Days later, Harry found himself seated across from his uncles, Sirius and Remus, in an IHOP. As he bit into a chocolate chip pancake, he looked between the two men nervously. They continued to stare at him, silent.

"So, uh..."

"You've been causing trouble." Sirius interjected, looking at Harry ashamedly.

"It wasn't trouble! I was just-"

"Save it. We give you running water, a warm place to sleep, food, and you still disrespect us. I don't know where you get it from, Harry, but I know James didn't raise you that way, and Lily was never ever like that growing up." His long haired uncle continued, taking a bite of his omelette.

"Sirius, I'm sorry."

"And you damn well should be too! Your fathers invested a lot of money into this vacation, and all you do is walk all over them. You weren't like this before, and I don't know what inspired you to change, but you're vile." Remus placed his hand on his husband's shoulder then, willing him to calm down and not draw a scene.

"What he's trying to say, Harry, is you've been given all these blessings, and we're just wondering why you'd throw this all away for some girl." The light haired man stated, eyeing Harry sadly.

"She's not just some girl though, Remus. Sure, she's not my girlfriend, and posing her as such in front of my parents was wrong, but she's not just some girl. She's amazing. She's so smart, and talented, and downright beautiful. She wants to be a marine biologist someday: heart of gold." Harry explained, taking another bite of his pancakes as he thought of Hermione.

"You sure speak pretty high of her for someone who claims they're not a Hetero." Sirius muttered, taking a large gulp of his coffee, burning his throat and then coughing.

"Is it a crime now for a man to think a woman's beautiful, but only want her as a friend?"

"No, but you're hardly a man. You're hormonal, and manipulative, and just..." Sirius clenched his teeth.

"Sirius, enough. We're in public."

"He made us cut our vacation short!"

"He's your godson."

"He's a goddamn fool." Harry frowned then, losing interest in the pancakes. Growing up, he'd loved his uncles Sirius and Remus to extreme levels. He'd always found their relationship admirable, and wanted nothing but the approval of his godfather in everything he did. Right now, however, he saw nothing but disappointment in the man's eyes, and it stung him.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, pushing a few chocolate chips around on the plate with his fork. This halted the two men's discussion, and they both turned to look at him.

"You're what?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry I keep messing up in everything I do. I'm sorry I can't be the perfect nephew: perfect godson you've always wanted. I'm sorry that I'm a hormonal teenager that's not yet ready to get married, and I'm sorry that I forced you guys out of your vacation in Berlin. I'm sorry!" Harry exclaimed frustratedly, drawing the heads of a few tables around them.

Sirius let out a breath then.

"Harry, you're not a failure, okay? We know what it's like to be teenagers, and we're sorry that you're not having the time of your life. It's just... Responsibilities, and rules. Rules are rules, and no matter what, you must abide by your father's rules. He loves you so much, and wants the very best for you. We all do. We just hate to see so much potential go to waste."

"If I knew my mother, I would've said you sound like her just then." Harry muttered.

"Your mother's a remarkable woman, Harry. Spite everything life threw at her, she still came out to be one of the bravest women I've ever known. You'd be amazed by her too." Sirius explained.

"What happened to her?" The dark haired boy's eyes widened with interest.

"We don't really get into it..." Remus muttered, eyeing Sirius nervously. "She hit a rough patch for a while, but she's beaten it. Remarkable woman."

"What happened to her?" The young boy asked again.

"His name was Riddle: Tom Riddle." Sirius stated, eyes growing distant.

"He? Mom was with a man?"

"Not in the way you're thinking, Harry. No, it was far worse. We believe he's the reason all other pregnancies failed. He destroyed your mum, and let his right-hand man get at Alice. By the time James and Frank got there..."

"Oh, God." Harry's eyes widened and his hands clasped over his mouth. "He, he-"

"He did." The two men spoke sullenly.

"Why would he do such a thing? Riddle, I mean."

"Kind of a similar situation to yours," Sirius stated. "Well, not really, for Riddle actually was a Hetero. We believe his father was angered by his way of life: similar to yours is, and he forced him into an arranged marriage to Peter."

"I bloody hate Peter." Remus snarled.

"Who's Peter?" Harry asked.

"Peter Pettigrew: the absolute scum of the earth."

"Now, now, Remus. He was our best friend at one time." Sirius soothed, but the events had changed, and now Remus was the angry one.

"Key word being 'was,' Sirius. He'd bloody known Lily since we were eleven, and yet he'd still let that bastard do that to her!"

"I never claimed what he did was right, Remus."

"It wasn't right! Lily had potential, has potential, but she's too scared to even leave her home now, in fear that he'll return. When James found them, on repeat, all she could say was how much she wanted her baby right then, but James knew it was hazardous to bring you into the situation. She cried, begging to hold you, but he wouldn't let her." Remus turned back towards Harry, leaning across the table slightly.

"Why wouldn't Dad let her hold me?"

"She was in shock, Harry. She could've hurt you. Alice was damn suicidal for a while. She was so doped on antidepressants that she even forgot she had a son. Fried 'er brain, and I think she still doesn't remember."

"And Mum won't leave the house?"

"She's absolutely petrified." Sirius shook his head sadly.

Harry frowned, and took a sip of his tea. He felt his fist clenching and unclenching at this newfound information. If he ever found the man who'd done this to his mother, he'd kill him.

"Let Riddle cross my path, I bloody dare him." He seethed.

"He went on the run. Nobody's seen or heard from him since that night." Remus stated sorrowfully.

"I'll kill him! I swear it on my life, I'll kill him." Harry snapped, shaking his head furiously. "That's my mum, and I'll kill him."

"But you're barely eighteen."

"Age is just a number, but murder's a whole effect. And it's not murder, it's unfinished business. By hurting this woman, one of whom I never met but share the same bloodline of, he's declared himself a war."

"Harry, you sound ridiculous."

"You'll get in so much trouble."

"Perhaps, but at least I'd have the knowledge that he and Peter Pettigrew don't get to walk the earth another day as a free man." Harry promised, tone completely serious, and that was the scariest part of it all.