~thoughts~

Next Day Burrow

"Hermione, Ron! Breakfast is ready! Come down stairs and eat" Molly Weasley screamed up the stairs.

"We'll be down in a minute, Mum. Getting dressed," Ron replied from his place in front of the mirror then turned back to stare at himself. There was nothing particularly great about him. He was tall; almost 6" now just like his brothers but that's where the similarities ended. Because unlike his brothers ,he was gangly, no muscle with a slight belly on him now with all the food he was eating. It was catching up to him. His hair was a rustier red where as his brothers had a strawberry red. He also seemed to have more freckles than them and wasn't as smart. Turning to Hermione, "Love, do you think I'm as good looking as my brothers? I mean, I know I don't look like them but I'm handsome right?"

Hermione gave an exasperated sigh, "Yes, Ronald. Besides, what's so great about them; Fred and George didn't even graduate, Percy was a Death Eater and what's so great about a dragon tamer? It doesn't require brains, and you were Harry Potters best friend, helped him defeat Voldemort. You're 10 times better than they ever were."

"You're right as always. I'll see you down stairs," He gave Hermione a quick kiss and headed to the kitchen, the food seeming better and better by the second.

Hermione took Ron's place in front of the mirror, doing the same thing Ron had just done. She was short with long bushy brown hair, and while she was pretty in the face her hair took away from that. She started turning in circles looking at her body. ~No butt, almost flat chest, plain~ she thought but it didn't matter since she was the most brilliant witch of her age. Not even the stuck up self-righteous Malfoy was smarter than her and that was all that mattered. Beauty and narcissism wouldn't help her. No, her brains would get her everywhere she wanted. ~Blood and looks be damned.~ With that she put on her pants and followed the same route that Ron had went down stairs

Molly set out all the plates and dished out food for her and the two kids as her husband had already went to work. She had just finished when Ron and Hermione had walked into the kitchen.

"Sit down and eat you two. Albus will be here in a few minutes and he needs to speak with you," as soon as Molly had said that the Floo came to life and Albus stepped through it.

"Ah. Good morning, Molly, Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley. Now, we need to speak. You two will have to be Harry's friends for a bit longer. The goblins won't let me touch his money now that he's 16 - unless he is deemed unstable. I need you to watch him for any signs of that. I understand you already wrote him and said what you've always wanted to say but you need to undo that. I expect it to be done immediately. Now, I need to go and speak with Severus. If you'll excuse me." Albus walked back to the floo and left.

"Dammit! I don't want to be friends that freak again! I'm tired of all his attention seeking. Everyone says that Harry is so great at this and Harry is so great at that and I am sick of it! I won't do it again," Ron said taking a deep breath.

"Ronald, we will do what the Headmaster says. You want the money, you want the fame and to become an Auror, you'll do it. We need to go write a letter to Harry," Hermione stated.

"You'll eat first - both of you. You're much to skinny Hermione," Molly said.

"Oh god!" Leaning over the bed, Harry vomited all over the floor, falling back on the bed squeezing his eyes shut and breathing deeply. He opened his eyes again and he looked around. He was in a large bedroom with deep blue walls, black carpet, an oak desk in the corner and an oak dresser set against a wall.

~Why was he still alive?~ He didn't want this. Who saved him? Why did they, why couldn't they just let him die. It's all he wanted - to be with his parents, to die. He should have let them rot but he didn't and now he just wanted his escape. Falling back to sleep his last thought was who still cared enough because he didn't.

Night Before

"Severus….what….why….I…" Charlie stuttered.

"I'll start at the beginning. About two days after the final battle, I overheard the Headmaster, your youngest brother and Ms. Granger speaking. It turns out Mr. Weasley & Ms. Granger were only pretending to be friends with Harry at the Headmaster's request. I didn't tell him that I told him to write them this letter. What I have here was their response. I think that it was the final straw for Harry, though we can't be sure until he wakes up but I think we can safely assume so." Severus finished, looking straight at Charlie. "I am worried. I don't think he wants to live anymore and I… I can't let Lily's son die - let alone Sirius's godson. I didn't know anyone else that would actually care." Severus voice broke and Charlie got up and moved to sit next to him .

"Severus, I care. You know I do. You of all people know I do but what I don't understand why. Would you do explain that to me please?"

"Dumbledore," Severus spat "demanded I train him day in and day out last summer at my manor. We got…close. I saw him. Harry was upset about a lot of things; your brother always turning on him, Hermione's constant nagging, Dumbledore's manipulations. I no longer saw James Potter, I saw Harry - Just Harry." Severus fell back against the couch giving a chocked sob, "He has to stay here, needs to know someone cares. I'll come as often as I can. I need to figure out what Dumbledore's up to. Show him, Charlie. I know you got to know him, I know how you feel about him. Let him know. Now, I need to go. I'll be back tomorrow if I can manage," with that Severus got up and left .

Charlie went to his door and peeked through the crack looking at Harry as he tossed and turned on the bed. No, he wouldn't let Harry fall into that darkness ever again. He would get his trust above all else - maybe even his love, but he would make sure Harry never felt that again. Charlie stalked towards his library intent on finding out more about the veil.