The drive was done in silence from that moment on. Not out of tension but the fact that there was nothing more to say. Tasia had always been more silent since she arrived in the small town, she was intimidating for many to approach her.

They all would have a feeling of dread, much like a cornered wolf ready to pounce. So approaching her was a rarity. She wondered at points if they knew. Her eyes held many pains and her stance held little secrets that she was trained to kill. However, no one had ever questioned her.

Gazing out the window as the trees passed by she watched the snow fall as her mind flashed back to her last battle with him. His skills outmatched her own, he bested her at her own game. She had never felt that way before. Then she saw his face, and listened to his voice…then she understood…she understood who he was…or more like who she thought he was.

She was wishing to die that night. Feeling content that a man she respected and may in fact loved took her life. She was not given that pleasure however.

A small shift in her arms made her blue eyes travel away from the frost covered window and down to the small little boy resting in her embrace. His soft face for the first time relaxed as he held onto her jacket tightly his soft breaths indicating sleep.

Tasia felt her expression soften slightly at him, studying him as he slept. An abused child left to die in the snow covered streets. He was lucky someone found him. But was he? She sighed softly. An ex-killer finding him and actually trying to save his life, when dose that happen?

Shaking her head. She wondered what compelled her to act, compelled her to care. He was hurt, he needed help…but that had not stopped her in the past. She had walked past many muggings, attempts without batting an eye. The call for help growing silent to the woman.

Was it because he was young? Perhaps. A child holds more power over adults then they truly think. However, she doubted that was all there was. She might have acted, or she could have turned away and keep walking.

She gazed back down at him as she felt him shift and saw him nuzzle more into her with a content sigh. She gave him a small grin running her hand through his hair absently. She had not the answers to these questions but at the moment, they did not matter.

The truck soon started to slow and she looked up to see her house slowly approaching through the white of the falling snow. Her smile grew slightly. She was home.

She smiled and rose to her feet. "Have a good one, Tasia." The driver said before taking off.

The blonde waved after him, then looked over at her home, before approaching it.

She was anxious to see the things she cared about above all else...

As she approached the front door, she heard the sounds of barking and whining.

Smiling wide she unlocked the door and opened it wide to be greeted by the many black and white husky puppies' that rushed up to her barking happily.

Tasia smiled wide at her family. "I know, children mommy's home." She cooed softly at the many pups as she walked into the house with the older man lugging the food following behind.

She gazed at the man as he placed the bags on the ground in the spot he had always placed them. "Whew. That's a lot of food."

"Only the best for my little ones." She cooed at the adorable pups as they barked happily up at their mother figure.

The older man just laughed at the transformation that suddenly took place. One moment she is cold and fearless, now she is warm a very soft toured her 'children.' He shook his head. "I'll let you go. Hope the little tike gets better." He commented.

Tasia smiled at him generally. "Thank you, and I hope so too."

The man tipped his hat and walked out the door closing it behind him.

It was at that moment that some of the pups noticed their mother holding something. A few stood and leaned on her leg to try and get a better look at the mystery.

Seeing this the ex-sniper smiled and slowly dropped to her knees. "Now children. I would like you to meet someone."

She moved her jacket away slightly to show the gathered pups the small sleeping form of a human child.

The puppies inspected the child curiously, sniffing at him, nudging him with their noses and trying to decide what to think of him.

The puppies looked up at their owner, then one of them approached the little boy's side. She let out a bark in greeting, and he stirred. The puppy's tail wagged happily as she barked several more times.

"Good girl." Wolf said with a smile, patting her head.

The puppy hopped up, balancing on her caretaker with her front paws, then began to lick at the boy's face/

Harry scrunched up his face at the odd sensation and he slowly started to awaken. He blinked his eyes open slightly.

Only to gaze into the panting face of a small puppy in his face. It woofed once and licked his cheek again.

"Ah!" he screamed out in shock and fear memories of another larger dog treating him as a chew toy. He whimpered away.

The puppy's ear drooped slightly at his reaction and whimpered softly nudging him gently with his nose.

Harry blinked and looked at the puppy timidly and the puppy whimpered softly nuzzling his nose into the boy's chest making him giggle lightly.

Tasia smiled tenderly down at the scene. She gently let the child down on the ground so he was sitting up. The puppy walked over to him and nuzzled into his chest making the child giggle at his cold nose.

Soon the other pups decided to come play with him too.

Tasia rose to her feet and smiled as the little boy was surrounded by happy barking puppies. "So many doggies..." He said softly.

"Yes...There are a lot of them, aren't there?" Harry blinked, then turned to look at her.

"It's you..." He said softly.

"Yes...It's me." She said with a nod.

"Y-your real." He breathed surprised.

The woman rose an eyebrow at him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

He looked away with a blush. "Sorry…but…my dream…I thought it was a dream…"

Tasia frowned at him. He must have been so out of it then. "What do you remember?" she asked him gently moving to the kitchen.

Harry closed his eyes in thought but soon giggled as a few puppies' decided to lick his face. "S-stop…" he giggled out and patting the puppies on the head.

The former sniper smiled down at him as she returned with a cup of water in hand. She handed it to the child who took it gently. He took a drink and gasped slightly as it eased his throat "I remember…Uncle Vernon just tossed me into the street…" he whimpered slightly at the memory. "It was so cold…"

Tasia nodded her head. "Yes...I see." She said sadly. "Your uncle just left you..." Harry looked down.

"I...I don't know why...I did everything he wanted..." Tasia nodded.

"...You're a good boy." She said softly. Harry looked at her.

"I...I am...?"

"Yes...And it's not right that you were out there all alone."

Harry looked down and shrugged slightly. "H-he didn't want me…" he said softly.

Some of the puppy's noticed his sad look and wanted to fix it. They walked over to him and nuzzled into him making him blink and look down at them confused but slightly happy.

Tasia smiled at the display. "Well I think they want you." She commented earning barks of agreement from the pups making Harrys eyes widen in shock.

"Y-you do?" he asked, earning licks to his face making him giggle again.

Tasia smiled and shook her head surprised at this. Her pups where very protective and did not bond well with other humans other than her. Yet with this small boy they act like he is one of them.

Harry giggled once more and then looked back up at the woman. "Uh…My Aunt always said to introduce yourself…well to Dudley she said that…she just told me to be quiet." He mumbled low before shaking his head. "Uh…what's your name miss?"

Tasia's jaw tightened when he described how his aunt treated him but smiled at his question. "My name is Tasia Valenza." She introduced herselfe.

"Harry…Harry Potter." He introduced back with a shy smile.

"That's a nice name." Tasia said with a smile. Harry smiled back.

"Um...And...What are your doggies' names...?" Tasia blinked.

"Hmm...I don't think I actually got around to naming them." She replied.

"They don't have names...?"

"No...Why don't you try naming some of them?"

"O-Okay…" he said slightly and looked at the many pups. "Uh…" he had no idea what to name them. One lone pup decided to walk up to him and rest on his side. He blinked over at the pup and pated his head. "Padfoot…" he muttered…

"Padfoot?" Tasia asked.

"It just came to me." He said softly.

"It's a nice name." She complemented softly.

He gazed around at the other pups and frowned slightly. "T-That's all I got…" he commented sadly.

Tasia smiled and patted his head. "Then we'll name them all together on a later day." She assured him. He smiled at her.

"R-Really...?"

"That's right. But for now...Are you hungry at all?"

He opened his mouth to say no but his tummy decided to rumble making him blush and Tasia to giggle lightly at him. "I'll take that as a yes" she commented and walked over and lifted him up in her arms making him yelp.

"Let's get you and the other little ones fed." She said and walked into the kitchen.

"D-Do I have to cook?" he asked.

Tasia paused and looked down at his surprised. "You can cook?"

He nodded slowly. "Y-Yeah…I cooked all the meals…but I don't think they liked it very much…" he commented slightly his head lowering slightly.

Tasia shook her head. "Well then that stops now." She said calmly. He looked at her with wide eyes.

"But...I..."

"No, it's okay." Tasia said gently. "I can cook for you just fine." Harry pouted slightly.

"But I like it..."

Tasia noticed and frowned in thought as she entered the kitchen. "Well…in that case. I we will both cook. But I will watch you like a hawk. Or a wolf." She said sternly.

Harry nodded with a smile happy that he can continue to cook. Maybe she will like what he makes! And maybe, just maybe…he will have some of it too.

She sat him on the table and asked him what he wanted to make.

Harry thought about it looking around the kitchen and told her. "How about some meatloaf." He asked her.

She gave him a wide eyed look but nodded anyway. "Sure. You know what your doing?" she asked.

He nodded slightly having made this meal many times back at his resident's home. He gathered what he needed and asked if they had so and so ingredients.

They had everything set up soon enough. "Okay! Ready!" Harry cheered. Tasia smiled.

"Glad to hear that." She said warmly.

"Ooh! Can the puppies have some too?!"

"Of course." She smiled brightly at him.

Harry smiled and got to work with Tasia watching over him. She felt an odd feeling when around him. She had grown so used to being alone, that having anyone around felt strange and uncomfortable.

Not the case with Harry. The small boy seemed to have pulled a one eighty. He had a small smile as he cooked and if she could say anything, he looked at home in the kitchen. She frowned slightly at that.

His relatives must have made him do this many times. She felt rage and sadness for this small child who seemed to not have a childhood…much like her.

Soon the meal was in the oven and Harry was resting on the table looking over other things.

"What are you looking at?"

"Side salad would be good…maybe some potatoes…" he commented.

She smiled. "Hmm...I think I have some of those." She replied, making her way to the cupboard. "Yes...Potatoes." She said.

"D-Do we have things for salad...?" He asked softly.

"Yes, dear." Tasia replied. "We should."

Harry smiled at her as she got what he needed. She was uncomfortable with him using a knife and decided to cut the vegies herself much to his confusion.

"I could do it…" he said.

Tasia smiled lightly at him. "I know. But I feel better doing it."

Harry frowned slightly but nodded in understanding.

Soon everything was ready and the meal was on the table. The pups where around the table as well gazing up with begging expressions that would melt the hearts and wills of many.

Tasia had grown used to the looks and smiled amused at them, and Harry smiled at them as well promising that they will have some as well.

Tasia went to collect the puppies' bowls and placed some of the meat loaf inside each one, setting the bowls out for the pups. The small dogs began to eat their meal eagerly while the two people had theirs as well.

"Well done, Harry." Tasia complimented. "This is delicious!" Harry smiled.

"I-It is...?" He asked softly. She nodded.

"Yes, you're a very talented cook! But you haven't touched your own meat loaf. Why?"

"I...I didn't know if it was okay..."

"Well, it is very good. Try some."

Harry stared at her for a moment then gazed down at the plate of food in front of him. He lifted up his knife and fork and reenacted what he saw his uncle and aunt did cutting up the meat with the knife and poking it with the fork.

He lifted it up and gave Tasia an unsure look, only to see her smiling softly at him with reassuring eyes.

Harry gazed back down at the food and lifted it to his mouth and took a bite. He chewed and swallowed before his eyes grew wide. "I-It's good…it's so good."

She nodded her head. "Yes. It is." The puppies barked in affirmation, looking up to reveal their little snouts were covered in meat. Harry giggled.

"The puppies like it!" He cheered.

"Yes, the puppies love many things." Tasia nodded. "Me, food, and of course, you."

"M-me?" he asked with a hopeful tone as he gazed down at the pups who barked up at him with joy in their eyes.

Taisa watched him with a small smile finding his emotions very easy to read thanks to his bright eyes. From shock, to great hope, to then utter joy when he realized she was right.

He turned to look at her and it was then she saw it. A look that she once gave to a man she once knew. It was a hopeful look that she had once given him many times, a look of wanting acceptance and understanding.

She now understood. This child, in a sense was much like her. Like the roles have been reversed in some kind of sick game, she wanted to laugh, and she wanted to cry, for she now understood what he was to her, and more importantly what it felt like to be what he was.

Harry titled his head adorably at her his expressive green eyes now showing concern. "A-Are you okay? Miss Valn…Valn…" he paused with frown seeming to have problems speaking her last name.

"Tasia." She said softly. "It's just Tasia."

"M-Miss Tasia...?" She smiled.

"If that's what you prefer, go ahead." He smiled back.

"Okay...Miss Tasia."

Dinner soon ended and since Harry was still very tired, Tasia decided to put him to bed for now. Walking up the stairs to her room her many pups following her. She tucked him into bed and the pups leaped on the bed and cuddled up next to him making Harry smile slightly. He gazed up at Tasia and asked softly, "C-Can you tell a story?"

The woman was caught off guard by the request but seeing his hopeful green eyes she decided it would not be any harm. With a smile she sat on the edge of the bed next to him and began her tale.

"A long time ago, in the billowing cold of winter, a lone pup rested in a cavern. This pup was hurt you see, for she had no one to care for her, no pack for her to follow or aid. Without a pack the pup would die."

The gasp from the little boy made her smile slightly at him.

"The days where cruel, the nights sometimes curler, but this pup refused to give in. It fought against the odds and stayed alive till…it was near the end of its rope."

"The pup would have been dead if not…for the dog."

"T-The dog?" Harry asked completely hooked in the story but he could not keep his eyes open.

"The dog, was noble, powerful, a leader of a pack all its own. Its fur made of diamond. The pack of diamonds."

"Wow…"

"He took the pup in, taught it all it knew, raised it like its own pup and soon that pup…turned into a mighty wolf." She said softly.

She gazed down to see Harry with his eyes closed and breathing softly indicating that he had fallen asleep.

She rested her hand on his cheek gently and he nuzzled into her hand like a puppy. She smiled softly at that. She rose to her feet and walked over to the doorway. She turned her head as she reached for the light switch.

She knew now. Understood completely how he got to her, how he was able to make her feel again. He was just like him.

"Rest well…my diamond." She spoke softly turning off the light and leaving the room to let him rest.