41 - Reconciliation

That night, Dudley can't sleep. He misses Harry – more than his friends, more than Dad. But he doesn't know how to change things between them. Harry's scared of him, and Dudley feels like the biggest asshole in the world. He's supposed to protect Harry, not scare him! Remembering how his cousin flinched away from him, Dudley finally starts crying.

He doesn't notice Harry until suddenly, there's a body right next to him. Slowly, thin arms wrap around him, and he hears Harry speak the first words in weeks:

"Dudley, not cry..."

He cries more, instead, but it doesn't last long.

.-.-.-.

42 - Bullies

"Dudley loves a reeetard! Dudley loves a reeetard!"

Dudley is standing on the schoolyard, fists tightly clenched at his sides. He'd like to hit Brian and his friends, but he knows it would get him into trouble and make Mum sad, and he made her worry more than enough lately.

He tries not to listen and instead thinks of Harry – Harry, who comes to his bed every night now, who clings to him like he were scared to lose him again, who drools on his pyjama and makes his sheets smell of nappies.

"Dudley loves a reeetard!"

Yes. So what?

.-.-.-.

43 - Discovery

It's a Saturday afternoon in summer; Remus is reading in the living room, and Petunia is preparing a cake in the kitchen. She is humming softly to the music from the radio, looking outside every now and then to watch the boys play in the garden.

The doorbell rings, and she wipes her flour-stained hands before going to answer it, throwing a short glance at the picture of both her and Remus in wedding attire that is hanging in the corridor.

She opens the door with a smile, but it freezes on her lips as she recognises the visitor.

"Severus."

.-.-.-.

44 - Waiting

When it had become clear that Harry Potter and his family had left England, Dumbledore had sent Severus to investigate. It had been difficult and taken months, but finally, he'd found a trace.

They'd wondered what the reason might be – Arabella Figg refused to cooperate – but they had never even come close to the truth.

Severus has listened to them explaining, and he has talked to a shy and obviously handicapped boy. Now the family is gathered in the kitchen, crowded protectively around Harry, waiting for Severus to destroy the child's life.

Destroy it like he did ten years ago.

.-.-.-.-.

45 - Escape

The kitchen clock is ticking loudly in the tense silence as Severus stares at Harry, struggling to make up his mind.

Harry Potter. The child who looks like James Potter, but smaller, frailer. The child with Lily's eyes. The child because of whom Lily is gone forever. The child Lily loved enough to die for. The child who could have been his, if only…

He tears his gaze away and gets up abruptly, quick strides taking him to the kitchen doorway where he pauses for only a moment.

"I never found you," he says, then leaves. He doesn't look back.