Chapter 3

"Hello?"

"Hi Mr. Remus! How are you?"

Remus smiled. Over time, sporadic phone calls had gained Harry's trust. He was an excitable young boy who was bursting with curiosity and knowledge.

"I'm doing just fine, Harry. How are you?"

Harry giggled, "I'm fine. Just got home and my relatives were gone so…" He laughed some more, "I unlocked my door to talk to you again." He seemed to find this funny, like an inside joke on how he was still able to fool his Aunt and Uncle.

Remus, however, growled, as he often did when Harry told him something of this nature.

"They locked you in again?"

"I'm sorry, sir. I can get out just fine. I don't know why I say anything, it's-"

"But you shouldn't have to. Harry, it doesn't matter that you can get out. You shouldn't have to."

Harry paused, "Well, maybe it's good to practice." He said the words softly, almost a whisper.

Remus stopped chopping at his food, putting the knife down. "Why do you say that?" Remus knew there were rumblings. Death Eaters making appearances everywhere. Rumors of the Dark Lords' return seemed to be true. Remus was nervous, and he wanted to know why Harry was too. He knew the child was observant.

Harry paused, "Uncle Vernon bought a gun. I saw where he put it… and he told Aunt Petunia it was because of all the crime. All those criminals had to come from somewhere… and it feels wrong. It feels… bad."

Harry stopped talking and Remus could hear his shaky breath. Damn, he is scared. Remus thought.

XxX

Harry was walking around the neighborhood when he saw a tall, pale man with black hair, and smiled. He picked up his pace, skipping beside the man.

"Hello, Mr. Severus."

The man sneered at him, "What are you doing here, Potter?"

"I wanted to get out. They're home."

"Ahh… so the whale is hunting? Is that it?"

"Harry shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "Partly."

Severus eyed the small boy. He'd become rather…fond… of the child at this juncture of his life. Sure, the likeness to the late James Potter was, regrettable, but whenever he looked at his eyes, he saw her. It made his heart constrict, than release, and he remembered that this boy, was not all James Potter. He was part Lily Potter as well. He has her temperament, Severus thought. He looked at the child, who was so dejected.

"Stand up straight, and look ahead of you. People won't give you respect unless you assert yourself." He snapped and Harry quickly fixed the problem. Severus smiled and continued on his walk. Harry followed.

"What do you mean, 'Partly'?"

"They don't like me; they don't want me around. It's hard to breathe in there."

"He stopped hitting you, correct?" Severus only knew of Dudley's violent tendencies. Harry used that to cover up the bruises.

"For now. Until I do something else to upset him."

Severus snorted, "The next time he hits you, run. I don't care if he calls you a coward. Run."

Harry nodded, "Yes, Sir."

XxX

Harry saw things happen on the news. The attacks, what both Remus and Severus told him were not mere muggle attacks. These were not random, they were pre-meditated. That much, Harry knew. They were coming for him. Their crimes were burning a trail towards Surrey. They knew Harry was there.

And Harry would be ready.

XxX

"Remus, I know you're out tonight but I just wanted to call to say Hi. Today feels different. Like something is about to happen. I-If something does, I'd just want to say goodbye and..and thank you. For everything. I've never heard such funny stories before. You made my parents seem real and that – I'll never forget.

"Anyway, today at school…"

XxX

The door opened and Harry left the kitchen to head up the stairs, heading for the bathroom. He had just lifted the lid, when he heard the door open. Muffled voices roused no suspicion to Harry, who conducted his business. He was rinsing the soapy bubbles from his hands, when he heard it.

"HOLD ON ONE BLOODY MINUTES! WHO THE HELL…."

A green light seeped under the bathroom door, and there was a dull thunk. Uncle Vernon's body hit the floor, the sounds being muffled by the carpeting. Harry knelt down by the door, and pressed an ear firmly to the wood. He listened for awhile, a couple gruff voices talking horridly; men with voices Harry didn't know.

Dudley went down the stairs, trumping down to investigate.

"Is he the one?"

"No, he's not."

There was another flash and a dull thunk, and Harry's heart sped up.

"VERNON! VERNON! DUDLEY!"

She was silenced, mid scream with a flash of green light. Harry had ventured out of the bathroom by this point. He stared from the upstairs hallway, where the men stood at the foot of the stairs. Harry ran for the master bedroom. His footsteps sounded through the house, and the men looked up as he slid into the bedroom, and closed the door.

"Up there!"

Harry heard them run up the steps, and he bolted the lock with a wave of his hand. He stood by the bedside table, the small gun in his hand. He took it in his hands, right hand around the grip, his right finger lightly resting on the trigger, left hand wrapped around the right. He aimed the gun at the door.

"Please God, let me be doing this right. Let me live."

The handle turned, and Harry tensed, waiting. The door creaked open, and Harry saw the men enter, aiming wands at his chest, opening their mouths to laugh at him.

"Is that a muggle weapon?"

"I'll shoot you." The sentence was shaky.

The other man laughed, silver hair circling his masked face. He sounded aristocratic.

"You.. shoot us?"

"Wanna bet?" Harry stared at them, pulling the hammer of the gun back with his right thumb.

The other masked man stepped forward, pulling his wand back up menacingly.

"Enough of this. We were sent to kill him. Not to chat." Just as he said that, Harry pulled the trigger. Blood spouted from the mans chest, and Harry watched him fall to the ground.

The other man stepped forward menacingly, arching his wand. The lights flared in reaction to the magic, and Harry took his chance. Another deafening bang filled the air as Harry shot the next man; who was now clutching his throat. Blood seeped through his fingers, and the arterial pressure sent it spraying. Harry didn't feel it hit his face; he just watched the man die.

His back was pressed to the wall as he inched from the room. Both men were dead, but he wanted to leave more than ever. He trumped down the stairs, only to find his unlce's body in the hall. His eyes were glassy as they stared at the ceiling. Harry felt bile rise to the back of his throat. He advanced the hall, grabbing a small satchel that sat right inside his cupboard. He had packed his essentials inside yesterday morning, ready to go in a pinch.

He looked down the hall, only to find Aunt Petunia half-way out of the kitchen, laying on her side. Harry quickly turned to the vase in the entrance way, to relieve the contents of his stomach. His head spun and he fell down momentarily, before forcing himself to get up and amble from the house and down the road, his invisibility cloak wrapped around his shaky form tightly.

He advanced down the raod quickly, taking little comfort in the fact that no one could see him as the cars drove by. He went two blocks before turning left and going towards the fourth house on the right. He removed the cloak before knocking on the door.

XxX

Severus Snape opened the door to find a shaken little boy standing on his porch. Tears were straking down his cheeks and there was something crusted at the corner of his lips; vomit. There was blood spattered in his hair and face; little droplets on the lenses of his glasses made it impossible to see his eyes clearly.

"Help me." His voice was so small; so vulnerable. Severus held the door open for him, motioning to come inside. Once the door was closed, he guided the boy to the kitchen, where Severus lifted him to sit on the counter.

With a snap of his fingers, the blinds were closed, and the lights in the kitchen came on.

"Now, give the gun to me, Harry." He took the device from Harry, only to find that he was shaking. "Now, you mind telling me what happened?"

"I-I was home. These t-two men came. The-They killed my-my Aunt and Uncle and Cousin and r-ran for me. I-I ran u-up the steps and I-I locked my-myself in my Aunt and Uncles room. I go-got their gun. The men came in. I-I shot them, and, and they died." Harry cocked it all out through the sobs and coughing. Severus felt out of order.

"Stay here."

Severus left the child to go to the cupboard, pulling out several vials. He returned, giving the first, clear potion to him. "This will help calm you down." The child took it with shaking hands, and tipped it back. The shaking stopped.

"Now, are you hurt? Bleeding, twisted ankle… anything?"

"Not from the attack, no."

Severus lifted an eyebrow. "I'll do a scan anyway." He didn't like the eveasive chatter. He waved his wand, and got a report; one he didn't like.

"Judging by your bruised ribs and tender torso, that they beat you."

"They didn't."

"Then who did?"

Harry looked away, "My uncle."

Severus's eyes widened momentarily, before regaining his composure. He gave Harry two more vials. "Take these as well then."

He wet down a cloth and started to clean the boy up. Lastly, he swiped the blood from his glasses. Severus put them back on his face and watched as Harry downed the potions.

"It's not safe for you in England anymore."

Harry looked up, "Where am I going to go?" His voice spoke with uncertainty. Harry was scared.

Severus smiled, "I know a place."