I do not own Harry Potter, and am making absolutely no money off of this. Just thought you should know.

Back by the popular demand of 7 people. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Also, thanks to my new Beta. Everyone say thank you to Erfa. Maybe now I won't have as many problems as I did in the first chapter.

Chapter 2 Visitors

Harry woke up in his usual state of panic. That poor little boy, he thought as he held his head in his hands. He sat on the edge of his bed for a moment, lost in misery. There was the usual sharp rap at the door and his aunt gave her warm morning greeting of "Up boy! Get up now!" Harry took a deep breath, steeling himself for another day and responded with no enthusiasm, "I'm up Aunt Petunia."

He went through his morning routine, all the while trying calm himself, and put the terrible images of the night before out of his head. He always kept a blank face in front of his relatives lately. They would only use his pain against him, so why should he show it to them in the first place.

The morning was rather uneventful. He cooked breakfast for his unusually quiet relatives, and finished his list of chores fairly quickly. Harry settled down on his bed with the intention of proofreading his potions essay one last time.

When he was nearly halfway through the section on the properties of asphodel root and the reasons for it's use in advanced sleeping potions there was a loud crash down stair, and Harry jumped off of the bed, grabbing his wand from beneath his pillow as his went. He had taken to keeping it there lately, just incase it was needed. He was creeping down the stairs toward the sound of voices in the living room when Dudley came up behind him and asked quite loudly, "What's going on?" Harry could have quite happily cursed him right there, but the sight of the man at the bottom of the stairs stopped him.

"I found him," Remus Lupin called over his shoulder. Harry's eyes lit up like they hadn't all summer at the sight of his ex-professor. The eyes looking back at him mirrored the emotion.

"I heard something crash, Professor. Is everything okay?" Harry asked. Remus snickered a bit, and a head of fire engine red hair appeared behind him and answered over Dudley's panicked stutter, which was currently butchering the word professor.

"Sorry, Harry. My fault entirely," Tonks said as she smiled over the good professor's shoulder. Harry smirked at her and she stuck out her tongue in an extremely childish comeback. "Going to curse me? I warn you, I am trained to defend myself." Harry noticed that he still had his wand held out in front of him. He flashed her an embarrassed grin and tucked it away.

"If you can stay on your feet long enough to!" Harry retorted. Tonks gave him a dirty look and he grinned. "I'm Snape's least favorite student, and I live with these people. That won't phase me." So having nothing better to get back at him with, she stuck her tongue out at him once again.

"Children, behave yourselves," Remus scolded, shaking his head, and grinning at their exchange. "Harry? Is your cousin alright?" Remus looked quite concerned for the young man's welfare.

Harry turned to face Dudley. He had about as healthy a color to him a Sir Nick did. Harry shook his head. "Sorry, Dudley," Harry said in a far-too- cheery voice. "I should probably introduce you. This is Remus Lupin. He was one of my professors a few years ago at Hogwarts, and this is Tonks. She works for the Ministry of Magic." He stood there for a moment savoring the look of terror on Dudley's face, then turned back toward the bottom of the stairs.

"What are you guys doing here anyway, Professor?" Harry asked, now refusing to pay attention to the whining behind him. Remus gave him a rather exaggerated look of frustration.

"Remus! I am not your professor anymore. I told you this last summer! Call me Remus!" Remus shouted. Harry grinned mischievously.

"Sorry Professor!" Harry taunted. Remus rolled his eyes, and Tonks giggled a bit. Harry's very purple uncle appeared at the bottom of the stairs, careful to stay away from the two fully-grown wizards while trying not to make it obvious, which is to say, acting like an idiot. "Why are you here, Moony?" Harry asked again. Remus gave a sad smile at the nickname.

"I came to check on you of course!"

"We!" Tonks corrected him.

"Having fun?" Harry quirked an eyebrow at the young auror. The tiny pink tongue made yet another appearance, and Remus decided to continue the conversation as though they weren't acting like they belonged back in grammar school.

"We came to check on you," Remus agreed.

"Why don't we take a little walk then." Harry suggested. "I don't think that my relatives are too happy about me having visitors."

"Well they had better deal with it, because otherwise we'll just have to send Mad-Eye to check on you next." Tonks threw Vernon a warning look. Remus placed a hand on her shoulder, and looked to Harry.

"That sounds fine, Harry. Lead the way."

Harry led the way down the stairs and past the normally upright coffee table that now lay on its side. Harry gave Tonks a sideways glance and she grinned and looked down in embarrassment. They followed Harry down Privet Drive, and toward the park, chatting the whole way about nothing in particular: Harry's homework (complete), Harry's O.W.L. results (supposed to come soon), Tonks' latest hair color ("I felt like such an oddball around all those Weasleys, so I thought I'd try to fit in" "You missed by a few shades.").

They sat down on the swings, and fell silent. Tonks began to hum, breaking the silence. Harry grinned at her. She kicked off and started to swing back and forth to the beat of some song that Harry vaguely remembered as being sung by The Weird Sisters. He and Remus watched her, marveling at how easily she entertained herself.

"What's been going on with the Order?" Harry finally asked, breaking his gaze away from the girl sailing through the air and turning to look at the last Marauder.

Remus sighed, "You know I can't say anything here, Harry."

"I know, but it's just so frustrating. Nobody can tell me anything." Harry began to swing slightly, though he was barely moving in comparison to the young girl who was flailing about some ten feet in the air before falling back the other direction.

"I don't think I'd like being in your position either," Remus confessed to his best friend's son. Harry snorted. If you only knew, Remus.

They sat in silence once again, until their brightly haired comrade leapt from the swing, landing with cat like grace, and then falling to her butt.

"Puppy!" she shouted, and took off running. A few large strides found her in front of a rather large 'puppy.'

Remus gasped, and Harry smiled slightly at the girl who was petting a large shaggy black mutt. "That was my reaction, too," Harry revealed. Remus looked over at him quickly and then back at the dog, as though afraid to loose sight of it. "His name is Bear. He belongs to one of my neighbors. They got him last summer."

Remus looked back at Harry. "It's stupid, really. We both saw." It seemed as though Remus' throat closed off. He didn't appear to be capable of finishing the thought, but Harry understood completely. There was just no hope of seeing Sirius again, no matter how bad they wanted it.

They sat silent again, until Tonks launched herself at Harry knocking him out of his swing, and to the ground. "Cheer up! I came to visit you, not watch you mope!" Harry had always hated perky giggly girls, but for some reason Tonks never really bothered him. He grinned up at her from his position flat on his back and then at the older man looking down at him from the swing next to them. An evil glint appeared in their eyes as they looked at the werewolf. Harry pulled Remus' feet out from underneath him, as Tonks pressed her weight against his shoulders. They sent him head first into the sand beneath the swings. They landed in a fit of giggles. Remus was the first to regain his senses and the others soon followed.

"You can't go around doing things like that to old men like me," Remus scolded, raising himself up on his elbows to look at the two sitting at his feet. They were all breathing quite heavily from the exertion and the giggling. Harry got to his feet and helped his attacker up, leaving Remus on the ground. They each grabbed an arm and hauled the man to his feet. Not letting go of the arms they took, they began to drag Remus along the path back to Harry's neighborhood, supporting most of his slight weight. "I said I'm old not crippled." Remus complained, trying to free his arms. The others let go suddenly, causing him to stumble. "Why you little," Remus said with a rare smirk. He let out a soft, but experienced growl, and they all took off running.

They arrived back at number four all too soon and all a bit out of breath. "When am I getting out of this place, Remus?" Harry asked in a voice that didn't sound too far off from begging.

"Soon I hope, but I can't promise anything. It's really up to Dumbledore. You know that if you have any problems that all you have to do is write one of us, and we'll be here as soon as we can." Remus promised yet again.

"I know that, and they aren't treating me that bad. Personally I think that they are terrified of Moody, but I just hate being cut off from the wizarding world." Remus opened his mouth, but Harry interrupted, "I know why I have to be, I just don't like it."

"I know, Harry. Like I said, I don't envy you." Remus placed his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Just try to deal with it a little longer. We'll see you again soon. Any requests as to who tags along next time?" He quirked an eyebrow. He was quite curious as to what Harry's answer might be. He had clung so tight to Sirius. Who was Harry going to rely on now that he was gone?

"I don't care. I'm just happy to see anyone who knows the difference between a wand and a tree branch," Harry replied, smiling slightly at the memory of taunting Dudley.

Remus smiled back, and they walked up the path to the front door, following the skipping redhead. Harry hugged them both goodbye, surprising Remus a bit, and then went back inside the house, after his friends had disaperated.

A/N I know that this chapter is shorter than the last, and I am trying not to make it a trend. Thanks for reading and pretty pretty please review!