DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of it, JK Rowling and associates own all rights, no infringement intended, no money is being made, unfortunately.

WARNING; Pre-slash if you do not like do not read remember you have freedom of choice. Reviews appreciated but no flames those will be ignored.

STORY; as we get older and some of us actually mature you find that what you firmly believed was the truth can suddenly shift into something completely opposite and how you handle that shows what kind of adult you can become. Harry must deal with what he considers to be the weirdest summer of his life. Enemies become allies, friends become enemies, and sometimes there is a very thin line between love and hate, attraction and fighting. Poor Harry, poor Draco

PAIRINGS: HP/DM, SS/RL, GW/OC, RW/HrG, NL/LL

Chapter 7 Going Back

Harry sat back to stare across the table at his companion. He knew that sometimes talking to an outsider was the best way to get perspective on your situation or least that was what Hermione was always telling him.

"Okay Harry, want to tell me what happened and how you ended up at the library."

"I've got this friend" pausing when he saw the look in Sergio's eyes, he laughed a little knowing what was probably running through his mind, "No really, I do have a friend, and well actually he's kind of my godfather. See, I live with some guardians that are real pricks but he and some of his friends faced them down and told them they had better treat me right or they would be sorry. Anyway, he picked me up today so I could go to his house. I was really looking forward to it. See my real godfather died" here he took a deep breath to steady his voice, "a couple of months ago and since Remus was also a great friend of my parents he promised him that if anything happened he would step in and take his place to protect me. Well that was fine with me I really like him. Matter of fact at one time he was even one of my professors and was pretty cool."

"Sounds like a great guy to have around so what happened today?" Sergio asked with all kind of nasty possibilities running through his mind hoping he was wrong.

Harry sighed, "I acted like a selfish prat. He told me he had something to tell me, that he preferred telling me himself rather then my hearing it from other people. What it boiled down to was that he was gay." Here Harry took a quick look at Sergio who nodded encouragingly. "I was fine with that actually a friend of mine, she's really smart about these kind of things, pointed it out to me and my friends and we were all okay with that. That really surprised him, but he still seemed a little upset. Then he told me he was in a relationship and that was what he needed me to know. Then he told me who he was involved with and I snapped."

Sergio relaxed slightly has Harry continued speaking 'At least it wasn't what he was envisioning' thinking of all that could have happened to this young man at the hand of an adult he trusted. "Who was the person he's involved with?" he asked quietly.

"There was another professor at my school that went to school with my parents and Remus. He hated my father and godfather and hates me because of them. He treats me like shite most of the time. I hate him as well. How someone like Remus could be involved with someone like him is beyond me. Remus is kind and gentle and the bastard is mean and sarcastic. I mean Remus deserves better then that. I thought he cared about and wanted to be my godfather and here he is telling me he's involved with my worst enemy. I'll never get to spend anytime with him anymore. The evil git will probably turn him against me or something." Harry knew that he sounded like a little kid but could not seem to stop.

Sergio nodded slowly then asked, "Do you trust Remus?"

Harry said instantly "with my life."

"Okay do you trust his judgement of people?" Sergio asked trying not to smile when he saw that Harry realised where he was going with his remarks.

"But this guy is a bastard, everyone know it" Harry sulked folding his arms across his chest defensively.

"You didn't answer the question Harry." Sergio took a sip of his beer wondering if he had ever been so young and naïve.

"Yeah, I guess I do" Harry hated being painted into a corner. Sergio sounded like Hermione when she was trying to make a point, patiently coming up with questions that left you boxed in at the end.

"Now I know you say this guy hates you and you hate him but you have to remember you are seeing him from the perspective of a teenager and his student. Now look at him without all that baggage. Do you trust him as a person? Do you think he would ever hurt you?" Sergio asked not bothering to hide his smile anymore.

Harry gave a big sigh "No I don't like him but I do trust him. Hell he saved my life once (okay twice, okay more then twice) but I still do not think he could possibly care enough about Remus. What if the bastard hurts him, he has a sharp tongue and uses it all the time usually on my friends and me."

"Maybe he will but that's not your problem. He's an adult and if he wants to be in this relationship there is nothing you can do but support him."

"I know that but when I took off earlier I hurt Remus pretty badly." A shamed look crossed his face and made his green eyes dull as he remembered the hurt and pain on Remus face. "I told him I hated him and called the bastard a bastard to his face." Covering his face with his hands, he said, "I'll probably be in detention all next year you wait and see. The evil git won't take that lying down I don't care if Remus says he's willing to change."

"So maybe you owe some apologies to them. Since Remus cares for you enough to take over being your godfather, he will forgive you. As for the bastard, maybe you should give him a chance; there must be something good in him if your godfather cares for him that much. You will never find out though if you stay here. Let's get you home." With that, Sergio stood up throwing some money on the table.

Harry stood up to then hesitated thinking that taking a stranger to the house was probably not the brightest idea in the world. "I can get there by myself thanks."

"Harry, it's either I take you home or you go to a shelter or you go to the police station and your guardian picks you up there. I can't let you walk away." Sergio waited patiently for him to come to a decision.

Harry thought for a minute, maybe Remus could Obliviate him if he had to but maybe not as an idea occurred to him. "How about a compromise instead, we go to my street and you watch me from the corner as I go home but don't come with me. Remus would flip if he knew I was chatting to strangers. Deal?"

Sergio nodded his assent and they left the pub. "Deal, okay where to my friend?"

"Do you know where Grimmauld Place is?" Harry asked not sure where they were since he had lost track sometime ago.

"Sure we can walk it's not really that far away."

As they walked, they talked about everyday things with Harry making sure that he did not refer to magic and keeping a watchful eye for Deatheaters. As they approached the street he stopped in his tracks as he saw several figures standing on the corner looking around; spotting him they began to point and one of them made his way over. "Oh shit I am toast," Harry groaned.

Sergio asked, "Do you know them Harry," moving into a defensive posture with out being overt about it.

"Yeah it's Remus and the others are probably friends of ours. They've been looking for me I'll bet." Harry hunched his shoulders as he stood with his hands in his pockets; he knew Remus was going to be pissed at the stupidity of his actions. He wondered how many members of the order had been out looking for him. Damn, all his efforts to act adult down the drain in one moment because he did not like what he heard.

Harry felt Sergio's hand on his shoulder as if to give him encouragement as Remus came to stop in front of him. Looking up he realised that Remus was staring at Sergio and Harry decided to intervene before there was a scene like this morning. "Remus, this is Sergio Gambelli he runs a shelter near here and brought me back" he hoped that Remus would get the hint and not say anything about magic.

Remus looked at the man with his hand on Harry's shoulder. The man returned his stare not in a hostile manner but steady as if he was appraising Remus. Nodding, Remus looked at Harry. "Harry I'm sorry..."

Harry interrupted quickly "No Remus you have nothing to apologize for, it was all my fault. You are an adult and you have a right to care for anyone you want to without having to have my approval. I'll try to keep my mouth shut." Looking behind Remus, he could see Snape walking up to stand behind his lover staring at Harry with a blank mask on his face. Looking straight into Remus's eyes he took a deep breath and said in a clear and firm voice, "I'm sorry I said I hate you. It was wrong of me to try to hurt you like that. It was a shock thinking I had you all to myself then finding you care for my most hated professor made me snap. I should never have run off and I know I'll be in trouble and I'll take whatever punishment you say." Turning slightly he looked at Snape "I want to apologize for what I said, I have no right to say those kind of things to you" 'even if their true' he thought but kept that thought off his face.

Remus shook his head then pulled Harry into a hug, "We'll work on this together Harry, I care very much for you and have no intention of letting you go or letting someone else take your place okay? You had me worried taking off like that, please do not ever do that again. You can always tell me anything and no matter what I'll listen even if it's about my love life." Releasing Harry, he placed an arm around his shoulders "What do say we go home now. Besides you need to eat before you go back and Molly fixed us supper."

Remus turned to Sergio holding out his hand "I don't think I can thank you enough for bringing Harry home and looking after him." He had noticed the defensive position that the other man had assumed when he walked up. Thank Merlin that Harry had fallen into good hands.

Sergio nodded please with what he had seen. There was something familiar about the two men but he could not put his finger on it. Oh well, if they lived around here he had probably had seen them out and about. Shaking Remus's hand he turned to Harry "Good luck Harry and remember what we talked about okay. Here's my card ," he said pulling one out of his shirt pocket and handing it to Harry, "call me if you ever need to talk." Nodding to Snape, he turned and walked away.

As they walked, back to the house Harry asked, "Who's here?" Snape smirked at him "The order was informed of your flight and the majority of them are out looking for you. At the house right now are Molly, Tonks, Dumbledore, Shacklebolt, and Moody."

At Dumbledore's name, Harry groaned and covered his face. Why, Why, Why did these things happen to him? He definitely needed a new life he thought as they entered the door of #12 Grimmauld Place.

As soon as they entered, the kitchen Molly Weasley flung her arms around him, "Harry your okay, thank goodness. I have been so worried about you." Holding him out at arms length, she went from sappy to tigerish in a snap. "Young man you have a lot of explaining to do. How dare you take off like that? Poor Remus was worried sick about you as were the rest of us. What do you have to say for yourself."

"Molly, I think that we should have supper now," said Dumbledore from his chair at the table after a searching look at Harry. "I believe we can safely leave the rest to Remus."

Mrs. Weasley looked annoyed but agreed and after another hug, urged Harry to the table. Sitting quickly he looked around, Moody was staring at him and muttering under his breath; on the other side of the table, Tonks gave him a sympathetic look and continued eating. Shacklebolt nodded to Dumbledore then left saying he had to get back to the ministry and that he would notify the other members of the order that Harry was safe.

Harry wished he had a time turner so he could redo this afternoon, all his efforts to be grownup down the drain in one shot. After trying to force food down he got up and left the table. He saw Mrs. Weasley start to rise but a signal from Dumbledore sank back into her chair. He didn't see Remus around so headed back to the drawing room hoping that Draco wasn't there anymore remembering that he had not asked Dumbledore about that.

Stepping into the room, he realised that his luck was still bad when he heard a silky voice from the side of the room, "Well here comes the missing hero, what's the matter Potter can't stand a day without being the centre of attention."

Shooting a glare at Draco, Harry continued into the room and dropped down on a chair by the fireplace. "Sod off Malfoy!" he said in a tired voice and dropping his head back, he closed his eyes.

tbc