Harry woke feeling cold. He padded the mattress in front of him but felt nothing. He opened his eyes to see Hermione reading a very large book.
"Finally. I'd thought you'd never wake up," she said, her eyes never leaving the page, "We've got our letters from Hogwarts today. I've already talked to Dumbledore, I've had to drop a few classes. I wanted more time to be able to help you. Now we have the same schedule. I asked him to take off History of Magic for both of us, but he said he wouldn't. He said the first class would change our minds. I don't like being on the wrong side of Dumbledore's cryptic messages, you know? Anyway, Voldemort knows everything there is to know about magic so I guess it couldn't hurt. Mrs. Weasley is getting everyone's books. She said she doesn't want a fleet of the Order to have to come over just because we have to go school shopping. I think she's even threatened to buy you clothes, she can't stand those rags those, and I quote, 'Those... Muggle....People.... Ginny stop laughing!' give to you to, I think her words were, 'drape over you'. She tried to get into your room to measure you... Do you know how worried I was she was going to go in there and find your bed not just empty, but not slept in? It was just lucky I put a heavy locking charm on the door. I was thinking of levitating you through a made door and into your own bed, but she gave up soon enough. Oh! Make sure if Ron says Ginny is evil to agree with him. They've had a tiff this morning. Lupin's here, he's been waiting for you to wake up. He says he wants to take you somewhere alone. I asked but he isn't saying a word. I wish I was good at Legilimency with everyone saying 'you'll see.' You know how annoying that is? I just-"
"Good morning Hermione," Harry said.
"Er...sorry. Good morning Harry. Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah. You?"
"Fine. You should get dressed. I'll go downstairs. I probably have to separate Ron and Ginny again anyway." She took her book and made sure no one was in the hall before quickly leaving the room.
Harry got up and took some spare clothes he usually kept under her bed wrapped in his dad's Invisibility Cloak.
* * *
Harry opened the door just enough to see that, in fact, no one was in the hall. Then he made his way to the kitchen, stuffing his face with leftover breakfast Mrs. Weasley made.
"Harry! Good to see you're up, I thought you started to hibernate," Lupin said.
"Bears hibernate, not humans."
"Maybe I've spent too much time in the animal kingdom. I want to take you somewhere today. That is if it's ok with you. Although, I thought Miss Granger was about to curse me when I told her it was a secret."
"That's Hermione, she loves to know everything. She also likes to worry, so if it's a dangerous place she likes to know how much to worry in advanced. Give herself sort of a head start," Harry said as he swallowed.
Lupin laughed cheerfully, something Harry hadn't seen from him in a long while. A thought came to Harry's mind that he couldn't shake. He thought it might upset Lupin, but curiosity got the better of him.
"You were always the responsible one, right?"
"Yes, why do you ask, Harry?"
"I just wondered.... I mean, I know Dad and Sirus were best friends and all but, why did they name him my godfather and not you? Seems like if Mum had her say in it she'd want you.... I mean, from what I know of her... what I think I know of her anyway...."
"She did want me, but James wouldn't hear of you being brought up to be a miniature me.... In the end they compromised."
Harry waited for him to continue, but when he didn't he said, "What was the compromise?"
"That Sirus was to be your godfather and I was to be your godmother."
Harry choked on the butterbeer he was drinking, "Huh?"
"That's your dad and Sirus for you. Come on, we'd better get going." Lupin started to walk out of the kitchen.
A mischievous grin formed on Harry's face, "Wait for me, Mummy!"
* * *
They used a portkey to get to a house Harry had never seen before, or rather not remembered.
"Harry, I.... This is where Lily and James planned on raising you. This is the place where they.... I thought you might be ready to see it now. Harry, Voldemort robbed you of this, and with the knowledge of what you must do.... I thought this might make it easier."
Harry didn't say a word, just stared at the house. It was nothing compared to Grimmauld Place, but it was a lot larger than the Dursley's home. Harry walked up the stone walkway imagining himself just getting off the bus and coming home from school. He opened the door and saw the kitchen. Everything in the house was the same as it had been the night Voldemort came, the only difference was the dust and cobwebs that covered everything.
Harry turned to see the living room. It wasn't anything glamorous, but in Harry's heart it had a feeling of home. Harry saw both Muggle photos and magical ones. Harry took one off the mantle and brushed all the dust off of it. It was a muggle sonogram with the words 'Harry- 6 months' written underneath.
"Can I keep this?" He turned to Lupin who was trying to watch him without staring.
"Of course. It is yours," Lupin said, surprised Harry would ever even think of asking such a thing.
Harry stopped at the stairs. He turned to Lupin again, "Where did they find him?"
"He was lying where you're standing. He had Voldemort's blood on his robes, they think they were 'Muggle dueling' when Voldemort snapped James' neck."
"Dad got his wand," Harry said with a half smile forming at his lips.
"How would you...."
"The one thing Voldemort hates is muggles, he would only resort to fighting like one if he had no other choice. Dad must have gotten his wand. They fought and only over Dad's dead body did he get his wand back."
Harry looked over to Lupin one last time, "Can I go up there alone?"
"Of course," Lupin said, although his voice didn't make the statement so convincing.
Harry made his way upstairs and went through the first door, it was his parent's bedroom. He tried to imagine himself coming in to ask his father to check for monsters under his bed, or for a glass of water.
He went further down the hall and found his room. It had his name written in stars and moons with a tiny wand as the door handle. He opened the door and saw his crib, a rocking chair, a changing table, and a dresser. He looked at the spot in front of his crib where some blankets were crumpled on the floor. He looked at the bare spot in front of them where his mother must have died.
He sat down and felt the floor, as though it could in some way channel his mother back to this spot. He suddenly remembered Luna saying that they weren't really gone. They were just behind the veil.... He wondered if that was true, if his mother could see him now. It couldn't be, because she wasn't a ghost, but Harry knew in his mind that nothing was definite. The chance of her being around protecting him was very slim indeed, but there was still a chance.
"I miss you Mum, Dad." Harry didn't want any kind of answer or sign; he just wanted to say it out loud. As if saying it would make them able to listen.
Harry could see Hagrid showing up a couple hours later, tears running down his beard, coming over and picking up a baby Harry, then walking out of the house and meeting Sirus.
His daydream was interrupted by a knock at the door. Harry turned his head to see Lupin at the door.
"We should get going soon." Harry could tell by the sound of his voice that he had been crying.
"Okay, I just want to take a few things."
Harry picked up the baby blanket and ran back to his parent's bedroom. He went to the left nightstand and took out a book that was no doubt his mother's diary. He took it, even though it wasn't what he was looking for. He looked on the other side and found a book entitled 'The New Wizard Father's Handbook'. He decided against taking it, but kept searching.
"What are you looking for," Lupin asked from the doorway.
"Their rings, do you know where they might be?"
Lupin walked to a jewelry box, Harry kicked himself mentally for not looking there first, and opened the bottom drawer and handed Harry two boxes.
"I thought you might want them someday. I wasn't sure, so I kept them here."
"Thanks." Harry took the two boxes and looked in the jewelry box for something that would do. When he found it he stuffed the three items in his pocket.
"I'm ready."
* * *
Harry braced himself against a wall when they finally came back to Grimmauld Place.
"Harry dear, what have you got there," Mrs. Weasley asked, pointing to the dirty baby blanket in Harry's hand.
"Some of my Mum and Dad's stuff. I'll just put them in my room, I'm going to be right back."
Once he got back down the stairs he could hear Mrs. Weasley yelling at Lupin.
"The boy has been through enough Remus, how could you?"
"He needed to see it, Molly!! I thank God that you don't know what I'm talking about, but you have to trust me on this!!"
"You don't know what's best for him!"
"And you do? He's James' son. I think I know perfectly well what is best for him. I was there the day he was born!" Lupin screamed back.
"Then where were you when he was left on the doorstep of those people!!"
"You don't understand, Molly! I wanted to take him, I tried everything in my power to convince..." Lupin breathed deeply a couple of times, no doubt trying to keep his anger in check, "every day since he arrived at Hogwarts I got a letter from Dumbledore telling me how he was doing.... It's not my fault he was left with those people!"
"Then who's exactly was it?"
"My Mum's," Harry decided that was as good a time as any to interject.
"Harry dear, you shouldn't have... don't worry about-"
"My mum's blood. My mum sacrificed herself for me, putting a primal magic on me. That's why Voldemort couldn't kill me. Wherever her blood is, I'm safe. That's why Dumbledore made sure I was left at the Dursley's. My Aunt, my mother's sister, was the reason I've been safe all these years. It's not Professor Lupin's fault. If you want to blame anyone, blame Dumbledore."
"He's quite right, Molly," everyone jumped at the sound of Dumbledore's voice.
"I dare say Remus threatened me three times the night I left Harry at the Dursley's."
"I just want what's best for you Harry," Mrs. Weasley said knowing that she wouldn't blame Dumbledore, at least not now.
"I'm not a child. If I didn't want to go into that house I wouldn't have. I wanted to be there, I wanted to know what happened that night. I needed to see it. Professor Lupin is right Mrs. Weasley, you don't know what it's like. If you did, you wouldn't see a problem in me going."
"Alright Harry, I trust you. Everything I bought for you is in Hermione's room. You need to take that lock off your door...." Mrs. Weasley said.
Harry crossed the room, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, which he could tell she wasn't expecting, and ran up to Hermione's room. He could hear Dumbledore asking to speak with Lupin before he shut the door.
"Hermione? Mrs. Weasley said she put my stuff up here, you have to hear where I've been all day, you won't believe it." Harry heard nothing but the shower running. Knowing that he wouldn't see anything through the shower curtain, having had Hermione sitting on the sink reading passages to him while he showered before, he opened the door.
"Hermione? Have you heard a word I've said?"
"HARRY!!" The curtain pulled back to reveal a shampooed red head.
"GINNY!"
He immediately covered his eyes and tripped his way out of the room. He fell on the wooden floor and kicked blindly with his feet and closed the bathroom door.
"Harry?"
Harry carefully opened one eye to see Hermione over him giving him a questioning look.
"Thank god! Do you know Ginny is naked in your shower," he said as she helped him to his feet.
"Tonks is fixing hers. Sorry you didn't get a warning Harry, I didn't know when to expect you back." Her forehead crinkled for a moment then she asked, "Ginny naked bother's you, but me naked doesn't, I mean you did think it was me, right?"
"Well... er... You read while I'm in the shower, I knew you weren't bothered by it."
"But that's you in the shower."
"There's a difference?... I mean other than that."
The door to the bathroom opened and Harry immediately closed his eyes.
"It's okay Harry, I'm dressed. Thanks Hermione."
Ginny left the room and Harry opened his eyes again.
"It's like seeing my little sister naked... I think... I'm not too sure..."
"This isn't about Ginny, Harry," Hermione said with her arms crossed.
"Okay, you know that book me and Ron have been begging you to write? That might just come in handy right now."
Hermione rolled her eyes, " The things Mrs. Weasley bought you are on top of my trunk."
* * *
"HERMIONE GRANGER!!"
Everyone ran from their game to Hermione's room where Mrs. Weasley yelled.
Harry's mouth hung open when he saw what was in her hand, it was the book Tonks, or rather Sirus, got him for his birthday.
Hermione looked just as confused as everyone else, until she read the title. Her eyes widened and she began to stammer.
"I... But.....Er...That..."
"Hermione, you know if you had any... questions you could have always come to me," Mrs. Weasley said in a tone that was meant to soothe, but freaked the teens out that much more.
She gave Hermione a soft smile and said, "Why don't we have a little chat. Ginny you stay, too. Everyone else out, girl talk."
Ron and Harry were only too happy to oblige her, but when Harry looked back at Hermione before the door closed he saw a pleading look.
* * *