Remus and Severus were broken from what little sleep they had managed that night in chairs next to the bed to a small moan from the bed. Remus with his werewolf hearing heard first but as he heard Remus moving, Severus also woke. The small boy was starting to wake. They sat down on either side of the bed and Severus put the repaired glasses on his son.
Harry's eyes darted in confusion when they opened. "Please don't hurt me. I'll be a good boy. Please."
Remus seeing Severus was unsure of how to calm his son reached out. "Shh...It's okay Harry. No one here is going to hurt you. You're safe little one. I swear."
Eyes darting back and forth between the two strange men they could see that Harry was panicking and they didn't know how to explain anything. How did they explain who they were or about where he was. How did they explain magic to this little boy?
Harry was shaking so badly and sobbing. "Please take me back. Uncle Vernon will be mad if I'm not there to make breakfast. Please."
Severus finally spoke. "You are never going back. I swear you're never going back there ever again."
Those words had been meant to comfort the boy who they thought must have been so frightened by the abuse but he just broke down even more. He buried his head against his knees crying. Remus tried to reach out and hold the trembling body in his arms,
The little boy pulled back. "Please they're my only family. I don't want to go to an orphanage. Please take me back. I won't burn the bacon again. I swear I won't."
Realizing with horror what had lead to the most recent beating Severus tried hard to contain his anger. "You're not going to an orphanage Harry. You'll stay here."
Looking around him a bit the boy they could see had no idea where he was but though it did not look like a muggle hospital, Harry seemed to know he was in a hospital of some kind. That sent another wave of tears through the boy.
Remus took his hand. "You are in the school infirmary cub. This is a school not a hospital. We live and teach here, and you're going to come and live with us now."
Harry peered up from his hands. "No. Uncle says no one wants a little freak. He says if he didn't keep me I'd be sold to some man to use..."
The words wrenched their hearts. That a five year old boy would even know about child prostitution or have been threatened with it, made them want to vomit. With every passing moment it was taking everything in both men not leave, go find his uncle and torture him.
Severus thought maybe he could reach Harry. "Harry I'm your father. I'm sorry I never could take care of you before but I'm here. You're my little boy."
Harry was more confused then before."No. Uncle says Daddy was a drunken bastard who killed mummy and he in car. Daddy dead. Daddy and Mummy are dead."
The anger in their eyes was replaced with tears. This little boy had been told James was a drunk who killed his own wife? James had stood in the end against a mad man to protect his wife and a child that wasn't even his to protect. Lily may have been the one who stood literally in front of her son but James had been no less heroic. Knowing the truth that James was not Harry's father and had known that, made that sacrifice even more incredible.
Severus shook his head. "Harry your Mummy and adoptive daddy were killed by a bad man. Your adopted daddy never hurt your Mum. Your Uncle was lying."
Remus nodded. "I knew your parents little man. Your adopted daddy and I were best friends. You used to call me Uncle Moony. I gave you that blanket."
Looking down at the tiny blue blanket that had been his only toy as long as he could remember, he had never known why he found comfort in it but he had. The little blanket was the only thing in the world he had of his own. He noticed it seemed clean and no longer so faded.
Severus gently brushed hair from his eyes. "James was your adopted daddy Harry. I am your real dad. I found out and I came to bring you home to live with me."
Harry peered at him. "If you're my daddy where were you? Did you not love me daddy? Why was I with me Aunty and Uncle?"
Never in his life had Remus saw such a pained look on his friend's face. He knew Severus had been torturing himself all night with what happened to his son because he had not known the boy was his. Remus sent him a look reminding him that he could not blame himself for not knowing Harry was his little boy.
Severus sighed. "I love you. You're my son. I didn't know you were mine until a few days ago. Your mummy never told me. I came for you as soon as I could."
Remus nodded. "Your dad and I just found out. I have been trying to get you from your relatives since your mommy died. I am sorry cub that I couldn't sooner."
He wanted so bad to reach out and hold his little boy in his arms but Harry was so rigid and scared, and after the abuse he knew his little boy had suffered he knew he had to be very slow and very careful or he would scare his little boy.
Severus took Remus' hand."Your Uncle Moony and I want to offer you a home. We promise no one will ever hurt you again. No one will starve or lock you up again."
Harry looked back and forth between the two men. "I can't have two daddies. Uncle Vernon say that be freaks. Supposed to have mummy and daddy."
Gently they tried explaining that they were not a couple, but his dad and Uncle. They wanted to both raise him and they were not a couple. With time they'd show Harry that in their world such things were common and acceptable but knowing magic itself was going to be a shock, they'd take this one step at a time. Since neither was gay and they definitely were telling the truth of being together for his sake, they thought it was best.
Harry slowly nodded. "How long do I have to stay here? I'm scared of..."
Severus reached over and gently kissed his head. "Poppy is very friendly Harry and when your Uncle and I teach you will be spending some time with her here."
Having known Harry was awake but giving the dads some time to talk with him Poppy appeared and came over to the bed. Harry pulled away from her and went completely white and rigid making his dads wonder what experience he had with nurses. Poppy though had far more experience then either with scared and hurt children and gently sat down and started talking to Harry. She explained everything she was doing before she did it, explaining her wand as best as she could.
When she was done she handed him some chocolate. "You're a very brave little boy Harry. I think your Daddy and Uncle could take you home after you eat lunch."
Harry nodded his head. "Thank you Madam Pomfrey."
The nurse smiled and assured the dads he would be fine after he had a bit to eat to go home. None of them were sure where his fear of hospitals came from but it was not a subject they needed to force right now. When September rolled around and he was to come stay here when they taught, if he was still scared they'd have to ask.
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Harry kept watching the two men. They seemed nice enough and the man who claimed to be his daddy was friendly but his Aunty always pretended to be nice when other people were around and then got angry and hurt him when they were in private. He was scared in the infirmary but he wasn't sure about leaving it either.
He screamed when some strange little goblin thing popped up. "No. Please don't hurt me. Please."
His daddy reached for him. "Shh...This is a house elf Harry. There are a lot here in the school. They are very nice and they help clean and bring us food."
Peering out from between his hands Harry looked at the little creature and though it was kind of scary it looked like one of the little elves from the fairy tale book he saw the one time he had been allowed to go to pre-school with Dudley. Mrs Fig could not baby-sit and his Aunt had been forced to take him.
The little elf smiled. "Me be sorry little Master. Lofty take care of Little master's father. Me not mean to scare Little Master."
Harry shook his head. "It's okay Lofty. I've never seen an elf before. I thought you be only in books."
He missed the near smile on both men's faces as they saw the first genuine smile on the boy's face. They had no idea why a house elf would put the child at any ease but if they could get him smiling, they were happy for it.
When the elf was gone Harry looked at them. "Elves are fairy tales. Like magic and unicorns and ghosts and witches and..."
Severus shook his head. "Harry I know you were told they don't exist but they do. Your Uncle and I are wizards and when you get older, you will be too."
Seeing that Harry was absolutely petrified Severus took out his own wand and taking a pillow from the nearby bed asked his so n what his favourite animal was. Harry barely mumbled kitty so he made a small stuffed cat from the pillow and handed it to his son.
He smiled at the boy clutched the cat. "Magic exists little man and not all of it is scary. Kids come here to learn how to do it. Unicorns and elves and goblins exist."
Seeming calmed by the little kitty Harry found the courage to ask."Dragons too?"
Nodding and convincing him to eat, the two men told him about witches and wizards, about all the different magical creatures and ghosts at the school. They explained it was why he wasn't hurt any more from his Uncle.
Severus moved to help the boy from bed. "How about we take you for a bit of a tour and you can see a bit of the school?"
Harry let himself be helped out of bed in the strange green pyjamas he was in. "Me in pyjamas."
Assuring Harry that the students were gone for summer and no one would see him, they weren't sure what they would do for they had not been able to shop. They were surprised when the little boy turned and put the kitty back on the bed.
When they asked why he looked scared. "Kitty from hospital. I don't take. I am not lowed toys."
Severus reached for the cat and handed it back. "You are allowed toys. In a few days when you're better we're going to take you shopping and get you more."
Harry looked absolutely terrified at the thought and for a moment they thought he was scared it was a trick and if he took it they would hit him but he reached out his little hands and took the kitty back.
Severus knelt. "I have never had a little boy to raise so I don't have anything in my rooms but I promise soon we will fill your room with some toys and books."
Harry just clutched the kitty in one arm with his blanket."Okay daddy."
Sighing and reminding himself that it was going to take some time for Harry to realize he was not only safe but he was going to be taken care of here. They thought as they slowly led the boy out of the infirmary that they might need to take him tomorrow. They wished they had done before they got him but though Severus had a lot of experience with Draco he knew little kids could be pretty fickle. He had no idea what his muggle raised son would be interested in or would need.
Things were going fine, Harry even laughing at the paintings and Remus wondered if they reminded him of televisions, until they came to a ghost. "Daddy?"
Kneeling down to where his son had buried his head against his robes he smiled. "It's okay. Remember we told you the school had ghosts. They are very nice."
Though The Bloody Baron was questionable they had luckily run into the Fat Friar and like the good hearted little badgers of Hufflepuff, their house ghost was possibly the friendliest though the Grey Lady and Nick were pretty friendly as well.
The Fat Friar smiled. "Welcome to school young man. Your dad is right we ghosts are pretty friendly. No need to be scared of us little man."
Harry looked up at the ghost and though no smile like Lofty he was not trembling any more. "Nice meet you."
They knew by the time they actually made it downstairs it was dinner time but they didn't think Harry could handle the Great Hall especially since he already was growing tired from the walk.
Remus noticed how tired Harry was growing. "Would you like Uncle Moony to carry you? We have to go one more flight and you don't want to be too tired for supper."
Harry reluctantly nodded and reached up with one hand as he was still clutching the cat to him for dear life. "Please Uncle Moony."
Reaching down and scooping the little boy up off the ground into his arms he saw Severus' face and knew his old friend was feeling guilty for not realizing just how tired his son was. Severus had been around Draco a lot but his nephew always seemed to have boundless energy and wore his Uncle out before he ever wore out.
Harry peered down the stairs. "We live in cellar?"
Severus thought telling his son they lived in the dungeons was not a good."Yes Harry. Daddy teaches potions and my classroom is down here and my office as well."
Looking a little bit spooked by the darkness Harry kept an arm around his Uncle Moony's neck and peered out here and there but he was frightened. He had lived in the cupboard but he thought he wasn't going back. Were they going to lock him in the cellar and leave him down there?
His dad pointed t the painting of a snake. "This is our home door. We tell the nice snake our secret word and he will let us in our rooms."
Harry watched as his dad said the word and the painting swung open, leading them into a really cozy sitting room. "Me live here?"
Both men smiled and nodded. Harry was put on his feet and he looked at the room with wall to wall bookcases on three walls and a huge fireplace with a strange painting above it. The furniture was all in silver and green, a couch and two big armchairs by the fire. He looked around for the cupboard.
He turned to his daddy. "Daddy where the cupboard I sleep in?"
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Not since he was a child had Severus been close to tears more then that day. His little boy asking where his cupboard to sleep in, was breaking his heart more. Poppy's words about the time it would take the little boy to trust anyone, rung through his head.
Severus took his son by the hand and led him into a hall. "That is Uncle Moony's bedroom, and that is mine and right beside mine is your bedroom."
Harry looked a little scared and uncertain. "No. Bad boys don't deserve bedrooms. Bad boys sleep in cupboards. Bad boys don't deserve beds."
Scooping his son up into his arms and holding the little boy against his chest Severus walked into the room. He wished there was something at all in the room to welcome the boy home but at least it was a bedroom. There was a big canopy bed, and a little child size desk and some bookshelves and a wardrobe they'd soon fill.
Severus sunk down onto the bed with him. "You're not a bad boy Harry. You deserve a bedroom. All kids deserve a bedroom. You will never sleep in a cupboard."
Remus knelt down in front of them. "Your Uncle was wrong Harry. Your daddy and I are going to show you. This is your bed and your room."
Looking still a bit terrified they wondered if perhaps one of them should sped the night in here with him. For now they lead him back into the sitting room and he stared at them in amazement when he looked at the book shelves and they told him he could go and see. He looked like he was scared it would burn him.
An elf appeared but it was not Lofty. Severus stared at it. "Dobby what are you doing here?"
Dobby handed him a package. "Master say leave these here for when Draco come next. Thought make easier. Say hi to Master Severus and Master Lupin."
Sharing a look with Remus who he had told about his suspicions that Lucius was the one who had helped them get the wills read. He knew Lucius desperately wished to be able to come out as a spy, but with the worry the Dark Lord might rise again he had never been given the chance. He knew his old friend meant the package for his son but just worried it might raise some suspicions, he had sent it as for Draco.
There was no note but inside he found a few small outfits, two books and some blocks. "It seems we won't have to take him shopping in pyjamas tomorrow."
Remus smiled as he saw what had been sent for them."I had my doubts about that man but if you say he is on our side, I'll believe. I am grateful he sent it."
They brought the little boy over and they saw Harry's face light up not at the blocks which would have been Draco's choice but at the pretty books. They both made mental note to make sure to take him to Flourish and Blotts and fill his shelves with books. He also had a birthday coming up they reminded themselves.
When dinner arrived they tried to get him to eat but he shook his head. "No. I ate lunch. I'm not supposed to eat more then once a day. I'm burden."
Severus lifted his son into the seat. "You are no burden. You are my son and you will be eating three meals a day. And if you have room, ice cream for dessert."
Harry looked absolutely petrified and close to tears and he kept looking up at them every time he took a bite and seemed certain they'd hit him. He utterly refused to allow them to give him ice cream for desert. When he broke down sobbing they instead suggested giving him a bath. Even that though terrified the child and he started sobbing in a ball in the bathroom.
Remus sunk down next to the boy. "What's wrong cub? Please tell me why you're so scared. Your daddy and I can't help if we don't know what is wrong."
Harry didn't look up but he whispered. "Water always boiling or ice, Aunty stick head under, won't let me up."
Remus collected the boy close. "The water is nice and warm. We will test it before you go in. And we won't put your head under. I'll pour the water over your hair."
Though still shaking and scared a promise of one of the books got Harry to let himself be put into the tub and Remus kept his promise and washed his hair using a small bucket he conjured and never made Harry put his head under. Harry was a bit less petrified when they got him in pyjamas and carried him to bed. He almost got lost in the huge bed but they saw a small smile when he realized he really got to sleep there. They put his knew kitty and his blanket with him.
Remus brought out the book. "You have had a pretty long day and we're going shopping tomorrow so how about one story and then you get some sleep cub."
Harry nodded and snuggled slightly closer to him though the physical contact was still limited, more then he allowed with his dad though. "Okay."
The little boy's eyes were so bright as they read to him and they watched as less then half way through the story he drifted off to sleep. They both kissed Harry and making a small night light spell, they slipped from the room.
Severus sunk into his chair. "I don't know why I am shocked after how badly beaten he was but every time I think it can't get worse it does. The bedroom, bath..."
Remus agreed. "No wonder the little guy looks like he is only three. One meal a day and Merlin only knows what that one meal was. I can't believe Petunia."
They knew her husband was a monster and for some reason they had held some little hope that Petunia might not have been involved. They thought perhaps she had been too weak to stand up to him. Severus' dad had smacked him when drunk, never beat him like that, and his mother had been too scared to protect her son. But they were hit with the realization after the bath, that Petunia had not only stood by and watched the child abused, but had taken part in it as well.
Severus looked across at Remus. "We need to find out why he is so scared of hospitals. I know some kids are scared of healers but after everything else..."
Remus understood and was thinking the same thing. "Some how from all the wounds I wouldn't have thought he'd have seen a doctor. If he has..."
They could only imagine what kind of doctor their little boy was taken to if the doctor had over looked the obvious signs of serious abuse he had suffered. Either their little boy had never been to one and there was some other reason for his fear, or the doctor had been a monster. They were not sure which one was worse.
Severus remembered. "Arabella lives in the area and used to baby-sit for him didn't Albus say? Maybe the woman can tell us something about all of this."
Remus recalled the squib that Albus said kept an eye on the house. "Do you think that the headmaster knew about what Harry went through, and did nothing."
They sat there looking at the fire and they were both thinking about the last words of Harry's Uncle when they had left the house with him. It sickened them to think that the headmaster would have known. They knew he had not checked to see if he was in danger from his relatives, but this was far beyond that.
Severus made a promise that night. "I am going to find out. And when this is over, I'll make sure anyone who helped hurt my little boy are punished for this."
Remus' determination was no less. "We will. Your son will not have suffered for nothing. Those who hurt that little boy will pay for what they have done."
Both knew that there was little chance that they could have his relatives arrested right now without putting Harry at more risk, they swore one day that those two would either be in Azkaban. They wanted to rip him apart but being in prison would not help their son any.
