To Welcome You Home

Chapter 3

The next morning, Harry got up and went to the Great Hall early.

He ate quickly, and left before too many people arrived. By the time he got back to the dorms, everyone had headed down, and he got dressed, organized his class schedule, (he didn't want to admit it, but he was turning into a bit of a Hermione) and he headed to class.

He sat there for a good while, reading his textbook and following instructions that were written on the chalk board.

Eventually the class started piling in, and Harry ignored Ron when he sat next to him.

Their professor walked in, shutting the door behind him, closing it with a snap.

"You all know the routine." Their Professor said quietly and slowly, his voice deep and intimidating. "Follow the instructions and don't bother me unless it is an emergency." He then sat down at his desk and began writing on a piece of parchment.

Harry was done with his potion far earlier than everyone else, and he made it perfectly - as well as adding a few little tricks that he learned in the kitchen along the way; who knew that Aunt Petunia's punishments would come in handy?

An owl then flew into the room and tossed a letter onto the professor's desk, making him sigh in annoyance. He set his quill down in his ink bottle and unrolled the parchment as the owl flew off.

His dark ebony eyes scanned the paper quickly before he set it down.

"Potter." He says sharply, and Harry looked up nervously. "Yes sir..?"

"The headmaster wishes to see you in his office."

"What for?" Harry asks, and his Professor raised an eyebrow at him.

"I do not think you would appreciate me saying the reasons aloud to the class."

Harry swallows a little and looks down for a second. "Ah.. Right.. I'll just.. Uh.." He picks up his things and points his thumb towards the door, walking backwards a little. "Go.." Without another word he hurries off towards the Headmaster's office.

He swallows nervously as he steps inside, and he sees Dumbledore, as well as another mysterious person standing beside him.

This man had scars all over his face, messy light brownish hair that seemed to be greying, and he looked very worse for wear.

"Hello Harry." Dumbledore says gently, and Harry gives a vague polite smile in return. "What's this about, Headmaster..?" He asks quietly, sitting down in one of the armchairs in front of his desk.

"Well, some disturbing things have been brought to my attention about the muggles that you live with, and the living conditions you've been dealing with."

"Nothing's going on, if that's what you're on about."

"Your physical condition says otherwise."

Harry scowles. "Alright fine. You got me. So the muggles haven't been treating me very well, big deal. You didn't seem to care before, why do you care now?"

"Now Harry, I have always cared for your wellbeing, and if I ever thought you were in too much danger, I would have done something; but plans with Voldemort have stopped me from doing so, for your own safety."

"So being beat, starved, deprived of any sort of communication, and basically kept a prisoner trapped in a cupboard under the stairs isn't 'too much danger'?" Harry snaps, standing up, and the man beside Dumbledore began to look concerned.

"Now Harry-" Dumbledore begins, but Harry cuts in again, "Or maybe, oh I don't know, being assaulted by my own family in more ways than just mental and physical isn't bad enough for you to take me away from them?"

"Harry I-"

"Oh, I get it now. You only do things that are beneficial to you!" He says loudly, laughing almost maniacally, "It doesn't matter if I'm wasting away in a room that's far too small for me to even sit in, let alone live in! If it doesn't help your so-called "plan", it doesn't matter! It all makes sense now!"

"Harry James Potter, you sit down right now and listen to the Headmaster."

Harry stared at the man in disbelief. He looked... Familiar.

"Who is this anyways?" He asks, pointing to the man.

"This, Harry, is Remus Lupin. He was a very close friend of your father's. He came here due to my owl to speak about your living situations, and what we can do about them."

"You don't know anything.." Says Harry, crossing his arms and sitting, looking away towards the floor.

"I know that you've been abused your entire life, but I did not for one moment believe they would take it to this extent. I never thought that those muggles would go as far as they did, but they did, and I intend to take action before things get out of hand-"

"Oh so beating me nearly to death isn't 'out of hand'?!" Harry practically shrieks, standing up and knocking the chair over. "Treating me like their personal house elf isn't 'out of hand'?! Neither is assaulting me?! Treating me like their punching bag?! None of this is 'out of hand' to you?!"

Remus took a step forward, but Harry pointed to him sharply, "You stay where you are!" He turned to Dumbledore, "You don't understand what they've done to me! And you don't know what they WILL do to me if they find out someone knows! That's why I've kept it a secret! That's why I stayed quiet! You don't understand! They'll kill me! They don't care about me! They hate me! Freak! Mistake! Useless! Revolting! I could go on and on! That's what they call me! That's what they consider me! I'm trash under that roof! But you know why I dealt with it? Why I didn't tell anyone?" He looks down, his eyes swimming with tears, "I stayed quiet...  because I don't have anyone else.. Even though they hurt me, they're the only family that I've got left.." He glances up, tears running down his face, a grin covering his emotions...

Fake.

"How pathetic is that? I'm famous. I'm the 'Boy Who Lived', right? Yet.. Everyone seems to hate me.. Or want to use me for their own selfish needs..." He wrapped his arms around himself, lowering his head again, "and because of that, I... I hate myself..."

Remus breathed in sharply, at the verge of tears himself.

If only Sirius wasn't in Azkaban..Then maybe he would've been able to take care of Harry.. Keep him away from those muggles...

"Harry, surely you don't mean that.." Dumbledore says gently, and Harry laughs loudly, tears falling to the floor, "Look at me and tell me I don't mean it! I'd rather die than continue living like this!"

Dumbledore watches him solemnly. "I apologize, Harry, for starters." He begins slowly, "I never took into account that you would be going through so much, at such a young age. You've been starved, manipulated, beaten, and so much more I hate to point out.. And there is no one else to blame, but myself for this. Professor McGonagall warned me.. Begged me, even, not to send you to your Aunt and Uncle, but I ignored her. I did so anyways, because I believed you would be safer there. I was, however, mistaken, and you have paid the terrible toll for my misjudgement; but I intend to make it up to you. I intend to place you in a very safe home, with people who love you and care about you very much."

"Yeah? And who'd you manage to scrap up?" Harry asks, not looking up.

"Well, you've just met one of them" Says Dumbledore, and Harry looks up to Lupin.

"And how exactly is he someone who loves me if we've never even met?"

"Oh, to the contrary, my dear boy." Albus says, looking to Lupin to inform him.

"Well, Harry, you see.. I'm the significant other of your Godfather." Remus says, and Harry looks up in slight surprise. "Where's my Godfather then?" He asks.

"Unfortunately, he is in Azkaban due to a false accusation." Albus says, and Remus moves forward, "However, we're hoping that maybe you can help us in proving his innocence."

Harry wipes his face, looking interested.

"What should I do?"