(A/N All Harry Potter characters belong to JKR I'm just having fun with them)

Chapter 2

Harry awoke to a splitting headache, with no water or food in the last 16 hours not to mention the blows to the head it was of little surprise to him. Looking around it seemed to be midday, his trunk sitting with one corner dug into the dirt, an empty cage contorted out of shape next to it, gave him a pang of sadness. The sky was wispy clouds with bright blue in patches in between and, thankfully it had warmed up. Enough was enough he needed help and he knew how to get it, he just needed his wand for that. Reaching up his sleeve for his wand, he felt a quick burst of panic it wasn't there. Struggling to his feet Harry put a hand out on the trunk of Hedwig's tree to catch his balance.

Racking his brain trying to think through the fog of pain he wondered where his wand was. Without it things would be much more difficult. Deliberately he walked forward staying upright, by pure willpower and determination; he made his way to his trunk. Looking around there was no sign of it and that took the wind right out of him. He couldn't possibly walk any distance and especially if he had his trunk. He sat down slowly on his trunk just in a daze of depression, focusing on his lost wand and how he missed the feel of it. It was around ten minutes before he noticed a pull. Odd that it seemed to hum with a familiar feel, he turned to look left the pull got stronger. Curiosity overwhelmed depression and he rose to his feet once more and moved to the side. The gravel pad ended in a ditch, with his blurry vision it was hard to tell, but maybe that stick shape was his wand.

Crawling he made it down the three foot ledge to reach out and grab the stick, a spray of sparks, golden in color, briefly reflected in the collected rainwater, at the bottom of the ditch. Happiness and confidence flowed through Harry, as he made his way to the roadside and promptly raised his wand. BANG! Harry once more fell to the gravel as the Knight Bus appeared.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus emergency transport… OH are you alright lad?" questioned the conductor, an older lady with grey hair and a large mole on the side of her nose.

"m'fine" Harry replied, getting to his feet again "but how much to the Burrow, in Ottery Street Catchpole, Devon."

"14 sickles, but if you want--"

"Let me get it, from my trunk." Said Harry hoping to cut off all the extras. She must have known he wasn't up to much, what with a bruised and scraped face wet muddy clothes and pale complexion.

"Here, up you go, let me help," said the conductor as she hauled him up with surprising ease. Going to his trunk and grabbing his money bag he quickly handed over the required sickles, noting there was only one left. He leaned down to grab his trunk, when the conductor stepped past hoisted it up and stated.

"Load up we got lots of stops to make your forth in the queue."

It was back to business for the conductor, after all it was emergency transport. The no name young man wasn't the only lost waif she'd seen during her time. Harry surprised by the ease of her lifting his trunk just stumbled on the bus to the first open seat. His hair was thankfully matted down to cover his scar but his clothes were torn and covered in mud and blood. It drew some attention from the other passengers but not enough to cause comment. The trip to the Burrow went by quickly and the next thing Harry new he was standing on the front lane. After vague wave, the driver stepped on the peddle taking the bus away for its next stop.

Dragging the trunk down the lane and leaving it at the bottom of the porch steps he climbed up and knocked on the door. It was quite a shock when a tall man opened the door.

"Who are you and, what the bloody hell happened to your face?"

Harry looked up and said, "You must be Bill, I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

Bill looked at the young man for just a moment before simply putting an arm around Harry's shoulder and leading him inside.

It was a long explanation that had Bill angry and upset. This was the boy who saved his little sister, the same boy who as a child stopped an evil wizard and, by doing so stopped a war. Beaten by his own family and left on the side of the road. Harry for his part talked like he never had before, whether it was his condition or the fact that Bill seemed to care he didn't know, but he opened up. It wasn't until Harry's head bobbed that Bill realized just how tired he must be and determined to get him food, water, and rest. Pulling his wand Bill pointed it at Harry.

"Brace yourself and I'll heal up the scrapes and bruises," Harry nodded.

"Episky!" his face flashed cold then hot with a slight sting before fading, Harry felt slightly better.

"Go shower mate I'll fix up some food," said Bill.

"Thanks" Harry looked around "my trunks outside," he said as he made to go get it.

"I'll bring it up, meet you there," was Bills reply.

The smell of stew met Harry's nose as he walked into the Kitchen causing his mouth to water and his stomach to growl.

"Take a seat, pumpkin juice is on the table this stew's almost done." said Bill standing at the stove. During his walk back downstairs form the shower Harry had noticed nobody else was here, how he missed that before he didn't know.

"Bill, where is everyone else?"

"Romania, visiting Charlie for the next four weeks."

"Oh"

"Actually I hope to be on my way to Central America in just a week. I want to join an expedition to look for lost places warded and forgotten."

"I ah… I can get a room at the Leaky Caldron I guess, if I can get to Gringotts first." Harry said feeling a little down that Ron was gone. He knew Hermione was off to on vacation with her parents.

"No need to rush you can stay here at least a few days and we'll see what happens. Do you have anyone else to stay with?" Bill asked

"Um not exactly," Harry replied as he dug into the bowl of stew Bill placed in front of him. He thought of Sirius, but didn't know how to find him.

"Don't worry mate we'll think of something. Here drink this, Mum keeps them around for when the twins get to be too much, it's a pain reliever potion." Harry grimaced at the taste and quickly took a gulp of pumpkin juice.

"Taste's like burnt grass, but it works," Bill stated while laughing.

"Thanks for this and everything, if you don't mind I'm gonna take a little nap," Harry said. With his belly full and pain dulled he felt tired. Lying back on the couch he wondered briefly where he would stay.

Bill cleaned up, as he thought of the eventful day. His family on a trip, the Boy-Who-Lived showing up after spending the night knocked out by the roadside, and his own dilemma of needing a Helper. Looking in the living room Bill noticed Harry already asleep, be a surprise if he awoke before noon tomorrow. Then where would he go if Bill left, should he stay and keep an eye on Harry? That would mean no trip for him, or maybe, would he want to go with. Was it possible Harry would be his Breakers Helper? This would help both of them, Harry needed a place to stay Bill needed help, plus from all that he's heard from the twins Harry was very resourceful and smarter than he let on. He would ask in the morning, for now he would have to wait. Something no Weasley was good at.

The sun shined brightly through the windows from a completely clear sky. It was a new day in more ways than one. Harry woke feeling good, still with a little bit of a headache and, hungry again but much less pain. In fact he felt good enough to fix breakfast for himself and Bill. Soon the smell of bacon and eggs woke Bill up from his restless sleep, he was eager to talk to Harry, and it was the last day to sign up. With a grin he hurried down the stairs.

"Good morning, thanks for cooking," Bill greeted Harry.

"Morning Bill, I enjoy it sometimes, at least when people appreciate it,"

"Well I sure do, say Harry, I want to talk to you," at Harry's nod he continued.

"As you know I want to go on an expedition but I need a crew before I can sign up. Actually just a helper, someone to share in the cooking duties at camp, write down notes as I'm looking at the wards, also keep an eye out for creatures that shouldn't be around. Anyway the point is Ron was the one who I had hoped would be willing but, of course with the trip and all he said no. So maybe you would help, I… I can't really pay much, we'll be roughing it really compared too some of the others but it would give you a chance to use magic over the summer and learn some stuff, see a different country. I would of course cut you in for a share of the profits that we make from artifacts or gold we find. Not to mention rare plants or creatures." Bill finished his little speech and nervously waited, this really was his last chance.

Harry was gobsmacked, it sounded so awesome he just couldn't believe Bill wanted him to go.

"Yes, I mean I want to that sounds really cool. What do I need to do," Harry had managed to get past the surprise and respond. Bill sighed with relief, glad this had all worked out so well.

"Right, first things first, we sign up then and get you a work permit and a waiver for underage magic. Then I've got 42 galleons so we can get you some gear, and we need a tent, Dad took ours to Romania. We'll have to be careful with the money we need food too, at least 2 months worth." Bill replied, excited.

"I need glasses, mine broke and, I can just see well enough to move about but, not much else," Harry said, thinking. Then at seeing Bill's slight frown, Harry quickly interjected, "but I can cover all my own things I just need to get to my vault. I've got plenty in fact I could help out quite a bit." Worrying that Bill might take it the wrong way, like Ron, and be touchy about money he said, "My parents left me quite a bit so it won't hurt me."

"Ok no problem mate, I just thought that with those clothes you might need some help."

Harry blushed a bit until he resolved to not take the blame for being mistreated. He could now take care of himself and that is what he would do. Provide himself with decent fitting clothes that weren't embarrassing.

Bill watched the effect his words had an on Harry and, just as he was about to apologize Harry stated in a calm voice.

"Your right, these are because of the Dursley's but, no more I can use my parents money to take care of myself."

"Right O mate just don't spend too much and not have enough for later," Bill replied feeling sad that a boy not yet fourteen would have to do that, but also with some respect for standing up for himself.

"Alright no time to lose then we've a lot to do and prepare with little time let's get dressed and head to Gringotts first to sign up. Or wait, I expect you will need glasses to write huh?" Bill's excitement carried in his voice.

"Yeah, lets get moving," was Harry's reply as he was on the way to his trunk.