Harry had only been asleep for about a half hour when his dream turned into a nightmare.

Cold hands were against his neck, squeezing his throat making it nearly impossible for him to breath. He felt himself dragged over to the bed where he was forced down onto his back and looking up he saw his husband looming over him with an evil smirk on his face. He tried to scream but the long fingered hand of his husband trapped the scream in his mouth, as the other hand tore Harry's robe from his body, seemingly the only clothes he wore for some reason, and his boxers.

"You little freak, I enjoyed it so much last time I'm going to enjoy it again this time." The voice sneered but it wasn't his husband's

The man was his husband in form but the voice wasn't. The voice lacked the cool silky tones of Severus and it scared him more. Severus held Harry by the neck with both hands, cutting off his air supply enough that Harry began to black out as the man began to thrust into him over and over again.

"Good little freak, going to teach you how to earn your keep already."

The voice kept going on and on as the man on top of him drove into him, the hands releasing pressure now and then to make sure Harry did not pass out. The voice, the voice.

Harry's body was thrashing wildly in the bed and his screams started to break through from the dream and fill the room. Suddenly the door was thrown open and his husband came running into the room.

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Severus had found that he was unable to read for he was distracted and had gone next door into his private potions lab. He was not having much luckier at it when a house elf appeared.

"Master Snape" The house elf bowed.

"Dobby" Snape responded, knowing the former Malfoy house elf well.

"Master needs to go see Master's husband. Master Harry is in trouble."

Snape paled. "Dobby what's wrong?"

"Master Harry is thrashing around and screaming. Dobby worried. Dobby care about Master Harry Could not wake Master Harry."

Severus turned off the fire as he had barely started the potion any ways and ran back into his rooms where the moment he entered he could hear both his husband screaming and thrashing in bed. He ran into the room.

"Harry" he said and ran across to the bed.

Taking his husband into his arms he tried to stop the boy's thrashing and calm him. "Come on, wake up Harry, please it's just a bad dream. Wake up now."

Harry's thrashing stopped and his breathing began to calm. He opened his eyes eventually. "Severus"

Severus nodded. "You were having a bad dream."

Harry realized he was in his husband's arms and flinched trying to pull away and Severus settled Harry back against the pillows. "Sorry" Harry gasped out.

"Do not apologize either for the bad dream or flinching. I'm sorry for touching you; I just needed to wake you." Severus explained.

Harry nodded. "Thank you for waking me."

Severus sighed. "Can you tell me what the dream was about?" He had a good feeling he already knew but he knew Harry had to speak about it.

"I was in the room getting dressed, and you came in and you raped me." Harry said so quietly that Severus barely could hear him.

Severus shook his head. "You know Harry that I will never lay a hand on you again right? I know it'll take time to forget what I did, but I swear I'd never do it again."

Harry nodded. "It was different. You were gentle. In the dream you were brutal and were calling me names. But the voice was wrong."

"The voice?" Severus asked.

Harry nodded. "It wasn't yours. It was you but not the voice. It sounded more like my..." his voice trailing off.

Severus knew they were getting some where. "It sounded like you're what, Harry?"

"My Uncle. It sounded like my uncle when he used to call me a freak and an abomination." Harry finally got out.

Severus paled. "Did he ever touch you, rape you?"

Harry shook his head. "No. He would beat me and often lock me in my cupboard with no food. But he never raped me. He came close when drunk a few times."

It was all starting to make cruel sense to Severus. "Harry, why didn't you tell us?"

"I tried telling my teachers when I was little and no one believed me. Professor Dumbledore knew some of it and never helped. I didn't think anyone cared." Harry said.

"There are many people who care about you, the Weasleys, your friends." Severus said.

Harry felt a prick of tears. "I didn't want their pity, they already gave me enough of that. Sirius cared but he's gone, and Remus but he's left me."

Severus could see why his husband had such a hard time trusting him. He had been orphaned and left with relatives who beat and starved him. His godfather was killed and the closest thing to a parent he had left had fled to France to heal and had not been back. He had not realized just how much that hurt Harry.

"Remus would be back in a minute if he knew how much pain you were in. He thought going away to heal was best for both of you." Severus said.

"Remus needs his time to get over Sirius and this war. I won't burden him with this." Was Harry's response.

"Harry you are not a burden, I want you to tell me when you're upset, about your past, everything. I want to be able to help you."

Harry nodded his head. "Okay."

Severus brought a dreamless sleep potion out. "Here drink this. It'll help you get some sleep for the night."

Harry drank the potion and crawled back under the blankets but as Severus turned to leave Harry stopped him. "Could you stay in here with me?"

Severus wasn't sure. "Are you sure about that Harry?"

He nodded. "Just until I fall asleep."

Severus took a seat at the edge of the bed and found Harry placed a hand in his hands, the only contact that Harry would permit but after the dream he had just suffered, Severus was amazed he had not kicked Severus out of the room sooner, not alone asked him to stay until he fell asleep. Progress of sorts, he thought.

When Harry fell asleep he went and wrote a note and swore to send it with his owl in the morning. If Harry was ever going to get over what Severus had done to him and learn to trust, he needed to also heal from the old wounds. Severus knew one person who could help Severus reach Harry, and that was Remus Lupin.

"I just hope that damned werewolf has come to his senses." Severus growled as he headed off to bed.

Part of the reason Remus had left was because the wolf inside of him was mourning the death of Sirius still who the wolf blamed Harry for the death of. Harry had no idea. Remus would be help to Harry but only if the wolf's anger had calmed. If he was still fighting the battle, Severus knew it was better Remus stay away.

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In the morning Harry came out of his room and looked a bit more refreshed after the dreamless sleep potion. Severus took a chance to take a look at his arm and when he was assured that Harry was in good enough shape, watched his husband head for breakfast and classes. He went to the owlery first to send the e letter. The school week ended without a response from Remus and he thought it was a sign that the wolf had not been tamed yet.

On Saturday morning Severus had an idea. "Harry. Are you still up for a bit of courting as I suggested?"

Harry looked up from the text he had been going through. "I guess."

Severus motioned for him to follow and lead his husband up the stairs. "I thought we could take a walk around the lake and just talk for a bit."

Harry smiled. "That sounds good."

The two of them grabbed cloaks and they headed on to the grounds. They did not hold hands or link arms as many young student couples could be seen doing on such walks but Harry was close enough that they were nearly touching. Baby steps, Severus reminded himself.

"I would like to know a bit more about your childhood Harry, if you'd tell me." Severus broke the ice.

Harry had known this was coming all week since the bad dream. "I'm not sure where to start."

Severus didn't want to push the boy so he just asked gently. "Do you remember when your Uncle started to hit you?"

"I can't really remember a time when he didn't. He hated magic, him and my Aunt. They thought they could stomp the freakishness out of me."

Severus shivered at that. He remembered Petunia from his days as friends with Lily. He had known the woman hated magic and even that the sisters had a falling out but he had never imagined Lily's sister would treat a child like that. His stomach churned as Harry shared stories of beatings, being burned on the stove, of hours of chores in the summer and being locked up with no food if he didn't finish them.

All of Harry's trust issues made more and more sense. "Harry, you know that I would never purposely harm you right"

Harry shrugged. "I guess."

"Listen to me Harry, I love you. I know you have trouble believing people care about you. Those who do seem to leave you. But I swear I'm not going any where."

Harry looked at him. "That's what Sirius and Remus both said and they both left me like my parents."

"Sirius and your parents had no choice. They would never have left you if they had. I will not leave you as long as I have a choice in the matter."

Harry was not convinced. "Remus left me. Took off after the war. I haven't even heard from him."

Severus was not sure what to say to it but any need to respond was cut off by the entrance of the one person that neither Harry or Severus had really imagined they would be seeing that day or any time soon, Remus Lupin.

"Hey cub." Remus said.

Harry stared blankly at the man for a moment or two before he launched himself across the grass. "Remus." And threw himself at the man.

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Remus had been in the south of France near Fleur's family healing since the war. He had been battling with the emotions of the loss of the last of his friends, Sirius. He had known that it had been Sirius' mistake that got him killed but the wolf in him had blamed Harry for the loss of his mate. He had not wanted to abandon his godson but while he healed he could not take the wolfsbane potion and he wouldn't put Harry through the pain.

He was just back on the potion when he had got the letter from Severus asking him to come. It had taken a few days for him to make the arrangements to get here. He had been trying to decide if it was right to come back yet, for weeks now. Severus' letter had just made his choice for him.

"Hey cub." He shouted as he saw Harry and Severus taking a walk.

He felt Harry launch himself at Remus and he smiled. Even Moony was at peace now as well. Moony could smell the boy and knew that the boy was his cub and a member of his pack, and the wolf was well tamed.

"I missed you cub." Remus said.

Harry looked up at him. "Then why did you stay away so long?"

He could see the pain and sense of betrayal in his cub's eyes. "I'm sorry cub. As I healed I could not take the wolfsbane. I was worried I'd say things and hurt you."

Harry drew away from him. "You blame me for his death? That's why you stayed away."

Remus shook his head. "Moony was mourning his pack partner but Remus never blamed you. Now that I have healed, even Moony does not blame you cub."

Harry looked like he was debating whether it was the truth but relief showed on his face. "I'm just glad you're back."

Remus hugged him again. "Your husband told me you might be in need of your honorary godfather right about now and I couldn't stay away any longer."

Harry turned to look at Severus. "You sent for him?"

Severus nodded. "I told you I'd do anything to make you feel better and help you heal. If that means having the wolf around, then I'll learn to deal with it."

Harry sent a grateful smile at his husband. "I wish you had been able to be at my wedding Moony. Luna stood for me as my witness instead."

Remus laughed at hearing this. "Odd choice but I'm sure she'll do her job well. I was your mum's witness at her wedding you know?"

Harry had not known but it made sense. "How long are you staying for?"

"As long as you need me here cub. Professor Dumbledore has given me a guest apartment here so I can stay close." Remus explained.

As the three men headed back up to the castle he had to admit how grateful he was to his husband. There were things he could tell Remus he could tell no one else. Remus was his last living link to his parents and to his godfather. Severus proved more that he cared for Harry. He was willing to put up with the werewolf in order to help Harry find some kind of peace. That said a lot.