Albus stepped out of the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron. He propped the small child in his arm so that he would have a more secure hold on the boy. Albus stepped out of the busy tavern and carefully walked to an abandoned alley and apparated to Surrey. Sleeping peacefully, Harry did not stir during his travels. Casting a disillusionment charm over the two of them, Albus began the last leg of his trek to Number 4 Privet Drive. Not wanting the residence of Number 4 to be aware of the opening and closing of their front door, Albus apparated once again inside the house.

Being the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus may have feigned denial before, but he always knew who were going to get their acceptance letters and who wouldn't. He also knew to where the letters were going to be sent to. It was one of his more brighter ideas. When he became Headmaster, he implemented the specifics of who the letters were addressed to. Most students, past, present, and future, there would be a listing of everything about them. His reason for adding that little aspect was for the “wow” factor he knew would come. A child getting a letter with their name on it, is special, but said letter having what room they reside in would bring awe to the children.

When he first dropped Harry off at the Dursleys' front step, he knew that this child would have his name in the registry to come to Hogwarts when he turned three. There was no doubt about it. So when Albus was looking through the book five years ago, tears pooled his eyes and anger filled his heart when the information came across under Harry's name. Cupboard under the stairs. As much as he wanted to go and get the child from the clutches of those people, Albus knew he couldn't. He knew he would have to wait until the child came to Hogwarts. There he would make sure that Harry knew nothing but love that he seemed not to be getting from his relatives.

Footsteps coming from the floor above him, brought Albus out of his musing. He went to the cupboard and after opening up the small space, lowered the child onto what looked like a pile of ratty blankets. Looking down at the child, Albus wanted to take his wand out and change every aspect of the small space, but he knew he couldn't. Harry can't know about the wizarding world until he turned eleven. At the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, Albus, with a heavy heart, quickly closed the door and apparated away.

Petunia walked down the stairs already dressed for the day. She had many errands that needed to be taken care of. Waking up the freak so that he could start his cleaning early was where she was headed.

Harry woke up and looked around and saw he was still in his familiar cupboard.

It had been a dream, Harry thought.

But what a wonderful dream it was. He got to eat the creamiest cheese on the softest bread he'd ever had. Then there was the milk he drank. All his life he was never good enough to have milk. Yes, he poured it for Dudley when he made breakfast and sometime he would serve it at supper, but he was a freak and freaks didn't deserve good milk. Harry only could have water.

His thoughts turned on to the two men that held him. They were holding him. They picked him up and was holding him. It felt like they didn't want to let go either. Harry could almost still feel the secure arms holding him, bracing him against a strong chest. He could still feel the hard bumps of the men's heartbeats as they held him. The rise and fall of their chests as they breathed. The comforting shoulders that he rested his head on. These memories made his throat burn with bitter tears. He wanted that to be real. But why would it be real for a freak like him?

Harry took a deep breath as he tried to stem the tears that were threatening to overflow. Banging on the cupboard door brought Harry out of his musings. Sitting up, wiping his face, Harry quickly turned on the soft glowing light above him to make sure he had everything he needed to be dressed to their standards.

Another banging on the door, let Harry know that he needed to hurry up.

“Yes, Aunt Petunia,” Harry said, quickly. “Coming, Aunt Petunia.”

Harry reached for the latch handle, opening it, he crawled out of the cupboard. His aunt's pristine shoes, which he shined just yesterday, were in his line of vision. Looking up, Harry saw the disgusted look on his aunt's face.

“Good morning, Aunt Petunia,” Harry said, standing up in front of her.

“Took you long enough,” Petunia barked. “I want you to get started on breakfast, as you have a long list that needs to be done before lunch.” She said, pushing Harry towards the kitchen door. “I don't want to see you at all when they start arriving. Now, get to it!”

“Yes, Aunt Petunia,” Harry said, starting to gather everything he was going to need to make breakfast.

Well, Harry thought as he cracked the eggs. As wonderful as the dream was, he was back to the real world, where he was nothing but a freak that could never do anything right.

He just hope that he could get everything finished on the list that his aunt had for him so that he wouldn't get in trouble again.

___000____0000_____0000____000

When Remus got down to the dungeons, he could hear banging, shattering noises. He followed the sounds to the nearby Potions room and saw that there were several cauldrons floating above head colliding with each other. The force of the collisions the cauldrons were shattering, but they were mending themselves back together before colliding again.

Remus saw movement out the corner of his eye and saw that Severus left his office door, connected to the classroom open. He could see the Potions Master pacing the length of the office.

Waving his wand, Remus stopped the self-annihilation of the cauldrons and had them place themselves back on the shelves. The constant banging was irritating the wolf inside him. He walked into Severus' office and closed the door.

“Is there a reason you stopped that?” Severus asked, not stopping his pacing.

“Noise was getting on my nerves,” Remus replied. “If something is going to crash together, I'd rather it be that Vernon person and the nearest train.”

Severus stopped mid-step at the mental picture of Harry's uncle and a train colliding. Looking over at the last Marauder, Severus could honestly say that it's been a long time since he'd seen Remus this angry.

“Something on your mind, Lupin?”

“What did he say to you? What were you two talking about?”

That question started Severus pacing again. After a few passes, he stopped and stood in front of Remus.

“You were prefects with Lily, right?”

Remus blinked at the absurd questioning. It took him a moment to respond.

“Uh, yeah. Then Head boy and girl together.”

Severus nodded.

“During that time, did she ever speak to you about her family?”

“A little, why?”

“Did she speak about her sister?” Severus pressed on.

“I can't remember,” Remus said. “It's been so long ago. Why?”

“We stopped talking after our fifth year,” Severus confessed, backing away to start pacing again.

“What are you getting at?”

“You remember James' parents?”

“Of course. They were at the wedding.”

“Were Lily's?” Severus asked turning back to face Remus.

Remus gaze dropped to the floor as he tried to remember his best mate's wedding. He remembered Sirius being the best man. He remembered James' father presiding over the wedding. He remembered how happy they appeared. He remembered a dark figure standing in the shadows. Quickly looking up he stared at Severus.

“You were at the wedding?” Remus asked.

“Yes, I was,” Severus said. “She didn't know. Even though we weren't on speaking terms, she was still my best friend. I was not going to miss the happiest day of her life.”

“You crashed it,” Remus accused.

“Can you focus please,” Severus said, rolling his eyes. “Lily's family. Were they there?”

Remus tried to remember everything that happened nine years ago, then like someone had drawn back the curtains, that particular day came rushing back. Everything that happened. It was a wonderful day. It was an outside wedding. The weather was perfect. Lily looked beautiful. He walked her down the aisle. He could remember when she asked him to walk with her. He remembered how she evaded the question of why her own father wasn't going to do it.

Remus looked up at Severus, shock in his eyes.

“No,” he said. “Her family wasn't there.”

“The reason her father didn't walk her down the aisle was because he had died two years before we graduated,” Severus said.

“How do you know that?” Remus asked. “You two weren't talking.”

“We still lived in the same houses we did before we started Hogwarts,” Severus replied.

“Okay,” Remus sighed. “If you're telling me this, bring up the past, then who is Vernon?”

“Lily's brother-in-law.”

“What did Harry say to you?” Remus asked again.

“Let's just say they don't treat him well.”

“Tell me, you know where they live?”

Severus looked at Remus and smirked.

____0000____0000____0000____0000

Harry finished plating up his relatives' breakfast. He grabbed a small end of bread and nibbled on it in the corner. As he ate it, his thoughts went back to his dream and the soft bread that he ate then. Oh how he wish he could have that same piece of bread again.

“FREAK,” Vernon yelled, bringing Harry out of his thoughts.

He was startled so bad that he dropped the last bit of his bread on the floor.

“Do you think I am made of money?” Vernon yelled as he laboriously stood up from the table. “How dare you waste my good food?”

When Vernon got in front of Harry, he gripped his hair, pulling it towards the wall behind the child, keeping the child standing up. Vernon stepped on the piece of bread, smashing it into the floor.

“You ungrateful waste of space,” Vernon sneered, inches from the child's face. “Waste my food, will you? You will pick up that and eat it. And there will be no more food for you today. Maybe that will teach you to not waste my food.” Vernon let go of the child's hair, swinging his arm making the child fall on the floor by his feet.

Scared that he might get kicked, being so close to his uncle's feet, Harry tried to curl himself up into a small ball so that if he was kicked it wouldn't hurt too bad. Harry felt his uncle's foot move and his body automatically tensed for the impending blow. Luckily, the blow never came. Chancing a glance, Harry slowly uncurled himself and noticed that he was now alone in the kitchen. He was now sitting on his heels, looking down at the smashed piece of bread that seemed to be stuck to the floor and tears spilled from his eyes. Using his fingernail, Harry scrapped up the bread off the floor. Sighing, when his stomach growled from lack of food, Harry knew he wouldn't be eating anymore today, so he decided to save it. Standing up, Harry put the piece of smashed bread in his pocket.

Gathering the breakfast dishes, Harry began putting the food away and cleaning up the kitchen. He knew his aunt would be in soon with his cleaning list. At least the kitchen would be done so he didn't have to worry about that chore.

When he was drying the last of the dishes, Petunia came into the kitchen and put the list on the table, walking out without saying a word. After putting up the last dish, Harry looked at the list. He smiled as it wasn't as long as he thought it would be. Most of this wouldn't take him that long, so maybe he could be finished by the time Aunt Petunia's guest arrived.

Harry was working on his last thing on his list when the doorbell rang. A gasp escaped his lips as he looked up, fear in his eyes. He avoided pain with his run in with Uncle Vernon this morning, but he knew that it wouldn't be the same after their guests left this evening.

“You insignificant freak,” Petunia yelled from the kitchen. She stormed into the living room where Harry was standing frozen at the sound of the doorbell. “I told you to be finished.” She walked over to Harry, gripping the back of his neck and pushing towards the door. “Don't just stand there, get the door.”

Harry was literally shaking as he reached up for the doorknob. When he opened the door, another gasp escaped his lips as tears pooled his eyes.

____0000_____0000____0000____000

“You insignificant freak!”

The two men heard from inside the house. The man in black gripped the other man's arm, keeping him from breaking down the door. He was about to whisper to him that he needed to calm down when the door opened.

Harry looked up at the two men. Tears pooled his eyes as the two men from his dream were now standing in front of him. He quickly raised his arms, hoping beyond hope that they were the same men from his dream.

Remus and Severus looked down at the child. Neither one of them missed the red marks that were showing from his neck. When the child raised his arms, both of them wanted to pick the child up, but Severus held back in lieu of Remus grabbing this child. The Potions Master figured that if the wolf was holding on to the child then said child could keep the wolf calm.

A sob escaped passed Harry's lips when he felt hands under his arms. Is this real? Please let this be real. It feels real. When he felt his body being pressed against a strong chest and arms securely around him, Harry wrapped his arms and legs around the nice man that fed him in his dream, knocking his glasses off of his face not caring that they broke again. He buried his head in the crook of the man's neck.

“Harry, Harry, it's okay. We're here,” Remus soothed, leaning his head over the child's head

“Is this a dream?” Harry sobbed. “Please don't be a dream.”

“This is not a dream, Harry,” Severus said standing behind the child, rubbing his hand across the child's back. “Never a dream.”

Harry wanted to turn and be held by the dark man, but was afraid that they might be lying. As long as he was in this one's, Remus', arms they were real.

“Why is my door still open, freak?!” came the bellow from the male Dursley within the house.

Harry's body tensed in Remus' arms. Severus turned to face the inside of the house while Remus continued to calm Harry down, rubbing his back and speaking soothing words in the child's ear.

“Vernon,” Petunia tried to hush her husband, thinking it was one of her guest.

Petunia stepped out into the foyer where she stopped in her tracks seeing someone she never thought she would see again.

“What are you doing here?” Petunia squeaked. “How did you find me?”

Severus said nothing. He just glared at the horse-faced woman. He didn't like her when they were children and his feelings were still the same now.

“Put my nephew down and get off my front porch.”

“Who's there?” Vernon asked, coming into the foyer.

“It's one of them,” Petunia whispered to her husband.

Severus raised an eyebrow at the two of them.

“Where are his things?” Severus asked.

“And where do you think you are taking him?” Vernon asked, stepping in front of his wife, squaring his shoulders at Severus.

“Away from you,” Severus answered, calmly.

Remus stepped forward and looked at the couple.

“Are you 'Uncle Vernon'?” Remus asked.

Remus didn't really need an answer as he felt the child nodding his head at his neck, but he still waited for an answer.

“I beg your pardon,” Vernon huffed.

“Let's talk,” Remus said, walking into the house.

Vernon walked over to Remus and grabbed his shoulder, stopping him from going forward.

“Get out of my house,” Vernon barked.

Remus quickly turned and faced the large man.

“It would be in your best interest to not put your hands on me again,” Remus growled, his eyes changing color.

Vernon gulp down his fear as he saw the raw anger coming of the man before him. And did his eyes just change colors, Vernon thought, stepping back.

Still looking at the rotund man before him, Remus whispered in the child's ear.

“Do you want to go to Severus?”

“You'll still be real if I leave you?” Harry's voice was muffled and mumbled against Remus' neck.

“I'll still be here,” Remus promised.

Severus walked over to the two and waited.

“Severus is waiting,” Remus said.

Harry slowly lifted his head and saw the man in black that first picked him up in his dream. Biting his lip, Harry was scared that maybe he didn't want him, but Severus held out his hands as an invitation. Smiling, Harry, letting go of Remus, leaned over and collapsed in Severus' arms, clinging to him like a little monkey.

“Don't kill them,” Severus told Remus, walking past the wolf as he headed towards the cupboard.

“No promises,” Remus said, walking into the living room.

As if drawn by a spell, Vernon and Petunia followed Remus in the living room, sitting down on the sofa.

___0000____0000_____0000___0000

Leaving Harry in that place was hard for Albus, but he knew if things were to go as he planned, Harry had to stay there. When he made it to his chambers, he walked over to the fireplace and sat down. It broke his heart listening to the sobs of the child.

A small ringing from one of his trinkets were going off, taking him out of his thoughts. Realizing where the connection of this particular trinket was to, Albus quickly rushed to the Astronomy Tower. One of the joys of being Headmaster, he thought as he apparated out of the tower.

___0000_____0000____000___0000

Severus knew where the child slept as it was one of the things that he whispered to him before Albus took the child away.

“Harry,” Severus whispered. “Is there anything you want out of here?”

Harry shook his head. He had his face buried in the same manner as he did when Remus was holding him. Severus, wanting to see for himself, opened up the cupboard and looked inside. His hold of the child tightened as he looked at everything that was in the small space.

Severus was brought out of his internal rage by the sounds of an apparating pop. Tightening his hold around Harry and pulling his wand out, Severus, preparing for a fight, slowly walked into the living room to see who came in.

“YOU LEFT HIM HERE!” Remus yelled when Severus opened the door.

Albus turned as Severus walked in.

“My boy, please,” Albus tried to calm Remus down.

“They beat him,” Remus accused, pointing at the couple on the couch, both of them frozen in fear.

“He's fine,” Albus said.

“Are you serious?” Severus asked. “Fine? Really. He's been living in a cupboard.”

Albus looked at Severus, but said nothing.

“A what?” Remus asked.

“A cupboard under the stairs,” Severus said again, “but I think you already knew that.”

It was hard for Remus to control his rage. He didn't know who he was angry with more, Harry's relatives or Albus.

“Harry has to stay here,” Albus sighed. Remus' seemed to deflate hearing that from Albus.

“No, he doesn't.” Remus said, his voice flat as if all the fight just drained out of him.

“He can be with someone that loves him and can protect him. He will not find love in this house.”

Remus walked over to Severus, gripped his arm, tightly and the three of them apparated out of Number 4 Privet Drive.

Albus closed his eyes and lowered his head. This was not how things were supposed to go. Harry was supposed to be safe here, cared for and loved. He was supposed to come to Hogwarts a healthy, happy child, learning to become a powerful wizard. But that isn't what will probably happen. Remus and Severus are gone. Albus knew if he really wanted to he could find them, but after everything he's seen today, he just didn't want to.

He looked over at the couple still sitting on the sofa.

“All you had to do was love him,” Albus said, quietly.

“I never wanted him in the first place,” Petunia said, finally finding her voice. “You left him on the stoop, meaning you didn't want him either.”

Albus just looked at the woman. This was the same person that begged him, sending multiple letters asking to be admitted into Hogwarts. Did he plant a bitter seed in this child in his response? Maybe so, but it's too late now. Petunia was angry and jealous. She was jealous of her deceased sister. She's still alive and still holds a candle to her hatred of her sister.

Albus pulled out his wand and slowly walked over to the couple on the sofa.

“What are you planning on doing?” Vernon stuttered, trying to lean back on the sofa.

“I know it was a little unorthodox the way Harry was left,” Albus said, his eye avoid of his usual twinkle. He just look like an old man. “You knew how to get in touch with me if you didn't want him.” Albus directed that statement to Petunia. Vernon looked between his wife and the old man standing before him. “All you had to do was treat him decent. It shouldn't have been hard to do. He's a very sweet boy. He shouldn't have been that starved for affection, for a gentle touch, for just to hear that he was a good boy. You had one job.”

Albus' voice never raised from just above a whisper, but the two on the sofa heard him loud and clear.

“Just one job,” Albus continued. “But it's fine now. I know he'll be taken care of. But not you.”

“What are you going to do?” Petunia squeaked, leaning against her husband.

Albus didn't answer her. He raised his wand and said one word, “Obliviate.”

Minutes later, Albus slowly walked out of Number 4 Privet Drive, closing the door behind him. When he a few feet away, making sure that he was the only one outside, he turned, waving his wand over the house, dismantling the Blood Wards that he constructed seven years ago. There was no reason for them to stay up; Harry didn't live here anymore.

____0000____0000____0000

The two wizards and child popped into the living room of Remus' flat. A moan was coming from Severus' neck. Harry didn't like that feeling. It made his tummy ache, threatening to bring up the slice of bread he ate for breakfast. He didn't want that to happen as it will be a long time before he's allowed to eat again. Breathing through the pain in his stomach, Harry began to feel hands on his back and neck, soothingly rubbing him. He could also feel the vibrations of someone talking. Trying to calm everything down so that he could focus on the comforting words helped how he was feeling.

“It's alright, Harry,” Severus soothed. “It'll pass. Can I put you down so that I can make sure you're okay?”

Harry mumbled something through the pain. The sound was again muffled by the one holding him neck.

Letting out a breathless chuckle, “You are a very good boy, and we will still be here when I put you down.”

“Will I still be able to get picked up?” Harry's voice was louder this time since he moved his head back a little.

“If your wish is to be carried around, I do not see why it would be a problem, but I'm sure you would like to explore your new home while walking on your own two legs.”

Harry opened his eyes and fully lifted his head off of the comforting shoulder and looked around. A gasp escaped his lips as it looked so familiar. He knew this room. He'd seen it before. Leaning back a little in Severus' arms, but keeping hold of the man's shoulders, Harry looked around the room. It was exactly like his dream.

In his awe of the room, he didn't notice that he was being put down until he felt the familiar sofa under him and the man in black kneeling down in front of him. Harry's attention quickly went to the sofa he was sitting on, sliding his hand over the cushion, remembering how it felt in his dream.

“How is your stomach feeling, now?” Severus asked.

Harry's hands stopped moving and looked up at Severus. He thought about it for a second and it didn't feel like it did before. “Fine,” Harry shrugged.

“Do you think you can eat a little something?” Severus asked.

At that moment Remus walked into the living room carrying a small plate and a cup. When he placed it on the table, Harry saw that it was toasted cheese bread and milk. Harry gave a small nod and reached for the milk.

Will it taste the same? Harry wondered as he took a sip. When he drank it, a smile came across his face. It was just like his dream. Making sure that he paced himself, he didn't want to finish quickly, Harry took small sips to make the milk last longer. Halfway through with the milk, Harry put the glass down, reaching for the bread. The sandwich was just like the dream, Harry thought. Looking around, he saw that Remus was sitting next to him. There was a question that was bugging Harry and it would not stop nagging at the child. Looking up and seeing the man look at him, Harry asked his question.

“Is this a dream?”

“No, Harry,” Remus said, softly, shaking his head.

“This is real?” Harry asked again.

“Very real,” Severus replied.

Harry looked between the two men and smiled. This was real. Harry looked down at the sandwich and took a bite. Just like his dream, earlier, it was the exact same.

After eating and putting his dishes away, Remus showed Harry around the flat which wasn't that big, but Harry loved it. Remus spoke of going shopping as soon as the next day for a few odds and ends as he put it. Harry smiled. For some reason the thought of going shopping seemed like a fun prospect especially after what they said they were going to get. He also talked about going to get more food, so Harry wouldn't have to worry about what he would have for breakfast, dinner or supper. Harry was just excited at the prospect of eating that much every day.

As the day came to a close, both men saw that Harry was fighting sleep. They were sitting in the living room. Remus and Harry were on the sofa and Severus was sitting on the chair next to them, reading the Daily Prophet. Both men could see that Harry was sleepy, but each time his eyes would close, he was quickly awaken.

“Come child,” Remus said. “Let's get you to bed. We have a big day tomorrow.”

Harry stared up at the men, his eyes darting from one man to the other. He didn't want to go to sleep. If he went to sleep it would mean that this would all end. He didn't want this to end.

Thinking that Harry was really sleepy, Remus reached down and picked the child up, carrying him into the bedroom. Harry held on, but not as tightly as he'd done that morning, when he was placed on the bed, Harry let go and looked up at Remus.

“Do I have to go to sleep?” Harry whispered.

“You're tired,” Remus said, kneeling down in front of the child. “We have a big day tomorrow. You need your rest.”

“But, if I go to sleep, it will all be a dream,” Harry confessed as a lone tear flowed down his cheek.

Reaching up and wiping away the tears, Remus said, “This isn't a dream. I will be here when you wake up.”

“You promise?”

“I promise,” Remus declared. “This is not a dream. Never a dream. You're never leaving my side. Not again.”

Harry smiled and reached out hugging Remus around his neck. Remus rubbed his side, then pulled the child back.

“Now, how about you get some sleep. And tomorrow we are going to get you some new clothes and furniture?”

Harry nodded, laying down on the bed. It was much softer than the sofa in his dream.

“Good night, Remus,” Harry said, his eyes starting to droop.

“Good night, cub,” Remus whispered.

“Tell, Se'vus too,” Harry murmured.

“I will,” Remus promised. “Go to sleep. I'll be here when you wake.”

Harry smiled as he finally succumbed to sleep. Remus looked down at the child. So much in his short life that Harry didn't have to go through. But now Remus had him. He didn't know how he was going to really take care of him, but he knew that Harry was going to know that he was loved.

Remus stood up, waving his hand to dim the lights. He didn't want them completely off just in case Harry woke up believing that it was a dream.

“Good night, cub,” Remus whispered as he closed the door. “Welcome home.”

THE END