Chapter 5: telling the family and changing sides

Harry was sitting in the living room in front of the fire place, sipping on a cup of warm tea, when the floo flared at life and the twins stumbled through.

"Merlin Hermione it wasn't necessary to throw us through the floo like that!" Fred yelled as he helped his twin off of the floor.

"Well if you two didn't act like idiots and just listen, she wouldn't have done it."'A familiar voice said as more people came through.

Harry was glued to his spot when he saw Remus come through the floo. He thought Remus was still on his mission.

"So Hermione what is so important that you couldn't tell us back there?" Neville asked, having come through the floo after Remus.

"Oh! Hello Harry, you look horrible." Luna stated, her eyes losing their glossy sheen as she looked at Harry.

Everyone whirled around and looked at Harry, who tried to make himself smaller under their gazes. They all seemed shocked at his appearance. While Harry didn't look as bad as he did when Hermione first found him, he was nowhere near normal looking. His skin was oddly colored as his bruises faded from blacks and blues to lighter colors, his arms and legs were covered bandages, his hair was still wild and un-kept, and his scars had not disappeared.

"Cub..." Remus whispered, sitting on the same couch Harry was and put his hand on Harry's lap softly as if he was worried Harry would break, "what happened?" Harry shifted closer to his godfather and leaned against him but refused to look at him. He tried not to flinch when he felt Remus wrap his arms around him.

"Why don't we all sit down and I'll explain everything." Hermione suggested as she sat next to Harry.

Once everyone was seated, Hermione sighed and began retelling them of Harry's home life. But the time she was done everyone was horrified, if by the expressions of their face was anything to go by. Remus was the worse, he was shaking something terrible and he seemed to be fighting against his instincts to go and rip Harry's muggle relatives apart.

"How could he do that!" he asked, a low growl rumbling in his chest, "how could allow those...disgusting muggles to harm my cub!" Even though Harry should have been frightened of the angry werewolf he knew that Moony would never hurt him, plus Remus was very warm.

"I can't believe that Dumbledore would do something so..." George started.

"EVIL!" Fred finished for his brother, his fists clenched at his sides, "and Ron...how could he could he know what was happening and no tell us?" The older Weasley brothers, all of them even Percy; saw Harry and Hermione as their little brother and sister and to hear what Dumbledore did made their blood boil.

"Because he's jealous of Harry." Luna said, "It's easy to see it."

Neville nodded, "yeah and he was always quick to turn on Harry." he included, remembering their four year and how Ron spent most of his time in the common room complaining about Harry.

"So what are we going to do?"

"Yeah! We can't let them get away with abusing Harry!"

Soon everyone was yelling about what they should do, thinking of ways to get their revenge on Dumbledore. They were all so busy yelling that they didn't notice that Harry began to shake. He wasn't used to loud sounds yet and the screaming reminded him of when his aunt and uncle would yell at him.

Hermione, as if sensing her brother's anxiety, yelled loudly, "SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!"

They all looked at Hermione in shock, all except Harry who could still hear the screaming voices in his head; Hermione was never one to raise her voice.

"Stop yelling you're upsetting Harry." she hissed between clenched teeth, drawing their attention to Harry's trembling and whimpering form.

Hermione gently grabbed her brother and pulled him close to her, whispering softly into his ear, "Shh it's alright Harry. I'm here. Shh."

Hermione looked up at the others in the room, "Harry has a problem with loud noises, especially screams so please don't raise your voice around him." she told them, rubbing Harry's back.

They all nodded, "we're sorry." the twins said softly, mad at themselves for upsetting their little brother.

"It's alright." Harry mumbled, his face pressed into Hermione's shoulder.

Hermione continued to pet Harry, succeeding in calming down a while ago and now just stroking through his hair absent mindedly, "now as for Dumbledore, do not worry about him. He will get

his soon, for now we have to focus on the important things. Such as, when Harry and I leave the Light will you be with us or against us?" She asked, looking at her friends.

Harry looked up from his sister's shoulder and watched the people he considered family, waiting with baited breathe for their answer. Even though Harry and Hermione never really discussed what side of the war they were on, they both knew that they were going to leave the Light. They can't be on a side with a man who doesnt care who he hurts to get what he wants. They were both tired of being manipulated by Dumbledore and the best way to get away from him was to leave the Light.

Neville was the first to speak, "I will always be on your side. I dont care if your Light, Dark, or in between. I will be loyal to you both."

"I agree with Neville." Luna said, "Plus it will be more fun to hang out with both of you then that grumpy old goat."

"You know i will always be with you cubs." Remus smiled at Hermione and Harry.

"We see you both as family and we will always be here to protect you." the twins said at the same time.

Harry and Hermione both smiled at their friends. Hermione let out a breathe that she didnt realize she was holding, she was a little worried that their friends would stay loyal to the headmaster. Harry fell asleep to the sounds of their voices, not really paying attention to anything but Hermione's hand in his hair. He woke up for a moment to take his potions before falling back to sleep.

When he woke up it was around noon and Remus placing a tray of food on Harry's bed side table. Upon seeing his cub up, Remus smiled and instead placed the tray on his cub's lap sohe could eat. Harry smiled his thanks and ate slowly, his body still not used to taking in three meals a day.

"Harry…" Harry looked up and saw the thoughtful look on Remus's face.

"Whats wrong Moony?" he asked after swallowing.

"I was just wondering... Why did you never tell us cub? About the thing's that were happening there?" he said softly.

Harry just shrugged and looked down at the warm cup of tea in his hands, even though he could taste the healing potions in it the taste no longer made hin cringe in disgust.

Remus sighed but realized that Harry wasn't ready to talk about what happened there. God how he wished Padfoot was here. As soon as he learned about his godson's home life, the wolf felt that not only had he failed the boy he considered his cup but his mate as well. Harry, as if able to sense the dark direction that Remus's thoughts were going, snuggled close to the warm wolf.

"I love you moony." he whispered between sips of tea.

Remus allowed himself a small smile, "i love you to prongslet."

They stayed like that for awhile until a loud crash came from downstairs. Remus sighed, "i swear one of these days the twins are gonna get it. Stay here." he got up and walked out of the room.

Harry got up, slowly and on somewhat unsteady legs, and made his way to the bathroom. He was wondering where his sister was, usually she was the first person he saw when he got up andthe last when he went to bed, "she's probably out getting more potion ingredients." he mumbled to himself, trying to figure out why his sister wasnt there. Although he knew that was areasonable possibilty of why his sister wasn't there, Harry couldnt help remeber all the times that his uncle yelled at him that he wasn't worth the effort it took to take care of him and one dayhis friends will see this and leave him. Harry didn't have a fear of being alone actually, no he really liked having time to himself every once and an awhile, no his real fear was that Hermioneand everyone would tire of him and leave him.

Shaking his head to clear the negative thoughts, Harry got into the shower and washed off the dirt from yesterday. The raven haired boy got out and dried himself off, changing into some muggle clothes that were laid out for him. He then made his way downstairs to relax. He hadnt had to the time to fully explore the house and in his weakened state he didn't feel like gettinglost in the house yet so he mainly stuck to the living room, the dining room, his room, hermione's room, and of course the library that Hermione found on her first day here. Harry sat down onhis chaise next to the fire, picking up the book that he left there a couple nights ago.

Harry's reading was interrupted by the floo flaring to life and his sister stumbling out. Harry got up and helped his sister off the floor, her clothes were covered in soot and her hair was messilycoming out of her pony tail. She looked up at him, "we have a problem."