Title: In the arms of a stranger

Author: So Yun

Chapters: 3/3

Rating: M

Warnings: Language, Substance abuse, drugs

Summary: Can kindness come from someone you don't even know?

Chapter three: Little Brother

Empathy is a bitter thing, hearing this kid's life story. It hurts me to see someone so young and only years younger then me in so much pain. I used to be him for god's sake!

But we can finally help him now; we'll heal him because he needs it. He doesn't know it, but to us he looks so broken. We're going to be the ones who fix him, and so is dad. We won't abandon him.

We don't wanna know his relatives personally, from what we gather they sound nasty and spiteful. Once we shuffled Harry into our house dad was home and we told him quietly what happened.

Dad looked angry about the syringe thing then walked over to Harry and gently grasped his upper arm, "I think we should go to a medical clinic and test you. Harry I don't know what was going through your head, but you might have caught something"

Harry to be honest looked utterly shocked, as if usually no one would give a stuff. But we did, so we piled into the car and drove to the local clinic. We watched as Harry tested and the nurse said she'd mail the results in a few days. Harry beamed for the first time I'd ever seen when she handed him a jelly bean.

"For being a brave boy" She said softly, poor Harry blushed like a tomato. Ben and I grinned madly; we could have a lot of fun with that little blush of Harry's.

Once we were back at home, we encouraged him to watch TV with us. He seemed absolutely fascinated at some things, it shocked us. According to him, he'd never seen more then a glimpse of the TV back at his relative's house.

We had fun teasing him with kissy noises when he blushed while two Valley high characters made out. We could dump a lot of shit on him for sure. Across the couch Ben winked at me. I knew he meant we were going to find a girlfriend for Harry. I grinned like a child receiving a present. Of course!

Then dad came in a raucously announced dinner, Harry looked mortified as if he wasn't allowed to eat! We lead him to the table and patted the vacant chair at the end, it had been mum's.

But we were quite happy to have him sit there; I think that Harry will be living with us for a long time. Ben heaped his plate with plenty of bacon and sausages. Harry's eyes typically glowed at the amount. He definitely needs food, he's a growing boy!

He watched in hesitation as we all ate with the messiness of boys, we are typically boys after all. Then he swamped in too and soon the four of us were exchanging crude jokes and heaping up on third helpings.

Finally we were all content and watched wrestling till midnight, Ben and I were too exhausted to do anything so we decided to sleep on the couch. We watched with small smiles as Dad led Harry up to his new room. We knew then and there, Harry was our little brother even if he was a stranger to us the other day.

I am surprised at the hospitality and kindness of the Goodwells. Never have I experienced such kindness, but maybe they think I'm a charity case. Alex leads me upstairs he says they've made the guest room into my own. I smile shyly, he seems incredibly fatherly and deep down I like it.

My mouth gapes as he opens the door, they have plastered the walls with cars and girls (I blush again) and I have a small TV with as far as I can see, a few X-rated DVDs. I don't know what to say, Alex smiles at me and I weakly smile back. Their kindness is overwhelming me.

He grins then shuts the door behind me and leaves. I'm left all alone to the glory of having my own room. I sift through the DVDs and magazines littering the room. At some I completely blush and thank god that Josh or Ben aren't in here to make fun.

I can't believe I am experiencing this. It seems too real, to have two annoying but cool sort of older brothers and a sort of father. I don't want to seem clingy or desperate, or fool myself but I can't stop the beam that extends across my features.

When I wake in the morning from a pillow pounding my head and the guy's maniacal grins wavering at me, I jump up.

"Today little brother we're going to find you a girlfriend!" Ben quirks and Josh joins him, I groan. Then I notice Alex standing against the doorway with his arms crossed smirking, damn. He's is certain to be in on this too, I groan again.

They go through the dresser and drag out the new clothes they bought me and I huff as I change. Nowadays I feel at ease around the Goodwells, I'm not as shy and I don't get as embarrassed. Life is good.

For now I've nearly forgotten the magical world, to me, just for these holidays, muggle family life is bliss. And yes, I can call them family. They told me to.

A few pashes later, we have one not-so-entirely-innocent-no-more Harry. Keira and he hit it off straight away but I can tell from the kid that his feeling isn't as mutual anymore.

I am guessing he's homesick (not from the Dursley's of course) but from that weird boarding school he rarely talks about. I mean the other day he got a letter from an owl! I mean this snow white owl swooped through the open window and pecked him, I thought Harry's lips would fall off he was smiling so much.

He pulled off some parchment and Josh and I watched as his eyes skimmed it, he was beaming the entire time. It's sad you know, to think that our boy Harry is going away from us in two days.

Like we said, he was welcome to live here with us next summer and even told him to come home for Christmas break. He shrugged his shoulders like he does a lot now. I hope he considers it, to be honest I'll miss the kid. So will Josh and mostly dad.

Dad and him formed a bond, one that I can be jealous of sometimes. But that jealousy leaves as quick as it comes, Harry deserves it and I know it. I love watching it when Dad and him read a book together, it seems like a childhood thing to do. Father and son reading a book together, but I think it's great.

Sometimes when just Harry and I are together he blurts out a lot of things, that's what I love about him. He is overly shy and when he thinks he crossed the line he goes all crimson red. I think it's hilarious and Josh uses it against him as a friendly joke. We are family and everything but blood splits us.

Today is the day; I feel an ebbing sadness to think that Harry, the boy who I have come to think as my own is leaving.

He did promise to come home from Christmas and my boys are just planning already what to get him. I can't understand how this boy has somehow miraculously made it into our lives. But I am glad he has because, he is one of my own.

The silence in the car is deafening, Harry fiddles and Josh and Ben avert their gazes. Alex keeps his hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road, it is tense. They were driving Harry to the station; they all dreaded it because they knew that for awhile they wouldn't see each other.

It scared Harry; he was going back to being independent again. He had been alone for his whole life and then he had a family. Now he was leaving them and he felt a foreign feeling flood the pits of his stomach.

When they parked, the four sat there for a few minutes before they all rushed to get out of the car. Ben and Josh carried Harry's trunk while Alex put a hand gently on Harry's shoulder while he carried Hedwig.

They walked like this until they came to the barrier, the Goodwells were oblivious of what lay on the other side and they found Harry's school bizarre.

Again there was silence before Josh and Ben crushed him in a bear hug causing Hedwig to flutter in surprise. Then when they pull back Alex embraced him gently and shocked Harry by kissing him on the forehead.

"I love you son" He uttered and Harry's eyes welled up with emotion, he looked away.

"Thankyou for everything" He whispered, that foreign feeling full ball slamming into him. The three men nodded then started walking away, they waved then continued.

"See you at Christmas!" The boys chorused, Harry grinned.

Maybe one day Harry would tell them about his world, one day.

The End

I hope you enjoyed it, I just want to say thanks to everyone who reviewed, I really appreciate it: Honore, Blackmoonsilver, Parseltongue girl, Luz De Las estrellas, Souless-tears, Cheekymonkey1994, Witherwings1972 and Beckyboo99.

Maybe one day I'll write a sequel to it.