I tossed in bed again, rolling onto my side as I reached out and turned my alarm clock, looking at the blinking letters which read 3:26 am in blinking green letters. Downstairs I could hear them Fighting again, and I waited patiently for my name to be mentioned in the argument.

There it was, a smile bitterly. My mother always seems to drag me into their rights, because he was 'her son', never my fathers. It's at this point I feel like going down and scream at them to grow up because if they keep this up, I'll gladly be a son to neither of them.

Maybe that would be best, they'd finally get divorced.

I rolled back over onto my stomach and grabbed my pillow, placing it onto the back of my head and holding the ends of it over my ears. It does little to block them out, but it is quieter than it was, which is about as much of a relief as I get.

If they don't stop soon, I'm going to fail my geometry test tomorrow by falling asleep half way through, not that that is an uncommon occurrence. It's fairly pathetic that the teacher, before i can even do the test, seemed to always set up a re-do date. The night before I go for my re-do test, I'm always sure to sleep at a friends house, or use my freakish abilities to force my parents not to fight.

The teachers know how much they fight, my parents aren't exactly known for their subtle ways. Everyone knows how it gets when they fight – they fight everywhere, even at my school.

I don't like to admit it, but often times I think I might just be better off on my own. I'd be far less angry if I didn't wake up to my name being brought into the fight, like I am some kind of personal property their trying to lay claim to.

Their still fighting, I sighed as I tugged the pillow off of my head and pushed myself up in bed, brushing my hair back from my eyes as he did so. For a long moment I sit on the edge of my bed, just hoping they'd stop. When they didn't. I reluctantly crawled out of my bed, and went downstairs. i'' have to use my abilities if I wanted to get any sleep tonight.

"He's my son too Lillian." Oh, full names, I thought, never a good sign.

"well I raised him to think of school as an important asset." I leaned against the doorway, just waiting for them to notice me. their too far into their fight to even look away from each other.

"then why didn't you know he's failing Trigonometry." James asked.

"I'm failing trigonometry because my parents are up till four in the morning fighting and I can't keep awake during the tests, much like the test I have tomorrow in geometry." I stated clearly. The two whipped around to see me.

"Harry!" Lily exclaimed. "what are you doing up?"

"I haven't gotten to sleep. Its four in the morning, can't you save your childish arguments until the sun is up so people who do have to go to school in the morning can get some sleep?" I asked. neither of my parents have jobs that make them get up early. My father, James, works as a police officer, but he mostly does his patrol in the afternoons, so he can sleep all morning.

My mother owns her own store, and hired people to keep the sales going while she keeps an eye on it over her computer.

"Sorry son, you're Mother and I –"

" – Were arguing over me, yes, I heard." I told him dryly. "And to answer your question as to why I never told either of you about my failing trigonometry, is because it's both of your faults I'm failing. My midterm was last week and on the night before you guys argued from dusk till dawn over whose son I am. I'm not property and it takes two people to conceive a child. Grow up. Goodnight." I snapped out, heading for the stairs.

This time, there was no arguing as I settled into bed. There never was after I pointed out how idiotic they were being. Why do I feel like the adult scolding the children for fighting over their favourite toy – which by chance happens to be me.

The worst part about their fighting, is it's the only time my parents seem to know I exist. The rest of the time, they're content to just believe they live alone.

I settled into bed, content with the silence and let myself drift into sleep.

"you look like shit." I rubbed my eyes with my fingers as I waiting impatiently for my classes to end. I offered Ron a half smile.

"I feel like shit."

"how late did they argue this time?" Ron asked.

"till four thirty before I went down and scolded them." I answered. "I don't want to go home." I told Ron as we walked out of class just as the last bell rang. The white halls of my school seemed to flood with people orbiting towards their color arranged lockers.

Ron and I went down to our blue lockers and undid the locks, pulling the doors opened. My door was slightly bent in at one spot about eye level. I'd punched it their once, right I front of the principle. That was when they found out just how much my parents argued, especially when the two had broken into a long winded fight in the middle of the cafeteria.

The principle seemed to take pity on me now, along with most of my teachers. I wasn't an uncommon guest in the nurses office or in the principles office during one of my classes in the morning. If you went there, you'd find me asleep on one of the beds, on on the comfortable couch in Mrs. McGonogalls office.

"then don't go home." Ron said as he pulled out his bag and started to go through his different binders and books, trying to remember what we had for homework. "come to my house, you still have clothes there, just call and tell your parents you're staying the night." Ron said. He was growing frustrated when he couldn't remember all of his homework.

"we have homework in History, Art, Trigonometry, biology, and English." I told him. he flashed me a grateful look before grabbing the needed books. "would you're mum be okay with my stopping by unexpectedly? I thought your brothers were home?" I said as he closed his locker, watching me as I grabbed my bag holding my homework. I grabbed my jacket and closed the door to my locker.

"mum won't mind. You know she adores you." Ron said with a snort of laughter. "Bill and Charlie are home, sure, but they share their old bedroom, leaving the second bed in my room free." Ron told him.

I hesitated briefly until Ron shot me a kicked puppy kind of look – watery eyes and all. My resolve crumbled, "okay, but only if you're mum says its okay for me to spend the night. If not I'll stick around and help you with your homework." I told him.

Outside Fred and George were waiting at the bus stop, goofing off as usual, I smiled slightly at the sight of the two pranksters. As usual neither my mothers car, nor my fathers was anywhere to be seen, not that I was expecting them. They conveniently forgot they even had a son unless they needed to drag my name through one of their arguments.

"hello Ickle Harrikins." I smiled briefly at them as I climbed onto the bus with them, paying my fair with a bus pass and following them to the back of the bus. I sat down on the window seat across from Fred, who was sitting beside George, leaving Ron a seat beside me which he claimed moments later.

Fred reached out, tilting my head up and eying the dark bags around my eyes. "I'm starting to think letting you ever go home is a bad idea." He said.

"probably is." I said with a snort. "I hate going home. All they do is fight, and if they don't, I simply cease to exist to them." i told them.

"was it ever different?"

"no, not really. They didn't fight as much when I was a kid, but when I hit six, boom, the fighting sky rocketed." I said. "but back then I could put up with it, because Sirius and Remus always reminded them that I did exist, and made sure I sure as hell knew it too."

"but they aren't in England anymore, are they."

"no." I said sourly. "they left, moved to America."

"maybe you should call them, see how they are. It might do you some good." George said.

"maybe." I spent the rest of the ride in silence.

When we got off the bus I walked with Ron towards the burrow, a huge house just outside surrey in the country. We walked down the path leading through the field from the bus stop, watching as Fred and George ran ahead.

"wheres Ginny?" I finally asked.

"probably with that dean bloke." Ron answered dryly as they exited the field. Ron led the way into the old stone house and into the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley accosted me with a strong hug.

"hello Harry dear." She said.

"hello Mrs. Weasley." I greeted, hugging back. She pulled away, offering me a smile. Her smile faltered as she looked over me, turning to a light frown.

"you aren't looking very well Harry, are you not sleeping well?" she asked.

"they were fighting again." I answered with a half-hearted smile. She nodded with a frown before she went back to the counter. I joined Ron at the table, dropping my bag beside my chair as I sat down on one of the stools and swiped one of the cookies from the plate.

"Can Harry sleep over night mum?" Ron asked, biting into a chocolate chip cookie. "it's a Friday night." He offered up. Molly frowned for a moment before smiling again.

"so long as you tell your parents dear." Molly said, patting my shoulder. I gave her a small smile and a nod. "now, I believe you both have homework, try to get some done before dinner." Molly said.

"come on Harry." Ron pulled me by the cuff of my sleeve towards the stairs, leading up the attic, Ron' bedroom, and my temporary one. The room was right yellow, for Ron's favourite soccer team. There were two beds, with two quilts Ron's mum made in her spare time, and two wood dressers standing against the walls. Over the beds were two signs the twins had jokingly given Ron and I for Christmas, reading 'Ron's bed' above one bed, and 'Harry's bed' above the second bed. Mrs. Weasley hadn't seen them as a joke though, and had bill put them up that very day.

Ron sat down on his bed and dropped his bag on it beside him, pulling it open. I lazily stretched out on my bed, my backpack discarded on the floor beside it.

"come on, let's get to work on the homework."

"she didn't mean that we had to do it right away Harry." Ron said, looking up. "chocolate frog?" he asked, holding up the box. I smiled, shaking my head. "you're loss." Ron said as he opened the package.

"I think I'll get started on my homework, I won't get any done at home,t hats for sure." I said with a sigh. Ron paused thoughtfully before he nodded and started to pull out his own books.

"right, lets get started." He said.

"Harry, Ron, dinner!" Fred shouted up the stairs.

"race you!" Ron shouted as he took off out of the room. I chased after him, taking the stairs two at a time to the bottom. Ron of course won, damn him for being tall. At the table I sat down between Ron and bill, Ron's eldest brother.

"Hullo Harry." Bill greeted me with a clap on the shoulder.

"'lo Bill." I said, "charlie" I added as i leaned forward, looking around the tall red head to where Charlie sat. he waved but said nothing, his mouth filled with what was probably a cookie moments before.

"Charlie, no cookies before dinner." Molly scolded. Charlie had the grace to blush but didn't repent.

"sorry mum, you know how much I like chocolate chip." Charlie said. Molly sighed.

"that's because no one cooks like mum." Ginny pointed out, brushing her hair back. She kept subtly glancing at me from the corner of her eye, a movement I chose to ignore. Ginny had always had a crush on me. why? I don't know. But the subtle glances have been happening since we were eleven, four years ago.

"here here!" the twins agreed, raising their glasses. Molly flushed but smiled at their praise.

"if my mum could cook like this, I might even bother to go home." I mused aloud.

"she might be able to, if she were ever home." Ron said with a snort.

"enough Ron." Arthur Weasley was probably the most even tempered man in the world, with Remus in second. Perhaps even tempered is wrong, that would Remus, Arthur was mild tempered, he was hardly ever angry. The angriest he got was a stern tone in his voice, it seemed. "how is school Harry?" Arthur asked.

"not to good." I admitted. "I'm failing trigonometry." I told him.

"why? that's usually one of your better subjects." Arthur said with a frown.

"he fell asleep half way through his midterm last week." Ron said with a snort. I ducked my head, avoiding everyones gazes as I solemnly ate from my plate.

"are your parents at it still?" Bill asked. I shrugged.

"when aren't they at it?" Ron sounded bitter on my behalf.

"not to worry though, if I have to i'll rent a hotel room when it comes time for the end of semester exams." I told them assuredly.

"none sense, you'll simply stay here." Molly said. "now dig in." she said.

As dinner went on, so did the conversations around me. I simply liked to sit back and listen, but somehow I was always drawn into the conversations. I was never left out.

That's what I loved about Ron's family. Even though I am not their actual brother, I am treated like family, without a doubt. Is it bad that I feel more at home at my best friends house, then at my own?

Sometimes, I really didn't want to be Harry Potter, I wanted to be anyone else but him. Being a Weasley sounded great to me any day of week.

Fred and George exchanged glances as they sat out front my house in the car with me and Ron in the back seat, listening the ruckus inside. I could hear loud and clear what they were shouting about – it was about me of course, I'd been dragged into the fight without even being there.

Fred and George glanced at the house worriedly before George nodded to Fred, who turned the car back on and pulled away from the curb and drove down the street, moving away from my house.

I sighed, leaning back in the seat, grateful for the twins. They weren't going to make me face those two while they fought. I was almost tempted to call the police and say the two were disturbing the peace. If I was lucky they'd both be taken into custody for the night and I could get in without having to deal with either of my parents.

Maybe it would be better if they just forgot I existed all together, instead of remembering me when they started fighting. They'd get divorced and I could live with the Weasleys. Now that, would be ideal.

"why don't we get some lunch." Fred said, clearing his throat. Ron quickly agreed, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. Fred nodded, pulling into a fish and chips place off the side of the small back highway. We all piled out of the car and into the gravel parking lot.

"I'll go order. Why don't you guys grab a bench." George said before he hopped out of the car and headed inside the small building.

"coming Harry?" Ron asked me. I nodded.

"yeah, I'll be right there. I'm uh, I'm just going to call Remus." I told them hesitantly. Ron gave me a long searching look before he nodded and pulled Fred off towards the picnic area, leaving me alone by the car. I sat down on the hood of the car, puling out my black cellphone and dialed Remus phone number, not really caring about how much this might cost my parents.

"hello?"

"hello, is Remus Lupin home?" I asked.

"speaking." The voice replied. I recognized that mild tone.

"hi Moony, its Harry." I told him.

"Harry?" Remus sounded surprised but overjoyed. "hi cub! How are you?" he asked excitably.

"I'm alright." I said with a bit of false cheer. I prayed he didn't catch it.

"it doesn't sound like it, whats wrong Harry? Did something happen?" Remus asked worriedly.

"no no, nothing happened. Just tired. I'm out with Fred and George so." Remus chuckled.

"yes, they would tire you out." Remus though didn't sound convinced that that was all that is wrong with me. "how are your parents?"

"they're good." I said vaguely. "hows Sirius, is teddy getting big?" I asked, steering the subject away from my parents.

"Harry, how are James and Lily?" Remus asked concerned. I paused.

"loud." I answered truthfully. "very loud. Angry." I said.

"oh Harry." Remus sighed. "are they still fighting?"

"why else would I be avoiding my house?" I said with a mirthless laugh. "well, other than they seem to only remember my existence when they fight, other than then they seemed to forget they are married and have a son." I told him.

"please don't tell me they're involving you in their disputes." Remus said bemoaned.

"okay, I won't tell you." I said lightly.

"why are you actually tired Harry." Remus requested.

"hard to sleep when there's a screaming match going on downstairs until four in the morning."

"they stopped?" Remus said in surprise.

"not until I went down and scolded them on their childish behavior and told them that just because they had jobs that let them sleeping into the early afternoon, didn't mean I did and that if I failed my geometry test it'd be their fault." I told him dryly. "they shut up fairly soon after that." I added.

"have you been sleeping at all?" Remus asked worriedly.

"I do when I stay at the Weasleys house, which I've been doing the last couple nights." I told him with a sigh. "I don't know what to do Remus. If this keeps up I'll fail the year. I don't even want to go home anymore Remus. I'm avoiding my own damn parents." I said angrily. Remus sighed on the other end.

"oh Harry, are things really that bad?"

"its to the point where I want to file for divorce for them and then run away and join the Weasley family rather than choose either of my parents." I told him seriously.

"it is that bad." Remus sighed, "I was afraid it would get worse once we left." Remus said. "look if things get any worse call again, and maybe we can come up with some way to give you a break from your parents." Remus said with a sigh.

"like, going to see you guys in America?" i asked curiously.

"that's one idea yes, would that be okay with you?" Remus asked.

"I guess." I said. "it'd be better than living like I am right now." I sighed. "anyway, I had better go." I told him.

"all right, I'll talk to you later cub, don't hesitate to call and talk, okay?" Remus asked with genuine concern. I felt a small fond smile force itself to my face.

"yeah, okay. Bye moony."

"bye cub." I shut the phone. I hopped off the car, deciding to join the concerned Weasley brothers.

The months rolled by and I found myself wearing my thicker clothing as winter came. I was spending more and more time at the Weasleys now, practically living there as my parents fights become louder and more often.

The police had been called twice on them for disturbing the peace with their late night fights, Mrs. Figg and Mrs. Perks called in on them. I was there both nights and was dropped off by the police at the Weasleys on both nights.

It seemed it was always Kingsley that came to my rescue on those nights – how bad is that? I'm on a first name basis with the officer who keeps interrupting my parents fights. The second time they were locked up for the night.

I know I should be upset that my parents were locked up for the night, upset that someone called the police, but when that officer came, I was relieved. It was five in the morning, they'd been at it all night. I was so tired.

'I glanced up at the knock on my door, frowning lightly as I took off my headphones. It was really quiet, did one of them leave? Red lights flashed against the window of my bedroom as I sat up from my desk.

"yes?" I called reluctantly. I turned my eyes back to my book as I did so. I didn't want to see either of them right now.

"Mr. Potter." I looked p, startled by the unrecognized voice. The man in the doorway was a tall black man wearing a police uniform. "I'm Officer Kingsley Shacklebolt. Your Neighbors called the police about a disturbance."

"my parents." I said with a nod. It was a statement, not a question. "I was wondering why it got so quiet." I said.

"you're up rather late." Shacklebolt said.

"it's hard to sleep through them." I said tonelessly.

"this is the second time the police have been called on your parents, which usually means we have to take them into custody for the night. Is there anywhere you could stay? I don't thin you should stay here alone." Shacklebolt told him. I said, shaking my head.

"not really. The only place I can think of is the Weasleys, but I don't want to wake them up." I said with a shrug.

"if they get angry, I'll talk to them." Shacklebolt said. "do you have anything you'd need to bring with you?" he asked. I got up, looking around my room as an exhaled a breath.

"just my books."

"no clothes?"

"I keep a few sets at the Weasleys." I answered, almost missing the pitying look in the officers eyes. I turned back to my desk, gathering my school things into my bag.

"I'll drive you." Kingsley said.

"thanks." I murmured.

Now it was Christmas holiday, and I was praying something good would happen while dreading the idea of being stuck in isolation with my parents. My only relief would be my cell phone, and calling Ron or my godfathers.

I was holed up in my room at the moment, a chair keeping the door closed as I lay on my bed, stomach down with a book propped open before me on a pillow. I heard the door bang open downstairs, laughter wafted up the stairs along with joyful greetings and pleasant tones. I heard my fathers loud laughter and my mother slightly exaggerated giggle at something said the unknown party.

Well I knew for certain it wasn't Severus, nor was it Ms. Genry, my fathers 'secretary'. If either of them had been here, one of my parents would have blown up at the chance of exposing their 'secret' love lives to me. how ignorant do they think I am? I've seen James sneak Pamela into his bedroom at night, and seen my mother kissing Severus as she bid him goodnight.

Ugh.

"Harry's in his room." I heard my mother say as footsteps on the stairs grew louder. I groaned inwardly as I got off my bed and rushed to the door, moving the chair blocking it from opening before returning to my bed and forcing myself not to scowl.

I wondered for a long moment if I could pretend to be asleep, but shrugged the idea off. There wasn't enough time to get into bed, hide my book, and turn off the lights before they opened my door. Instead I just turned my headphones on and plug in, drowning the sounds out as I continued to read my book.

Unfortunately music isn't enough of a barrier to keep my mother out of my room, and she enters, looking around quickly before looking to me as I continue to stare at my book, running my eyes over the sentences to make it look like I hadn't noticed her.

She speaks, I ignore. After a few more tries she throws her hands into the air and leaves the room, giving me my small victory. My victory is short lived as another enters the room I glance up, nearly falling off my bed when I saw who it was. I yank my headphones off.

"moony?" I asked, blinking at shock. "aren't you supposed to be in America?" I asked.

"supposed to be? Yes. Am? no." Remus said as he stepped into the room, closing my bedroom door softly. "Sirius is downstairs. So is teddy."

"why are you here?" I asked in bewilderment. Remus lips twitched.

"not happy to see me?" I rolled my eyes, "Sirius was worried – we both were – so we decided that since we both have Christmas break off, we'd come and visit." Remus said as he stepped further into the room, crossing it with a couple steps. he hesitated before sitting down beside me on my bed. "how are you cub?" Remus asked. I opened my mouth to reply before shutting it without a word, pausing to think.

"my parents are getting a divorce."

"they told you?" Remus asked in surprise.

"not yet." I answered dryly.

"then how?" Remus asked.

"their divorce lawyer called and left a message, wanted to set up a date for their final meeting." Harry said.

"what a way to find out." Remus said with a sigh, "and so close to Christmas."

"almost like a Christmas present in itself." I mused bitterly. Remus sighed.

"do you have any idea who'd you like to live with?"

"myself." I stated plainly. "neither of them." I added.

"is it really that bad?" Remus asked.

"did you know, that both of my parents have lovers on the side?" I asked him as I rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling.

"they do?" Remus asked in surprise.

"yes. But they won't tell me." I stated, clearly annoyed. "instead I'm finding out these things when I see my father sneaking his secretary, Ms. Pamela Genry into his bedroom at night. I've seen my mother being dropped off by Severus after a 'work meeting' in which always seems to end with a kiss and my mother clothing wrinkled and with her blouse buttons buttoned wrong." I said. Remus sat there, staring blankly at me for a second before shaking his head. He stood from the bed.

"what is wrong with them? They should be telling you these things, you – you shouldn't be finding these things out this way." Remus said.

"did you know?" I asked, looking at Remus carefully. Remus shook his head.

"no, no I did not." He replied honestly. "even I would have told you." He murmured as he sat down again.

"I know." I sighed. "you're good like that though, you wouldn't ignore me day in, day out. You wouldn't fight all the time with Sirius." i said. "if I was late getting home, you'd worry. If I was away all night, you'd hunt me down and drag me home." I said.

"and Sirius would do the same." Remus' reassurance was unneeded. I knew they both would, because Remus was a closet mother hen and Sirius was, well, he was Sirius. He was a mother hen one moment, a reckless teenager the next and then your best friend the next day and a father to top it off.

"in know." I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut. I was not going to break down in front of Remus. I'd handled this for years on end without breaking down, I wasn't going to start now just because Remus was in the vicinity. "what am I going to do Remus?" I asked. "I don't think I could stand living with either of them right now." I said.

Remus looked like he wished he had the answers as he pulled me up to sit with him, pulling me back against his chest as he ran his hands through my hair. "I wish I knew cub." He told me.

I wished I knew too.

Days passed before my parents sat down with me, bringing Sirius and Remus in for support. I was just glad they were there to keep my mother and father from fighting. Remus was good at keeping my mother from exploding and Sirius had distracted my father down pat.

I was seated on the couch in the livingroom, across from both my parents who sat on the other couch with Remus and Sirius perched across the coffee table from eachother in the arm chairs between the two couches. I glanced subtly at the glass my father was nursing, smelling the whiskey from where I sat. my mother was nursing a half glass of red wine, though I was she'd already had one glass. I'm sure before breaking out the whiskey my father had downed a glass of brandy as well.

"Harry," she looked up from the table, beside her my father looked up from his glass of whiskey. "you're father and I have something very important to tell you. I – we –" she stumbled.

"you're mother and I have agreed that its time we got a divorce." They seemed to be waiting for some kind of explosion from me, I thought with no small amount of amusement.

"I know." I stated lightly. At their frowns I explained, "Your divorce lawyer left a message on the phone a while ago to set a final meeting to go over the papers." I said.

"why didn't you say anything?"

"why did it take you till Christmas to tell me?" I shot right back. "and are you ever going to tell me about your beloved others?" I asked.

"others?" Lily asked weakly.

"Severus snape, you're 'associate'" I finger quoted associate, "and Pamela Genry, your 'secretary'" I finger quoted once again. Lily and James both seemed on the pale side.

"how did you find out?"

"I saw you." I answered. "fathers not very quiet when he's sneaking people into his room or sneaking off to meet her in her car. She usually parks just behind the hedges out back on the road. I saw you and Severus kissing goodnight, plus you're apparent inability to redress yourself properly. Gotta work on those button skills mother." I mused.

"do not speak to me that way Harrison James potter." Lily said warningly.

"or you'll what?" I asked angrily then. "ground me? That'll work until Sirius and Remus leave and you forget my over all existence." I snapped. Lily pursed her lips.

"we have never forgotten –"

"okay, when was the last time we all ate dinner together?" I asked. "what did you get me for my last birthday? What did I do for last Halloween? Where do I stay when you and James are locked up for the ni –"

SLAP.

I sat perfectly still, my cheek still stinging as I kept the flaming cheek facing her. From the corner of my eye I saw her back up, stumbling slightly as she sat down, her hand over her mouth. Beside her my father sat gaping, his glass shattered on the group. Remus was halfway out of his seat while Sirius was right out of his, standing in an almost animalistic stance.

I slowly stood up and met my mothers eyes.

"let me get this right out in the open right now. When you two get divorced, don't even drag me into it, because at this point, I'd rather live on the streets, then live with either of you." I stated into the deadly silence. I turned on my heel and walked to my room.

When my room was finally closed I leaned back against it, my eyes stinging. It shouldn't hurt like this. I shouldn't feel anything but the burn from my mothers slap. That's all I should feel.

So why did it feel like she'd stabbed me instead?

I had to get out of here.

--

I spent half the night walking around London, going from place to place with no real destination. When morning came I didn't want to go back, not yet, maybe not at all. So I decided to go home. Not to my parents house no, to the place I think of as home, whether it is mine or not.

It took about forty five minutes of walking to get to the Weasley house hold, and by the time I arrived it was about seven. I didn't mind the walk, it felt good to drain myself of any pent up nervous energy I had. When I got to the Weasleys I was suitably exhausted. when I reached the house I didn't knock, instead looking into the window of the kitchen, smiling slightly when I saw Mrs. Weasley up and about on the early saterday morning.

She nearly dropped the plate she'd been drying when she saw me outside.

"Harry!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed as she opened the door, looking out into the early morning sunlight at me. "come in! come in! what are you doing outside so early in the morning? It's positively bitter outside." She said in a hushed tone. I figured everyone was probably still sleeping and gave her a weak smile. "here, let me take those." she said as she reached up, pushing my high collared coat off my shoulders. She gasped though, letting go.

I frowned softly at her. "Mrs. Weasley?" I asked.

"oh Harry." She whispered, "what happened? You're cheek is bruised." She said, gingerly touching it. I flinched back at the contact, surprised at the sting the gently touch earned.

"is it? I hadn't noticed." I said quietly.

"oh my poor boy." Mrs. Weasley murmured. I felt an immediate warmth feeling at the Weasley matron. She reached out, taking my coat from me and tugging my wool hat off my head. It was the same hat she'd knit me last year. As she hung my coat I slipped out of my boots, leaving the snowy footwear on the mat by the door.

"come along dear, let me fetch you something warm. How does hot chocolate sound." she offered with a smile. I smiled warmly at her.

"thank you." I said. She tutted as she moved about the kitchen and set about preparing a cup of hot chocolate for myself and some tea for her. "I'm sorry for showing up so early, I just, I couldn't go to my parents house." I felt need to explain.

"how long have you been out?" Mrs. Weasley asked concerned.

"I left my parents place around dinner last night – I haven't gone back since." I answered reluctantly.

"let me get you something to eat dear." She said, "I'm sure you're starving." Even if I wasn't, she'd still make me eat something, just to sooth her nerves. "now, why don't you tell me what happened." She said as she sat down, setting a cup of hot chocolate before me and a freshly baked still warm cinnamon roll. "especially about that bruise." She said, eying it carefully.

"my parents told me last night that they were divorcing." I told her quietly. There was just something about Mrs. Weasley that begged you to trust her. "I was bitter, I'll admit that. They've been planning to divorce behind my back for almost six months now." I said, "they wouldn't even tell me. hell, they couldn't even wait to be divorced before they started to see other people and again, not tell me about it. I've known for a while, sure, I've seen them, met the ones their dating on the side, but they never thought to tell me. My mother got angry at the way I was speak to her, not that I wasn't speaking the same way to James, but she got angry. She told me not to talk to her that way."

though this Mrs. Weasley didn't interrupt, but watched and listened avidly.

"I got angry then, I mean, she's ignored me all this time and now suddenly thinks she deserves my respect or to act like my mother? So I told her that she could ground me, and we'd see how long that lasted, because as soon as Sirius and Remus left, she'd forget me again." I took a sip from the hot drink, breaking of a small piece of my cinnamon bun. I wasn't really that hungry, thinking about all of this. "she claimed that she'd never forgotten about me, as if she'd payed me a great deal of attention each day. She doesn't even greet me anymore."

"I kind of lost it then and began asking her questions, like what she got me for my last birthday – she didn't get me anything. Dad got me a credit card. I asked her different questions that I knew she didn't know, like when we'd last sat down to dinner together as a family – that was almost two years ago, and where I went when she and father were locked up by the police and then." I broke off, and looked up at Mrs. Weasley, "then she slapped me." I told her. The stinging sensation was back again and I blinked rapidly, trying to dissuade the feeling.

Mrs. Weasley wasn't a mother for nothing and seemed to know why I was blinking, because the next thing I know I was being rocked by the woman, who'd led me to the livingroom and away from where the stairs were.

"I don't understand." I whispered, "why don't they want me?"

That was the first time I'd broken down since I was ten. I didn't remember falling asleep, but I woke up later to whispered voices and found myself laying on the worn but extremely comfortable couch in the livingroom, a quilt laid over me and my head on a fluffy pillow.

"why's he here?" I heard someone whisper and craned my neck, trying to see who was talking. I saw Mrs. Weasley and Ron through a crack in the doorway, talking quietly in the kitchen.

"…not getting along with his family." Mrs. Weasley replied, "isn't ready to talk yet dear. Lets just let him sleep a while longer." She assured him. Ron nodded, discontent with the secrecy but allowing it. I lay down, a small bitter smile on my face as I buried my face in my pillow.

Why could James and Lily be like Molly and Arthur? I questioned as I fell asleep.

The next time I woke up there was low murmuring in the kitchen. I felt the weight on the couch shift slightly as someone sat down and began carding their fingers through my hair.

I could tell it was Remus, he always smelled like rain and grass.

"I don't understand Remus." I whispered to him even as I opened my eyes. "why aren't I good enough?" I choked out. I knew he didn't have the answer, no one did. "why do they hate me so much?" because there were no answers to give.

Remus pulled me up, wrapping his arms around me. I buried my face in his neck, gripping his shirt.

"I hate my parents." I finally admitted. "and I hate that I hate them even as I love them." I burrowed deeper into Remus neck.

I missed the look Remus gave a horrified James and Sirius over my shoulder. It was a look pure anger.

Later on when we got home I climbed the tree outside the house to my bedroom window and hopped inside. The door was still locked with the hard wood chair jammed up against it. I didn't bother to undo it, instead just climbed into my bed, kicking my shoes off.

I pulled the covers over myself and shimmied down in the bed, listening for any noise downstairs.

I figured I must have dozed off, because I was awoken by the knocking at my bedroom door.

"Harry, could you please come downstairs?" it was Sirius. I looked up at my nightstand clock but found it missing and a glance down showed me I'd knocked it to the floor again. I'd been asleep about three hours now.

"coming Siri." I said with a sigh as I pulled the covers back and slipped from the bed, not bothering to change my ruffled clothing and slipped my shoes on. at the door I grabbed the wooden chair and pried it out from under the handle, setting it against my bedroom door.

When I opened the door I found Sirius outside who greeted me with a smile and a full on hug that ended up with me lifted from the floor and spun around. When he set me down he grabbed my hand, lightly guiding me downstairs and into the dining room where I found James and Lily sitting at the table, their heads bowed and looking incredibly guilty and Remus looking quite satisfied if not a little hesitant.

"uncle moony?" I asked hesitantly. Remus and Sirius shared a small smile at the return of the uncle to their names.

"come and sit down Harry, we need to talk to you about something." Remus said, motioning for me to come sit beside him. I did so, accepting his offered cup of hot chocolate that had been covered in small marshmallows. Sirius sat down on my other side, carding his fingers through my hair before his hand dropped down and squeezed my shoulder.

"whats this all about?" I asked.

"well yesterday, after what happened, Sirius, Lily James and I got to talking." Remus said.

"it didn't amount to much at that point, just us scolding James and Lily." Sirius told him with a wink as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"but after we got you home from the Weasleys, Sirius and I had a private talk and then another with Lily and we believe we may have a solution for your problem cub." Remus said. "now we came up with several different ideas, so don't jump down our throats until we're done." Remus said. He looked at Sirius.

"okay, the first is that Remus and I allow you to live in the flat we own in London by yourself. The second is that Remus and me move back to London and you come live with us. Three, you come to America with us for the semester and then choose what to do, and four, you choose to live with one of your parents." Sirius finished.

"I – I can't live with them." I said, motioning to my parents. Lily finally looked up and flinched back when she saw the bruise on my cheek.

"we understand that Harry, that's why we decided to give you other choices." Remus said, "you know we'd go to the end of the earth for you cub." He said.

"I know, but you shouldn't have to give up you're lives in America for me." I said. "I don't know – I just –" I broke off as Remus waved his hand.

"calm down cub. We don't expect you to decide right away." Remus said. "go and think on it, call your friends and talk to them as well." Remus said, shooing me. I nodded and quickly left, high tailing it to my bedroom. I had a few calls to make.

I'd forgotten just how strong Hermione could hug until she was actually hugging me – or more like choking me with her hug.

"Mione, if you don't let go he'll die." Ron said, urging her to let go. "I want to say goodbye too." He grumbled. Hermione pulled away, looking rather tearful. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling away, wandering to her mother while drying her eyes.

At the look Ron was giving me I rolled my eyes, dragging Ron forward into a quick embrace and spoke into his ear. "come on mate, Hermione's like my sister, stop this rubbish nonsense you're thinking!" I ordered him jokingly. I felt Ron relax and pull away, clapping me on the back.

I glanced around again, taking I the faces of the people saying goodbye. All the Weasleys had shown up, even bill and Charlie, who would have been out of the country by then. Hermione's family had shown up to say goodbye as well. Apparently Mrs. Weasley, Mrs. Granger, and Hermione all had one thing in common, they gave hugs that could be used as lethal weapons of smothering.

Next time I have an enemy, I'll ask Mrs. Weasley to hug him for me.

"Harry, its time to go." Remus spoke from behind me. I nodded and moved to follow him, a little disappointed that my parents hadn't even come to say goodbye. When I was on the plane and in my window seat Remus reached into his bag, pulling out a wrapped parcel which he put back in after he was sure I'd seen it.

"it's from Severus." Remus told me, "he couldn't make it today because he had a plane of his own to catch." Remus said apologetically. I felt a small warmth settle in my chest. Severus Snape wasn't a bad guy, he'd bought me more gifts and payed me more attention then my parents combined, but he was more often then not busy. He was a professor at the university, teaching advanced bio-chemistry.

When he had the chance though he'd often spend at least some time with me. At first he didn't like me much, because apparently if there's one thing Lily and Severus have in common, it's their hatred for James. It took him only a few days of being around the house to see that James and I didn't get along much, and that I was barely anything like him.

I was actually more like Severus than James.

Severus seemed to have gotten that to, because for Christmas this year he'd given me several book, all copies of the books he likes. Most of them are non fiction of course, but there were two books that were fiction, but not like fantasy books. They were more like about creatures in the world, old tales and things like that and whether they've ever been proven true.

I already knew one of those creatures was real, uncle moony did after all change into a werewolf.

I sat back in my seat, buckling up as instructed. A flashed Sirius a grin. I was actually looking forward to being able to start over.