A/N: This entire fic contains mature themes relating to child abuse, with sometimes descriptive scenes. It also contains themes of mental illness, drug use and violence. Please check out my intro document on my profile for more info. This work is already completed on AO3, but I'm wanting to get back into FFN so I'll be cross-posting it.

*SLAM!*

Arthur Weasley sat upright quickly, rubbing his eyes as he looked toward him and Molly's hardwood bedroom door.

*thud thud...*

*creeaakkk*

The eldest Weasley sighed, looking to his left at his (thankfully) still sleeping wife. Her curly red hair was strewn over her pillow (almost reaching his with how long it was) and light snores that Arthur found incredibly adorable left her agape mouth as she lay facing the ceiling.

"Bloody hell..." he muttered in annoyance; figuring it was his mischievous identical sons who was making the loud racket from downstairs. (It always seemed to be

Those boys will be the death of me, he thought with a sigh and wiped the sleep from his face with his right hand quickly.

Arthur then moved their dark purple comforter off and stood up; slipping his feet into his ratty pair of grey slippers that always sat in front of his nightstand. He figured he might as well be the one to catch them in the act so they could avoid his wife's wrath. Fred and George were probably trying to sneak out again, he figured; which never ended well. Arthur grabbed his wand off the bedside table and made his way downstairs; muttering a quiet 'lumos' as he walked. He was dressed only in a pair of brown pj pants and a striped nightshirt so he hoped to Merlin he didn't have to go chasing after the twins outside in the cold night.

Once he reached the last step, he raised his eyebrows in surprise at the sight of his youngest son bent over the kitchen junk drawer; hair disheveled and dressed only in a pair of light grey sweatpants.

"Ron? What are you doing up? Its-" Arthur looked to their clock hanging on the wall and saw it was just after midnight.

"Its 12 am. Get back to-"

"There's something wrong, Dad! He hasn't wrote to me or 'mione once!" Ron said in exasperation while still rummaging for Merlin knows what.

"What? Who?" Arthur asked in confusion as he walked over to him.

Ron turned and glared at him.

"Harry of course!" He snapped, and turned back to the drawer.

He sighed in relief and picked up Arthur's car keys. He then looked to his father with a look of determination in his light blue eyes.

"I'm going to get him and I don't care if you say no." He stated and Arthur blinked at his son in surprise.

Ron was usually a very respectful child and it was very appalling to hear the fourteen year old be so curt. As he went to put his shoes on, Arthur put a hand gently on his shoulder to stop him.

"Hold on now- there's no need to get frantic, he's probably just busy with his summer."

Ron shook his head wildly.

"Harry doesn't have any muggle friends, and his aunt and uncle don't take him out on any sort of vacations. He always writes, Dad. I just know something is wrong- I can feel it!" He said in a frantic tone, looking up at Arthur with a pleading expression.

Arthur sighed. Ron always did fret over Harry; what he was doing, when he would write back, how we was- ever since their adventure during first year the pair were inseparable. And as sweet it was that Ron finally had a best friend Arthur thought he was a bit too invested in his day to day life.

"Ron, nothing is wrong. It's only been…" Arthur thought for a moment. "twenty days since you left school, I'm sure he's-"

Ron grabbed a lock of his long red hair stressfully.

"They hurt him there Dad!"

Arthur stopped, stunned.

"What?"

"They hurt him! Harry wouldn't let me tell you guys but it's true!"

"What do you mean they hurt him?" He asked in concern.

Fresh tears sprung in his son's eyes and Arthur became even more concerned by the second, his heart racing fast.

"Th-They beat him! Every time he comes back to school he's injured in some way!" Ron cried.

Arthur felt a lump form in his throat. He had known Harry for three years now and he thought of him as a son; treated him as such too seeing as the teen had no parents- so even the thought of him going through that sort of pain absolutely killed him inside.

"Go get your brother." Arthur said curtly, taking the keys from his son's hand and putting them back in the drawer.

"What? Why?" Ron asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "Wait- Which one?"

"Bill. If we end up having to obliviate the muggles I want someone who can do the charm legally." He said with a thin lipped expression.

Why hadn't Ron told him about what was happening to Harry sooner? He took a breath as he stared down at his youngest son.

'Does he not trust me?' He thought fearfully, wondering what else he could be hiding from him and Molly.

They brought all their children up to trust them, to trust their siblings and most importantly to confide in them if something was going on inside their own lives- Why hadn't Ron let them in?

Ron gave his father a thankful smile.

"Thanks Dad!" He said with a quick hug before taking off upstairs.

"And put a shirt on!" He called up to him as he ran.

Arthur was glad Bill was back at home for a visit because if he ended up losing his cool he had someone to fix it. He hadn't wanted his eldest son to get involved in such a dangerous job as Curse Breaking but now it seemed to prove worthwhile. He felt like he already was losing his cool, though- what with the fact his son kept something so dire from him. He felt sick at the thought of what 'they hurt him' really entailed.

"Ronald! What are you doing up at this hour?" The echo of Molly's yell filled the third floor as she stomped out of her and Arthur's bedroom.

"Ask Dad- no time to explain!" Ron called back.

Arthur swore under his breath as his wife ran down the steps; stopping at the last one.

She wore a red hand-knitted robe over her pale purple nightgown and had a look of pure annoyance on her face as she brushed away her curly red hair from her eyes.

"What's going on?! Why are you two up?!" Molly asked, giving her husband a confused and angry stare.

"Do you realize what ti-"

"Harry's in trouble, Molly." Arthur said quickly; watching his wife's angry face soften considerably.

"What? What do you mean? What's happened?" She asked in concern, pulling her knitted robe tighter around her body as she stepped off the last stair.

Arthur rubbed his forehead stressfully.

"I'll tell you when we get back, don't worry."

Molly furrowed her eyebrows and began stepping closer to her husband.

"'Don't worry?!' You just told me Harry is in trouble- how could I possibly not worry, Arthur?!"

"I'm taking care of it- just try and go back to sleep."

Molly gave him her famous glare and Arthur pursed his lips.

"Arthur Wea-"

"Dad? What's going on?" Bill asked sleepily as he reached the first floor; covered in his old striped pj's he kept at home for times he was staying over.

"Were apparating to Little Whinging. I need your… expertise." He said with a exhale.

"What for? Ron said something about Harry- Is he alright? Has something happened to him?" Bill pushed his long, messy red hair out of his eyes as he put on his black boots and green fleece jacket that was hanging on a hook by the door.

Ron followed suite while Arthur remained response less. He put on his shoes as well, coupled with his casual black robe that hung beside Molly's on their jacket hook's.

"Arthur!" Molly called angrily as he opened the front door with haste.

She began stomping towards them, but he ignored her, (which was a very rare thing) and stepped outside with his two sons.

"Ready?" He asked upon putting his cloaked arm out towards his sons.

The two Weasley boys nodded. Arthur briefly recalled Harry's street address and held his breath. Molly raced after them.

"ARTHUR WEA-"

*WHOOSH*

The three Weasley's landed expertly on Privet Drive of Little Whinging and immediately began to look around cautiously to check if they had been spotted. It was hard to see through such dim light, but it didn't look like anyone was out in this hour.

"Do you know which house is his, Ron?" Arthur asked, looking down at his son.

Ron nodded up at him.

"Number four." He replied with a quick look around at the address's.

"That one." He said pointing to a small house a few doors down.

They walked swiftly over to the house Ron was pointing at, and Arthur looked over at him once they reached the porch.

"I want you to stay behind Bill and I the whole time. And if the muggles come down, keep as far away from them as possible." He said sternly and Ron nodded up with wide, nervous eyes.

"Alohomora." Arthur whispered with a quick point of his wand.

The suburban brown front door clicked and drifted open with a quiet creak. Bill took out his wand as the three of them slowly entered; and the second his feet stepped onto the brown doormat-

Arthur felt it.

A sickly, shivering feeling crept up onto his skin; encasing his whole body in icy fear and giving an aura that only magical death gave. Bill took a sharp breath from behind him and put a hand on his father's shoulder to stop him from walking any further.

"Dad… something isn't right…" He whispered thickly.

"Just stay behind me." He said determinedly.

In every way Bill was a smarter wizard than he was and Arthur wasn't even afraid to admit that- but he was still his child and he would stand in front of any danger for him. Even an unknown one. He knew these were just muggles- abusive muggles at that- but Bill was right- something was wrong. The eldest wizard had no idea what to expect when it came to the minds of muggles; their world was a complete mystery to him that always used to seem so curious. But now, upon stepping into the home of such people, he was completely unnerved.

"Ron what floor is Harry's bedroom on?" He asked quickly, fearing the worst.

Ron pointed to the cupboard a few feet away to their right with a guilty expression, and Arthur looked to his son in disbelief.

"The cupboard?!" He spat out, looking back toward it quickly.

He rushed to the small white paneled cupboard and fell to his knees; hearing Bill mutter a silencing charm likely because of his outburst. As he looked at the door he saw a silver padlock on its latch and quickly felt bile raise in his throat as he unlocked the muggle object.

Who locks a child in a cupboard?!, he thought angrily as he swung it open.

Nothing could have prepared Arthur for the sight- or the stench- that lay before him. He had fought in the first bloody war; seen his friends die- seen his family die; but this- this was by far the worst tragedy he had ever seen in his life.

"Harry?!" Ron cried fearfully as he peered into the cupboard from behind his father.

Harry Potter, all of thirteen years old, was lying naked on his back with his arm over his bloody welted torso. His head faced them with eyes closed (one was swollen and black and looked like it couldn't open even if he wanted it too) and Arthur swallowed thickly as he crawled into the urine soaked cupboard to feel for a pulse.

'Don't be dead… for the love of Merlin don't be dead…'

Arthur placed two fingers at the crook of Harry's bruised neck and exhaled in relief as a weak heartbeat echoed into them. Harry's magic was probably the only thing keeping him alive at the moment. He could literally feel it swirling around the cupboard; It was strong, which was a good sign. As for his physical health- that was another thing entirely.

"HARRY! WAKE UP!" Ron yelled in desperation, now crying hard.

"He's alive, son. It's alright. It will all be alright." He said in a breathless tone; trying to calm him or maybe trying to calm himself. He didn't really know.

Harry was so thin. Thinner than usual- if that was even possible. His skeletal body was covered in angry red welts and purple bruises that crisscrossed his skin from his chest to his knees; some fresh and still bleeding. His face had angry bruising splotched everywhere and hardened blood sat under his nose, making a small trail to his upper lip. Arthur's eyes drifted over his private area and saw his skin there was angry and raw; with deep bite marks littering his groin. The older wizard's anger spiked as he realized the extent of what Harry had gone through.

"I'll kill them- I'll bloody kill-"

"What did they do to him, Dad?! What happened?!" Ron sobbed, and Arthur turned, forgetting momentarily that his two sons were behind him.

Ron's broken expression made Arthur realize what his youngest son was actually seeing and he moved slightly to shield Ron from the sight of his best friend this way.

"Bill, take Ron home and floo Professor Snape. I will meet you there momentarily." He looked up at his eldest son who nodded quickly; he too looking quite shaken at the sight of Harry.

Severus Snape often helped the Weasley family with dire medical care as their insurance was too low to receive proper care at St. Mungos. He made his first house call to them when Ginny was two and had some sort of unknown virus that made her unconscious almost to the point of death. The man had saved his daughters life; he knew he could save Harry's too.

"NO! I'm not leaving Harry!" Ron shouted angrily; his blue eyes sparkling with a new set of tears.

Arthur turned properly and put a hand on his youngest son's arm comfortingly.

"Ron, you don't need to see this- I will be home in a moment with Harry I promise."

Ron began to protest again but Bill talked him down as he escorted him out to the front porch. Arthur took his robe off swiftly.

"Harry? Son, can you hear me?"

He shook Harry's shoulder but received no response. He grimaced and wrapped his black robe around Harry's battered body.

"I'm so sorry Harry… I'm so sorry I didn't know…" He picked up the frail teenager and heard him emit a small groan.

"It's Arthur, lad- you're okay now. You're going to be okay."

He picked him up with such ease it brought tears to his eyes. Harry began moving as Arthur backed out of the cupboard with him, seeming to try and push him away. Arthur furrowed his eyebrows, trying not to imagine what the boy in his arms had been through. His eyes darted around the dirty cupboard for Harry's glasses and stopped as he spotted them on a small shelf to his left- cracked horribly like someone had struck him while he had them on. He grabbed them swiftly, and transfigured his large trunk to fit into his pocket.

"Repairo." He mumbled while pointing his wand at Harry's broken glasses.

The glass zipped back together tightly and Arthur stuffed them and the pocket sized trunk back in his pant pocket. He stood and began walking towards the front door but stopped abruptly as he saw a light flick on upstairs. He swore under his breath while cursing Bill's weak silencing charm and stepped out onto the porch not bothering to shut the door behind him.

"WHO'S THERE?" A male voice bellowed.

Now, Arthur Weasley was by no means a violent man, but if Harry wasn't in his arms, he would have ran up those steps and beat the living crap out of those muggles Harry had been forced to call 'family'. He would put away his wand and commit vengeance the old fashioned way. But Harry's life was at stake in the moment and that was all that mattered to Arthur- punishing the Durlsey's could wait. The eldest Weasley put his hand on Harry's gently and closed his eyes.

*WHOOSH*