Harry awakened to the sound of a moving truck puttering away across the street. Number Nine Privet Drive had been for sale ever since the messy divorce had left the husband having to sell everything to satisfy the demands of his wife. Harry rubbed his eyes as he glanced out the window. His glasses were getting too weak; he was constantly getting head-aches when he wore them. Next time he went to Diagon Alley he was going to have to get a better prescription. A small moving truck was idling on the street as a black haired couple emptied out the back. They seemed to be bickering as they lifted the boxes and moved them onto the lawn.

Harry rolled his eyes. Everywhere he went he was met with bickering couples. He hoped that Ron and Hermione had giving into the inevitable and had just started dating one another. Harry was getting heartily sick of the sexual tension between the two of them. Harry glanced around his room, looking for some sort of clothing to wear. It was then he noticed just what a pit his room was. Clothes were spread everywhere, Hedwig's cage was a mess, there were dead mice on the floor, the contents of his truck erupted from the wooden container like water from a broken sprinkler. Taking several minutes, Harry attempted to straighten up the mess. Clothes went in a pile, his truck was repacked-sort of- Hedwig's cage and the mice were emptied out the window. Smiling in a satisfied way, Harry made his way downstairs to help with breakfast and whatever chores his aunt had for him.

Breakfast was quiet for a change. Aunt Patunia was too busy watching the moving van to pay attention to Dudley shoveling down the bacon that was still a prohibited food. Uncle Vernon had his nose buried in a drill deal that was expected to go through that day. Harry choked down what food he could and escaped out the back door before his aunt could assign any duties for the day.

As he made his way to the front, intending to walk to the park and spend the day on the swings, Harry could hear the bickering that came from the moving couple. It wasn't in any language he had ever heard before. Intrigued, Harry crossed the street and walked casually down the sidewalk toward Number Nine. He quickly searched through his memory for any mention of DeathEaters moving to Privet Drive or of any foreign recruits. Finding no such evidence, Harry concluded it was safe to talk to the newcomers.

Kagome and Inu-Yasha knew they needed to attract the attention of their target. They knew they needed to somehow get him to come over so they could gain his trust. However, the argument that broke out over moving the boxes was completely unplanned. As was the habit of the two mates, a simple task soon became an opportunity to degrade the other in every possible way. So when a soft voice interrupted their rather heated…discussion… over the placement of the living room, they were surprised.

Harry watched in amusement as the woman tried to wrestle a box out of her husband's arms. "Do you need any help?" He inquired, more looking for a relief from boredom then from a desire to be helpful.

Kagome jerked around, leaving Inu-Yasha to fall back on his rear as her grip on the box disappeared. She stared for a minute in bemusement at the smallish boy who stood in front of her. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of some rather baggy pants. His shirt was equally baggy and a rather undetermined gray in color. His mop of black hair flopped in front of his face; his startling green eyes were hidden behind a pair of much repaired glasses. She could just glimpse the edge of a long scar on his forehead. What surprised her the most was the aura of power that seemed to surround the boy. Kagome was used to dealing with powerful demons and people, she was even more used to the lack of power that surrounded most humans. When she identified her seal the week before, she had not been close enough to see what the bearer looked like or what kind of power he had naturally. It seemed that the boy who caused them so much trouble was not quite as normal as they had assumed. Maybe explaining the idea of demons wouldn't be so impossible.

Inu-Yasha grumbled profanely from where he had landed on the cement. Putting the box to one side, he managed to stand up and look at the person who had startled him and Kagome. Like his mate he saw the scrawny, small teen. But unlike his mate he saw not the power, but the strength. For an instant Inu-Yasha was reminded of himself as he looked into those green eyes. They were the eyes of a survivor, of someone far too old for the body they inhabited. He could faintly smell the scent of his mate's power and even more faintly the taste of some sort of demonic youkai.

For his part, Harry was intrigued by these new neighbors. They both looked Asian. The woman was fairly short; her long black hair was pulled into a messy ponytail. Her slate blue eyes were kind and promised an understanding listener. The man was tall. His black hair was chopped off at his ears. It was messy without being like a bird nest. Harry was startled to see he had violet eyes. He was even more startled to see how old and pained those eyes looked. They looked like Harry felt-too old and tired to go on. But they lightened as they looked over to the woman. From the woman he felt a power similar to that of wizard's, from the man he got a sense of power but of a much different type.

Harry smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. I was just wondering if you needed any help moving in. I live over in Number Four," he pointed over his shoulder at his aunt and uncle's. "I saw you moving in and decided to see if you needed any assistance."

Kagome smiled at the boy. "Oh don't worry about it. You just startled us."

Inu-Yasha snorted. "You startled her. If you want to help, we could use a hand." He jerked his head at he large pile of boxes still needing to be unloaded.

Harry smiled. "Sure, nothing better to do. My name's Harry Potter by the way."

Inu-Yasha handed the box he and Kagome had been struggling with to the boy. "I'm Inu-Yasha and that's my wife Kagome."

"Nice to meet both of you. Where would you like this box?"

"In the living room."

Over the course of the unpacking, Inu-Yasha and Kagome learned a little about the boy whose world they would soon be turning upside down.

"What grade are you in?"

"I'm going to be a Sixth year at my boarding school."

"That makes you, what sixteen?"

"In two weeks, July 31st."

"You're fifteen! You look twelve."

"Inu-Yasha! Be nice!"

Inu-Yasha ducked as his mate threw a wooden spoon at his head.

"Sorry, he tends to be an idiot."

"No, it's all right. I do look really young for my age."

"So you live with your aunt and uncle?"

"Yeah."

"What's your favorite subject?" Kagome could easily see that his living arrangements were a sore point and turned the subject to something more neutral.

"I don't know. I really hate chemistry. The teacher is a greasy git. But the others are ok I guess."

Yet another guarded answer and a change in subject.

"So where are you both from?"

"Japan, the Tokyo area. My family owns a shrine there, but we wanted to see the world before we took it over. Inu-Yasha's brother offered him a place here and we took it."

"I wish I had a sibling."

"No, you don't. Brothers are a pain in the ass."

"They don't get along very well." Kagome explained in a whisper as Inu-Yasha ranted to the heavens about the evils of older brothers.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was almost dinnertime when the truck was finally empty. The three workers sat exhausted on the front step. Inu-Yasha was stretched out on his back.

"Who knew boxes could be so heavy?" he groused. He, being the strongest, had been forced to carry all the really large and heavy containers into the house. Kagome and Harry grinned at each other. They really could have helped but it was so much fun to watch him whine.

Looking at his watch, Harry jumped up in shock. "I have to get back! It was nice meeting you!" With a wave he took off down the street.

"Hey! Harry! Can you come back tomorrow? We could use some help unpacking and painting!" Inu-Yasha yelled after the teenager.

Harry waved in reply before turning onto Number Four's walkway and disappearing inside.

Inu-Yasha and Kagome looked at each other. "Well, that went well. Now I just hope that he takes the other news as easily as he took meeting us."

"We can only hope. We have two weeks till his birthday."

"What are you planning to do? Have him help renovate the whole house?"

"Exactly. We'll start painting tomorrow. And then we'll unpack, and then we'll spend what ever time is left rearranging the furniture."

"Rearranging the furniture? And how long will that work before he gets suspicious?"

"If that doesn't work we'll call in your brother, tie Harry up in the basement, and explain everything."

"Why didn't we do that in the first place?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Not particularly."

"I didn't think so."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the next two weeks, Harry spent all day helping Inu-Yasha and Kagome move into their new house. After moving in, Kagome wrangled Harry into helping paint the whole house, unpack, and then paint the outside. Inu-Yasha griped the entire time, asking why, if she was going to redo the whole house, had they bought it in the first place? Kagome had just looked at him and he had shut up. Harry found he enjoyed being in the company of the strange couple. Inu-Yasha, for some reason, reminded him of Sirius, not his attitude but something in his aura. And Kagome was a calm comforting presence that helped sooth his pain just by being around her. His nightly visions were weaker when he worked himself to exhaustion during the day, and having something to do kept him from brooding. Over the course of the two weeks, he found out about Inu-Yasha's troubled childhood, growing up as a social outcast, hated by all members of his family. And how everything had changed once he had met Kagome. They, in turn, learned about the murder of Harry's parents, his hate for his relatives, and the recent death of his godfather.

On the evening of the 30th, the three workers stood looking at Number Nine Privet Drive with pride. A fresh coat of white paint glinted cleanly in the falling light, the clean windows gleamed, bright flowers bloomed happily in the pots on the front steps.

Inu-Yasha shook everyone's hand in a professional manner. "Great working with you, congratulations everyone. The house project is now finished."

Harry smiled. Inu-Yasha reminded him sometimes of the Twins. "Well, I have to get back. Thanks for letting me help out on this."

Inu-Yasha and Kagome exchanged a glance. It was Kagome who spoke up. "Hey, Harry how would you like to join us for dinner? You deserve some reward for helping us out and we haven't yet had a proper house warming. That's terrible luck. The house gods will think we don't properly respect them."

Harry wavered. He would love to eat in a place where every bite wasn't a lump of cement. "I don't know… Aunt Patunia will be expecting me home and I really don't want to intrude…"

Kagome gave Harry a blinding smile. "You won't intrude! We really like having you around. Besides, the house gods will want to meet you as well."

Harry still wavered. He really wanted to stay but he got enough grief from his aunt and uncle for spending all day at the new neighbors. He didn't want to risk their anger for staying for dinner.

Inu-Yasha, seeing Harry's hesitation, spoke up in a rare moment of perception. "How about I go back with you and ask? That way they won't think you invited yourself over. It will also make it harder for them to refuse."

Harry opened his mouth to protest but Inu-Yasha was already making his way down the street towards Number Four. Harry had to run to catch up with the older man's long strides. By the time they had made the two-minute walk, Harry's stomach was a bundle of nervous anticipation. He knew his uncle would not react well to someone taking an interest in him. He only hoped he didn't get locked in his room again. Although, with the threat of the Order, he should be able to keep his uncle at bay. Still, he hung back as Inu-Yasha rang the doorbell.

"What do you want?" snapped the large purple face of Uncle Vernon. His eyes skipped from Inu-Yasha to Harry who was looking distinctly cowed. "Boy!" he shouted as his eyes landed on Harry. "Where have you been all day? You are supposed to help your aunt around the house and you just run off? Is this the gratitude we get for putting up with you for all these years? Ungrateful wretch!" His tone became distinctly oily and apologetic as he turned his attention to the stunned Inu-Yasha. "I'm so sorry about my nephew. He's not quite right in the head you know. We do try to keep him in the house but he has no respect for authority. I'm so terribly sorry he was bothering you."

Inu-Yasha looked as if he had been hit on the back of his head with a large board. He was looking from Harry's downcast and rather amused face-he was remembering a similar rant from Professor Snape in his third year- to Uncle Vernon's purple and red face glaring at Harry.

"I think you've misunderstood, sir. I live over at Number Nine and Harry here has been helping us move in all week. I came to ask if he could join us for dinner to christen the new house and greet the house gods."

Uncle Vernon's face was a study during Inu-Yasha's explanation. His face paled rapidly at the mention of 'house gods'

"You're not one of those freak are you?" His voice was soft and his eyes were darting around in a paranoid fashion, as if waiting for a brigade of cloaked wizards to jump out and spoil the normalcy of the evening.

Inu-Yasha's face went stony at the mention of freaks. "I don't know what you are talking about."

Uncle Vernon's face paled even more as he realized his mistake. "I….It's tho…those freaks he goes to school with! Criminals all of them! Freaks!"

Inu-Yasha turned to Harry who was struggling to hide a smile-his sense of the ridiculous was getting the better of him. "I go to a school for people with…gifts. My uncle doesn't exactly appreciate them. We are a bit…eccentric in some ways."

"I see." The dog-demon turned his gaze back on the human in front of him. His gaze was puzzled as if he were looking at some sort of deformed bug rather then a person. "So would it be alright if Harry joined us for the evening?" His voice was low and polite.

Uncle Vernon took the only way out he could. "Take the boy! But don't blame me when those freaks come looking for him." With that, he turned back into the house and slammed the door.

Harry gave Inu-Yasha an apologetic smile. "Sorry, my uncle's a bit off his rocker. He acts like that sometimes."

Inu-Yasha was still looking at the door with a confused, disgusted expression on his face. Shaking his head, he turned to leave. "Well at least that's over with. Let's go."

Harry shrugged and started off back towards Number Nine. Inu-Yasha's thoughts were back traveling the well-worn paths of his childhood. He could remember all too well the calls of freak and brat that followed him most of his life. He just hoped Harry didn't believe what his relatives said to him because the evening's revelations were going to do nothing but further convince the poor boy that he really was an abnormal freak.