A/N: Hey! I'm back again! :D Okay, so this is one of those, not much really happens chapters. Sorry, the good stuff is still to come, but I thought I should at least post somehting. So here is the first part to the next section of the story. Laying gorund for the actual events if you will. Nothing too dramatic,.. not yet anyway. I also decided to put a poll up on my profile to see who I would add in. I refrained from adding Hermione or Dean or someone else this chapter just to see what the numbers said. I think a lot of you seemed happy about the Hermione suggestion, but I just want to see what the numbers say. So please go vote on my poll, even if you've already told me! :D Thanks!

Harry watched Remus's fingers nimbly button up his bright red jacket with a blank sort of look. Remus glanced at his expression and offered a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry so much. It's never as bad as you think it will be. You might even like it."

Harry raised his eyes to give Remus a doubtful look. Today he started school again. And no matter what Remus said, Harry's dread was not assuaged. He wished he could just stay here in Remus's house until he was all grown up. Remus was smart. He had a lot of books. He could teach Harry everything there was to know.

Remus finished the buttons and moved down to swiftly weave Harry's shoelaces into neat bows with a practiced hand. "There you are," he said, straightening up and giving Harry one more look-over to see that his collar was straight and his face was cleaned. He eyed Harry's wild hair, but, remembering James's efforts with his own hair, decided not to waist anymore time. "Well, that's everything, I think. Shall we get going?"

Harry didn't answer, but mutely hauled his new frog backpack onto his shoulders, pulled the knit cap Mrs. Figg had sent him in low over his eyes, and shuffled to the door. Remus watched him with a mixture of amusement at how nerdy Harry managed to look (not that it mattered much in year two most kids looked weird that young anyway) and worry at how apprehensive he seemed to be. Harry had hardly said two words since dinner the previous night. Remus had tried for the last few days to get him excited about going to school, but the more he talked about it, the more anxious Harry seemed to get.

He hoped it would be okay. In truth, he was leery about the whole situation. He had only had Harry for a week, but for some reason it was almost painful to send him away, even if it was just for the day. He was also nervous about what might set Harry off. Remus had no idea to what extent abuse like that had done to Harry, nor what accommodations to ask the teachers to make for him. He had spoken to a woman from the guidance office of the primary school Harry would be going to and explained the situation as best he could to her, but he couldn't tell her what sort of things Harry might be sensitive to. As the woman said, they would just have to see what happened and go from there.

Remus pushed open the door and caught Harry by a mittened hand, making sure he didn't stumble on the rutted front path. Remus didn't have a car and doubted he'd be getting a license anytime soon. For one, he was not at all confident in maneuvering all of those levers and gauges that commanded those two-ton beasts. For another, the Ministry had to provide all the paperwork necessary to apply for a license and he had not had a lot of good experiences with the Ministry since Delores Umbridge gained power.

It didn't matter though. He could apparate into town near the library where he worked and Harry would ride the bus to school and home usually. But today Remus wanted to walk him to his classroom, meet his teacher, make sure he was alright before he left him alone for the first time. So today they walked the few miles into town.

The November air was brisk and the hint of an icy edge nipped at their skin, but the weather had not yet turned to winter. The pair of them walked along in silence for a good half of the journey. Remus kept glancing down at Harry, expecting to have to carry him the rest of the way, but Harry trotted doggedly alongside him. Remus attempted to strike up conversation, asking Harry about what subjects he liked to study or if he liked art classes or music classes, trying in some way to build excitement in the little boy, but nothing he said yielded an answer more explicit than a shrug or a mumbled word or two.

As they neared a point in the dirt road that met up with the paved highway, however, Harry said abruptly, "They don't like me at school."

Remus looked down at him in surprise, but Harry was looking shyly at the ground, embarrassed at his admission.

"Of course they will! You haven't even met them yet," Remus told him confidently.

Harry shook his head. "No, they don't like me. No one did. Not even the teacher. They thought I was weird."

"Harry, I'm sure that's not true –"

"It is," Harry interrupted, looking up at Remus with earnest eyes.

"Well," Remus began again, not sure what to say to that. "Well, this is a new school with all new people. I'm sure they'll like you quite a lot once they get to know you."

Harry looked dubious. "I don't think so," he said quietly. "I'm the new kid. People pick on the new kids. They don't like them just because they're new. There was a boy – Billy waters – he came to our class last year and people said he smelled funny and that he ate a blue crayon during art time and other things like that – but he didn't. I sat next to him 'cause no one liked to sit next to me either and he didn't smell funny and I asked him about the crayon and he said he didn't eat it, but he thought Dudley might have. But everybody thought he ate the crayon and so they wouldn't play with him or they'd make him be 'it' at tag and then pretend like he never caught them, even though I saw him get Linda and Michael. That's what they'll do to me."

Remus was slightly astonished. Harry hadn't volunteered that much information freely… well, ever. And the worst part was Remus wasn't sure how to allay his fears because he couldn't tell Harry none of that would happen. He knew firsthand how difficult kids could be, but somehow he hadn't thought that attitude developed until they were older.

"Well, kids get over it," Remus said, sounding lame even to himself.

Harry didn't act as if he'd heard and Remus couldn't blame him.

"Look, that Billy Waters, was he still the new kid the last time you saw him?" Remus asked.

Harry glanced questioningly at him, but shrugged. "Guess not."

"Exactly. Kids get used to you and suddenly you're not new anymore, you're one of them. You'll see. I'll bet you'll have loads of friends in no time."

Harry shrugged, but didn't object. He didn't bother to mention his certainty that that wouldn't happen. He hadn't been any newer than the rest of the kids at his old school, but they hadn't liked him at all there either, and that hadn't gone away. He supposed there was no Dudley here to lead the teasing and chasing, but there was surely someone just like him. And Harry knew he was still weird. He would still make magic happen and just because he knew what it was now, didn't mean the rest of the kids wouldn't still think he was a freak. No, he couldn't see at all how this school would be so different from the last one.

He stumbled a little, his muscles tired from all of the walking and Remus, as though he'd been waiting for the cue, bent down and scooped Harry up into his arms, backpack and all, without even breaking stride. Harry tucked his head in the crook of Remus's head and closed his eyes, worrying his lip between his teeth. The jeers of his old classmates echoed in his head from just two weeks ago and his stomach squirmed with nerves at facing something like that again.

He didn't like being around people he didn't know. At least with people he knew, like his aunt and uncle, he knew the score. He could keep out of their way. But with people he didn't know….

"It'll be alright," Remus murmured soothingly, practically feeling the anxiety emanating off the little boy through his tense muscles.

It took them another ten minutes to reach the edge of town and Remus decided to catch a taxi for the last few blocks. He remembered why he didn't walk into town more often now; it was a long walk.

Harry eyed the imposing brick school building through the cab window. It seemed to loom at him, rushing up out of the city for several blocks before the car rolled to a stop at the curb. Harry sat frozen in his seat, waiting for Remus to come around and open his door, trying to hold onto that metal-and-glass barrier between him and the hordes of shouting and squealing children he could already hear.

But Remus barely took five seconds to yank open his door and unbuckle his seatbelt. And then he was pulling Harry from the car, leading him up to the gate and through the swarm. Harry pressed himself close to Remus's side, eyeing the children, most of whom seemed much bigger than him, warily. His breathing was fast and he could feel his palms sweating. The damp smell of the playground seemed sharper in his nose, the bright colors of the coats darting in and out of the crowd seemed more lurid against the dull, muddy November playground. A bell sounded shrilly as Remus led the way up the front path towards imposing double doors and Harry nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound.

"It's alright," Remus told him calmingly out of the corner of his mouth, dropping Harry's hand and putting his arm around the little boy's shoulders instead.

Harry looked away from the crowd of children and focused on the path in front of him. He was relieved to pass through the doors into the sudden hush of a hallway before the bell has rung to bring students bustling and clamoring into the school.

"It looks nice," Remus tried to say jovially, indicating the finger paintings hanging on the walls and the bright posters about reading and math and things like that.

Harry gulped, the familiar school-sent making his nerves jitter.

"This must be Mr. Lupin!" a voice called from down the hall, making Harry jump and whip around. Remus squeezed his shoulder reassuringly and turned to meet the man walking toward them with a friendly smile.

"Headmaster Jennings?" Remus asked, offering a hand. Mr. Jennings shook it vigorously, beaming at Remus.

"It's fantastic to meet you! And this must be Harry! Hello there," Mr. Jennings switched his beam to Harry, who edged a little behind Remus, looking up at the stranger with wide eyes.

"Go on, Harry, it's alright. Shake his hand," Remus urged, but Harry stayed peeking out from behind his legs. He wanted to do as he was told, but he couldn't seem to make himself move.

"He's a bit shy," Remus said apologetically.

"That's fine," Mr. Jennings said amiably as another bell sounded, making Harry jump again. "Here comes the rush. Better get into a classroom before the kids break down the doors."

He led the way down the hall a little ways and pushed open a door with a large red two on it just as the first wave of students stampeded through the front doors.

"Hello Miss Arvis!" Mr. Jennings called, knocking on the opened door. "I've got a new recruit for you!"

A woman looked up from a desk across the room. She was youngish and pretty with brown curls bouncing like springs around her face and sparkling blue eyes. She smiled at them.

"Hey there. So this is the young Mr. Lupin?" she asked, peering kindly at Harry.

"Er, no. This is Harry Potter," Remus corrected awkwardly. "I'm Remus Lupin, but, this isn't… that's to say, he's not my son."

Miss Arvis flushed a bright red, looking mortified. "Oh, I'm sorry! I just glanced at the papers and saw your name and assumed – I shouldn't have, I'm awfully sorry."

"It's quite alright," Remus assured her, feeling heat rise in his own face. He supposed he'd have to be explaining that a lot if Harry got to stay with him for any amount of time and it had reminded him with a pang of Lily and James when he'd said 'not my son'.

"Right, well, my name is Miss Arvis," Miss Arvis continued, still blushing. "I'm glad to have you in my class, Harry. I'm sure we'll get along just splendidly."

Harry looked timidly up at her.

"Well, I'll let Miss Arvis take it from here," Mr. Jennings said, rocking on the balls of his feet. "There are just a few more papers to sign, Mr. Lupin, if you want to come down to my office before you leave. Last door on the right. I hope you have an excellent first day, Harry," he added, giving one last genial smile before disappearing, dodging past a group of excited young girls darting into the classroom.

"Now then, here's where you'll be sitting, Harry," Miss Arvis said, leading them over to a desk in the second row beside the window where a large sticker in the shape of a pencil read HARRY in capital letters. "You'll keep your coat and your bag in a cubby back here," she walked to the back of the room and indicated an open cubby in the corner with a matching nametag proclaiming that it was now Harry's. "Every morning you'll play outside until the first bell rings. That bell means you're to get into a line with the other children in your class. When the second bell rings you're to come into the building in an orderly line, find your cubby, and place your things in it. Then you'll find your seat and when the last bell rings, we'll start class."

Harry nodded, uncomfortably aware of the other students, who had all filed into the classroom by now, watching him with curiosity, some whispering behind their hands already. He noticed a blonde boy snicker something to his friend and was sure it was the beginning of the crayon rumors.

Remus helped Harry take off his coat and hang it up with his backpack in the cubby as Miss Arvis explained where everything was in the classroom and the rules associated with each item.

"Children, please get out your workbooks," Miss Arvis ordered, noticing all the eyes on Harry and Remus. The children reluctantly turned away from the strangers and began shuffling through their things, chatter breaking out as usual.

Remus bent down in front of Harry and put his hands on Harry's shoulders. "Well, I've got to get going. I know Miss Arvis won't have any trouble from you. It'll be fine," Remus assured him again when Harry nodded without looking at him. "You'll see. You'll like it."

Harry shrugged, then suddenly looked up at Remus, his eyes a little wild. He threw a nervous glance over his shoulder at Miss Arvis and leaned in to whisper, "You'll come get me, won't you? At the end of school you'll come and get me, right? I don't have to walk all the way back to your house do I? I don't know the way! I'll get lost!"

"Of course I'll be here to get you when school's over," Remus soothed, running a hand through Harry's messy hair. "You won't ever have to walk home by yourself. I'll be waiting right outside to pick you up when the last bell rings, how about that?"

"Promise?" Harry whispered.

"Promise," Remus said solemnly.

Harry relaxed a little. "Okay. You won't leave me here?"

"Absolutely not." Remus drew back, reluctant to leave, but Miss Arvis was hovering behind Harry and the rest of the children kept sneaking glances at them over their shoulders. "I'll be here to pick you up. And if you have any trouble, you call me at the library. Miss Arvis has the number, she can dial it for you, alright?"

Harry nodded.

"Good. Now I'll see you this afternoon. Have a good time," Remus hesitated. The protocol would be to hug the little boy, but Harry already stood rigid and jumpy, so Remus squeezed his shoulder one last time and stood up. "Goodbye, Miss Arvis. It was nice meeting you."

And Remus forced himself to turn and walk out of the room past the whispering students, feeling quite as nervous as Harry.

A/N: I know this wasn't a lot to go on, but please leave a review anyawy! And vote on my poll! : D I hope I'll get a chance to update soon, but graduation is coming up so... Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! You guys are all so wonderful! Promis things will get moving soon! :D Also, let me know what sort of things you'd be interested in seeing! I've got a general outline, but I'd like to know if there's an avenue you would like to see explored. Nightmares? Phobia? Etc. The werewolf thing will definitely come up as will, of course other things that go along with emotionally and physically abused children, but I like suggestions too! :D