Hello everyone! I'm back with another chapter. This chapter isn't very exciting, but it helps push a few ideas into the story that will be sure to have big impacts in the future.

I hope you enjoy it and love it enough to favorite it.

By the way! 900 People on alerts! I'm almost to 1000!

PS, I'm looking for someone who is willing to draw a cover for this story, I would love to have a picture of Mayfield hugging Harry with Lilies around them. PM me if you have any suggestions or want to do it.

Okay, now lets get onto the story.

*I do not own Harry Potter or any of its Characters*

Chapter 13: Connections

October 24 Early Day

Juliet Mayfield watched with a smile as Harry played with Garrett Richmond and Chelsey Bensons. Although he was still incredibly shy about playing with them, they welcomed him with open arms and didn't push him away. It also helped that Chelsey wasn't the most exuberant child either, so they could relate to one another.

She wanted to stay at home with Harry for a few more days and let him adjust, but Harry asked if he could go back to school.

The question surprised her of course, and she needed to make sure he was ready to go back. In all honesty, she didn't want him to yet with the media buzzing around the school. That, and he was still healing. Though his injuries were healed with magic, his heart and mind were not.

Despite that, Harry loved to learn and practically begged to go back. He even offered to clean the house several times over, to which she refused to allow him to do.

No child his age should have to clean a whole house by himself.

Today was his first day back at school and to say it was huge was an understatement.

Teachers all over the school wanted to make sure he was happy and healthy, kids wanted to be friends with him, most likely because their parents felt bad, and the media found out and were currently parked outside the campus.

While it was nice of them, Harry was not the best when it came to having so much attention. He curled in on himself and refused to let go of her hand until they got into her classroom.

She was constantly watching him, making sure he was safe. Yes, she kept a close eye on the rest of her students, but Harry was still in a fragile position.

However, there was another problem she would need to fix as well.

Mayfield turned her head to see one boy standing in the corner of the room with a upset face, and she already knew what it was about.

She sighed and made her way over to him.

"Piers, are you alright?" The boy shook his head negatively, digging in on himself. "What's wrong dear?"

"Big D is gone, a-and he was my friend, now my mum don't want me to see him in forever." She sat down next to him, making sure to give a smile, even if he couldn't see it.

"I know that you're upset by what happened. You lost your friend and now you don't have anyone to hang out with, right?" The boy was frozen for a moment before nodding.

"Well, why don't you make a new friend?"

"I don't want a new friend, I want Big D, and besides, I can't..." He muttered a bit.

"What was that?" He looked up at her with a cute scowl.

"I can't have no friends. Ever-one hates me and Big D says I can't have no friends unless he say so." She placed a small hand on his back.

"Well, why don't I help you then, hmm?" He gave a confused look.

"Wha?"

"I can help you make some new friends if you like, you just have to be nice, okay?" He pouted at her proposal.

"But I'm not allow to have friends unless Big D says so. He said..." She slowly stood up from her downed position.

"What did Dudley say he would do if you made new friends?" Piers curled in on himself a bit.

"He said he would make me the new 'freak'." Piers blurted out. Mayfield bit her lip. She knows children aren't inherently bad, only expressing their parent's wills, but Dudley Dursley was such a terrible influence.

"Well Piers, you don't need to listen to people who try to bully you like he did. It's okay to make new friends. Having more friends just means you have more fun, okay?" Piers looked up.

"B-But what about what Big D said?" She smiled.

"Don't you worry about him, okay. Just go and have some fun." Piers sat their, contemplating her words before smiling and getting up from his spot in the corner. The teacher led him over to the rest of the playing students, hoping to help another child in their time of need.

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

Tension

Everyone could feel it at Hogwarts. Whenever a head of House was near the headmaster, their was a feeling of dread in the air.

Despite not looking at the headmaster any differently than usual, even first years could tell something was wrong.

Hell, even Snape was acting different. Most couldn't tell with him, other than his Snakes. That, and a pair of red heads.

Bill and Charlie didn't know why, but something was definitely wrong. Their head of house was... unusual to say the least. During her classes, she seemed distracted when nobody was looking, often staring off into space when their was nothing left for her to lecture on.

At the Great Hall, it was even more obvious.

Bill and Charlie know they shouldn't be poking their noses into something like this, but the way their head of house stabbed her salad and looked at Dumbledore screamed that something was going on.

-;-

Albus doesn't know why, but these past two days have been uncomfortable. With all his talks with Fudge and the tension at his school, it put him at unease.

It was even affecting his sleep. He needed his ten hours a day!

What made matters worse was not only his head of houses, but his own familiar!

Fawkes never sang anymore, never let him pet him, and refused to sit on his desk perch. There would be days where he didn't see the blasted bird at all.

Then their was the house heads. Fillius would talk to him, but would often try to finish the conversation before it was necessary. Sprout wouldn't talk to him, though he didn't much care for any conversation with her. Plants this, Puffs that, house unity junk, it was an improvement in his book.

But Minerva and Severus were both acting strange as well. As his Deputy Headmistress, he could always rely on Minerva's support, as they had been with each other for years. But lately, she was distant and cold to him.

Perhaps it stemmed from that second article about him stealing money, but he wasn't sure. He hoped she didn't actually take any of that seriously. (Not that it wasn't true)

But Severus never read the Prophet. In fact, he refused to believe any tall tale they had on the front cover. None of it mattered to him, so why was he acting strange?

He needed the Slytherin Head's support, even if he disliked him. The man was his key to finding Harry Potter with the blood potion.

In just two days, he would not only have all the money and power in the world, but also the Boy-Who-Lived in his grasp.

He just needed to be patient, even if he hated it.

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

October 24, Afternoon

After she walked into Gringotts bank, she was met by a pair of goblins who had been waiting for her and they led her into a room with several chairs and a table in the middle, tea and biscuits already made.

The small luxurious room was not the most defining detail though, it was the person she was meeting.

"I'm quite happy that you took my request seriously Madam Longbottom." The man stuck his hand out and lifted her own to his lips, as customary for a lady.

"I myself am still figuring out whether this is all a hoax or not." She took her hand back and looked around the room, taking in the details.

"To be frank, I had no idea that Gringotts had rooms like these." Barton chuckled a bit.

"Well, when you ask the right questions, it can reap some positive benefits. This room is magically and physically soundproofed, anything we say in here cannot be talked about outside this room, and no magic can be used within here." She raised an eyebrow.

"Do you expect me to hex you in here?" He shook his head.

"No, that last part was for your benefit ma'am." She nodded and picked up the tea nearest her.

"Now, what is it you wish to discuss?" Daniel gave a focused look.

"I am Harry Potter's Magical Attorney, and as such, it is my job to make sure that he is taken care of by the best people available. And who he has right now is not that person.

Albus Dumbledore is Harry's current Magical Guardian, and as such has control over not only him, but his life choices and finances. You have seen in the news about how much was taken from the Potter vaults." She gave him a curious look.

"That actually happened? I stopped believing the Prophet as soon as they said that Muggles learned about our existence and made moving pictures about us. (1)" Daniel held his tongue, knowing better than to tell her about movies.

"What you saw was true," He continued. " and I know, as I saw it myself. He has taken advantage of his power and bestowed the Magical Guardian title to himself. I don't know how he did it without the signatures and approval of the Potter's but he did." He leaned forward.

"Which is why I am in need of your help. Your daughter, though incapacitated, is Harry's true magical guardian through godmotherhood. Since you are family to her and the Potter's have an alliance with the Longbottoms, we can place you as Harry's new magical guardian and keep him from Dumbledore's hands.

If we appeal to the Wizengamot about Harry's case and Dumbledore's wrongdoings, we can not only remove him as Harry's magical guardian, but also possibly as Chief Warlock because of his illegal actions." He laid out a folder on the table, filled with papers and slip over to her.

"I have several documents that show his unlawful adjustments of laws and legislation he created behind the backs of the Wizarding world. With you name behind it as an Ancient house, it might actually do some damage and not be thrown out by Minister Fudge." Her face wrinkled at Fudge's name. She looked through the list of laws Daniel pulled up, most of them being about muggleborns and the banning of dark magics.

"So you want me... to not only challenge one of the most powerful Wizard in Wizarding Britain for his title as a magical guardian for a child I had never met, but also try to remove him from one of his key power spots." She gave looked at him incredulously. "You're down right insane. I have no reason to and there is nothing for me to gain by putting my neck on the line for Mr Potter." Daniel smiled bitterly. He still had so much negotiating to do with her.

He just hoped that the tea pot was self refilling. This may take awhile.

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

Harry snuggled into his teacher's side, listening to her read out loud for him. He loved every moment like this. It was warm, comfortable and safe.

He never experienced this before, at least not until he met her. She was so nice, always being their for him.

But he doesn't know why. Why she would go out of her way for him like this. Why she got him away from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Why she brought him into her home with open arms and made him a room.

Why she was currently reading to him about a little person called a hobbit going off with a ring to save the world. It didn't make sense to him at all, but he couldn't help but not care.

All he could focus on was her calm voice and her warm embrace as he fluttered to sleep in her arms.

It was a shame too. Dinner was almost done.

Happy dreams claimed him.

-;-

Miss Mayfield continued to read about Frodo and Samwise meeting up with Merry and Pippin when she heard the cutest snoring coming from her side. She looked from her book to see Harry curled in on himself like a baby, sleeping in her arm and snuggled in.

She smiled and placed the book down with her bookmark before gently lifting the small child into her arms and carrying him to bed.

It was a bit early for bed, but it had definitely been a rough day for Harry. Not only was he swamped by the reporters as they exited the school. but also by the ones that had found her home and waited there.

Then there was the fact that he tried to make friends with Piers today, which was awfully terrifying for him. It's not everyday he tries to become friends with one of his old bullies.

She placed Harry down in his bed and pulled the covers over him. She hesitantly placed a kiss on his forehead, right above where his scar used to be.

"Goodnight Harry, sweet dreams." She whispered. Harry smiled in his sleep and grabbed his little black dog for comfort.

"Goodnight Mum." He called out, taking Juliet be surprise.

A warm feeling filled her heart and spread over her. Every part of her body felt warm with joy at those simple words.

She smiled and closed his door.

She looked to the ceiling of the hallway, thinking about those words.

"Goodnight Mum"

Did Harry really think of her a mother? To be precise, his mother?

She knows that she ins't and won't be Harry's true mother, which brings dread into her heart over the sad truth, but a part of her wished that she was.

Harry was such a big part of her life right now. She had felt like he was her son for a while now, the child she had always wanted. He was such a sweet and gentle boy, despite his life. His smile lit up the whole room and his tears burned her heart.

Mayfield sighed and walked out of the hallway. She needed to pull the meatloaf out of the oven. She would make sure to save plenty for the now sleeping child.

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

When Marge went to pick Dudley up two days ago, he ranted and raved the whole way to her home, yelling about 'the freak' ruining his life and how his parents got in trouble, and demanding fatty foods and cake. She let it go, as the boy had just lost his parents to the police.

She for one didn't believe those claims about her brother and his wife. Child Abusers? Hah!

Her brother would never harm a child. That little ingrate was just using his natural skinniness and picky eating to his advantage. It made him look like a victim, despite being a troublemaker. He was as bad as his drunkards of parents.

At least, that's what she thought at first, but after two days with her little 'Angel', she was wondering if everything her brother told her was true.

Like with her nephew. It had only been two days and she was at her wits end with the boy, which surprised her greatly. Every time she visited her brother, Dudley was a little angel and was perfect for her.

But at her home, he was a nightmare. When he first got home, he tore through her cabinet and took any sugar filled items he could then messily carried it into the living room and turned on her television.

She cleaned up the mess and let it go, but that wasn't the end. After watching a few programs on the telly, he screamed about cake until she was forced to make one for him. She wasn't the greatest cook, but she could take care of herself. She lived on her own after all.

But never in her life did she get such disrespect, and from a six year old no less.

After taking one bite of the cake she spent an hour making, he yelled at how it wasn't 'sweet enough' and how the 'freak makes it better' before throwing the whole thing at the wall.

While she wanted to spank him till he was red cheeked, she held her resolve and sent him to the room she prepared for him.

She wasn't even halfway done cleaning up the new mess when she heard a crash, forcing her upstairs to see something that nearly moved her to tears.

Her grandmother's glass vase had been shattered. Dudley only stared dumbly at her before yelling about how 'the freak did it', yet no one else was in the house.

She barely pulled herself together to put him to bed and slowly cleaned up the precious pieces of her grandmother's vase. The same vase that her grammy made for her on her tenth birthday before passing away.

And sadly, that was only the first day.

After two more days of this, she was second guessing what kind of family her brother was in. If the angel she thought her nephew was is really like this, then what could be said about the boy? About Harry?

It was true, Harry did live in the cupboard, which was where he was apparently found during their raid on her brother's home from what the news said. Yes, Harry was thin and looked malnourished, but her brother would never starve a child...right?

Then there was the injuries that Harry was apparently found with. Her brother was rough on the boy, as he often yelled at the child when she came over or would throw him into the cupboard. He was hard on him, but her brother wasn't hurting him.

Then something popped into her head from a few months ago. She might have ignored it at the time, but she still remembers seeing him help (2) cook dinner when she came over early... with a large bruise on his cheek.

She brushed it off as him being reckless and getting a fight, but... was that the truth?

Marge sat at her kitchen table with a glass of tea, ignoring the screams of Dudley. She locked him in the spare bedroom for hurting her puppies again. She even went so far as to take out anything glass or breakable in the room, as he had broken more than her Grandmothers vase since coming over.

The stern woman sighed. The trial wasn't for another three weeks, meaning Dudley was her responsibility until then.

She heard a crash from within the upstairs room and grit her teeth, apparently she didn't take everything breakable out of the room.

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

It's been a long few days for Remus Lupin.

He spoke with Amelia Bones about Dumbledore and if his actions against werewolves were true. At first she was skeptical of him, but after proving he was still the same person from all those years ago, she gave him a smile and welcomed him into her home, though she was suspicious of him still. Not that he could blame her.

She of course looked into his concerns about Dumbledore and found it to be true.

Dozens of laws passed by him and another woman named Delores Umbridge that further separated the Magical World from the creatures that tried to live in it.

There were laws on vampires, werewolves, sprites, thestrals, centaurs, giants, trolls, and many others. The list went on and on about what these 'dark creatures' weren't allowed to do.

That wasn't all though. He might have hidden them from public eyes, but the self updating charter of Magical Laws writes out all current laws in effect, and who put them into place.

Let's just say that Dumbledore was not only destroying Muggleborns, but bringing them up as well.

Laws that allowed Muggleborns into the school and that forced muggle traditions into Hogwarts were signed by him every year since becoming Headmaster. Remus still remembers how James would complain about Halloween vs Samhain Rituals, and how Yule events were replaced with celebrations of a red fat man jumping down chimneys to give good boys and girls gifts, or of a baby of a god being born.

He didn't think much of it back then, but looking at it now, he never realized how many muggle holidays were celebrated in a MAGICAL school like Hogwarts.

What was the point?

Then there was the prejudice against them. What did Dumbledore do to attack Muggleborns? Well, when there are laws in place that allowed companies to be bias against them, it makes it hard for them to stay in the wizarding world. People would rather hire half or Purebloods than a Muggleborn, and with laws like those it place, they had every right to.

Dozens of Muggleborns leave every year to try to survive in the muggle world. Even that Daniel Barton character Remus met said the same thing!

But what was the reason? He and Amelia discussed that for hours, when they finally realized it.

Power.

Dumbledore forced muggle holidays into Hogwarts so Muggleborns were comfortable there, meaning they would want to return every year for their education, which costed thousands of galleons each to attend.

It forced Purebloods to celebrate Muggle holidays, making them hate Muggleborns even more and causing even more rifts between the groups.

And when Muggleborn students were out of school and ready to live in the world they had been preparing for, they have no options other than marry rich or walk away, leaving them with an education useless to the Muggle world and debt beyond their ears.

All the while, Albus Dumbledore profited from their money and the prejudice against them. The man secretly put his support behind many Pureblood backed laws that forced Muggleborns into submission.

It was diabolical and ingenious.

After a quick session of ranting and raving about how monstrous of a person Dumbledore was, Remus bid his friend a good day and left again, not finished with his own adventure.

After leaving the Bones estates, he went to the forests and spoke to some people who offered him sanctuary many years ago. He had been in a bad spot after Lily and James died, and the group was their for him after they found him sleeping in a tree.

They gave him food and water and offered him a home.

He was grate for everything they gave to him, but walked away from it after learning what they were. Had he not had such a distaste for werewolves, he might have joined their pack all those years ago. Sadly at the time, his belief of werewolves were skewed by the machinations of a certain Headmaster, so he declined and left.

But he went back, and spoke with the alpha, and though it was embarrassing, he was glad he did it.

-flashback-

"I thought I smelled a weak wolf." A primitive looking woman snarled at him, causing him to flinch and his inner wolf to growl in anger.

Remus finally tracked down the camp where he was helped over four years ago. It had taken him a whole day and a half to find, but for the first time in years, he embraced his inner instincts and let them lead him to his destination.

"Now calm down my child." The Alpha's deep voice placated the young female, who listened immediately. The man turned to Remus. " I assume he is here because he chooses to be, yes?" Remus nodded and looked at the Alpha of the pack, who was a giant as he was calm.

The man towered at a strong 6'8", easily trumping the others around him. He had tanned skin with long matted black hair and topaz eyes. Only wearing a tunic, he embodied the look of a chief and a monk at the same time. Imposing yet passive.

"I knew who you were as soon as your smell entered our territory. I'm surprised that you have returned." Remus looked up at the much stronger werewolf.

"I am hear for answers." He started hesitantly. "Not only for myself, but for the wolf within me." Remus bowed down before the man. "Please forgive me for leaving all those years ago."

There was a pause, though Remus could feel the eyes of dozens of werewolves on him. He stayed on the ground, despite his wolf hating the feeling of submission.

"The invitation I offered you had no expiration date, my young pup." Remus looked up to see the chief smiling down at him, offering a hand to the smaller werewolf.

Remus took it and was accepted into the pack. "Thank you Asterion." (3)

-flashback end-

Remus spent a whole day with the pack, learning everything he could about them. Though the pack wasn't too large, most of them were friendly enough, even if they were suspicious of him or thought him weak.

He spoke with Asterion for many hours of his pain and the disconnection to his wolf.

The alpha of course listened to his words and gave him much needed advice on how to be 'whole' with himself. Remus soaked it all up with conviction to change his own beliefs of not only himself, but his views of werewolves.

Not every single one of them was like Fenrir Greyback.

However, the next morning Remus had to leave, much to his wolf's chagrin.

To be honest, a part of him wanted to stay too, but he needed to see his cub, even if for a few moments.

He spoke with the chief of his request, and the man allowed it as long as Remus returned within one day. Apparently Asterion remembered the conversations he and Remus had all those years ago about 'his pup', and knew why Remus needed to see the child. Remus was surprised when the Alpha said Harry's name despite himself not saying it once since coming that day.

Apparently, the giant of a man had quiet a good memory.

Though he warned Remus that he shouldn't leave too often, as the other wolves will think negatively of him. They were a pack, and were to stay together. Ones who showed disloyalty were the least trusted and would be cast aside. Remus understood those words and bid the Alpha a peaceful day.

At the moment, Remus Lupin was tracking his pup with the bond the two shared. He had left the forests and now made his way though a muggle street. The air was cold and his tattered rags for clothing were blowing in the winds of the dark night. He didn't mind it at the moment.

He could feel his pup grow closer and his wolf barked in happiness.

He would see Harry soon.

(End Chapter)

1- I thought it would be funny to hear what Wizards and Witches thought of movies. I mean, they have moving pictures, but ours last longer and you can hear them.

2- Aunt Marge would think that Petunia is the cook of the family, as she is the woman of the house with no job. Then again, Petunia is useless.

3- Asterion is a dog in the Bootes constellation, along with Chara.

I hope you liked the chapter. The next one will be more exciting, with Dumbledore going after goblins and Amelia and Longbottom (maybe) going after him.

I know there wasn't a lot of Harry in this chapter, so I plan to amend then with the next one.

Anyway, I hope everyone sticks around for the next chapter. Until then, see ya!