Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter Characters or anything else from the books. I do own the plot and the new characters.
Author's Notes: This is an alternate universe fiction. There will be angst, action/adventure, drama, humor, and romance(eventually). This story is rated R so I don't get myself into any trouble with what I write. Thanks to those unsung heroes who proof read this story. This story will contain child abuse, violence, possible *slash*, suicidal characters, torture, murder, and right now I do not know what else.
( ) indicates a characters thoughts.
Synopsis: Harry returns to #4 Privet Drive after his day of shopping with Hagrid and is attacked by Vernon Dursley. At the same time Lucius Malfoy beats Draco for his attitude towards Harry in Madam Malkin's Robes. These events change the course of history in this universe. Read to find out more.
Chapter Two: New Surroundings
Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore entered the potion master's lab. Madam Pomfrey was there, keeping an eye on the soaking potion ingredients.
"How did it go?" she asked.
"As well as could be expected Poppy," Dumbledore replied.
"Albus, the Weasleys, how could you?" Snape sneered.
"They have what the boys need right now, Severus. A loving home with lots of people to help them. There is no way that you could take care of Draco and brew the antidote at the same time."
"But the change in living conditions will shock Draco. He's used to a quiet home."
"I understand Severus, but he needs to be around people. Do you have a problem with Arthur and Molly?"
"No Albus, it's the children, the twins to be precise." Professor Snape checked the antidote as Madam Pomfrey made her goodbyes and left.
"Aaaah. They remind you of your old school rivals."
"Yes, and I do not want Draco subjected to their brand of humor in his condition."
"Very diplomatically worded my old friend. I do wish that circumstances would have been different. I had hoped to quell the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin with your class. But, alas, you, James, and Black had to grate so on each other."
"Black was a bubbling idiot, Albus. He was like a two-year-old. He could never let anything go and neither could Potter."
"And you could?" Dumbledore retorted.
Severus glared at the Headmaster for several seconds before shaking his head.
"If any of you would have just let the matter drop, I am sure we could have worked something out between you."
"It never would have worked, Headmaster. Not after that last week before Black tricked me into going to The Shrieking Shack and Potter stopped me."
"And no one regrets that week more than I, Severus. If any of you had come to me, I would have done anything to end the matter differently."
"I need to continue making this potion, Albus."
"I understand. I will go take my shift sitting with Draco and Harry." The Headmaster left the potions master to his work.
**********
Harry and Draco, dressed in hospital pajamas and bathrobes, sat at the table by the window as they waited for the doctor to come and check their eyes. It had been a week since they had woken up in St. Mungo's. Ten days after they had been almost beaten to death. Their broken bones were healed. Their bruises were fading away. The emotional scars would take much longer to heal.
Draco crossed his arms on the table and laid his head down. He would have loved to go back to his bed, but even if he could see, he was too sore to move.
The boys heard someone enter. Dr. Sidney Hawkens made his way over to the table.
"Hello, Harry, Draco. How are you lads doing today?"
"Blind! How do you think I am!?!" Draco snapped.
"Do you have to take the bandages off today?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry. You need to start using your eyes. The longer they're covered the longer you will have trouble with them."
"Harry, don't risk your eyesight. I know how precious it is. I'll be okay. I'm just tired," Draco said.
"Besides, the family you are going to be staying with will be here in a few minutes. Now let me get those bandages off." Dr. Hawkens began unwrapping the gauze from Harry's eyes.
"Who are they anyway? No one's told us anything about them," Draco asked, keeping his head on his arms.
"The Weasleys have agreed to take you in until the start of the school year. You will both have to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas break, but you should have a more permanent home by the summer holidays."
(Lucius has talked about the Weasleys. He said they were poor, muggle lovers, and dim witted. Well, I'll just see for myself. I can't trust what Lucius said.)
Harry squeezed his eyes shut as the bright light brought tears to his sensitive eyes. He shielded his eyes with his hands and slowly opened them. Several minutes of rapid blinking allowed them to adjust and he opened them fully. Without his glasses all he saw was a multi-colored blur. Everything cleared up as the doctor put Harry's glasses on for him.
Dr. Hawkens was a tall man with grey hair and brown eyes. He wore white robes and was smiling at Harry.
"Draco, would you like to lay down? I'm sure the Weasleys will not mind," the doctor asked.
"Yes, please."
"Okay, let me see how your eyes are doing and then we can get you back to bed." The doctor waved his wand in front of Draco's eyes and sighed as the spell revealed the condition of the boy's eyes.
Dr. Hawkens picked Draco up and carried him back to bed.
"How are my eyes?" Draco asked as he was tucked in.
"There has been no change, Draco." Dr. Hawkens replied before turning towards a noise at the table.
Harry was standing up, leaning heavily on the table and shaking.
"What do you think you're doing Harry? You shouldn't be trying to walk by yourself."
"It's not that far and I thought I could make it to my bed," Harry replied as he noticed a trunk and a large cardboard box sitting against the wall by the door.
"Well, you are not well enough to be doing any moving around," Dr. Hawkens fired back as he walked over and picked Harry up.
"What's in the box and the trunk?" Harry asked as he was put to bed.
"The trunk is full of Draco's things and I'm sorry to say the box contains what little you had at the Dursleys' beyond your school supplies and Hedwig."
"How is she?" Harry asked.
"And did anyone get my eagle owl, Aragorn?" Draco added.
"They are both safe at the Hogwarts Owlery right now. As soon as you leave this afternoon, they will be sent to the Burrow, the Weasleys' house."
"Where's Dobby? He hasn't been in to see us today," Draco muttered.
"He's helping at the Weasleys'. He wanted to make sure everything was ready for you."
There was a knock at the door and a tall, thin, balding man was at the door to the room. He had flaming red hair and was wearing long black robes.
"Come in Arthur. The boys need a little rest before they can get ready to go."
"That's fine Dr. Hawkens. It will give us time to get to know each other." Mr. Weasley smiled.
Mrs. Weasley, a plump red haired woman wearing green robes entered followed by three boys and a young man all with red hair. All four were definitely Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's sons. Two of the boys were twins and were built heavier than their brothers who were tall and thin. The young man was wearing robes like his father and the other boys were wearing shirts and trousers.
"Hello, Harry, Draco. I'm Arthur Weasley and this is my wife Molly. And these are four of my sons. Bill is the eldest and then the twins Fred and George. Ron's the youngest and will be in your year at Hogwarts."
Molly and her sons greeted their new house guests and they started to chat. Bill, tactfully changing the subject when it started to turn towards the reason the boys were in St. Mungo's.
Picking up on his brother's reasoning, Fred walked over to the box and trunk.
"Are these your things?" Fred asked, pulling a huge, dirty grey sweatshirt out of the box.
"Those are mine. The trunk is Draco's," Harry replied as George joined his brother.
"Oy! Harry, Fred and I could fit in this shirt together," George commented as the twins stretched the shirt between them.
Harry stared at his lap. "It was my cousin's."
"Ain't anything in here yours?" Fred asked as he and his twin dug through the box, only finding things three times too big for Harry.
"Fred! What a thing to say!" Molly snapped.
"Mum, Harry'd be lost in this stuff. It's big enough for Dad to be comfortable in," George shot back.
"He's right Mum," Bill said joining his brothers. "We've handed clothes down, but you'd never let us get caught dead wearing this trash. Everything's full of holes."
Molly marched over to the box and picked through the clothes. Harry looked at Ron, who had hunched his shoulders and turned red.
"Merlin, Harry can't wear this rubbish. What are we going to do?" Molly exclaimed.
A small smile appeared on Harry's face. He had never had anyone, let alone four people, worry about what he had to wear.
"You and Dad will just have to go get Harry a few things, to hold him over until he's well enough to go shopping," Bill replied, pulling a sack from his robes.
"I'll just preform a sizing charm on Harry to get his sizes and we'll be off, Molly. The boys can stay and keep Draco and Harry company," Arthur added. He quickly cast the charm, took the parchment with the information on it, and headed for the door.
"Now, boys, remember Trudy is at the Burrow fixing dinner, so don't stuff yourselves on sweets," Mrs. Weasley commanded as she followed her husband out of the room.
"OH! NOOOOO!" Ron moaned.
"What's wrong?" Draco and Harry asked at the same time.
"Our Aunt Trudy can't cook at all. Dinner is going to be awful," Bill announced, joining Ron at the foot of the beds.
"Bill, you don't have to buy me clothes," Harry said.
"I'm not buying your clothes. I work for Gringotts. I'm on a leave of absence and am temporarily assigned as your assistant until you get settled in the wizarding world."
"What happened? You never told us," Ron said.
"First, what do you do for Gringotts?" Draco asked.
"I'm a curse breaker in Egypt. My team was investigating a tomb we had just discovered, when an ancient curse went off. The blast sent us all flying. We lost two members of our team and everyone else was put on medical leave to recover. What are you two up to?" Bill glared at George and Fred.
Fred and George were still standing over Harry's box of clothes, whispering to each other. George reached into his pocket and pulled something out. The twins made their way over to the others.
"We've been-"
"working on something-"
"since last Christmas-"
"when Aunt Trudy-"
"made the Christmas pudding," the twins said.
George held out his hands. He was holding six pieces of candy wrapped in wax paper.
"Get those away from me! I don't want nothin' to do with your experiments!" Ron bellowed.
"What are you talking about? Get what away from you?" Draco asked.
"George has some creams in his hand. He and Fred like inventing trick objects like transforming wands and exploding gum balls. They've even made toffees that will turn your skin bright purple. Ron's been on the receiving end of many of their pranks," Bill explained.
"These aren't prank candies," George said.
"But we got the ideal from the vomit drops we made," Fred added.
"Vomit drops?" Harry asked.
"Well we made these caramel candies that would make everything you eat for the next three hours taste like vomit. They taste just like caramels so you won't noticed anything until you eat something else," George snickered.
"These make every you eat taste like strawberry ice cream," Fred added.
Ron glared at the twins as Bill started to laugh.
"Your choice Ronniekins. One of these or Aunt Trudy's casserole. Just don't eat them until right before dinner," George said as Bill took one of the candies.
"Stop calling me that!" Ron growled, still staring at George's hands.
"Here Harry, Draco," George said handing each of the boys a caramel.
"What are we supposed to do with these? I take it you don't want your parents to know about these?" Draco asked.
"Aaaah. I guess, I'll hold onto them for you until we get to the Burrow," George said, putting three of the candies in his pocket.
Fred took the two remaining chocolates. He held one up in front of Ron as he pocketed the other.
Ron reluctantly took the candy and stuffed it in his pocket.
"So, Harry, do you, you know?" Ron asked pointing at Harry's forehead.
"Ron!" Bill, Fred, and George bellowed.
"Mum, told us not to talk about that with Harry," Bill scolded his youngest brother.
"About what?" Draco asked.
"My scar," Harry replied as he pulled his hair back from his forehead to reveal the scar.
"Nice one Ron. Reminding Harry of that after what he's just gone through," Bill added.
Ron hung his head as he turned red. "Sorry, Harry."
"It's all right, don't worry about it," Harry replied and received a weak grin from Ron.
"How are you doing Draco?" Bill asked sitting down on Draco's bed.
"I'm tired," Draco replied.
"Would you like to get dressed or would you rather we just wrap you in a blanket to go back to the Burrow?"
"I'd prefer to get dressed," Draco replied.
"Do you want to wait or get dressed now?" Bill asked.
"I'm going to need help getting dressed."
"We'll help you," Fred and George replied.
"What do you want from your trunk?" George continued heading for Draco's things.
"A pair of black pants and a red shirt. I'll need a pair of boxers too," Draco answered.
"Okay what color boxers?" George asked.
"Black."
"Got everything. I've got socks and shoes for you too," George added.
"Ah, how are we going to do this? I'm not exactly comfortable changing in front of a bunch of people, especially without being able to see," Draco said.
"Don't worry. I've got it figured out. You're wearing a bathrobe, right?" Bill replied.
"Yes. I'm wearing a pair of briefs, too."
"Well, do you think you can slide your pants and briefs down to your knees?"
"Yes."
"Go ahead and slide them down and I'll pull them off. Then I'll put your feet in your boxers and pull them up to your knees. You pull them the rest of the way up and then I'll help you with your shirt and pants. How's that sound?" Bill explained.
"That will work."
Draco was dressed in a matter of minutes, his modesty still intact.
"So what are we going to do until Mum and Dad get back?" Ron asked as the Weasley brothers joined their new friends on their beds.
"We need to do something that we can all participate in," Bill said.
"That rules out exploding snap," Fred sighed.
"How about what Draco and I have been playing?" Harry asked as he and Draco smiled.
"Okay, what have you been playing?" Bill replied.
"Well, one of us will say a word and the other says the first thing they think of. But you can't repeat any words that have already been said."
"Okay so how do we do that with six people?" Ron asked.
"Real easy. Harry, George, and I will be one team and you, Draco, and Fred will be the other. Harry says a word and Draco replies. Then George replies to Draco's word and you reply to George's. I reply to yours and Fred replies to mine. Then it goes back to Harry who response to whatever Fred says and Draco replies to Harry's word. That sound okay to you guys?"
Everyone agreed and looked at Harry.
"Okay, give me a second. Alright. Blue."
"Sky."
"Moon."
"Night."
"Day.
"Sun."
"Burn."
Everyone turned and stared at Harry.
"What, I had a bad sunburn last year. My aunt and uncle made me work in the yard everyday last summer."
Everyone gave Harry a sympathetic look and shook their heads slowly.
"Okay, my turn. Toast," Draco said starting the game back up.
"Eggs."
"Bacon ."
"Pig."
"Ham."
"Cheese."
"Crackers."
"Soup."
"Bread."
"Butter."
"Peanut Butter."
"Chocolate."
"Cake."
"Ice cream."
"Apple pie."
"Cherry Pie."
"Hungry are we?" Bill asked. He was answered with a chorus of yeses.
Just then Mr and Mrs. Weasley returned with several bags. They walked over to Harry's bed and put the bags down.
"Thank you," Harry mumbled.
"You're welcome dear. We didn't know which you preferred, so we got you boxers and briefs. We'll take the boys outside while you change," Mrs. Weasley said.
"Mum, I'll help Harry change," Bill said as he started going through Harry's new clothes.
"Can we go downstairs and get something to eat?" Ron asked.
"Why don't we wait for Harry to get dressed and then we'll all go get something. Mind you, Aunt Trudy is fixing dinner and you will eat with us," Mrs. Weasley scowled.
"Yes, Mum," George, Fred, and Ron replied in unison.
"I'll get a couple of wheelchairs for the boys. Dr. Hawkens does not want the two of you walking very far, even with help," Arthur said, leading everyone else out of the room.
"Well, Harry what would you like to wear?"
Bill helped Harry change into his first set of new clothes. He had chosen a pair of light brown pants and a blue shirt.
The Weasleys returned, each of the twins pushing a wheelchair. The group made their way down to the cafeteria. They sat at a table and ate a light lunch at Mrs. Weasley's insistence.
Draco and Harry fell asleep in the back of the car on the way to the Burrow. They only woke up as Arthur and Bill laid them down on beds in a small room.
"Where are we?" Harry mumbled.
"We're home. We rearranged the den so you and Draco would have a first floor room. If you need anything just follow my sons' examples and yell," Mr Weasley said as he and Bill smiled.
"Dinner will not be ready for a few hours. You can rest in here until then," Arthur continued.
"Can I get something to drink?" Draco asked.
"What would you like?" Bill asked.
"Orange juice, please," Draco replied.
"Harry, what about you?" Arthur asked.
"I'll take a glass of orange juice too, please."
"I'll get it Dad. I'll be right back."
Arthur and Bill left the boys to rest. Bill returned minutes later with two glasses of orange juice, Dobby following him.
"Is Master Draco better....?" Dobby asked standing at the foot of the beds.
""I'm not better but I'm getting there, slowly, very slowly," Draco replied.
"Harry Potter! Dobby exclaimed. "Dobby is pleased to finally meet you. Mrs. Wheezy said that you is to be coming here. If Dobby can serve Harry Potter, Harry Potter must let Dobby know. If Master Draco is not objecting," Dobby said ducking his head.
"It's all right Dobby. You can help Harry if he asks you to. You can help anyone in this house, too. I'm not going to punish you Dobby, you saved me from Lucius."
"Dobby is sorry he could not do more, sir."
"You did what my Mother wanted you to do. Lucius is the bastard that killed her."
"Well, I have your caramels. Put them in your pockets, until I come back for you." Bill handed the candies to his friends before leaving them to rest.
**********
Dinner was an unusual experience for Draco. Bill sat between Draco and Harry and George sat on Draco's other side. Ron sat next to Harry and Percy sat across form Bill.
The conversation was jumbled and exuberant, a complete contrast to what dinner was at Malfoy Manor. Draco enjoyed the meal and even without seeing Percy's face, he laughed along with Fred and George. Harry and Bill joined in and they all received a glare from Mrs. Weasley.
Mrs. Weasley treated Harry and Draco as she did her own children, constantly fusing over them. She had them take baths and go to bed early.
**********
Harry tried the door, but it was locked as usual. He rang the bell.
Uncle Vernon opened the door and growled at him. He grabbed Harry by his collar and dragged him through the door. Vernon slapped his nephew and tossed him across the living room. He picked up a golf club and raising it over his head, stalked towards Harry.
Harry screamed as the club came toward his head.
Harry sat up and screamed.
George and Fred burst into the room. George had a block of white cheese in his left hand and a chunk of roast beef in his teeth. Fred had a chicken leg in his mouth and a large piece of bread in his right hand.
George dropped the food and raced to Harry's side. He wrapped his arms around the younger boy as he sat down on the bed.
"It's all right Harry. You're safe. No one is going to hurt you," George whispered as he rubbed Harry's back.
Fred put his snack down on a table and moved to join his brother in comforting their guest. He was rounding the end of Harry's bed, listening to the boy cry and mumble.
"Please don't. I didn't mean it. Please don't hit me," Harry begged, still caught up in his nightmare. He was sitting upright like a stone statue, his arms hanging limply at his sides.
"Come on 'Arry. Wake up. You're safe. It's just me and Fred here. We won't hurt you," George coaxed.
Fred put his hands on Harry's shoulders and started rubbing them. He remember when his Mother had done the same for him when he was little and had a nightmare, which was quite often with Bill, Charlie, and especial Percy for brothers.
"George, what we gonna do? He ain't coming out of it," Fred said.
George shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. They had been warned by the doctors that this would happen to both of the boys.
"Why hasn't Mum come down yet?" Fred asked, looking around the dimly lit room.
"It was only one scream. She probably thinks it was one of our tricks," George replied.
Much to the twins shock, Draco screamed and shot out of his bed. He stumbled to his feet as he reached for his eyes, his fingers curled into claws.
Fred sprang across the room and grabbed Draco's hands as they reached for his bandaged eyes. Draco started to pull away from Fred and fell onto his bed, dragging Fred down on top of himself. He started kicking and squirming trying to free himself.
"George, help me. He's gonna hurt himself," Fred called frantically.
"I can't leave Harry. We need Mum and Dad. MUM! DAD! We need help!" George bellowed.
"No need to wake everyone up. We're here," Mr. Weasley said as he and Molly entered the room. Bill, Ron, and Ginny were right behind them.
"Help Harry, Mum. He's having a nightmare. I'll help Fred," George said, moving away from Harry to let Mrs. Weasley get to him as he scrambled across the bed to help Fred.
George and Fred held Draco's arms, preventing him from clawing his already damaged eyes. They called his name and gently shook him, trying to wake him. Their mother was having no luck waking Harry, either.
"What's all the racket for?" a bleary eyed Percy said as he stumbled into the room.
"We're throwing ourselves a 'Percy's a prefect sympathy party.' What do ya think we're doing, ya big git," George growled as he and Fred managed to get Draco to lie down.
"George!" Molly grumbled as Bill and Ron tried to muffle their snickers.
"Percy, take Ginny back to her room. Then contact Professor Dumbledore and Dr. Hawkens. Tell them that the nightmares have started, but that we can not wake Draco or Harry. Bill, Ron will you make some tea and biscuits, please. This is going to be a long night," Arthur said. His words would be prophetic.
The Weasley children left their brothers and parents to comfort their friends. Percy put Ginny back to bed and went about contacting the doctor and headmaster, through the fire in the living room. Bill placed a cup of tea in Percy's hand as he explained what the problem was to Dr. Hawkens.
Percy having finished making his calls joined his brothers at the kitchen table.
Fred and George were on one side sipping tea. Bill had his hand on Ron's shoulder.
"How are they?" Percy asked.
"They finally came out of it,-"
"Mum and Dad chased us out," George finished for Fred.
At that moment Dr. Hawkens, Professor Dumbledore, and Professor Snape knocked at the kitchen door. Bill let them in and rejoined his brothers as the new arrivals went to check on Harry and Draco.
"Why didn't we just give them a potion for dreamless sleep. Then they won't have those nightmares?" Ron asked.
"They had too many in St. Mungo's. You can only take a dreamless sleep potion so often. It's vital to your mental health for you to dream," Bill said.
"Poor, Harry. First he lost his parents and then he gets stuck with those awful
muggles for relatives. I can't see anyone making someone live in a cupboard. He's so quiet, it's like he's afraid to even breath," Ron mumbled.
"What about Draco?" Bill asked.
"That stuck up, git. He can. . . ."
"RONALD WEASLEY!" Molly bellowed, entering the kitchen. "How dare you even think that?"
"But Mum. He demanded I get him a glass of water after dinner. He didn't ask, he ordered me to," Ron snarled.
"Ron, he's used to having people wait on him. Just give him a chance to adjust. Harry isn't the only one to have lost everything he had," Arthur added.
"Ron, just give Draco some time. I mean in one day he lost his home, his family, and his eyesight," Bill said.
"What's happening with Harry and Draco?" George asked.
"Professor Snape brought a potion to help them sleep. It won't do anything about the nightmares but it will help them sleep and they can take it more often," Molly said as she poured Arthur and herself cups of tea.
"So what are we going to do? If they're going to have nightmares and wake up screaming, they're going to keep waking everyone up," Percy said.
"We'll have to take turns watching them at night," Bill suggested.
"I can take the morning shift, I'll be up already," Mrs. Weasley said.
"I'm not working, other than helping Harry, so I'll take the late night shift. I can go back to bed when Mum gets up. Dad, you're not taking a shift, you have to work," Bill said.
"Then who will take the early evening shift?" Arthur asked.
"We will. Ron and Percy can help us too," the twins replied, their brothers nodding in agreement.
"How is. . .are they?" Severus asked looking down at his godson.
"Exhausted and emotionally drained. Both boys have been through too much for them to deal with in the last few weeks," Dr. Hawkens answered.
"How long will they need to be watched through the night?" Albus asked.
"I have no idea. They Weasleys can not be expected to stand vigil alone. It will be rough on everyone who sits with Harry and Draco," Dr. Hawkens said.
"I have no great love for Potter, but for Draco's sake I will take my turn sitting with them both," Severus said, brushing his finger tips across Draco's discolored cheek.
"I will talk to the other professors and Hagrid. We can all take turns watching the boys, as we did when the were in St. Mungo's," Albus said before leaving Severus and Dr. Hawkens with the boys.
The sun was rising as Professor Dumbledore and the Weasleys waited for Dr. Hawkens to finish with Harry and Draco. A shriek of fear echoed through the house causing everyone to jump to their feet and headed for the den.
Harry, shaking in terror, had wedged himself in the far corner of the room, beside a bookcase. His eyes were wide as he hugged himself.
Severus was holding Draco against his own body. Dr. Hawkens was stepping around the beds to approach Harry.
"Get away from me! Leave me alone! I didn't mean to do it! NO! NO! Please don't hit me!" Harry screamed in horror, raising his hands to protect his head and face.
Dr. Hawkens stopped as the doorway was filled with worried people.
"It's all right Harry. I'm not going to hurt you,"
"I couldn't help it. Please don't hit me," Harry begged as he slowly slipped to the floor and hugged his knees to his chest.
"Tell me what happened Harry. You are not in trouble. I promise no one will hurt you," the doctor said as Dobby popped into the room.
"Dobby is hearing screaming. Is Master Draco and Harry Potter okay?"
"Dobby, Harry's having a nightmare, stay back please," Draco whispered as Dobby hopped up on Harry's bed.
Dobby looked down at the bed as he lifted first one foot and then the other. "OH, Dobby will change Harry's bed clothes." The house elf jumped off the bed and snapped his fingers. The bed clothes vanished. Seeing a damp spot on the mattress, he snapped his fingers again and the spot vanished. A third snap and fresh bed clothes appeared on the bed.
Everyone, except Harry and Draco, was staring at the house elf. They suddenly realized what had happened.
"MERLIN! This is my fault," Draco wailed, realizing why Dobby had to change Harry's bed.
"How can this possibly be your fault?" Severus asked.
"I told him about the first time Lucius beat me," Draco moaned. "He must have had a nightmare and woke up not realizing where he is."
"He wet the bed? At his age?" Percy exclaimed, the only one who hadn't realized what had happened.
A moan from the corner brought everyone's attention back to the frighten boy huddled in the corner.
"Percy! Out! Out, all of you out. We'll take care of this," Mrs. Weasley commanded.
"Ooooooooohhhh. Dobby is sorry, he is. He is going to close his hands in the oven," Dobby whined and turned to leave.
"No you won't Dobby. You didn't do anything wrong. Instead of closing your hands in the oven, go run a warm bath for Harry. He'll feel better after a bath. I always took one after Lucius beat me," Draco said.
"Dobby will run the bath," Dobby announced before disappearing with a pop.
Harry was still huddled in the corner rocking back and forth as he hugged himself. His quiet sobs pulling at everyone's hearts.
George walked around Draco's bed and slowly approached his terrified friend. To appear less menacing, he dropped to his hands and knees and crawled to Harry's side.
"Harry, are these your clothes? They're big enough for Fred and I to fit in together," George whispered.
"What's George doing?" Snape hissed.
"He's trying to get Harry's attention. He and Fred went looking through Harry's clothes from his aunt and uncle's house, but nothing would fit him. Everything was big enough for you to wear," Draco whispered, he felt his godfather jerk at that information.
"They're Dudley's old clothes," Harry finally replied.
"He must be as big as a pig," George snickered.
"Yeah, and he's got a tail now, too," Harry chuckled.
"Where'd he get a. . ."
"George, let that go," Professor Dumbledore interrupted.
"Yes, sir. So Harry, do you know where you are now?"
"Yes, your house."
"That's right and you are safe here. We aren't gonna let anyone hurt you."
"Thanks."
"How do you feel?" George asked as everyone watched him slowly drawing Harry back from his nightmare.
"I'm cold and tired. And I'm wet," Harry said before moaning.
"What's wrong Harry?"
"I've gotta change my bed,"
"Don't worry about that. Dobby's already changed it," George said, taking the risk of putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry jumped at the touch but let George keep his hand on him.
"Then you know and I did hear someone say at my age," Harry whimpered as tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Don't worry about it Harry. No one cares that it happened. We all know you're not feeling well. It was an accident and no one blames you," George said as he brought his other hand to Harry's empty shoulder. He started rubbing the boy's shoulders to comfort him.
"Then who said at my age?"
"My git of a brother Percy and Mum yelled at him for it," George chuckled, knowing that his mother was glaring at him.
Harry giggled. Someone else had gotten yelled at besides him.
"Now, how would you like a nice bath? Dobby's running one for you right now and Fred and I will help you," George said, pulling Harry closer to himself.
"But I. . ."
"We know and we don't care," George interrupted.
"Yeah, Harry, let us help you," Fred added.
Harry gave in. The twins were about to help him to his feet when Bill stepped up and swept Harry up off the floor."
"Bill!" Harry choked.
"Don't worry about it Harry. I can get cleaned up while you're having your bath," Bill said, following Fred and George out of the room with Harry in his arms.
"I wish I had a family like this one," Draco mumbled as he buried his head in his godfather's robes.
Severus hugged his godson and slowly nodded his head.
"Draco, Professor, would you like some tea or hot chocolate?" Ron asked.
"Hot chocolate," Draco said. "Please," he added as he heard a grunt start in Ron's throat.
"Professor?"
"I'll have hot chocolate also, Ron. Thank you for asking," Severus replied, hoping to easy Draco's transition into his temporary home.
"Ron," Draco called, stopping him from leaving the room.
"Yes," Ron grumbled.
"I'm sorry for the way I talk to you sometimes. I don't really mean to be obnoxious and rude. That's just the way I was taught to speak and act towards everyone. And if I didn't do it. . . "
"I know Draco. I'm sorry I've got such a short temper. I'll try to give you some slack. I'll be right back with your hot chocolate," Ron broke in.
"Thanks, Ron," Draco called as Ron left the room.