Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within the realm of Harry Potter. I do not make any money off of this. The only things that are mine, are a handful of characters, and the basic idea.

Author's Note: This is my first fanfic. This story has not been beta read. If you find some discrepancies, please let me know so I can either explain them, or fix them. This story will contain ideas and concepts found across the web as Thing to not do at Hogwarts. I was challenged by my little brother to fit as many of them as I possibly could into a story, so this is that attempt. If there is something you would like to see in this story, or a favorite thing that one shouldn't do, please let me know and if I can I shall add it in. Thank You for giving my story a chance.

Chapter 1

Harry was saddened by the fact that his first year at Hogwarts was over, and that he would soon have to return to the home of his aunt and uncle. Even so he promised his two friends that he would stay in touch over the summer. There was no way he felt comfortable telling them about how his home life compared to their own happy stories. It was this feeling that felt like a cold lump of lead forming in his gut as he hugged both of them goodbye and headed off to the walrus-looking man that was his uncle.

There was no greeting, just a grunt, a snap of fingers and walking towards the car. He left out a sigh as he followed and brought his trunk and cage to the car to load them himself and then climb into the backseat with his cousin. It was a nice change of pace that his relatives pretty much ignored him, except for the occasional punch from his pig of a cousin.

"Oh Vernon, would you look at that! The neighbors are moving! Hurry up so I can go find out why," Petunia said gleefully in the hopes that there would be some good gossip to be had from it.

For all that he was worth he sped up and parked in the drive as fast as he could for his wife, and the better to get the freak into it's new space.

Not two seconds out of the car and the neighbor lady, Francine had trotted over to hug his aunt.

"Oh Petunia! I have the best news! Robert got a promotion! We're moving, and you'll never guess where!" the slender woman bounced joyously.

"Congratulations! You're moving into a big city? London?" she asked excitedly as Harry slowly got his trunk out of the boot.

"Nope! We're going to move to San Francisco! I've already seen pictures of the house! It's gorgeous! Here look!" she said grabbing the items from within her jacket pocket.

The last he heard from that conversation was the gasp at it all from his aunt as he moved into the house. Quickly his uncle informed him of his new room, and locked him in it so he could be out of the way.

Harry sighed as he sat in the 'new' room. The cupboard had been getting rather small for him, so it was a good thing that they would be so 'nice' as to let him use the broken things room. Taking some items he was able to prop the desk up so that it wouldn't wobble too much as he wanted to write to his friends, at least he had their letters to look forwards to over the summer.

Two weeks past and while there had been chores aplenty no one seemed to really take interest into the house next door. Sometimes while he was out gardening he would imagine that Hermione and her family would move in, and then he would never be alone, and his uncle would no longer be able to hit him, or lock him out of the house while they went on their day trips, like that day.

There was no breeze, and it was nearing noon. Thankfully he had finished weeding the lawn and the garden, but there really wasn't much shade to be had in the yard, and he was already sweating up a storm. The ration of water he had been left was gone, and the sandwich had gone stale and was beginning to smell a bit off. So with a sigh he had sat on one of the lawn chairs in the receding shadow of the house as he heard voices.

"Are you certain of this?" the first voice asked it sounded like an older man.

"You think I question him much? This is what he wanted, something unobtrusive, in a plain as can be neighborhood. We're just to look at this one, and if it has enough rooms and meets the list we buy it." The second voice was younger than the first, and a bit irritated by the task they had.

"Gentlemen, welcome!" the overly cheerful voice of the real estate agent as she moved them both inside the house.

It had been awhile since the men had gone in, and sometime during that he must have passed out, because someone was now gently shaking him awake. A calloused set of fingers was pressed to his neck, and then a hand to his forehead. He couldn't help but groan and try to push the hand away.

"Glad to see you're still among the living," the voice said. It wasn't either of the ones he had heard earlier. "I'm going to pick you up now, and take you inside, out of the heat. Seems you had a bit too much of it, now just relax. We'll have you feeling alright in a couple of hours," the man said, as he very gently lifted harry up and carried him into the house next door.

"Melou, what have you got there?" asked the first voice he had heard this morning.

"Neighbor boy, I think. Seems he got locked out, has a touch of heat exhaustion. Figured it wouldn't hurt to give him some aid," he slowly laid him down on the carpeting and placed a jacket under his head.

"You're brother thinks that this hole in the wall fits what is listed, what are your thoughts on it?"

"You ask as if I have a say in the matter. My hands are as tied as yours, and I assume my dear brother has already made the payment for the house, and we are left to secure it fully?"

"Aye," the other man said as an even more set of calloused hands touched him, and then laid a damp cloth on his face. "Right then lad, we're gonna be you're new neighbors. So just rest easy for now, and we'll get you some food. You're too damn skinny, you need some meat on your bones."

"Leave him be for now Wilhelm, let him rest. We can chat with him once he's more aware. Here, some cool water. I'm going to prop you up to drink some, and drink slow. Too much too quickly will only cause you problems, listen to someone who has been there," Melou said and slowly lifted him to a sitting position and placed a glass to his lips and let him drink the water slowly.

Harry was in and out of consciousness for a few hours as he came down from the heat stroke. It was strange to awaken on the floor of another person's home looking up at the ceiling while two men were wandering about cursing the people who built the house. It was hard not to groan as he tried to sit up, and take the glass of water that had been left nearby. It was still a horribly parched feeling in his throat, even though he didn't feel like he was about to bake to a crisp.

"Welcome back to the land of the living laddie," a large graying man said as he strolled into the room. He was at least as tall as his uncle, and yet this man was very different, he was older for one, and then there was the scar on his face a neat slash across the left cheek. "Melou! Your young friend here is awake," he called into the house.

Soon enough the younger man appeared, he was tanned, and quite lithe, with dark tousled hair and bright eyes. This man knelt beside him and gave him a quick once over before the other man nodded in approval.

"You look much better. How are you feeling?" he asked kindly.

"Fine, Sir," he managed to croak out. Both men glanced at one another and back to him with concerned looks.

"Save your voice," the older said as he leaned back against the wall. "You live next door?" Harry nodded in response. "You get yourself locked out of the house?" again Harry could only nod as he clutched the glass of water. "Don't you have a spare key to get back in?" Harry shook his head and closed his eyes as the man beside him placed a hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner.

"We're not here to judge, but since we are going to be neighbors, if you ever get locked out again you can come on over here. The grizzled old man is Wilhelm, and I'm Melou. There will be others coming to stay here as well, but I'm not entirely certain who that will be except for one of them. For now, just relax, and drink the water. Your folks haven't returned yet, and by the smell of that sandwich it wasn't very good to begin with. So we'll get you something hearty to eat." With a nod to him the two of them left for the kitchen, obviously wanting to talk about him and the state he was in.

It wasn't too much longer after they left that Harry felt like he could stand and move about again. It was nice to have magic that helped heal you a bit faster, and it must have helped him so many times before as he was growing up with his cousin and uncle beating him so frequently. Taking the glass in hand he moved towards where the two men had gone, if nothing more than to refill the glass.

"Ah! There you be," the older man chuckled. "Glad to see you got your legs beneath you again. Do you feel like you can speak without your throat cracking like that?"

"Yes Sir," he replied dutifully.

"Sir," the man chuckled. "No Sir to me, alright? I'm Wilhelm, and that over there manning the stove is Sir Melou."

"I don't want my blasted title either. Just Melou if you would young man. Now then, who might you be?"

"Harry, Harry Potter," he replied watching both men to see if they would react to his name, or even his scar. It was a relief when they didn't.

"Nice to meet you then, Harry. Welcome to the house of, you know I'm not certain what name this house if going to be under? Suffice to say, it will be interesting over here, pretty much all the time," Melou said with a grin.

"I got a couple of questions for you Harry," Wilhelm said as he looked the young man over with a critical eye. "How safe would you consider this neighborhood? Anything bad happen here recently?"

"Well, um," Harry thought for a moment about the bad things that happened to him and tried to recall anything his aunt had griped about. "I guess it's rather safe. I mean we have the school bullies and all that, but no break-ins, or things like that. My aunt is big on the gossip and she hasn't been on about anything as of late, so I guess nothing bad has happened here, why do you ask?"

"Oh, just checking. We have someone moving in here that has a bit of a bad habit of getting into trouble. Girl can't help it really, she's a perpetual damsel in distress," he couldn't help but chuckle as Harry looked stunned.

"Trust me Harry, she's a nice girl. I still think she got cursed somehow," Melou added from the kitchen as he brought out the hearty stew and a few oddly shaped metal bowls and spoons.

"Cursed?" Harry asked, stunned by the idea.

"Has to be, it is the only explanation for it my opinion. When a girl gets kidnapped that often," he shrugged and spooned out the stew for the three of them. "She can walk into a room, and if one person is truly evil he will consider doing something to her. Let's see Wilhelm has stopped one man from holding her, I've personally stopped three," he paused and shook his head. "Three people, six incidents, four of which were the same man… So you see she needs a bit of dull, and schoolyard bullies? Well they won't be able to get close to her, of that I am certain."

"What makes you so sure?" he couldn't help but ask as he began to eat the rich meal before him.

"That laddie is due to the fact that we will be with her, almost at all times while she is here, AND the fact that she will be having training in the backyard just about every day, and once you seen her train, there aren't many who would try to mess with her, unless they were the wrong sort, and hell-bent on it. The more they are wanting to go after her, the more evil they are, and the happier we are to get them off the streets," Wilhelm chuckled at him as they heard a car pull up next door.

"Finish your food Harry, I'll just go thank your family for the help you've given us with some cleaning around here," Melou said with a grin as he stood up from the floor.

"But.."

"No buts. You need that food to finish recovering from your ordeal, and I would rather lie to people that lock someone out and feed them whatever that thing was supposed to be," he said with a grin as Wilhelm placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Eat up lad. Melou will have them eating out of his hand sure enough; he's got charm that one. He'll probably ask if it would be alright for you to help us with the painting and such as well. Frankly I think you remind him of himself at your age."

They could hear the chatter of the people next door talking. The murmur from them was strange as Harry sat there slowly eating the stew, waiting for his relatives to start yelling for him, and then it was possible he'd be punished for leaving the yard at all.

"You seem tense lad," the graying man said as he sat his bowl aside and stared at him intently. "Not sure why just yet, but I'm guessing you have had a rough go of it. Before you start denying it, let me warn you I've seen people from all walks of life, and I can read 'em. I had to learn due to my job. Best you learn to read the body language of those around you, lest you get a dagger in the back," he gave Harry a wry grin.

"Do you have to worry about that often?" he asked trying to take the spotlight off of himself.

"Oh I used to. Not so much anymore though. Watching after one girl is much easier than training guards, keeping them in line, and trying to root out the spies and such sent to harm those that we were guarding. Ah the days of my youth, thinking I was going to be some great epic hero that tales would be written of. That shine wore off after my first battle, and then I became a grizzled old man early on. I have scars about me that I am unhappy I got, some from enemies I knew and a few from some I had thought were my friends. One of those friends landed me a great blow with a knife, but the gods had their eyes on me, and the blade wasn't at the right angle to kill me, it got caught up in my ribs," he replied so factually that Harry almost wanted to believe the old man. With a laugh the man tousled Harry's hair and pointed back to the bowl he was holding, "go on now. Finish up your meal."

It was hard to tell if the man was pulling his leg or not, but the man got up and walked into the kitchen to rinse his bowl. He couldn't help but watch him as his eyes looked out over the yard behind the house, as if expecting something to come and attack him. On the one hand, it made him feel safe to be sitting there, on the other hand it made him worry that something really was out there.

"Well," the dark haired young man said as he came back into the house with a wide grin. "All of that is settled."

"Got what you wanted?" the elder asked.

"Of course I did," he said as he dropped back onto the floor and took up his own bowl once more.

Silence filled the house as the two ate, and Wilhelm began to wander once more through the house. The man was cursing in a foreign tongue about the house once more, causing the man beside him to roll his eyes.

"I don't speak it either Harry, but from the way he is going you'd think this place was rigged to collapse and burst into flames. While normally I wouldn't suggest using foul language to anyone, if you are going to use it and not get a reprimand for it, best you learn something that you know no one else around you knows," he said with an impish grin.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said at the bizarre advice. "Thanks for the stew. It was really good." He went to stand and take his own dish to the sink, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"I've made a bit of a deal with your aunt and uncle. They warned me about you being a trouble maker and I'm sure they have quite a few of the twits around here to believe it." Harry paled at the thought of his relatives already destroying the one good thing that had started here with the new neighbors. "I want you to know, I don't believe a word of it. Their words are filled with so much hate and venom I'm surprised they haven't died from their own vile poisons. Many people do things like that however, and both Wilhelm and myself, we have dealt with a fair number of them. Now it seems that they are caught up not wanting you there much at all, and for some reason being unwilling to let you leave for too long. So here is what we have worked out; you are going to come over here and give us both a hand in getting this place fixed up and ready for the others to move into it."

It was a release from his 'family' and yet more work. He'd never get his summer homework done if he had both chores at their place, and to come help these new neighbors. Still he smiled, as it was an escape, and they could probably keep Dudley from beating him up too much this summer.

"There is a small catch I may have forgotten to tell them however," at this he grinned broadly. "There really inst much work we could have you do at all. Sure maybe a hand in painting a room or two, but for the most part the house is fine as is. They," he made a gesture to the wall that led to his relative's home, "don't need to know that bit. In fact they seem to think we are going to be keeping a constant eye on you while we get you to help with cleaning and renovating things. Also your aunt told us that they are leaving for a trip in a few days, so you will be coming to stay with us."

"They're going on a trip?" he couldn't help but asked in a stunned tone.

"Ah, they weren't going to tell you then eh? Well then. No worries," he had a grin on his face once more. "You just act like you don't know, but grab a backpack of things for tomorrow, put some grubby clothes on top that with be your fake work clothes for over here. We'll get you set up so that you can store some things here, so you wont be without while they are away."

"Th-thank you," Harry said stunned that he had been saved from whatever would have happened.

"You are quite welcome Harry. Now then, just leave the bowl where it is. Remember you don't know about their trip. Both of us are early risers, so come over whenever, just open the door and give a yell," with that he released the boy's shoulder and sat back to finish his own meal.

"Thanks again," Harry said again feeling a bit dazed by all of this. Slowly he rose up and headed back to the hell that was his life.

Vernon was grinning madly, and Petunia was putting away some shopping they had done. All the while Dudley was sitting and playing some handheld game, ignoring the rest of the world. It was a strange sight to walk in on, and made even more disconcerting by the way his uncle was eying him.

"To your room freak," the walrus said gleefully, the walked behind him and made certain to lock him in for the night.

It was strange to know that people he had just met were willing to do so much for him, and take a chance on him in such a big way. Then again he had been passed out in the backyard, and probably looked quite a mess, so they had taken pity on him. At least he would be able to get his homework done though, and that brought a smile to his face. So as quietly as he could he opened his school trunk and began to put the books he would need into an old beat up backpack. Out of all the homework he had to do, he was not looking forwards to the one Snape had assigned; what potion ingredients grow around your home, and their uses. In the muggle world how many could there be?

With his pack set up for tomorrow he climbed into bed to sleep. The thought had crossed his mind to write his two friends, but since he had yet to receive word back from either he would wait a bit more. It wouldn't do to flood them with letters when perhaps they were really busy. Though it did seem strange as Hermione seemed the type to want to constantly write and asked him several times if he would owl her, but she did have a trip to France so there was at least a week or two she wouldn't be able to write.

It was early when he woke up, too early. Everyone else was still asleep, and he was still locked in his room. So with a heavy sigh he walked to his desk and compose a letter to Hermione, she would be more understanding of what new neighbors would mean since Ron lived quite a distance from anyone.

Dear Hermione,

Something happened yesterday, and please don't worry because it is all taken care of. I got locked out of the house while my relatives were gone, and ended up with heat stroke. I know you are probably worried, but you see there were people looking at the house next door, in fact they bought the place, and one of them saw me. He came over and was quite gentle with me as he took me into the house.

He and this older guy are getting the place set up for others to move in, and the two of them are going to be staying there as well. They have invited me to come over any time! I can get away from my bully of a cousin anytime I want! They kept me there until everyone got back, and fed me dinner while I was there too. I think the man with dark hair is a chef of some kind, because that stew he made was amazing, better than the stuff at Hogwarts.

No I haven't been able to start my homework yet, but I will. I get to go over there everyday to 'help' them, but there really isn't much work to do they said. So I can take my homework over there and get it done. I'm going to start with Snape's work since I don't want it hanging over my head all summer.

I guess I'll leave it there. I hope you write soon. Maybe if you gave me your phone number I could give you a call? Then again maybe you haven't written because you are in France? I do want to hear how your summer is going though. Please write back.

Your Friend,

Harry

With that he tied the message to Hedwig and let her out the window. The lights were already on next door, and he could see the dark haired man in the backyard doing some kind of workout. As Harry watched for a moment the man looked over and locked eyes with him, it felt kind of creepy, as if he knew he was being watched.

"Hey!" he called out softly as he came over to the fence and waved, "You coming over now, or in a bit?"

"Um, now? No one else is up yet," Harry said stunned.

"Ah, waiting to let them know eh? Alright. I was going to start cooking breakfast soon, so save some room. I don't know what people eat in this day in age, but I prefer something I can call food and not some packaged cereal."

"Are you a chef?"

"Nope, I just happened to enjoy eating things that taste good. Well, see you soon I guess? Don't forget some good work clothes," he said with a grin and a wave before he headed back into the other house.

It felt strange to have someone who talked to him kindly in the neighborhood and not about her cats either. Was this how it felt to be normal? Was this what it was like for other people the world over? With that thought on his mind he checked his bag once more, making certain that he had enough things in there in order to get his essay done for Snape. It felt strange to be excited to do homework, but he was. He was excited because not only would he be able to get it done, but he would be allowed to do it, and be away from his family. There were new people who actually thought the stuff his family said was all lies about him.

Two hours later his aunt finally got up to let him out so that he could make everyone breakfast. It was hard to not just dash down the stairs to the smaller bathroom to get ready for the day, and quickly make them their food so he could leave. If he showed too much excitement they might stop him from going, and that would be horrible.

Soon enough he was plating up the food for the family, whom left only a slightly burned bit of toast for him, with no butter, and one overly dark bit of bacon. His uncle eyed him gleefully.

"None of that freak business over there now boy. They have a lot of work by the sounds of it, and I don't want to hear that you are giving them any trouble. If they ever come over here to say anything bad about you, there will be punishment," the man said with an evil glint in his eye.

"Yes uncle Vernon," Harry said as his mouth went dry. That look never meant anything good for him. Taking his bit of breakfast and his backpack up he began to head over, only to be stopped.

"What have you there boy!" his uncle bellowed suspiciously eying the bag.

"They told me to bring some work clothes over there, things that I wouldn't mind getting paint on and such," he said trying to explain and get out of there quickly. "So I grabbed some of my hand-me-downs that are close to falling apart."

"Fine then, get out," the walrus snapped.

With that he was free and hurried over to the neighbor's house and the opened back door. Inside were both men smiling and laughing over something, a third plate sat on the floor with them, and a few covered dishes sitting on hot pads as well.

"Welcome!" the older man said with a grin, "hope you slept well. We might actually need some help today, and of course have you do some things outside so they think we are working you hard."

"Yeah I slept alright," he said taking the spot offered to him by the younger man.

"Now that we are all here," Melou said taking the meager scraps from him and tossing them into a small bag. "That is not a breakfast Harry. I do hope you are hungry."

"Starved actually," he said softly and sheepishly to which the man only grinned wider.

"Well then, gentlemen, dig in!" he said happily and pulled the covers off the pots and pans. Ham steak, eggs, bacon, thick porridge, a small earthenware jar of cream, a glass honey pot, and a small dish of mixed berries made up the meal, along with a loaf of fresh bread.

No words were needed as they all served themselves, and the two men kept putting more food on Harry's plate. He had been worried about asking for seconds, but the two men just seemed to understand and kept him going until he began to slow down in eating. It made Harry feel good to be included in something so simple as a meal, but even better to taste such food, and to fill his stomach to almost a bloated feel.

"Now that we have broken the fast, let us three discuss the day ahead. Wilhelm needs to run into town to get some paint and supplies. During that time, you and I get to walk around a bit, and you get to ask me tons of questions while I get to know you a bit better," he said looking at the two of them. Wilhelm just nodded and then they both looked to Harry.

"Does this sound alright to you Harry?"

"I didn't realize I got a say in anything," he said looking at the two men who just grinned at him. "I guess that sounds fine?"

"Right then. While you are with us lad, you are a part of our team. We value all on the team, and if you become interested in anything we do, and you want to learn it, speak up. Both Melou and myself have some skills that we don't mind teaching the right sort of person." The older man heaved himself up as if he was a younger man, and took the dishes off to the sink and set them in it.

"Feel free to ask anything Harry. There might be a few things we can't honestly answer, but for the most part I'm sure you can tell we are both rather relaxed people, so you need to relax as well. Now, let me show you the house and explain a bit of what is going to happen," he said with a boyish grin and led Harry off for the grand tour.

It was quickly explained that the girl they had been talking about before was going to have the master bedroom, and her brother the next largest room. Two other bedrooms were needed for others that would be staying with them, and then two more for themselves. Melou would be staying in an upstairs room, just off the stairs, and Wilhelm downstairs in a guest room. The downstairs study was going to become the family library and study room, the basement laundry and an indoor workout room, while the living room would become the hub of activity with video games and computers.

"How old are they? If you don't mind me asking," Harry asked near the end of the tour.

"Oh, about twelve all around, maybe closer to thirteen," he said with a grin. "They wont be here during the year, they will be going to some boarding school. Frankly why they can't just be home schooled on this stuff is beyond me, but I guess it is supposed to be the experience and all that," he said with a grin and a wave of his hand. "What about you? You go to public school? Home school?"

"I head off to boarding school," he said as he was led to the garage.

"How do you like it there?" asked Wilhelm, now joining them.

"I love it. I made two really wonderful friends, and had a lot of fun. The only thing is I really don't like one of my teachers, or all the summer homework," he said glumly.

"Son," Wilhelm said as he opened the door to the black sedan, "if you claimed to like every teacher you ever had, there would be something seriously wrong with you. Frankly I think I speak for Melou and myself we have both had teachers that we hated with every fiber of our being. There is nothing wrong with it that is just how it goes, and most of the time, the teacher wants it that way. They push you to hate them by saying how bad you are at something, and you in turn either give up and prove them right, or you stick it to them by going above and beyond to prove them wrong. Doing the second actually means you learn more in the long run, and sometimes that alone helps you to become a better person." The man placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a squeeze, "not all things may be as they seem. Many in this neighborhood are going to see an old man, and a younger man taking after four kids, in fact they might lump Melou in on the kids thing, in actuality the two of us are here on a security detail."

With that he got into the back seat with Harry, and buckled up. Melou was a calm driver compared to his uncle. Every so often he asked Harry about something on the drive.

"I don't understand, if this girl needs you to protect her all the time, why are you letting her go to a boarding school?" Harry asked.

"You'd have to ask the one in charge of this fiasco waiting to happen," Melou said bitterly. "He's arrogant and thinks that this is 'the right thing to do'. However, that is why the other two are going with. They know her well enough, and know how to protect her."

"Now, now Melou, one shouldn't talk about their father in such a way," Wilhelm chuckled. "Your brother on the other hand is free game."

"Oh please, let's not bring him into this talk," he grumbled.

"So it's complicated?" Harry asked.

"Yes." was the unanimous response.

"So, please begin asking questions at anytime," Melou said after they had walked in silence for more than five minutes around the large hardware store.

"Um, I really don't know what to ask. Uh, how old are you?"

"I am at the youthful age of twenty. My elder brother is twenty-five. Wilhelm, believe it or not, is only forty-six. How about yourself? How old is Harry?"

"Eleven, but I turn twelve in a few days," he said as they walked past the hardware and into the outdoor gardening area.

"Well I'm sure it sounds nice to have some new kids in the area your own age, and who will not be swayed by the lies your relatives have spread."

"What are they all like? The kids my age coming to live with you," he said as Melou grabbed a cart and began picking up some herbs and flower flats.

"Well, let's see," he said thoughtfully. "Well the two that will be arriving in a few weeks, are a bit different. The two of them are not related, but are both a bit on the darker side of life. They both like dark clothes, and horror movies, though he is a bit more of a geek for science fiction. I'm sure you will get along well with him. Her on the other hand, I don't know as well. From what I understand she can get a bit morbid, but if you can get past her act is a rather nice girl."

"Why don't you say their names?" he asked quickly interrupting his companion. It just felt so odd that they were going to have four people move in but he was going out of his way to not say their names.

"That is because I was told not to. If a famous or infamous person move into a quiet neighborhood, they don't want everyone to know. If people knew, then people might compromise the work we are doing, or even try to break in. Right now we are playing down that they are moving in, because we want no one to think about it. Their names may not mean much to you or anyone on that street, but one word in the wrong ear and the house of cards falls down."

"I think I get it," he replied as he tried to wrap his head around it all.

"Simply put Harry, the two of us are there as guards to keep the rest of them safe, one in particular. That girl in particular deserves to have some quiet and a bit of normal, whatever that may be. All it would take is one person to say her name around the wrong type of people, and they would be after her, so until everything is secure and she is there, we won't use her name around others. It isn't that I don't trust you, you seem like a very honest person, and one that will probably be great friends with her. However it would be even stranger if I told people after less than a full day of knowing them, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah," he agreed. "That would be very strange, and invite a lot of trouble."

"Exactly."

"When are they all arriving?"

"Well, the first two will show up in about five weeks. The last two," he looked thoughtful for a moment, "well that really depends on her. You might not see them until next summer. They are currently on a vacation of sorts, an educational thing really."

From there the questions moved into the why the particular plants, and what Melou liked and disliked. After a good three hours in the store they all met up at the registers and made their rather large purchase that the sales people had to help them load it all into the car. Most of it fit in the boot, some had to go in the back seat with Wilhelm, and Harry got the front passenger seat and moved it all the way forward since he was the shortest.

When they got back and began making the many trips his relatives seemed happy to see him hauling the cans of paint and bags of supplies from the car and into the house. Once it was all in, then it all had to be sorted out for which room each thing went into, and then carried up and down the stairs. Frankly he was exhausted by the time the delivery driver came calling with their lunch.

"Okay Harry, now for the real work today," Melou said with a devilish grin. "After lunch you get to work on whatever it was you brought with you, and stay down here relaxing."

"What?"

"You heard him," Wilhelm said setting a plate before him. "You get to relax, while we get to work. We do need someone down here to let in the telephone people, and the cable people when they come. That is your only task today; think you can handle that for us?"

"Sure. I can handle that, but what about all of those plants? Shouldn't we get them in the ground soon?"

"Oh we will," his dark haired companion said. "I just prefer to not do that during the hottest parts of the day. That is a task for early morning, or early evening when things are cooler, less chance of burning the top of your head and back of your neck."

Even though he had managed to get most of Snape's essay done, and the people let through he was actually looking forwards to gardening with the two of them. However the two had decided that his education was more important than gardening. It felt so strange to be left alone to do his work, but also that these two men, who really didn't know him at all, wanted him to do well in school. Was this what a normal family was like? Could it be that his aunt and uncle were really just that bad of people, and that found spoiling their son easier than actually raising him? Well regardless of the truth, Harry decided that perhaps depending on how his summer went with the two men, perhaps he would buckle down and do his best at school for once. He didn't have to hold himself back for Dudley's sake anymore, did he?

It was almost strange, when he saw his 'family' leave for their trip. From what Melou had found out, it was just going to be a short one, and thus a sleepover was called for. Not much work was done over those four days, as the boys decided to be boys and head out to an amusement park. Funny how these men treated him like a long time friend or family, and he felt so comfortable around them.

Harry really didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially as they began teaching him to see the way the fairway games were rigged so more often than not you would lose. A few of them had special tricks so you could win almost every time. The two men proceeded to prove this fact every few hours they would play the game, and then offer the large stuffed animal to Harry, keep it, or hand it off to some wide eyed kid that looked like there were not having the best of day at the park.

For Harry's birthday, they had a large breakfast and headed into town for the day. Instead the two men treated Harry to a day doing whatever he wanted, and bought him some clothes that actually fit! They claimed the clothes were payment for the hard work they had made him do, and would do at least for a few more days. That night they had ended with a filling meal, and a cake that was so good that he knew his aunt would kill for the recipe.

"Where did you learn to cook like that?" he asked after his third helping of it.

"Ah," Will chuckled. "He's caught you out hasn't he! Time to fess up it is!" the man leaned over to Harry, "I've been trying to get him to tell me for ages now. His brother teases him for doing women's work, so he has refused to tell."

"Fine, you old codger," he said mock glaring to his friend. "Harry, I have had the luck to train under one of the most wonderful people in the universe. Her Highness enjoys MY company, and thus has taken me in for tutelage in the kitchen. Unlike some who devour her baking before it even goes into the oven, or are barred from the kitchen in the FIRST place, Wilhelm," the older man laughed loudly at this.

"I'm not made for kitchen work! I've told her that how many times? All it took was me knocking over the flour once, and I was kicked out," he defended pitifully.

"Into a fan that then sent it all over the kitchen. Flour becomes an unholy mess when you wet it down to clean. At any rate, her highness loves cooking and baking, and since I am the only member of the guard that seem to be smart enough to not get into her way, and even ask if I could assist, she has taken it upon herself to teach me."

"You learned from royalty?"

"I still do, though my lessons are going to be much fewer now, but that is alright. I know quite a bit to get by on, and serve up good meals."

Since his father was having a business dinner, Harry got lucky and was told to stay over there. Of course the two men said that would help them finish before the moving van showed up in the morning with the items, and they would need Harry there early to help once it did arrive.

"This is the best birthday I have ever had, thank you both so much," he said to the both of them.

"Our pleasure Harry," the older man said whilst giving a one armed hug. "Thanks to you I finally have found out who has been teaching that boy. I should have figured it out, but I figured it was one of those cooking schools, or shows."

"I'd love to learn to cook better. I am alright at it, but nothing I make ever tastes this good."

"Well then Harry, if you like you can come over, and I shall teach you a thing or three that I have learned. What is learning if you don't use it, or pass it on?"

"Well, we should all head to the bags. It will be a busy day tomorrow," the graying man said as he scooped up the dishes and took them back to the kitchen.

"Alright then! Goodnight, and thank you both again!" he happily beamed as he headed off to the living room and their three sleeping bags. On their day trip Melou had found a portable cosmic observatory, and now had it set up so that they could sleep under the stars. Since Harry had never been camping, both men thought the idea of indoor camping would be best since setting up a tent would seem strange to the neighbors, and they were trying to be normal, at least for now. He lay there looking up at the stars, trying to form the many constellations he knew were out there, but he just never understood how to find them all.

"Nothing like sleeping under the stars," Melou said as he plunked down upon his own bedroll, as he called it.

"How do you know where one starts and ends?"

"Ah, well, it takes some learning for certain. Wilhelm is still learning some of them, but he can find the Southern Cross and the northern star in a pinch."

"How many do you know?" he couldn't help but roll over to stare at the man.

"Hm, well that depends on what version of the constellations you want, there are the modern more widely known ones. Then there are the names the Celts, the Picts, the Goths, Romans, and the early Englishmen used. The North Star is always the guide in any of them though. It stays right where it needs to be, true to its course, and is the only one you ever really need to know how to find."

"Is it that one?" he asked rolling over once more and pointing at a star off to his left.

"No. That is part of the constellation Orion, the hunter. You can always find him by the three stars that make up the belt, and the fact he looks a bit like an hour glass. See it?" he asked and received a nod and affirmative noise. "The northern star can be found by finding Ursa Major and Minor, also known as the big and little dippers." Slowly he pointed them out to the newly aged boy beside him. "It is with those that it points to that one, the North Star."

"I'm so glad you moved in. I don't know what I'd be doing this summer if you hadn't shown up."

"No letters from your friends then?"

"None," he sighed.

"I'm sorry Harry. Perhaps something happened? You'll see them come fall, just make sure you get some answers before you forgive them. Friends stick together through thick and thin, come hell or high water. Now get some sleep birthday boy."

"Sure thing," he yawned. "When's your birthday?"

"Don't you worry about my birthday; you'll be away for it. If you like though we can have a bit of a party before you go off to school."

"I'd like that…"

Melou glanced over to see that the savior of the wizarding world had just fallen asleep and seemingly into pleasant dreams.

The next couple of days flew by in a veritable blur of assembling and unpacking. However as it goes all good things must come to an end. After a grueling day helping with everything they had finally finished. Harry had gone home earlier than normal that day, and snuck past his aunt who seemed to be hosting some ladies for a bridge game.

Once he had gotten to his room and begun to relax a bit, something magical happened. He was suddenly no longer alone in his own room, and a very sad looking house elf called Dobby tried to explain that he was not to go back to school, it even admitted to taking his mail. Even though he swore he would return the elf swore to keep him safe, but not letting him return. After chasing the being downstairs there was an incident where the main dessert came flying from the kitchen landing on the backside of one of the more important ladies there.

To say that his aunt was unhappy was a true understatement. She cried crocodile tears as she explained how he was a disturbed young man and all of that garbage. Unfortunately this meant he would be grounded at best, beaten bloody at worst.

Sadly it was the later. Uncle Vernon was none to happy to come home from the movies with his son to hear the story of his freakishness. There was murder in his eyes, as he dragged Harry off to his room.

The very next day the bars went up over the window. Wilhelm stood out in the backyard and watched on. Harry was uncertain what he thought of the whole bit, but he could tell that he was not happy with this idea. In fact he wasn't certain what excuse he gave to them on why they were doing this.

That first night the bars went up he was starving! He had gone from eating three very hearty healthy meals a day to the scraps his 'family' gave him. It was then he noticed that his body had filled out quite a bit, and he had begun to look healthier. It was well after the others had gone to sleep that somehow there was a tap at his window. Upon opening it, he saw Melou below holding a long wooden staff up to his window, and upon the end of the staff was a wrapped cloth bag. Once he retrieved it, the man left with s soft whistle.

Back inside his room he untied the rope from the bag and found leather water bottles, cheese, bread, and dried meat. With it all there was a note.

Harry,

Those people say you got some kind of illness, which strikes you from time to time. Now seems to be one, where you get delirious and might leap from your window. As if we would believe it! I know this doesn't seem like much, but I shall bring you more every couple of days, don't want them to suspicious. Just make sure to return the water skins in the sack when I come next. We'll try to keep you as well fed as you should be. Be well, and stay strong.

Your friends.

It made him happy to know that his friends from school were writing, and he had finally read all of their letters. To know he had friends just next door watching over him as well made him feel so loved for the first time in far too long.

With all of this time on his hands, being locked in the room he was able to at least finish his homework. So some good came of it all. The other good thing was that after his first week locked up, the Weasley twins and Ron came in a flying car to get him and take him to the Burrow! As they were leaving he had been able to toss the cloth bag into the neighbor's yard before his uncle began to unlock his door to keep him from leaving.