When he'd gained custody of Harry at one year old, he had never even considered taking Harry and raising him as his own, because he had never trusted his own judgment after what had happened with his sister. After his parents had died, Albus as the eldest brother had been entrusted with the care of Ariana as the head of the family. He paused, looking down at the worn arm of the comfortable living room chair, fingers feeling the worn surface of the fabric. He always tried not to think of that dark time in his life after Ariana had died, and it was hard to do so now. Instead he forced himself to think of anything else, and what came to mind was a conversation he'd once had with Harry above the Leaky Cauldron before the trial the previous summer.

"Why can't I live at Hogwarts if I need to be kept safe from Death Eaters? Or with you?"

"I never imagined you would want to live with an old man Harry. Years are not guaranteed and old age slips away even faster than youth."

It had been a lie. He'd never considered letting Harry stay with him, because he couldn't. He couldn't let another child in his care die. Not after Ariana. So he'd placed a ward on Harry's relatives' homes and left him there instead, trusting all would be well. Trusting that Petunia would have enough love for her sister to raise Lily's son as her own.

"You don't know what it's like to not have anyone at all," Harry had said quietly.

"I'm afraid Harry, that I cannot protect you from hurtful words. I cannot protect you from everything. I must however do what I can to protect you from death and torture."

He had to protect him from what had happened before. History couldn't repeat itself. Harry was not Ariana, but he did have people who wished to kill him. Tom Riddle was out there biding his time and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Albus had thought the most important thing was to keep Harry alive at all costs, and that meant keeping him with his aunt. He was so certain it was the right thing to do, even after Harry had come to him to tell him he didn't want to live there anymore.

But Albus had seen the toll the trial had taken on Harry. He'd seen the impact of the abuse he didn't protect him from at the hands of his relatives. He should have tried to protect Harry from the hurtful words. He should have tried to protect him from everything. Albus knew that guilt like this didn't go away. It had never gone away after he'd failed to protect Ariana, and that had been nearly seventy years ago.

Albus let his eyes come up to watch Harry as he slept, bruised from the incident earlier that morning. The child seemed to be doing better than when he'd come home to the castle the previous summer. He'd struggled to find his place in this new family they had tried to forge, but he'd finally seemed to settle, to believe that things had changed for him. But now Albus' fear had come true. He was in Albus' care, and Albus had failed to protect him from those that wanted to hurt him.

Albus looked away from the sleeping child again. He didn't know how to make this right. He still wasn't certain he could protect Harry from those who wanted to do him harm. He had to try though. Harry was his now: his grandson. For all he'd tried to keep the boy at arms length over the years, he couldn't do that now. He loved him too much.

He made himself look at Harry again. The boy's chest rose and fell as he slept the afternoon away peacefully. He didn't want to repeat his mistakes. He'd let his own trauma over what had happened with Ariana affect him, and not only him but Harry, and Severus as well.

When he'd brought Severus to Hogwarts for his seventh year, he had spent some time with him, but he could have adopted him then. He cared about Severus like he did Harry, but he hadn't stepped up to really invest himself in either of them. He could have stopped Severus from joining Voldemort if he had instead of waiting for him to leave the ranks and come to Hogwarts to teach.

Severus had told Harry hours ago that his words had impact. That applied to Albus as well. His decisions were far reaching. His decision not to invest himself in Severus' life... not to adopt him after he'd brought him to the castle from the orphanage meant that Severus had joined the death eaters. If he could have stopped Severus from joining Voldemort, perhaps it would have meant James and Lily Potter would still be alive today. Perhaps they could have been here caring for Harry and protecting him as they always should have been. Perhaps not. Albus wasn't so foolish to believe he could stop all evils from affecting those he loved and cared about. Even so, it appeared he'd let himself repeat his mistakes again and again.

His eyes fell back on Harry and he promised Harry silently that he would not let himself repeat the same mistake yet again. Harry and Severus were his now, and he had to protect them both. They belonged to each other. There was nothing more important than family.

* * *

"How is he?" Severus came in at five to find Albus sitting down to dinner at the table and Harry still asleep on the couch. He walked over to check on Harry and then went to have a seat across from Albus.

"He's been sleeping all afternoon. I tried to get him to eat some lunch, but he only took a few bites because his jaw was hurting. Since his vision is still blurry he decided to take a nap. I woke him a few minutes ago to see if he wanted dinner, but he said his jaw and neck were aching and that he'd rather sleep."

"I will return to the Hospital Wing then to get him some more painkiller and anti-inflammatory potions."

"There is no need, Poppy came by half an hour ago and delivered them. I was going to let Harry sleep a little while longer before I woke him to take them and try to eat again."

"The front of the shop looked like a tornado had gone through," Severus said, putting roast beef on his plate. "I helped Bennet repair several bookcases and re-organize the books. Basil left to go to St. Mungos to get his eye seen to."

"He was hurt as well?"

"All of them were. Bennet had several sprained muscles in his arms and shoulders, and Basil had been punched in the face and his cheek was swollen. After he returned from St. Mungos the work went faster. All is now repaired."

"And you told them Harry would not be returning to work for the summer?"

"Yes. They were sorry to hear that and concerned about how he was doing. They are pressing charges against the suspect as well. You'll never guess who it was." Albus waited patiently for an answer with the same grave look he'd been wearing all afternoon. "Hugh Lupin."

Albus set his fork down. "Remus' father?"

"The same. An auror came back halfway through repairing the shop to get an estimate of damages. They'd been interviewing him all afternoon. The Aurory was of the opinion that he was no longer right in the mind."

"I'm not certain he ever was," Albus said. "Are you aware of how he treated Remus after he was bitten as a child?"

"I have never spoken to the wol- to the man about it," Severus corrected. He'd been so used to calling him ‘wolf' that it was a hard habit to break. Given how Harry felt about fae, he'd been trying to change the way he spoke about Lupin. Severus had nothing against fae, just against the one who had tried to eat him in his fifth year.

"After he was bitten his father insisted Remus go to stay with family. He didn't want to chance him biting his younger brother. From the moment Remus moved out at six, Hugh considered his eldest son dead to him. He rarely saw Remus after that, and after Finn came to Hogwarts he was forbidden by his father from associating with Remus at all, even at school. As far as I am aware, to this day Hugh Lupin has no association with Remus."

Severus shook his head. He couldn't imagine disowning a child because they had been afflicted with lycanthropy. He couldn't imagine disowning Harry for any reason.

"Perhaps the elves can deliver some soup or something soft so he doesn't have to chew since his jaw is aching," Severus suggested. Albus nodded and called an elf, and when they had delivered hot soup, Severus went to the couch and touched Harry's shoulder.

"You need to take some potions and eat something."

"You're back?" Harry asked, groggy. "Were you able to get the shop put back together? Are Basil and Bennet angry with me?"

"The shop is repaired. They are not angry and have no reason to be. They were worried about you."

Harry struggled to sit up so Severus helped him up and to the table where Albus was waiting for Harry to join them to finish dinner. Harry sat gingerly next to Albus and took the three potions his father set on the table next to him.

"Is your jaw still hurting?" Severus asked.

"Yes."

"The elves brought up soup so you don't have to chew anything."

"Thanks." He bent forward to lean over his soup bowl so he could sip his soup, but winced again and reached up to the back of his neck.

"The potions should kick in soon," Severus said.

"Will they make my vision clear up?"

"That may take some time. As you begin to recover from the concussion, your vision should return to normal. If it does not clear in a few days, let us know."

Harry did his best to eat his soup, turned down the ice cream the Headmaster offered to order from the kitchens, and instead asked for some ice for his neck and head, as the pain potion hadn't knocked down the pain from his headache after twenty minutes.

"He just needs some rest," Severus said.

Harry groaned and both men looked over at him. "Sorry," he said. "Just not looking forward to walking all the way to the dungeons. I'm ready though." He straightened up in his seat and tried his best to look as though nothing was bothering him at all.

"You can stay here tonight Harry," Albus said. Harry let himself relax and slouched back down in the chair. "Good, cuz I'm dizzy and I don't think I would have made it all the way there without losing my dinner."

"Go lay on the couch," Severus told him, and Harry moved gingerly to do as he was told, dragging the soft brown blanket back over himself just enough to cover his bare arms.

"I will return to the dungeons and bring up a change of clothes for him," Severus said, "as well as a stronger potion."

"Thank you Severus."

Albus moved back to the comfortable chair after Severus left and said, "Since you were unable to read your book, would you like me to read it to you?"

Harry moved his arm away from his eyes and looked blearily at the Headmaster. "I'm almost 14, aren't I a little old for bedtime stories?"

Albus picked up Harry's novel, the second in the series about the snarky werewolf from Norway and said, "Too old to listen to the adventures of Eivind?"

"I've just never been read to before."

"Then we shall have to rectify that my boy." He opened up to Harry's book mark and let his eyes scan down the page for a few moments. "My, Evinid is like Severus isn't he?"

Harry gave a little smile and let his arm fall back over his eyes to block the light out. "He can be pretty snarky and sarcastic."

"Eivinid or Severus?"

"Sure," Harry said, and Albus smiled and began to read.

Half an hour later Severus returned with the pillow from Harry's bed, his favorite soft pair of Falmouth Falcons sweat pants, and a fresh shirt that wasn't ripped, along with a new pair of socks. It took Harry several minutes to get the new shirt on because he was trying to avoid moving his neck too much, but he eventually emerged from the bathroom and laid back down on the couch. Severus sat on Albus' second couch and listened as Albus read, not finding the novel interesting, but not wanting to leave Harry alone until he fell asleep. Even though he was in the safe confines of the castle, Severus wanted to keep an eye on him for as long as possible.

* * *

Harry ended up staying on Albus' couch for two days. By the third day his vision had cleared up completely, and the swelling in his neck had subsided enough that he felt like he could move around some. He still had a headache, and his left eye was still swollen, though it was no longer swollen closed, so Harry felt well enough to move back to his room in the dungeons. Once he was back in the dungeons however he felt lonely, missing the Headmaster's voice as he'd grown used to him reading aloud over the two days, and he ended up abandoning his room to lie on his father's couch in front of the fireplace.

"Your bed cannot be so uncomfortable that you prefer the couch," Severus said when he came back into their quarters an hour later and found Harry on the couch reading.

"The room was too quiet."

"I see."

Severus settled into his favorite chair with the Daily Prophet, but before he could start to read, Harry asked, "Am I banned from the Alley's for the whole summer?"

"You are not banned from anywhere. It is unsafe for you to go out alone given the way certain groups of people feel about your recent political statements."

"It's going to be boring being at the castle all summer with nothing to do."

"You may still return to the alleys to visit or shop as long as myself or Albus is with you."

Harry tilted his head to look back at his father. "I'd be a bother asking to go all the time. I liked having the freedom to go out on my own."

"Perhaps in time people will calm down a bit and you will be able to return on your own."

"I could just hang around Payne all day," Harry said. "I'd be plenty safe there."

"If you believe that, you are delusional."

"They wrote about the attack in the Lighthouse you know."

"As they did in the Prophet," Severus said.

"Yeah, I read that. But did you read the Lighthouse article?"

"No. I do not receive the publication."

Harry got up and went to his room to retrieve the newsletter he'd been sent the day before, and opened it to the article about him before handing it to his father.

"You somehow believe that by me reading this, I will believe you are safe going down Payne Alley?"

"I don't expect you to believe anything," he said.

Severus grumbled and then let his eyes move down to the article.

'Potter Attacked For Protective Stance On Fae

Friday afternoon, while working at Flourish And Blotts on Diagon Alley, Mr. Harry James Potter (Fae) was attacked while shelving books. The assailant (father to a well known and well-liked Were), accused Potter of being reckless by taking a protective stance on the Fae community. The assailant grabbed Potter by the front of his shirt and punched him several times hard enough to fracture bone and give him a concussion. Basil Flourish and Bennet Flourish, of Flourish and Blotts, came to Potter's rescue and subdued the assailant, but not before several book displays were destroyed in the process. Both brothers sustained minor injuries. Aurors were called and the assailant was taken to the Aurory to be charged with assault. His hearing is to be held on Monday. Potter's condition is known to be stable at this time. Incidences of attacks on Fae are on the rise. Stay indoors, protect yourselves and your neighbors.'

"They have labeled you as Fae."

"They'll leave me alone if I go down Payne."

"You are most likely still under surveillance by the Ministry. You wish to be seen traveling up and down Payne?"

"No, just saying, I'd be ok if I did."

"When you are fully healed, the Headmaster or I will ensure you are able to get back to the Alleys should you still wish to go."

"Good, because I miss reading at the tea shop."

Ron and Hermione had read about the attack on Harry in the Prophet, and it wasn't long before Harry started receiving letters from his friends, asking if he was ok. Professor Lupin also came down to the dungeons to check in on Harry several times, though he didn't seem to be aware that it was his father that had attacked him. Harry didn't mention it to him, because he didn't want his favorite professor to feel bad about it.

Harry's headache was just starting to go away five days after the attack when Albus came down to the Dungeons to have dinner and check on Harry. As they sat down to eat, Albus said, "You asked Severus if you could spend time at your home on the river Almond this summer. We feel now would be a wonderful time to do so."

Harry looked up at his father and grandfather. "I get to go to the house? For how long?"

"We were thinking two weeks," Severus said.

"When?"

"In two days. That will give us time to get some furniture and pack up to get over there."

"It is kind of empty over there," Harry lamented. There was a small kitchen table with two chairs, and a couch, and that was all. The three bedrooms sat empty.

"There are several places I know of to buy furniture across the isles," Albus said. "I thought perhaps we could make a day of it tomorrow. We'll need bedding and a few other things as well."

"And I get to come?" Harry asked, just to be sure.

"Yes."

"I want to stock up the house with tea from the shop on Knocturn," Harry said.

"Write a list," Severus said. "I will obtain food stuffs while you are shopping with Albus."

After dinner Harry and Albus made a list of teas they wanted, as well as other foods, and Harry made his father promise to get it all on Knocturn if he could, including a list of candy from Tilly's shop, which Albus seconded the request for.

The next morning Harry took two pain relief potions to knock down the last of his headache, and looked himself over in the bathroom mirror. There was barely a bruise left on his left eye, which had been swollen closed only a week ago. Aside from that and the fact that he needed a haircut, he didn't look too shabby, and was looking forward to a day out with his grandfather.

After breakfast, the three of them walked to the Hogwarts gates together, and Severus apparated to Knocturn Alley, while Albus apparated Harry to a park in Edinburgh. From there they walked to a large furniture store, and Harry asked how they were going to get such a large delivery of furniture to his house.

"They'll deliver it to the edge of the property in a truck, just beyond the anti-Muggle wards, and we can take it in from there." He pulled out a sheet of paper and showed Harry the directions to where the furniture was to be dropped off.

They picked out three identical beds with comfortable mattresses, three night stands, three matching chairs for the kitchen table, and two comfortable soft chairs for the living room. Albus paid for the purchase and delivery fee in Muggle notes, handed over the delivery instructions, and they left to go to another store.

"We still need bedding, curtains, towels, rugs, trash bins, plates," Harry read off the list.

"There is a home goods store down the road. Minerva said she prefers it because they have a wide variety of tartan blankets."

Inside the second store, Albus picked up a stack of cheerful blue towels and put them into the trolley Harry pushed. Harry picked out a dark blue blanket for his bed, and a soft fuzzy light gray blanket to wrap himself up in. He loved the soft brown blanket the Headmaster often let him use when sleeping on his couch and wanted one of his own. Harry was planning on decking out his room in Falmouth Falcons colors and was pleased to find just about everything he needed in shades of dark blue and light gray. They got a dark green blanket for his father's bed, and Harry was interested to see the Headmaster picked out a serviceable looking brown blanket, rather than something that had more color. They went down the aisles checking things off the list until the cart was full and they had everything they'd need for a two week stay.

After they paid for their purchases (just over 800 pounds), they found a narrow alley and the Headmaster shrunk everything down and then apparated Harry to his house on the river Almond. Harry thought the address and password and the home appeared, looking just as he remembered it. The house was surrounded by lovely tall green trees, and sat a little ways back from the River Almond, which was narrow and wooded on both sides. There was a large wooden porch out front that Harry planned on lounging on while he read, or perhaps eating meals on, and had a good view of the little river. He opened the door and they went in so Albus could unshrink the bags and rugs.

"We forgot wardrobes," Harry said.

"We did, didn't we? Trunks should do fine to store clothing and books in for a few weeks."

Harry nodded as his eyes soaked in his home once again. The living room had wood beams on the ceiling, and windows looking out towards the river. The kitchen was small and didn't have a dining area, despite that a small wooden table had been pushed against a wall in the space. Down a short hall with a big window at the end were three small bedrooms and a bathroom. It was perfect.

"Let's unroll the rugs," Harry said. "That way when the furniture comes tomorrow we won't have to shift it around to fit the rugs under."

Albus conjured a knife so Harry could cut the plastic keeping the rugs together, and then Harry pulled a soft dark gray rug to the center of the living room and let it unroll in front of the gray couch. He took the light gray rug he had picked out for his room down the hall and picked the second room on the left to be his own, letting the rug unroll in the middle of the floor. When he came back out, Albus had already put a gray rug down against the wood floor in the room next to Harry's for Severus, and taken his own rug, which had a lot of pattern to it and dull tones of red and earthy blues to the room across the hall, which he had claimed as his own.

Harry pulled out the box of dishes and set it on the kitchen counter, along with the box of new silverware and a box with four mugs in it, and then took the two white trash bins they'd bought to the kitchen and bathroom. Albus had already taken the towels to the bathroom and left them on the side of the tub.

While Albus moved around to the various windows to hang up curtains with a spell, Harry sorted out three piles of bedding onto the couch so everything would be ready for when furniture arrived the next day. He was surprised when the front door opened and his father came in a moment later carrying a large box of canned goods. He took a brief glance around the living room and kitchen as he set the box down, and said, "Come and help me with the rest. It's at the property boundary."

Harry followed after him and after two trips they had brought in all of the food, including a sizeable bag of candy and a huge package wrapped in brown paper and twine from the tea shop.

"We forgot to buy wardrobes," Harry said as Albus came out of the bathroom, finally finished with the curtains.

"It's starting to look like a home," Albus said.

"What time will the furniture arrive tomorrow?" Severus asked.

"Eleven."

"We should return to the castle and pack. We can return tomorrow at ten thirty."

Harry moved to his father so he could be apparated back to the school gates, but he wished he didn't have to leave. Unlike the last time he'd been here, the house felt full of life, as opposed to lonely and empty. Harry couldn't wait to return in the morning.

* * *

In the morning, they brought in their trunks and then Severus went to the boundary at the edge of a gravel driveway where the furniture was to be delivered to wait. The delivery men thought it odd to deliver a lorry full of furniture to a dead end driveway in the woods with no house in sight, but Severus tipped them well and they didn't ask him any questions. When they were gone, Albus and Harry came out to help move things in. Harry couldn't use his wand since he wasn't 17 yet, so he carried in dining table chairs while Severus and Albus levitated beds and other large pieces inside. Once it was all in, Harry set to work putting his bedding on, and piling the many large soft pillows they'd gotten at the home goods store onto his bed. It was a million times better than anything he'd ever had before, and he wondered what aunt Petunia would think of his house if she ever saw it. She would probably hate it, but his father and grandfather seemed to approve, and Harry decided that was all he really cared about.

"This room is missing something," Severus said, coming into Harry's room a few minutes after he'd finished. Harry's face fell a little, wondering what he'd forgotten. Then Severus pulled something out from behind his back and handed it to Harry. It was white and rolled up in a tube. Harry unrolled it and found two new Falcon's posters, one with the Chaser he admired so much, and another with the Falcon's logo.

"It's gonna go perfect with everything I picked out!" Harry said. Severus helped him stick the posters to the wall with a spell, and said, "We will need to get a shelf so you can store some books."

"I barely brought any with me," Harry said. "I read all the ones I have."

"I believe Albus brought something to remedy that," Severus said, and Harry turned to find Albus in the doorway with several books. It was a new series Harry hadn't seen yet.

"Something to start our stay off right," Albus said. "I sent away for them weeks ago. They come from America."

"Thank you," Harry said, and took the books to his soft bed to look at the summaries on the back.

"These don't look Muggle," he commented.

"They are not. They are written by werewolves, elves and vampires."

"Ace." The first book was about a werewolf without a pack, the second about an elf who had been cast out of his tribe, and the third about a vampire with a long history of making poor decisions. It was a series, and each of the three characters featured in all three books. Harry couldn't wait to read them, and to spend time there in his new home with his family.

* * *

Albus had brought along a new deck of Fire and Ice Bane cards to replace the deck Harry had given to Draco at Christmas, and Harry had packed the box full of games the Headmaster had given him, so they had plenty to do. Severus had brought several potions journals and books to read, and so had the Headmaster, so the three of them spent time quietly reading, playing board games, or talking about a variety of topics. Albus had also come prepared with several ideas for spells to teach Harry for adding images to the notebooks he planned to make with Justin, but told Harry they would have to register his house with the Ministry as the home of adult wizards if Harry planned on using magic that summer.

"I thought I couldn't use magic at all outside of school."

"Technically you cannot," Severus said. "However, once a home is registered to adult witches and wizards, the entire property becomes untraceable. There would be no way for the Ministry to know if it was a minor or adult casting spells."

"But, Ron's still not allowed to cast spells at the Burrow."

"Parents generally keep the knowledge from their children. Some do not. The Malfoy's for instance, have always allowed Draco to cast while at home, and encourage him to do so as they hire private tutors for him each summer to teach him new magic."

"And once we register this house, I'll be able to as well?"

"Yes."

"Ace. I'd really like to have Justin over to work on the notebooks once we can get the spells figured out."

"That would be acceptable."

"I'll register the home tomorrow if you like," Albus said. "It won't take much time."

While Albus was away at the Ministry the next day, Harry finished up the second book in the novel series his grandfather had given him, and started the third. He was only gone for a couple of hours, and when he returned he came back with muffins from the tea shop on Knockturn, and set to teaching Harry several of the transfiguration spells he had in mind. He taught Harry how to turn various objects into any shade or color he could imagine, and how to add any image he could find to the notebook covers. All Harry had to do was have a copy of the image with him, and touch the image to the notebook cover, and then use a transferring spell. It was easy once Harry had the hang of it, though it had taken Harry an hour to learn.

"Can I write to Justin and ask if he can come stay the night?" Harry asked Severus that evening at dinner.

"He can stay next Thursday if he is allowed. I will retrieve him and take him back the next day."

"I'll write to him so he can have time to convince Mrs. Ginger," Harry said, and jumped up to write a letter so he could send it off with Hedwig.

It turned out there was a reason Snape had told Harry to wait to have him over until the following Thursday. They'd spent an enjoyable week and a half together in the cabin and roaming the little piece of property, but Albus had duties he had to attend to at the castle, and had to leave after ten days.

"I would stay the entire two weeks with you if I could Harry," Albus lamented, "alas, there are some big things coming in the next school year that I must attend to to set up."

"Couldn't you work each day and come back home at night?"

"If I were staying in the country, I would," he said, putting a hand on Harry's messy hair. "I must make a trip to France, and then to Bulgaria. I will be away for almost a week, and then I will have several meetings at the Ministry."

"What kind of big things?" Harry asked.

Albus gave a knowing smile and said, "I would not wish to ruin the surprise. Instead I'll let you hear it when your friends do, so you can be excited with them."

Harry leaned into his grandfather and wrapped his arms around him. He'd grown so used to spending time with him all day, he didn't want to see him go. "I will be back in time for your birthday," Albus said. "If not here, then we will celebrate at Hogwarts. I wouldn't dream of missing the 14th birthday of my favorite grandson."

"How many grandsons do you have?" Harry asked in jest.

Severus snorted from the couch and Albus tousled Harry's hair. "Just the one I see before me."

Harry flashed him a grin and watched as he disapparated with his trunk, sad when he was gone.

"One would think you like spending time with him more than me," Severus said from the couch behind him when he didn't move for several moments after the Headmaster had left.

Harry turned and said, "No sir. I just got used to him being here all the time."

"Why don't you get your book and come read," Severus said, indicating the empty space next to him on the couch.

Harry did as he was told, and startled a moment later when Severus placed his arm around him.

"I did not intend to alarm you," Severus said, lifting his arm up to give Harry space, but he stilled when Harry leaned into him, and then set his arm back down on Harry's shoulder. Harry told himself he was too old to hug his guardians, or to cuddle with them, because that was girl stuff, but he couldn't bring himself to move to the other end of the couch. He was enjoying the warmth and the feeling that he was loved too much to think on it any longer. He read for half an hour, and then fell into a doze against his father's side. A year ago he never would have imagined this outcome for himself, as he had laid in his bed above the Leaky Cauldron fretting about being sent back to Privet Drive.