Disclaimer: WE do not own Harry Potter, or the Royal family and are just borrowing them to allow our wacky minds to find much needed release

A/N: Welcome to our story, feel free to comment or not. If there are too many mistakes feel free to volunteer to beta for us as three heads will surely be better than just the two of us.

Prologue

It was the end of the Fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. With one final night before the train home the following morning most of the students were already packed, however Neville Longbottom still had some left to finish. He thought most of his other roommates would be done by now, well apart from Ron but then he always was the last to be done.

Harry Potter had been in the boy's dorm since lunch trying to pack his trunk but his heart just wasn't in it. Harry was sitting on his bed holding a pair of socks when Neville came through the door. Sitting on his bed Neville greeted Harry.

"Hey Harry," Neville Said, he was finally getting to be close friends with Harry after so many years and didn't like that his friend looked so down.

Harry's despondent reply only encouraged Neville to get Harry into a conversation.

"I thought you'd be finished packing by now you've been up here practically all day." Neville said as he began to throw bits and pieces into his trunk.

"Yeah, Well, I just can't seem to get the motivation." Came Harry's quiet reply.

Neville was bemused, "I thought you'd be gagging to go home, to put this year behind you, just to get away from everything."

"Oh don't get me wrong I want to go I'm just not looking forward to reacquainting myself with the cupboard under the stairs." Harry turned to look out the window not wanting to face Neville after his brief confession.

"W-what do you mean by that?" Now Neville wasn't as slow as people thought but he just new he wasn't going to like the truths outed in this conversation.

"Neville, I can trust you can't I? If I tell you something you won't tell anyone else and I mean anyone? Including Ron and Hermione." Harry's tone was pleading

Neville could only respond with an emphatic "of course"

Harry knew he wouldn't be able to look at the boy opposite and get what he wanted off his chest so he looked down at the socks now in his lap.

"Well, as everyone knows I live with my muggle relatives, but what people don't know is that they hate me. I don't mean the normal dislike between parents and children in the teenage years. I mean that the actually HATE me. Always have; ever since the day they learnt I existed." Harry took a pause here, needing to draw strength to continue. "When I was young before I came to Hogwarts or even knew I was a wizard they had me sleeping in the cupboard under the stairs. They would call me 'freak' and tell me that I wasn't worthy of a room or other normal things children get. It wasn't too bad though; I got used to it and just accepted that was how it was. The worst was when my Uncle had had a bad day or Dudley was bored, let's not even mention the times I proved my freakishness with accidental magic. Those were the times I wished someone would come and take me away or even that my relatives would just leave me be in my cupboard. Nevertheless no-one ever came and when I just wanted to be alone they were right there reminding me that no-one ever wanted me. When wizards get angry they normally use their wands, but with Muggle's its different they use their fists to punch, their legs to kick as well as just about anything they could reach at the time. At first I thought it was something I was doing, so I tried not to talk to much, to stay out the way and to never be better than Dudley but if Vernon was in a bad mood it made no difference what I did." Harry stopped there and looked up at Neville; he knew it must be a shock to hear the Wizarding world's hero was abused by his muggle family. He was surprised though not to see pity in Neville's features but quiet encouragement for Harry to speak all he wanted yet Harry still wanted to reassure his friend.

"Don't worry, it's gotten better in the last few years, you would never guess how scared they can be of an escaped convict wizard. I haven't slept in the cupboard since my first Hogwarts letter and mostly they have left me alone. However I just have this feeling that it is all going to change this summer. You see, when the Dementors attacked last year my cousin was with me and was about a millisecond away from being kissed before I managed to get him away from them. My Aunt and Uncle were livid and I was locked in my room for the rest of the summer. It would have been worse had they not thought Sirius would turn up the moment they hurt me." Harry became sombre again, "but Sirius is gone now and I can't blame anyone else for what is going to happen as it's my fault. If I hadn't rushed in and had actually thought it through he would still be here and I would feel that someone actually cared about how they treated me. I know you must think I should mention it to Dumbledore but I don't know how he can't already know about it. Plus he and I aren't really Seeing Eye to eye at the moment." Having turned away from Neville again during his admission he raised his eyes to meet his friends, and thought he saw a glimpse of determination before it disappeared behind concern shrugging it off as trick of the light; Harry gave Neville a small smile.

Neville however was determined, he knew it was time, the circle would have their leader back and he would be able to give his friend the support he needed, however he knew he couldn't rush into his plan but wanted to at least make his friend feel better.

"Harry if you ever need me, you just have to let me know, Gran and I have a few contacts that if you don't want Dumbledore to know he won't have to. I can see why you are procrastinating now, I have managed to do the same listening to you, no don't try and apologise I'm your friend it's what I'm here for. And I know you won't believe me yet but Sirius' death wasn't your fault. Enough of this its time we packed and joined the rest in the common room. Enjoy our last bits of freedom while we have it. I just know I'm going to have an exhausting summer." With a Big smile which Harry returned hesitantly they both finished packing with much on their minds.