From his vantage point, Harry stared below him. He was once again balancing, about to plunge down into nothingness. But this time, what he could see was different. It was Draco, but he wasn't bustling around the restaurant. He was staring directly into Harry's eyes, and it was just the two of them.
As Harry felt himself fall backwards like he always did, he felt panic overflow him and he reached out to Draco... but missed. And then toppled and fell down, down, down.
While the air whipped his hair around his face, Harry saw a flash of light - a sight not usually seen. A few seconds later, the flash came again. When he paid attention, Harry realised that he could see faces, he could see people in those flashes of light as he plunged further and further down. Squinting, he tried to catch a glimpse.
Hold on. That didn't make sense. Were these shards of light just mirrors? The person staring back at Harry looked just like him. Wait... Harry waited for another picture to appear, and as soon as it did, he realised. The eye colour was wrong.
Though he was falling at a speed that should have terrified him, Harry suddenly felt more comforted than he had in a while. In those shards of light flitting past him... were his parents.
Catching sight of a red-haired lady with eyes that matched his own, Harry confirmed: that was his mother. Lily Potter.
And despite it all, he had a massive smile on his face.
But shrill laughter echoing around his head made the smile drop, and the dark, blank space around Harry gradually turned into green. He found himself wondering what was happening, but the more he fell, the brighter the green got, and soon Harry felt his forehead burn as the light seared his eyes.
Then, knocking the air out of his body, Harry hit the ground. His glasses must have come off with the contact, or he had a concussion, because everything was blurry. Everything burning with pain, Harry tried to lift his head. There was a pale, bald figure, whose facial features couldn't be seen through the fuzziness of Harry's sight. And from this person, laughter. That terrible, terrible laughter.
Waking with a start, Harry rubbed his eyes. When did he fall out of his bed? Must've been why the impact on the ground in his dream hurt so much. And where were his glasses?
Blindly groping around the floor for them, Harry thought he heard voices downstairs - younger voices that didn't sound brain dead like Vernon or Petunia. Maybe it was the authorities finally coming to take Harry away and send him to an orphanage. Can eighteen year olds go to orphanages? He'd probably just be thrown out to fend for himself. At least that means he could go stay with-
"'Just go up the fuckin stairs and it's right there,'" someone outside Harry's door muttered sarcastically. "Yeah right. I just want to pee, is that so bloody-"
His face lighting up, Harry jumped up off the ground and practically kicked open his door.
"-Harry?"
"SIRIUS!" the boy cried, crushing his godfather in a massive hug who squeezed him tightly, lifting him off the ground. The strong scent of Sirius' cologne put his nerves at rest, and he felt at home again. Unable to stop his laughing, Harry, readjusted his glasses and slid his hand through his hair. "What are- why are you here?"
"Remus is here, too." Sirius smiled, jerking his thumb in the direction of the stairs he just came from. "We've come to make them sign the paperwork. You're not gonna be forced to stay here for any longer, I won't allow it."
Not knowing how to express his happiness in any other way, Harry threw his arms around Sirius again and laughed, his delight far too overwhelming to be able to actually process finally leaving.
"Alright, squirt," Sirius chuckled, patting Harry's head and then putting his hands on his shoulders. "How's about we go downstairs and see how the process is coming along, hey?" but then he made a face and said. "But first I need your toilet. Badly."
Shaking his head with a grin, Harry pointed and Sirius hopped over to the bathroom, wasting no time.
Jumping down each step with Sirius trailing behind him, Harry looked excitedly around the house for the comforting, scarred face of Remus. He found him seated at the old armchair opposite Vernon on the couch and was about to race over and hug him until he heard the tone of voices in the conversation.
"-derstand why you think you have the right to come into my house and demand something that is rightfully ours by law." Uncle Vernon grumbled, crossing his arms.
Remus' face didn't change from his patient, polite smile. "Harry isn't an object to be passed from person to person, Mr Dursley. And Sirius and I have been trying to get a hold of you for months, if not years. I just fail to see what has been so difficult, because perhaps we can help you with whatever is challenging you."
Bringing his unruly eyebrows together at the centre, Vernon glared at Remus. "We, the Dursleys, are not challenged in any way, thank you very much. And, as far as the law is concerned, Mister- Mister..."
"Lupin," Remus supplied helpfully.
"I know." Vernon snapped. "As far as the law is concerned, Mr Lupin, Harry belongs to us since those fools died."
At this, Harry saw Remus chew his lip, no doubt trying to contain any emotion.
Sirius, on the other hand, was seeming to have more difficulty. Standing next to Harry, his fists and teeth were both clenched and he looked ready to pounce.
Face neutral, Remus continued, "I understand that, I really do-"
"Doubtful." Vernon muttered.
"-but I believe that Harry would feel more at home if he were to live with us. I have expressed this in many emails, perhaps they didn't send?"
Petunia, seated beside her husband, lifted up her snobbish nose. "The boy's home-"
"Harry." Sirius said quietly, making everyone look at him. He didn't look up from where he was intently staring at the old, ugly carpet. "His name is Harry."
With a glare, Petunia restarted. "The boy's home has been with us since my stupid little sister went and got herself killed by some raging psycopath."
"Got herself killed?" Remus repeated, a look of shock on his face before he closed his eyes and took a breath. Sirius began to come towards him - or towards Vernon - but Remus held up a hand. "Okay. I think we have lost the purpose of this meeting. All we need-" he slid a piece of paper and a pen across the coffee table. "Is for you to sign this, and we can take Harry."
Hoping to be helpful, Harry added, "You won't have to see me again. Ever."
"That shouldn't be an incentive," Remus said quietly.
Realising that he was out of arguments, Vernon glared at Harry. "Boy-"
"Harry." Sirius once again interjected.
"What have I told you about speaking out of turn?"
Looking down, Harry recited, "Never talk unless you're saying 'yes, sir.'"
Horrified, Remus turned to the Dursleys. "You can't just do that."
"This is my household-" Vernon began, but Harry quickly cut him off, taking a few steps inside the living room.
"Remus, it's fine, he's said that to me for years-"
"That's even worse!" Looking distraught, Remus looked up at Sirius who was by his side.
Squinting, Sirius turned to Vernon. "If you treat him with this much disrespect, why are you so intent on not giving him away?"
Not knowing if he should look at Sirius' hand on Remus' shoulder or try and defend his honour, Vernon started turning purple.
Patting his shoulder, Petunia turned her tight lips to Sirius. "It is our duty of care which we were entrusted to when my sister-"
"You weren't entrusted to shit!" Sirius cut in, eyebrows twitching. "Not once have you given any love to Harry, not once have you ever treated him as if he were your own. But, if he lived with us-"
"I WON'T have some queers come into my house and question my integrity!" Vernon fumed. "And I will NOT give this stupid boy to some pansies because at least here he will be taught some lessons and shown that the world doesn't care for stupid, insignificant brats who speak out of turn!"
Stomping through the room against Remus and Sirius' urges to stay put, Harry squeezed his fists and glared at his uncle. "Shut. Up. You can't talk to people I love like-"
"Silence, you insolent brat!" Vernon screamed. "That crash did your parents a bloody favour, killing them before they had to suffer through parenting you! I had to take the bloody blow for them, and you are the only thanks I get! You say one more word and I will feed you to the dogs!"
Looking as though he had been slapped in the face, Remus looked up at Vernon.
The room was dead silent.
Slowly, Remus stood up. The look in his eye scared Harry - never before had he ever seen Remus legitimately mad.
Lifting his chin, Remus was visibly trying to stop himself from shaking, clutching his hands together and closing his eyes.
Even Vernon gulped, but he stubbornly didn't move.
His nose scrunching up into a snarl, Remus leant forward and made sure that he had locked eyes with Vernon before speaking. "You are just like my fucking father was." He spat.
Immediately, several things happened: Petunia gasped, Harry's eyes widened, Vernon turned purple and an unassuming blonde boy walked into the room asking about what they were having for breakfast.
Moustache quivering, Vernon rose to meet Remus' eye but didn't even come close to his height. "How dare-"
"No, how dare you!" Remus shouted, raising his hand but then shoving it back down by his side. "You dare to treat a child the way you have, his entire life! Children need love and affection, they need praise, they need rules but not whatever bullshit you've been pulling!" His hands shook, and when Sirius touched him he shrugged him off. "You are the foullest mos- most irascible, predatory, malevolent creature I have ever set eyes on!"
"Get out." Vernon growled, his eyes hardly seen underneath his furrowed brows.
"Remus, breathe." Sirius whispered urgently.
"No!" Remus' voice broke as he refused to look at Sirius for longer than two seconds. "This- this man is downright evil and only cares about self-preservation, so much so that he's bullied Harry since he was just a recently orphaned infant purely because he got satisfaction out of it! How- how can someone so-" but his voice was drowned out.
"GET OUT!" Vernon screamed, knocking over a cup of tea, the shattering of the mug ringing in Harry's ears.
Heart beating out of control, Harry unconsciously took a step back as he watched everything unfold, a sense of helplessness overwhelming him.
"What happened?" Dudley, who just got run into by Harry's elbow, said confusedly. "Who are they?"
Almost falling backwards in his haste, Remus spun around and briskly approached the door, looking as though he was about to say something before Petunia yelled-
"Touch the boy and I will call the police!"
"We're taking him!" Remus yelled back, reaching out his hand.
Heart still pounding, Harry shrunk back, eyes wide.
"What are you doing?" Remus demanded, his jaw tense.
Not knowing how to explain how scary Remus looked just then with his hair all messed up and his normally calm face all distorted, Harry fumbled. "I-"
Suddenly, Remus was seized from behind with a yelp.
"The boy goes when I say he goes!" Vernon said, a fistful of Remus' hair in his meaty hand, shoving him towards the door.
Panicked, Sirius clawed at Vernon's back, unsuccessfully trying to loosen his grip. "Stop that! Let him go!"
"The boy, Tunia!" Vernon yelled over his shoulder, and Petunia grabbed Harry by the collar, opening the door to the tiny cupboard under the stairs.
The last thing Harry saw before the door was slammed shut was Sirius spinning around, eyes wide, shouting, "Harry!" Then his neck was seized by Vernon who shoved him out of the house.
"Sirius! Remus!" Harry called, slamming against the door which didn't budge. It was pitch black. Shoulder throbbing and chest heaving, Harry tried to stand up but accidentally rammed his head on the tiny roof instead. Out of pain and frustration, he screamed, crumpling to the dusty floor before sobbing in the darkness, all alone.