The Misfits

by Running-On-Air-jjw

The Dursleys have had it with Harry Potter and decide to send him to a behavioral center. Harry has no choice but to go on a journey to Karlbergs, unaware of the snags and laughs he will experience. His world is turned upside down as he learns new things about himself and those around him. And, somewhere along the way, Harry becomes a misfit. Maybe that's not such a bad thing.

3. Chapter 3

AN: Third Chapter, lovlies. Please review and give me some feedback! Enjoy! :)

...

Harry loved Fridays. Out of the whole week at Karlbergs, Fridays were the absolute best. Everyday, especially Saturday and Sunday, was filled with rigorous activity. It was always some new rules of the world they had to learn or new job they had to perform. But, on Fridays, that was their relaxing day.

Harry had been at Karlbergs for exactly one week. He quickly learned a few things about the place. It was meant to be comparable to a prison and the adults clearly considered themselves wardens. There could always be something found for the 'criminals' to do, always a table to scrub or a sink to try and fix. The adults treated the disorderlies like they were always constantly on the brink of breaking the rules. Most of the other disorderlies stuck to their own groups and left everyone else alone, with the exception of Butch and his mates. Butch liked to stir up trouble.

All in all, Harry managed to keep his head down for the first week. Everyone did, actually. Even jittery Nick stayed out of punishment. But, Josh assured him that it wouldn't last. They talked about the 'first weekend' but wouldn't elaborate when Harry asked. They mentioned it was a surprise and grinned at him, promising him that he would love it. They claimed that after the aforementioned 'first weekend', the adults would start cracking down on the disorderlies.

The only good thing about Harry's schedule was the art wind down in the mornings. They went to a class room and were allowed to paint or mold with clay or simply draw. Now, Harry wasn't Dean by a long shot but he could admit that art was relaxing and fun. Josh was amazing and even Nick, with his shaky hands, was good. Olivia, hands down, was the best. Her projects came out beautiful and colorful each time. Em wasn't terrible and a bit better than Harry.

The counsel sessions were what Harry considered the equivalent to group therapy sessions. A large group of about thirty, which was all the residents in Karlbergs save for the adults, would gather in a classroom. The group of thirty would split up into about five groups of five or four or six between five adults. Harry joined Josh, Em, Olivia, and Nick with Counselor Gibbs. The man was burly and always hacking and coughing and wheezing. He had a large bald spot in the back of his head and he never failed to smell like gasoline.

The sessions demanded that they talk about all the bad things they ever did in life. That was it. There wasn't any talking about a better future or trying to do better. It was simply talking about what they did wrong and explaining how their lives impacted the world in a negative way. Harry thought that maybe this wasn't they way they should've went about it but Gibbs didn't seem to care about them anyhow.

In their history of violence class, they learned about gangs and juveniles and drug dealers. It was all bad things and everyday at the end of the class, they had to watch a video that portrayed a gang all being arrested roughly by smug cops. Harry wasn't into gangs or anything illegal but he had to admit that if he was, this wasn't the way to go about swaying them away from it. It was a half hearted attempt that no one even cared about, especially the adults.

Review was learning the insignificant things they learned in school. It was basic math and english. They didn't even cover real history or science. Reflection was the stupidest thing Harry had ever heard of. It was worse that the counsel sessions. They were required to fall silent and think about all the bad they'd ever done. And, they were supposed to apologize for their behavior at the end of it. Out of everything, it was the one thing he was most disgusted by. It was just...wrong.

Kitchen duty was alright. He had Em, who had a knack for cooking just like him. Often, they collaborated and came up with better meals, straying from their given menu. The adults turned a blind eye to it simply because it benefited them as well. They worked together like a well oiled machine, always anticipating what the other was about to do and always coming up with the same ideas. It was strange how they worked together like they did but Harry was thankful for it running so smoothly.

Harry would think that it's the best part of his day if it wasn't for Butch. Him and a few of his boys also had kitchen duty. They were supposed to clean while Em and Harry cooked. Of course, Butch had his boys doing all the cleaning while he terrorized everyone. And, like Josh predicted, Butch did enjoy bullying Harry. It was Harry's cooking partner, Em, who kept Butch away, always grabbing up a knife threateningly and staring at him in a silence that bore more promise than words ever could have managed to.

It was a surreal thing to see. When Harry first saw Butch, he had been genuinely surprised that he was such a bad bloke. Butch looked like an average bloke, not too big or tall. The only thing that hinted at his cruelty was his eyes. They were wild and always glinting in a threat. Em, with her small stature and tiny hands, would step up silently and face off with him. And, Butch would actually back off.

But, it was something about the way that Em's green eyes would flash and darken and her fingers would flex and tighten around the knife handle as if she was particularly comfortable with her weapon of choice. Butch would try and stare her down but he never seemed able to. Her silence stretched out and would pin them all in place. It was always intense and only that kept Harry from stepping up to be the hero he had always been. There were some things, he learned, that he just had to stay out of.

The days continued on and Harry settled in, learning more about the place and people as time went on. The misfits had accepted him as easily as if he had always been one of them. It was different than his friendship with Hermione and Ron. With them two, he always felt closed off and stuck. Not that he loved them any less or missed them any less. It was just that, with the misfits, he was free in a way. He was something he had always wanted to be.

Just Harry, flaws and all.

Despite having the misfits, he still felt miserable. He would hold his wand at night and try and feel his magic. He'd never felt so closed off from the wizarding world, not even at the Dursleys. This was different. This was playing muggle and curving his lifestyle. And, more than anything, he missed his friends and family.

All the time, he caught himself thinking about Ron or Hermione and missing them. More often than not, he was thinking about how Sirius and Josh would get along so well. He thought about how Remus would love the mystery that was Em or how Mrs. Weasley would try and sooth Nick's nerves or how Ginny and Olivia would talk about hair and sports. Somehow, though, within only a week, the misfits had snuck in and twined themselves into his life. Being thrown in this situation and having them as support made a bond that he doubted would ever really waver.

By the time the next Friday came around, signaling that it had truly been a week, Harry felt like a different person. Fortunately, he didn't have to examine that so closely on Fridays. It was one of the reasons he loved Fridays. No reflections, no counseling, and no history of violence. On Fridays, it was just reviewing, art, and the jobs. The rest of the day was free. And, that meant time out by the misfits tree.

He was slipping on a dull grey shirt when his door was knocked on. That was the first clue that it wasn't an adult. They simply barged in whenever they liked, uncaring what he was doing. He shimmied the shirt on and ran a hand through his hair. It felt as messy as it did every single day, if not more. He rolled his eyes and walked over to the door, looking down through the small glass. Em stood there, staring up with a smile that revealed dimples. He opened the door.

"It's Friday." He announced as if she didn't know. She bobbed her head and smiled wider.

"It sure is, Harry! You ready!?" Josh burst out, suddenly appearing at Em's side, seemingly out of nowhere. Harry hummed.

"Yes. What about Olivia and Nick?"

"Olivia's doing something with her hair and Nick is out here." Josh said.

"Olivia's always doing something with her hair." Harry muttered, stepping out and closing his door.

"I said the same thing." Nick laughed. Looking at him, Harry saw that he looked more relaxed. It must be a good day for the pale boy.

"It's a known fact, really. Let's go hurry her up."

Harry fell into step beside Nick, well over his unease with the boy by now. Em and Josh were ahead of them, holding hands and bumping shoulders. Nick was constantly brushing shoulders with Harry and reaching out to touch him or play with his hair. It was one of the things Harry learned about the place.

Josh explained it as being affection starved when Harry had asked. In truth, he had never been comfortable with contact because it was so rare. But, as Josh said, that was just the thing. All of them were were lacking affection, whether physical or mental. And, seeing as it was so lacking, they all seeked it out in each other. Harry had to admit that hugs and hand holding and brushes of skin did feel comforting. It felt good to be in contact with someone and when he allowed himself to relax and just accept the feeling, it wasn't even as awkward as he first thought it to be.

And so, Harry slowly warmed up to it. He allowed Olivia and Em and even Josh to hold his hand. Nick would grasp his wrist but never actually held his hand, only doing that with Olivia for some reason. He didn't mind when Josh put his arm around his shoulders or even his waist. He only blushed when Olivia grabbed his arms and forced him to wrap around her waist. He relaxed back into Em when she leaned on him. He allowed Josh to rest his head on his shoulder, even going as far as to occasionally pet his long hair. Harry knew that if it was in a different environment or with others, he might've felt more uncomfortable.

"So, Harry, are you excited about the first weekend?" Nick asked him, his eyes darting about in excitement.

"You lot have given me no other choice. You all talk it up and I'm excited even though I have no idea what's going to happen." Harry said.

"Good. Clueless is always fun." Nick quipped.

"Were you clueless?" Harry asked in curiosity.

"Yes but I had no one to make it exciting for me." Nick admitted.

"Why not?"

"I was the first misfit, you see."

Harry fell silent and stared at Nick who was looking at him solemnly. It occurred to Harry that he may never quit learning about the group of misfits pasts. Every single day, he learned something new. Caught sight of a yellowing bruise on Olivia's back, saw a scar on the inside of Em's elbow, managed to glimpse a small burn on Nick's hip, was flashed a slash on Josh's arm. He'd see it, hear it, catch it, learn it, and suddenly, everything would become more real.

"How long have you been coming here?" Harry murmured as they stopped outside of Olivia's door. Josh knocked.

"Five years." Nick replied, fidgeting slightly. Olivia opened the door but Harry paid no heed to it.

Five years. Five whole years of Karlbergs. Anguish ripped through him and despite the fact that Harry hated the feeling when directed to him, pity settled deep in his chest. But, for once, the feeling was okay because it was justified. It was pitiful that Nick had been through so much. Sometimes, they had to play the life they were dealt. And, occasionally, it was okay to feel miserable for the luck.

"Olivia! You're hair is gorgeous, my darling. You must do mine like that." Josh gushed, throwing a wink at Harry to show his theatrics.

"It is pretty." Nick agreed, seeming completely at ease despite the previous conversation. Em nodded and Harry decided to let it go. He sighed and looked up at Olivia. They weren't lying. Her hair was pretty.

"I like it." Harry said, knowing they wanted his opinion.

He had thought that it was just them fishing for compliments at first but realized that they truly cared what he thought. They never dismissed his opinion, either. They let him have it and tried to prove theirs right if they disagreed. And, if they couldn't, they backed off and simply agreed to disagree. It was different than anything he had ever experienced and he wondered if it was like a Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw friendship. He had to admit that it was nice.

"Thanks. I love putting my hair up and I figured out how to do it without a hair band." Olivia chirped, showing off her new hairstyle. It was up in a messy bun and a few tendrils fell down to frame her face.

"I miss my bun already. You seriously have to show me that." Josh said with a sigh.

"No, I like your hair down." Nick said with a pout.

"Yeah?" Josh asked, reaching up to finger brush his hair. He looked at Harry expectedly.

"Looks good either way. Both are edgy." Harry said with a shrug. By looking at his hair, it should've been obvious that he wouldn't really know.

"I'll switch it up, how about that?" Josh said, eyeing Nick closely. Nick simply nodded.

"To the misfit tree?" Olivia suggested.

"Onward my glorious minions!" Josh cried dramatically. Harry snickered and Nick looked affronted at being called a minion. Olivia curtsied to Josh and Em stuck up her finger and smirked.

And, to the tree they went.

…

"I think that it's called helium."

"No, no, no! Helium makes you sound like a third grader."

"So, what is it then?"

"Er... I don't know but it's not helium."

"So, you can't be sure."

"I am sure!"

"Uh huh."

Harry and Nick's heads turned between Olivia and Josh as they bickered. Olivia looked doubtful, tilting her chin up in a way that reminded Harry of Hermione. Josh looked indignant and slightly flustered, still managing to channel Sirius, though he'd never even laid eyes on him. Harry glanced up and Em was looking down from her branch in amusement.

"I think it doesn't matter. That wasn't even what we were discussing." Harry pointed out.

"Em's twin is right. My original point was that Darth Vader being Luke's father is the biggest plot twist in all history." Olivia insisted. Harry rolled his eyes and sent a weak smile up to the exasperated Em.

"No, I still think that Dil telling Fergus that she was still a he is the biggest plot twist." Josh retorted.

"Ugh, boys have no vision! Tell me, Nick, am I right?" Olivia snapped.

"Considering that I am a boy and have no 'vision' as you say, I'll have to go with Josh."

"Fools, the lot of you! Harry, Harry! Tell me you agree with me." Olivia growled dramatically. Harry sighed.

"I hate to say it as I am a boy and apparently, a fool, but Josh, mate, she's right. Looking at the actor, I bet you could tell that she was a he. You never even saw Darth Vader's face!" Harry said apologetically.

"Ha! See? And, no, Harry, you're not a fool." Olivia said, smiling saucily at them. Josh snorted.

"Apparently, not a he either. Ooh! Plot twist!" Josh burst out and then started laughing uproariously.

"Oh, sod off, you ruddy fool!" Harry huffed but grinned himself.

"Speaking of plot twists, what would happen to a werewolf if you put him on the moon?" Nick murmured, looking genuinely curious.

Harry stiffened and his thoughts flashed to Remus. Talking about magical creatures, such as Unicorns or Vampires, wasn't actually a rare thing among the misfits. They were a particularly strange bunch who enjoyed talking about anything under and above the sun. It usually amused Harry that he knew they existed but this time it hit a little too close to home for him. As sad as it was, he tried not to think about his wizarding friends and family that much. It always made him feel even more miserable.

"I suppose they'd change into a werewolf for good, right?" Olivia mused.

"No, it has to be a full moon." Harry explained before he could stop himself.

"Really? I thought they'd be slaves to the moon anyhow." Olivia said with a frown.

"No, a full moon is required for them to transform. Obviously, or else they'd be running around a werewolf every time the moon showed from behind the clouds." Harry said, shaking his head.

"But, Harry, you forget that it is always a full moon in space. We only see it as it rotates." Josh pointed out.

"Right." Harry muttered, furrowing a brow.

"Well, it seems we have our answer." Nick chirped, grinning sharply and tugging on Josh's hair.

"Bet we won't see any werewolf astronauts." Olivia giggled. Harry frowned harder.

"It's not fair, is it?"

"What do you mean, Harry?" Josh asked.

"I mean, it's just not right. Could you imagine being a slave to the moon for real? Imagine all you wanted in life was to be an astronaut and you can't because you're a werewolf. Imagine going through the pain every month and having no cure. Imagine being shunned, never having kids, being scared to be a murderer. It's just... Unfair." Harry muttered.

"But... They wouldn't be shunned, right? They are people the other time of the month." Nick protested, his brow furrowing.

"You know how people are. Judging and playing on superiority. Harry's right. It wouldn't be fair." Josh said petulantly, rubbing Harry's ankle a little harder.

"People suck." Nick agreed. Harry internally agreed, too. Olivia suddenly laughed.

"We're such nerds! Look at us, getting angry on the behalf of mythical creatures. If I ever met a werewolf, I would promptly hug him or her and remember this moment." Olivia said with a fond smile.

"Is it terrible that I just made a silent vow to do the same thing even though I know they aren't real?" Josh asked, his lips twitching.

"No, because I did as well." Nick said and Josh laughed. Olivia giggled and looked up.

"What about you, Em?" She asked. Em gave a thumbs up and everyone erupted into laughter. Harry couldn't help but smile, though it was weak. His mind kept looping back to Remus.

"Harry, are you going to hug the next werewolf you see?" Olivia asked in mock sternness. Harry dipped his head, amusement tugging at him.

"You have my word."

They all smiled and laughed before falling silent. Em went back to enjoying the height of the branch, closing her eyes and relaxing into the breeze. Nick went back to braiding earthy objects into Josh's hair, seeming at ease more today. Olivia sat atop Josh, resting her legs in Harry's lap, and humming quietly as she watched the other disorderlies. Josh stared up at the clouds or Em and had a vague look of contentment on his face. Of course, the comfortable silence was broken before they could truly enjoy it.

"Alright, disorderlies! Up, up, up! Time to go." Mr. Peters called out in his favorite toy, the megaphone. Harry hated it. Mr. Peters enjoyed getting in their faces and yelling through it.

"Oh, damn." Harry sighed, hating the idea of going inside.

He was shocked, however, to see Em scrambling down the tree and the others hurrying to stand up. All the other disorderlies were equally rushed to get inside. Last Friday, though, everyone had lagged and hated going in. Em latched onto his hand and pulled him along. All his friends had grins on their faces as they hurried inside. Harry wondered if maybe they had went mad in the brief span of al the last few seconds.

"It's the first weekend, Harry!" Olivia quipped happily and looped her arm through Nick's.

"Oh, is this the surprise, then?"

"You'll see." Josh sang, hurrying forward and gripping Harry's other hand.

Upon entering, they were ushered to their rooms with orders to gather their trunks and change. Harry was confused until he caught sight of his original outfit that he arrived in. His jeans, jacket, and T-shirt were freshly washed and laid out on his bed. Harry didn't waste time, shedding his uniform and putting on the more comfortable clothes. Although, they were still big and baggy and hand-me-downs, they were a comfort. He quickly straightened and closed his trunk full of greys like he was asked and went into the hallway.

The difference was startling. All the disorderlies were wearing clothes that they'd arrived in. Everyone looked more at ease and laughter filled the hallway. Harry looked around, hoping to catch a leather jacket or red hair. He spotted the misfits closer to the cafeteria. All four of them were crowded around a woman who was passing out big manila envelopes. Harry realized with a start that it was the lady who had stolen his glasses. He walked over, frowning at the woman.

"Hey, what's going on?" Harry asked Olivia. She held her envelope in her hands.

"They're trying to get their things back."

"Can I get-"

"No, you only had glasses. She won't give them back until we are officially released. They think since they provided you with contacts, they can hold your glasses." Olivia cut him off, anticipating what he was going to say before he could finish.

"They can have their contacts! I want my glasses!" Harry snapped, scowling as anger boiled in him.

"I know that Harry. I get it, really. But, they don't care. Em used to be the same way. They took her glasses and wouldn't give them back. So, she started getting piercings, which they are required to return, just to get her glasses back. Well, that old bat right there started taking her glasses out of the envelope so Em couldn't have them. Finally, she just bought her own contacts and decided to be done with it."

"That's bloody ridiculous. How are they required to give piercings back but not glasses?"

"Well, to them, they are providing something in place of the glasses but not the piercings. They aren't allowed to withhold anything from you that they haven't provided something in placement of it."

"That's not fair! They don't understand. Those glasses are important to me. They're like a connection to my- Well, my father used to wear some like that." Harry said desperately. Olivia looked at him sadly.

"I'm sorry, Harry. That's how these people are. They don't care."

"I'm seeing that." Harry whispered, feeling as if he'd been punched in the gut. Olivia reached out and intertwined her fingers through his.

"Funny..." She mumbled.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Well, it's just that... Em said the same thing. You know, about why she cared about her glasses so much. Apparently, her dad wore some like hers, too. Now that I think about it, hers were just like yours."

"But, I thought she never seen pictures of her parents or knew them?" Harry asked, frowning.

"Well, she used to say that she could remember flashes of them. Of course, she couldn't really be sure but, having never known, it was nice for her to think that...well, yeah..." Olivia said with a sad sigh.

"Are they alive?" Harry murmured.

"She doesn't know." Olivia said with a shrug.

"I don't like her." Harry announced, fixing glaring eyes on the woman who had his glasses captive.

"Em doesn't either. No one really likes Ms. Heather but Em despises her worst. Ms. Heather returns the gesture just as strongly."

"She's horrid." Harry mumbled, glaring at her. He felt so much dislike for her, level with how he felt for Snape. It didn't make sense, seeing as he only had one encounter with her, but the distaste felt real.

Olivia simply nodded and turned back to wait for their friends, still loosely holding his hand. Harry watched as Josh gestured wildly with his hands and Nick had an arm wrapped around Em's slim waist, pulling her back to his chest. Harry realized with a jolt that Nick was firmly holding her back. He glanced at Olivia in worry but she simply shook her head. He sighed and tried to relax, watching Ms. Heather's every move.

He stiffened, as did Olivia, when Ms. Heather reached out and grasped Em's chin roughly. Harry felt his heart size up in his chest, his eyes widen, and anger flashed through him. Ms. Heather was clearly holding her hard enough to hurt because a small wince showed on Em's face. Unbidden, protectiveness and fury flooded him and he started forwards, only to have Olivia yank him backwards.

"Don't, Harry." Olivia whispered fiercely.

"Don't? She's hurting her!" Harry hissed.

"Harry, I know but-"

"But, nothing!" Harry snarled, snatching his hand free.

Before he could stop himself, Harry was striding forward. Ms. Heather caught sight of him and her fingers flexed as she tightened her grip. Harry was sure that he almost truly and literally saw red. For sure, the edge of his vision went pink and he doubted that it had to do with his given contacts. He stepped up and Nick quickly stepped aside, freeing up Em. Harry didn't hesitate to reach out and yank her from Ms. Heather's rough hold. He glared at the woman.

"What do you think you are doing?" Ms. Heather asked with narrowed eyes.

"I believe I could be asking you the same thing." Harry snapped harshly, ignoring the way Em's nails dug into his arm. He kept her tucked into his side.

"Miss Evanson and I were having a little discussion, I do believe." Ms. Heather said with a too sweet smile that relayed her amusement that Em didn't talk.

"Right. I think you were simply handing over her rightful envelope." Harry said tersely.

"Or maybe, I was handling my...confrontation with Miss Evanson as I decided to." Ms. Heather retorted, reaching out to touch Em again.

As she reached, Harry squeezed Em to himself tighter. He just thought that Ms. Heather couldn't touch Em. Not Em, who protected Harry from Butch. Not Em, who resembled him, almost alarmingly so. Not Em, who was a short and skinny as he. Just not Em. Harry was prepared to keep ahold of her but he didn't have to. As soon as Ms. Heather came into contact with Em, she jolted and snatched her hand back with a small gasp. Harry blinked in surprise and stared.

"Or maybe, you were handing over her rightful envelope." Harry repeated slowly.

"Listen here, boy, you're new. You don't know the ways around here but let me tell you something, you've truly made a mess of this. Here little girl. Get out of my sight." Ms. Heather spat, flinging the envelope at Em.

As soon as Em had a good grip on it, Harry dragged her away. He didn't look back as Ms. Heather bitterly went on about him. He stopped by Olivia and finally released Em. He turned her to face him and braced his hands on her shoulders, scanning her face for any serious injuries. A small bruise was already blooming on her jaw and Harry's own jaw clenched. He lightly reached out to touch and quickly retracted his hand as she grimaced a bit. He sighed.

"That'll be pretty by tomorrow." He murmured. Em averted her eyes and gave a petite shrug.

"Harry, mate, you don't know what you've done. Once you get on Heather's bad side, you don't get off. She's rough." Nick whispered worriedly. He and Josh had followed them as they left.

"I don't care. She shouldn't- I will not just stand by and let her just... I don't care." Harry managed to spit out through clenched teeth.

"Very coherent." Josh commented lightly. He reached over to pull Em into a hug. She went willingly and buried her head into his neck, her messy hair brushing his collarbone and chin.

"I tried to stop him, I really did." Olivia sighed sadly.

"Well, there is no sense in worrying about it right now. The weekend is about to start." Josh murmured.

"Yeah, just let it go. So, what's the surprise?" Harry asked, trying hard to brush off the previous encounter.

"For the weekend, we get to go home." Nick informed him and he smiled widely. Harry froze.

"Wait... What?" He blurted out.

"Every weekend after the first one, we get to go home. Except, the first weekend stretches on until Wednesday. So, we have six days away from here."

"I have to go home?" Harry asked, completely thrown.

"Well, we're supposed to...yeah." Josh said mischievously, winking at him.

"Being away from here isn't our only surprise." Olivia said, smiling widely.

"Isn't that right, Em?" Josh asked, nudging the girl in his arms slightly.

After a pause, Em peeled herself away. She seemed to silently collect herself and turned towards them. However, as soon as she caught sight of Harry, her face crumbled and she launched herself at him. Harry felt on a fleeting moment of surprise before he hugged her back. They were the same height and her chin rested on his shoulder, her messy hair brushing softly against her cheek. Immediately, he felt better and could fully relax. She relaxed against him, too.

The group fell silent and stayed that way even as they were led out the doors to the bus waiting outside the gates. Em stayed latched onto his side and he kept his arms around her. There was nothing romantic about it and he only drew comfort from it. Butch and his boys had taken up back so they all found seats in the middle. Em simply curled up into Harry's side, resting her head on his shoulder and holding his hand. And soon, the ride smoothed out and both who always fell asleep on long rides, eventually gave in to the soothing jostling of the bus and went to sleep.

…

"Harry..."

Harry sighed and turned his head away from the whisper in his ear. His nose bumped into a soft pillow and something like hair tried to gag him. His eyes fluttered open and he saw that it really was hair trying to gag him. He spluttered and leaned away from Em's head, blinking blearily. He turned his head and jerked violently back when Josh's face was centimeters from his. Josh snickered and motioned to Em.

"Oh... Em..." Harry murmured, shrugging his shoulder so that her head would lull. After a few shrugs, she yawned and looked around.

"Do you trust us, Harry?" Josh whispered in his ear, making tingles go down his spine. He fought to not visibly shudder. Sometimes, Josh made him confused about his own sexual preferences.

"Yeah, sure." Harry replied.

"Okay, get off the next stop." Josh instructed him.

"What? But... That's not my stop." Harry said. Josh rolled his eyes.

"I know that. Just trust us."

With that, Josh settled back in his seat. Olivia and Nick sat in the seat in front of Josh which was across from Harry and Em's. He turned to look at his seat partner and she gave him a tentative smile. He returned it and she looked out the window. Harry glanced out as well, wondering what part of London they were in. All he saw was a few empty streets and buildings with small shops in them. Cars lined the streets but not a soul was walking on the sidewalk.

The bus started slowing down and eventually came to a stop. The doors opened and Harry's stomach flipped. For a moment, he considered not going. It would be stupid and most likely unsafe. But, it was either that or back to the Dursleys. Besides, he truly did trust the misfits. They had no reason to deceive him. So, Harry stood up and started towards the doors. He was pleasantly surprised to see the other four getting up after him and following. The driver didn't say a thing as they all got off the bus. It pulled away, leaving the five teens alone on the open sidewalk.

"Okay, so what now?" Harry asked, looking up and down the street.

"Now, we make you a true misfit." Josh said with a wink. Harry hesitated as the others started up the street. Em turned and waved him on.

"What if I don't like the process?" Harry muttered, jogging to catch up.

"I didn't, at first. I was scared witless but it feels good. You should do it." Olivia told him with a smile. They passed a few shops, one that sold bagels and one that sold bicycle wheels.

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked. Not that he was a stranger to pain but still...

"Depends on what you choose." Josh said.

"What do you think Nick?" Harry asked, knowing that Nick tended to be blunt.

"Even I did it. Only once, yes, but I did it." Nick said.

Harry mulled that over as they continued up the street. It looked like a simple street full of shops. There was a market visible on the corner but that was the only inconsistency of the block. Harry couldn't help but look around, craning his neck and staring. The signs and diversity of the places were awe-inspiring. Before he knew it, they came in front of a dingy shop that had a big yellow sign and flickering letters.

Josh led them inside and Harry immediately faltered. There were multiple fans going but the store was still hot. The decor was worn and something out of a biker movie mixed with pirate. There were black leather chairs and display cases that showed off all sorts of body jewelry. There were binders on top of the display cases open that showed tattoos. Harry came to a halt.

"You're joking..." Harry blurted out, his eyes wide. They must've been joking. The others turned to him, all smiling. They shed the pretence of innocence.

"No, darling, we aren't." Olivia laughed.

"No, no, absolutely not! My family would kill me!" Harry burst out, feeling his mouth try and gape open.

"I know! Isn't it wonderful?" Josh chirped happily. And, it hit Harry that they thought he meant the Dursleys. That too, but Harry was leaning more towards Sirius, Remus, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley.

"I can't!" Harry denied, taking a step back.

"Oh, come on! We all have done it. All you need is one tattoo and one piercing. After that, we'll leave you be." Josh soothed, edging closer.

"I do not like the peer pressure, you lot." Harry said sternly, trying hard to channel McGonagall. It didn't seem to work as Olivia and Josh laughed.

"Relax, Harry, it'll be fine." Josh assured him, swooping over and wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"No, you're not seeming to understand. I am not doing this." Harry insisted fervently.

"I said the same thing. Harry, trust us. What's wrong with a bit of expression? Be different, be a misfit with us." Olivia said and Em nodded enthusiastically.

"Josh!?" A woman's voice called out. Harry momentarily gave up on fussing as a woman walked around the counter, peering at them. She was covered in nice tattoos and had gages in her ears.

"Natalie, love, how are you?" Josh said, darting forward to peck her cheek. The woman, Natalie, looked at him in amusement.

"I'm fine. What about you? I heard from Russell that you were sent off to that behavioral school again." Natalie said.

"Yeah... Well." Josh said with a sheepish grin. Natalie clucked her tongue.

"Shameful, that. What did I tell you? I tried to warn you about that credit card but no... Don't listen to dear old Natalie."

"What's this about old? You are as ripe as ever, my love. I've missed you, truly. Hey, where is Russell, anyway?" Josh said with a charming grin that had Harry fighting a laugh. He was laying it on thick.

"He's in the back. Why? Hoping for some ink?" Natalie asked, arching an eyebrow. Clearly, she saw through his act quite well.

"Come now, Natalie! We want your needling services. I simply wanted to know where he was so I could steal his wife away from him without fear of getting pummeled." Josh said with a wink.

"Mrs. Bijoro, please excuse this idiot. We are looking for ink and your services as well. We've got a new misfit." Nick stepped in cordially, smiling politely.

"Oh Nick, dear, what did I tell you about calling me Natalie, eh? Hey there, Liv. And, Em! I haven't seen you without your piercings in a while. Gorgeous, of course, without them just as you are with them." Natalie said nodding to the others behind Josh.

"Hey, Natalie." Olivia greeted with a grin. Em smiled, flashing dimples. Natalie looked at him.

"You're the new misfit they adopted, then?" She asked him. He nodded.

"Unfortunately, yeah. Couldn't really shake them. I tried, I promise." Harry joked. For a moment, Natalie stared at him stonily before she broke out into a grin.

"Yeah, happened to me, too." Natalie said and Harry exhaled quietly in relief. The woman was quite intimidating.

"So, Natalie, can we get you and Russell especially? We need Harry here taken real care of." Josh piped up. Harry quickly shook his head.

"Oh no, I'm not getting anything."

"Trust me, kid, you will. I don't condone people forcing people but you'll come around. Besides, the first misfit service is always on the house." Natalie said.

"I don't know..." Harry said warily, imagining Mrs. Weasley and Hermione shrieking in shock.

"Well, you all talk it out and I'll go get Russell." Natalie said easily and hobbled off. As she disappeared, Harry noticed that she had a fake leg.

"Harry, I'll get something with you." Josh said.

"Look, thanks for bring me here. It seems brilliant, really, but I'll have to pass." Harry sighed.

"Harry, come on. Think about how your family would react. Think about how you'll feel. Trust us, it is worth it." Olivia insisted.

"There is something liberating about decorating the temple that is your body. Harry, you can get anything, anywhere." Nick murmured.

"Have you all got tattoos?" Harry asked skeptically.

"And, piercings. I've got two tattoos, one on my neck and one on my calf. I've got an eyebrow piercing that I never wear." Josh said and rolled up his pants leg to reveal a small teddy bear that was missing and eye and had stuffing coming out. There was two blocky words under that read 'Broken Childhood' and Harry had to admit to himself that it was good.

"I have a small tattoo on my ribs. I have a tongue and nose ring. Trust me, when I tell you that I hate pain. It's not bad, I promise." Olivia swore. She then lifted the right side of her shirt and showed a quilted heart that was unraveling down her side. Inwardly, Harry admitted that this was good also.

"I have a tongue piercing that healed up a long time ago and a tattoo on my foot." Nick said, kicking off his left shoe. And, sure enough, on the top of his foot there was cursive writing there. It read 'Walk a mile in my shoes and instead of criticizing me, look underneath the surface'. Harry swallowed thickly, taken by surprise by how much the words moved him.

"Em?" He asked.

Em smiled wryly and simply pointed to her whole face. Harry laughed and nodded, accepting that. Then, she reached out, right there in the middle of the shop, and unbuttoned her pants. Harry blinked in surprise as she pulled her jeans down, peeling them off until they were around her knees. Harry blushed hard but it quickly faded when he saw the tattoo on her thigh. It was big and it was a motorcycle. No. It was a...

Flying motorcycle.

Harry stepped closer, needing to look again. Shock sizzled in his veins as he stared at the tattoo. It was an image he had seen before but only in his dreams. A night sky filled with stars and a flying motorbike, one that he recognized. It was Sirius' bike but in the tattoo, Hagrid's hulking figure was flying it. The large figure atop the bike was blurred, only the frizzy beard and his size were distinguishable. Just like in his dreams.

"Em told us that she saw it-"

"Dreams." Harry blurted out, cutting Nick off. His eyes snapped up to Em's, her green so like his. He had learned that the contacts darkened his original green. They had practically the same eye color now.

"Yeah, how did you-"

"Your dad, he looks just like me in your dreams, doesn't he? Your mum, vibrant red hair and bright green eyes. He wears glasses and she smiles. Am I right?" Harry said, his voice coming out rougher than he had intended it. Of course, Em said nothing.

She just pulled her pants up, covering the image. She didn't even nod in confirmation but her eyes stayed locked onto him. Something akin to fear had twisted into her features and Harry had to look away. It was ridiculous, what he was thinking. Just a coincidence, really. Despite the likeness of it, it must have just been pure coincidence. Just like them being practically twins was. Just like them both having similar glasses was. Just like them both having the same hair was. Besides, he could talk and she was in nun school.

"So! Tattoos and piercings!" Natalie's voice floated to them as she came bustling around the corner. It pulled them all out of the moment and they turned around to see her and a potbellied man step out behind her. He had tattoos all over his arms, peeking over his collar, and one on his hand. He was wearing a toothy grin and his eyes were a warm brown.

"Josh! Liv! Em! Nick! My misfits!" The man, Harry assumed he was Russell, said boisterously.

"Russell!" They all cried, save for Em, and smiled to him happily.

"Russell, this is the new misfit they've recruited." Natalie said patiently, motioning to Harry. Russell stopped and stared at Harry.

"New? They haven't adopted anyone in a while. Hey, how are you? Must be real special to get in with the misfits. I'm Russell, it's nice to meet you, kid." Russell said with a lopsided smile.

"I'm Harry. It's nice to meet you, too."

"Decided what ink you're getting yet, Harry?" Russell asked him.

"I've got an idea, actually." Harry said after a deep breath. Josh whooped, jumping over and leaping on Harry, pressing a sloppy kiss on his cheek. Harry laughed and shoved him off.

"Don't bat an eye, Harry, I'll take too care of you. Want the piercing first or the tattoo?" Russell asked warmly.

"Ah, tattoo first. I've got a clue about that. The piercing, I have no idea about." Harry admitted.

"Alright, then. Anyone else getting anything?" Russell asked the others.

"I actually want to get a belly button, Natalie." Olivia spoke up with a wide smile. Em raised her hand and motioned to Russell.

"Alright, Natalie, take care of Liv. Em, I'll get you something to sketch on. What about you Josh?"

"New ink, if that's okay." Josh said excitedly.

"Of course. For the new misfit here, it'll be free of charge. For you other kids, I want to see payment."

"Course." Josh scoffed and reached in his pocket. He fished around and it sounded like something ripped. With a grin, he pulled out wads of money.

"Excellent. Come on to the back, kids. Well, except for Nick and Olivia, that is." Russell said.

Jumble of nerves dancing in his stomach, Harry followed Russell past the display classes and past the chairs. The rounded a corner and even more chairs waited but there were only three. They all sat in one while Russell sat down in a swiveling chair and dug around in drawers in a desk. No one said anything but Russell hummed a gravelly tone. After a few minutes, he pulled out two pencils and sketchpads. He hummed in approval and handed one of each over to Em before swirling back to Harry.

"Alright, what have you got in mind, kid?" Russell asked easily.

"Well... It seems sort of odd and-"

"Don't stress it, honestly. You'd be surprised some of the tattoos that are requested of me." Russell reassured him. Harry cleared his throat.

"I want a stag." Harry blurted out awkwardly.

"That's it?" Russell asked, his eyebrows climbing.

"Well, no. I want the stag to be nuzzling a lily flower. Just that one flower and one stag. The background needs an almost full moon in the sky, two headstones, blank ones, and two figures of men kneeling in front of them. Just make sure that the stag and lily flower are the main image, though."

"Okay, now I'm really good with details. I love doing them. Anything else? Don't be scared to get specific." Russell said. Harry pursed his lips.

"Okay. On the figures of men, make one look tired. His robes would be tattered and worn and have patches. The other would look less tired but still tired and he would have the most grief. If you want to get even more intricate, add a motorcycle off to the side." Harry decided.

"Alright. Do you want any words?"

"Ah... 'Mischief Managed' would be nice." Harry murmured, feeling a slight pang in his chest.

"What format?"

"Loopy."

"Pretty, got it. Okay, so where do you want it?" Russell asked as he sketched on his notepad.

"My inner lower arm, below my elbow but above my wrist." Harry said, motioning to the place.

"Any specific colors?"

"Make the headstones pearly white." Harry said.

"That's not-"

"I know." Harry assured him.

"Alright. Let me finish sketching this and I'll start." Russell muttered.

Harry fell silent as Russell worked. He got lost in thought. It was true that he wanted to dedicate his first tattoo to his parents. It seemed right and he wanted some sort of connection to them. If he was going to do it, he was going to do it right. He glanced over to see Josh watching Em sketch, her tongue poking between her lips. Harry's attention was snatched away as Russell exclaimed happily.

"Got it?" Harry asked.

"Yes. So, what do you think?" Russell said with a slightly nervous grin.

Harry stared at what Russell had drawn. It was quick work but still beautiful. Harry didn't doubt that Russell would do good by him. He smiled and nodded. Russell didn't waste anytime. He pulled over all his inks and started up his tattoo gun. He situated Harry and applied the right things. Harry was worried and chewing his lip when Josh scooted his chair over and grasped his free hand. Harry knew that he hadn't started out simple but this meant a lot to him. Go big or go home, he supposed.

"Just relax." Josh murmured, lacing their fingers and smiling a smile that had Harry immediately easing off.

"Thanks." Harry said right before Russell started.

Harry wasn't going to lie to himself. Getting a tattoo wasn't fun. It did hurt and he squeezed Josh's fingers tightly. Josh didn't seem to mind. Russell talked to him, as did Josh, and kept his mind off what was happening to him. Harry kept sucking sharply in between his clenched teeth and trying not to think about it. He felt like an idiot. He'd been put under the torturing curse so a tattoo should've been a breeze. But, Olivia was right. It wasn't too bad or unbearable. It just hurt and he gritted through it.

Before he knew it, Russell was cutting off his gun and sitting back. He allowed Harry to look and with trepidation, he did. Swallowing, Harry glanced down. His chest tightened as he looked down. The tattoo was red and irritated but that didn't distract from the beauty of the image. His heart clenched as he stared. Russell had brought the tattoo alive, doing as Harry wished and more. It told a story, one Harry knew by heart, and made everything seem so real. And, for once, he was truly at peace.

"Thank you. I- Thank you so much." Harry whispered gruffly in awe. It was there, permanently on his skin. His own tribute to his parents and it wasn't being dried as tears did or lost in the wind as words were.

"You're welcome, Harry. Anything for misfits." Russell said with a small smile.

"You're amazing, did you know? What you do for people, it's fantastic."

"Thanks. Maybe that's why I enjoy it so much. Now, stick around for Josh. He's a baby in the chair."

Josh was getting a new tattoo on his upper and outer arm. He was getting a stack of euros and the words 'money can't buy happiness' underneath. And, Russell was right. Josh cursed a lot and gripped Harry's hand until Harry was positive it would fall off. Josh whined and huffed it out but he let it happen. Em finished her sketching about halfway through and joined Harry, grinning at Josh's antics. When Russell declared that he was done, both Harry and Josh sighed in relief. Overall, Josh loved his new tattoo. And, just like the others, Harry thought it was great.

"What have you got for me, Em?" Russell asked lightly. Em held up the sketchpad and Russell eyed it.

"Looks good to me. Mind if I tweak it a bit?"

Em gave him the go ahead and turned in the chair, pulling her shirt up to reveal her back. She reached around and unclipped her bra, revealing a skin clad canvas. Harry looked away, finding it weird to even catch a glimpse of Em. Josh, however, tilted his head and nodded in approval. Harry reached out and smacked him on the back of the head, making Russell grin. Josh rolled his eyes and walked to stand in front of her, holding one of her hands. He motioned to Harry so he would come hold her other one.

With everyone properly in position, Russell began. Em was silent, as always, but her hands clasped theirs tightly and she squeezed her eyes closed. That was it and after a few minutes of it, she relaxed her grip and eased the tension out of her body. Harry had to admire that. Though, he felt even more like an idiot because if Em could do it, why couldn't he?

Russell just kept working and the clock kept ticking. Once, Natalie poked her head in before immediately leaving again. Harry couldn't believe it but the gun just kept buzzing and Em just kept getting the tattoo. Finally, after what must have been hours, Russell hummed and cut off the gun. He sat back and tilted his head, looking altogether pleased with himself. He waved Harry and Josh to come look.

Harry walked around and peered at the no longer blank skin clad canvas before it. Now, it was filled up with a big tree. The tree top drooped over a rippling lake, the leaves floating down and hitting the water to cause the ripple. There was one big branch that stretched higher and higher. At the very edge, a figure of a girl, clearly Em, was standing in only a large T-shirt that fell to her knees, and stretching her hands out like a bird and standing on the tip of her toes. Her messy hair and huge T-shirt billowed out like the wind was holding her upright. It truly was...

"Beautiful." Harry murmured.

"It really is. I'd say it is your best work yet, Russell." Josh murmured.

"Thanks, kid. Alrighty, Em, why don't you go hit the mirror before I bandage it?"

Em hopped up and walked over to the mirror. She held her shirt and bra to her chest as she craned her neck over her shoulder. Her face lit up and she broke out into a huge grin. She bounced on her feet and nodded enthusiastically to Russell, her eyes bright. Russell laughed and held up the bandage. Em hurried over, the smile never leaving off her face.

"Know what piercing you'll get?" Josh asked Harry as they headed back out front. Harry shrugged.

"I was just think maybe my ears. Nothing on my face, probably." Harry admitted.

"Fair enough. Bennett, one of the old misfits, got a piercing on his nipple. It doesn't matter where you get it as long as you do." Josh said, winking at him.

"Old misfit? As in, there used to be more of you?"

"What? Oh, yeah. It wasn't always just us four. We've had a few come and go over the years." Josh said with a small forced laugh, trying for casual and failing.

"What happened to Bennett?" Harry wondered.

"He died." Josh said flatly, his mouth tightening. And, for the first time in a while, Harry felt awkward around Josh. He cleared his throat.

"I'm-"

"Forget it. Let's go get you pierced." Josh said with a tight smile. Harry got the hint and nodded.

"Maybe something edgier? What would you suggest?" Harry asked softly.

"Eh, well, I'm not really a piercings type of bloke. I prefer tattoos." Josh said.

"I don't know why. You're a pathetic sod under the gun." Harry teased. Josh huffed and gave him a light shove as they entered the area holding Natalie and Olivia and Nick.

"Save it for the bedroom, boys." Olivia mocked playfully, getting up and stretching. Harry blushed at her words and Josh laughed, leaning over to nibble lightly on Harry's ear. Harry yelped and shoved him away, hiding a shudder as best he could.

"Took forever in there. Happy with the ink, though?" Natalie asked with a smile.

"Yes, he did brilliantly." Harry answered.

"Ready for the needle, Harry?" Nick piped up.

"Er, sure..." Harry said tentatively.

"Where are you getting it?" Olivia asked, walking over.

"My ear, I suppose."

"Boring!" Olivia sang.

"Okay, seeing as you have the most, what should I get, Em?" Harry huffed, shooting a mock glare at Olivia. Em smiled and tapped her lip.

"My lip?" Harry asked incredulously. Em nodded and then drew a curve with her finger.

"A hoop?" Olivia supplied helpfully. Em nodded.

"What part of the lip?" Natalie asked. Em pursed her lips before tapping the right side of the bottom lip.

"Oh yeah." Olivia gave her approval.

"Brilliant. In the chair, Harry." Natalie said. Harry gaped at the girls in the room.

"Do I get any say in where this goes?"

"No." Olivia laughed and ushered Harry to the chair.

"Just go with it, mate. Girls know what looks good. My eyebrow looked good but it just wasn't me." Josh soothed him with a small smile.

Harry sat in the chair and fidgeted. He wanted to back out but Olivia and Em was watching him almost challengingly. Nick and Josh shared grins, snickering together over his obvious nervousness. Natalie started talking but he couldn't hear her. He had to swish something but he wasn't paying attention. His heart thundered and he allowed himself to wonder how he got here. How, in the span of a week, did he go from his normal wizard self to someone with a tattoo and a piercing. At least with the tattoo, Harry had some control but with this, he really only could-

Harry inwardly cursed and gave a jolt as a needle went through his lip. He whimpered slightly, having not expected it. Why hadn't he been paying attention? He supposed it was for the best. He hadn't been anticipating the pain and magnifying it so that was good. Natalie finished putting the jewelry through to replace the needle. Harry had to swallow a lot of his drool but other than that, it was done. He blinked and reached up to touch it. Natalie smacked his hand.

"Don't play with it until it's officially healed. Now, it will be sore for a while. Lucky for you, this particular placement only needs a few days to heal all the way. Still, keep it in for as long as you can and periodically put it back in over time. Alright?"

"Yeah. Thanks." Harry said, blinking as his lips moved awkwardly and slurred his speech. It was also swollen. The others laughed, Em silently.

"Well, Harry, you're officially a misfit." Josh informed him. And, despite himself and all the trouble he would surely get into, he grinned widely and whooped a bit.

…

"We should probably head to my home now."

Harry looked at Josh sharply, his eyebrows climbing. Em and Olivia were holding hands and walking ahead of Nick, Harry, and Josh. They were all walking down the streets and browsing through the shops. The sun was starting to set and yet, Harry hadn't gave much thought about where he was going to go for the night. It had felt good to just live in the moment and worry about the rest later. Now, however, Josh had brought up the problem with what sounded like a solution.

"We?" He asked. Josh looked at him.

"Yeah. I take the misfits in every weekend." Josh explained with a small smile.

"Yeah? That's nice of you." Harry said. Josh didn't reply and Harry got the feeling that Josh only did it out of necessity. If it was Harry, he wouldn't take anyone to the Dursleys. Harry knew Josh had problems with his family but didn't broach the subject.

"We cutting through the woods? Is Eric there or do you know?" Olivia asked, turning her and Em around and walking backwards.

"He's home so yeah to the woods." Josh said, wrinkling his nose. Olivia looked sympathetic but didn't say anything as she and Em turned back around. Harry watched Olivia slip her hand in Em's back pocket.

"Maybe we ought to give Harry a makeover when we get there?" Nick suggested but it came out as a question. Harry immediately opened his mouth to protest but Nick shot him a look that silenced him.

"Ooh, yeah! That'd be brilliant!" Josh said enthusiastically, perking up. Nick smiled softly at Josh's eagerness.

"It would." Nick agreed, looking at Josh tenderly. Harry couldn't help but feel like he was intruding on a moment and looked away.

"That okay, Harry?" Josh asked hopefully. Maybe it was the childish delight in Josh's face or the warning in Nick's but Harry found himself nodding.

Harry walked beside the two boys and watched as Em and Olivia's hips swayed in front of them. They were all talking but Harry fell silent, drifting off in thought. The long street was coming to an end and he could clearly see the market across the street. That was the only thing bustling with people. They were ignored as they all turned and walked past. No adults so much as gave them a second look as they passed by.

Harry was surprised when they cut into the market and he found himself looking at everything around him. It was all so...muggle. It was so odd for him to think that way seeing as he grew up as a muggle but he hadn't ever had any muggle experiences. The Dursleys always kept him locked up from the world. He never really knew what London held. He wondered if all of London was this dingy and grim and open.

"Oh bugger." Josh muttered suddenly.

"What is it?" Olivia asked as her and Em slowed down a bit to be closer to them.

"Dawson and his friends decided to go on a shopping trip today of all days." Josh sighed, nodding to a group of teens ahead of them.

"Dawson? Isn't that the one who lied and said you tried to sell him drugs?" Nick asked, his eyes flashing.

"That'd be him. The prat had mother dearest locking me in my room for four days. Trust me, starvation isn't fun." Josh muttered, glaring at the teens.

"Let's just keep walking and ignore them." Olivia said reasonably but she looked sour herself.

Harry could understand. There had been so many times that Dudley had gotten him in trouble when he didn't even do anything. It seemed that it bothered him more when it was happening to his friends than when it was him. Harry couldn't help feel a bit peeved off at the boy Josh had pointed out. They continued on and stayed far on the side away from the other teens. There were about five or six that they were trying to avoid. However, when you had tattoos and piercings, it was harder to be inconspicuous.

"Josh! Uh, Josh Reddick!" The boy, Dawson, crowed as he caught sight of them. Josh stiffened and stopped to turn and glare at the group.

It was four boys and one girl and they all looked so polished and posh that they might've given Draco Malfoy a run for his money. They all had pearly white smiles and perfect clothes, gold jewelry and expensive shoes. But, Harry didn't doubt they were trouble. Not with the way they were all sauntering over with sharp grins and loud snickers.

"Dawson and co." Josh greeted and Harry felt surprise flash through him. Josh, despite his appearance, was holding himself straight and sounding utterly polite.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the band of juveniles. My, I haven't seen so many outside of a cell in a long time." Dawson chuckled, his eyes raking over them mockingly. Harry gave a jolt when Nick suddenly reached out and grasped his hand, not his wrist.

"Come off it, Dawson, you haven't seen the inside of a prison ever. You'd piss yourself before you even hit the gates." Josh said and Harry watched as his stiffness relaxed marginally and he smirked.

"Not something to be pleased about, Josh, really. Having your name high of the police's list of criminals isn't something you should praise. Tell me, is mummy proud of her boy?" Dawson taunted, laughing with his friends. Josh stiffened again and clenched his jaw.

"Fuck off before I show you exactly why I am on that list." Josh snapped, his lips curling in a sneer.

"Oh, I'm not scared of you. Go ahead, touch me and I'll have the police on you quicker than you can blink." Dawson promised, smirking in pleasure.

"Let's just go." Nick murmured, reaching out to urge Josh on.

"Yeah, Josh, listen to your faggot friend and just-"

The fist came out of nowhere. Harry hadn't even seen it coming and it shocked him. He'd barely seen Josh's face flicker in rage before his fist had snapped out and connected with Dawson's face. Dawson gasped and stumbled back into his friends. Josh stood, his body pulled taught, as Dawson got his bearings. Harry only had a moment to think that this was a bad thing before Dawson retaliated. Dawson's friends rushed forward to help and well, they weren't going to sit by and let Josh get pummeled.

What happened next was just a blur. He didn't even hesitate to jump in with his fists flying. All he could think was that Josh needed help and he couldn't let his friends get hurt. All rationality switched off and he collided with one of the boys. Harry got hit but if there was one thing Dudley's punches taught him, it was endurance. He punched back as hard as he could.

For all their talk, the polished group really weren't fighters. They had no tolerance to pain. Harry had only hit his opponent twice before the bloke bowed out, laying on the ground and groaning. Harry whirled around, numbers going in his head. Four boys and one girl against three boys and two girls. It didn't add up. And, he was right. He caught sight of Olivia clawing at the girl but a bit to the left, one of the boy's had Em by her hair and was shaking her roughly.

Harry passed Nick and one of the boys tussling on the ground and Josh and Dawson fighting as he stomped towards Em. Harry had to give it to her, she was putting up a fight. She was just so small and the boy was much stronger. It wasn't fair. Em kicked the boy in the groin, making the boy release her, just as Harry rushed him. They went to the floor in a tumble of hitting and kicking limbs.

Harry threw a silent thanks to Dudley and Draco for giving him the experience he had. It wasn't much but it was enough to know how to get the upper hand. Three well placed hits later, Harry scrambled off the knocked out boy. He panted as he hurried over to Em and checked her for any injuries. His thoughts were whirling and his heart was racing. How did he always manage to get in some sort of trouble?

"Hey! Hey, you kids!"

Harry's head snapped up and he was stunned to see actual police officers. Nick hopped off the boy he had been punching and Josh ripped himself away from Dawson. Both groups shared glares but they were in agreement. They all scrambled up as about for police officers ran towards them.

"This isn't over!" Dawson promised.

That was the last thing they heard before they were running. Em grabbed his hand and they took off, matching stride for stride. He saw Josh, Nick, and Olivia split away but couldn't do anything. He just kept running with Em, away from the chasing police. He could hear shouts and people yelped as they were pushed out of the way but they just kept running. Harry never felt so alive. His adrenaline was pumping and he felt exhilarated. They just continued to run.

They ran even when they shook the policeman. Their feet crunched against leaves and they panted as they dodged trees. Harry hadn't even noticed when the terrain went from buildings and concrete ground to trees and leaves and grass. After about twenty minutes of running, he heard other feet pounding to their left. For a minute, he panicked. He thought it was more police but he was relieved to see Nick, Josh, and Olivia burst from the trees, running to meet them.

"Bloody hell!" Josh burst out, wheezing. They all came to a stop, pausing to catch their breaths.

Harry bent at his waist, bracing himself against his knees. All the exhilaration was still pumping in him and he just laughed. He couldn't help it. He laughed and clutched his stomach, still trying to recuperate from the run. Before he knew it, the others cracked up and joined him in his laughter. Em's was silent, as usual. After a good bout of laughter, he caught his breath and straightened up.

"Oh, Nick..." Harry said, catching sight of Nick's face. His nose was bleeding and his cheek was already darkening in a bruise. He walked over and reached up to gingerly touch it.

"Oh... Ouch. Jeesh, Harry, you're just as bad..." Nick muttered, wincing and motioning to Harry's face. At Nick's words, his energy filtered out and exhaustion settled through him. His face started to throb and he cringed. Yeah, ouch.

"I think we're all beat up." Olivia said lightly. Harry turned to her and winced. She had a scratch on her neck that was bleeding.

"We should get to my house. We should have something medical to help." Josh sighed, hanging his head. He looked positively ashamed. Nick walked over to him and wrapped one arm around him.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Thanks for sticking up for me back there." Nick murmured and he pressed a lingering kiss on Josh's swollen cheek. Josh winced but Harry saw the blush flood his cheeks anyhow.

"Yeah, no problem." Josh replied with a shaky grin.

Harry kept a big smile on his face even though he just wanted to sag in exhaustion. He wouldn't lie to himself and say that he didn't mind what just happened. He did. It wasn't the type of thing he did. Getting into petty fist fights and running from authorities wasn't him, not if he could help it. But, well... Sometimes, the situation called for it. The fact was, Josh had defended Nick and everyone had defended Josh. Nobody had asked him to. In that situation, it was the right thing to do and he didn't want to feel ashamed for that, nor did he want Josh to.

Josh led them deeper into the woods and Harry wondered where they were going. He noticed Olivia walking with a slightly limp and discreetly offered his arm for her to lean on. She did with a grateful sigh. And, broken as they were, they all still were together as they continued through the thick woods.

After a bit, a path became clear that they were following. As they continued to walk, the path became more prominent. Soon, it made an abrupt right and they followed it. They came up on a high gate. They all stopped outside of it. Harry looked around, wondering what they were doing here. Then, he got the surprise of his life when Em walked up to the fence and started climbing it. The others, tired as they were, followed suit with minimal grunting.

"What-"

"Shh!" Olivia hissed and Harry quickly fell silent.

"Just climb, Harry."

So, inwardly wondering why he was listening to them, he followed. Climbing the gate with exertion he already had on him made his arms shake. However, he did it quickly. He reached the top and flipped his leg over. He climbed back down halfway before dropping, groaning when his back hit the ground. Josh leaned down over him and smirked. Harry growled and got up, glaring at the snickering Josh.

"Alright, come on." Josh said lightly.

They were led straight and the ground turned into a hill. As they started to reach the top, Harry could see the side of a very large mansion. It was three stories and white with dark blue details. Harry admitted that it was gorgeous and it looked like something Draco Malfoy would live in. Off to the right, farther down, there was a lake with clear and clean water. Off to the left, nearer to the house, there were about seven cars that Harry was sure were expensive sitting there.

The grass was cut and perfectly green. The driveway was clean and chalky white. The two garage doors were closed. The porch had five big white pillars that held up another ledge for the second story. Harry gaped around, imagining Ron's reaction. Josh led them to the front door and Harry could hear barking.

"Not afraid of dogs, are you?" Nick asked.

"No. I like them, actually." Harry murmured quietly, his mind immediately going back to Sirius. What would his godfather say if he could see him now?

"Good because Jefferson can be quite intimidating. But, he won't hurt you unless I command him to." Josh explained and Harry nodded.

With that, Josh opened the door. Inside, it looked even more elegant and expensive than the outside. White and black marble seemed to be the theme and classical music was playing softly. It was amusing to think that Josh lived in a place like this. Paws clicking across the floor and a loud bark echoing pulled him out of his observing. A large Doberman Pinscher ran towards them and Josh kneeled down.

"Hey, Jefferson! Hey, boy! Did you miss me? Cause, I missed you. Yes, I did. Yes, I did!" Josh cooed, scratching Jefferson behind the ears. Jefferson's tailless rear-end wiggled and he licked Josh excitedly. Harry tried not to laugh, he really did, but he failed.

"So cute." Olivia sighed, reaching out to pat Jefferson's side. Em smiled and petted him, too.

"Adorable." Nick agreed, petting him also.

"Come pet him, Harry, and let him smell you." Josh ordered. Harry walked up and Jefferson sniffed him thoroughly before apparently deeming him not worth his time and went back to licking Josh.

"That was easy." Nick murmured.

"Mhm. Alright, let's hit the kitchen and see if we've got any bandages and medical alcohol." Josh said.

He led them through a large room holding a expensive washers and dryers. If Harry would ever describe the place, it would be with the one word 'expensive' and he knew it would be right. When they reached the kitchen, Josh immediately started rummaging through drawers. He gathered rags and bowls and even found the medical alcohol. On the way to the table, he stopped to the freezer and pulled out ice packs, counting out five and gripping them.

"You sure got us covered." Olivia commented idly.

"Yeah, he does." Harry agreed, eyeing everything.

Josh opened his mouth to reply but was cut off as a different door than the one they came in burst open. They all went silent as a boy hurried in. The boy had short black curly hair and wore what was clearly a custom made suit. He looked harried as he rushed in, his eyes wide and angry. They were light brown. Harry noted that the boy only resembled Josh slightly.

"Josh! What did dad say about about bringing such riff-raff in our home!" The boy burst out, glaring down his nose at everyone.

"Hello, Eric, dear brother of mine. Nice to see you again, too." Josh deadpanned and went back to handing out the ice packs. Harry put it up to his eye with a small wince.

"It is most certainly not nice to see you again! Personally, I had hoped the juvenile center would've kept you year round. However, you have to come home. But, you didn't have to bring your pack of lowlives with you! Mother told you not-"

"Eric, be a dear and start some tea for us, please?" Josh said, waving his hand dismissively. Eric didn't take too kindly to being cut off mid-rant and started spluttering. It was rather amusing.

"That would be lovely." Olivia said casually.

"I won't fix you lot tea! If you want anything, you will have to fend for yourselves!" Eric snapped.

"Why, thank you for allowing us to stay. We really appreciate it." Nick spoke up, smiling innocently. Eric glowered at Josh, opening his mouth to fuss again.

"Make ourselves at home, you say? Thank you. I'm sure we'll have plenty of fun here." Harry said suddenly, grinning. He didn't know where it came from but he knew that what Eric was saying hurt Josh's feelings and he couldn't have that.

"That's not- I'm telling mother." Eric announced with a scowl before stomping away.

"I'd tell her myself!" Josh yelled after him and a door slammed. Josh sighed and went back to wiping off his knuckles that had dried blood.

"Don't worry about that prat. Let's just get cleaned up, yeah?" Olivia said soothingly. Em reached over and touched Josh's shoulder, smiling kindly.

"Yeah, yeah, okay." Josh agreed, seeming to brush off his brother's previous appearance.

They did get cleaned off and applied the medical alcohol to their open wounds. After that, Josh took them to his room. When Harry saw it, he felt nostalgia pang in his chest. It reminded Harry of Sirius more than Josh could've ever known. It had a rocker vibe that clashed against the overall elegance of the house. It was blunt and bold and Harry didn't doubt that Josh's parents hated it.

"So, six more days here and then back to Karlbergs." Nick commented. Josh grinned.

"Let's make these days worth it."

…

Harry leaned back onto the large bed with a heavy sigh, his eyes closing of their own accord. Sleep. That's all he wanted at this particular moment. He wondered vaguely how his life had spiralled down to being about living in just the moment. How, in the course of one week, had his life become so stressful that he could only handle it one moment at a time? He didn't know and decided to deal with that later. Oh, the irony in that. Sleep sounded wonderful.

"Harry, don't you dare fall asleep right there. We have to decide where we are all sleeping."

Harry cracked open one eye and saw Olivia standing by his head and glaring down at him playfully. He groaned and reluctantly sat up. The bed was quite comfortable, nearly perfect. It was as large as it was comfortable. Harry was sure it could hold all five of them and still have more room. He stood up and fiddled with his new shirt. Josh had taken him up on that promised makeover. Harry didn't mind simply because it made Josh happier.

"Alright, hurry up then." He grumbled.

"I claim that end facing the door." Nick said quickly. Em started hopping up and down, pointing frantically by the wall.

"Okay, Em has the wall. What about you boys?" Olivia asked, eyeing them intently.

"I'll sleep by Nick, if that's okay." Josh said, feigning nonchalance. Nick smiled at him.

"I'm in the middle." Olivia said, turning to Harry with a sheepish grin. Harry shrugged.

"I'll sleep between you and Em, then." Harry confirmed. Olivia giggled and poked him and Josh in the arms simultaneously.

"I'm warning you right now, boys, I'm a cuddler."

"We know, Olivia, we know." Josh said, rolling his eyes. Nick and Em grinned and nodded.

"Alright, let's get comfortable then." Olivia announced and then, without preamble, kicked off her shoes and started pulling her pants off.

"Woah, woah! What are you doing!?" Harry squawked, blushing hard. Olivia was different then Em. Somehow, looking at Olivia was more significant than looking at Em. Harry couldn't help but note that Olivia was attractive. Not that Em was not but he just didn't look at her like that.

"Chillax, Potter. You can't expect me to sleep in jeans, can you?" Olivia laughed.

"Aw, innocent Harry can't handle the flash of thighs!" Josh teased. Olivia laughed and stood up on the bed, swaying her hips and winking at Harry. He blushed furiously and looked away, only to see Em in just her tight shirt and knickers. Harry quickly looked away.

"Don't sweat it, Harry. If we were going to try anything, you'd know it." Olivia reassured him, flopping down on the bed ungracefully.

"Right but-" Harry cut himself off to feel Em tapping his shoulder. He turned to her, eyebrow raised. She grabbed his shirt and pulled at it, trying to take it off.

"She wants your shirt, mate." Nick told him. Harry hesitated but she just nodded more impatiently. Em wriggled her fingers to urge him on.

"Okay..." He said awkwardly and quickly peeled off his new shirt. Em took it with a smile before taking her own shirt off, revealing her black bra. Harry turned narrowed eyes on Josh who was surprisingly not looking. Em slipped his shirt on, it coming to a bit above her knees.

"Want to borrow some pajama bottoms, Harry?" Josh asked. Harry nodded and Josh walked away to rummage around in his closet.

"Don't take what Olivia said the wrong way, Harry." Nick whispered to him.

"Oh no, I don't- I just... Well, I'm a bit shy." Harry stuttered with a sigh.

"I was too, actually. Olivia is really outgoing and she's good at bringing people out of their shell. But, she's also blunt. If she wants to do something or wants to be with you, she won't hesitate to tell you."

"Yeah?" Harry asked in surprise, eyeing Olivia who was making the bed with Em.

"Mhm. One of the older misfits, Bennett, used to have a thing with her. They got together because Olivia told him that she wanted to snog him but only casually fool around. Bennett agreed and they had a small fling. She really speaks her mind."

"Josh mentioned Bennett once, said he died. Did she- I mean, is she okay about it...?" Harry asked with a small frown. Nick sighed.

"The thing about Bennett was that he was sort of unpredictable. Olivia lives her life to the fullest, doing what she wants no matter what. They were a reckless pair and only good physically. They stayed friends even after they stopped fooling around. Occasionally, though, we'd catch them sharing a small snog."

"And, when he died?"

"Losing a misfit hits us all hard. Olivia grieved just like we did. The only difference is that she shared a few snogs with him. She didn't love him, if that's what you're asking." Nick explained quietly.

"How did he-"

"Suicide. It happens sometimes. Not able to handle the world and needing to be free. We don't begrudge him that. We miss him but we're happy that he's free. It seems grotesque but when the world treats us like it does, sometimes that's all we have to look forward to." Nick said with a grimace. Harry had to pause and push that thought away with force.

"Has she been with anyone else?"

"You have to understand, Harry. There is a lot of love between us misfits. Sometimes, it can get mixed up with feelings, real feelings. This bond that we all share, it only grows deeper with time. It's not like anything anyone has ever seen before. Somehow, we all just click. We fit. But, we're also so young. It can get messy and the lines will blur." Nick said, staring at his shoes. Harry didn't reply and Nick continued.

"Our name isn't deceit. We really are misfits, all of us. It's hard to find people outside of each other that can give us what we need. If we need something more physical, we get it, but never anything serious. And, yes, sometimes we do it with each other. The main thing is that we are all friends, first and foremost."

"So, Olivia wasn't in love with him but she messed around with him? And, that happens between you bunch a lot?" Harry asked warily.

"What? Oh no, not really. Me? I've never been interested and they accepted that. But, well, Josh and Olivia are really physical beings. There was another girl, Gertrude, horrid name, I know, and she couldn't keep her hands off of people. We, or they, seek comfort sometimes."

"You've been propositioned?" Harry muttered in surprise. He didn't know why all this was shocking him.

"By Josh and by Gertrude. I refused. I- Well, I want it to mean something more. Josh isn't ready to give me that and Gertrude hasn't returned in two years." Nick admitted, shrugging embarrassedly.

"What about Em?"

"Her and Olivia have their moments. She refused Bennett and Gertrude. Her and Josh has flirted but she's quite conservative. It took Olivia a while to score with her and Em never wanted anything serious."

"What you're saying is that I might get hit on by them?" Harry asked worriedly, peering at Nick in panic.

"Relax. They aren't blind. They see your shyness. They'll tease and maybe even flirt but they won't push for anything, if they even want it, until you're ready."

"Why'd you refuse Gertrude?"

"I'm gay, Harry." Nick said with a small quirk of his lips. Harry blinked.

"Oh. Right, yes. I totally knew that."

"Really, you can be quite dense sometimes." Nick laughed. Harry huffed and pushed him lightly.

"Sod off."

"What about you? Any preferences?" Nick asked.

"Well, truthfully, I've never thought about it. There was this one girl but kissing her was terrible so..."

"Probably gay then." Nick mused. Harry's eyes widened and his mouth popped open.

"I'd know, wouldn't I?" Harry hissed.

"Know what?" Josh's voice rang out as he walked up to them. Em and Olivia moved away from the bed, coming over to join them.

"Harry's sexually confused." Nick said.

"Ah. Poor lad." Josh chuckled.

"What's there to be confused about? Just love who you love and be done with it." Olivia said with a wink. Harry stared at her.

"But... What about types and-"

"Think I'm pretty, Harry?" Olivia cut him off.

"Er... Yes." Harry admitted, shuffling his feet.

"Think Josh is pretty?" Olivia pressed. Harry blinked and blushed brightly before mumbling his answer.

"Yes."

"Would you snog me?" Olivia asked clippedly.

"Ah... I don't know."

"What about Josh?"

"I don't know!"

"Well, then don't worry about being sexually active until you figure it out." Olivia said simply.

"Quite easy, really. Now, time for bed!" Josh chirped cheerfully.

"Still confused but like everything else, I'm just going to worry about it when it's a more prominent issue." Harry muttered as he quickly slipped into the pajamas Josh had brought him. They all laughed.

Harry sighed and crawled onto the bed to settle in position. He flopped onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. His mind twisted with the events of the day. After they had entered Josh's room, Harry had been given a new wardrobe. It was only one pair of clothes but they went all out. Then, they'd watched TV and ate and ran around the house, playing tag. Eric was nowhere to be found and they used that to their advantage. Jefferson had enjoyed chasing them all, barking and running around delightedly.

Harry had wondered if that was what regular muggle teens did. Was that the life of some? Having friends and enjoying summer? Harry had been slightly envious. They had no Voldemort to worry about lived normal lives. For that moment in the day, he'd been truly happy. By the time night rolled around, he had been ready to pass out. And now, he was on the comfortable bed, in comfortable pajamas, in a comfortable position with Olivia and Em settled on either side of him, but he couldn't sleep.

"I don't know anything about any of you."

He wasn't sure why he'd said it but it was true. He didn't know their full names or their pasts. He didn't know about all the old misfits or their past years at Karlbergs. He didn't know their family lives in detail and he didn't know all the wrong they'd ever done. He was lying in a bed with a bunch of strangers and yet, he'd never felt so content. He felt the others turning towards him and settling down again.

"What do you want to know?" Olivia asked.

"Your full names. That'd be a start."

"I'm Olivia Marie Carlton."

"Nicholas Richard Patterson."

"Joshua Wyatt Reddick. And, of course, that is the lovely Emily Lilian Evanson."

"You?" Olivia asked after Harry stayed silent after a beat of thoughtful silence.

"Harry James Potter."

"What else do you want to know, Harry James Potter?" Josh asked politely.

"How many misfits have there been in all and what happened to them?"

"Well, I'm the first misfit. My friend, Daniel, and I started calling ourselves that after a bunch of the Karlbergs' counselors picked on us with it. We wore the name with pride, basking in being different. Daniel was shot in a gang related accident. A mere year later, Josh and Olivia showed up. Another girl, Eliza, was there but she never came back after one year. The next year, Em and Bennett and Gertrude came. Bennett died and Gertrude never came back. After that, for two years, it was just us." Nck explained.

"I just don't get it. You're all so...great. I don't understand what you've all done to deserve this, Karlbergs I mean." Harry said in frustration.

"I never really fit into the polished lifestyle. Eric fit right in but I didn't. I never wanted material things. I wanted time investment and emotional connections. When I was ten, my parents were in America on my birthday. All I wanted that year was them to spend time with me. So, knowing it was wrong but doing it out of severe desperation anyway, I stole money out of my parent's safe and hopped on a plane." Josh paused to take a deep breath before continuing.

"Everyone freaked out and I was all over the news. When I was safely returned, my parents were furious. They claimed that their lives were too busy to deal with my rebellious nature. They fired all of the staff and rehired new ones that weren't allowed to divulge anything about themselves to me. They were perfect strangers taking care of me. After that incident, my parents decided to punish me by always being absent on my birthday, year after year. To rub it in, they never missed Eric's birthday."

"I don't know, I suppose I felt betrayed. They say that kids act out because any attention, even negative, is better than none. I got worse, got into more trouble. They had to bribe the police a time or two so they wouldn't involve the family name in anything. I was always fighting and using their money on things I knew they specifically wouldn't approve of. I became a disappointment to them, became the son they regretted having. After a while, I stopped doing it for attention and kept doing it because I realized they wouldn't ever care. It became a sort of revenge tactic."

Harry had to admit, he was surprised that Josh opened up about that. Maybe it was because they were in his home or maybe it was because Harry had truly wanted to know but Josh had just let it all out. His tone had been ashamed and Harry had to go over everything he ever thought about misbehaving kids. Making assumptions about them, about the 'bad crowd', was pointless. Everyone had a story. Harry gave a jolt and his heart leapt when Nick started.

"I think I was six when my mother left me in our apartment. She had left, promising that she'd be back, and that was the last time I saw her. I waited for days but I started to get hungry, so I went looking for her. I only made it a total of three nights on the streets before social services picked me up. I tried to explain, tried to tell them about my mother, tried to make them understand that I wasn't abandoned and she was just lost. Of course, I was so young so..." Nick trailed off and gave a deep sigh before pressing on.

"I was the problem child that no one wanted. People only took me in because they were paid to. I was stubborn and different. They all thought I was crazy or had some mental illness. I bounced from temporary home to temporary home, never really fitting in. I was bullied wherever I went, never had any friends, and always wanted to find my mum."

"The first time I truly acted out was a pure accident. I didn't mean to, really, but sometimes it just happens. I was living with the Carsons temporarily and there was a boy up the street. He was kind to me, or so I thought, and I always assumed, since he was older, that he was a good person. He convinced me that if I were to get enough money up then I could find my mum. I was only about eleven at this time so I didn't realize how stupid that assumption was."

"At first, it was just innocent ways of making money. I'd sell lemonade and search under the couch cushions. But, the boy, Jared, had been specific in how much I would need. I was far away from that amount and so I went to him, begging for help. Well, he promised me that I could get paid if I just ran packages to people for him..."

Nick stopped talking and Harry could hear him trying to swallow the lump out of his throat. Harry felt his own lump form and tried not to picture a tiny, pale Nick being naive enough to do anything to try and get his mother back. Did any kid really start out wanting to do wrong? It wasn't fair because Harry knew that, under different situations, their lives would be completely normal. He heard Nick sigh.

"I blame him for using me in my original innocence. But, as I got older, I began to realize what I was doing. I didn't stop. It was working. I was making money, I was friends with Jared, and I was sure to find my mum soon. I knew it was wrong but not to an extent. It was just, well, I didn't know exactly what was in the packages and I never knew any names. And for a while, everything was fine."

"But then, my temporary father found out what I was doing. He lost it. He started bellowing about how he knew I was trouble and how only a retard like me could get so caught up in things illegal. I was frantic when he signed me up for Karlbergs. I mean, there I was, just a scrawny kid and really frightened of the real world. All I wanted, despite how unlikely, was my mother. I started acting out and running away, sneaking out to meet up with Jared."

"Eventually, I was yanked from that home and put in another one. I was officially out of the situation I was in. But, the social worker I had, kept funding me to go to Karlbergs. I was a strange kid, always angry and different, so none of my temporary guardians protested it. As I grew, I never got back into anything like I did with Jared, thank god, but I would fight with anyone. No one could understand me. I grew out of searching for my mother and realized that she'd missed out too much on my life anyway. I just keep hopping from temporary home to temporary home."

"Did you ever find out what was in the packages?" Harry whispered, his voice coming out in a croak. Nick gave a small short laugh.

"No. I'll always wonder. But, that's the story of my life, isn't it? I'll always wonder what it would be like to live in a permanent home, I'll always wonder about my mother, I'll always wonder what it would be like to be sane, and I'll always wonder about what is in those packages. And, I'll probably never know."

"That's okay, Nick. We all wonder what our lives would be like if something significant that happened, hadn't." Olivia said with a small sigh.

"Yeah." Nick agreed mildly.

"I mean, for me, I will always question how my life would be if my mum never died. See, my childhood was perfect. I wasn't raised in a broken home. I was an only child and had plenty of friends, was real popular. My mum and dad were so happy and I was, too. I started out a completely normal girl, not a troublemaker, and it all went to shit."

"My mum died when I was twelve. Her and my dad had gotten into an argument and she had went out for a drive to settle down. A drunk had hit her head on and she died instantaneously. My dad and I were crushed. After her death, I was quieter and more withdrawn. My dad and I grew closer. At first, it was just like regular grieving. We missed her."

"But then, dad started drinking. It was light at first, just a glass here and there for a headache. But, it grew. He started drinking bottles on bottles and grew bitter. He always fussed at me for looking so much like my mother, hated that I resembled her so. I felt abandoned and I lashed out. I started sneaking out and going to parties. I got rid of all my friends and started spending time with strangers. I went wild."

"I can't remember who took my virginity. I can't count on one hand how many times that I woke up on some stranger's couch with a massive hangover. I can't tell you how many times I've been high. I started skipping school and just stopped caring. I was a mess, really, and I missed my mum a lot. My dad had started hitting me shortly before I started all this. But, it only grew worse with time. It was always the same thing. He would get angry at my appearance and like the sick fuck he was, he'd strike me."

"Sometimes, it was worse than others. Sometimes, he would actually be so plastered that he thought I was mum. He'd... Well, he'd come onto me. I'd keep him away but he'd get furious when he realized that it was just me. He'd lash out, telling me that he wished it was me dead instead of mum. But, he didn't mean it. He loves me, I know he does. He just- He misses mum. I'm not helping by all the trouble I get into. I don't know how it got so bad. I used to be a good daughter just like he used to be a good dad."

Harry didn't feel surprise when Olivia's hand gripped his arm as she talked, her nails digging into his skin. His heart broke for her. He couldn't tell her that what her father was doing was inexcusable. Her making excuses for him was horrid and Harry wasn't able to handle it. None of this was right, none of it was fair. Their lives were all shaped and formed to lead them on this path. But, if something small had changed then they wouldn't be how they were. They were miserable, just like him, and all they had was each other. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right.

"But, we'll all be okay. All of us. We will." Josh promised, his voice determined.

"It's why we all have each other, so we will be okay." Nick agreed.

"What about you, Em? What's your story?" Harry asked into the darkness. It was the first time he had directly requested that she speak to him. He knew she wouldn't say a thing but he asked anyway. And, like he had known, she said nothing. She only reached out and lightly touched his naked shoulder.

"Yeah, I understand." Harry murmured.

"It's worth it, you know." Josh said.

"What's worth it?"

"All this trouble that we get into, all this self-hatred we feel, it's worth it. The ending result leads us right back to each other and I don't regret that." Josh said.

"You know what? Neither do I." Harry decided quietly, staring up into the dark surrounding them.

"None of us do." Nick amended.

"When I first heard about Karlbergs, I swore that I wouldn't go. I was dreading it, scared of it. I thought I was going to be thrown in with a bunch of criminals. I didn't know how I was going to survive. And then, I met you lot and everything changed. I find that I don't regret it at all." Harry admitted.

"So, Harry, tell us your story now." Josh demanded.

Harry fell silent for a moment. They were all open and bare and honest together. The darkness made it easier to be honest and reveal secrets. Harry considered how they had struggled and managed to tell him about themselves. It had to have been hard, had to have been torturous. Yet, they did it anyway. They deserved the same from him. So, taking a deep breath, Harry opened his mouth and told them his story about his muggle life, including his friends and boarding school and godfather and professors. Somehow, everything he said, came out in a muggle way. And, for every truth, there was a lie. Harry had never felt so terrible and relieved all at once before.