Thanks a lot to my beta-reader, Emma, for correcting my mistakes.

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.

A great thank you to my moti-betas as well.

I'm not a native speaker of English!

Dear readers,

I'm sorry that you had to wait so long. I'm still not finished with my original book and so I have no time for fanfiction. I only update my other stories as I had them already finished but not betaed or because I had a lot of more chapters done. So I still have to ask you to be patient. I hope that I can give you another chapter in one or two month but I can't promise anything. I hope you will be glad to see a new chapter now.

Sunny

Chapter 6

-II-

"Ah Sevy-poo doesn't like big bad Alastor calling him by his pet name." Alastor took Severus in a headlock while the younger man was occupied with getting rid of the ash from his cloak. "Constant vigilance, Sev." Alastor ruffled Severus' hair.

Severus kicked Alastor in his stomach with his elbow. "Damn, what did you give the old man, James."

"Nothing. I'm just happy that I will punish some abusive arseholes." Alastor smashed his fist in his palm and rubbed it around.

"Ah, so we are talking about Potter, I guess? Albus told me about it. So how is the boy?"

"Better than he should be after what that bastards did to him. The problem is that our friend here got cold feet, so I need a new partner in crime."

"Alastor, please see reason. You can't pull Severus in this. He will be in trouble. The Ministry still is watching him, and if he attacks Muggles, he will be in Azkaban faster than—"

"I'm from the Ministry, James. So calm down," Alastor said to interrupt James.

"Listen to my advice, Sev. Never take a woman in. See what happened with poor James here. She will cut your balls off."

James rolled his eyes. "Please don't listen to him, Severus."

"Can someone tell me what you all planned?" Severus asked and sat down.

"I would say slow torture. You will hold them while I poke their eyes out."

-II-

Kingsley had to grin when James finally got that Alastor had been mocking him the whole time.

"One day you will be the death of me, Alastor. Why did you have to do this to me? I've had a hard night and morning." James went over to his alcohol cabinet. "Anyone else a drink?"

"Drinking so early? What would Clara say?" Alastor teased.

"She is not around. So who wants one?"

"I think we can all use one before we go over to the Dursleys," Kingsley said and accepted the drink.

"Anyone except for Sev here," Alastor said, this time parental and not mocking.

"I wouldn't have accepted it anyway," Severus said grumpily. He knew alcohol didn't get along well with the potions he still often had to take due to the pain seizures he had from time to time. They were long-term after effects from the torture he had gone through during his service to Voldemort.

"Sure thing, my boy. Don't fret, I'm just looking out for you."

Severus sighed. "I still have no clue what you have really planned."

"As James here made clear that his wife doesn't want to lose her high ideals of myself we need to change my plan to frighten the shit out of the Muggles with some magic. So I think we will just go over, tell them what we think about them, and threaten them into signing the adoption papers for James and his sweet, innocent wife. We all agree that they need some punishment for what they did to Harry, and as we can't take charges against them, we need to be more creative. What about we let something loose in their real home? Something that will make them wonder if it wasn't just Harry who made strange things happen in the house."

"That could leave permanent damage on Harry's cousin. He is just Harry's age," James said.

"Then we will ask him how much he was involved in Harry's suffering, and when he can convince me that he wasn't part of it, we will find a way to make him immune against what we'll set out in their house."

"Even if he was involved in Harry's suffering, he isn't responsible for it. He was raised that way. The adults are the responsible ones," James spoke reason.

"Ah, so we agree that they need punishment."

James looked at Alastor, not answering. He was torn. His feelings wanted him to make the Dursleys suffer but his mind didn't want to sink that low.

"Isn't he sweet, Sev. Such a pure soul. It's refreshing to see that not all are tainted like we are."

"Yes, very refreshing," Severus said grumpily, it was way too early for him to have serious conversations. "So what do you need me for? Obviously the dirty work."

"Oh no, sweetie." Alastor enjoyed Severus' scowl about using another pet name. "I would never taint your soul more than it already is. I want you to speak with the Bloody Baron to ask Peeves to help us. I think he would enjoy a little holiday in Little Whinging."

Severus couldn't suppress a grin. He had feared Alastor would really want him to take part of a torture session. He would have done so for the old man as he was like a father to him, always watching out for him so Albus couldn't work him out or ask too much of him. Alastor was the only one Albus feared and who could speak sense in the headmaster when he forgot a person about the greater good. The idea with Peeves, the poltergeist of Hogwarts was brilliant.

X-X

"I don't really dare to ask but how did it go?" Clara asked her husband when she came back from work.

"It went well. The papers are signed. Only your signature is missing. We visited them, told them what horrible persons they are and that they have to pay 200 pounds each month as a punishment. They agreed after Alastor made up some alternatives for this payment. Then we all left without any harm to them." Seeing the suspicious look on his wife's face, James added, "I can place the memory in a Pensieve if you want."

Clara watched him for a few more second and then smiled relieved. Quickly she stepped over to her husband and hugged him tightly.

James couldn't stop from feeling guilty about not telling Clara about Alastor and Severus little 'joke' but at least he hadn't lied. Pulling the image of Harry's wounds to the front of his mind, James could fight the feeling of guilt down.

"We need to talk about the future, James." Clara pulled James to the couch and sat down on his lap. "I plan to give up my job in the clinic."

"Clara, you love your job," James exclaimed, surprised.

"I do, but I also like helping Poppy at Hogwarts. I spoke with her and the headmaster and they will let me work half-time in the infirmary. Poppy needs the help and that way I could be back when Harry comes from pre-school. I would have quit the job in two years anyway as Emily will start pre-school then."

James sighed. "You are sure about this? We could pay a babysitter."

"No, James, I stayed at home for Taylor and we both know it was the best we could do. I want to do it for Harry and Emily as well. They will need help with homework and you know how important it is to explain the things that will accidentally happen to them at that age. I will be happy, darling." She kissed him to make him see she was serious.

"You are the best thing that could have happened to me, Clara."

"You are so sweet when you are happy that you don't have to stay home and be a well-behaved house man." She grinned at him.

"You little tease,"James said and started to tickle her until she lay under him and they found better things to spend their time with than tickling.

X-X

Harry couldn't stop himself from feeling like an outsider even so all those people tried to be nice to him. Harry had been surprised when James and Clara announced during breakfast that he and Taylor would spend the day at the Burrow. That was the home of the family of red-heads he was currently surrounded by. The Weasley family.

As soon as he had stepped through the fireplace with Taylor the Weasleys behaved as if Harry had always been their friend. Just the only girl in the family, Ginny, was behaving shy around him. The journey through the fireplace via floo powder was a very scary thing and Harry felt embarrassed when he noticed too late that he was still clutching Taylors hand like a baby while they were already standing in the kitchen of the Weasleys. Nobody seemed to notice or to think it weird and so Harry slowly stopped blushing.

The whole family seemed to just have waited for Harry to come so they could go playing Quidditch. Taylor had hardly time to introduce all the family members to Harry before they were pulled outside. Especially the younger boys were over-eager. Fred and George, the potion brewer, must have pleaded their mother to be allowed to play Quidditch with the rest of them because Mrs. Weasley pulled them warningly on the ears and told them they should remember to behave and that they would have to make the whole wash-up later for being allowed outside now.

Before Mrs. Weasley had pulled their sons at their ears, Harry had thought she was the nicest lady he had ever seen. Now he wasn't so sure about it and swore he would never make something to make her mad. Easier said than done. Harry never wanted to be bad, it just happened. He hoped it wouldn't happen while he had to be here at the Burrow.

Fred and George seemed okay and not as dangerous and scary as Harry had imagined them. Bill and Charlie were the oldest of the kids and Taylor's friends. As much as Taylor tried to stay close to Harry, in the end he was overwhelmed by the excitement of his best friends and vanished in the big barn with them. So Harry was alone with the twins and their youngest brother Ron. Harry knew that there was another older brother as Percy Weasley had greeted him in the kitchen as well, but he wasn't here with them as he was in his room reading. He was above playing children games as he had stated it.

So now Harry stood beside Ron, nervously gnawing on his bottom lip, not knowing where to look. Fred and George were whispering to each other and then Fred pulled something out of his pocket. "Hey, Ronniepoo, want to see something?"

Ron looked shocked and shook his head vehemently. He even stepped a little closer to Harry. Never someone had stepped close to Harry when he was afraid. Normally the other kids made a big circle around him for not being seen with the weakling.

"Oh, come on, you are our little brother! We would never show you something bad," George said friendly, but even Harry knew it was fake. He started to change his opinion about the twins. If they enjoyed scaring their youngest brother then he didn't like them.

"You showed me the hexed frog and he puked all over me. Mum was mad because she thought I played close to the lake." Ron changed nervously from one foot to the other. He was fighting about which feeling would win, the fear or the curiosity. "And... and one day you made the firework explode in my face and I couldn't see for two days."

No, Harry didn't like the twins anymore. He stepped closer to Ron.

"Oh, you are such a ninny. Then I will show Harry what I have." Fred now held his closed hands in Harry's direction.

"I don't think so!" Taylor said. Harry hadn't heard his brother come over again but was very relieved. "What's in there?" Taylor asked Fred after he had stepped protectively between Harry and the troublemakers.

"My, brother, aren't those people a tad bit to negative? As if we would hurt our brother or Harry Potter himself." Fred shook his head dramatically as he addressed his twin brother.

"You already brought him in danger with your little potion joke," Taylor said accusingly.

"His hair isn't changed to lilac, so we didn't harm him, Taylor. Why are you such an arse? Mum gave us enough trouble about this Muggle joke."

"And she was right!" Bill, the oldest brother, said and gave Fred a cuff on the back of his head. "That wasn't a joke. It was dangerous and you can be happy you aren't old enough for an investigation."

"Investigation, phew," said George. "Uncle Severus gave us the tongue lashing of our life and he won't let us brew with him for three months. I would have preferred an investigation."

"I'm really scared to leave Mum and Dad alone with you two. Maybe I should have looked for a job close by," Bill said thoughtfully. He had accepted the offer to learn under the greatest curse breaker even so that meant he had to go to Romania for it.

"Hey, I'm still here to have an eye on them," Charlie protested.

Bill snorted. "You are not one bit better, Charlie. You want to know what's in his hand even though you know it could be something to make you blind or deaf or green or whatever."

With each option Bill spelled out, Harry shuffled closer to Taylor. If even Fred and Georges' older brother thought they were dangerous then he felt sorry for Ron and would rather stay very close to Taylor.

"Merlin, it's just a butterfly, look!" Fred opened his hands but before Harry could have a look at it he was shoved behind Taylor. Curiosity won and Harry tried to peak around Taylor. When he finally managed to get a glimpse of the butterfly, it popped and shattered into thousand little glittering pieces.

"I did not see it," Harry said sadly.

"I also couldn't see it. Do you have another one?" Ron asked the twins while Taylor and the older boys prepared the brooms.

"Sure," George said and threw a grin at his twin. "Here it is!" He grabbed in his pocket pulled something out and let it hover in front of the boys' faces. This time it was no glittering butterfly but a black, ugly bug. Before one of the boys could react the bug pushed its butt out and sprayed something in their faces.

"Eww, he peed on us," Ron said disgusted and tried to wipe his face. "And it is sticky."

Harry was still shocked and looked at the bug which exploded after he had released whatever it was on their faces. Fred and George almost rolled on the floor laughing and attracted their older brother's attention with it.

"What the hell have you two done now?" Bill scolded and came over to them. Seeing Ron and Harry's faces his annoyance turned into worry.

"It was just a Pee-Bug, but you should have seen their faces," Fred managed to say between laughter. No, Harry didn't like the twins anymore.

"That's not funny. Go inside!" Bill said sternly.

Immediately the twins stopped laughing and looked shocked. "What? No! It was just a joke."

"Mum said no jokes. Go inside!"

"Are you nuts?" George protested. "You are not Dad."

"Oh, if you want I can go and get him. If I were you, I would go inside and stay out of our way."

"But why. It was just a stupid pee-bug. It's funny. You always found it funny when you and your friends send one on us," Fred said angrily, stomping his feet. Harry had the feeling the boy would start crying any moment. "Mum allowed us to play Quidditch."

"But we won't play with you. Harry just learned that he is a wizard yesterday and you morons can't control yourself for one fucking day. That's not funny and it's also not funny that you always have to pick on Ron."

Fred was red like a tomato and it was an even darker red than his hair. "Just because you finished school doesn't make you an adult. You can't tell us what to do."

"Oh yes, I can!" With that Bill pushed his broom in Charlie's hand and grabbed Fred and George in their neck to guide them back inside the house.

"They don't mean bad, Harry. They just have a different sense of... humor." Taylor helped Harry to clean his face. "Look, Bill got the old children broom ready for you. It won't fly high so you don't have to be afraid."

"I'm not afraid," Harry said and tried to look convincing.

Taylor and Charlie laughed.

"I learned on it too, but now I'm allowed to fly the pre-school broom." Ron pointed proudly at the broom beside the one which was meant for Harry.

"So this is the daycare broom?" Harry asked Taylor in a whisper.

Taylor screwed his face. "Yeah, but it's not that bad. I'm sure you will learn fast!"

And that Harry did. Shortly before he had to go back home, he was allowed to fly one round with Ron's broom. Harry beamed proudly. First it was a bit scary to fly so high but Charlie, Bill and Taylor were flanking him. Flying was really great and Harry couldn't wait to be able to really play Quidditch like the others had done while he had learned to ride the daycare broom. The others had taken turns in teaching him, so each of them could play Quidditch for some time. Only Ron stayed the whole time at Harry's side even so his brothers had asked him to come over to play.

"Did you like it?" Ron asked when they went back to the house.

"Yes, I loved it. I wish I would have a broom and a garden like this."

Ron beamed. "You can come over whenever you want. Mum and Dad are friends with your new parents. Taylor often comes over. Draco, my friend who lives at Hogwarts, also comes from time to time but his adoptive Dad doesn't like to be here and I'm not allowed to visit him in Hogwarts because it is a school."

"Taylor told me about him. He goes to school with you, right?"

"Yes, we are in the same class. Will you come to school as well?"

"I hope so, but don't you have school break right now?"

"Only at Hogwarts you have school breaks. Pre-school is only half of the day and our parents can take us on and off as they like. There are no rules. But when we are at Hogwarts, we have to stay and can only come back for holiday."

"Are you good in school, Ron?" Harry asked, worried. What if he will never be accepted at Hogwarts because he wasn't good enough? All the other students would now so much more than him.

"Bill and Charlie say pre-school is just for parents to get a break from their brats. We don't really need it. We only learn boring stuff, no magic. Just writing and reading and counting and something about plants and animals and so. I just go there because of the breaks. There is a big playground and we are allowed to fly. After lunch we can stay until two and then the school closes, but you can also go straight after the last class. Draco and I are allowed to stay, but many have to go home for lunch and are not allowed to stay for playing."

Harry didn't know if he should hope to be one of those who are allowed to stay or to be one to get home for lunch. He just knew he liked Ron and he really, really hoped Draco would not tell Ron to stay away from him.

Please let me know if you liked the chapter and don't be sad or mad at me for the very slow updates.