DISCLAIMER: Hey guess what guys! I'm J.K. Rowling!!! Oh no! Just kidding… I'm not. DANG IT!! For a second I thought I was going to be rolling in cash!! CRAP! So, seeing as I'm not J.K. Rowling I couldn't possibly own any of her characters… Sorry.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey… I know, I know, it's been a while. I'm writing as fast as I can! I promise!! I'm trying to write three stories at once and one of which is my own creation. So please don't think I'm giving up on you guys, I really am trying to get these up as fast as possible. TT Sorry. By the way… this chapter is a little graphic… But anyway enjoy chapter nine!

Chapter Nine: Discussions and a check-up

"A belated birthday?" Remus asked.

"Yep!" said James smiling.

"He's just told us he's never had a birthday!" Lily told the new guests.

"Is that true, Harry?" Sirius asked.

Harry didn't answer. It's not like it was big deal or anything. He never felt cheated or anything. That was just life, for him anyway.

"How come you never told me that, Harry?"

Harry shrugged.

"I thought the reason you never had a birthday party these past few years was because you thought you had outgrown them!" Sirius informed him.

Harry looked down. That's what he had told his godfather. He didn't want Sirius to have something else to worry about. Sirius sighed. Harry looked up and was surprised to see his godfather smiling knowingly at him.

"It's my job to be worried about you, you know?" Sirius chuckled at him.

Harry smiled half-heartedly. "It just wasn't that important, you know?" he explained.

"Just like the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse?" Sirius asked. "Harry, you need a new lesson on what's important and what can wait."

"Well, I just… I don't know," Harry said. There wasn't really anything he could say in this situation. No matter what he said, Sirius would still have his opinion.

"Harry can I ask you something?" Remus stepped in.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you are an important aspect in anyone's life?" he asked.

"Well… I know some people care about me, but they would be able to have life with out me I think…"

No one said anything. Harry looked around at the adults in the room. They all had tears in their eyes threatening to leak over; even Remus, whom Harry had never once seen cry.

"Harry," Sirius tried. His voice strained and cracked with emotion. "Let me tell you something, Harry. Last month when I found out that you had gone to the Department of Mysteries by yourself, do you know how I felt?"

Harry shook his head.

"I was terrified! I was so scared that I would never see you again. I was so scared that I would never hear your laugh or feel your hug! I was TERRIFIED! From now on I don't want you to think that you aren't needed or important or whatever! I could never live if something happened to you!"

Harry stared at his godfather in shock. He had no idea that Sirius felt that way. Then, without warning, Sirius pulled the teen into a rib-cracking hug, which could have competed with Mrs. Weasley's tight grip. Harry just sat there in shock. Sirius had told Harry that he loved him, but never like this. This time it felt so real that Harry could almost touch it. Harry hugged him back.

After a while they broke apart. "I never knew you were so deep," Harry teased.

"Looks can be deceiving," Sirius stated in mock-hurt.

"You two!" Lily cried, in a very Hermione sort of way. She hugged both Harry and Sirius. "I'm going to make some lunch.

So many things had happened that Harry hadn't noticed how hungry he was and that it was well past noon.

Lily disappeared into the kitchen. Sirius, James, Remus, and Harry sat in silence for a while. Not an awkward silence; a comfortable one.

"You know, I never thought my son would be the youngest Triwizard Champion," James laughed in spite of himself, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, that's what I said," Sirius agreed. "Of course I was relieved to find him in one piece!"

"Gee, have a little faith, would you!" said Harry.

"They told me you had come face to face with a fully powerful, back in the flesh, Voldemort! Sorry I didn't blow it off as nothing and say that you, a 14 year old kid, could handle the most dangerous dark wizard there's ever been!" said Sirius sarcastically.

"I guess you've got a point," said Harry. "It did look pretty hopeless."

"I can't believe that Dumbledore would allow the tournament to continue after Harry's name came out of the goblet!" James cried.

Harry was about to tell his father that Dumbledore had no idea the maze was a trap to get Harry killed, but his mother calling out, "Lunch time!" interrupted him.

The four males stood and entered the kitchen where bowls of tomato soup and plates of grilled cheese sandwiches were set on the table.

"Thanks, mum!" Harry said smiling.

"Yeah! Thanks mum!" Sirius said brightly.

"You're welcome, dear… and Sirius…"

"Yes?"

"Don't ever call me 'mum' again."

"Yes, ma'am," Sirius said, hanging his head like a scolded child.

The five of them ate in silence for a while.

"So when is this belated birthday going to be?" Sirius asked.

"Good question," said Lily. "It can't be too soon because we need it to be well planned. But it has to be before school starts."

"Do you like Quidditch, son?" James asked Harry.

"Yeah!" said Harry. "Of course!"

"Good! Then that can be the theme," James said happily. "Do you play? On the team, I mean."

"Yeah," said Harry smiling. It was the only thing he was truly proud of.

"Really? What position?"

"Seeker," Harry replied.

"You any good?"

"He's excellent!" said Sirius loudly.

"Really?" James said intrigued. "When did you join the team, son?"

"My first year," Harry stated. He had left that part out when he told them about his years at Hogwarts. He had marked it as unnecessary information.

"First year?" James asked, impressed. "How did you pull that off?"

"McGonagall pulled a few strings," Harry told him.

His father laughed. "She always had a soft spot for me as well," he explained.

"Yeah, she's always liked me. Which is a good thing and a bad thing," Harry said, eagerly taking advantage of a subject other than his birthday party. "I mean she gets me out of trouble sometimes, but then she makes me feel guilty by saying how disappointed she is."

"I know what you mean," James chuckled.

Lily sighed audibly in the corner.

"What is it, flower?" James asked, sensing her irritation.

"We're getting off subject," she stated.

"That's right! The birthday party!" James exclaimed. He then turned to his son. "You're a tricky little bugger!" He winked.

"Yeah, he got that from you!" Lily said.

Harry chuckled quietly.

"So we'll have the party out on the lawn. And we can invite anyone you want! Oh! And I can make you a cake! Maybe one that looks like a snitch! Or maybe a broomstick!" Lily rambled.

Harry sat patiently. 'Well I might as well give them their fun,' he thought, as his parents, godfather, and honorary uncle sat and discussed the party.

He stretched in his chair. However, the stretch didn't end up being very satisfying. In all the commotion, Harry had completely forgotten about his injuries. He winced. Unfortunately, none of the adults seemed to notice. They continued chatting excitedly.

The subject of his injuries brought that night back into Harry's head. He suddenly felt dirty and tainted. He even felt ashamed. Why didn't he fight harder? 'You fought your hardest,' a small voice argued. Harry thought back to that moment. He had struggled as hard as he could to get away. Uncle Vernon was just too big; too strong.

He remembered his uncle's length pressing up against him. He remembered how his uncle had thrust into him roughly. He remembered the pain of the member ripping him open slightly. He remembered begging. He remembered sobbing.

A whimper escaped Harry's lips as he remembered the horrible incident. All four adults stopped chatting and whipped toward the sound.

"Harry?" James said softly.

"Harry, dear, what is it?" Lily asked.

Fresh tears sprang up into Harry's eyes. He started shaking again. Traumatic images were flashing before his eyes. 'Is this ever going to end?' he wondered.

"Come on, cub," Remus' voice sounded. "You've got to tell us what's wrong."

"I-I," Harry tried.

"It's okay, kiddo. Whatever it is, we'll understand," Sirius said gently.

"I tried," Harry choked out, quietly.

"You tried to what, sweetie?" Lily asked.

"I-I t-tried to g-get away," Harry told them desperately. He needed them to believe him.

James wrapped his arms around his son in a tight hug. "We know you did, son. We know," he muffled into the raven-colored hair. Harry sobbed into his father's chest as James rocked him back and forth soothingly. "All right, son," James said, pilling back to look in his son's wet, puffy eyes. "Let's take a look at those wounds. I'm sure that only makes the situation worse."

Harry nodded and wiped away his tears. He allowed his father to lead him up the stairs to a bedroom.

"In we go," his father said, as he gently guided Harry into the sizable bedroom. "By the way, this is your room."

"Oh… o-okay… thanks," Harry said quietly.

"Yeah… no problem."

Lily, Sirius, and Remus had followed the other two into Harry's bedroom and were watching Harry cautiously. It made Harry a bit uncomfortable.

James reached out to his son and started to pull off Harry's baggy t-shirt. This caught Harry by surprise. He yelped and jumped back out of arms reach.

"Whoa," James said, startled. "It's okay, Harry. I'm just going to look at your wounds. If you want you can remove your clothes, okay?"

Harry nodded and began to remove his clothes nervously. Soon he was standing before the four adults in nothing but his boxers. His father smiled sadly at him.

"You need to take those off too, son," he said, nodding his head toward Harry's plain white boxers.

Harry flushed crimson and shakily obeyed. He pulled the boxers off and tossed them with the rest of his clothes. He then, bowed his head, ashamed of being naked in front of them.

"Holy shit! What the hell did he hit you with, a bat?" Sirius said, shocked at the cuts and bruises.

"Harry, what did your uncle use when he beat you?" Remus asked.

"I don't know…" Harry mumbled. "A lot of things."

"What did he usually use, sweetie?" Lily asked softly.

"Er… he usually used his fist or his belt."

"What did he use that night?" James asked.

"His belt," Harry replied. "But he used the buckle side."

"All right, son, lay down on the bed for me," James said soothingly.

Harry obeyed.

"Lay on your stomach, kiddo," Sirius instructed, gently. "We'll clean up your back first."

"Okay," Harry said. He placed himself on his belly across the comfortable bed. Then, he waited patiently for his check-up.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry about the abrupt ending, but I didn't want the next chapter to be too short… R&R Please! XD