I don't own or have any rights to the Harry Potter copyright, characters, trademark, or franchise. This is for fun, not profit. That said, I'm pretty sure this is a fair use.

There may have been exams... That said, it's the highest praise when someone says they stayed up terribly late or gave up sleeping time to read this. Thanks!

Father and Mother got along well enough at the train station. But when Father tried to help Mother out of the fireplace, Mother moved past his hand as if it was invisible to her. Father's expression faltered into one that Draco had never seen before.

"Would you like a snack, dear?" asked Mother, dropping a kiss on Draco's forehead and dragging his attention away from Father.

Uncertain, Draco nodded.

Mother took his hand as she led him to the dining room. Father's arm came to rest across Draco's shoulders.

It felt warm and safe.

'Something's wrong.'

As they walked, Draco's attention was caught by unexpected empty spots. The wall was a darker shade of cream where a portrait had been taken down and Uncle Pol's music box was missing from the side table. The bottle of red liquor that was always on the sideboard in the family room was gone. In fact, the entire side board was gone.

Several of the portraits were glaring at Mother and Father. Great aunt Cassandra Malfoy's portrait muttered something about father being weak. Grandfather Malfoy's portrait hissed "Blood Traitor!" at Mother as she passed. Great aunt Elladora Potter's portrait marched through two frames to hex Grandfather Malfoy into unconsciousness. When they passed her, she smiled brightly at Mother. Draco shuddered.

Over his snack, Mother and Father talked to Draco about his school year. They were attentive and asked him questions but they never sent each other those speaking looks or even spoke directly to each other. Father snuck glances at Mother when he thought no one would notice. Mother never even glanced at Father.

After Draco's snack, they all retired to the library. Draco selected one of the easiest Occlumency books from the libraries' shelves then wandered through the library until he found his parents. They were sitting across from each other at one of the larger cherry wood tables. Both of them were reading giant tomes – the sort of thing that mudblood Granger would tote around – and there was a scroll, a quill, and a bottle of ink between them.

Mother seemed completely focused on her text. Father kept sneaking glances at Mother over the top of his book.

'It's like watching a couple of fifth years in the library,' Draco decided, as he settled at the head of the table.

It would have been funny if Draco was not so worried about them.

He flipped the book open to the first page.

"You're starting your studies early," Father noted.

Draco nodded. "What are you reading?"

Father tilted the book so that Draco could see its title.

"The Rise and Fall of the Twentieth Century's Dark Lords?" Draco read aloud. His eyes darted to the other books stacked around Father. "Those Who Slay Darkness? A Family Named Potter? The Boy Who Lived to Slay the Dark Lord? Nature's Nobility? Are you researching Harry?"

"I'm reading about soul magics," Mother murmured as she flipped a page in her book.

"You are!"

Draco's hand darted out to grab the scroll between his parents. Neither of them tried to stop him from reading it. They had taken turns adding to the list. The ones that referred to Harry as 'Harry' were in Mother's handwriting. The ones that referred to 'Potter' were in Father's script.

Harry found Diagon Alley without a guide; visited several times without his guardians.

Potter mastered soul magics at eleven.

Harry knew about his vault; knew that Dumbledore had the key. (Muggle relatives?)

Potter planned to buy his wand, school supplies, and books before he got his acceptance owl.

Harry gets along poorly with his muggle relatives; believes that they would steal his gold.

'He' told Harry that his only living relatives were muggles. (To keep Harry with the muggles?)

Harry understands the value of good table manners.

Potter attends deportment lessons with Draco.

Harry will listen to wiser, more tasteful, persons about the value of dress robes.

Potter has appalling taste in friends. (Mudbloods! Weasleys!)

Harry is interested in Draco – not Lucius.

Dumbledore stole – and returned? – Harry's invisibility cloak, a box of personal letters, and gold.

Harry knew that Sirius Black was his godfather and guardian – How? (No documentation!)

Where is the Potter's will?

Heir to Gryffindor = Potter

Heir to Slytherin = Potter

Found Peter Pettigrew in his Animagus form – How did Potter know about the rat? Or find him?

Potter makes liberal use of his solicitor.

Harry knows an unknown amount of Occlumency

Harry knows an unknown amount of Legimency

Harry likes Hagrid

Quidditch – While with muggles Potter knew Cannon, Dragons & recommended chaser to Draco

Potter is un-Sorted

Potter manipulated the Hat into putting him into Gryffindor. (Belongs in Slytherin?)

Harry seduced Dumbledore's wand

Family is important to Harry

Potter passed his O.W.L.s his first year

Potter taught DADA

Gryffindor Seeker his first year

Defeated a troll (protected Slytherin?)

Protected Draco in the Forbidden Forest

Saved Draco from the Diary

Stole Dobby

Killed Draco

Brought Draco back

Draco dropped the scroll, unwilling to read any more.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because Chastity MacDougal hasn't flooed me back yet," said Mother without looking up.

"Mrs. MacDougal?"

"Mmmm. I flooed her while you were getting your book. She's supposed to be going down to the Records Department to figure out where my idiot cousin Sirius is staying. You remember Sirius from the hospital ward, don't you?"

"Yes, but not this-this. I meant, why are you bothering with lists and research at all?"

"Knowledge is power."

"Because there's something odd about Harry Potter," corrected Mother with a quick, reproving look for Father. "And while I am quite attached to Harry, I think it would be better for you if we knew everything there is to know about him."

"Me?"

"I didn't particularly mind his oddness before. After all, everyone has secrets. But circumstances have changed and now you owe him a Life Debt, Darling. It's going to take some effort to get you out from under that."

Feeling sick and uneasy, Draco edged back in his seat and flipped his own book open.

An hour later Draco was slouching over his opened book. His head pounded and his eyes were so tired that the words and images on the page in front of him were a blur of whirling blacks and reds.

When he realized that his head was nodding, that he was almost asleep, Draco hastily stood up.

"It's okay to take a nap, Draco," his mother said, looking up from the book on soul magics that she was studying with an unsettling intensity.

Draco shook his head. "No thank you."

Nearby Father, who was surrounded by books, papers, and scrolls stilled. His gray eyes flicked up from the text in front of him and over Mother.

Mother met Father's look with one of her own. A heartbeat later, they were on their feet with their wands drawn.

"Draco –"

Bang!

The library doors slammed open, bounced off of the walls, and slapped the palms of a man with hair like a lion's mane and a balding redheaded man. Both men had their wands drawn.

A slim, soft hand grabbed Draco by the collar, yanked him down, and shoved him under the table.

Draco peered out from under the table's edge.

Father and Mother were both on their feet, standing over him, looking tall and fierce with their wands pointed at the invaders. Behind the first two intruders, stretched into the darkness of the hallway, was a crowd of men in gray robes. They had grim expressions, drawn wands, and shiny badges pinned to the front right shoulders of their robes.

Draco fished his wand out of his robes, aiming it at the strangers. His hand trembled. Mother and Father stepped more fully in front of him so that they stood shoulder to shoulder in front of him. Their robes hid the strangers from his view entirely.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Draco flinched at the sharpness of Father's tone.

"This is a raid, Malfoy."

Draco narrowed his eyes, instantly disliking the way that voice spoke to his father. It was cold, contemptuous, and hateful.

'Which one is it?'

"Where is your writ?" demanded Mother coldly. Someone floated a scroll toward his parents. Mother plucked the scroll out of the air with her right hand without ever lowering her wand hand. After studying it for several moments she snapped, "Come along Draco. We must floo call our solicitor."

Draco scrambled out from under the table then to his feet. He tried to ignore the way that the strangers' eyes followed him as he hurried to keep up with Mother's long, gliding steps.

'I was possessed by my journal in January and possessed by the Dark Lord in May. Mother and Father stopped talking. Strangers are invading our home in June. This is the worst year ever.'

"Harry. Harry. Harry, please answer me. Harry. Harry. Har –"

"If you say his name one more time, I'm going to strangle you!"

Sirius shot Remus a look that was equal parts anger and betrayal.

"Harry's ignoring me!"

"He isn't."

"And it's your fault!"

"What? It is not!"

"You talked me into letting his muggle relatives meet him at the train." Sirius clutched at his hair with the hand that was not clutching his mirror. "I let you talk me into going along with Dumbledore's stupid plan. It's my fault. My fault. Again. I'm an idiot."

"It's what's best for Harry," Remus hurried to interrupt before Sirius' thoughts could go down that path again. He was getting better but certain thought processes, once triggered, still tended to loop around themselves.

'At least Sirius isn't hiding in Padfoot anymore.'

Sirius snorted. "If he's so happy, why won't he answer me?"

"He probably left his mirror out of reach. I'm sure he'll be crushed that he missed all of your shouting."

"We always talk on Fridays!"

"He's eleven. Harry's probably so busy catching up with his muggle relatives that he's forgotten what day it is."

Sirius' mouth set stubbornly. "Harry never forgets. Anyway, he hates them."

"Sirius! He does not!"

"How would you know? You never talk to Harry." Sirius' gaze turned speculative. "Do you write to him?"

"I don't even own an owl!"

"Harry does. Her name's Hedwig."

Scowling, Remus eyed the small rectangular mirror that Sirius was clutching.

"If I'd known that you still had those, you wouldn't be talking to Harry so regularly either."

"Remus!" Sirius jerked the mirror up to his chest protectively. His other hand was wrapped around the base of his wand.

Remus sighed tiredly. "I'm not going to take it away Sirius."

Sirius eyed Remus warily for a few more moments before seemingly deciding that Remus meant it. Slowly he relaxed into the shabby olive green armchair. The hand holding that damned mirror came to rest on the frayed armrest while the fingers of Sirius' other hand released his wand to instead pick at stuffing poking out of a seam.

Remus narrowed his eyes. He leaned forward in his equally shabby maroon armchair.

"He isn't James, Sirius."

"Why do you keep saying that?" Sirius was tense again. "I already know that!"

Remus was opening his mouth to start into their old argument when the fire in the grate flared green. A moment later, Professor Dumbledore's head was resting in the grate. His eyes lacked their usual twinkle and the corners of his mouth were tight.

"Sirius, please fetch Harry."

Sirius jerked as if Professor Dumbledore had hit him with a lightning bolt.

"Harry?" Sirius barked.

Remus had a horrible, sinking feeling. Sirius was as still and pale as if the professor had hit him with a petrificus totalis. His eyes were feverishly bright.

Remus, who still knew Sirius better than he knew himself, shivered.

"Yes." Professor Dumbledore said as he pinned Sirius with that particularly sharp, unamused look that he had favored Sirius with after that awful prank. For once, Remus was almost positive that Sirius did not deserve it. "Now, Mr. Black."

"He's not here, Professor," Remus said quickly, catching Professor Dumbledore's eyes with his own. "Why would he be? We agreed that he was supposed to go home with his muggle relatives."

Professor Dumbledore frowned.

"Alas, he did not. They met him at Platform 9¾ but he did not go home with them. They seemed quite certain that he was going to stay with his godfather."

Sirius exploded into motion, leaping to his feet in a single fluid movement. He stormed the length of the room then back again as he ranted.

"How could you lose him? How could you lose Harry?" He glared. "You said that Harry would be safest with his relatives! They couldn't even get him home!"

"Sirius there was no way that Professor Dumbledore could've known that Harry –"

"Of course he knew! Even I knew! For as long as I've known him, Harry's been absolutely determined not to go back to his muggles." Sirius stabbed an accusing finger at Remus. "I told you this was a bad idea! And now we've lost Harry! I've lost Harry! Again!"

"Sirius, settle down. Professor Dumbledore –"

"Settle down? How can I settle down? Harry's lost and it's my fault! I've lost Harry!"

As Sirius stormed back toward Remus again, this time heading for the door, Remus reached out to snag Sirius' wrist as he asked, "What did Harry say to the muggles?"

"Exactly," Sirius ground out.

"That his father's best friend, who was supposed to have been his guardian, had promised to finish raising him."

Sirius nodded. "That's true. I expected to have Harry during the summers and holidays. I never expected to be deemed an unfit guardian by the meddling old men who then lost my godson."

Remus sighed, resigning himself to hearing some variation of that remark on a regular basis until they succeeded in finding Harry.

"He also said that the unnamed wizard had a house in London. Harry seemed to think that he was supposed to take the Knight Bus there. Alas, Harry never caught the Knight Bus."

Under his fingertips, Sirius' pulse leapt. Remus turned expectant eyes on Sirius' too pale and too blank face.

"Sirius?" Remus asked. "Do you know where Harry went?"

"No." Sirius said in that perfectly innocent, perfectly cultured tone that he only used when he was lying through his teeth or keeping giant, potentially lethal, secrets. "No idea."

"Sirius."

Sirius met Professor Dumbledore's eyes. "I don't know where Harry is."

"But you have an idea," Remus guessed.

"No, I don't." Sirius shot a furious glare at Remus. "Harry isn't talking to me."

Professor Dumbledore sighed. "Didn't your parents have a home in London?"

"I never told Harry about that place," Sirius snarled, only telling the absolute truth this time.

Remus frowned. "James' family had a London townhouse. Perhaps Harry went there."

Sirius shot Remus a furious, betrayed look that Remus properly ignored. Professor Dumbledore nodded.

"Excellent thinking, Remus. Why don't you go and look for Harry there? Go by yourself so as not to alarm him." Sirius scowled. "If he is not there, if Harry has perhaps gone to someone else in London, then it will be necessary to reconvene the Order of the Phoenix."

Remus startled. "Is that really necessary Professor?"

"I'm afraid so," Professor Dumbledore said somberly. "It is extremely important that we find Harry before darker elements do. I've already asked Alastor track Harry down."

Remus shivered. "The aurors –"

"Won't officially look for him. Technically, Harry Potter is an adult and may spend his summers where he wishes. Alastor is looking for Harry as a favor to me."

"He's just a boy!" cried Remus.

"And that's exactly why we must find Harry first," Professor Dumbledore said gravely.

As soon as Professor Dumbledore's head disappeared from the fire, Remus sprang to his feet.

"Let's go Sirius!"

But Sirius shook his head.

"Sirius –"

"No, Remus."

His face was set and his eyes burned with a maniac, stubborn light that Remus knew and feared. Sirius always looked that way before his worst excesses. Remus imagined that Sirius looked that way when he found James and Lily and when he confronted Peter. He knew Sirius looked that way when the aurors captured him and dragged him off to Azkaban.

'The sooner I leave, the sooner I'll find Harry. The sooner I find Harry, the sooner he'll be out of danger. The sooner Harry is out of danger, the sooner Sirius will calm down. So my first priority must be finding Harry.'

Remus sighed.

"Fine. Stay here. I'll be right back. Hopefully with Harry."

Ten minutes later, Remus was standing on the concealed front doorstep to the Potter family's London home, arguing with a house elf in the dead of night.

"But I'm an old friend of James Potter's! How else would I even know this place existed?"

"We cannot let you in the house," said the house elf firmly. "You aren't a Potter!"

"Is Harry Potter in? He could vouch for –"

"Master Harry Potter is away. Perhaps you should write him an owl instead of trying to sneak into his house!"

And with that the little creature slammed the door on him.

Remus, standing on the doorstep, blinked at the outside of a wooden door that was worryingly close to the tip of his nose. He sighed, his shoulder slumping, then he apparated home.

His empty home. Sirius was nowhere to be found.

Remus sighed again, too tired to panic. 'Of course Sirius went off on his own. I really should have seen this coming.'

He flooed the Headmaster.

"He wasn't there," Remus reported. "Although the elf suggested sending Harry an owl rather than trying to break into his homes."

"What an excellent idea!" Albus beamed. "You or Sirius can write Harry a letter and we'll follow it to Harry's location! Marvelous creatures, house elves!"

'And if I find Harry, I'll find Sirius. No one will have to know that I… misplaced Sirius.' Remus nodded, despite the sinking feeling in his stomach. 'It can't be that easy… can it?'

It was not that easy.

That night Remus, disillusioned and riding a disillusioned broom, tried to follow the post owl carrying his message to Harry. He lost it over a seedier part of London. He flew up and down the streets, looking for an open window or a likely home. But try as he might, Remus could not find where the post owl had gone. Every find me spell he performed on the bird's location went wild.

'A fidelius charm?'

In a sudden fit of inspiration, Remus performed the find me spell on a nearby rubbish bin.

The spell went wild. Remus' wand, Remus' very magic, had no idea where the bin was.

Remus frowned.

'Not a fidelius charm then. But there are some very strong protections around here. I've got to be on top of a wizard's home. Who is Harry staying with?'