-Dodges fireballs and spells- SHEESH! I mention ONE thing and she goes all PMSing on me!

KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!

Julius opened the door surprised to see Jeremy, Timothy and a tall James clone he didn't recognize at the door. Jeremy would be there for Syrus and Timothy was there for him but who was this guy here for? Definitely not his sister…right?

"Wotcher, guys. Whacha doin' here?" Julius asked as Sy came up behind him with his Charms book in his hands.

(A/N: Uh, yeah-Julius takes after Tonks when it comes to greetings...mayhen too-know that I think about it...)

"Oi, Jules-get your ass back in your room! Arty said you gotta clean it today or Dad's not bringin' anything back for ya." Syrus scolded folding the corner of his page before closing it. Jules opened his mouth to protest but Sy strode forward and grabbed his shirt collar. "Upstairs. Arty can't do the laundry if not even Kretcher can get across your floor."

"I'm goin'. I'm goin'." Julius was released so he could jog upstairs to finish cleaning his room.

"Sorry about that." Syrus opened the door wider so the Potters and their guest could enter the Black House. "Sis gave him a time limit and that's soon up."

"Where's Artemis?" The tallest male asked.

"Upstairs in her room. Dad converted the attic into her room so she could spread out." Syrus jerked his thumb upward. He stepped passed the oldest Black boy and hustled upstairs. "Uh, Jer…"

"That's Harry, our older brother. He's been away at school in another country." Jeremy supplied casually. Timothy ran upstairs to join Julius as Syrus's hazel eyes narrowed.

"You suck at lying, Jer."

8-8-8-8

Harry stopped outside the closed attic door, his hand hairs from knocking on the door. Seeing her again would be harder than just letting her think he didn't exist. That would be better but he just had to know if she was truly all right, if the Dark Lord had truly left her undiscovered. He bit the inside edge of his lower lip and closed his eyes.

Knock, you fool. You need to see for yourself that she hasn't been found yet. Harry heard and felt his body knock on the wooden door.

"Come in, the door's unlocked." A soft pretty voice called from the other side. There was pain and sorrow but also something nurturing, caring-motherly to her voice. Harry opened the door and entered the room, taking off his hat. The room was decorated in dragons and celestials with a crib, changing table, a canopy bed, a personal library, 2 wardrobe/dressers, a vanity and a bit more around the room. Sitting in a rocking chair was Artemis with mid neck length hair, cradling a baby in pale blue footies with black hair as she fed him a bottle.

"Uh, Artemis?" His voice was still soft from never using it much after that fateful and terrible day, the worst day of his life. She was rocking slowly as she looked up at him while he softly closed the door. "Um, I'm Harry Potter. My mother said that we'd get along fine since our families are friends from our fathers to our little brothers. I've been away, learning magic from a private tutor, so this is my first day back…"

He slowly approached her as he spoke, trying not to seem like a threat. Harry ran a hand through his hair nervously. What was he supposed to say, to do? He saw so many conflicting things in her eyes. It tore at his heart to see what she had in her eyes.

"He's…he's beautiful-just…just like his mother…" Harry said nervously, trying to get her to talk, to get her to open up.

"His name is Theodore. We call him 'Theo' for short." Artemis smiled caressing her son's cheek. "I'm just glad he's more Black than his father…"

Oh, for the love of God…Artemis… Harry put his forehead against her temple, his eyes closed tight and his jaw clenched. That wasn't supposed to happen…or was it? He was warned that things would be different here. And how "different" it was hadn't been apart of the warning label. He knew what he was going to do. He wasn't going to leave her alone in this. "I'll help you in any way I can. I won't let you take this on by yourself. Not again…never again…"

"I've done all right. You don't need to put yourself out, Harry." She told him as he reached up and tucked her behind her ear.

"I know I don't have to. I want to. I don't…I don't want history to repeat itself, okay? I will take care of you. I promise." Harry replied, stroking her hair a bit. Theo kicked his legs, his eyes on Harry. Harry looked at the little baby, seeing his Black blood shining proud as it ran through his veins with every beat of his little heart.

Artemis bit her lower lip slightly and looked at Harry. "Do…do you want to hold him?"

Harry looked up at her and gave her a tender if not a little bit teary smile. "Sure, but I'm not sure if he'll let me. I'm still kind of new to you both."

"Theo's a pretty good judge of people. If he doesn't get his eyes to shift, then I figure you're okay." Harry carefully received the baby boy after standing. He cradled Theo against his body and when he looked at Artemis, he saw she was smiling softly, her legs pulled against her chest.

"I never thought I'd ever see you like that." Artemis looked at him and tilted her head a bit. "It seems to vulnerable for someone as strong as you. It just doesn't at all fit you."

"I…I was attacked 8 months ago…and Theo's only 2 months old…" She mumbled, resting her chin on her knees. "Before, I was strong but now…now, I'm nothing more than a little girl who has a little boy and a secret that has my entire family network of relationships just about to the point of killing."

Harry braced Theo's body with one arm and used his now free hand to take one of hers. "I'm not going to let that happen ever again. I'm coming to Hogwarts this year. I'll be there to protect you from everyone who'd ever want to hurt you and Theo. But if I find that guy-I'm kicking his ass, you hear me? I'm not going to let him get away with this."

"I'm still not strong…I'm not sure I can go back…" She looked up at Harry when he squeezed her hand.

"You carried Theo even after what happened. You didn't get an abortion. You didn't commit suicide. You take care of your son, your brothers, their friends, your parents and yourself." He knelt, getting her to look down at him. "You are the strongest person I know. You didn't shut yourself away or become an introvert. You're still living your life, even if it has changed."

Artemis rubbed her eyes with her free hand and stifled a yawn. Harry smiled softly and gently pulled her to her feet, leading her to her bed. She released his hand to stifle another yawn.

"Get some sleep. It's obvious that you haven't gotten enough sleep, so you rest and I'll take care of Theo." He tucked her hair behind her ears. Artemis rubbed her upper arms. "The nightmares are what keep you awake, not Theo or anything else. Just the memories…"

"…while I was pregnant…I crawled into bed with my father because my mother was gone a lot…that's the only time they went away for a while…" Artemis admitted softly. "…I know we just met but… would you…?"

Harry took off his shoes without putting Theo down and shifted the infant in his arms. "Lay down, Artemis. I'll be right here. You don't have to worry."

"…You know…I haven't known you for very long but I can't help but trust you unconditionally." She told him, going to lay on her bed to sleep. "Why is that?"

"I have no idea but it's been my experience to trust in those kind of feelings." Harry shrugged as Theo reached up and gripped Harry's glasses with a little hand. He pulled the Potter male's glasses off his face and purposefully dropped them on the floor. Harry laughed. "Hey, you little mischievous lizard! I need those to see."

Theo smiled and reached up again, this time gripping Harry's hair and pulling himself up to practically kneel on Harry's shoulder. Artemis smiled softly as she laid her head on her pillows. "He really likes you. Theo only gets this active with people he truly likes."

"Is that so? Well, I'm honored." Harry smiled down at her, realizing she had fallen asleep. "We had better keep quiet for Mommy, Theo. Mommy Dragons can get pretty nasty when they don't enough sleep. And your Mommy deserves it."

Artemis: -mouth hanging open, eye twitching-

Harry: mutters out of the corner of his mouth- You had better get a head start, Kaz.

-starts backing away SLOWLY- Right you are, Harry...I'll, uh, be in the next chapter...