Disclaimer: See Chapter One...
Chapter Summary: Harry gets a friend.
A/N: Thank you all for your positive reviews. I'm glad you liked the Remus/Harry time. Here is the awaited chapter 13, enjoy!
Chapter 13: A Day in The Park
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Remus awoke in the early hours of the morning, his body sore from the transformation he had endured that night. With a soft groan he sat up and blearily looked around. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the light.
Light? ...In the basement? Remus' gaze fell on the source, which was the still burning flame, in the middle of the room. Memory's of the night before flooded back to him and he immediately understood why it was there.
You kept it going all night? Remus thought astonished, as his gaze shifted to the young child next to him. Where do you find the energy? With a sigh, he gingerly stood, changed into the clothes he had brought down before closing himself in the basement, and then gently picked the sleeping raven-haired boy up. The second he did, however, the fire went out and the room was plunged into complete darkness, leaving Remus to carefully find the stairs, before proceeding to climb them - doing his best to not loose footing.
"Moony?" Harry questioned groggily from Remus' arms just as the older wizard reached the door and had opened it.
"Yes, pup, it's me," Remus replied as they entered the living room.
"Normal again?" Harry inquired rubbing the sleep from his eyes as Remus sat him down on the couch.
"As normal as I can be," the lycanthrope answered with a small smile. Harry grinned, but then faltered as though just having thought of something.
"Am I in twouble?" he asked resignedly. Remus raised an eyebrow at the boy and sat down next to him.
"Why do you think you would be?"
"For…going to visit you when you towd me not to…" Harry answered sadly.
"Harry, I know your intentions where good, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy your company." Harry smiled slightly at this. "But I wouldn't tell you to not to do something unless I had a very good reason to do so," Remus explained. "Like your well being, for an example. What if I hadn't been in my right mind? I could have really hurt you, Harry, and if that had happened I would never have forgiven myself. So…no more sleepovers during the full moon, okay?" Harry nodded, looking at his hands that where lying in his lap.
"Mad at me?" Remus asked, feigning sadness. Harry looked up surprised, then smiled and shook his head 'no'. Remus grinned, ruffled Harry's hair, and stood up just as Sirius came yawning down the stairs.
"Did I miss a morning discussion?" he inquired with a smirk when he noticed the two. Remus asked Harry to go and get dressed and brush his teeth while he talked with Sirius, and, as Remus knew he would, the boy quickly complied.
"What's up?" Sirius questioned once Harry had run upstairs. Remus began explaining the past night's events while both men levitated all the basement things neatly back to their rightful place.
"I must say then, Moony, that I'm more than relieved you did drink that potion we made... Not just for Harry's sake, but for yours, because I would've killed you," Sirius stated in mock seriousness, after his friend had finished, trying to hide a smile.
"You find it funny?" Remus asked incredulously.
"In a way…well…yes. Look at it this way: we can get worked up and worried over something that didn't happen, or we can marvel at the fact that the boy was extremely calm around you even though you were a werewolf. When you think about it, he gets more and more like Prongs every day," the Black summed up, grinning proudly, then returned his wand to his pajama pocket now that everything was in the basement. Remus pensively placed his wand into his pocket as well.
"You know, Padfoot, there are times I'm positive you're as dense as a board…but then there are others times when I think you might be wiser than you let on…" Remus mused as he closed the basement door. Sirius shrugged dismissively.
"All I'm saying is 'don't worry so much, or you'll bring out the gray hairs,'" Sirius smirked. "And besides, we have all next month to worry and take the right precautions. You don't learn without making mistakes, right?" he asked knowingly.
"True…"
"Well, this was ours, and I'm pretty sure Harry won't do it again after that little talk. He's a good kid," Sirius said positively.
"Your right," Remus sighed, and then began walking toward the kitchen to make breakfast. "And…if your not, well, I'll just have to kill you next full moon," Remus stated as he entered. Sirius gaped for a moment before scoffing in mock indignance.
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"Now you go on and play some," Sirius encouraged with a warm smile. "We'll be sitting right here, watching you."
It was the afternoon; five days after the werewolf incident, and Sirius had come up with what he called a 'brilliant idea'. That idea was to take Harry to the park. Not only to play, but to get some fresh air and to interact with other children his age. Harry had, at first, been ecstatic about going. That was…before he actually arrived there. He was now very nervous, mind filled with the thoughts that the kids would not like him, or would be big and mean like Dudley.
"Right here?" Harry asked again, just to make sure.
"This exact same spot, Prongslet," Sirius reassured. Harry sighed, nodded once, gave his guardians a quick grateful hug, then, with a wave, walked timidly toward the playground where many kids laughed and played.
"He needs this," Sirius pointed out to no one in particular.
"Maybe more than we know. He's never been able to play or make friends before," Remus responded with a hint of sadness as he sat down on the park bench. Sirius joined him, and the two watched their charge.
"Padfoot, I've been thinking," the Lupin said, voicing his thoughts as he turned to look at his friend.
"When aren't you?" Sirius remarked with a playful smirk.
"Cute," Remus deadpanned. "But, really, I have been."
"Okay, 'bout what?" Sirius pried, still watching his Godson.
"Harry," Remus said in all seriousness. This sparked Sirius's curiosity and he turned to look at his friend expectantly.
"Well…he's going to be four in a few days, which means muggle primary school will be coming up soon. You know, Pre K," Remus began, knowing this might not bode over well with Sirius, for he did have his little "Separation Anxiety" issue, as he liked to call it, when it came to Harry. It had started when James and Lily had been alive and had just given birth to Harry. He would visit everyday complaining of his so called 'sickness.' When they died and Harry had been sent to the Dursley's, Sirius about died himself. It had taken him forever to get over the depression, if he ever did, but, now with Harry back, he was beginning to act more and more like himself again, Remus had noticed. Sirius opened his mouth to reply, but Remus continued, cutting him off.
"But, then when I really thought about it, I realized that him going to a muggle primary school might not be the wisest decision." Sirius quirked a curious eyebrow at this remark.
"And why would that be?" he asked.
"Think about it, Padfoot, Harry's obviously no muggle, one, and two, he's no normal wizard either, on top of the fact that he's 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'. He could end up performing Elemental magic without thinking. And without the wards around him, like at the house, powerful magic detecting spells could pick it up much faster than regular magic. That would be like handing him over on a silver platter to the awaiting Death Eaters." Remus explained, proving, once again, that he thought too much, but that it came in handy.
"What would I do without you, Moony?" Sirius questioned, smiling.
"Eh, die of starvation or something, I suppose," Remus shrugged. Sirius thumped him on the head.
"Hey!" Remus defended indignantly. A few seconds of silence passed while Remus rubbed his head.
"…Well?" Sirius inquired.
"Well what?" Remus retorted, still rubbing.
"Don't tell me that after all that thinking, your planning on Harry not learning basic arithmetic, reading, and writing," Sirius replied disbelievingly. "That's so…unlike you!"
Remus chuckled, "You think I'm that daft?"
"Heh, that depends," the dog Animagus answered. The other sighed exasperatedly.
"Fine. I was thinking it'd be better if…well, if I taught Harry the basics. Then you could have time to slowly explain to him everything he needs to know about his life, and help him train his powers," Remus disclosed, before looking back at Harry who was talking with some red-headed twins.
"Moony?" Sirius grinned widely.
"Yes?" A grin of Remus' own tugged at his lips.
"You're a genius."
"It's nice to get some appreciation around here."
"Aww, Moony! I appreciate you! How could you ever think otherwise?"
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"Hi! I'm Fred, and this is my brother George," The red-headed six year old greeted, seeing that Harry had been alone.
"Hi. …I'm Harry," the raven haired child replied politely.
"Wait-" George began.
"Your not-" Fred continued.
"Harry-"
"Potter,"
"Are you?" they finished in unison. Harry was shocked.
"You know my name?" he asked, amazed.
"Know your name? Know your name?" Fred repeated incredulously. Harry felt like he had missed something.
"Here, let me check," George said stepping up and lifting Harry's bangs.
"It is you!" they gasped. Now Harry felt really lost.
"Wait till mum hears!" Fred stated excitedly, leading his brother toward the other side of the playground, leaving Harry alone again. He sighed.
How do they know my name? And how does looking at my fowehead pwove who I am? Harry pondered confusedly. I'll have to ask Padfoot, Harry looked over to where Sirius and Remus where sitting, obviously in deep conversation. Later… he corrected, knowing it would be rude to interrupt.
Harry liked the park; he loved the swings, slides, and the laughter all around. He liked best, though, playing in the plastic tunnels that you crawl through - like those at that McDonald's he had seen in town with Mrs. Figg when she had bought him his glasses. And he happened to be crawling through one of these said tunnels when he heard a terrified scream that reverberated off the plastic walls, quickly followed by sobbing. Harry crawled through the tunnels in the direction of the sobbing until he came to a circular cushioned play chamber that contained one single red-haired boy, which was not one of the earlier twins, arms holding his knees, crying into them. Harry carefully stood up, walked over to the boy, and sat down next to him, feeling the boy's unexplained fear deep within himself like a quivering hum.
"What's wong?" he asked, in the same soothing manner Sirius and Remus would speak to him when he cried. The boy looked up, surprised, tears in his eyes.
"I-it's a-a s-spider," the boy sobbed, trying and failing to calm down with the 'perpetrator' hanging on a thread from the ceiling in the middle of the circular room.
"Oh!" Harry said, now understanding. "Your scared of them?" The boy nodded, trying again to calm himself, it worked slightly, but not much.
"Don't cry, I'll take it out," the emerald eyed child reassured the boy. He got up, captured the spider in his palm and closed his hand around it gently, feeling it tickle him.
"There!" he smiled. The red-haired boy smiled back, wiping his tears.
"You'we...not scared?" The boy asked, astounded.
"They were always in the cupboard," Harry explained.
"Wow, you must weally be bwave, then!" the boy supposed.
"I don't think so, just used to them. I'll be wight back," Harry went, put the spider outside, and then returned as fast as he could.
"Is it...gone?" the boy inquired, fear evident in his childish voice as his eyes snapped to the other's hand.
"All gone." He even opened his palm to show the red-head.
"Wow, you saved my life! You'we..." The boy thought for a moment, searching for the proper term. "My hero! Wanna be fwends?" he asked excitedly. Harry grinned. A friend! He had never really had one of those.
"Yeah!"
"Oh and…thank you," the boy said gratefully.
"What for?"
"Saving me!"
"Oh! Well...what are fwends for?" Harry replied smiling, having never thought of being able to say that in his life.
"I'm Ron, Ron Weasley," the four year old introduced, no more tears on his face, grinning as he extended his hand.
"I'm Harry Potter," the messy haired Elemental introduced himself, as well, as he shook his new friend's hand.
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A/N: How'd you like it? Next chapter you will get to meet the rest of the Weasley children and Mrs. Weasley. Please Review and tell me what you think. And I'll again try and update ASAP. Thank you all again! Until next time...