FicWad

Refer to the first chapter for disclaimers, warnings, ect.

Professor McGonagall read out the title of the next chapter, a look of interest on her face. After being reminded of how despicable those muggles were she felt the need to confirm that her lion was indeed well cared for in his home. She could only hope she hadn't been so easily misled by a few words from the man beside her as it had seemed in the last chapter. Her eyebrow rose at the information that the house hadn't changed much in the ensuing years.

"Aww, ten years. The little baby boy I used to bounce on my knee is all grown up!" Sirius said with a smile, happy that he had the opportunity to tease his godson.

"Oh, shut it," the teenager growled back as he turned red, though he was unable to hide a small smile. It widened as his head of house told everyone about the pink beach ball that was his cousin.

"Harry, I do love the very vivid imagination you seem to have." Dumbledore mused. There was general laughter around the room and sounds of agreement.

"You come by it naturally Mr. Potter." McGonagall added. "Both James and Lily used to tell the most outrageous stories." She informed him causing Sirius and Remus to burst out into laughter. Harry watched them enviously, wishing he'd known that earlier. His feelings quickly turned to nervousness as the attention of the book turned onto him.

"Wait." Arthur requested, sitting forward and turning to frown at Harry. "Why aren't there any pictures of you?"

The teenager shrugged, trying to hide his unease. "Guess I'm that ugly?" He offered in a desperate voice.

Snape snorted to himself. More likely the muggles had noticed how vain the brat was and removed the pictures.

"Please continue, Minerva." the father of seven growled, not taking his eyes off Harry. His gaze didn't waver at the description of Harry's wake up call.

"Merlin, do all mothers sound that way? Mine did." Tonks mused in an attempt to diffuse the tension. The two men sitting beside her had deep frowns while Harry was trying his best to disappear into the cushions.

"Our's does too." Fred offered with a cheeky grin though he was watching his friend with a concerned eye.

"I do not Fred Weasley." Molly protested hotly, while keeping an hand on the shoulder of her furious husband. McGonagall sent him a curious look before reading the next paragraph.

Sirius nudged his godson at the mention of his old motorbike noticing as he did that the kid's body was as tense as a board. Turning, he saw that his face was completely white. "Harry? Are you okay?"

"Can we please, please skip this chapter?" Harry whispered in a strained voice, his eyes downcast.

"No." Arthur responded. He felt more than saw the dog animagus turn to him. He knew there would be an accusing look directed his way.

"We have to know, Sirius." Kingsley broke in. He had caught what Arthur had in the story so far. "More happened in that house is more than we're being told. If this is how we find out then so be it." he explained gently. "It has to be discussed if only to keep anything else like it from happening."

Sirius was conflicted. He had promised Harry that he would always have a choice and now the kid was asking for only one thing. On the other hand he felt he needed to know what the kid was keeping a secret for his safety if nothing else. "How bout this? We go out in the hall and you let me know what's coming and then we can decide."

Harry gave the man a half smile, knowing he was trying to give him a choice. "No, its okay. We might as well read it." He mumbled slumping down in his chair.

"Harry?" Hermione asked quietly as she leaned her shoulder against his. "Is it really that bad, what's coming up?"

He let out a huge sigh as he motioned for his head of house to continue. "Just embarrassing," he assured her. He did his best to tune out the narrative, not even looking at his best friend at the mention of his childhood companions.

"Really mate, you had to mention spiders?" Ron groaned causing the twins to laugh.

"Guys, not now." Bill cautioned with a stern look. He could tell something unpleasant was fixing to unfold and wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. He wasn't ready for what his former head of house read out next about a cupboard under the stairs.

There was complete silence, a silence so complete it was like Harry couldn't hear at all. Oddly the cold feeling reminded him of a dementor attack. He was half tempted to cast a Patronus to lighten the atmosphere.

"Professor McGonagall, if you could keep reading?" he inquired in as normal voice as he could muster.

"I think not Mr. Potter," She snapped back in a deadly voice. Harry frowned at the anger. It wasn't as if he'd wanted everyone to know his darkest secret.

"It's not a big deal! I mean, it makes it sound a lot worse than it is!" Harry looked at Mrs. Weasley who simply sat staring at him with her mouth open in shock. Tonks had her arms around Remus, almost as if she was holding him back. The ex-professor was staring at Harry with an almost accusing look. Ginny and Hermione had both started crying softly.

"Did you know?" the voice dripped with venom, making Harry whip his head around to gape in confusion at Professor Snape. The man in question loomed menacingly in front of Dumbledore. "Did. You. Know?" he repeated.

The headmaster slowly shook his head. Though his blue eyes held no twinkle whatsoever, he didn't appear angry, merely resigned. "I wanted to protect him... and the blood wards did that. I knew he wasn't treated the best but…families aren't suppose to hurt one another."

Snape gave a bitter laugh, "You never learn do you? How many times have we shown you that very fact."

Completely in shock over his most hated professor's behavior Harry opened his mouth and said the first thing that formed in his head. "Hey Sirius, you know what this means, right?"

"What, that I have to pamper you and treat you like a king to make up for this?" his godfather asked in a somewhat amused voice. The words loosened some of the tension in the room.

"Well, that too. I was thinking more along the lines of a get-out-of-jail-free card. You know, when McGonagall sends you an owl to tell you I've wrestled another troll or something, you have to wave it off. Cause obviously I've led a horrible life." Harry smirked pleased at how well the older man appeared to be taking this.

Sirius snorted. "Fat chance of that happening," he started before trailing off. "...Wait, what do you mean another troll?" he asked in disbelief.

McGonagall answered him with a smirk, pleased she had something to hold over the famous prankster. "I do believe we will be getting to that in a couple of chapters."

"First year? Troll...first year? Sirius sputtered turning furious eyes to his grinning godson. He was giddy that the man didn't appear to be disgusted with him and happily listened to the list of his cousin's extravagant gifts.

"Did you just say racing bike?" Fred laughed, which immediately set off all his brothers and Harry who appeared relieved that the worst was over.

"Even at eleven he was the size of a whale," Harry gasped out for the confused adults. Everyone chuckled and even Snape relaxed enough to smirk at the image.

The potions master had been unnerved by the wealth of confusion the previous revelation had caused, which was only enhanced by the announcement of the physical abuse by his cousin.

"Really Harry? Did you never learn to punch back?" Bill asked in exasperation, making a note to start teaching the kid some self defense.

"Give me a break. It was 4 years ago and he's three times my size. I deemed it more prudent to run!" the younger wizard huffed.

"How very Slytherin of you Mr. Potter," Snape sneered without the usual malice accompanying it.

Inwardly Harry groaned, reminded of the sorting and another secret he didn't want getting out. Sirius is going to disown me. On the plus side Snape just might keel over in shock. He grimaced as the cupboard was mentioned again, this time in relation to his health.

"You're still skinny but I guess you've grown a little," Ron conceded eyeing his friend critically.

"I starve for three months and eat great the rest of the year. My body has a hard time adjusting!" Harry retorted without thinking, causing Remus to sit forward.

"They starved you?" he asked pensively. .

The teenager shrugged, sighing in defeat. "It was one of their favorite punishments."

"But not their only one?" The werewolf pressed. Looking into the stern gaze, the kid slowly shook his head.

"Moony," Sirius sighed and rubbed his eyes. "When we break for the night we can sit down and discuss this. Let's just get through this bloody book for now." The look he shot the grateful teen let him know the discussion would be happening.

Around the room many breathed in relief. It was disconcerting for them to hear about the horror Harry had suffered. The teenagers alternated between feeling bad for their friend, awed that he was such a good person despite it, and anger that he had never confided in them.

They were quiet as the author gave a description of Harry. McGonagall's voice became incredulous as it came to the part mentioning the famous scar.

"What?" Hermione screeched. "You liked your scar?"

"Well, it was before I knew how I'd gotten it or what it meant! I was ten, I thought it was cool!" he defended, blushing at the stares his friends were sending him. The gazes soon switched to the book with anger as it was revealed that Harry had been lied to about the death of his parents.

"Lily did not die in a car crash!" Snape's blade-like voice sliced through the air over the feral growls coming from the Marauders.

Kingsley and Emmeline exchanged shocked looks. "How is that the whole wizarding world knows the story except the one person it means the most to?" She murmured to him quietly.

"It shocking." He admitted. "And partially our fault. I worked with James, you were friends with Lily. Neither one of us ever gave a thought to their son." He shook his head, disgusted with himself. He was dragged into his memories as the book made mention of the Potter hair.

Sirius shook his head at the fond memories those words brought back but kept silent. He didn't think he'd been this angry since he'd gone after the rat but he could see that his godson was mortified of the secrets that were being spilled. He didn't need any more heaped on him at the moment.

He was jerked from his thoughts as the twins began gagging at the description if Dudley.

"Ugh, what a horrible picture," Ginny gagged. "Thanks Harry! Now I'm gonna have nightmares."

"Ginny," Mr. Weasley warned, feeling that his it was his duty to do so. His wife was still in shock over the cupboard.

"It's okay Mr. Weasley." Harry jumped in. "Uncle Vernon gives me nightmares all the time so I know how she feels."

"Why does that make me feel worse?" Charlie murmured to his brother before laughing at what Harry thought of his cousin.

"Really Harry? Didn't know you had it in you!" Fred wheezed out.

"Oi, I am the son of a Marauder!" Harry called back causing Sirius to shake his head.

"I'm still reserving judgment on that one." He announced, causing Remus to laugh and Harry to stare at him indignantly.

Emmeline sent a small smile towards the man that she regretted immediately when he wiggled his eyebrows at her. Groaning she threw her attention back to the book, rolling her eyes as she listened to the Dursley child's stupidity.

"What child needs that many gifts?" Tonks asked in disbelief. "It's completely outrageous."

"Indeed." McGonagall sniffed before she continued reading, her lips becoming thinner and thinner at Dudley's behavior.

"Merlin," All the Weasley boys breathed knowing what would happen should they throw such a tantrum and turned the table over.

A few sentences later in which Harry's cousin tried to add two to thirty seven Snape was closing his eyes as if in pain. "There might be some good to come out of your situation Potter. If you had been treated equally with your cousin," He said sneering the last word. "You might have been even more of a dunderhead than you are."

"Severus..." Minerva scolded. But Harry, however, was laughing.

"So are you saying, in front of witnesses, that I'm not?" he asked.

"Hardly." the Potions Master smirked. McGonagall huffed as she kept reading.

"Figg?" Sirius muttered a few minutes later trying to place the name of Harry's babysitter.

"Potter!" McGonagall barked. "Why didn't you tell Arabella what those muggles were doing to you?"

Harry stared at her in confusion. "Who?"

"Mrs. Figg." His professor gestured with the book impatiently. "She's a squib and she's there to look out for you."

He nodded as he remembered but his eyes flashed angrily. "Well until this summer I had no idea she was. She never said anything. Something that's been happening a lot lately." His voice had risen until he was almost shouting at her, causing Sirius to reach out and grab his arm.

"Calm down pup. She has claws," he advised quietly.

Mcgonagall read out the next paragraph, frown lines marring her forehead.

"Well if she was there to look after him, then why didn't she treat him better?" Ron shot out angrily.

It was Professor Snape who answered. "If those muggles thought he was having a good time they wouldn't have let him return."

"Not that it excuses her behavior. I'm sure Harry was more than capable of keeping a secret." Emmeline huffed. "At the very least she could have alerted someone about how he was being treated."

"It was my understanding that she gave quarterly reports to the headmaster." McGonagall offered with a angry glance at the man. Her expression lightened slightly at the mention of her fellow order member's cats.

"Harry," Remus groaned softly with a shake of his head.

Sirius waved his words away. "Leave off Remus. Cats are evil creatures. You can't blame the pup."

"Would you care to repeat that statement Mr. Black?" McGonagall almost purred.

The dark haired man gulped. "Repeat what?" he asked using his most innocent expression. Remus and Harry burst out laughing. Their expressions darkened a moment later at the mention of Vernon's sister.

"Consensual. Believe me." Harry muttered angrily.

"Marge?" Ron asked grinning.

"Is that the one-?" Fred started.

"And then you-?" George added.

"Awesome!" All three boys exclaimed.

"Third year," Hermione informed the rest of the room, shaking her head though she was smiling.

Sirius frowned for a moment before his eyebrows rose. "Is this when you ran away?"

Harry flushed muttering under his breath .

Sirius gave him a suspicious look but let the matter rest. He turned back to the reading, wishing he hadn't as he heard more about how the muggles treated his godson. Not even letting the kid watch the Telly.

Fred shook his head sadly. "But Harry that would allow you to have fun."

"Something we have sworn we'd never allow!" His twin finished in a high imitation of Petunia Dursley.

"At least not without us." The finished together.

Ron was laughing along with brothers a minute later as the book version of Harry said he wouldn't blow up the house. "No, that would be dad!" He chortled.

Molly turned to glare at her now nervous husband. "What? When was this?" she demanded.

"Molly, I'm sure we'll read about it at some point. Why not save the telling off for the appropriate time." Kingsley's low deep voice did nothing to calm the irate woman but she held her tongue.

Arthur mouthed a silent thank you to his friend.

Hermione was next to object to the story, bristling in anger after just two sentences. "Oh yes, care more for the car than you do for a child!" She burst out, tears of anger in her eyes.

Harry sighed. "Really 'Mione it's okay. It's almost funny now."

"It is not okay, Harry James Potter, and you are far more damaged than I thought if you think it is!" she turned to glare at him.

"And I thought Ron was the one with no tact." Ginny muttered scathingly from her seat next to Luna.

The blond girl smiled dreamily, her already bright eyes lighting up when the twins burst out laughing at Dudley's nickname.

"What was that? Did she just?" Fred and George looked at each other in mock horror. "That's horrible."

"Even I didn't have a nickname like that!" Neville breathed, astonished.

The next paragraph reminded the current students of Draco Malfoy as Dudley play acted his distress for his mother.

"What an absolutely spoiled brat!" Emmeline growled.

"Indeed if I were his mother he'd be over my knee before he could so much as blink." Molly agreed though her voice was quiet. Her heart felt like it had broken in two when she heard what had been done to her youngest son's best friend.

"Of course he did," Charlie scoffed after hearing that Dudley's tears died up immediately. "Couldn't be seen as a baby in front of his friends."

Mcgonagall gave him a sharp look as she continued reading, her voice becoming harsh when Vernon threatened to lock her lion in that damnable cupboard.

Growls could be heard around the room though the loudest was surprisingly coming from Ginny.

Harry just rolled his eyes. "Seriously, getting mad's not going to help anything." he jested in an effort to hide the shame every mention of the cupboard brought.

"At least not yet." Sirius muttered to himself "I'm keeping all the anger for when I come face to face with those bastards."

He flashed an innocent look at his best friend, finding it easy to to hide his anger in the excitement the next paragraph.

"Oohhh Harry are we going to hear about some of your accidental magic?" Hermione asked. She leaned forward eagerly anxious to know how they compared.

Harry wrinkled his nose. He didn't think his early magic was all that impressive. Not only was it embarrassing but there wasn't a whole lot of it. From Ron's stories he had something happen almost every day.

The first story was when he'd grown his hair back causing Ron to burst out laughing.

"Potter hair!" the Marauders sang hiding their anger at the treatment.

"She should know about accidental magic." Tonks pointed out. "Surely Lily did some?"

"Of course she knows." Snape sneered. "It gives her a reason to hate."

Luna perked up at the mention of the horrid sweater Petunia had tried to force him into. "Was it made from the hair of an Umpkilter?" She asked dreamily from her end of the couch.

She listened carefully to the rest of the story before nodding sagely . "It tends to do that, the Umpkilter hair."

Hermione opened her mouth to dispute the claim causing Ron and Harry to horridly pressed their shoulders into her to keep her quiet.

"Thank Merlin." Sirius muttered quietly when it was discovered Harry wasn't punished for the incident.

Nearly all the adults seemed surprised and impressed when they found out he'd appeared on the roof of his primary school.

"Blimey Harry, how'd you get up there?" Ron asked in awe. His friend just shrugged.

"Brilliant mate," Neville agreed.

"That's very advanced magic." Kingsley, Moody and McGonagall all agreed. The gryffindor head of house continued to read, her eyebrows raising at the explanation given.

"Really Harry we have to work on your excuses. You can't be a Marauder Jr with that kind of drivel!" Remus teased.

Sirius shushed him. "We don't need him learning how to lie to us any better."

The twins gaped at him. "You sir, are a traitor to the prankster code." Fred informed him solemnly.

"No, what I am is a man who is responsible for keeping a trouble-seeking hooligan safe." His lips twitch at their devastated faces. "I am all for him pulling pranks and causing untold mischief," he held up a hand to quiet their yells, "as long as his life is not in danger."

"You do realize he is sitting right next to you." Harry responded dryly.

Bill groaned when the words in the next paragraph proclaimed that nothing would go wrong. "Your jinxing yourself with thoughts like that." He warned.

There was silence for a few minutes until Snape hissed out a breath when the book version of Harry announced his dream of a flying motorcycle to the dursleys. "I fully take back my previous statement." Snape sneered. "You are as much of a dunderhead as your cousin."

Harry flushed at the smirks that were sent his way. "I was excited to get out of the house." He muttered rebelliously.

His statement once again quieted the room as several of the adults sent pitying looks at the dark haired teen.

George took note of the looks and the affect they had on his friend. He nudged his twin and together they conspired to capture the attention for themselves. They found their opportunity when McGonagall read about a source for dangerous ideas.

"Forge, I think we just found some new inspiration for our genius!" Fred was nearly bouncing in his seat.

"Indeed Gred, I sense many new inventions arising," he agreed.

Together they turned to Hermione. "What are cartoons?"

She laughed before paling. "Something I am never letting you watch." She announced with finality.

Two redheads shrugged, feeling accomplished as Harry teased his friend about something called Simpson. They grinned as the book version of him compared his cousin to a gorilla.

"Merlin, Harry," Charlie said laughing. "What is it with you and comparing people to animals?"

The teen shrugged good naturedly. "They acted like animals most of the time." He relaxed back in his seat as the atmosphere in the room lightened even more, everyone enjoying hearing about Harry getting a treat during the visit to the zoo. He almost missed it when McGonagall mentioned the reptile house.

Harry shot up in his seat. "Wait!" he almost yelled. He turned wide eyes to his godfather.

"What's wrong?" Remus asked worriedly as Sirius tugged the hyperventilating teen until he was sitting between them.

"I...I...cantalktosnakes" He rushed out, green eyes bugging out in panic.

"How about we try that again, but this time you actually breathe." Sirius smiled in concern at the distraught boy.

"I'm a parselmouth!" he huffed out, his anxiety quickly turning to confusion at the expressions on the two men's faces.

"Harry I'm sure they know." Hermione stated, continuing when his gaze swung toward her. "That awful Skeeter woman wrote about it in that article right before the third task."

As understanding dawned he got up from the couch and narrowed his eyes at the two men. "You didn't say anything!" he accused.

"Well jeez, that afternoon you were nearly killed by Voldemort, we restarted the Order, you were attacked by dementors, and tried like a criminal." Sirius responded dryly. "I think in light of everything we got over our surprise."

"Of course, it would have been nice if you had mentioned it before it became necessary." Remus added, annoyance in his voice.

Harry shrugged but didn't respond as he sat back down with his friends.

Across the room Charlie gave the kid an envious look. No matter the darkness of the talent it would be brilliant to be able to talk to any animal even a snake. He listen with rapt attention as McGonagall described the scene, sneering at the youngest Dursley's behavior. He frowned as the young wizard compared himself to he caged reptile. "That's really sad Harry." After growing up in the Burrow he couldn't imagine being that alone.

The kid gave him a half shrug, a small smile on his face as he listened to his head of house recount the conversation he'd had with the animal.

Neville began laughing. "Only you could have that conversation with a snake and not think it was strange." His normally gentle eyes hardened when Dudley punched his fellow gryffindor.

There were exclamations around the room. "That boy..." Mrs. Weasley was unable to finish her thoughts.

Sirius was growling. "Harry I can guarantee you that I will never punish you for anything that you do to that boy." Harry and Ron exchanged looks of surprise.

"Does that mean he'll punish you for other things?" Ron asked in a whisper.

Harry thought back to the letters he'd exchanged with the man over the last year and half. "Definitely." His contented feeling increased when his godfather puffed up in pride at the show of accidental magic read about in the book when the glass to the snake's tank disappeared.

"Awesome!" all the boys shouted and even the adults were smiling.

"That's really strong magic Mr. Potter." Kingsley observed in his deep voice. He appeared impressed.

"Hmph, why can't you do that in class?" McGonagall asked though her eyes were glinting approvingly. She continued reading, the amusement leaving her as she read about his punishment for the incident. She had to put the book down after reading about the signs of physical abuse, namely the welts to his back.

Molly Weasley had turned white, and before anyone could protest she rushed out of the room.

"I'll go..." Mr. Weasley trailed off in the strained silence before following his wife. The distant sounds of sobbing could be heard.

"Can we just continue reading or something?" Harry asked in a small voice not daring to look up.

"I'm sorry Mr. Potter but the book has sealed itself. We will be unable to read anything more until all are present." McGonagall relied quietly.

"So." Sirius announced in a loud voice. One look at his godson's face had let him know that pulling him into his arms would be the worst thing he could do. "We need something." He muttered escaping for the kitchen part of the room.

Remus looked at his friend in annoyance before following. "How can you stay so calm after hearing something like!" he hissed.

Sirius watched as his godson's friends crowded around him and the twins attempted to lighten the mood by offering Charlie one of their trick sweets. "What's the point of making an issue out of it? The kid's mortified as it is." He breathed deeply through his nose in an effort not to drive his fist through the cabinet.

"How could he keep something like that to himself?" The werewolf hissed. His voice was little more than a growl and his eyes were a more yellow than brown.

The other man scoffed. "Who was he going to tell? Dumbledore?" He sent an angry look at the man currently being berated by the feline at his side. "It's not happened in the last two years, at least not to that extent. He would have told me." He assured his friend. He stayed where he was, watching his godson interact with the unusual blond girl until the Weasley parents had returned.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief when his godfather sat back down with nothing more than a squeeze on the knee and a low comment about girlfriends that left him confused. He tuned out the reading, jumping when the old auror slammed his fist down at the mention of his parents death.

"Because there was no crash boy," Moody growled as he pondered if there was any way he could bring the muggles up on charges.

Sirius gave his knee another squeeze when it was announced he didn't know anything about his parents. "Remus and I know plenty of stories that we will share with you." The dog animagus said sadly. "Emmeline could tell you a lot about your mum."

"I should have before now." She agreed with a self incriminating look. Both she and Sirius winced when McGonagall read about Harry's wish for someone to come and take him away. The godfather closed his eyes tightly at the words, feeling them like a knife through his chest.

McGonagall read the last few sentences before closing the book with a snap.

"I think it would be a good idea to stop for the night." Dumbledore announced looking around the tense faces of the room. The announcement was met with nods and various groups began to file out of the room.