Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Harry Potter.

A/N: Whew, this un's a biggie. Why is it that one is inspired at the most inopportune times? In anticipation of my 100th reiview (squeals) I have made this chapter longer, and written practically all of it this weekend, when i had tons of work as well. So please be nice and review, it will make me REALLY happy! I'm not sure wether i like this chapter, but it had to be done, Harry's back story springs forth. I hate it when backstory is all split up, so I got everything out in one chapter. It nearly killed me, but it's done. So please read nad enjoy, and I'm really sorry for the long wait.

Warnings: a hell of a lot of back story to sort through.

Blackwaters

It was dark. The only light was coming from the low burning flickering candle in the corner, shedding its husky yellow glow on the walls. He wondered what had caused him to wake him so suddenly, small pale hands clutching to the thick blankets and coverlet that were draped over his form.

From beyond the door, he heard the noise of lowered voices and the swish of cloth, like the ones of his mother's many long skirts. He slunk from between the sheets and snuck to the curtained window, peering out to see a gibbous silver moon in the sky, with the night as black as pitch.

He let the curtains fall back, and glanced curiously at the heavy wooden door opposite, why would anyone be awake at this time of night, not to mention to be up and about. Perhaps it was something to do with the strange visitors lately?

As footsteps echoed through the hallway as they passed his room, he felt himself shudder. Wherever they walked, they seemed to bring a peculiar draught with them; one of hushed whispers and nameless fear.

Unable to stop, he walked towards the door, his apprehension rising, breathe coming heavier and faster. His hands began to tremor with nerves and he swallowed convulsively, a meaningless longing for his mother welling up inside of him.

He didn't want to know what was outside that door, but he couldn't discontinue, it was far too late by this point, it was already over, it had been for a long time; he had just never realised it until this moment, he didn't want to see, but he also knew it was a complete impossibility for him to stay here, safe and warm locked in this chamber, they would find him, and there would be nowhere to run, even now there was little chance for his escape, his hand was reaching for the handle, he couldn't help the incessant fluttering of his heart, it was all over, many months in the making and it was all coming to a crash tonight.

And yet he couldn't prevent his hand from reaching out and throwing him to the middle of all this madness.

Draco awoke with a gasp, still shaking slightly from the vivid memories from his dream. Or rather, his memory.

He pulled himself to a sitting position, noticing as he did so that both he and the still slumbering Harry remained in a contorted position on the large, rather comfortable armchair. They must have fallen asleep after he had fed.

The vampire brought a pale hand to his temple, willing the lingering thoughts to be banished from his mind. He hadn't thought about that night for a long time, and was irritated that it had decided to invade his conscious once again.

Draco let out a tired sigh; he supposed that everything was stirring up at the moment. Old and new, he thought with a glance to the sleeping form of his charmant.

The knowledge did not improve his mood, however, and merely added to his growing sense of unease.

He glanced to the fireplace, seeing the flames had diminished to sparking embers. He extracted himself from the entwined embrace with Harry and went to the window, confirming his thoughts on the time; evening had set in, and with it the darkness of the night.

It was still early however, and there was still plenty of time to go about any business that required tending to. Perfect.

He let his gaze slide to his little minuo once again, pondering the most amusing way to go about rousing him, it was so enjoyable to see him all angry and flustered.

Suffice to say, Harry was not best pleased when he was torn from his pleasant napping, being roughly shoved off the plush cushions of the armchair and onto the decidedly less comfy floor.

Giving a bleary glare to the unrepentant blonde above him, he stumbled his way up to standing, his breathing slightly laboured; he supposed it was due to Draco's little meal earlier.

Draco waited patiently for Harry to regain his posture before appraising his form fully; a little ruffled, but surprising well maintained considering all the delicious things they'd done. Harry's hair, which had smoothed down slightly was now mussed again in a way that made Draco flick his tongue over his pink lips, but he refrained from acting on impulse. Barely though, his little charmant looked positively delightful at the moment, made all the better with the slight fire in his greens eyes.

It did not take long for Harry to notice the vampire's stare, nor to realise what it meant. Huffing in irritation, and adamantly trying to cover the rising blush on his cheeks, he straightened out his ruffled shirt, taking extra care than was strictly necessary. Damn that bloody vampire! Making him feel so uncomfortable, and he knew it too, if the smirk on his face was anything to go by.

Quelling any violent urges that had suddenly made an appearance, Harry decided to ask.

"Would you mind, telling me why you had to wake me up like that?"

"Not at all darling," purred Draco, appearing all to smug to Harry's displeasure, "I merely attempted to induce the most…interesting…reaction possible."

As Harry's eyes flashed gleaming verdant, Draco decided he had riled his minuo up enough for one evening.

"That," Draco sighed, "and we have a visit to make."

Harry blinked; his eyes dulling back to deep green, confusion replacing any lingering fury against the irritatingly calm blonde.

"Visit? Where are we supposed to be going? Why are we going?"

Draco leant against the chaise, regarding Harry through hooded smoky eyes, which had the dreaded blush return to creep up on his face again.

Draco made a wickedly luscious picture, with the flickering light illuminating his silver hair and lying far too languorously for any other creature to ever be able to emulate.

There was something about Draco at that moment that seemed to capture everything that Draco was; seductive, dark and covered in blood.

Harry shivered; he found the image far too alluring. And wasn't that a frightening thought?

"You'll see," Draco, said simply, yet with an accompanying condescending tone all the while as he sashayed his way past and out the door.

Harry scowled. Sometimes he really hated that creature that called itself Draco.

The wind stirred a few more stubborn leaves from their branches and the night sky above was a thick soft blanket of velvet above them.

Harry was quite amazed that the both of them seemed to make no noise at all as they moved down the front lawns. By all rights the crunching of dried leaves underneath their feet should have been enough to make their presence heard, but…silence, only the wind whispering through the leaves.

He probably would have expected it from Draco. The worst thing was that he did not expect it of himself. He would be lying if he didn't admit that it disturbed him, it was difficult to grasp that he wasn't the same anymore, and that soon he would be completely different all together.

Harry let his brow furrow as he walked, losing himself to his troubled thoughts.

A hallowing shriek suddenly rent through the air, jarring the ambience and making him start greatly, a flash of pale white streaking past him.

"You're not scared of the dark as well are you Harry?" came Draco's amused voice.

Harry noted that it sounded rather close. In fact, it tickled the skin of his ear. Looking up, he was startled to see Draco leaning so close to him.

It was only then that he realised with dismay that in his surprise he had clutched to the blonde and was now pressed very firmly against him, with Draco practically holding him upright.

He threw a glare over his shoulder to the disappearing ghostly peacock as it fled across the path and into the depths of the yew hedge.

Harry fervently hoped that the stupid bird would starve to death or, failing a slow demise, would at least get eaten by a particularly rabid fox.

Once he realised that Draco had started to laugh, he brusquely pushed him away and, upon noticing that the vampire still looked far too amused, gave him a sharp whack.

"You should be careful you know," said Draco scowling, inspecting his arm in a detached fashion, "in a few days, that might have actually hurt a little."

Harry stopped and stared in incredulity, while Draco merely continued to walk. When the other man turned back, Harry was quite infuriated that the mocking amusement was still in his eyes.

Closing his eyes in a plea of pacifying patience, Harry caught up to stride alongside as they walked to…actually he still he didn't know where they were going.

"Draco, would you mind telling me where on earth we are going?" asked Harry.

"We are going on a visit." Draco replied primly, sounding perfectly refined.

Harry rolled his eyes in severe annoyance.

"Yes Draco, I got that. Who are we visiting, and why?"

Draco sighed, "We are checking in with a friend of mine, Severus. I need to check some things for you and as he is also a vampire he should have a supply of some of the things we shall…require," said Draco rather ambiguously. "He can be a bit…irritable, so don't take anything he says personally."

Harry chose not to answer to that.

They turned what felt like the hundredth corner. At least, to Harry it did. The town was much larger than he had previously imagined. It had seemed small on arrival with Hermione all those many days ago; possibly it was seeing everything at night, with long shadows hanging everywhere that made everything appear more intricate and extensive.

A rectangular, slightly rusted iron plate loomed out of the darkness, bolted to the top of the brick wall of the avenue and painted emulsion white. He could just distinguish the black lettering that proclaimed the road as 'Blackwaters Street'.

Harry let himself glance at Draco once again, before following him down the pavement, suddenly feeling apprehensive. It was the jittering kind of nervousness one gets when being introduced to the hitherto unknown.

Until now, the only …dark person he had ever met was Draco. He was now to meet another and he couldn't shake the ridiculous feeling that he was about to be judged and found wanting.

Draco suddenly took a sharp twist in front of him and knocked on one of the old, heavy wooden doors that characterised the entire lane. Harry moved swiftly to his side, wanting to stick as close to the known vampire as possible.

The door opened a fraction and they were both ushered inside. The room they entered into was more like a laboratory or a classroom than anything normally found in a house.

They were several movable chairs placed randomly about, with numerous crowded bookshelves lining the walls. The ceiling was low and the one small window was firmly blacked out by thick, coarse cloth. At the far end was a door, made of small and thin wood and beside it, a large flat surface upon which lay various herbs, jars and what looked like something Harry could only refer to as a cauldron.

At his perusal of the room, he did not notice who had let them enter, until he swooped right past him back to the desk, reminding Harry invariably of a bat, and making him edge back towards Draco for safety.

Pointedly ignoring the once again amused blonde, he decided to study the man who was bending over one of the larger cauldrons, which he only just realised seemed to give off a slightly ominous vapour. The man himself was just as menacing; his thick curtain of slick black hair, hooked nose and so pale, as to look sallow skin was rather intimidating. Or perhaps it was merely his obvious ire at being interrupted.

Harry gave a quick glance to the man by his side, who appeared as if he expected nothing less.

Harry bit his lip slightly, desperately resisting the urge to fidget, no one had said anything and the silence was wearing on his already thin nerves. He nearly sighed with relief when Draco sauntered forward, weaving his way through the spindle like chairs with grace. Harry hesitantly followed.

"You know Severus, you seem even more irate than you usually are, what's bothering you now?" drawled Draco smoothly, settling himself by leaning against the desk, observing the other man with lazy eyes.

Severus gave a light snarl as he deftly threw something into the concoction he was brewing and sarcastically replied, his tone dripping with acid "What else, but Lupin and that damnable Black? It is bad enough that he forces me to make this cursed potion for him, but that he must also decide to supervise me as well!"

Draco seemed unaffected by the man's manner and merely raised an eyebrow.

"I am sure Mr.Lupin is not here to supervise you,he probably just wants to make sure that nothing could possibly go wrong with his vital medicines."

Severus gave him a dark glare and muttered something along the lines of "It's the same thing."

"Does that mean that our resident werewolf is here as well?" Draco inquired. Behind him, Harry gave a small start. Werewolves? Fantastic. He glanced nervously around, as if expecting one to just jump out at him. Fuck. It really was not helping his tension.

"Yes," said Severus disdainfully, "and he had to bring his little friend along with him. They are both insufferable and I can only imagine that either come here, just to make me murderous with fury and subject me to their insufferable company." He finished by glaring caustically at the door to his left.

At his point, Harry was fervently hoping that he never became a target of the man's irritation. Ever. He was also counting himself lucky that he appeared not to have been noticed yet.

Severus sighed, straightening from his bent position to face Draco.

"And what do you want Draco? You never come here unless you need something. Then again, you have been sleeping for a very long time, who knows what's going through that blonde head of yours."

Harry was beginning to see where Draco might have gotten his condescending tones from.

"Now, now Severus, there's no need to be so bad-tempered, I was under the impression that you preferred solitude and eternal loneliness. I am ever so sorry if I misunderstood your intentions on the matter."

Harry saw Severus's lip curl with aggravation as he stared at the blonde with dark, unfathomable eyes. Harry felt his breathe catch as that gaze settled on him, not lifting until he apparently found whatever he was searching for.

The man eventually sighed in something akin to defeat.

"What do you want Draco?" he asked much more tiredly, "and if its what I think its about than please, wait until I have finished with Mr.Lupin. I have the most curios sense that what you wish to discuss will leave me with the strong desire to drink myself under the table."

Draco had the decency to utter a small "perhaps". Silence reigned again, and Harry finally gave into the urge to worry his bottom lip between his teeth in anxiety.

Fortunately for the abuse Harry was giving his bottom lip, the silence was broken barely two minutes later.

"Sirius!" came a stern voice from beyond the door in the corner. All three paused to stare at the balsa wood, two with curiosity and one with resigned dread.

There was a series of muffled indistinct noises and then, "Sirius! Will you stop doing that!"

There was quite for a moment before there was a rather large thud, which made all three listeners wince.

"Now look what you've done. No, don't try to help; you'll only make it worse. I can't take you anywhere." Said the same long-suffering voice.

Harry glanced towards Severus, he was inwardly rather surprised that he had not exploded with seething rage by this point. In fact, he looked…oddly resigned. Peering at the door again, Harry could only presume this was a regular occurrence.

Draco appeared to have come to the same conclusion, if the smirk he sent Severus was any indication.

He turned his attention to the doorway as two men came through it. The first had greying light brown hair and Harry couldn't decide if he looked more like a librarian, a teacher or a scholar. He appeared to hold the delicate sensibilities of all three. He had lines upon his face, particularly around the eyes. The second was trailing unrepentantly behind the other. He presumed this was Sirius. It was odd, considering he held all the features of the classically refined yet he appeared to be rather unrefined in behaviour.

The first, Lupin, tentatively approached the desk, and Severus.

"I'm terribly sorry Severus, it was only a few books, all tidied up," he said with a mild voice, "Sirius will never do anything of the sort again, will you Sirius"

Sirius however, didn't seem too perturbed by the threat the werewolf gave him and merely stared at Severus with cool indifference, as he answered, "of course not Remus."

Remus gave a slight sigh at the response and turned around to find a chair, only in the process spotting that there were others present. He gave a little start, giving a small smile to Draco. Though it seemed rather strained.

"Draco, how nice it is to see you, I'm terribly sorry to interrupt you like this but I'm afraid I wasn't expecting anyone to be visiting Severus tonight."

"It is perfectly fine Mr.Lupin, there isn't exactly a schedule and I am known to be mysterious in my doings," the blonde replied, sounding a little amused at the other's apologetic manner.

Sirius, however, wasn't looking at the vampire. As Remus turned back, he was startled to notice that he looked positively white, as if he had seen a spectre of the living.

"Sirius, are you all right?" he asked lowly, staring at the handsome man questioningly.

He did not reply however, and Remus was forced to twist to see what had caused thr reaction.

He was rewarded with the sight of a boy, no, young man, with dark hair, pale skin and green eyes. Which were currently wide at the scrutinising inspection that Sirius was conducting over his form.

Harry wasn't sure quite what to make of the stare he was receiving from the other man, but it most definitely unnerved him; there was some sort of recognition in those eyes and he was sure that he had never met this man before in his life.

When Sirius took a step towards him, he couldn't help but step back slightly.

"James…"whispered Sirius. Harry was so startled by the name that he halted his retreat, which really was a fortunate thing, as another step and he would have fallen right over the spindle chair behind him.

Grey eyes snapped back to focus but were quickly replaced with a look of desperation. Sirius strode forward, still pale as anything, and ignoring the warning growl of "Sirius…" that came from Remus.

Draco was watching the unfolding event with narrowed eyes, his nails digging into the desk and his body tense to move at the slightest provocation. He did not like the look that mortal was giving his minuo.

Harry was distressed to find that he couldn't move. He was stuck in place as Sirius fixed him with a sharp gaze.

"I'm sorry," mumbled Sirius distractedly, "you just reminded me of someone else is all…"

Harry quickly glanced away; managing to slide past the chair and break the stare Sirius had held him in. The man himself seemed to have realised what he had just done and seemed a little embarrassed over his actions. Harry also didn't miss the nervous glance sent to the observing Draco by the desk either.

"That's alright…" said Harry awkwardly, vainly trying to remove any lingering alarm that raced through his nerves.

Sirius walked back a little ways and sat himself down on one of the stiff wooden chairs, "So, er, what's your name anyways…?" asked Sirius, just as awkwardly. Remus just sighed in deep annoyance and took a seat himself.

"Oh, um, Harry," he replied, feeling very unbalanced.

"Harry…" Sirius repeated in a hoarse voice, disbelieving. He cast wide eyes up to Remus, pleading to ask.

Remus had turned a little pale himself, and his voice was strained as he spoke.

"Oh? Would…would your second name, perhaps, be…Potter?"

Harry blinked. This situation could not possibly get any stranger than it was now, he decided. Why were these people asking about his name, why did they have a weird reaction to him? He was certain he did not know either of them; he was valiantly trying to think of some reason for this rather peculiar state of affairs.

Harry nodded slightly, not wanting to voice his answer in case something very bad were to happen afterwards.

Both Remus and Sirius stared at him for a moment, an odd light in their eyes.

He didn't even see Sirius move, but was suddenly uncomfortably aware of the abruptly sobbing man clinging to the front of his shirt, mumbling things that he could not begin to understand.

"Oh my god…I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…I never meant for it to be this way, they'll never forgive me, is' all my fault, should have never…never…"

Remus meanwhile, had just sat heavily on the nearest chair, not even attempting to calm Sirius down, or try to remove his presence from Harry's rather sensitive personal space, which causing him to writhe awkwardly in his hold.

Fortunately for Harry, Draco's patience had finally ebbed.

"I think, that you should remove and explain yourself Mr.Black," said Draco coldly, his voice cutting through the distressing atmosphere and echoing slightly off the deep red, wood panelled walls.

The candlelight flickered.

Sirius jerked from his daze, eyes still shining, and coughed to clear his throat before moving back to settle himself down next to Remus and sighing.

He sat there for a moment before flicking his gaze to Harry and then back to the floor. He did this several times, before closing his eyes and taking a steadying breath. Harry absently noted that the man looked far more composed than mere moments ago when he had attached himself to his shirtfront for apparently no reason at all.

He ran a hand slowly through his hair, pausing with the palm still covering half of his face. He gave another glance to Harry before finally beginning to speak.

"It's a long story…you should all sit down."

Harry hesitated slightly, looking nervously over to Draco, who still hadn't moved from his spot on the desk. His head was tilted so that his hair hung over his face, making it near impossible to discern his features or work out what he was thinking.

Harry quickly sat down, biting his already swollen bottom lip, preferably for the last time that night.

"I suppose I should start with telling you who we are, shouldn't I?"

Harry felt his rage surge at this comment. He had spent the entire evening hopelessly lost and confused, or at least that's what it had seemed like. He felt something fume within him from not being informed of anything, by being left in the dark and acting as if he wasn't there.

"Yes, that would be remarkably considerate of you," spat Harry venomously. He was in no desire to be nice at the moment. Quite a change from only a few minutes beforehand.

Sirius had the utmost decency to laugh at that; his voice rough and making it sound a lot like the barking of a dog.

"I'm Sirius Black and that," he said, pointing lazily, "is Remus Lupin. We are-…were friends of your parents, good friends. Actually, they even named me your godfather, though that was a long time ago…"he trailed off softly.

Harry felt some of his irritation disperse, they had known his parents? He didn't know anything about them, the Dursleys had never been exactly fond of mentioning them, and his Aunt even had pretended that she had never had a sister at all. Not a hard thing to do, thought Harry bitterly.

He had never even known how they had died, oh, there were plenty of vague references to it, but never a direct answer, 'don't ask questions', after all.

Hope that he finally might get some long searched for closure on that part of his life; he ardently waited for Sirius, his godfather, to continue.

Sirius looked at him questioningly, "Do you…do you know?"

Harry merely stared, his ire rising again at being left feeling sufficiently ignorant.

" I mean, about what happened that night? About all of us?" Sirius quickly amended on seeing Harry's rather blank look.

As there was no change in Harry's stare of incomprehension, Sirius sighed once again, mumbling a soft "though not" under his breath.

"Your Aunt never did like what we did, thought it was…what did she call it? Oh yes, unnatural, though I bet it was just because she could never do anything, I caught her watching us more than once…."

"Do what, what did you do?" asked Harry sharply. It was becoming very frustrating with Sirius trailing off all the time. By the low growl coming from the desk, he presumed it was irritating Draco as well.

The prompt seemed to have an effect, as Sirius suddenly rushed onwards, plunging on headfirst.

"Well, it was more of what we were capable of doing, you see. There is…a world, a world underneath what you normally see. It's like…" Sirius frowned to himself, unsure of how to properly phrase it. The world to which they knew was a very immaterial thing in itself, linked only by certain places and people. It was even more indecipherable to humans such as themselves.

"Like an underworld?" Harry asked, secretly feeling morbidly amused. He already knew plenty about that; he could still feel Draco's tongue sliding across his skin, his fangs sharply piercing into his flesh. He couldn't retain his shiver as it raced up his spine.

Sirius didn't seem to notice, though Remus, who had remained silent so far, did and furrowed his brow slightly. Severus seemed completely unfazed by the conversation, but Harry could tell he was listening, even as he kept a close eye on his potion as he bent over searching his desk for his notes.

"Yes, I suppose you could call it that. We only discovered it because of old Moony over here."

"I am not old Sirius, perhaps it would be better for me to explain the rest?"

Harry nodded, feeling that Remus would probably give a better overview than Sirius, who appeared to get distracted easily.

"I suppose it all starts with me being a werewolf, yes, they do exist. I was young when I received the bite, but it was enough. Growing up, it was…difficult to make friends without them becoming suspicious of my condition. My mother had to move us on more than one occasion. It was when I entered secondary school that everything changed, that I made four great friends; Sirius, Peter Pettigrew, Lily Evans and of course James Potter."

Not entirely sure where this was going, but glad to be finally reaching some answers, Harry listened raptly; he had never heard a good word spoken about his parents after all, and the lack of knowledge had hung over him for years.

Remus continued, "We were friends all through school, doing practically everything together, once James was finally able to get Lily to go out with him; he was rather persistent." Remus gave a small smile in remembrance.

"Of course, we couldn't be friends for long before they noticed something was different about me, how I was ill every month and often got large scratches, which would then heal too quickly. Oddly enough, it was Peter who first found out what I am, my friends had apparently finally broke and decided that they just had to know what was wrong with me, and had followed me on the night of the full moon."

Here, Remus gave a mild glare to Sirius, who sunk a little further into his seat.

"It all ended in a big confrontation the next day, and quite a bit of yelling, if I remember correctly. However, what I had feared never came to pass. All of them were completely intrigued by what I was and the world I unintentionally belonged to, instead of the fear perhaps they ought to have held."

Remus gave a wearisome sigh, the lines on his face seemingly deepening.

"They all resolved to help me on my nights of pain, Sirius still refuses to tell me where they got the knowledge from, but they decided to learn to become Animagi."

"Animagi?" asked Harry confused.

It was Draco that responded, startling all three with his voice.

"They are mortals that posses the ability to turn themselves into a certain animal at will. It is a rare talent and an incredibly dangerous thing to attempt to do," said Draco, looking at Sirius with a raised eyebrow. Sirius flushed under the intense stare and rapidly glanced away.

Remus acted as if he there had been no interruption.

"Yes, it took them several years to learn how to do it, but in the end, Sirius could turn into a dog, Peter into a rat, and James, your father could transform into a rather magnificent stag. All of which spawned our nicknames, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs."

"Good times" sighed Sirius reminiscently, his eyes glazed over.

Remus gave a mirroring sigh as well as his shoulders seemed to slump.

Harry was sitting quite rigidly on his chair, waiting for the inevitable climax to the tale being spun for him. The one that was inescapable.

Remus did not disappoint.

"All was well for many years after that…and it should have remained that way. There was nothing about that night, which could have possibly hinted to what was going to occur. Everything broke, in just one single night."

Even Draco was starting to become interested in the account, despite himself. It was interesting to know more about his lovely little minuo, of course, but it had nothing to do with him. Nevertheless, he found himself patiently listening to the werewolf as he told his story. The imminent sense of dread that hung in the air in anticipation had absolutely nothing to do with it.

"Peter," said Remus bitterly and Sirius gave a rumbling growl in response, "had fallen in with the…wrong crowd. Completely unknown to any of us. It is a dangerously easy thing to slip and wind up in a problematic situation; it's a world full of dark creatures after all."

He sighed, "Peter owed them something, we never found out what, they came to call."

Remus appeared almost unable to continue for a moment. The room was strangely silent, not even the flickering candles could lift the darkening ambience.

"They wanted his life," stated Sirius suddenly, his voice permeating through the air.

"Perhaps for some sort of ritual, or maybe a sacrifice…never really read about those sorts of things. They were the wrong sorts of people, those who studied such things."

Draco refrained from commenting with practiced ease, annoyed at the ignorant mortal's words and ideas. Harry was so stiff; he was practically falling off his chair, his hands gripping the seat tightly.

Remus picked up from where Sirius left off, his voice oddly twisted from its usual mild tones, "Peter was unwilling to forfeit his life, even though he probably deserved it. In his cowardice he gave them an offer."

"An offer?" Harry's whisper was so soft it was barely discernable, his fingernails scratching grooves into the wood unbeknownst to him.

Remus nodded grimly, "Yes, the house where all of you were living was nearby to the alleyway they had tracked him down to. Two lives were better than one, eh?"

Harry felt suffocated, though he had no need to draw in any air, his throat felt tight and the sting of betrayal threaded its way through his chest like poison. To be offered up like that, like lambs to the slaughter, by their own best friend? He felt bile rise to the back of his mouth.

"Yes…" whispered the werewolf brokenly, " that's what Peter did. I believe they took him with him, to watch. It seemed that they found Peter's offer just as distasteful. For spite, they murdered Lily and James in their own home, and let Peter run off unharmed, but with the knowledge that he was the one that opened the door."

Silence rang absolute through the small, dusky room, all drowning in their own thoughts. Even Severus and Draco felt some revulsion at the infidelity of Peter Pettigrew.

Poor Harry was left in a tumultuous band of thoughts to sift through. He felt oddly numb, apart from the sting of tears in his eyes. He had never cried over his parents before, there had never been anything for him to mourn. But now, the loss was cut afresh, and the wound much deeper.

He took in a breath with a screeching lurch, showing his restrained sobs that were lodged in the back of his throat. Remus slowly moved to sit next to him, to attempt to offer some comfort by rubbing his back.

His only true comfort, however, was the soothing gaze he could feel on his back that he knew came from the hoary eyed vampire.

Sirius was still bent, silent, over his chair. It was his rough voice that broke the quiet.

"I was the first one there, you know, " he said weakly, "to find them, just laying there…I think I nearly had a heart attack when you started crying though."

Harry looked up to stare at him, taking in the wry grin that twisted his features.

"I was so…relieved. I had thought for one terrible moment that all three of you were taken. You were alive…that was a good thing."

Remus interrupted with a sigh at this point, "And then Sirius had to do something remarkably stupid," he said with a reprimanding glare to said man.

Sirius just scowled in return, though Harry was certain he could see a faint blush to his cheeks.

"I arrived soon after and you were handed straight to me, Sirius mumbling away all the while as he went off into the night to attempt to find out what had happened, leaving me with you, and the police that had come to investigate."

Pausing, Remus briefly glanced at the form of the other, before resuming, "It apparently didn't take him long to find out what Peter had done. It took him even less time to start hunting for him-"

"What would've you done Remus!? Oh, I'm sure you would have been flawlessly rational, and would have let others deal with him, because you're oh so PERFECT!"

Sirius had stood in his anger, knocking his chair to the floor, his eyes positively spitting with indignation.

Remus snarled in reply, his eyes darkening to amber, "Who do you think you are talking to Sirius?! I never said I was perfect, or that I wouldn't have done the same thing as you, neither of us could prevent what was going to happen!"

Sirius quietened at that and Harry took the opportunity to speak, "Why, what did he do?"

Sirius glanced at Harry, all wrath leaving him, before replying,

"Fucked everything up, that's what."

Remus decided to elaborate, "Sirius sought Peter out, and managed to catch up to him the very next day and upon seeing him, promptly tried to eviscerate him."

"He deserved it!" spat Sirius.

"Yes, I know he did," said Remus tiredly; it was obvious that they had had this conversation many times before.

"Anyway, it was broad daylight and there were several witnesses to Sirius's declarations of agonizing vengeance. Needless to say, Peter was bleeding substantially by the time the required five policeman turned up to restrain him. In the commotion Peter managed to flee and Sirius was led away laughing like a some sort of psychopath."

Harry looked to Sirius with raised eyebrows. Sirius appeared at least a little ashamed of his actions, not meeting anyone gaze and staring resolutely at the floorboards.

"Come to think of it, it was probably a good thing he was laughing. It made his plea of temporary insanity all the more believable."

Remus heaved another remorseful sigh, "Of course, while sorting all of that misunderstanding out, you were placed with your Aunt as your new guardian by the authorities. We never saw you again."

Harry just stared at the two men across from him, how could he take in so much information in all one sitting?

Yet, at the same time, he was glad. He finally had the answer to a question that he thought would never be revealed to him. Though the circumstances in which his parents met their end were far different than any had ever imagined them to be.

He felt the lingering pangs of anger and sorrow, but mainly, he just felt…at peace. The burning part of his past was now resolved, and it left him satiated.

Perhaps now he could move on into the future, he thought, with a fleeting look to the vampire that was still leaning on the desk languorously.

All five men were silent, they had been for the better part of an hour ever since Remus and Sirius had finished their tale. It was a morose atmosphere indeed when Severus declared the potion that Remus required finished.

It was as he was clearing up, and that they began to rouse from their positions that Remus allowed his discomfort to show.

He shared a look with Sirius, who seemed to be thinking along the same lines. Now that they had found Harry, they could finally start to try to make everything up to him, Sirius was sure that Petunia would have despised Harry just as much as Lily. He deserved someone to care about him.

At the moment, there was one thing particularly bothering him.

"Harry?" he asked softly.

The brunette turned at the sound of his name, green eyes glowing slightly in the low light.

"Yes?"

"Something's been bothering me…just what are you doing here?"

"Wh-what? What do you mean?" sputtered Harry confusedly.

"Why have you come here to Severus? He's a vampire; do you know how dangerous this is? What are you doing here in the first place?"

"I think," said Remus carefully, as he watched Draco finally stir from his position on the desk and saunter forwards, "that what we should be asking is why Harry is with him."

A/N: So, how was it? I apologize if the back story was a slog to work through, I tired to make it as interesting as possible. Sigh, i'm not really happy with the 1st reaction when siri meets harry, but i couldnn't do any better. #Bangs head against wall in frustration#. Anyway, next chapter should be better. And oh yes, the dreams are BACK, didn't think I'd forget those now did you? Please Review! Next chappy, more alcoholic Sevvy!