Within You

Chapter Two: Tell Me What Is True

Harry was shocked at just how true to his word Remus had been, about allowing him to use the phone and providing him with stationary, as well as taking him around town the following day, once he was settled into their villa. The pair had had a marvelous time walking up and down the cobbled roads nearby, and Remus had been sure to get Harry appropriate street clothes, as well as purchasing a new uniform for the upcoming school year, which was due to begin in less than three weeks. It was a great comfort to Harry, as they ate their Chinese takeaway later that evening, that Remus lived and taught at the school, so he would always be around to make sure that he was all right.

Ron and Hermione came to the house at the beginning of the following week, and Harry showed them his bedroom—which was situated at the top of the house, with its own en suite bathroom, and had two generous windows on each side. Harry next showed them the garden, and Remus had made sure that he had pocket money, so the three of them ended up walking the ten or so minutes into town, where they ate at a burger restaurant and went to a movie. It was a lovely day for the three friends, and Harry wondered if he would ever return to Surrey, and into the ill-suited environment that the court system had deemed appropriate for him as a baby.

Harry and Remus took the pair of them to the train station later that evening, where Ron would ultimately return to Devon and Hermione to Hampstead. They waited for the train to arrive, and for Ron and Hermione to be safely upon it before they waved goodbye and began the drive home for the evening. Harry would miss them, he knew he would, but it was a comfort knowing that he would be around them full-time again in the next few weeks.

"Have a nice day?" Remus asked.

Harry nodded, making sure his seatbelt was in place. "Yeah, it was nice. We saw a new film playing in town. We had fun."

"What did you see?"

"Matilda," Harry said quietly. "Hermione liked it. Ron and I agreed that the title character is a lot like she is."

"Ah, yes. It was a bit after my time, I'm afraid, to appreciate it when I was very young. But it is a good, worthwhile story nevertheless."

"I never thought I'd see a character actually worse than Snape," Harry said with a laugh, and Remus, although knowing that Harry should treat his professors with respect, was pleased to see him so happy again. "That Trunchbull had a mouth on her. Reminded me of Uncle Vernon's sister, Aunt Marge..."

"I never met his sister," Remus replied. "What was she like?"

"Like the rest of them—content to spoil Dudley and smack me around whenever something went wrong, no matter how remote," Harry said, his tone candid. "She's a dog breeder, you know, and whenever she'd bring a new generation to the house, she'd take bets to see how long it would take for it to attack me at her command. Her favorite one was Ripper, and he would regularly attempt to use me as a chew toy."

Remus's hands clenched at the steering wheel at hearing this latest tidbit of abuse that Harry was subjected to, and made a mental note to file it away, once Dora came by to take another report from Harry and, of course, from him. "Was she the one who's dog ran you up the tree, and Dudley just laughed at you instead of seeking help from an adult?"

Harry swallowed. "Yes," he replied. "Of course, when they did manage to find me, all they could do was complain that the house was filthy and they were hungry. Had they not sullied up the house themselves, or actually picked up a cookbook or a telephone, they could've made sure that both those things weren't a problem..."

"Well, rest assured you won't have to go back there again," Remus said consolingly. "Now that you're sixteen, you've retained some rights within the legal system."