Summer Days

Safe as Houses

    His house.

    "This was your parents' house," Remus had explained to him. "They left it to you when they died. It's yours now."

    He sat on the roof of the house, now, looking out at the setting sun. He'd thought this place had been destroyed, thought that there was nothing left.

    "There's a protection charm on it," Bill had explained. "I've examined it, myself, incredibly powerful… the house was destroyed, but it was able to rebuild itself."

    Arabella had smiled. "Our Lily always was a charms whiz."

    Harry had decided upon learning about his new home, that'd, oddly enough, he would rather be back in Little Winging with his horrible relatives.

    Anything was better than turning a corner and realizing his parents had stood there, nearly sixteen years prior, alive and well, and that, had he never been born, they would still be living here. Sirius, too. Had it not been for Harry, Sirius Black would still be alive.

    "Mind if I join you?"

    He glanced over his shoulder to see Tonks edge up and sit next to him. He shrugged. "It's a free roof."

    "We'll be leaving soon," she told him. "Mad-Eye, Bill and I."

    Harry nodded. "Alright." He sighed, not bothering to look at her. "Do I really have to stay here?"

    Tonks looked a little shocked. "I thought you'd want to stay here… it's better than staying with those awful Muggle relations of yours."

    "Says you," Harry muttered bitterly.

    Tonks sighed and scratched her spiky hair, which was now neon yellow. "Listen, if you need me, I'll be in touch… maybe I can take you out sometime… this town isn't exactly exciting…"

    "Whatever."

    She sighed and got up again. "Alright, Harry. Owl me, alright?"

    He nodded in a vague manor and didn't look back.

    She apparated onto the ground, where Moody and Bill were waiting.

    "Take care, Potter!" Moody called up to him in his gravely voice. "Stay outta trouble!"

    "Tell trouble to stay out of me!" he called down with no humor in his voice.

    Bill smirked at this. "See you, Harry! I'll try and convince Mum to let Ron visit you, sometime!"

    Harry nodded and waved. It was more of a "leave me alone" type of wave than anything, but Bill waved back, and the trio turned and climbed into the car. He watched them drive away into the evening without a clue where they were heading.

    He became lost in his own thoughts again. Why had he been moved? Dumbledore had told him the only safe place for him was on Privet Drive, with his aunt.

    "A wonderful view, isn't it?"

    He recognized the voice instantly and looked up into the squinting blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. Harry nodded and sighed, looking back out at the sky.

    "You're probably wondering why you've been brought here."

    Harry looked back up at him. "I am."

    Dumbledore sighed and gazed out into the distance. "This house is lined with your parents' presences… it's nearly as safe as your Aunt and Uncle's house."

    "Nearly?"

    "Well, the presence of Arabella makes it just as safe," Dumbledore explained. "She was, after all, your mother's closest friend."

    "But they're not family," Harry said. "Not blood."

    "Not true," the old man told him. "Lily and Arabella became blood sisters at the age of twelve."

    Harry blinked, trying to comprehend this. "They… they…"

    "Mixed their blood," Dumbledore nodded. "This makes your godmother just as capable of protecting you as your Aunt Petunia."

    Harry didn't answer him. "I didn't even know I had a godmother…"

    Dumbledore smiled. "Yes… she has been away for a long while… she came back immediately when I informed her of our new situation."

    "You mean Sirius' death," Harry said in a dark, quiet tone. "Were they…?"

    Dumbledore smiled. "You will have to ask her about that. I did my best to stay away from those sorts of rumors."

    Harry sighed. "I don't want to be here."

    "You will, in time," Dumbledore told him. "And Remus Lupin and Arabella Figg are much more capable of protecting you than Vernon and Petunia Dursley."

    Harry nodded slowly. It didn't lessen his desire to leave.

---

    Dumbledore kindly declined Arabella's offer to stay for dinner that evening, and so the three new inhabitants of the house were left to their own devices.

    "So…" Arabella started in a nervous tone as she played with the meat in front of her. "Harry… how has your summer been?"

    Remus gave her a smirk as he ate. "Bella, he's only been out of school a day."

    "Oh," she said, looking embarrassed. "Then… how was the train ride?"

    Harry nodded as he poked at his food. "Fine."

    "You know, it's already dead," Arabella smiled, nodding to his meat. "It doesn't need to be stabbed anymore."

    Harry sighed, not finding any humor in her statement. "I'm not hungry. May I be excused?"

    Remus gave him a worried look and nodded. "Alright… why don't you wait out in the den and when Bella and I finish eating we'll show you to your room?"

    Harry nodded as he got to his feet. He sauntered out to the den and sitting on the soft, blue couch. He looked around and sighed. He could hear some of what the two adults in the kitchen were saying, though they spoke in low tones.

    "He'll come around, Bella," he heard Remus say. "He just needs time."

    He heard her sigh, but couldn't make out her reply. She was whispering.

    "No… No, Bella, of course he doesn't hate you," Remus replied to her in a gentle voice. "He just doesn't know you… you've been away."

    A few moments later, they joined him in the den and Bella smiled at him. "Ready?"

    Harry nodded glumly and got up and followed them up the stairs. "Which one is mine?"

    Remus reached up and pulled open what looked to be a trapped door. He pulled harder and a ladder slid down. "Your trunk is already up there."

    Harry raised an eyebrow. He wasn't too keen at being left alone in a dank, dusty attic for the entire summer. He sighed and climbed the ladder anyway, and was given quite a shock when he reached the top.

    The room was painted off-white, and was completely empty, sans a nicely-made bed with red sheets, a wooden desk, dresser and rocking chair. There was a large window with a seat under it and red curtains that matched the bed sheets.

    Harry stared in awe as Remus and Bella joined him. "Oh…"

    "Do you like it?" Bella asked. "I hope you like it. It was empty when we got here, and we tried to fix it nicely, but we don't know what you like and-"

    "I'm sure Harry will decorate as he sees fit," Remus told her, ending her tangent.

    All Harry could do was look around the spacious room and nod numbly.