Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it does not belong to me. Will include descriptions of child abuse.

HHH

It was getting close to the end of the school year and despite the hell that Hogwarts was, Harry was not excited for summer. If anything, he was terrified. The idea of going home made him feel sick. He didn't want to return to the Muggles on Privet drive, the idea of it terrified him. There was only one person that Harry thought could potentially help him. He was a bit nervous to ask after everything the man had already done for him but he was hopeful he would hear him out.

And so, Harry approached Professor Flitwick in his office, more shaken and scared then normal. Something that worried the man. Harry had gone through so much during the school year so to see him actually trembling in fear, worried him. He got Harry to sit down before the boy fell over. "Harry, why don't you tell me what's on your mind," Flitwick suggested gently. "Is there something I can help you with."

"I...I don't know," He admitted hoping he was making the right decision. Telling had never before crossed his mind. Not since before but Flitwick was different. Flitwick cared about him.

"Just tell me lad. I cannot help unless I know."

It took a moment for the quiet first year to find his voice and when he did, he shocked the professor. "I...I don't want to go home," Harry said finally, whispering the statement.

Flitwick froze realizing there was much more to this visit then he had previously thought. There were a lot of reasons children often did not want to go home but Harry was not like them, Hogwarts was his own personal hell so how much worse did his life outside have to be to make him not wish to leave? "Mr Potter, Harry why do you not want to go home."

Harry gnawed on his lip slightly, shaking. "I...my aunt and uncle hate me...like more than the people at Hogwarts don't like me. They...they were so angry at the idea of me going to Hogwarts and they said...they said they had wanted to beat it out of me and I… I am worried they might try again and I... I can't go back again. Hogwarts...I hate it and I thought about leaving before but I can't go back to the Dursleys is. Professor, I don't know what to do."

Flitwick's magic spiked angrily wondering if this boy ever got a break from anyone. If everyone was just against him. It also better explained his meekness when he first arrived. "Harry, I am going to need a larger explanation then your guardians hate you if I am going to be able to do anything about it."

"I...I..."

Flitwick looked at him seriously, he needed the boy to outright say he was harmed in the home in order to be able to do anything about it, just suspicions did little. One of the flaws in the system. "I need you to trust me Harry."

"Everyone I've ever told called me a liar," Harry whispered. "It just made it worse. Telling always made it worse."

That made the situation even worse, to have reached out for help and turned away would be devastating to any child let alone an abused one who was likely punished for asking for help. "Trust me, have I ever caused you any reason not to Harry? I can help you. Just...tell me some of the things from your childhood that cause you distress and I will see how best to play this. Depending on their actions, it may mean I have to force them to sign over guardianship or if their actions are bad enough get it moved automatically to someone better."

Harrys eyes widened in shock, there was not an option there that forced him back to their home. He had said either way he'd get him out, whether by signing their rights away or getting him taken, he said nothing about him having to go to the house. "I...I...my bedroom," Harry said finally not knowing where to start. "They never gave me a real room. I just...I slept in the cupboard under the steps on a toddlers bed that was Dudley's." Flitwick inhaled sharply. "Even though Dudley, that's my cousin got two rooms, one for his broken toys and one for him and there was a guest room for Uncle Vernon's sister when she visited. My primary school teacher called me a liar when I tried to tell her. I like the cupboard since no one could touch me but...but it was small and when they closed the vent it would get really dusty. Sometimes they'd lock me in for days and days and not let me out and not give me food...and it felt like I was going to die and I just..."

He was having trouble speaking and so Flitwick gave a slight prompt. As long as he got enough information, even with what was said he'd never be returned to that home. "How long would they tend to go without properly feeding you?"

"I...what's properly?"

"A full plate of food," he said summoning an illusion of a plate full of food smaller then what he thought a child his age should be eating, if he had not gotten even this amount, three times a day it would be considered abuse.

Harry cringed in on himself, that was to him a large plate of food, he couldn't remember ever being given that much, "I don't usually get a full plate. Sometimes I get a scoop of eggs if they are in a good mood but normally its whatever's left over. They don't really like me eating with the family and my cousin...he eats a lot so there's never much left over."

To Flitwick, that explained the boys small size. Something that was so unlike his parents. He should have suspected, a part of him did but with the abuse he suffered at the school, it was hard to see what trauma was from his home compared to what was from the other students. "I see, and how often did they make you go a full day without eating."

"Maybe twice a week, if I didn't get my chores done or did better than Dudley on a test or did something freakish I wasn't allowed to eat," he admitted embarrassed to admit it but the professor was the one he felt safest talking to. "Or if they got a note home from school complaining about me not having a lunch or if the teachers got mad at me for fighting or well...getting beat up. Or when something went bad at uncle Vernon's work it was my fault since I'm a freak."

That was a lot of reasons to have food withheld and the professor felt sick seeing how easily he called himself a freak. "I see, so they often withheld food for any imagined slight..."

"I...they had reasons but...I really like knowing where the kitchens are here cause If I'm hungry I can eat but at the Dursleys, if they find out I'm stealing food they'd kill me." There was slight panic in his voice at the very idea of taking food without permission from them.

"Okay Mr. Potter, has either your aunt or uncle ever physically caused you harm? Beat you with their hands or objects, shook you roughly, slapped you..."

Harry nodded hiding behind his bangs, "Harry, I need to know which they did." Verbal answers was all that the aurors would accept.

"All of it," he admitted his voice even quieter then normal.

"Have they ever broken anything, your arm, leg..."

Harry nodded again, "I... Uncle Vernon liked to twist my arm and sometimes wouldn't stop till he heard the snap and then he'd just laugh."

"And objects, what sort of things did they tend to hit you with," Flitwick asked horrified by everything he had already revealed but he steeled his emotions, his students wellbeing was more important right now.

"Aunt petunia liked hitting me with the frying pan if...if I burnt breakfast or didn't make it fast enough and Uncle Vernon would whip me with his belt or rope."

"Alright Mr. Potter, I can promise you that you will not be returning," Flitwick stated without hesitation. That was all he needed to know. That had well passed the line into abuse.

Harry let out a breath he had not known he was holding. "R-really?"

"Mr. Potter, I'm unsure of whom you have told in the past, but they were wrong not to remove you immediately," Flitwick said. "Your cousin, what is he like?" Flitwick knew the Dursleys would be getting prison time but he needed to know if there was another child in an abusive situation."

"He hates me," Harry said. "He is worse than the bullies here?"

"In what way?"

"In kindergarten, he made up a game called Harry hunting, where he got all the students to chase after me and beat me up," Harry admitted. "Professor, why can I not fit in anywhere? Everywhere I go, people seem to hate me. What do I keep doing wrong?"

'Nothing, you do absolutely nothing wrong," he stated wishing things were easier for the young boy. It didn't seem fair that he had nowhere to escape to. "Its everyone else that is wrong."

"There must be something wrong with my, my only living relatives hate me, everyone at both my schools," Harry protested disagreeing, after all, the only thing that seemed to be the problem with him. Other people fit in but it seemed like no one at all liked or accepted him, so he must have been doing something wrong. "Muggle and magic. It's got to be me that's wrong. All I've ever wanted was a family or friends and I just make a mess of everything. I just don't know what to do professor."

"You did what you should," Flitwick stated wanting to assure him of one thing. "You trusted me. That day on the astronomy tower and here today. Now let me prove to you I am worthy of that trust Harry. You have done nothing wrong and someday; the world will see you for who you are. You will have friends and a family. Anything you wish. Just give it time. Today however, I believe I have muggles to deal with. You will likely be asked to speak to an auror but I think I know of some individuals who might be willing to take custody of you. I cannot as your teacher, a conflict of interest but your father may have been the last of the Potter's but his mother has living family, they have many friends who would likely be willing to take you in."

"I really don't have to go back," Harry asked hopeful since it sounded too good to be true

"I will do all in my power to protect you Harry."

He went around the table hugging the small professor relieved that he had come and told him. It was like a large weight was lifted off his shoulders. He didn't have to go back. He would be safe. At least safer. "Thank you."

Flitwick returned the hug as the boy ran off. First he went to Amelia Bones demanding a meeting for an abused student, second he began going through people who he personally could trust to protect the child. He'd give that boy the life he deserved or die trying.

HHH

Flitwick explained to the head of the DLME the situation and she looked disgusted by anyone doing such horrible things to a child. She had done a brief investigation at the house and gotten more proof then what she would need. "We will need his statements for records but just...we saw his old room when we investigated," Amelia Bones stated. "And hearing the poison from his uncle's tongue," she scowled at the very thought of that fowl man. "No child will ever be in there reach again. We are letting it go with the muggle police. They've already been arrested, we've shared the information that he gave you, but they admitted to most of it. Apparently to them it is what a 'freak' deserved. Do you have guardians in mind for him? If not, I'd even be willing to offer my own home."

While he appreciated the offer, he knew it would not work out. She had been someone he had considered as one of the possibilities knowing she was fairly close to the Potters at some point, working with James. It wasn't an option though. It wasn't the sort of home Harry would need. He needed to be someone's priority and to be safe from bullies. Not shoved in the home where he would be treated cruelling by one of the residents. He had full faith in Amelia but she did not live alone. "That would never work out," Flitwick said. "You have custody of your niece."

"And I am sure Susan would be happy to welcome her classmate," She offered since Susan had always wanted siblings but with her parent's deaths and Amelia being married to the job it was never an option. "How someone could be so cruel to James and Lily's son I don't understand."

Flitwick gave a bitter laugh he found everyone was able to be cruel to the child, "ask your niece how she acts to a little Ravenclaw first year by the name of Harry Potter. She won't tell you but the Hufflepuff's guilt tends to read on their faces. I've already taken over 50 points this year from her and her friends and given five detentions to them for cruelly bullying Mr. Potter. I will not put him somewhere he would not be wanted by everyone in the home."

Amelia looked at him shocked at the idea of her usually kind-hearted niece bullying anyone. She of course did not doubt the professor knowing him to be a fair man, but she could hardly believe it. "My Susan?"

"She is not the worst but does not stop calling him a freak or an idiot in classes. I've even bore witness to her shoving him down after class and mocking him when another student did the same. After coming from such an abusive home, he did not have much fight left. I should have suspected, but he entered Hogwarts very meek. Quiet. He is cruelly bullied more than most. He was so excited to learn like most of my Ravenclaws. But a member of the staff had taken to taking points from him, annoying his housemates who were angry he was so intelligent, the Gryffindor's think he is too meek, the Slytherins target him because he is an easy victim. Then, the Hufflepuff's seem to like having someone of their own to bully and he was already such an easy target, they chose him. The mediwitch could not see signs of abuse because that is all he faced at Hogwarts, students bullying him so badly he could not eat, broken bones, bruises, sprains, so many injuries that the scans are difficult to distinguish. No, I considered many people for guardianship of him, but most have children at Hogwarts and I will not allow him to go from one hell to another. What he needs is a safe spot and with your niece in your home, it is not one," Flitwick said cooly.

Kingsley Shacklebolt who was present went silent and pulled back slightly, knowing his boss did not abide bullies of any sort. "I will assure you I did not raise my niece to be a bully," she said angrily. "That will be taken out of her this summer or she will not be allowed back. Especially with the suffering that child has already lived through. No, you have my promise with that. Why were we not informed when our child has been harming another?"

"Is there a point in saying it to 90% of the Hogwarts students' parents," Flitwick asked since the bullying was so extensive, taking points, writing home was pointless. It was just too many perpetrators. "Because if I wrote home to one students parent I'd have to write home to over a hundred and fifty of them minimum and that is only the worst offenders."

Amelia nodded, that was horrid to think about, but the professor was not prone to exaggerations. She'd be making her niece regret becoming a bully. "I will deal with her, who do you have in mind." As the boys current temporary guardian as his head of house, he could influence the decision. He had insisted on being involved and no one had any reason to not allow for it.

"Andromeda Tonks should be here soon," Flitwick stated.

It was not whom she was expecting to say, "She was once a Black," Amelia said.

That had been a concern he was expecting to be raised, he was sure that she had been refused in the past for that very reason. "Yes, and if you have not forgotten, so was Dorea," Flitwick returned. "Can we judge James mother for her nephew's actions or a cousin for a cousin?"

"I do not judge, her daughter has recently begun training, just this past year. If she is willing to take custody and submit to check every two week for the first summer then it will be fine. I do know the women as well, we went to school together," Amelia said. "I will go to him in a few weeks to get a more formal statement. Once he is settled. We have enough for now."

Flitwick nodded as she left and not long later Andromeda and Ted both floo'd in having been invited for a meeting. There was not long left to the school year and he wanted to be able to assure the boy he had a home to go to. "Professor Flitwick, your letter, was confusing," Andromeda stated after the initial greetings between them. "What's this about James son needing a new home?"

"Please, have a seat," Flitwick requested getting straight to business, "As you likely know, James son Harry started at Hogwarts this year."

They nodded having known he was due to start. "Yes, we remember," Andromeda said. "We also remember being refused custody and the boy being shipped off to other family after death eaters killed his family. Why are we here now?"

"A week and a half ago, Harry came to me asking not to be sent back home," Flitwick stated. "He told me of unimaginable abuse in the home. I of course contacted the aurors and they investigated and found his home unfit which puts us in an awkward position of finding him further placement. He trusts me to ensure he goes to a good home and I am unwilling to take any chance of betraying that trust. It took a lot for him to come to me.'

Their eyes widened slightly in horror at the suggestion of James and Lily's young child being abused. "I see, and we are here I am guessing as one of your choices."

"as our only choice," Flitwick stated since it was horrendous to say but truthfully, they were the mans only choice. The only people he could bring himself to trust to take custody of the boy.

"James and Lily were popular, they had many friends..." Ted said wondering why on earth they would be the only choice. They were more then willing to take him, but they didn't understand how that could be.

"Amelia bones is one, I can name many others, many others with children at Hogwarts and I will not place him in another home to be abused and bullied whether it's by parents or the kids. The majority of the school goes out of their way to torture him and make his life miserable, he is not to go to a home with another child near his age," Flitwick stated. If there was a child, he could not guarantee that they would not choose to bully him out of jealousy or even just because they could. He couldn't take the risk.

Andromeda got a dark look on her face at his statement, he had described the boys treatment as torture. "Perhaps explain from the beginning."

And so Flitwick did, he explained the bullying and Harrys desperate plea in order to ensure that they understood what they were facing. "We will definitely without a doubt take custody of him," Ted stated not even having to look at his wife. "Our daughter is full grown, but she would be more then accepting of it. will he be okay with it however."

"He asked me a question I could not give him an answer to. If he'd ever have friends or family. I think he's desperate for anyone who treats him well. He has had no escape from abuse since his parents died. Not at school or home. He will be frightened yes, but I believe he will trust my judgement. It will take time but I think he will do well in your care. Nymphadora was always a bright happy child. You raised her well."

"Beyond the fact that he is one of your claws," Andromeda started since he seemed oddly invested in James son, "what is your interest in the boy?"

"I've become his dueling sponsor. I have no doubt, despite appearances he will become a force to be reckoned with."

"You chose an apprentice," Andromeda said shocked since his reputation was known by everyone.

"Aye, he's a good lad. he just needs a chance for others to see it."

There was a knock a slight hesitant knock on the door. "Come in," Flitwick said seeing the very child they were speaking about.

"S-s-sorry to disturb you professor, b-b-but I can't get in the common room and I w-was going through the back way," he said looking at his feet realizing that he had interrupted a meeting.

"No harm done lad. Actually, these are some people I would like you to meet," Flitwick said since they had agreed to take him in.

Both Tonks's took in the young boys appearance shocked. Both James and Lily were vibrant, loud happy as both children and adults. Forces to be reckoned with in every day appearances. Not meek and... broken as this boy seemed to be.

He glanced up through his hair curiously about why the professor would want him to meet the adults present, he didn't recognize either of them. Were they the aurors he had said would want to speak with him? "Harry, this is Andromeda and Edward Tonks, they knew your parents and have agreed to take custody of you. If of course you'd be willing. Your grandmother on your father's side was related to Andromedas family, though distantly. I believe she would be a cousin though second or third if I am correct. Distantly related."

He bit his lip nervously but before he could see anything, the couple chose to take over. "You look like your parents lad," Ted stated gently. "Your father's messy hair and if I am not mistaken, the same habit as your mother did of gnawing on your lip when nervous."

His eyes lit up slightly at that information, amazed to know he shared such a trait with his mother and that these people really knew his parents. "Sh...she really..."

"Yes she did," he chuckled before getting serious. "look, you don't know us from a hole in the head but we tried for custody of you when your parents first died. I believe we have a lot in common."

"How."

"Well, I am a muggleborn," Ted stated wanting him to understand that he wasn't alone and that they could truly understand. "And I remember what it's like having relatives who think there is something wrong with you because you're a wizard. I to this day do not talk to my father and my daughter has never met him."

Harry looked at him surprised, as did Flitwick who had not known this fact. "W-what?"

"Hmm, did you even know magic existed."

Harry shook his head, "N-no sir."

"Neither did I," Ted stated. "And it terrified me. How could I be blamed for the weird things that happened when I didn't understand. But it happened near me always, so people assumed it was me. Terrifying right?"

Harry nodded since it really had been scary for strange things to happen. "My dad was a religious man. Thought that I had the demon in me," Ted stated. "Even once he knew I was a wizard he never really understood. I get it, I do. Hogwarts was my escape but from what we've heard it is not a very good one for you is it?"

Harry shrugged not sure how to answer the mans question, "I...I don't know. I like P-professor Flitwick."

"You know, my daughter has been bugging us for 16 years for a younger brother," Ted stated. "Since she learnt what one was when she was three. I think she'd like you. She is 18 now so she doesn't go to school here anymore. Graduated last year. She was interested in dueling but...well lacked the coordination for it. Do you like dueling." Ted thought he would appreciate the common ground as he did seem to relax slightly in there presence the longer he was there.

Harry nodded quickly, "its brilliant," he breathed out sounding more alive than before.

Ted tapped his larger stomach, "it has been quite a few years since I fit into my old dueling robes but I still love the sport. It is a rush, I was never the best at using a staff, my talents were with spells."

"Both are brilliant," he offered meekly now more interested in them. To him, duelers were relatively safe. The other students who dueled were the only ones who were nice to him not to mention professor Flitwick.

"I think I still have my old dueling sets, basement has a nice surface for dueling," Ted offered. "Plus, we have a couple bedrooms that you can pick from. If you're interested. We wouldn't be here if Filius here did not trust us to take good care of you, but the choice is yours."

"Y-you'd r-really want me," Harry asked looking up at him.

Andromeda was the one who answered, "We would not be offering if we did not," Andromeda returned remembering why she loved her husband so much, he always seemed to know the right things to say. "If you don't like it, we can always find another option for you but I think you would like it with us."

"I-I w-would like that," he said hesitantly. "Th-thank you."

"No thank you for accepting," Ted returned causing Harry to look at him surprised. "I've always wanted a son."

Harry was taken back but felt a grin light up his face slightly. Flitwick realized now he was making the right choice. He had known they would be a safe choice but now they just proved to him they were the right one. It took a lot to make Harry smile especially to near strangers. "So if it's okay with you, we'd pick you up at kings cross," Ted asked.

Harry nodded thanking them before slipping back though the back entry.

"I'll have to de-hex the portrait, again," Flitwick said but he couldn't help but grinning. "I now know I chose wisely. He's already very taken with you."

"We will take care of him," Ted promised seriously. "We promise you he will be well cared for Filius."

"That was never my worry," Flitwick said. "I knew you'd care for him. But I think he will be happy with you. Perhaps you'll manage to bring him out of his shell a bit."

"We will try," Andromeda promised.

Tonks did not know what to expect as she was asked to come sit down, and both her parents looked so serious. They never looked this serious unless something had happened, or they were fairly mad at something. As far as Tonks knew nothing had happened and she hadn't done anything lately to make a need for a family meeting. "Family meeting," Tonks asked confused, "This cannot be good, but I did not do anything this time. Promise."

"It's not about what you have or have not done," Andromeda returned. "It's about a letter we received from Filius, you were fairly young but I assume you remember James and Lily Potter."

"Course I do," she said as her hair went a limp brown at the reminder, there deaths had been hard on everyone. They were attacked for disagreeing with bills and for fighting back against the death eaters. Unfairly targeted and killed near the end of the war. They were such a problem to the death eaters, Voldemort himself took them out. "Why?"

"And their son, do you remember him" Ted asked?

She nodded again remembering the dark haired little boy she sometimes played with, he had been extremely young at the time, "course, Harry was an adorable baby. Why what's this about?"

"His guardians were found unfit," Andromeda stated. "And we were given custody of him. At least temporarily, right now it is on a trial basis over this summer though if we pass all the tests and he is happy here he will remain permanently."

Unfit was the word that caught her attention. As an auror trainee, a parent being found unfit implied abusive. It took a lot to get a child taken from their legal guardians. "Unfit how unfit." Tonks asked.

"Let;s just say, his guardians were the sort of muggles that supported my parents views," Andromeda said. "He is...jumpy, quiet, meek...fragile. Not only was he abused and bullied in the muggle world but the students at Hogwarts are extremely cruel to him and bully him relentlessly. I am telling you this so you understand if he's uneasy here."

Tonks hair was now white as was she, her entire body having lost all color in her shock. The sweet little boy she use to play with abused and bullied, it was horrible to hear. "Thats...how bad?"

"Severely," Ted said. "Remember when I explained to you why you've never met my grandfather."

As a young girl she had wondered why she didn't have grandparents and had been told of the abuse her father had suffered and her mother's disownment. It had scared her at the time, to think someone could hurt their child. As she got older, she asked more questions and found out that the abuse her father had suffered had been worse then she imagined. "That severely," she asked horrified.

"Worse," ted said. "Because they knew what he was and wished to beat it out of him. He needs a family..."

Tonks nodded quickly, "Well he's got one and if anyone try's anything I will show them just what Mad eye has taught me," She returned darkly. "It's about time you finally got me a little brother. I thought I was going to have to wait forever. Least I got a couple years to enjoy it AND I get to skip out on dirty diapers and all night crying fits."

They gave her pleased smiles glad she had taken so well to the announcement. They knew she would, but they were glad to hear it as well and were being proven correct in their assumption. They told her what little they knew of the boy and there plans to pick him up at kings cross. She promised to get the day off wanting to greet her new brother.