Part Seven

Harry quietly worked on his coloring. He was kneeling on the floor by the cocktail table with a box of crayons and white construction paper. He had his back to the fireplace. So, he'd be able to keep an eye on the doctor lady. He didn't want her sneaking up on him. He hadn't said a word to Madam Pomfrey the whole morning. He was afraid of her, even though she allowed him to eat cereal this morning and sleep on a bed upstairs. She had tried to get him to talk several times with no success. She told him that he had been sleeping for a month. A month! He didn't even know anybody could sleep that long. He wanted to ask how it was possible, but he didn't want to talk, not to her. He wanted Remus. He would just have to wait for Remus to get back.

He was coloring in the sun with yellow when someone knocked on the door. For a moment Harry got excited, thinking it was Remus, but then he remembered this was Remus' house. He wouldn't be knocking on his own door, not unless his hands were full of stuff and couldn't open the door. He thought with excitement.

He peaked over his eye lashes as Madam Pomfrey got up from the kitchen table and made her way to the front door. She opened the door and greeted the person on the other side, but Harry couldn't see the person. The opened door was in the way. He looked back down to grab a green crayon to draw and color in the grass. By the time he looked up again. The stranger had come in and the door was closed again. He sighed in disappointment. It wasn't Remus.

The stranger must be the other person Remus had talked about last night. He was an old man with a really long white beard and blue sparkling eyes covered with glasses. He was wearing a tie-dyed colored dress. The man smiled at Harry and waved. He seemed to be a very…jolly person. He turned back to Madam Pomfrey. Harry looked down at his drawing. However, he couldn't help, but to overhear their conversation.

"How did everything go, Poppy?" The old man asked.

"Very well, Headmaster." Headmaster? He was a headmaster of a school? Remus failed to tell him that. What school? How did he know Remus? Was he Remus' grandfather? He certainly looked old enough to be. "He was very well behaved. More behaved then most of the seventh year students." Was she a doctor at a school? He didn't know doctors worked at schools. He thought it was only nurses. Maybe he was wrong and she was a nurse, but didn't Remus say she was a doctor? "However…" Harry peaked up at them at the sighing tone. Madam Pomfrey lowered her voice as if to prevent him from overhearing, but she didn't do it low enough. Harry was still able to hear. "…he hasn't spoken a word, haven't made a peep, since Remus left last night."

"He's gotten pretty attached to Remus in the short time he knew him." The old man glanced at Harry and Harry quickly turned his gaze down to his paper, but he could still feel the man's gaze on him.

"Remus said he had a plan for his education. He'll talk to you when he gets back." Harry grabbed hold of that sentence like a lifeline. When…when he gets back. Now if…when.

"Oh, that's good. If that is all, Poppy, you may go. I do believe Mr. Carmichael and Mr. Verlaine had a horrible duel this morning. They are waiting for you in the Infirmary."

"Then perhaps I should stay longer just so they suffer more." The doctor said in a dry, sarcastic tone. The old man chuckled at her. "Dueling in the corridors." She huffed in disappointment.

Harry determinedly kept his eyes on his drawing, trying not to look curious or draw attention to himself. He heard Madam Pomfrey say goodbye to both, the Headmaster and him. The old man gave her a reply, but Harry did not. He heard the door closed, followed, strangely, by a loud pop sound.

Although he kept his eye on his drawing, he was paying close attention to the old man's movement. The Headmaster walked closer to him, making him tense up in anticipation. He sat on the couch. There was a rustle of movement before he settled down. "Well, Harry…" He paused, as if waiting for Harry to look at him. He meekly peaked at him from under his eyelashes. He was met with a jolly smile and sparkling blue eyes. He was holding a tin can filled of round yellow balls. "…you want some lemon drops?" He handed the can out for him.

Harry had be taught to be nice to those older than him, to say 'yes, sir' or 'no, sir'. When someone asked a question, you answer them. However, Harry was afraid of this stranger, even if he was Remus' grandfather. He didn't know him, no matter how nice he appeared. Of course, he had liked and trusted Remus right away for no reason. He had no explanation about that though. Remus was just…special or something. He shook his head, slowly, declining the offer of candy.

The candy looked sour and Harry, never been allowed much sweets before, found himself unwilling to accept it. The only candy he was allowed to have were old, crushed, or distasteful ones that Dudley didn't want. One of those distasteful ones was a black airhead. It was so sour that Harry had to spit it out on the living room floor, which earned him two days locked in his cupboard for being 'ungrateful', 'insensitive', and 'messy'.

The old man shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so, Harry. They are quite delicious. By the way my name is Albus Dumbledore, but you may call me Al or Albus or even Grandpa Al!" He said with a happy look that made Harry wonder if he really was a child.

Harry was itching to ask him if he was Remus' grandfather, but he figured he would feel more comfortable asking Remus when he got back. It would be embarrassing if he asked the old man if he was Remus' grandfather only to be told he wasn't.

Remus was right. Mr. Dumbledore offered him candy and other sweets for the rest of the day. Several times, he offered lemon drops. He seemed to be all about fun. He had asked Harry if he wanted to play Twister after lunch. By then Harry was much too tired to accept even if he was thinking about it. He shook his head tiredly at Mr. Dumbledore as he picked at his cereal. Cereal for lunch; sugary cereal. Harry wasn't all that surprised when Mr. Dumbledore poured him some sugary cereal for lunch. He was much too shy to ask for a PB&J sandwich instead.

Mr. Dumbledore sat across him munching joyously on his cereal. Much to Harry's relief, though, he seemed to noticed his dripping eye's. "My boy, you look tired. Why do you head up stairs for a nap? By the time you wake up Remus should already be here." He promised.

By that small sentence, Harry's view of the old man went up. He nodded and hopped off his chair. He picked up his bowl and dumped it into the sink. He had to stand on his tippy toes to reach the hot water knob, but he couldn't reach the soup to clean his bowl and spoon. He stretched and stretched. His face turned red with embarrassment. He was always able to reach the soup at the Dursely's. Would Mr. Dumbledore think he was useless, being unable to even get the soup?

He heard Mr. Dumbledore chuckle behind him. "Don't worry about that, Harry. I'll clean it up. You just go and take a nap."

Harry bit his lip nervously. At the Dursley's he was taught that he had to 'earn his keep'. He had to clean his own mess, as well as everyone else's mess. He wanted to show Remus that he could earn his keep. He didn't want Remus to think he was lazy. If he earned his keep, maybe Remus would let him stay.

"Go on, Harry." Mr. Dumbledore urged.

Harry nodded, feeling very useless and tired. Without looking at the man, he made his way upstairs to the spare room. Madam Pomfrey said it was his room, but he wouldn't think of it as his room until Remus told him it was his room. He didn't want false hope. What if Remus wanted him to sleep on the couch and not in the spare room? What if he didn't even want Harry?


Remus gratefully opened his front door, glad to finally be home again. Madam Pomfrey…or Poppy, as she was now telling him to call her, told him that Harry didn't talk to her at all, that he was content on sitting at the cocktail table and drawing. He was well behaved, but didn't do anything but color, eat, and sleep. He hoped that Harry would warm up to Professor Dumbledore the way he didn't warm up to Poppy. Though, Professor Dumbledore was much like a child himself. Maybe that was what Harry needed for a few hours. Someone telling him to have fun and enjoy himself.

Professor Dumbledore was sitting on the couch reading a book, but Harry was nowhere in sight. "Professor." He greeted, as he shut the door behind him.

The Headmaster looked up and smiled. "Ah, Remus, my boy. You look exhausted." He snapped the book shut.

Remus walked around the couch and sat on the cocktail table. He nodded. "No more tired than normal after the full moon. Where's Harry?" He asked looking around.

"Napping. He seemed really tired at lunch." He frowned. "He didn't seem to be fond of sweets though. How sad."

Remus shook his head with a smile. Of course, to the Headmaster, the world must be coming to an end because a small child wasn't fond of sweets. The smile left his face. "Poppy told me Harry didn't speak at all to her. Did he…?" He asked.

Professor Dumbledore shook his head. "Silent as a sleeping baby." He answered. "But don't fear, Remus, he still has to get use to being around people who care."

Remus nodded understanding but not liking it. He hoped Harry would open up to others soon. "About Harry's education…" He started to say.

Professor Dumbledore nodded. "Ah, yes. Poppy said you have an idea about what to do with his education."

Remus nodded. "I believe it would be best if he finishes the school year at his old school. It's too close to the end of the year to pull him out and place him in a completely different school."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, that sounds reasonable. As for balancing his education and your job…?"

"The school in town is right next to the library. My boss has been asking me to take my old shift back. I'll be dropping Harry off at school and go straight to work. When school is over, he could walk to the library and hang out there until my shift is done. I would only be getting out at four. That's an hour after Harry gets out of school."

Professor Dumbledore nodded in thought. "Yes, yes, that sounds good. However, what are you going to do about the summer? He doesn't have school during the summer. You'll still be working from nine to four. What are you going to do about Harry then? He can't hang out at the library for that long."

"I've thought of that too. There's a family in town that has a young daughter who's only a year older then Harry. They are busy people and have a baby-sitter for their daughter. The baby-sitter agreed to watch him with her other charge from nine until one. She agreed to drop Harry off at the library."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. "We'll see how that goes, Remus. I say you certainly thought this out." He said with a chuckle.

"Of course, I did, sir. I've wanted Harry in my custody for a very long time. I don't want anything to go wrong."

"What are you going to do about the full moon?"

"I was hoping to do the same thing as this month?" He questioned, giving a pleading look at the professor.

The Headmaster laughed. "Of course you may! Poppy and I would not mind at all and I'm sure Minerva would like a turn as well. She would love the chance to get to know Harry." Remus nodded, knowing it was true. She had a special spot for Lily and even the Marauders, though that wasn't as noticeable. "Well, if that is it, I shall take my leave." He said, standing up. Remus followed him to the door. "And, Remus…" Professor Dumbledore started to say before leaving. "…I believe Harry is now all ours." He said with a smile. "You'll take good care of him, I know." He reassured. "Goodbye, Remus, don't be a stranger now." He said, before apperating away.

Remus shut the door and headed up stairs. It was near dinnertime and Harry should wake up or he would have a rough time falling asleep tonight. Besides, Remus wanted to check and see if he was alright. He wanted to hear from Harry's mouth how his day had been.

He opened Harry's door quietly and slipped into the room. Harry was on his side, facing Remus, deep in sleep. He was in a fetal position, but his body was relaxed. His hands were under his pillow. He couldn't wait to tell Harry that this was his home now. He stepped further into his old childhood bedroom, noticing that the wall paper was still the same light shade of green and that his old collection of books was still stacked on the many shelves on the wall around the room. The pink light of the setting sun was seen through the brown curtains on the window above the bed. Remus remembered kneeling on his bed and watching the sunset when he was younger. It was a happy sign that he was watching the sunset in his room and not in the basement.

He sat at the edge of Harry's bed. "Harry." He whispered gently. He lightly shook Harry's shoulders, silently wincing in pain from aggravating the scratch on his arm. "Harry. I'm home."

Harry groaned and turned on his back. He blinked his eyes opened and stared at him for a moment, like it was trying to remember everything that happened. He suddenly jumped up. "Remus!" He hugged him around the waist. "You're back! You didn't leave me!"

Remus wrapped his arms around Harry and nodded. "Yes, Harry, I'm home and I would never leave you. Ever."

"Promise?" Harry asked into his shirt.

Remus nodded. "I promise." He pulled away and looked tenderly down at the boy. His green eyes stood out even more when he wasn't wearing his glasses. "My home is now your home, Harry."

Harry gave him the biggest smile. "Truly?" Remus nodded. "You want me?"

"Of course I do, Harry."

Harry smiled at him again and his smile just warmed Remus' heart. "Madam Pomfrey told me that you knew my parents." Remus nodded. "Can you…" He started to ask shyly. "….can you tell me about them?"

Remus smiled. "Of course, Harry. I can tell you anything about them. Let's go down to fix dinner and I'll tell you about the day I met them." He promised.

Harry grabbed his glasses from off the little wooden nightstand by his bed and put them on his face. Remus held his hand as they left the room, both feeling content and happy for the first time in a long time. Harry felt like he finally had a family, no matter how small it was, and Remus was finally able to leave the isolated life behind him.

Remus looked back into the darkening room and smiled. He closed the door behind them and couldn't help but think he was finally closing the door on the old lonely life he had and entering a brighter one with Harry.


This is now completed! However, you might want to put it in your alert folder anyway. Maybe, once I'm done with my other stories, I MIGHT go back to this one and expand it! Maybe!

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