Raised by Canines {A Harry Potter fanfiction}

20. The Not-So-Great Escape

A/N: A double update as a thank you for over 7,000 reads!!

Harry felt bad.

He didn't want to leave. Moony and Padfoot had been kind enough to take him away from a life of hatred and give him everything he needed and wanted. However, he knew what two kids in the house meant; he wasn't going to stick around and drag this out only to fall much harder later when they realized that they could only love one child.

But what about the Weasleys? He asked himself. They have seven kids and none of them seem left out.

But another voice overpowered his own. They are all their real children.

That made sense. Harry shrugged a little to himself and stuffed a pair of jeans in his get away bag and took a second to look at all he had collected in the past month and enjoy a bit of a reprieve from the burning in his scar.

He'd packed a few t-shirts, jeans, and jackets. He'd secured a blanket, had collected all the spare knuts and sickles and galleons he could find, and had even managed to get a few snacks in his bag. Lastly, he'd packed the first book Remus had gotten for him and the stuffed animals Sirius had gotten him. Try as he might, he couldn't just forget that they ever existed.

"It'll be easy for them." He murmured to himself as he zipped his bag and hid it under the floor in his closet.

He heard footsteps coming down the hall and immediately he went over to his bookshelf, trying to act casual so that his uncles wouldn't suspect anything. It had been hard enough trying to explain the disappearance of some of his favorite clothes, toys, and books. He didn't need them to catch him playing with the floor in his closet--if they found his bag he knew he'd be in for it and wouldn't have a chance to escape.

"Cub, do you want to watch a movie with me?" The voice, even though he'd been expecting it, made him jump. "Uncle Padfoot's working late tonight and wants to bring home a pizza and I thought we could watch a movie to pass the time."

Uncle Moony almost never suggested watching a movie; something was up. Harry studied him for a good, long moment--Moony looked sick, and that made Harry feel even worse. Harry was suddenly craving his uncle's cuddles and didn't take a second longer to cross the room and hold up his arms.

Remus happily picked the little boy up and held him tightly, kissing his cheek as he did so. "I'll take that as a yes?" Harry nodded, then buried his head in the crook of Remus' neck.

"I love you, Uncle Moony. Lots and lots."

Harry loved him more than he could say; that's what was making this whole situation so difficult. He wanted to just call the whole thing off and stay with them, at the home he'd grown so attached to but that nagging voice and burning in his scar would not let him. It had totally convinced him that he was doing the right thing.

"I love you lots and lots, my sweet little boy." Remus didn't care how juvenile he'd just sounded--when your little one says something like that out of the blue, you say it back and let them know that you mean it. Remus sat down and settled Harry in his lap so that the boy was facing him as he brushed his knuckles against his cheek. "Is something on your mind?"

Harry couldn't lie right to his face. He just couldn't. Looking down he shook his head no. "I just really love you, Uncle Moony."

"You're precious." Remus kissed his nose and set him down on his feet. "Go pick out a movie and we'll cuddle up and watch it." Remus' lycanthropy was making itself known in more ways than just feeling like he had the flu: Remus had to be close to Harry, the parental instincts rolling in high gear as wolves are very protective of their young.