to attack whoever was in his home, he rushed out to see. What he saw made him stop in his tracks.

_____0000_____0000____0000

“Happy Birthday, Harry,” Harry whispered so he wouldn't disturb his relatives.

Harry was laying on the floor in his cupboard. He had drawn a cake with candles into a shelf that held the cleaning supplies. He was using a broken green crayon that he found forgotten in the back corner of Dudley's second bedroom.

Once his cake was finished, he inspected it making sure that he had everything that he remembered that Dudley had on his just a few days ago. Seeing that everything was the same as he remembered, he was about to blow when he remembered he needed to make a wish. Thinking about it, he closed his eyes and tried to decide on a wish.

Should he wish for toys? Never had any in the first place, so not having toys now wouldn't hurt him.

Should he wish for clothes? No, he had clothes. Even if they were too big. He still had clothes to wear.

Should he wish for something to eat? That was a possibility because he was hungry, but he's been hungry before, and it didn't bother him that much. Plus he could always sneak a bit here or there when he was cleaning.

Then a thought popped into the child's head. Feeling love. That was one thing he wished he could feel is someone to love him.

A small smile ghost the child's lips as he decided on his wish. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Harry made his wish.

After the last bit of air left Harry's lungs, he then felt like he was being sucked into a tiny tube and he couldn't take another breath. Then all of a sudden the feeling of being squeezed to death stopped. He felt the ground under him, and it didn't help the bruises from the previous evening. Harry tried to suppress the whimper that wanted to escape his lips, but he couldn't stay quiet.

Tears stung his eyes as his back and shoulders were throbbing from the sudden movement. Curling into a ball, Harry tried to stem the pain he was feeling. His shaky breathing froze when he heard movement in another part of where ever he was. He was scared to look up.

Harry heard a door swing open fast. From experience, he knew that nothing good ever happened to him when someone came towards him that fast. He tried to push himself into a tinier ball so stem his shaking.

____0000_____0000_____0000____000

Remus gasped at the small form curled up in the middle of his living room floor.

“I'm sorry, Uncle Vernon. Please don't hurt me again. I didn't mean to do anything freaky. Please,” said the meek voice from the floor.

Remus' arms fell limply to his side as he listened to the low mantra of this poor little child. Listening to what the child was saying brought more and more questions to the forefront of his mind.

Not wanting to scare the child any more than he already was, Remus slowly knelt down to the floor.

“Child,” Remus said, speaking softly trying not to scare the boy further.

The child froze where he laid.

“It's okay, child,” Remus soothed. “No one will hurt you here. Please let me see you.”

“Please don't hurt me,” the child whispered.

“No one will hurt you,” Remus replied.

Very slowly the child unfolded himself from the ball he made of himself. If Remus thought the idea of a child being in the middle of his flat surprising, when the child straightened up, he got a bigger surprise.

After living with him for seven years and then in the later years patrolling the halls with her, Remus knew exactly who this child was. The big question was why was Harry Potter standing in his living room?

“Harry? Is your name Harry Potter?” Remus asked.

Harry, who was now on his knees sitting on his heels, quickly glanced up at the man in front of him before averting his eyes. “Yes, sir,” came the meek reply.

“Harry,” Remus said, softly. “Please look at me.”

Very slowly, Harry did what he was asked. When their eyes met, Harry looked at the man in front of him. He slightly tilted his head to one side as he looked at the man. Never had he ever reached out to an adult, and he didn't know why he was doing it now. It was like something in him just needed to touch the scars on the man's face.

Remus didn't move when he saw Harry reaching out to him. He didn't want to scare the child.

Harry let his fingers rub over the raised scars on the man's cheek and jaw. It was a light touch hoping that he didn't hurt the man and make him angry.

Remus watched the child as he inspected his scars. The expression on the child's face told Remus a lot. There was an inquisitive look as if he was wondering what made them. Then there was a resigned look as if he understood the pain behind the scars. Finally, Remus saw a glimpse of acceptance when Harry lowered his hand and was looking Remus in his eyes.

“Harry,” Remus said. “Do you know how you got here?”

Harry shook his head.

“What is the last thing you remember?”

“I was in my cupboard making a wish.”

“You...your cupboard?”

Harry nodded. “Cupboard under the stairs.”

Remus brow furrowed after hearing that. The wolf inside him wanted to come out and find where he was staying and see for himself what he lived through if his room was the cupboard under the stairs.

Seeing the angry look on the man's face, Harry quickly stood up and moved to the other side of the chair to get some distance from him and the now angry man.

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry,” Harry said, gripping the arm of the chair he was standing by.

Remus blinked, trying to keep the wolf inside him at bay. The last thing he needed right now was to scare the child more than he needed.

“Forgive me, Harry,” Remus said. “I promised that I wouldn't hurt you and I meant it. I was just a little upset about what you said. But I am not angry with you.”

“You're not?”

“No,” Remus said, shaking his head. “Are you hungry?” He asked, changing the subject.

Harry looked at Remus for a second and started to shake his head.

“Please don't lie to me, Harry,” Remus softly chided. “Are you hungry?”

Biting his lip, Harry nodded.

“Good boy,” Remus praised, standing up from the floor. “Let's see if we can find you something to eat.”

The two of them walked into the small kitchen.

“Sit at the table,” Remus instructed.

Harry obeyed though he was uncomfortable, having never sat at the table before. He didn't want to see that scary look again.

Remus turned his back on the child. He pulled out a loaf of bread and went to his icebox and pulled out some cheese.

“You will have something light,” Remus said. “I want you to try and get some rest when you are finished.”

“Yes, sir,” Harry intoned.

“Tomorrow, we're going to see a friend of mine.”

“Yes, sir.”

Remus put the plate in front of Harry, and after a little coaxing, Harry began to eat. Remus went back to the icebox and pulled out some milk and poured a small cup for the child.

Harry was reluctant at first to eat, but the man had been kind and made it for him, and he asked him to eat it, so Harry brought the sliced bread and cheese to his mouth and took a bite. It being the first thing that he put in his mouth in a day and a half, it was the best thing that he ever tasted. He had bread at his Aunt and Uncle's house, but it didn't taste like this. Harry savored every bit of it before he swallowed his first bite. He took a second bite, and it was just as good as the first. Then the man put a cup in front of him and with great reluctance he put the bread down and picked up the cup. Taking a small sip, the flavor of the milk seemed to explode in his mouth. Never. He never had milk before. He'd always pour a cup for Dudley, but he was never allowed to have any. Now, he was having his first sip of milk. It was wonderful.

As much as he didn't want his wonderful bread and cheese and his cup of milk to finish, he ate the last bite of food and swallowed his last bit of milk. After all the excitement from earlier, Harry was getting sleepy. He yawned.

“Let's get you to someplace comfy,” Remus said, holding out his hand for Harry.

Harry got out of his chair and walked over to the man. He looked at the man's hand for a second before he reached up and put his small hand in the big hand above him. When he felt the man's fingers wrap around his hand, Harry couldn't help the smile that came across his face. It was the first time someone has ever held his hand. It made him feel special.

Remus walked Harry to the sofa and let go of the child's hand. The smile on Harry's face quickly left when he felt the hand move away.

“Wait here,” Remus instructed.

Harry stood where he was. Remus left out of the room but returned quickly carrying a pillow and a cover.

“Alright, Harry, get up on the sofa.” Harry climbed on the sofa and sat down. Remus knelt down by the sofa. He put the pillow on one end. “Lay down.” Harry laid down on the sofa, resting his head on the pillow. It was the softest thing he'd ever felt. He eyelids were closing when he felt a duvet cover him up.

“Thank you,” Harry murmured.

“You're welcome, child,” Remus said, smiling. “Get some sleep.”

Remus started to stand when a small hand reached out and grabbed his arm.

“Wait,” Harry said.

“What is it, child?”

“What's your name?” Harry asked, slowly blinking up at the kind man that fed him, covered him and gave him a soft place to sleep.

“My name is Remus,” he replied. “It's okay. Go to sleep, child.”

As if a spell was cast on him, Harry went to sleep instantly. Remus looked down at the sleeping child wondering how Harry managed to get to his house.

Standing up, he walked back into his room. He thought about what he was going to do. Then he saw Albus' letter sitting on the nightstand and knew what he had to do. He did tell the child that they were going to be visiting his friend, so he should follow up on that. At first, he thought he would go in the afternoon. Now that he has Harry Potter lay on his sofa in his living room, he knew now that he would be going first thing in the morning.

TBC...