Harry Potter hated recess. Most kids his age loved the chance to be free from lessons for an hour and to play out in the sun. Harry would have loved it too except for one thing, his cousin Dudley Dursley. Despite being only about a month older, Dudley was taller, wider, and stronger than Harry and his favorite game was Harry Hunting. Dudley's gang would chase Harry across the schoolyard and if they caught him, they would beat him up. Harry's cheap wire frame glasses were held together with sellotape because Dudley so often punched him in the nose.

Harry had one advantage over Dudley. Maybe it was that Dudley was allowed as many sweets as he wanted and so was by far the fattest and slowest boy in school. It could have just been that Harry had a lot of practice running away. Regardless of why, if Harry could see Dudley and his gang coming, he could almost always outrun them. Today was different though. Last night, Aunt Petunia had decided that the kitchen floor was insufficiently clean and he'd been made to spend most of the night on his hands and knees scrubbing. He'd been so exhausted that he'd nearly fallen asleep in class. Then he'd opened his packed lunch to find two moldy bread crusts. He'd done his best to eat around the worst of the mold without letting anyone see. The last time a teacher had taken issue with his lunch he'd spent a week locked in his cupboard. Punishment for talking about what went on at home.

So, there he was, exhausted and starving, leaning against a tree trying not to think of food when he realized that Dudley was entirely too close to him. Harry turned to run but quickly realized that Dudley's gang had him cornered and they were closing in. His knobby knees were shaking. The last thing he needed on top of everything today was a pounding. He tried to see a way out of it but he couldn't. He'd have to run away from Malcolm, the fastest of the lot, but doing that would force him to run right at Dudley. He looked around for a teacher. None of the teachers liked him at all but they would still stop Dudley from pounding him if they saw it happening. Mr. Wadsworth was the closest but his back was turned and he was too far away for Harry to get to without being caught. Heart racing Harry desperately wanted to be anywhere that Dudley and his gang weren't. He closed his eyes and when he opened them, he wasn't in the schoolyard anymore.

Harry was in the middle of a busy market street that he knew was nowhere in Little Whinging. There, buildings were planned so that they all looked alike. Shops on the same street even had matching signs and everything was neat and orderly. This place was wonderfully haphazard. The buildings were all unique and a few seemed to have grown at funny angles. He looked around him, eyes wide trying to see everything at once. One shop had a stack of cauldrons sitting outside of it and a sign that read "Cauldrons - All Sizes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver - Self-Stirring - Collapsible." Another looked like a greengrocer's shop with its trays piled high with things outside the door but they weren't selling fruits and vegetables. The signs in front of each tray said things like asphodel root, 3 sickles an ounce and dragon liver, sixteen sickles an ounce. A man was standing over the trays muttering about the absurd prices. There was an owl emporium and a broomstick shop and...

"Hey there. You lost?" The voice came from a man standing over him.

Harry nodded. "Where am I?"

The man gave him a curious look. "You're in Diagon Alley lad. I'm guessing you had a bit of accidental apparition."

"Um...what?"

"Muggle-born, are you?"

"What's that?"

"Yep, muggle-born." The man sighed and knelt down so he could make eye contact with Harry. "Let me guess. You were thinking about being anywhere but where you were? Maybe something was chasing you?"

"My cousin."

"Great bullying git I imagine."

"Yeah."

"Well, you wanted to get away from him and just so happens you're a wizard so you moved yourself away by magic."

"I can do magic?"

"Sure kid."

Suddenly a lot of little things made sense. Like that time his teacher's wig had turned blue. And when Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a particularly revolting old jumper of Dudley's and it had shrunk down to doll size.

"Tell you what, why don't we go to the Leaky for a bit and then we can figure out getting you home. I imagine you've given everyone a bit of a fright."

Harry didn't dare say that his aunt and uncle would be glad to be rid of him. Instead, he just followed the man to a brick wall. The man pulled out a thin stick and tapped at a few of the bricks in what looked like a particular pattern. The wall sort of folded away into an arch and revealed a rather plain door with the words Leaky Cauldron painted on around a picture of a cauldron with a crack in the bottom.

"Come on then lad. I'll buy you a drink."

They went in together and sat down at the bar.

"Hey there Atherol. Usual for you today?" Said the barman.

"That'll do nicely Tom and a pumpkin juice for my young friend here. By the way kid, what's your name?"

"Harry. Harry Potter."

All of a sudden there was a crush of people around him. They were all trying to pat him on the shoulder or talk to him at the same time.

"Are you really Harry Potter?"

"Do you have the scar?"

"Where've you been Harry?"

"Is it really him?"

"Said he's Harry Potter."

Harry felt himself being pulled in several directions at once by strangers. Just as he thought the crowd might pull him apart firm hands grasped him around the shoulders and a loud voice shouted.

"All right, that's enough you lot. You vultures have pecked him enough. Back off now."

Of course, no one moved. Harry saw a flash of bright light and then everyone moved away from him. The hands moved him through a door before he could say anything. Once they were through the door, Harry got a look at his savior. The shabbily dressed man looked like someone Aunt Petunia would cross the street to avoid. His face and hands were covered in scars. A few of those looked fresh.

"Colloportus", the man said. He had a stick like the one Atherol had used on the bricks and was pointing it at the door. "Well now, that should keep your adoring fans away for a while."

"Thanks." Harry panted. "Who are you? And why did they do that?"

"My name is Remus Lupin, Harry. I was a friend of your father's."

"You knew my father?"

"Yes. James and I were at school together. You look just like him. But you've got your mother's eyes." Mr. Lupin gave Harry a sad smile. "And, as to why the crowd reacted like that to your name, has no one told you how you came by that scar?"

Harry touched the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. "I got it in the car crash that killed my parents."

Mr. Lupin laughed in a way that Harry knew meant he was not actually amused. "A car crash? Of all the absurd... Who told you that James and Lily died in a car crash?"

"My aunt and uncle."

"I see. So, that's where Dumbledore hid you. Well, I can't imagine that living with Petunia and that fellow she married has been pleasant."

"Everything's fine at home."

Mr. Lupin frowned at Harry. "Is that what they told you to say if anyone asked?"

"Really, Mr. Lupin, everything is fine."

"Harry, I can tell by looking at you that everything is not fine. For starters you're entirely too thin."

"It's just because my clothes are too big. They're hand-me-downs from my cousin."

"I'm sure that's all that most people see but I know what to look for. When was the last time you ate a proper meal?"

Harry didn't answer right away. Mr. Lupin guided him to a chair and sat facing him. He picked up Harry's right hand.

"You've got calluses and your fingernails are worn down. They make you do hard work, don't they?"

He pushed up Harry's sleeve.

"And someone grabbed you tight enough to leave behind a bruise. It's greenish so it happened about a week ago."

Harry put his hand over the place where Uncle Vernon had yanked his arm so hard that he'd thought his arm might come off. He didn't know what to think. He sat there for a few moments staring at his lap. Then he did something that surprised him.

"Please," Harry said. He could feel tears falling. "Don't make me go back there."

Then, for the first time ever, Harry felt a hug. It was warm and kind and he wondered if his father had ever hugged him like that. Surely, he had. Remus lifted Harry up.

"Hold on tight to me, Harry. I'm going to take us to see a friend of mine."

Harry felt an unpleasant sensation like being squeezed through a tube. He couldn't breathe at all and just as he thought his lungs might burst, the sensation went away and he was standing on the high street of a village surrounded by mountains.

"Sorry about that." Mr. Lupin said, setting Harry down on his feet. "Side-along apparition is a bit rough but I didn't want to risk taking you back into that crowd to use the floo."

Harry just stared at the man.

"Right, silly me. You've been living with muggles this whole time. I'll bet that made no sense whatsoever." He held Harry's hand as they walked up the high street. "Well, there's plenty of time to learn all of it. Come on, ask me anything you like."

"What's a muggle?"

"That's a person who can't do any magic."

"And that other man said that I was muggle-born."

"Aah, he only thought that because you didn't know anything about our world. A muggle-born is someone who can use magic but has muggle parents. Your mum was muggle-born. She grew up not knowing about magic like you."

"What's that stick thing?"

"This?" Mr. Lupin produced the stick.

Harry nodded.

"This is my wand. I use it to do magic."

"But I didn't need one to do magic."

"A wand gives you more control and sometimes more power. However, if you practice, you can still do some things easily without one. Aah, here we are."

They'd walked along out of the village and up to a tall wrought iron gate. Beyond the gate was a huge castle. Remus touched the gate and Harry could feel a kind of faint pulsing. Before long Harry saw a woman walking down from the castle to meet them.

"Remus? My word, it's been ages." she said as she opened the gate. "Where have you been all this time?"

"Yorkshire, mostly."

"Well, you look terrible."

Mr. Lupin shrugged. "I've been worse."

"And what have we here?" Harry felt the woman's gaze examine every inch of him. He wondered if she could see all of the things Mr. Lupin had. She looked at Mr. Lupin with a face full of concern, "Remus, he isn't—"

"No, Minerva. It's not that. I found him in London. A bit of accidental magic landed him in the middle of Diagon Alley."

The woman touched Harry's forehead gently and swept aside his fringe. She gasped at the sight of his scar.

"Minerva, meet Harry Potter." He turned to Harry. "Harry, this is Professor Minerva McGonagall. Transfiguration Mistress, Head of Gryffindor House, and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Harry tried for a polite smile. "Nice to meet you Professor."

"Likewise, Mr. Potter. Well, let's get the two of you inside. I believe the headmaster already knows you're here."

A short while later, Harry found himself seated at a table across from Mr. Lupin. They were eating corned beef sandwiches from a plate that refilled itself every time they emptied it and drinking pumpkin juice poured from a similarly never-emptying pitcher. Harry couldn't remember the last time he'd had a full stomach. The Dursleys had always fed him at mealtimes, unless they wanted to punish him. But, while Dudley had been allowed thirds and fourths, Harry had learned to never ask for more even when Dudley had taken whatever he liked off of Harry's plate.

He had just realized that he couldn't fit another sandwich when an ancient looking man in a powder blue robe with a matching pointed hat swept into the room followed closely by Professor McGonagall and a greasy haired man dressed all in black. The older man gazed at Harry over his half-moon spectacles. His blue eyes were quite possibly the kindest that Harry had ever seen but, Harry could tell that this man was powerful beyond measure. He could tell that this man must be the headmaster. The man in black seemed as cold as the headmaster seemed kind. He barely spared a glance at Harry before turning to sneer at Mr. Lupin.

"Well, well, well, Lupin. How like you to come slinking back here with your tail between your legs."

"Hello to you too Snape. You're looking well. Must be the protection of these hallowed halls."

Harry looked at Mr. Lupin and wondered how these two knew each other and why they clearly disliked one another.

"Gentlemen, please. Fifteen years should have been more than enough time for both of you to set aside a childish grudge." the headmaster said in a tone like a heavy weight wrapped in fleece, soft yet firm. "Even if it has not, both of you should be able to leave it for a more appropriate time."

The headmaster's eyes never lost their kindness but Professor McGonagall glared at both men like they were still schoolboys.

"You're right of course Albus. Snape, I apologize for my tone." He paused a moment to give the other man an opportunity to speak. When he didn't, Mr. Lupin resumed. "Gentlemen, this young man is Harry Potter. Harry, this is Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts and Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House."

Harry stood up. "Nice to meet you both."

Professor Dumbledore smiled at Harry but Professor Snape only sneered. Harry looked at him trying to understand what he'd done wrong but the moment he caught the professor's eye, the man's expression changed completely.

"Well, Harry, how about we sit down and you tell me how you came to be in the company of one of my former students."

"Yes, sir." Harry recounted the day's events starting with being cornered by Dudley. When he finished, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall were smiling.

"That was quite the impressive bit of accidental magic Harry." Professor Dumbledore said. "It's rare for a child to travel so far with an accidental apparition. I believe we shall see great things from you once you start your education."

Harry didn't know what to make of that so he shyly said thanks and then asked a question.

"Professor, why did the crowd react like that? How did they all know who I was?"

"Harry, your mother and father were people of uncommon courage who answered the call to fight against a certain dark wizard who styled himself Lord Voldemort. This dark wizard found them in hiding and killed both of them before turning his wand on you."

Harry couldn't remember his parents. He'd never even seen pictures of them. When he tried to think of them all he could remember was a flash of green light and a burning pain in his forehead. He'd always assumed that was his only memory of the car crash.

"The Dursleys told me that mum and dad were drink-driving. They said that my parents were irresponsible, reckless people who didn't care if they made problems for everyone else."

Professor Dumbledore didn't respond but Mr. Lupin did.

"I can't imagine a less accurate description of Lily. She was the kindest person I ever knew. Brave, intelligent, and terrifying when we got on her bad side which James seemed to do constantly until about sixth year. Still, he managed to grow into the kind of man Lily could love."

Dumbledore continued. "Truer words were never spoken. I am proud to have had them as students and even prouder to have known them as friends. But, Harry, you are famous because something extraordinary and very unexpected happened when Voldemort tried to kill you. The spell backfired. The curse that was meant to kill you hit Lord Voldemort instead ending his reign of terror over our world. Rumors spread very quickly in our world and by the morning I doubt there was a single witch or wizard in Britain or Ireland who had not heard of Harry Potter and his defeat of Voldemort."

"But I didn't do anything. Did I?"

"No, Harry, I do not think you did anything. You were just a baby after all."

"Then how?"

"Theories abound Harry. Perhaps we will explore them at a later date. For now, we must see you returned safely home."

Harry paled. He looked up at Mr. Lupin. "No. Please. I don't want to go back there."

"Albus," Mr. Lupin said. "You know as well as I do what those people have done to him."

"Minerva, would you be so kind as to stay with Harry while I speak with Remus and Severus alone." Professor Dumbledore said.

"Of course."

The three men left the room and Harry was left sitting with Professor McGonagall.

"He won't send me back there, will he?"

"That remains to be seen, Mr. Potter."

Harry stared at the floor and tried not to cry again.

"Why don't you come with me Mr. Potter. I think it's time we had Madam Pomfrey have a look at you."

Harry was too frightened for words. He'd accidentally landed himself in the midst of truly good people who seemed to care for him. People who knew about what was going on in that house and they still might send him back. Didn't they understand that he wouldn't face the usual torment after what had happened today? He'd be punished for causing trouble. They might never let him leave that cupboard again after this.

"Oh, hello professor."

Harry realized that he'd been quietly following Professor McGonagall through the halls while he'd been thinking. He looked up to see two boys, both much older than him, with matching bright red hair and freckles. The smaller of the two was holding his arm very carefully.

"Good afternoon, Messrs. Weasley. What might you gentlemen be up to?"

"Fell off my broom professor." The younger one said.

"Charlie Weasley, in five years, not once have I seen you fall from a broom."

"Well professor, in five years, not once have I ever been hit by a rogue hippogriff midair."

Professor McGonagall's eyes widened. "A rogue hippogriff?"

"Yes professor. Hagrid and Professor Kettleburn were trying to treat an injury and the situation got away from them." The older boy said.

"The hippogriff too." Charlie said, laughing.

Harry didn't know what a hippogriff was but he still smiled at the joke.

"I think that I should check on those two." Professor McGonagall said. "Since the two of you are already going to the hospital wing, would you mind escorting young Mr. Potter."

"Potter? Not Harry Potter?" Charlie asked.

Harry took a hesitant step back, afraid that they'd act like the crowd in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley. Harry Potter." Professor McGonagall said. "I'd appreciate it if you could stick with him until Professor Dumbledore or I come for him."

"Sure professor." Professor McGonagall nodded to the three of them and walked off quickly.

"Hi there, I'm Bill and this is my brother Charlie," the older one said, extending his hand. Harry shook it. "Come on, the hospital wing is this way."

"Boy is Ginny, that's our baby sister, going to be in a strop when she finds out we met you," Charlie said. "She's a bit obsessed."

Harry grimaced.

"Don't worry. She's only 7. Easy enough to handle her," Bill said. "You're about the same age, aren't you?"

"I'm 8," Harry said, not at all convinced that their sister being a year younger than him would make her easy enough to handle. Some of the girls in the year below him were just as mean to him as Dudley's gang.

"So, you'll be in the same year with Ron then. He's one of our brothers."

"He's nice enough. As long as you keep him fed that is." Charlie laughed. "Maybe you'll be friends."

Harry had never had a friend. Back in reception, Dudley had beaten up anyone who tried to be nice to Harry. Fear had kept everyone away after that. Bill and Charlie kept quiet when Harry didn't respond. They walked in silence all the way to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey directed Harry and Charlie to adjacent beds. She examined Charlie's arm and then pointed her wand at it. There was a bit of light and then Charlie smiled as he moved the arm about freely.

"Thanks Madam Pomfrey. It's good as new."

"You're welcome Mr. Weasley. Try to be more careful in the future. Off you go then."

Bill spoke up. "Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall wanted us to stick with Harry until she came back."

Madam Pomfrey frowned at the brothers.

"Very well, any interference and you can wait for him in the hall. Understood?"

They both enthusiastically agreed.

She nodded approvingly and then turned to Harry. She examined him visually before pointing her wand at him in a few places.

"I trust someone has fed you today."

Harry nodded.

"Well, that and some rest will do you worlds of good. Do you have trouble sleeping? Lumpy mattress?"

"I...don't have a mattress."

"What do you mean you don't have a mattress? What do you sleep on?" Charlie asked.

"Well, there's no room for one in the cupboard so I sleep on the floor."

"The cupboard!"

"The floor!"

Both boys spoke at the same time. Madam Pomfrey gave them a firm glare and they clamped their mouths shut.

"Off with your shirt Harry."

Harry hesitated and then looked at the Weasleys. Madam Pomfrey immediately drew a curtain around Harry's bed. It was as if she'd read his mind and that he was afraid of how the brothers might react. Harry took off his shirt. The matron inhaled sharply when she saw the bruise on his arm.

"Who did this to you?"

"My uncle. I wasn't moving fast enough."

"And these others." She gently touched the many different colored bruises in various places on his chest and back.

"My cousin. He likes to beat me up. He thinks it's fun."

"Does no one stop him?"

Harry shook his head. Madam Pomfrey left the curtain. Bill took the opportunity to whisper to Harry.

"Hey. Pass out your shirt. Your glasses too."

"I won't be able to see."

"Well just let me fix your shirt first."

"Fix it how?" Harry said as he handed Bill the shirt.

Madam Pomfrey came back before Bill could answer. She opened a jar of a thick white cream and smeared it over his bruises.

"That should clear those right up. Let me check your legs too."

Harry doffed his trousers and Madam Pomfrey handed them out to Bill. She spread more of the white cream on the bruises on his legs and poked her wand at a couple of spider bites.

"Now, there. That makes a significant improvement."

Bill handed Harry's clothes back through the curtain without looking. Harry put them on to discover that they fit, perfectly. He felt his eyes fill with tears and he tore open the curtain.

"Oh, good I got the size right." Bill said.

Harry wanted to say something but he couldn't find the words. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Bill tightly.

Bill hugged Harry back. "Hey now. It's alright. Least I could do, really."

"Let me see those glasses for a sec." Charlie said. The boy reached and pulled Harry's glasses off his face. Harry couldn't see anything so he stayed where he was. He heard Charlie say "Oculus Reparo" and "Infragilis."

"There you go. Now that bastard cousin of yours can't break them anymore."

Harry put his glasses on and they fit like they had the day he'd first got them. He hugged Charlie and Madam Pomfrey too.

"Well, Mr. Potter. I think you're good to be released from my care. Do try not to come back soon."

Harry smiled and thanked Madam Pomfrey.

"Come on Harry, let's go see if they've caught the hippogriff yet." Charlie said.

"Charlie, Madam Pomfrey said to try not to come back." Bill said.

Charlie looked dejected. "Fine, what do you want to do? And don't say revision. We've done enough revision for three lifetimes."

"Look just because you only care about one of your O.W.L.s..."

"Nuh uh. I need potions and charms too. I'm just not mad enough to go for 6 N.E.W.T.s"

"Well, I want to be a curse breaker. I need a lot of qualifications."

"No, you don't. You just have to bring home the treasure."

"And how do you think you get the treasure, genius?"

Harry just watched them bicker. At first, he'd been worried that they were fighting but clearly neither was angry.

"Maybe we should just go up to Gryffindor Tower. Harry looks like he could use a nap," Bill said.

"Huh." Harry hadn't realized that he was yawning.

"Come on then." Charlie said, "You can have a kip in our dorm."

The trio climbed the stairs together and Harry noticed that there didn't seem to be many people for a school this big. He asked the Weasleys.

"That's because it's the Easter Holidays." Charlie answered.

"We stayed behind so we could revise for our exams." Added Bill.

"But today we decided to take a break and go flying."

"And then you got broken?" Harry asked.

The brothers laughed and Charlie clapped his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"You'll do alright here Harry." Charlie said.

They continued their way towards Gryffindor Tower but before they got there, they were met by Professor Dumbledore and Mr. Lupin. It looked as though Mr. Lupin had managed to shower, shave, and put on fresh clothes.

"There you are Harry," Mr. Lupin said. "I thought you were going to stay with Professor McGonagall."

"There was a problem with a hippo-something. It knocked Charlie off his broom."

"A hippogriff?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"Professor McGonagall went to help Hagrid and Professor Kettleburn," Bill explained.

"She asked us to stick with Harry until she got back," Charlie added.

"Thank you very much. I'm certain you young gentlemen have better things to do than babysit." Professor Dumbledore said.

"Not at the moment professor," Charlie said, "if we revised anymore our brains might melt."

"We certainly would want to avoid that." Professor Dumbledore said with a chuckle.

"Thanks for looking after him." Mr. Lupin paused. "You two are Molly Prewett's boys, aren't you? I guess it's Weasley right?"

Bill and Charlie nodded.

"I knew your uncles. Gideon and Fabian. They were a few years ahead of me. Good men."

"Thanks." Bill said, quietly.

"Harry, I do believe the three of us should have a little chat." Dumbledore said.

Harry looked at Bill and Charlie.

"Don't worry Harry, you will meet them again."

"Come on." Mr. Lupin said.

Harry followed along. They climbed staircases and followed corridors until they reached a statue of a gargoyle.

Dumbledore spoke directly to the statue, "Gumdrops."

The statue turned out of the way and a moving staircase appeared. Harry followed Professor Dumbledore and Mr. Lupin onto the staircase which led them up to Dumbledore's office. It was a large circular room. A number of small tables held various items. Some of them were making sounds or producing light or smoke. There was a large desk near the center and behind it were a number of paintings. A few seemed to be just blank backgrounds. Some of them appeared to be sleeping and others were watching him. A large red bird sat on a perch near the desk and, seeming completely out of place, was a tattered old wizard's hat.

Dumbledore took a seat behind his desk and directed Harry and Mr. Lupin to sit in chairs across from him.

"Harry, earlier I told you that we would explore the theories concerning your survival at a later date. It was my intention to do that when you were a few years older. However, I have been convinced that it is necessary to explain a few things to you now."

Harry nodded.

"Magic is very old Harry. It is so old that it may even be older than I am and that is saying something."

Harry smiled at the professor's joke and he saw Mr. Lupin shake his head, unable to hide his own smile.

"It is so old that I believe most of us have forgotten more about it than we currently know. One of those things is the power of certain emotions and certain kinds of actions. Now, every magical child knows something about magic driven from emotion. In fact, you learned that lesson today did you not?"

"You mean when I ap-appa uh magicked myself away from school because I was afraid of Dudley?"

"Precisely, Harry. Even when you learn to control your magic, occasionally, you will cause something to happen unintentionally as a result of your emotions. Now, there are two emotions that are far more powerful than any other. They are love and hate. We may come to discuss hate some years from now but for today we will discuss love. There is no act of love greater than to give your life to protect someone. That is what your mother did for you. In that moment, her magic, fueled by her love for you, reached out and placed the strongest protection imaginable around you. It was so strong that it repelled a curse that no one has ever survived before or since."

His heart felt like it was going to explode out of his chest. Harry felt Mr. Lupin's strong hand on his shoulder. He knew now that it must have been true but hearing Dumbledore's words, he knew without a doubt that his parents had loved him. They had not abandoned him. His mother had died protecting him.

"Harry, if you are ready to hear it, there is more."

Harry nodded.

"I knew what sort of people your aunt and uncle were but I still hoped that they could love you. I prayed that you would be well cared for there, for you see, your mother's last act still protects you as long as you live with her blood relatives."

Harry's head shot up and he stared the professor in the eye.

"But you said that Volde—the man that killed my parents was dead."

"Voldemort is most likely dead. However, there are supporters of his who are still free and would be glad of the opportunity to kill you."

"So, I have to go back because otherwise I could be killed?"

"Yes."

"What if I hid somewhere protected?"

"Your parents did that Harry. It didn't work."

"I can't go back there. I just can't."

"Harry," Mr. Lupin said, "just because you're going back, doesn't mean you're going alone."