A/N: This is Chapter 4 but before I start, I have some comments to respond to…

Harry is scared more of other men, rather than just strangers. But he's especially afraid of strange men. Also, Harry had problems before Vernon started abusing him, and in fact, part of the reason Harry was abused was because of Vernon Dursley's inability to understand that Harry was incapable of doing what he expected of him. Also, Dudley wasn't really complaining about eating at the table, it's just, what child wants to eat Pizza with Salad? I mean when I was little I always just liked eating the Pizza and never was too happy when I had to eat a salad as well. Remember, Dudley and Harry are only 10 years old, well… Harry is mentally younger but still…

Disclaimer: Oh yeah, I don't own Harry Potter, if I did, don't you think I'd overthrow the books and put this in it's place? Oh and I only have a dollar in my wallet, a 44 ounce cup of Pepsi, a couple containers of Lemonade powder, and some cup o ramen thingies… Oh and my computer but I'd probably die of heart break if you ever took it away.

Butterfly

Chapter 4: Tantrums and Ponderings

Petunia Dursley quickly cleaned up Harry's cut, not asking any questions about what happened. This type of thing had happened almost every day when Harry was younger.

"I-I J-ju-j-just w-wa-want-e-ed to-to h-he-help." Harry sobbed as Petunia held her nephew in a tight embrace.

"I know, sweetie, it's not your fault. Just make sure to be extra careful next time." Petunia cooed at him. It took several minutes before Harry was calm enough to come into the living room and sit down while they waited for their pizza to arrive.

Not even an hour later the Pizza arrived and they all sat around the table, eating pizza and salad.

"Harry, please eat your salad with the fork." Petunia reminded the boy as she caught him picking at the salad with his fingers.

"I d-don't wa-want t-to…" Harry cried, throwing his fork onto the floor, a scowl quickly forming on his face. Petunia looked at her nephew and sighed. She had known the peace that they'd had for almost a week wouldn't last.

"Harry, please pick up your fork and rinse it off." Petunia replied, her voice stern. . In response, Harry just scowled even deeper and knocked his cup, half full of water, down onto the floor. Snape just stared at the boy, partially in shock, and partially trying to come up exactly what he would tell Dumbledore when the time came to report their findings. Remus seemed somewhat more nervous than usual. Clouds of doubt seemed to form in his eyes.

"Now you can pick up and rinse your cup off as well."

"No!" Harry yelled defiantly. Severus dearly hoped that if this boy were to ever attend Hogwarts, that his behavior would be improved, especially if he had to teach him.

"Well then, you can stand in the corner for five minutes and you won't get any dessert." Petunia told the boy, exhaling through her nose, something that she usually only did when angry or stressed out.

"I w-won't!" Harry screamed back, running off to the living room in what seemed to be a blur of black hair and blue jammies.

"Uh oh, I think it might be time for bed for a certain somebody who won't behave at the table…." Petunia called, getting up to solve things. While in the kitchen, Severus, Remus, and Dudley all continued eating almost in silence, the only sounds coming from them being the usual breathing noises and the sound of food being chewed along with the sound of forks clinking against the ceramic plates.. Coming from in the living room and the hall, Harry's yells and cries could be heard with the occasional, "I mean it.", "Don't touch that.", and finally an exasperated "That's it, you're going to bed if I have to carry you there myself!" coming from Petunia.

Petunia finally came back in, Harry's tired cries still heard from his bedroom. She looked tired and worn as well as apologetic.

"I'm sorry, really, I should have warned you… He tends to get into fits like that ever so often, especially when he's spent all day playing or when he's sick…" She said, coming back to her own plate. "Dudley, are you done?" She asked her son, whose plate was empty.

"Yes, Mum." Dudley replied, setting his fork onto his plate.

"Okay, why don't you get ready for bed, then? You've got that spelling test tomorrow, right?" she asked, pulling a fake smile onto her face.

"Yeah…" Dudley said, putting his and Harry's dishes into the sink before turning and giving his mum a hug and receiving a kiss on the forehead.

"Night, Dudley, I'll come in and tuck you in later, okay?"

"Okay, Mum." Dudley replied, walking off down the hall to take a warm shower.

"Do you see what I mean now?" Petunia asked when they were finally alone in the kitchen.

"Somewhat, but I don't quite know if that will quite be enough for Albus Dumbledore…" Severus said darkly, as he took another slice of pizza from the box.

"And don't forget the rest of the wizarding world…" Remus added.

"Oh yes, cater to the wizarding world… that's all we're supposed to do isn't it?" Snape replied sarcastically, a nasty smirk crossing his face for the better part of a split second.

"Why don't we go into the living room and talk about this some more, that is, if you're done eating, gentlemen." Petunia suggested, an exhausted look on her face.

"Actually Petunia, you look tired, perhaps Severus and I should go to our motel room and let you sleep. I'm sure it would save much time if we were all to sort this out once Albus Dumbledore is able to come here." Remus replied, all too aware of just how tired the poor woman must be. Even Severus could relate, seeing as he had to deal with hundreds of students daily, quite a few of them more adept at blowing up cauldrons than making potions.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. Perhaps it would be best if, in the future, we meet on one of my days off. I usually have Saturdays off of work so that's really the only choice we have… I can't afford to miss a day of work unless I absolutely can't help it." She said, yawning slightly, unable to keep herself from doing so. That nights dishes would have to be done the next morning along with the breakfast dishes.

"Well then, I bid you a good night and I hope that things look up tomorrow morning." Remus replied, shaking the skinny woman's slender hand.

"And I do as well. Good night, and I hope to see you and your family again." Severus took hold of Petunia's hand and politely kissed the back of it.

As soon as the two men had left, Petunia locked the doors, turned out all the lights, tucked her son and nephew into bed, turned on the night lights which Harry usually used if he needed to use the toilet at night, went into her own bedroom, disposed of her clothes, pulled on a night gown, and promptly threw herself onto her bed and fell into a fitful slumber filled with dreams of dangerous things that could take her beloved boys away from her.

Down the street, about five or six blocks away from where they had been only an hour before, Severus Snape and Remus Lupin both lie in their motel room, each with their own bed, discussing the afternoon and night's events.

"I don't understand it, Sev. Why Harry? Why, out of all the Wizarding kids today, does Harry have to deal with that?" Remus wondered as he lay there, staring at the white ceiling with peeling paint.

"There are things in this world that we have no control over, Remus. No other person has ever had the killing curse cast upon him and lived to tell it. Of course, that's even assuming that the Harry we saw today was even the same child as the one that Lilly Potter gave birth to." Severus replied, still feeling as if that day was only a dream or rather nightmare.

"No, it's him… you can see it in his eyes… I remember the look in his eyes when he was just a baby. He's still there, only restrained by his own mind. I only hope he'll be able to break himself free with time." Remus managed to get out, his voice choked by tears.

"Just go to sleep. Remember, we have a journey in the morning." Severus turned around and closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and promptly fell asleep. Remus, however, had a hard time sleeping. There was just too much to think about, and his mind just wouldn't shut off willingly. Silently he stared at the ceiling, his mind reeling with the mere prospect of Harry going to Hogwarts as he was now. Slowly, eventually, he fell into a less than peaceful slumber.

Remus had been having quite a pleasant dream, one where he, James, and Sirius were still young, quite alive, and free, all three of them dreaming of their futures as Wizards. He had always dreamed of being cured of his lycanthropy and being able to start a family of his own, being able to have a good, steady job, and most of all, being able to not worry about the full moon except when it came to making potions or for other classes, like divination.

Sirius Black dreamed of being able to leave his retched home, once and for all. He desperately desired to be thought of without the entire Black family history behind him. He wanted younger students to look upon him with the thought "Wow, Sirius Black is so cool." As opposed to "Sirius Black is such a filthy blood traitor." He wanted Voldemort to be destroyed as well, a desire that the three all shared.

James had always had trouble deciding whether or not he wanted to pursue a career in Professional Quidditch, or becoming an Auror. He dreamed of a time when the Wizarding world no longer had to hide from the likes of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. He also wanted Lily Evans to see past his troublemaking exterior and see him for the man that was hidden inside.

At the time, the three hadn't known anything that they had dreamed would actually come true. In fact, the three boys had been doubtful about them. Little did they know that each of their dreams had partially come true, but not totally, and not for long.

Remus could now take Wolfsbane Potion, if Severus Snape was so kind as to brew it for him. While he wasn't cured, as long as he took the potion, his transformations weren't nearly so dangerous to others and even more importantly, at least in Dumbledore's eyes, himself.

Sirus was no longer in his Family home, but that didn't mean he was free. Nowadays the people that did think about him really only remembered a guy who had given up Lily and James Potter to the dark lord, robbing young Harry Potter of his parents. They remembered that Poor Peter Pettigrew and how Sirius had blown him up in the middle of a Muggle street and the only part that had been found was one of his fingers. To this day, the only people who ever spoke well of him at all could be found at Hogwarts, in the minds and hearts of people who didn't quite believe it to be true, but still, now he lay rotting in Azkaban, the most notorious Wizarding Prison whose fame was much like that of Alcatraz, a muggle prison which was on a rather cold, wet rock, surrounded by the ocean. Both Prisons, different in origin, were similar. The only difference really was the muggle contraptions and lack of Dementors patrolling the prison, sucking all the happiness out of those sentenced there. Alcatraz was now more of a Muggle attraction where tourist would go to learn about the place.

James Potter was no longer alive. In fact, his and his wife's lives had been stolen away when their only child, Harry, had been a year old. Voldemort had been the culprit and had been somehow defeated by their son at the same time. That didn't mean people were free of fears about the dark lord, in fact that was far from the truth. One could still often hear whisperings of you-know-who and he-who-must-not-be-named among the wizarding community. Of course, it was all much different than before. Voldemort was nowhere to be found by even the best witches and wizards.

Things were different, but everyone still worried, some while sitting at a pub drinking till they couldn't drink any more or while they tucked their children in for bed. Others constantly worried about the dark times ahead. Albus Dumbledore was one of these people who always pondered these things no matter what they were doing even as he joyously welcomed students into the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He thought about it as he popped a lemon drop, his favorite muggle sweet, into his mouth. He thought of it as he sat at the Staff table in the Great Hall at meal times, during a walk by the Black Lake, while watching a Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and last but not least, while taking a bath. He was a very complex person despite his sunny exterior hid a confused and worried old man. No ordinary person could see it in his eyes, not yet at least. Only someone who knew him well, such as Minerva McGonagall could see the tiny lines of worry that were beginning to form around his eyes. She could see the way the twinkle had begun to fade from his eyes.

Minerva was a severe looking woman with dark graying hair that was held in a tight bun. She wore square framed glasses and her lips were often held tightly.

"Albus, I'm surprised to see you still up? Are you feeling alright?" Minerva asked, walking to where Dumbledore sat at his place in the great hall.

"I'm fine, Minerva." Dumbledore replied, his blue eyes gazing upon her. "I was just going over the message Severus sent me."

"Whatever do you have that man doing? He should be here teaching, Albus!" she cried in response. A Horace Slughorn had taken over the Potions classes this year and Albus had said that Severus Snape was away doing some field research. Minerva knew that Severus was never one for leaving the Dungeons unless it was an important matter, and with her knowledge of how Albus Dumbledore ran things, she knew that something must be up.

"Minerva, I suppose that the time is ripe to tell you." Albus sighed, picking up a tattered piece of lined muggle paper. "Please, sit down." She did as he said and he soon began to tell her.

"About four years ago, Arabella Figg came to me panicked. She hadn't seen Harry Potter at his residence for a month. Not only that, but Petunia and Dudley Dursley were gone from their home as well. Vernon Dursley, Harry's Uncle, was the only one there and was acting quite strangely, getting drunk on his front lawn, calling for his Pet and his Dudders. Other times throwing himself into a rage and throwing things around.

She explained to me that even though she had rarely seen the boy, let alone spoken to him, that something always seemed off about him. I called Remus Lupin and Severus to my office after Arabella left and asked them to go on a mission to find Harry, wherever he could be. It wasn't until this summer that they had found a lead." Albus folded his hands in his lap.

"You're telling me it's taken four years for them to find Harry Potter? Where is he? Is he okay?" came the questions. Minerva had always been fond of the Potters, especially of Lily Evans Potter, a girl with a heart of gold and green eyes more stunning than emeralds. She had been there when Albus had put young Harry on the Dursley's doorstep. The child hadn't even cried and was asleep at the time. She had seen the Dursleys as she had spent an entire day watching them in their frivolous activities. Of course, it hadn't even taken half the day for her to come up with an opinion and had deemed them unworthy of caring for the baby boy. She had voiced her opinion to Albus as soon as he had arrived with his put-outer.

"Yes, Minerva, but you see, Severus was only able to search during the summers, and Remus was always interrupted by the full moon. It was only yesterday they were able to get in touch with Harry's aunt and actually speak to Harry. It's not how long it's taken that disturbs me, Minerva, it is what they observed that keeps me up this late." Dumbledore straightened up in his chair and picked up an ornate clear glass jar with yellow lemon drops inside. "Lemon Drop, Minerva?" He offered, holding the jar open and within her reach.

"No, thank you, Albus. Please, why don't you continue telling me about young Potter?" She suggested, looking at the jar in distaste.

"Of, course, of course…" He replied as he selected a lemon drop and then popped it into his mouth. "What they found, is that young Harry is… well… how do I say it? He looks nine years old, but is mentally around the age of five or six most of the time."

"Albus Dumbledore, you had better not be pulling my leg. I find that highly unbelievable." Minerva gasped in shock.

"As unbelievable as it may be, Minerva, Severus seems to think that it may have to do with when Voldemort cast the killing curse on the boy. He and Remus also noticed that the boy seemed fearful of them, in a way that would suggest that he had been abused, but that his Aunt and Cousin seemed to treat the boy in a caring way and Severus thinks that it could explain why Petunia took her son and nephew out of her Husband's home and stopped in the United States, never getting back in touch with the man." Albus explained calmly.

"But Albus, if the boy is unable to attend Hogwarts… What about… Voldemort? What about everything? What are we going to do?" Minerva cried, a single tear slipping down her left cheek.

"I was going to call you in here after I thought it all out, but I think now that I shall join Severus and Remus in the United States and discuss this with Harry's Aunt. Perhaps I can find some way of helping the boy in a way that Muggle medicine cannot."

"When are you going?"

"Tomorrow night. I shall leave you in charge and take a port key to the place where Severus and Remus are staying." Dumbledore replied, getting up to softly pat the Headmistress on her shoulder.

"Well then, I hope things go well. I am tired Albus, so I shall leave you to sort this mess out and sleep. I have first year Gryffindors and Slytherins tomorrow morning."

"Of course, and I bid you good night, Minerva." And with that, McGonagall left through the stone stairway and quickly found herself back in her own rooms.

A/N: Okay I know this is a little short, but I think it's a good one. After all, we are finally introduced to Minerva McGonagall and see Albus preparing to see what is going on in person. Now please, Read and Review. You don't know how much the reviews mean to me, especially if they are helpful as in telling me what you like and dislike. I also like to hear ideas. I cannot stress it enough that I would really appreciate it if you people that have been reviewing without a registered screen name would please either register or log in to your existing accounts when reviewing so that I can reply to you rather than having to reply in new chapters. Thank you for all the support so far. Kudos! You can also find this fic on under the same screen name.