Part 2: Grimmauld Place
They were getting ready to leave now, Harry knew. For a while there had been repeated thuds from the living room as Ripper Giles went after his Uncle Vernon. The younger man, Wesley, had joined him up here to help him pack. All Harry knew was that he was going some where away from here and he never had to come back. This group said it and he was pretty sure it was true.
And, looking at Wesley, he kind of stared. He had an uncle. He wasn't alone and he wasn't an orphan bastard. His Uncle was sitting next to him while the others dealt with his uncle. He looked up as his aunt came into the room.
"These are yours, Harry," was all she said. But in her eyes, there was warmth.
"Darius said you and Dudley are to pack as well," Wesley said.
"We aren't leaving you here where he can get a hold of you again. Go on."
"Thank you, Wesley," she said and she then did the strangest thing, she kissed Harry's forehead. Then she went to her room and Dudley's and packed them. Harry told them no electronics and Dudley actually did not argue.
"It's time to go," Connor MacLeod said. Harry didn't know him but he, his aunt and his cousin and everything they were taking got into the circle around the man.
Harry felt really shift the man he didn't know stood in the center of the circle they had all formed and reached with a golden glow around them all and then reality just bent and they were suddenly in the parlor of Grimmauld Place, being gawked at by several wizards.
"What?" Remus asked as he looked at those in the room. "You wanted me to get him, Sirius. I got him."
"Remus?" Sirius asked as if questioning his eye. How did you get in here? There are anti-apparition wards all over this place."
"We didn't apparate," a gravely voice said from the center of the group. "I bent reality and moved us here. My name is Connor MacLeod. This is Methos, Xander, Giles, Ethan, Faith, Spike, Wesley, Dawn, Oz and Darius who if by the look on her face is accurate, you all know by another name."
"Lord Gryffindor?" Tonks asked in awe.
Darius inclined his head and Connor found himself snickering as everyone else just froze as they realiz ed who they were looking at.
"So," Darius said after a few moments of silence. "Could someone explain why an heir of mine was left in a situation as abusive as that one when he had a blood relative on his mother's side who could have taken him and raised him and done a better job?"
"Who?" Sirius demanded.
"Me," Wesley said. "Wesley Wyndham-Pryce. My father had an affair with Lily and Petunia's mother. I was the result. Father wanted me so I went with him. We share blood. I could have protected the boy far better than that Sonuvabitch he calls an uncle."
At that moment, Severus Snape walked into the room and stared at the group. He was still staring at Darius when Giles moved. Giles moved so fast he put Spike to shame. He was in front of Snape, drawing his arm back and letting fly with a punch that sent Snape careening into the wall and the slumping to the floor and spitting four teeth out.
"That was for Ethan you sorry bastard!" Giles growled. Harry saw his aunt and Cousin watching. It seemed Giles' protective instincts included the man that looked his age but seemed to be suffering from something.
"I have neither forgiven, nor forgotten what you did to my Ethan, Severus," Giles growled. "My rage about that is as extreme as the rage at her ex-husband for what he did to her and her son and nephew for 16 years. Do not screw with me now. I am far more powerful than you will ever know."
Giles then walked over to the group he'd arrived with and pointed at Ron for them.
"Ron?" Faith asked. And her voice was chilly.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Lets have a talk about respect and insult to people who left the country because they can't work here." Faith said. "And while we're at it, let's talk about you bitching about things and your stupid, petty jealousies because Harry has money and you don't. Cause I gotta say, that's a pretty pissy attitude to have. So, lets learn to keep our mouth shut huh? 'Cause I gotta say, none of us are impressed with you and screwing with our Ulfric after it took us nearly a month to straighten out his belief in himself is a damn good way to get yourself branded a moron to our group and we don't forgive stupidity like that easily. We do not suffer fools or morons easily."
"What is going on here?" a new voice called. "Who removed Harry from the Dursleys?"
"I did," Darius said. "And I actually only removed him from One Dursley, Vernon."
And the old man with the white beard felt his jaw drop as Darius turned to face him. He knew who it was and he knew it was not a joke.
"L-Lord Gryffindor?" he asked. And Darius smiled and this time, the smile was not nice.
Part 3: Full Moon Fight
Harry had seen his aunt and cousin off that morning with Tonks taking them someplace safe. Harry was glad she would be safe and that Dudley would get the help he needed. Since his uncle was the one who'd made Dudley as overweight as he was and it was abuse, the Wizards were going to use thinning potion on him. He would lose weight as fast as it was safe too. Harry was glad because Dudley did need the help. Right now, he was finishing his summer assignments. Snape was talking funny as his teeth were re-growing in thanks to a potion form Madame Pomfrey but he was no saying much of anything when Giles was in the room.
Dumbledore had been angry with Giles for hitting Snape but Giles had told him if he'd let him when they were students, this would not have happened. Dumbledore had glared but Giles did not care. And with Darius, AKA Godric Gryffindor in the house, not even Dumbledore was ordering anyone to do anything. After he had told them to put Harry back and Darius had asked if he'd like to live in a closet or a jail cell because he could arrange it if the headmaster did, Dumbledore had quieted down about what he thought was best.
Darius had taken him aside and explained it in small words. Something Harry knew was an insult but Darius did not seem to care over much.
Darius had explained that Albus' motives might have been for the best but he did it wrong and it had caused serious harm. Thankfully they had been in time to save lives. Albus had been quiet since that talk and Harry knew it had to have hurt being told he'd done something wrong but according to Methos, Godric Gryffindor was the best stagiest to eve walk the planet and he had seen at least 6 better ways to do this. Harry knew it had to have hurt the headmaster to have his plans for Harry torn apart but Harry did not seem to care overmuch. He was happy to know it wouldn't always have to be him and there could be a break.
"So , enjoying the rest of your summer?" Wesley asked as he sat next to Harry.
They would be taking the train in less than a week but the Dream team was coming along with them. Also, it was the full moon and Harry was watching as professor Lupin and Oz remained human.
"Yeah, Harry said. "And it's great my aunt and cousin are safe now too. And they'll get to live in safety and everything."
"Yeah," Wesley said. "That's the way of it. What the hell?"
"Arms!" Arthur Weasley called. And everyone moved. Remus and Oz included. Harry watched as Remus picked up his muggle weapons and they filed out with the others into a battlefield. Dark Wizards were attacking and the Order was trying to fight was well as the 50 or so Aurorers that were on duty.
Harry watched as this group Oz had jokingly called The Dream Team waded into the fight taking down dark wizards left and right and then, badness happened.
Werewolves attacked.
"Dammit!" Remus growled. "Oz, get behind me!"
Oz obeyed and Remus stared at the second wave of werewolves bearing own on them. The moon had just risen and Oz realized some of those who had been human were now changing. Remus was slapping down those in front of them when he suddenly turned that over to Oz and went after some of the other werewolves. He saw one going for Snape and reacted, moving towards it as fat as the wolf he no longer turned into unless he willed it.
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Snape froze as a werewolf lunged at him. This time he knew there was no James Potter to save him. He was bracing and just as it's jaws were about to close on his throat it was yanked away.
"NO!" Snape heard Lupin roar. And he stared as the creature submitted before the man who was somehow still human on the full moon. Lupin hurled the wolf backwards and it and its brethren retreated. Finally, he looked down at Snape.
"Years a go, a werewolf nearly took your life as the result of a bad joke. You've made him pay for something that was not his fault ever since. My debt to you is repaid Severus."
And Remus then turned away from him and went back into the fight, leaving Snape to stare in drop-jawed shock. Lupin....had saved him. He could not comprehend it. And if he understood that last statement, it meant Remus was no longer going to put with his snide comments. It was finally beginning to register to Snape who and what Remus was. Remus no longer changed with the moon unless he wished it. He longer had the madness. It caused a jet of fear to shoot through Snape and he could see the same fear on the faces of the other ministry workers. Even Umbridge who had come to deny anything was going on.
No one could touch Remus Lupin or Oz. No one could threaten him or try to hurt him. Remus Lupin was no longer a regular werewolf. He was an Ulfric.
And as an Ulfric, the ministry could not touch him. Or anyone he called his pack.
After the fight ended, they walked away from the ministry officials. Remus ignored those asking him questions about what had caused him to be elevated to Ulfric and other such nonsense. There was no time to answer stupid questions. Not with the school term starting in less than a week. Once they were back in their building, Remus sat down and picked up a textbook for Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Darius nodded. He had assigned that to Remus. Dumbledore knew Darius would be running the school for this year. Because Darius did not have to kiss anyone's ass. It would register to the ministry who he was soon enough and then, no one would cross him. Of course, Dumbledore also knew he could not influence Darius one way or another. Darius' ideals were not what the history books said they were.
"We're hitting Diagon Alley on the way to the train. We go tomorrow and stay there for a few days. Everyone go get packed."