Remus Lupin crept down the stairs of Dawn Miller's flat, running a pale hand through his hair as he stopped onto the landing. He was always an early riser- this morning was no exception. Padding softly passed Snape, who was sleeping in the bed across the room, he glanced at the cauldron in Harry 'office' and thought vaguely of making a cup of tea. His eyes were blinded slightly by the sharp kitchen light that switched on suddenly. Lupin blinked and peered into the bright kitchen. A pair of yellow feet stuck out of a cupboard drawer, and a familiar smell of wolf tickled his nose. A blonde tousled head peeked out from the cupboard door, his eyes bright and alert, and his face smeared with what looked like chocolate pudding.

"You're a werewolf." The boy stated.

"So are you." He responded, mouth quirking at the corners.

The boy shrugged and stood up, he was wearing light blue pyjama bottoms and a red t-shirt that had "Just be glad I'm not your kid" scrawled across it in green letters. Frighteningly bright yellow socks completed the ensemble. Lupin smiled slightly.

Gekko looked up at him with a type of seriousness that only children can achieve- and grinned, though it seemed rather strained.

"Not that that I don't enjoy the company, but most young men are asleep at six-fifteen in the morning." His mouth twitching.

"Yeah, I know…"Gekko looked uncertain, for a moment. "But I can't really sleep when I'm at my Uncle's…and…Harry gave me some ink and quill and I accidentally decided that he-my Uncle- would looked much better with facial hair that conveyed his personality…and matched his eyebrows." He finished matter-of-factly, looking almost as if he dared the man to argue with him.

Lupin, who had managed in the last 24 hours, to get attacked by Death Eater's, find out that his late best friend's son was a bartender -a singing one at that-, and had to endure several hours of not letting Snape curse said son into next week, didn't really feel that there probably wasn't enough liquor in the whole of England that would get him to react to that statement. Besides, he was fairly certain he pulled something like that once or twice when he was young.

Lupin smiled at him and sat down, motioning for the other werewolf to do likewise. Just as the boy was sitting down he heard some muffled cursing and several thumps-and a second later a dishevelled Harry appeared, tousled and oblivious, in a black wife-beater and wrinkled navy pyjama bottoms, and fumbling with his glasses.

"-Leaving the bloody light on at bloody night-fucking waste of power-they wonder why England gets so much sodding smog…" The sleepy teen grumbled sourly as he opened the fridge and stuck his head inside. Gekko giggled and stuffed a cracker in his mouth that he somehow managed to procure. Harry slowly raised his head over the fridge door and he blinked owlishly at them.

"You're still here." He blurted at Lupin, who smirked.

"Apparently" Came the amused reply.

"Bugger, was hoping the whole damn thing was a dream." He stuck his back in the fridge, mumbling curses.

Suddenly there was loud slam as a rather large muggle stormed into the flat, nostril's flaring in his red face and eyes bulging. With the ink moustache he looked remarkably like Hitler.

"WHERE IS HE?!" the big man bellowed. Gekko slid off his stool with a quiet 'shit' and hid behind Lupin, who was now standing with his arms folded, looking surprised. Harry straightened, closed the fridge door, and loaf of bread in one hand a banana in the other, looking quite calm.

"Where's who? Nice 'stache Mr. Rods, but it does seem a little politically incorrect. Is it a statement?" Harry tossed the loaf on the counter and began unpeeling his banana.

Mr. Rods chest swelled alarmingly, his red face purpling and his hand curling into fists. Lupin found that he didn't look at all intimidating; he was wearing a stained shirt and old khaki's that did nothing to hide a steadily growing beer gut.

"You know who, boy! Where is Gabriel!?!" He stuck a pudgy finger into Harry's chest, who blinked, Lupin gripped his wand in his sleeve and waited; it was never a good idea to hex a muggle, no matter how much they deserved it. He felt Gekko tightened his grip on his robes.

Harry calmly removed the finger from his person, and looked at the man as if he were a particularly nasty insect.

"I don't believe that is any of your business." He said firmly.

The man's face convulsed dangerously. "He is my property!" He said furiously, spittle flying from his lips. Harry's eyes narrowed-always a danger sign.

"Actually, you'll find that as a member of the magical community he is in fact, not anyone's property, muggle guardianship over wizard children is a last resort and only if it is enforced by a wizard of high legal standing. No one is forcing you to keep him. Therefore you have no claim to him." He said in tightly controlled voice.

The man didn't take nicely to this. He glared at the boy and –before anyone could stop him- he raised his arm as if to strike Harry-Harry simply closed his eyes and waited –much to a rising horror felt in Lupin who pulled out his wand- and suddenly there was a 'pop' and where Mr. Rods had stood was a very confused looking tortoise.

All three occupants turned to look at the stairs where Severus Snape stood with his wand out, looking very grumpy. "It is too early for this nonsense." He announced and retreated back upstairs, presumably to sleep for another hour.

"Bloody Cool!" Gekko cried at the same time Harry sank to the floor, lifting the squirming reptile in his hands. He sighed in exasperation, though he seemed to be torn between annoyance and laughter.

"You all right?" Lupin asked coming forward and placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry nodded and stood up, Lupin notice belatedly that he stood just below his shoulder now.

"You know it's still quit early, you could get some more sleep if you like." He suggested half-heartedly.

Harry shook his head, "Nah, woulda' been up in an hour anyway…I won't say no to some very strong coffee though…" He tucked the tortoise under his arm and ambled over to a strange muggle contraption and switched it on, where it began making odd burbling noises and Harry gazed at it in a manner that was faintly reminiscent to how James Potter had once looked at his wife. Lupin blinked in puzzlement and decided he didn't want to know.

"I thought your name was Tom?" Harry said suddenly. Gekko flushed.

"Whole name: Gabriel Tom Rods, Tom to my teachers and Gekko to everyone else…I hate the name Gabriel. It's a girls name." He sniffed, as if the mere idea of being called Gabriel was offensive. Harry grinned.

"I'll not offend your masculinity then, young Master Rods."

"Oh, stuff it." Came the sour reply.

Harry grinned. "Do I want to know why your –er- Uncle was about to beat the snot outta me?" he held up the squirming reptile for emphasis.

"Probably not."

"Fair enough. Interesting facial hair he had." Harry conceded.

"Nobody appreciates good art anymore."

Harry chuckled and poured some coffee into two mugs, handing one to Lupin, who resumed his seat at the counter.

They sat like that for half an hour, munching on a collection of cereal and coffee, quietly enjoying the stillness of the early morning, Gekko pulled out a little book called The Odyssey, occasionally asking either Harry or Lupin the pronunciation of some Greek name. Harry reflected that most mornings here were like this… peaceful. He smiled into his mug. Lupin was staring vacantly into his own cup, lost in thought.

Did you contact Dumbledore yet?"

Lupin looked up in surprise. "No. Though I suppose we'll have to inform him that neither I or Severus have killed each other yet."

Harry's mouth twitched and he sipped his coffee. He wondered what Dumbledore was thinking when he assigned Snape to help look for him…he wondered if anyone else from the order was looking for him too. He opened his mouth to ask-but Dawn bounced cheerily down the stairs with air of someone who was generally perky, especially in the morning.

"I have made a decision!" She announced to the room, spreading her arms wide as if she were on a podium. Harry swallowed his usual disgust at people acting happy before eight-thirty in the morning and focused on his mentor. "And what decision would that be?" He asked politely, there was a non-committal grunt from Gekko to show that he was listening. Lupin, as per usual remained silent. Harry had a feeling that was going to get annoying rather soon.

"We are going to Hogwarts!" She beamed at everyone around her, just as Snape descended down the stairs.

"Congratulations" He said acidly as he brushed past her. Harry poured him some of the life giving essence that is coffee and held it out to him. Snape regarded the cup suspiciously for a moment before gingerly accepting it. "If I find that this is decafe, Mr. Potter, there will be more than one tortoise in this…kitchen." Gekko giggled.

Why are we gonna give pigs warts, Dawn?" The little boy asked.

"It's a test, if you can't do it you have to eat liver and onions everyday for a month –raw, crawling with maggots." Harry said with a certain relish that antagonistic teenagers seem to excel at.

"Harry…" Dawn warned. "It's Harry school love, I believe I need to have a…conference with Mr Dumbledore…should be fun." She said brightly.

Harry, Lupin, and Snape cringed.

All right! The plot is moving again! Next chapter…A train ride, another argument, a possible discussion, and some badly timed puns that make me feel better about the bleakness of society…Hey, if you had the Greek Civ Prof that I have, you'd understand…I blame Odysseus…(sighs) There is a reasonwhyGekko is reading the Odyssey, and it happens to be that I have a test on it on tuesday. Cheers!