A/N: What's up guys. I apologize for the long wait. With the school year starting things kinda got flipped on their head for a couple weeks. For those of you who reviewed, thank you. I really appreciate reviews of my writing. For those of you who didn't please consider leaving a review. Thanks to all my readers and enjoy the next chapter. Happy Hunting, Fenris.

Chapter 3: A New Beginning

A black BMW sedan tore down the M4 towards London in the early afternoon rain. As Kyle drove his face remained a mask of calm that had an edge to it. Caroline sat in the front on her phone. They were 30 minutes from London when she placed her phone back in her coat.

'MI6 has a Social Service Agent on site. They are wrapping up the evidence now. The Dursley's are on their way to a hole in the ground to await trial.'

Kyle grunted, 'The whale is mine. Whatever his sentence is I administer it.'

'They've already agreed to that. They also have an agent picking up their son from school. He will be sent to foster homes or an orphanage.'

Kyle shrugged, 'Not my problem.'

They were just turning on the off ramp when Harry spoke. 'You should get that fixed. Otherwise it will stay.'

Kyle looked at him in the rearview mirror. 'Get what fixed?'

Harry silently motioned to his arm. The sleeve of Kyle's long sleeve shirt had slid down to reveal the effect of the belt. His arm had an ugly welt with cut and bruised skin surrounding it.

Kyle looked back at Harry. 'How do you know that?'

Harry simply pushed up is own sleeve to reveal a long thin white scar that wrapped around his arm in a similar fashion. Kyle's eyes hardened. 'Never again, I promise you that.'

Harry nodded. Silence reigned for five minutes before he spoke again. 'Who are you?'

Kyle sighed. 'I was one of your parents' friends. We went to school together and I was at their wedding. I had to go away for a while, but I promised them that I would look after you if anything ever happened to them.'

'Then why come now? Why not years ago? Why did I have to be with the Dursley's at all? WHY?!' Harry was screaming as tears fell down his checks. Kyle pulled into the parking lot of their hotel and opened Harry's door before gently pulling him out. With his hands-on Harry's shoulders Kyle knelt down so he could look him in the eye.

'That is a long and complicated answer. I promise to tell you the truth and nothing but the truth. For now, the short version is that I had to leave for some time and while I was gone your parents were killed. I promised to protect them and I failed. But I wasn't here when it happened. By the time I was able to come back you were hidden by others and the magic that I spoke of back in there hid you from me. I promise you that I never stopped searching for you. You can ask Aunt Caroline, she will tell you that whenever I could I looked for you. As a matter of fact, she was the one who found you. I hear somebody is a genius.'

Harry shrugged as he wiped his tears away, 'I can remember everything I've ever seen or done since I was 2 or 3. It's nothing special.'

'On the contrary, it's very special Harry. It means that you can learn more faster and it also means that you can use your intellect for something other than recall because it comes naturally to you. But that's beside the point. The point is that despite my failure I came as soon as I could and you will never have to endure that again. Do you understand?'

Harry nodded. Kyle saw that the kid was trying hard not to cry and looked at Caroline. She nodded and without another word Kyle gently pulled the boy into a hug. Leaning close he whispered in his ear. 'It's ok to cry son, even the strongest warriors cry.'

Harry pulled back a little and looked Kyle square in the eye, searching for a hint of falsehood. Instead, he saw honesty, sadness, and behind it all a hint of determined warmth. Without another sound, he fell into Kyle's arms sobbing for himself, for his pain, for his parents, and in relief. After a few minutes, his sobbing subsided and he looked back at Kyle. Kyle just nodded encouragingly and lifted his head a little. Harry stood a little straighter and wiped the moisture from his eyes. Then he went and tentatively hugged Caroline. She knelt just as Kyle had and held him to her as a mother does her son. 'You're ok now. If you'd like you can live with us.'

'Thank you. For everything.'

'No problem son. Now how about some food and then sleep?'

Harry's stomach grumbled loudly and he ducked his head in embarrassment and fear. Caroline gently lifted his chin so that he was looking in her eyes. 'There's nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. Now come on let's get you some food.'

o00O00o

Later that evening:

'How is he?'

'Tired, malnourished, mentally and physically exhausted, abused, scared, and a whole host of other things. But a couple of years and we can fix all of that. All he really needs is some regular meals with love and support to get him back where he should be.'

'Good.'

'His physical scars will heal, well some of them, but the mental ones won't ever truly leave him.'

'I hate to be a cold-hearted bastard but that's a good thing.'

'WHAT! How is that a good thing?!'

'Think about it Caroline, he will see both sides of the coin. Life has shown him what a man like Vernon is and now he will have someone to show him how to behave properly. Plus, he will also have me to teach him duty, and honor along with everything he needs to know about his family, his station, and magic.'

'Wait just a minute. What the hell do you mean by that?'

'What? About his station and his family?'

'No not that. You make it sound as if you won't be here all the time.'

Kyle let out a hallow laugh. 'Seriously? Of course, I'm not going to be here all the time. He'll have you and Dan, or, Dom. David maybe? Whatever the hell his name is, the guy your dating. He won't need me to be here 24/7. Plus, I'm not the best example of how a man and a father should act.'

'So that's it. You're going to save him and then just leave. When he needs you most? I can't believe you!'

'What do you want from me Caroline! We were filing divorce papers not 48 hours ago! And now you want me to stay? What can I give him? What can I give you? I have no money, no house, no job. I refuse to live of my grandfather's money and influence. I have no skills that are marketable other than killing. I will not make my best friends' son a killer just because that's all I know! And you! There is nothing I can give you! I'm a broken, defective, crushed man with nothing. That is not a man you want as a role model or a father.'

Kyle hung his head. Sorrow and anguish coated his features but it didn't matter what he wanted. He knew he was broken and he'd be damned if his own feelings got in the way of Harry's wellbeing. Caroline looked at him in shock. Did he really think so little of himself? She walked over and lifted his chin with two figures. Staring deep into his eyes she saw the pain and the anguish they held but behind it was the firmness that had always drawn her to him. She took a step back and slapped him.

'Holy shit woman! What the fuck was that for?!'

'You might be able to lie to yourself but you can't lie to me. You may be down but you are far from out. You aren't a killer, you are a survivor. Yes, you had to kill but you killed in defense, to survive, to bring everyone home. That's not a killer. Don't you dare degrade the man I love with your lies.'

With that she pulled him to her a gave him a soul searing kiss that he returned. When they came up for air she leaned into him and rested her head on his chest. Kyle held her close, wondering what the hell he'd ever done to deserve a woman like her.

'So now what?'

"Now we go home. I'll work from home. You get a good job and we can go from there but from now on we teach our son everything he needs to survive.'

Kyle pulled back slightly. 'You know something.'

It wasn't a question. 'MI6 has a small magical branch and although they are very reluctant they do share information occasionally. When I called about Harry earlier they said that they would do all the paperwork and get it cleared but they also warned me. They have reasonable suspicion to believe that Voldemort wasn't killed by whatever Harry's mom did to protect him. Rumors are that he is wandering as a wraith somewhere in Eastern Europe and he's trying to get a body back.'

Kyle's eyes went dark. 'If that bastard comes back I'm going to spray his brains across the ground.'

'I know but he will hunt down Harry.'

'The prophecy?'

Caroline nodded. 'Damn it. What do we do about that?'

'We'll tell him if he ever needs to know. And I mean if he ever encounters Voldemort again we will tell him the instant we can.'

Kyle slowly nodded. 'That way if Voldemort never comes back he doesn't ever have to know.'

'Yup. So now what?'

'Shouldn't I be asking you that?'

'Probably but my question still stands.'

Kyle sighed again. 'We are going to have to live of my grandfather's fortune. I just don't like using it. My family acquired it and I prefer to work for my living but I suppose we can live in my family house and off the family money until I can get a job. And we teach Harry everything we can. Fighting, magic, analysis, music, history, whatever. If he can absorb and understand it we'll teach it. And everything we can't teach we hire tutors for. He'll have to be homeschooled else he'll be bored and that's not a good thing for a student.'

'That actually sounds like a good plan.'

'Hey! I'm perfectly capable of coming up with good plans Miss I'm a Government Agent Lady.'

Caroline smirked. 'Maybe but it's my job.'

Kyle laughed lightly. 'That it is.'

Caroline rested against him. She had really missed their closeness and the feel of his arms wrapped protectively around her. It made her feel as if she was the only woman in the world.

'I have to ask. Why do you degrade yourself so much? I mean really. Compared to most men these days you're the only one I would want to be a father to my children. Or any children I suppose.'

Kyle's face fell and his eyes held a sorrow that seemed deep and aged. 'When you've done what I've done and seen what I've seen you see the world in a new light. I've seen the very worst of humanity. The part where its everyman for himself and dealing death is the only way to survive. The savagery, the barbarity, the horror, it all becomes real. And when the dust settles and you see the carnage the you wrought the hell that you inflicted you wonder if any part of you can ever be good again. I want any son of mine to see the good in the world and not always be looking for the bad, and I don't know if I can show him how to see the good and recognizes the bad. I see so little beauty now compared to eight years ago. I guess I just doubt my own ability to teach and not influence.'

Caroline sat him down on the couch before placing herself in his lap. Turning to face him she placed both her hands on either side of his face and looked him in the eye.

'You're not alone here Kyle, and like Harry you'll never be alone again.'

Kyle just pulled her close and kissed her forehead. 'I need you to get Harry ready to go tomorrow. I have something I need to take care of.'

Caroline cocked her head at his tone. 'What is it?'

'I need to kick the ass of the meddlesome bastard who put Harry with the Dursley's.'

Hey Guys. Sorry again for the long wait and also the short chapter. Next, we will see Harry's new home and also some of Kyle's Norse heritage and what it means for Harry. I'm probably going to do a bit of a time skip towards the end of the next chapter so we should see Harry at Hogwarts soon. Again, a huge shout out to Jasper Starfox, flame 55, and storybook thumb for reviewing. Catch you later and happy trails. Fenris