Lucius was relieved to get his brother back to France in one piece. He noticed his brother still had the bag of Harry's things with him. Nick and the twins knew it would be too hard to get it back to Harry when he was in a safe house. Once he was back at school they would through Hermione. For now he had his journal and the two photos, and the rest Nick would keep safe for him. Nick thought of how much he had treasured the map, cloak and album as well as Hedwig, the only things he had of his own. Until school he had never had friends or gifts either.

Lucius knew Nick was worried about the Weasleys, but he needed to be reminded his life was no longer the war. They intended to keep to their plan of a birthday party for him. Fred and George would still try to make it, they knew their mother would want them to be there for Nick.

Nick was surprised when his brother came to him the day before the birthday. He didn't know about the party. "Where are we going?'

Lucius handed him his cloak. "You will find out when you get there, and it is Fleur and the other two taking you."

Nick was a bit surprised when he put on his cloak. "I thought after our last little trip, you'd be reluctant to let me ever leave the house."

Lucius sighed. "I'm not letting you go the UK no. But you're not a prisoner, I am just trying to keep my little brother safe."

Nick understood. "I know you are. It's nice to know I have family who actually cares about me."

Remus had come into the room. "I hope I am not being left out of that comment, you know how much I love you cub."

Nick nodded. "I am getting used to this new family of mine, but I need you."

Lucius watched the two of them go, Remus was accompanying Nick this time. Remus hadn't had much of a place in the training. It wasn't about the fact he was not an elemental, as Lucius had been in on lessons as well. It was understanding Nick needed to learn to rely on more than him. Nick found Remus as his safe zone, who he trusted longer, and could turn to. But after his time in the UK, he needed that right now. He needed the stability of his beloved godfather, and knowing even with all that had changed, he had the man.

They were taking Nick for his surprised birthday gift of sorts. He had heard them say they considered a seeing eye dog, but had never realized they were serious. Lucius thought seeing how Nick also reacted to horses, it could work. Talis was only good for letters and such.

Nick was surprised when he heard barking around him and realized. "I am in some kind of animal shelter aren't I?"

Fleur answered. "A friend owns one in the muggle world. We thought perhaps there may be a dog you might bond with here."

Remus added. "He could literally be your seeing eye dog, or she."

Nick was confused. "I thought you guys said there was a chance my eyes could come back."

Fleur assured him. "There is, we definitely have not given up hope. But just like our lessons, this will help you cope until they do."

Viktor nodded. "And you never know, you could use the skill when your eyes came back. Maybe turn Talis into a little spy for you."

Nick laughed when he thought of his cat as a spy. He knew he wouldn't return to the war, even if his eyes came back, and he didn't want to. He may be sent to Beauxbautons to finish his schooling or take it from home. Adrian made a joke about not telling the twins, they might make Nick a third one of their pranks, the little spy could come in handy. The mention of the twins brought their minds back to London and they needed to get away from that. Today was about giving him some good memories hopefully. Andromeda had only told Lucius, but when Nick returned from London, she had seen his pupils slightly respond to light. It was the first real sign his eyesight might be returning. It was emotional trauma right now and nothing physical, keeping him from seeing. They hoped now as he was feeling more comfortable at home, he'd get it back. Andromeda thought perhaps knowing and being reassured Molly cared about him might have helped as well.

Nick was allowed to move down the row of dogs, larger dogs as a little one would be of little help. Lucius had said look to small poodles, but a joke, as he knew it would be as useful as a cat would be to him. Nick stopped at a collie but before they could speak, he had a flash from behind.

The owner saw him turn to the other cage and go to open it. "I wouldn't do that, that dog is about to be put down, he is aggressive."

Nick had ignored the comment and knelt down in the pen. "Hey boy you're not aggressive are you, just scared locked up in this cage."

Viktor watched nervously. "Nick maybe you should come out of there, we don't know how the dog will react."

Nick smiled when he got a flash of his own face for the first time, and he felt the dog lick him. ""I'll take him. A leash?"

The owner handed him one. "It may just be all of the other dogs, he was abandoned, so I have no idea how he was before."

Remus shook his head when Nick came out of the cage with the dog. "Lucius might be wishing for a poodle when he sees that beast."

Nick was worried his brother would make him send the dog back, but Remus assured him he wouldn't. Lucius had proven he was willing to do almost anything to make his brother better. They could see, well Nick couldn't, but the others could Lucius' reaction to the dog. Nick had not even asked at that point what kind of dog it was. Lucius knew deep down a small dog would be no use, and he could live with this.

Lucius assured his brother, when Nick was worried, as the dog would be put down. "He'll always be welcome, even when your eyes come back."

Fred and George were not sure about leaving. They may have had so many problems with their parents, but they loved their mum still. Their problems with their parents were not all about Nick, they hadn't even known the couple knew about the stone. Their issues had been about the store, and about Albus as well, and nick added to it. But that didn't mean they wanted to see their mum die, they loved her dearly, and didn't want to lose her. She had been a good mum to them when they were little, and loved them all in her own way, they couldn't forget that.

They went to the hospital the day of Nick's real birthday. Harry's had been cancelled due to what happened, but the twins had found a way to sneak him his gifts, including those from the US. They were meant to go to France for Nick's surprise party that afternoon.

They were surprised to find their mum was not on life support any more. "What happened?"

Arthur smiled. "It seems a certain visitor lifted her spirits or something. Her vitals have been improving ever since."

George was reminded what he had been told about Nick's powers and had to wonder. "She's going to make it?"

Arthur sighed. "She isn't out of the woods yet, but the healers finally have given us hope. They basically wrote her off before."

Fred put a small teddy down next to her, something they had rescued, like the clock, from the house. "We are all with you mum."

The teddy bear had been owned by all of her kids, but had been Molly's as well. Like the clock, was one of those things Molly treasured. The house was not in ruins, it would be repaired and livable in a month or so, but a lot of special items had been lost. Molly would say they were all photographs and such, things which may not be able to be replaced, but they had the memories. What really could not be replaced were her husband and sons, and all those in the house. They couldn't forget she was in here, as she held off attackers, to get Percy and Harry out.

Arthur had a feeling the twins were heading back to France, and making sure the room was warded, they confirmed it. Arthur assured the boys Molly would want them to go. Molly would want this day for Nick.

He reminded them. "She always wished we could protect him, save him from the war. She'd be happy he could be a child, have a party."

Fred nodded. "I know you both would. I know he'll send his love when we come back. Your words meant a lot to him."

Arthur said just before they left. "I know you have had your doubts about us, but never doubt for a moment we love that boy like a son."

The twins didn't, and they thought perhaps that was the issue. Their parents had encouraged them all to be in the order when old enough. They always wanted to protect their children, but they also saw the need to win the war as well. The twins would have thought considering how their Uncles died, their mother would be reluctant. The twins never joined the order, they ran the underground with Xeno, and that wouldn't change. They hoped to remain on good terms with their family, but like Bill, they could never follow Albus. It had been bad before, but hearing what he had done, and tried to do to their little brother, it was even more.

With their dad's reminder their mum would want them too, the twins headed for France. France was so close, but untouched by war, seemed a world away. They arrived just in time to be a part of the surprise when Nick made his way down stairs.

Nick was shocked when they shouted surprise. "What?"

Remus kissed his cheek. "We wanted to make sure you had a proper birthday for once."

Nick stroked the monstrous dog next to him the twins wondered about. "I thought Titan was my gift?"

Lucius laughed. "Part of your gift, but you get a party as well. You have a lot of people who want to celebrate with you."

Fred agreed. "We didn't make the trip all the way from the UK just to have you back out. But what is this?"

Nick laughed as he hugged the twins and knew what they spoke of. "This is Titan, our attempt at me having a literal seeing eye dog."

Lucius had hoped he would luck out, he didn't think there could be a boarhound like Fang, and he was right. But Titan definitely was little better. He didn't weigh as much as Fang, he was a skinnier dog, but he was as big as some horses. From what they could tell he was an Irish wolfhound, one of the world's largest breeds, and he was extremely protective of Nick. He wasn't aggressive as they were warned, he seemed a gentle giant, unless for some reason he felt Nick was threatened. He had been with them only a day, but he stayed with Nick, even slept next to him.

Nick was opening his gifts, when Talis jumped into his lap. The cat has disappeared ever since Titan came to the manor. She made a circle in his lap and lay down, and Nick laughed, as his cat seemed to be staking her territory. He got his first look at his dog, through her eyes.

He smiled. "I guess I can see why you freaked Luc, didn't realize just how big he is."

Lucius smiled. "Like I assured you, even when you get your eyes back, he has a home here. He does seem to be well trained."

Fred handed him a gift from Hermione. "We brought a few from home for you."

The gifts meant a lot, but the party meant more to Nick, who had never had one. They were having a swimming party, as it was one thing Nick seemed able to really do, though he was learning to ride as well. They all laughed when Titan jumped into the pool with them. Even if he could not see, he could laugh and swim and have fun with his friends. They played Marco Polo with him, which evened the playing field. After a pizza dinner, there was a big birthday cake for him, and thanks to Talis he could see.

Remus thought as Nick was blowing out the candles. "I think we are all wishing for the same thing for him."

an: keep up the reviews, story continues.