Disclaimer: …sigh… I don't own Harry Potter. I don't intend to make it seem that I do… I only enjoy creating plots. So, there!

Author's Note: I would like to thank:

Reviewing-My-Anti-Drug

jolly-for-heart07

windlg and

SpookyClaire

For reviewing! This one's for you guys!

Chapter Three: New Hope

Harry awoke to the sun beaming through his window. Wait… SUN? Shit!!! Harry "jumped" out of bed, dressed as quickly as he could, pulled on his glasses that were on the floor (they had fallen the night before), and rushed down the stairs. He burst through the doors of the kitchen to something he never imagined possible. The Dursley's were gone and Harry's mother was cooking breakfast, while James, Sirius, and Remus Lupin sat around the table reading the Daily Prophet.

Harry froze in the doorway. His mouth was wide open from shock.

"Oh! Good morning, sweet-heart!" cooed Lily. At this, every eye in the kitchen turned toward him. He closed his mouth, blushed, and looked down. Lily rushed over to her son and enveloped him in a hug.

This action caused the previous night to re-enter Harry's mind and he tensed and shied away from the contact. Lily noticed this and stared at her son intently at arms length.

"Harry, what is it?" she asked him. He only shook his head.

"It's okay, son, you can tell us," James said, walking over. That's when Harry began to shake as images of last night flashed through his memory. Sirius and Remus were on their feet now. The four friends looked at Harry with concern. Silence lingered as Harry continued to shake uncontrollably. Finally, Sirius broke the silence.

"What did they do? What did they do to you, Harry?" he asked. Harry tensed, but didn't answer. Sirius led Harry to a chair and had him sit down. He crouched in front of the boy. "Harry, did they hit you?"

Harry nodded hesitantly.

"Did they do anything else?" Sirius asked stiffly.

Harry nodded again.

"Shit! Harry did that bastard… did he… he didn't! Did he touch you?" said Sirius looking menacing.

Harry looked up at his godfather, still trying to take in the fact that he was here. He looked back down biting his lip. Sirius knew the answer before he got it. He nodded for a third time.

"God damn it!" said Sirius, standing up and banging his fist on the table. Harry jumped and looked at Sirius anxiously. Was it really him? Was it really his parent? Sirius started pacing. Lily was sobbing silently. James was comforting her. Remus was gaping at Harry. Harry looked at Sirius and said, "I'm sorry."

Sirius stopped pacing and looked at his godson. "For what?" he asked. Surely Harry wasn't apologizing for what his relatives did to him.

"For getting you killed. It was my fault," replied Harry.

"What?" said Sirius, taken aback. "H-Harry! That was not your fault! Why would you think that?" He had taken back his place his crouching position in front Harry. Harry shrugged.

"If I hadn't been so stupid and believed that fake vision, then you wouldn't of had to come and help me and you wouldn't have died."

"Harry, I don't blame you for that."

"Then why are you coming here to haunt me?"

Sirius burst out laughing and pulled Harry into a hug. "You are something else, kid!"

"I don't get it… Why are you laughing?" asked a very confused Harry.

"I'm not here to haunt you, Harry."

"You're not?"

"Nope, I'm back for good, kiddo. In the flesh!"

That's when Harry passed out, whether it was from shock or from his wounds or both, no one knew. Sirius caught the teen before he hit the ground.

"That was unexpected," stated Sirius. He picked up his godson carefully and him on the sofa in the Dursley's living room.

"We have to find out exactly what's happened to him," said Remus, his voice thick with worry.

Lily and James remained quiet. When Sirius looked over at them he noticed both of them were considerably pale. Lily looked either on the verge of tears or fainting. James looked like he wanted to murder something… or someone. Lily spoke first out of the pair.

"My poor baby!" she cried, hurrying toward her son. She brushed his hair back out of his face, while tears streamed down her cheeks. "How could they do this to you?"

"I swear if I ever get my hands on that Dursley…" said James through gritted teeth.

Just then, as if on cue Vernon Dursley and his family walked through the front door. He noticed the plate of fluffy pancakes and shouted, "BOY! WHO INSTRUCTED YOU TO PREPARE BREAKFAST, YOU PIECE OF SHIT?"

Harry jerked awake, his eyes wide with fear.

"BOY! GET IN HERE!"

Harry whimpered a bit as he tried to obey his uncle's command. Sirius put a hand on Harry's shoulder and laid him back down, gently.

"B-but…" Harry tried.

"Don't worry, cub, he won't touch you," soothed Remus.

Suddenly, uncle Vernon burst through the living room door with a raised hand ready to strike the teen. Harry cringed and turned into the sofa. Lily rubbed calming circles on his back. The three marauders however leapt to their feet.

"EXCUSE ME?" Uncle Vernon threatened. "How dare you come uninvited to m…"

"Lily?" a small squeaky voice sounded.

"Petunia," replied Lily venomously.

"Lily, how…"Petunia stammered.

"I can't believe you, Petunia! How could you do this? I know you hate me, but how could you allow this to happen to a child?"

"That boy's been nothing but trouble!" said Vernon a little less loud, now that he knew who he was dealing with.

"So you saw it fit to rape him?" yelled James, looking murderous. Harry flinched at the word.

"How dare you, sir!" Vernon shouted back. "How dare you come into my house and accuse me of such things!"

"NO HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO MY SON! AND HOW DARE YOU DENY IT!!" shouted James. Harry had rolled over now and was staring at his father in awe.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE OR I WILL CALL THE POLICE!" Vernon yelled.

James walked up to Vernon and put his within inches of his brother-in-law's. "Oh believe me, I am taking my son as far away form you and your vile family as I can. And once I've done that I will see your ass in court." His voice was low and cold, but somehow more menacing than when he was shouting. He then turned on his heel and knelt down in front of his son. "Come on, son," he said gently. Harry was shaking and it looked like he was going into shock. James knew he wasn't going to be able to walk for a while in his state. He wrapped one arm around his son's shoulders and the other one his knees and lifted him off the couch. Lily, Remus, and Sirius watched him cautiously.

"Let's apparate back to Remus' and once Harry's calmed down we can floo to Hogwarts," said James quietly.

The others nodded. They all turned on the spot and apparated back to Remus' cottage, with Harry side-apparating with James. Harry had passed out again from shock (or wounds or both), clinging to his father. Harry James Potter was off to start a new life with new hope.