Chapter 8: Questions

Albus stared at the shocked boy who looked around the room in confusion.

"Happy birthday Harry."

Concentration flashed across his features and then finally settled on embarrassment, almost as if the boy had forgotten his own birthday, but then again one could hardly blame the boy with all that had been going on lately.

Mentally Dumbledore sighed wishing that Harold did not have such a hard head. Both Mary and Harold refused to let him question the boy until they thought the he was ready. Albus really couldn't begrudge them that they wanted to protect the boy and keep him from harm, but the information Harry could provide…could easily lead the war into a new direction if his theory was correct.

Albus watched as the young boy walked around with Harold and met some of the adults present, many of which were aurors that worked with the elder Potter. The boy walked rather stiffly and looked a bit unsure of himself in such a large crowd, glancing around as he walked his hand kept in his pocket.

Albus narrowed his eyes at this odd behavior. Harry acted as if he was suspecting an attack at any moment, something Albus would expect from Alastor not a boy.

Once again Dumbledore looked at the boys left hand catching a glint of silver. Sighing he turned away to talk to Michael Carwin, who was also staring at the youngest Potter.

Harry stared around the room still in a bit of shock.

A surprise birthday party for him? He hadn't even mentioned when his birthday was to the Potters.

Looking around the small group of people Harry did not know many of them, but guessed they were friends of the Potters. However a pleasant looking boy with neat brown hair who wore a slightly worn jumper did look familiar. Suspicion that was raised further when the boy joined James and Sirius close to the table which was heaving under the weight of food, once again the house elves had out done themselves.

Harold walked over to his cousin and patted him with some affection on the back.

"Happy birthday Harry. Come over here and I'll introduce you to some of our friends."

Harry looked around the group of people before following Harold. Many faces in the crowd were familiar, and he easily spotted the aurors who had questioned him at the hospital.

The adults he met were Augusta and Hadrian Longbottom, Jester Hemingstick, Marcelino Fleming, Osvaldo Emery, Alexander and Ingrad Wettiton and finally Layamon Preyton. As each was introduced Harry nodded politely except for the last man who was staring rather intently at him as if studying him.

"Ah Harry Mr. Preyton was the man who found you and took you to St. Mungo's." Harold said indicating the older man.

Once this was said Harry turned back to the older man with a slight smile on his lips.

"Thank you very much Mr. Preyton for saving my life, for I would have surly died had I not received medical attention when I did."

While this was not really true since he would have healed just fine with his magic, Harry felt that he should still thank the man graciously for helping him out.

"Think nothing of it lad; it's just good to see you looking so healthy and happy." Layamon said with a smile still studying the boy.

The children he was not introduced to since they were all mingling among themselves in the large living room, and eating at the tables.

Once he had finished with some introductions, Mary steered him over to the food table and began to load his plate full of food. Once again Sirius and James could be heard snickering causing the younger boy to blush and glare at where they sat.

After his plate was filled to Mary's satisfaction Harry rushed over to the table and sat next to James.

"Shut it." Harry snapped playfully glaring at his cousin as he did so.

Sirius chuckled at the glare and attempted to ruffle the smaller boy's hair. Amused amber eyes watched the three boys' movements.

Noticing that Remus was watching them James decided it would only be polite to introduce him.

"Harry meet our good friend Remus. Remus this is my mysterious cousin Harry Jacomus Leandros Potter."

"Pleasure to meet you." Remus said with a reserved smile and held out his hand a bit shyly.

Harry took the offered hand and nodded his head in acknowledgement of the boy.

While he did so Remus studied the smaller boy, noticing how pale he was. True he looked amazingly like James except for the startling green eyes set in this fair face. He was quite a bit smaller than the older Potter boy, though he looked as if he had gained weight recently.

Throughout the rest of the meal Harry was introduced to Gideon, Jack, Abigail, Frank, and a small boy named Trevor who all sat around him.

He learned that Gideon was sixteen, Jack was twelve, and Abigail had just turned eleven. Both boys were in Hufflepuff and seemed like kind boys, both had been extremely happy to see him in such better health.

Abigail was small for her age with honey colored brown eyes and light brown curly hair that fell to her shoulders. When she smiled, Harry couldn't help but to notice the cute dimples in her cheeks and the way her nose scrunched up cutely, then he would find himself smiling back at the young girl. Her dress, while not made of the finest materials, was very stylish and made her eyes stand out even more causing them to seemingly sparkle.

Trevor was eight with dark brown eyes and almost black curly hair. Harry soon learned that Trevor was Auror Emerson's youngest son, as the other two were already out of Hogwarts, and he had a sweet tooth for pudding.

Frank entertained the group by playfully joking around with the Marauders and teasing Harry a bit about the upcoming school year. By the end of the meal Abigail had heard many horror stories about the famous pranking group and looked torn between amused and alarmed.

Once the meal was through Mary brought out a fairly large birthday cake with eleven sparkling candles on it.

The cake was a oddly enough was in the shape of a racing broom, nothing fancy like his Firebolt, but it was still a nice looking broom all the same. In neat cursive down the handle was, "Happy eleventh Harry!"

As the cake was placed in front of him Sirius started singing at the top of his lungs and was soon joined by the smiling adults and children.

Harry just gave a slight smile of appreciation at the Potters.

The Dursleys had never acknowledged his birthday before, not that he cared weather they did or not, but it would have been nice to have had this experience before…just his family wishing him a happy birthday.

With that thought Harry's eyes darkened and he felt his heart tug uncomfortably. It was true…his friends who he considered family were dead here, he was truly alone. Even if he did manage to kill Voldemort once again he couldn't guarantee that he would live to see his friends' births, let along actually develop the same relationship he had before.

'Happy birthday Harry,' he thought darkly at the orange flames once the song had finished.

"Well go on, make a wish." Harold encouraged seemingly not noticing the darkened expression on his cousin's face.

Closing his eyes, Harry thought for a moment. What did it matter if he wished; he was already on his second chance. What did he want?

To be free? Harry scowled at the thought for he could never truly be free with Voldemort kicking.

Happiness? Oh to be able to be happy and not have to worry any more about anything.

Yes that was it…he wanted happiness.

Opening his eyes Harry leaned in making his wish as he blew out the candles.

'I wish for the happiness of the future.'

Harry looked around his slightly darkened room. The party had lasted until well after dinner, during which time the children were left to their own devices and the grown-ups discussed 'grown-up' issues.

Even if his 'peers' were a bit immature he enjoyed his time with them immensely, they played games out side in the July sun, told stories and talked about quidditch.

Abigail had taken a liking to him and followed him around blushing every time he spoke to her. She was really quite cute and amusing when she blushed. Harry was just grateful that Sirius and James hadn't caught on yet that the youngest Preyton liked him.

After dinner Harry was allowed to open his towering pile of colorfully wrapped gifts. Even though hardly anyone knew him there they felt it only polite to buy him a present, and therefore he received as many gifts as his last four Christmas' combined.

The majority of the presents were things like books, cloaks, robes, candy, jewelry, socks (?), and a teddy bear. After he opened a present he would thank the person who had given it to him before opening the next one. Once all his presents had been opened, James, Sirius, and Remus helped him haul it all to his room before they told the guests fair well.

Both Remus and Sirius were going to spend a week more with the Potters to get acquainted with the newest Potter, and spend some quality time together.

Harry was happy to note that Peter was out of the country visiting his grandmother Germany and would not be staying at the Potters at all this summer. He wasn't sure if he could stand seeing his parents' betrayer yet, without breaking his head off in the process.

Sighing Harry laid back on his pillows thinking back on the day.

With a slight smile he drifted off to sleep.

Harry growled in annoyance, he had to admit it was funny the first few times but after the tenth time it's charm had worn off and now it was just OLD.

Sighing in annoyance he went back to his room to change for the third time that day. Sirius seemed to find it hilarious to dump water on him at random times during the day. Of course he hadn't done it anywhere near where Mary could have seen, but anywhere else was fair game.

He finally found the three outside in the gardens heads together whispering frantically.

When they finally saw him walking towards them they stopped talking and just stared.

Finally Sirius broke into a mischievous smile, his eyes sparkling as if an idea was playing in his head…that was until Remus smacked him in the back of the head wearing a very disapproving look on his face. Scowling back and holding the side of his head Sirius tried his best to look innocent, which no one bought.

After that little display of affection the James and Sirius decided they'd like to go flying. Remus looked a bit put out at their declaration and rolled his eyes a bit.

"Well I'll just sit down here then, I'm sure I can find something to read." The voice held no trace of disappointment, but Harry couldn't help but feel that the boy was indeed disappointed about something.

"I think I'll stay down here with Remus also. I haven't been to the library yet."

Remus perked up at the idea and agreed to show Harry to the library.

At the word library both James and Sirius winced as if he had said a curse word and hurried off to get their brooms.

The Potters' library Harry had to admit was pretty impressive.

Harry scanned the shelves looking for any titles that caught his interest; The Comprehension of Spirits, The Harmonius Scroll of Nine Rituals, The Thunder of Silence, The Codex of Talismans of Divination, Formulae of the Phoenixes, The Cosmic Wisdom, The Scroll of Invocations, The Aperature of Comprehension.

His eyebrows rose at the rare and old looking tomes on the shelf. He tenderly took an ancient book off the shelf and stared at its' cover, a jewel within a circle cut in half flanked by feathered wings stood plainly on the front cover. Flipping through the book he noted that many of the spells were advanced and well past N.E.W.T. levels, nothing he couldn't handle but they were advanced all the same. As he sat down and began to read he finally noticed Remus staring at him oddly.

"What?" Harry finally asked a bit unnerved by the boy's staring.

"You can read French?" Remus asked curiously staring at the book in the other boy's hands.

Glancing back down at the text Harry could just tell that it was indeed French, yet he understood every wood of it. Most peculiar….

He gave a slight grin over at the still curious boy, "Obviously."

Remus scowled slightly at what he believed to be sarcasm.

"Where did you learn to read French?"

"My godfather…he was French."

"Oh…" Remus blushed slightly and then asked his next question, "What happened to him?"

Immediately Harry's eyes narrowed and Remus blushed even more avoiding his eyes as he did so.

"Let me guess…Sirius and James asked you to question me since you are the most level headed and understanding out of the bunch?" Harry asked in a flat voice.

The old boy visibly flinched, "Was it really that obvious?"

"Yes." He had to fight the urge to smirk at Remus.

"I'm sorry, it's just that they were extremely curious, and…"

"You don't have to explain, what do you want to ask?"

Remus seemed incredulous, "you mean you aren't mad?"

"Not really, I've been expecting something like this since I got here…I am actually surprised that it's taking this long for you to ask."

Once again Remus blushed and Harry couldn't but to grin mentally at his discomfort, for he hadn't seen Remus this flustered except when he walked in on him and Tonks snogging.

"Well we were just curious as to what happened to your parents, and why were you in the hospital?"

Any and all expression left Harry's face and his eyes darkened as he prepared to tell Remus 'his' story. He gave out a soft laugh that was void of any happiness that made the other boy look apprehensive right away.

"Well I guess I should begin from the beginning…my grandmother moved to France after the war with Grindelwald in which my grandfather died. My father grew up in Reims where he met his best friend and brother in everything except blood, Zacharie Blanc. My father married my mother in 61, and I was born in 63. My father…died...before my birth, and my mother died giving birth to me."

Harry frowned here looking a bit guilty but continued on when Remus just stared entranced at the story he was hearing.

"Uncle Zacharie and Aunt Helen took me in as they were my godparents and treated me like their own son. They weren't able to have children of their own, unfortunately…so I was a bit spoilt being an only child and all." Harry smiled fondly at the statement, for it was the farthest from the truth you could go compared to his real childhood.

"Helen was from around here originally so we moved back to this country when I was four, for she missed home as she called it." Smiling sadly Harry continued, "Zach never really liked it here, said that living here would be the death of him, he was right…" Trailing off they sat in silence a few minutes one in deep thought the other in abject horror.

Remus had conflicting emotions on his face, one of pity, uncertainty, and apprehension about what would be said next.

"Death Eaters raided our home and killed both of my godparents, instead of giving me the pleasure of dying with my family they captured me and tortured me for a month, before they left me for dead in an over grown field." The venom in his voice was clear as day as he spat the word Death Eater out.

"They never thought that I'd survive and their crimes would be known." Harry said a bit vindictively.

Remus' head was spinning in terror, this boy, Harry…sitting in front of him now was tortured by death eaters for nearly a month? He had seen the only parents he knew killed right in front of his eyes?

Remus couldn't even begin to imagine what the other boy was going through, how strong he had to be to pull through it all.

The brown haired boy looked up, his eyes full of pity for the younger boy.

Harry saw the look and scowled back.

"Do not pity me Remus, for I do not deserve nor need your pity."

The statement was not said harshly, but instead in a soft commanding voice, a voice that Remus could not help but to listen too and nod his agreement.

"I'm sorry Harry; you don't deserve the life you've had." Tears looked like they would spill over the light eyelashes at any moment.

"No one does, but there isn't any use crying about things I cannot control. They will pay in time for their crimes, if not in this life then in their death." The sad voice said with such conviction and certainty that Remus felt definite that the death eaters undeniably would come to a dire end.

Harry changed courses almost immediately, "And that brings us to the here and now."

Remus could do nothing more than nod with sadness still lingering in his face.

Putting his head down Harry went back to his book with a silent sigh of relief.