Chapter Three:
James and Evan, along with Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shackelbolt, apparated to Privet Drive late in the evening the day after Harry's departure:
"Which number Evan," James asked.
"Number 4," Evan replied leading the way.
The four men silently walked down the street pausing when they reached Number 4, then following Evan as he lead the way up the walk to the front door. James stepped forward and knocked. Soon the men could here steps coming towards the door and make out a grumbling noise.
"Damn people thinking they can knock on doors at all hours of the night," Vernon Dursley a whale of a man wrenched open the door, "What," he snapped obviously agitated about something. All it took was one glance to recognize the freak that had used magic on him late last august. "You," Vernon yelled lunging forward furiously.
James' wand snapped into his hand and was trained on the grotesquely fat man in under three seconds. "We have a few things to discuss Vernon; I suggest you let us in before we give your neighbors a show." James' voice was low and threatening brokering no argument.
Vernon Dursley backed away from the door scowl firmly in place. "Potter," he spat. "What are you here for?"
"Did you think I wouldn't be back?" Evan asked menacingly. "Did you think we wouldn't come for you?"
Vernon turned an ugly shade of puce, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"My little boy Dursley, we are talking about what you did to my little boy." James snarled.
"Vernon Dursley," Shackelbolt said striding forward wand leveled on the muggle, "We are here to take you into custody for the abuse and rape of Harry James Potter."
Vernon turned purple and began to splutter in rage, "That little freak lied," he gasped out. "I never touched the boy!"
"We have witnesses and medical reports Dursley," Moody said coldly, "restrain him," he said to his partner.
Kingsley spelled magical restraints on Vernon and then spelled him silent for good measure. The man's bellowing was giving them all a headache. It was at about this time when the front door opened and Petunia Dursley and her son Dudley walked in.
"What are you doing," Petunia shrieked while Dudley whimpered and tried to hide his large bulk behind his mother.
"Mrs. Dursley," Moody stepped forward, "your husband is under arrest for the abuse and rape of Harry Potter."
"My husband would never touch that freak," the woman yelled, "especially not like that."
"I found him raping my brother," Evan said calmly. "And now he is going to pay."
Petunia blanched, "He would never," she spluttered.
"We have plenty of evidence Mrs. Dursley," Moody said again. "Vernon Dursley will be coming with us, his trial is in two days; do you wish to be present?"
Petunia looked between the four wizards, her husband, and her son. "No."
James sneered at her and followed the men out.
The trial of Vernon Dursley was short and not so sweet. Under veritaserum the man confessed to not only beating and starving Harry James Potter from the first time he was dropped off with them, but also to two and a half summers full of rape and other sexual abuse.
"Vernon Dursley, after hearing your testimony as well as the witnesses and experts and seeing the pensieve memories, this court room finds you guilty. You are sentenced to twenty years in a muggle prison and after your time there you are sentenced to life in Azkaban. Take him away." Madame Bones waved her hand imperiously beckoning for the auror's to take the muggle into custody for transportation to muggle prison.
Evan, James, Albus, and Poppy all stood and heaved a collective sigh of relief. They had done this for Harry and though he had not been present they all gave him mental hugs and kisses.
Lily was waiting for the group when they finally returned to Hogwarts. "Do you have any idea what this is going to do to my name," she demanded.
"What," Evan asked confused.
"Harry is not there anymore," Lily continued, "and getting my brother in law arrested and sent to prison his not going to help him. In fact the only thing it has done is drag my name through the mud and subsequently yours."
"Who cares about your name when that fat muggle bastard raped my little brother," Evan yelled at his mother.
"I care," Lily shouted back, "this reflects on you too. We have worked so hard to get people to look to you, you are a leader Evan, you will be the next minister of magic and," Lily screamed finally gasping for breath, "and that little brat has ruined it."
James blanched at his wife's callous words. This was not the woman he had married. "No one gives a damn about Evan being the minister of magic here," he told his wife. "What we are concerned with is the fact that my youngest child was beaten and starved and raped by that bastard. What we are concerned about is the fact that justice has been served for Harry."
"James," Lily turned big green eyes on her husband, "we need to focus on Evan. He doesn't know how to deal with the ministry and the media. All this trial has done was focus negative media attention on our family. This will reflect badly on us, on Evan."
"No," Poppy had finally heard enough, "what reflects badly on your family is the fact that an innocent child was sent to live with abusive relatives because his parents were too busy focusing on one child to care about the other. What reflects even worse Lily is your behavior regarding the abuse of your child. You don't deserve to be Harry's mother; you don't even deserve to be Evan's mother." Poppy finished her tirade and stalked from the entrance hall presumably returning to her hospital wing.
"I am truly ashamed of you," Albus shook his head, "children always come first, especially when they are your own," and he too left the entrance hall.
"You truly think that Vernon should have got off scot free because what he did could possibly reflect badly on me?" Evan asked quietly. "In that case, I, Evan Ignotus Potter do here by forswear Lily Potter née Evans as my mother." Magic swirled around them both before Evan turned on his heal and headed for his private rooms.
Lily Potter stood there shaken and crying, "James," she cried out pitifully.
"I want a divorce," James told his soon to be ex wife, and Lily was left alone in the hall.
OooooO
The Black-Malfoy and now Potter household awoke to a delicious smell on Harry's first morning in Forks. Sirius and Remus stumbled down stairs Draco on their heels, and headed for the kitchen where said smells were emanating from. Harry was just awkwardly turning to put a plate full of rashers on the table when the three sleepy men tumbled into the kitchen.
Harry half smiled at them and gestured to the table which was laden with a full English breakfast, a pot coffee and one of tea, and a pitcher of juice all ready to be eaten.
"Umm Harry," Sirius breathed taking his seat after hugging the tiny teen, "this looks wonderful."
"Yes Harry," Remus said also hugging the brilliant boy, "an English breakfast, yummy."
Draco grinned at his best friend, "I knew there was a reason why we were friends," the blond said. "Hey, don't roll your eyes at me, I'm a great friend."
Harry snorted and carefully took his own seat awkwardly moving with the cast on.
"We went to the wizarding sector of Seattle before we picked you up and got some Skelegrow," Sirius said gesturing to the cast. "Rem knows how to dose it up appropriately, but I was wondering if we could have a muggle doc take the cast off, I want to keep it."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"It would be great for a few pranks," Sirius mumbled, "So vanishing it would be kind of beside the point and I don't want to accidentally hurt you by taking it off any other way."
Harry just smiled that little half smile before rolling his eyes and nodding at his godfather.
"Great," Sirius grinned. "I have so many ideas…"
Remus snorted into his napkin, "Here you go Harry," he said retrieving a potions phial out of his robe pocket. "Actually meant to give this to you last night; the nice man at the apothecary dosed is correctly for me so just drink the whole phial."
Harry took the phial and downed the potion in one go grimacing at the taste.
"I know," Remus laughed, "it taste's awful. Anyway, we will have a doctor remove the cast tomorrow."
The four finished breakfast and Remus and Sirius stood and cleared the dishes. "Well it's Thursday and Draco should be heading for school," Sirius held up a hand at Draco's groan, "but I already called the school and told them you wouldn't be returning until Monday. We still have to stop by this afternoon to register Harry, but after that we are free until Monday."
Draco whooped in delight, "I think if Harry doesn't mind, and assuming he can cook more than an English breakfast, we should hit the grocery store. I'm really tired of frozen dinners, cereal, and sandwiches."
Harry did grin at this and nodded his assent.
"Great," the blond boy grinned back. "Let me help you get ready and we can go."
Remus and Sirius smiled indulgently at the two teens and shooed them up stairs. "He smiled," Sirius said quietly.
"He sure did."
OooooO
Shopping for the family of four was certainly a novel experience. Draco and Sirius immediately headed for the sweets, while Remus with Harry clomping along behind him, headed for the fruits, vegetables, and meats. It was a good thing they decided to get a cart of their own because by the time the other two found them, it was with a cart full of nothing but chocolate, ice cream, chips, and soda.
"One bag of chocolate, two tubs of ice cream, two bags of chips, and two twelve packs of soda, return the rest." Remus said exasperatedly.
Sirius huffed indignantly, "But Remy, Draco and I are growing boys; we need this stuff."
Harry tentatively reached out a hand and pocked his godfather in the stomach.
"Hey," he laughed, "I'm ticklish, and if you're trying to indicate that I am getting soft around the middle I resent that."
Draco laughed and tried to cover it up with a cough.
"Harry won't fix the roast tonight if you two don't put away all that sugar and salt." Remus taunted them.
Draco quickly grabbed what they were allowed to keep from their full basket and dumped it into Remus and Harry's before pointedly looking at Sirius.
"Oh alright," Sirius pouted.
After the interesting shopping experience and then getting all the food stored the four headed for the high school.
Ms. Cope the red headed receptionist for Forks High School looked up when her office door opened and was greeted with the sight of the most adorable little teenager she had ever seen. "Well hello there dears, what can I do for you?"
"Ms. Cope," Draco greeted, "We are here to register my cousin for class."
Ms. Cope looked at the tiny teenager, "Are you a freshman dear?" She asked kindly.
"Harry is the same age I am, 16."
"Oh," Ms. Cope tried to keep her face from flushing in embarrassment.
"There are a few other special arrangements that need to be made for Harry as well," Remus stepped forward. "You see, well… he doesn't speak."
Ms. Cope blinked, "He's mute?"
"Well there was a trauma you see," Remus tried to explain without actually explaining. "Draco usually knows what he's trying to say and can communicate that for him; so is there any way we can keep them both on the same schedule?"
"Well," Ms. Cope said bringing up Draco schedule, "if he doesn't speak that could be a problem in Mr. Malfoy's Latin class, and Mr. Malfoy's gym class is full as well."
"Oh well Harry is fluent in Latin," Sirius said think fast, "Umm well he can understand it anyway, and I don't think you want to take gym, right Harry?" Sirius turned to his godson.
Harry shook his head.
"We have a computer class at that time slot that is open," Ms. Cope said helpfully.
Harry nodded.
"Great," Ms. Cope smiled at them, "as for Latin, well you still need another elective, how about art?"
Harry shrugged.
Ms. Cope looked at Draco, "He said he doesn't care."
"Right, well… art it is then." Ms. Cope finalized Harry's schedule and had the adults fill out paperwork and provide the other documents that a school needed for each student. "Well Mr. Potter is a set up to attend classes starting Monday. If you have the time the Principal provided you all with passes for the day so that you can set up his locker and show him his classrooms." Ms. Cope beamed at Forks' newest student. "We'll see you Monday Mr. Potter, and don't forget to have your teachers sign those slips then and bring them back to me."
Harry nodded at the bubbly woman and followed Draco out. Unfortunately is was into a hallway full of students rushing to get to their next class and suddenly Harry felt boxed in and overwhelmed. He whimpered a little in fright and it was just loud enough for Remus to hear.
"Hey it's ok cub," Remus said, gently pulling the small teenager into his chest trying to keep the other students from bumping him. "They'll all be in class in just a moment and we'll get started on the tour."
Sure enough less than three minutes later the hallways were empty and Draco showed Harry around as well as finding the classrooms that had Harry's two different classes. "It'll be fine Harry," the blond said slinging his arm over Harry's shoulders.
Harry snorted.
"Hey no need to insult me," Draco laughed.
OooooO
Bodies, too many bodies, stop, stop touching me; get away please…
Edward stopped dead in his tracks when this errant thought ran through his mind.
Too close, too close…
The vampire tilted his head and listened hard but the mind had closed to him.
"Ok there little brother," Emmett asked observing Edward.
"Yeah, I just heard something, someone."
Jasper and Alice met the other two in the hall. "Guess who I saw in the office," Alice sing songed. "I saw green eyes, Draco and their guardians were there, Harry, that is Harry Potter, will be starting classes on Monday."
"Oh, is he a magician like the blond one," Emmett asked eagerly causing Jasper and Edward to snort in laughter.
"Wizard; and yes I believe he is. But there's more," Alice continued lowering her voice more so that even the vampires had to strain to hear her, "he doesn't talk. Ms. Cope asked if Harry was mute and one of his guardians said something about a trauma but didn't elaborate.
I don't know if I can do this, I need Evan.
Edward looked up scanning the halls again. "It's him," he said.
"It's who," Jasper asked blankly.
"I think the mind that I've been hearing is him, green- um Harry. He's panicking because of the people in the hall."
Mum's right, I just cause trouble, I'm not going to be able to do this and Padfoot and Moony are going to hate me and Merlin, Draco is going to hate me, I can't do this.
"He's really panicking."
"Oh dear," Alice said. "I hope Draco and his guardians can calm him down." She paused, "I see him here on Monday," she nodded to herself, it looked like Harry would work out his fears, or at least work past them.
The Cullen's resumed their journey to their next classes, and just before Edward slipped into his art class he saw the teen with the whirling myriad of fears that screamed a litany through his mind. Harry's green eyes looked huge and scared, but also showed a determination and a resignation that few people ever grew to have. Edward fell into those green eyes right then and there and never looked back.