Redo

Chapter 9

Harry hadn't even been in Hogwarts for a week, but it was already the best time of his life. Ron and Hermione did seem closer to each other, and there was a certain level of frostiness between Ron and Draco, but these were people who genuinely cared about Harry and showed it.

When Harry was in primary school he rarely had friends, and when he did they left the school, stopped being friends with him, or started being bullied relentlessly too. Harry was almost always alone, and even when he wasn't it didn't stop Dudley and his gang making Harry's life as hard as they could. He had never consciously or deliberately done anything in retaliation, though it turned out he had done so accidentally with magic.

He had also never been able to eat so much food, or wash to regularly, or sleep in such a soft bed. Though, Harry actually slept in his bed surprisingly little.

He guessed he would have taken at least a week to stop having his nightmares, but he still felt guilty how almost every time he woke up in a cold sweat with a silent scream that Ron was awake too and comforting him. Sometimes Harry would end up falling asleep in Ron's bed as his friend comforted him, and other times they would all fall asleep on the sofa in front of the fire, but Harry felt like he almost always fell asleep first.

Draco's promise to give Harry more of the sleeping potion was delayed as Mme Pomfrey insisted on putting it through many rigorous tests. Harry couldn't put his finger on why, but he felt a strong desire to stay away from Mme Pomfrey and the Hospital Wing, no matter how often Draco offered to take him there to see the results of the tests.

Today, though, was a true test of what Harry's future might bring. It was the first Saturday, so now Harry stood in McGonagall's office with Ron and Hermione on either side of him. Minerva had left the room to give Harry and Remus some privacy.

Remus wasn't late, Harry had come early in the hopes of giving this 'Uncle' of his a good enough impression of him. If this person liked him, maybe Harry would finally be able to leave the Dursleys, his dream for as long as he could remember.

Time seemed to be moving unbearably slowly as Ron led Harry to a chair, Harry busy looking between the clock and the fireplace, where Ron had told him Remus would be coming in through.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione's question made Harry jump.

"I'm fine." Harry looked down with a strained smile.

"It's okay to be nervous, you're meeting someone you've never met before in your memory. Anyone would be nervous." Hermione put her hand on Harry's shoulder and giving it a firm squeeze.

"You two aren't nervous though." Harry mumbled beneath his breath.

"It's not our family though, mate. The amount of stress that fills my house whenever a relative is coming would make anyone unable to believe. That's even more so when at least most of us don't know them, and we're a big family. Most Christmases are utter nightmares." Ron was not exaggerating, even Fred and George didn't dare to crack the smallest joke when any number of family members came to their house unless it was Bill or Charley.

Ron still didn't understand why the whole family insisted on coming to the Burrow for every Christmas until this year when every one of them had a house more suited to hosting that number of people. Yes, Molly was by far the best cook in the family, especially when she was feeding people she loved, but it's not like she didn't need some time off cooking, and she would never have refused to help. She would in fact insist on it, too used to being run off her feet caring for so many children.

Harry didn't say anything in response, but his knee was bobbing up and down, a nervous habit Harry had dropped in their fourth year when he had to spend all his time with Hermione because Ron was mad at him. It had annoyed her and she asked him to stop, she hadn't meant forever though.