Chapter Two: Succumbing to Relief

"Albus Dumbledore" Remus practically shouted into the fireplace. As soon as he pulled his head out he began to pace, muttering to himself about his inability to take care of his best friends son. 'the poor child, what must he be going through? Why didn't I think to check on him? Those small letters were always the same. They practically screamed "leave me alone!" And "Help Me!" all at the same time. Could Dumbledore be wrong again? I should have gone anyways. He belongs with people who can comfort him, not those rotten relatives of his.'

Dumbledore stepped silently through the fire which had just fizzled green. He watch as Remus paced back and forth seemingly in his own world, when suddenly he turned and started shouting in a furious attempt not to lash out and break into tears all at the same time. "I want him out of there! He does not belong with those muggles! Can't you just see that your little plan for keeping him "safe" is only distancing him from what he needs, from the help he could be getting. From those people who actually LOVE him! Do you know Albus that the child does not ever remember anyone telling him they love him until Sirius?! That is just wrong, negligent, and totally unacceptable even from muggle standards." Remus abruptly sat down, unable to hold back the tears. Violently he turned to his former professor and threw a handful of unopened letters and several addressed only To Whom it May Concern into the lap of the uncommonly stunned Professor Dumbledore.

"What do you have to say for yourself." He demanded, quite out of character for the calm, collected demeanor of the ex-defense professor. "And if you say one single thing toward blood wards being the strongest defense, I swear to Merlin himself, I will not regret my actions."

Lacking the usual twinkle in his eye, Dumbledore calmly questioned, "When was his last letter Remus?"

"Last week Friday, five days ago."

"Well at least when we go pay him a tomorrow it will be because he hasn't written to tell us that he is ok. We did give him that option if he wanted to be left alone to write every three days." As he finished speaking, Molly and Arthur Weasley, and all of the Weasley children, minus the still absent Percy, stormed into the room.

"What do you mean we have to wait until tomorrow?! He is a child, who just lost the only parental figure he has ever had. I can't believe this nonsense about not getting him out of there now. Wards or not he is not doing well there. Do you want him to come back a broken child that even you can't fix. He needs his friends and family and you are doing your best to deprive him of that." Molly Weasley was showing her full temper as she shrieked out those words. All of those present knew there was no arguing with a furious female Weasley, they are know for their unwavering temper and exceptional ability to let others know exactly what they want and never to give up until it is theirs.

Even Dumbledore, the usually stoic figure, wavered to Mrs. Weasley's temper and conviction for her surrogate son. "Molly it is simple, we need a full force if we are going to be able to retrieve him at all. We need aurors, and plenty of them to ensure his safety."

Now it was Ron's turn to chime in with his opinion to Harry's circumstances, "How can you say that he is safe with them at all?! They never take any care to see that he is happy or even healthy. For Merlin's sake they put bars on his windows and lock him in. He even let it slip out once that his bedroom was a cupboard. I really don't care how many people you take to bring him back HOME; HERE! If you don't go now, I am going alone. I will find my best friend and give him what he needs. And if he is hurt because of you, you won't know where you are when you land after I get my hands on you!" Ron seethed and hastily exited the room before he caused any damage.


At the same time as Ron's famous show of Weasley strength, Harry Potter awoke from the darkness that had settled on his shoulders for the past several days. Since he was unaware how long exactly he was unconscious, he had no way of knowing if the Order had come to pay him a visit or if his letters had gotten off in time. He really didn't relish the idea of staying at the Dursley residence all summer but it would have to do, being as this was the only place he was truly safe and could not do any damage to other people he loved If he was away from them.

The upside to the darkness was that he never did see Lord Voldemort when he was in these states. But three weeks without real sleep was taking its toll even without the beatings, though you could never see the dark circles underneath the bruises.

Harry being Harry just seemed to think people could forget about someone very easily if they put only a little effort into it. He seemed to think he was very easily forgettable, or loath able if you knew anyone of the many people he was guilty of murdering. 'Maybe I didn't cast the curse but I did nothing to prevent them all from dying because of me. I would gladly take their place, if only to relieve myself of a little stress. This must be abnormal, but then I wouldn't really know about normal, I am a "freak".'

Slouched on the floor of his cupboard in the only way he could be comfortable with the numerous broken bones, Harry silently sat listening to the sounds of the house. It was only when he heard the telltale sound of apparition that he began to panic. His mind started to work into overdrive, 'If they get in here, I have no way to protect myself or my relatives. I don't want anybody else's blood on my hands. If they are coming, I will just surrender; maybe they can get out alive. Then they won't be bothered anymore. I won't bother anyone anymore.'


At number 12 Grimauld Place, a crowd was gathering. Nymphandora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Alaster Moody, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie Weasley, and Albus Dumbledore all included in the emergency summons to provided the escort service of a one Mr. Harry Potter.

All at once the mood was tense. Severus Snape was standing and sneering in the shadows. "Why on earth does that Golden Boy need a rescue mission. It is not as if he is anything special. Just because he failed to mail a letter. And why exactly do I have to attend this jaunt?" Inside he was anxious to show everyone that the insufferable Gryffindor was just showing off to get attention... again!

"Would you just knock it off for tonight, I really can't take it anymore" demanded the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At this even Snape was shocked. "Molly could you send the young ones home, for tonight at least. I'm afraid Aerulia must stay here tonight, if you would be so kind as to escort her over Severus, she will be safer here than alone. I'm sure that Harry won't want to see his friends when he is being yelled at for his carelessness tonight."

At that Molly exited quickly to floo her offspring home for the night. She knew they wouldn't like it but it must be done. Upon her arrival back all those present apparated at once just outside the wards at Number 4 Privet Drive landing with one loud POP!


Harry stood in his cupboard, grimaced, and rammed his shoulder into the door to release himself from the tiny room. At least now he couldn't be ambushed. As he took his first step outside the door of his "bedroom" he promptly fell in agony to the floor. Gritting his teeth he stood, less than gracefully, and prepared himself mentally and physically for the blow he believed he was about to receive.

He strained his ears to listen to the approaching sounds. Harry knew he would have no chance to go and retrieve his precious wand, so he prepared to resist little and give himself over to Voldemort's minions.

An "Alohamora" was heard, and the door to the blood sanctuary of Harry Potter creaked open. Standing in the doorway Harry looked on in shock at the site of thirteen full grown wizards standing in his doorway. When he recognized the face in the doorway, the bruised and bloodied teen promptly succumbed to the darkness that was ebbing at his consciousness.


The company of thirteen entered the house swiftly. Professor Dumbledore issued a command to silently search the house for the missing teen. But just as the command was issued, a throat was cleared from Severus Snape. He wordlessly pointed to the ground to the crumpled form of the Boy-who-lived. Remus could smell the blood in the air around the tiny form.

The company stood in shock and silence. It was Molly Weasley who first rushed over to the boy, gathered him in her arms, and spoke the words Harry had longed to hear but didn't. "You are leaving here Harry, you are coming with us. We all love you." Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Suddenly everyone in the room spurred into action. One group set out to find any of Harry's things, and the other set out to find, and punish, those "wretched muggles." Severus Snape and Remus Lupin were a small part of the second group. For the first time ever the two seemed to work as an undefeatable team. Neither knew what was happening, all they knew was that no child deserved this.

Lights and flashes were observed coming out of the two occupied bedrooms upstairs, nobody downstairs seemed to care. Harry's few possessions were quickly found still packed away in his school trunk for the return trip home.

The battered boy was quickly scooped up into the arms of the hated potions master and rushed out of the house towards the edge of the wards. He and those following behind him rushed to aid the quiet and injured child. Snape could not help but feel guilt in his mind for his treatment and assumptions of the child that lie helpless in his arms. He knew that the boy would heal from the physical wounds but could he ever overcome the obvious emotional ones. Everything that was ever said with sarcasm or bitting remarks replayed over in his head.

Remus spent his time on the trip home berating himself for letting the child be treated so terribly and not checking on him sooner. Albus was wracked with the same guilt upon his shoulders. 'How could I have caused such unnecessary anguish?'

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were busy thinking that they were glad the young children were not around to witness the events that would transpire when they returned to Order headquarters. They both loved the brave young boy as one of their own children and could not understand how anyone could do this to someone so kind and considerate.

Tonks, Shacklebolt, Moody, and the rest of the Weasleys were busy trying to think of a way to help Harry. Someone they had all come to respect and care about. Who could help caring about someone so selfless and loving as to earn their respect every day. He never ceased to amaze them with his strength of character and of heart.

Minerva McGonagall was trying to figure out if she should have seen the signs earlier.

No one spoke on the trip back to headquarters. No one noticed the concern on each others face as they rushed to help the child. Each knew that potions and rest could cure Harry of his physical ailments, but how could anyone bear his emotional burdens.

As soon as they reached headquarters, everyone was sent different ways to retrieve things to bring the Gryffindor back to the world of the living. Snape himself set up lab in the room of his most hated student, in silent bedside vigil. No single soul still breathing in Order Headquarters left the room for more than twenty minutes, until Harry awoke more than three days later.