Chapter 3 of 6
Full moon effects
“I am glad we clarified that Boggart issue Harry,” Remus said as he sipped the Wolfsbane that Severus had just left. He had found Harry wondering the halls while his friends where at Hogsmead and seized the chance to start a habit of having tea with Harry, which he intended to make a common occurrence.
“Professor, I don’t think you understood me,” Harry said eyeing the goblet worriedly. “Snape really wants the DADA position and he does seem to loath you in that special way he has reserved for loathing me and he knows poisons!”
Remus had to try hard not to laugh. He looked at Harry seriously and said, “He is also a Slytherin and Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey know he is brewing this for me. Too many witnesses,” he winked but Harry didn’t seem to calm down so Remus tried another tactic, “A couple of years ago Hagrid asked me for some pictures for you. He was in a rush so I sent what I had in hand but I did canvas my storage later and I actually brought some with me. Would you like to take a look?”
That perked Harry right up and both spent the rest of the afternoon looking at pictures and Remus telling Harry all about them. Remus tried to probe Harry about his family but Harry was very adept at changing the subject subtly and by the time Remus realized they had gone another completely different direction.
The dog padded through the empty corridors. The sun had risen but you couldn’t see it through the down pour of rain. That suited Padfoot well. The darkness masked him and the earliness of the hour guaranteed he would meet no one.
He followed the scent he knew so well to a portrait. He transformed and said softly, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” He smiled. Dear old Moony. He entered cautiously, his heart beating madly. He quickly spotted who he was looking for sleeping naked on the rug. He approached slowly and kneeled down thanking all gods that Moony slept like the dead after the full moon and a herd of rampaging hippogriffs couldn’t wake him.
He brushed some of Remus’ hair away from his face and smiled as he inspected Remus for wounds. He was glad but a tad confused to see none. He had already thought strange that Moony did not go to the Shack where he looked last month and instead stayed in the castle, but well. He honestly did not know what possessed him to risk it especially after his near catch on Halloween but he so wanted to see Moony, touch him, smell him. He inhaled deeply and smiled. The same shampoo he used since he was eleven, he smiled. Some new scars, new lines and his hair had some gray strands. But by far he looked better than what Sirius looked.
He carefully picked him up and took him to the bed where he tucked him in and kissed Moony’s temple gently. He left quickly and did not hear the whispered “Sirius”
Harry was worried about Professor Lupin. He really liked him and Snape was a git but maybe he was being truthful when he said Lupin was ill. Harry didn’t want him to be sick. Yes, Lupin had asked some uncomfortable questions about if Harry was treated well at home and Harry had skillfully turned the subject around. What good would it do? It didn’t do any good when he started school and Miss Smith called social services. The Dursleys lied their asses out and that was that. All Harry got was the cupboard and no food. That time Uncle Vernon refrained from hitting him for a while to avoid suspicion. Then he came back with a vengeance when he thought they were clear. It didn’t do any good when he asked Dumbledore if he could stay here during the summer. He even offered to help Hagrid but Dumbledore said he had to go back home. That he would be safe. Home, puft. That was never home. Until Hogwarts Harry didn’t know the meaning of home.
But, even trying to pry, Harry very much liked Lupin. He didn’t know why. There was just something about him that called for Harry. So he walked to where Lupin had told him his quarters where in case he needed something. Harry knew that it was weird for a teacher to do that but he figured Lupin liked talking about his parents and Harry liked listening.
“I solemnly swear I am up to no good,” Harry chuckled as he said it. What a weird password.
Harry entered the room and found the living room empty. The door to the bedroom was open and he cautiously peered inside. Lupin was sleeping and Harry didn’t think he was allowed to intrude. So he closed the door and took out his school bag and put the packet he was holding on the table. He started to do his homework while waiting for Lupin to wake up.
Remus stirred slowly stretching his sore muscles. He turned around and hugged the pillow to sleep a little more. Suddenly he opened his eyes. Where did the pillow come from? He looked around and saw he was in his bed. He distantly remembered dreaming of a time when Padfoot would come and tuck him in after the Full Moon. But Sirius couldn’t have been there. Remus thought, or hoped. He was still convincing himself Sirius used Dark Magic and not Padfoot and the secret passages to get in the castle on Halloween. He had not slept that night. Canvassing the corridors, dreading to find him there, feeling guilty for keeping his secret and hyperventilating at the thought of what would have happened if Harry had been in the tower and Sirius had gained entrance.
He groaned into his pillow mortified as realization dawned. Albus or Poppy must have come to put him to bed, and he was NAKED! And he would have to see them again. He tried suffocating himself on the pillow but when that failed he got up and went for a hot shower.
As he dressed himself after the shower he kept blushing at the thought of seeing Albus. He opened his door and did a back flip. Harry was biting his lower lip in concentration over some book.
“Harry?” he asked and Harry jumped.
“Oh, Professor! Are you okay? Should I call Madam Pomfrey? Snape said you were ill. I brought lunch,” he finished his rambling pointing at a parcel next to his books. He squinted at Remus and asked. “Should you be up?”
Remus chuckled softly. He couldn’t help but think it adorable how Harry was worried about him. He sat on the couch facing Harry and said, “I’m fine. I just needed a little rest. Thanks for lunch,” he finished unwrapping the parcel. “So how was class?”
Harry scowled and Remus frowned. Albus never told him who would be substituting him today but by Harry’s face it wasn’t good, “Snape was awful!” the boy ranted. “He said you were disorganized and were too easy on us and then he chose a topic from the end of the book where he knew we wouldn’t have covered so early! And he told us to do two rolls of parchment on it!”
Snape, great! What was Albus thinking? Snape had been making snide remarks every time they met, even though Remus tried to keep those meetings at a minimum he had to see Snape for his potion and be grateful.
“That’s just Severus being Severus Harry. As you said, he doesn’t like me much. He has his reasons. Don’t worry. You don’t have to do the essay about- er- what did he approach?”
“Werewolves,” Harry said glumly and Remus had to work very hard not to gulp and faint.
“Oh, yes…Werewolves. Yes, no we won’t be talking about them for a while.” Never if he could help it. “There is no need for the essay. Tell your friends,” and I will go kill Snape. Greasy git! How could he? He wasn’t allowed to. Dumbledore said so! Oh, I am so going to rat him off! Remus thought to himself.
Trying to keep a nonchalant act Remus asked, “And what has you so concentrated?”
“What? The bane of my existence that’s what? Snape- Professor Snape,” Harry amended after a stern look from Remus. He had let Harry pass with not calling him that too many times. “set a three roll essay on shrinking potions.”
Remus looked over Harry’s book and said, “I can’t help you there. I would do you a disservice.”
“I am rubbish at it,” Harry sulked.
“I am sure you’re not. Your mother was brilliant and your father was not as brilliant but good too. I am sure you would do well with- er- good incentive.”
Harry raised an eyebrow skeptically and Remus noticed the bags under Harry’s eyes for the first time. He frowned worried.
“Bad night?”
“What?” Harry asked and Remus elaborated.
“You look tired.”
“Oh,” Harry shrugged. “I didn’t sleep at all.”
“Why not? You are not worried about Si- Black are you? You are safe Harry.”
“I know, the problem wasn’t Black. I just can’t sleep on full moon nights,” Remus choked at that and Harry worriedly ran to his side and patted his back.
“Er- why is that?”
“Dunno but I never could. I get restless. I only noticed the pattern of the full moon when I was eight. I had a teacher that was all into the stars and their influences and how the moon influences the tidal waves and she liked me and noticed the pattern that I would come back tired to class. So she asked me and I told her that sometimes I was too restless to sleep and she made a chart of what nights. She thought I was like the sea and felt the pull of the moon”, Harry laughed and Remus mind went in overdrive. Could Harry be his? Or was that just a coincidence? Harry looked so much like James. There was no way.
Harry prodded Remus lunch and Remus came back to Harry when he said firmly, “You should eat Professor. Then I can call Madam Pomfrey so she can check you out,” he finished leaning forward and touching Remus forehead.
Remus couldn’t help it, he laughed and said. “Yes sir.”
Later that day Remus had the satisfaction of watching Severus Snape, bat of the dungeons, being scolded like a naughty child.
Remus watched Harry sleep. He had missed the game on Poppy’s orders.
“If you go out on the rain the day after the Full moon Remus Lupin you will be confined to my Ward for a very long time!”
He had stayed indoors waiting for the Gryffindors to come cheering instead it was the Hufflepuffs and before them he had seen Dumbledore hovering a stretcher with a familiar form on it. Remus’ heart had sunk and he ran to the Hospital Wing going through passages and beating Dumbledore there. Poppy had guaranteed Harry hadn’t broken any bones and he had regained consciousness while Remus had been in her office talking to her and his friends had been at his side. Now he was sleeping and Remus was watching.
He had helped Poppy undress and dress him and saw for himself the scars she had gone about earlier in the year. He had fumed inside and sent Dumbledore an icy stare. But Dumbledore would only be convinced if the abuse hit him on the face. There was no other way; he had to get Harry to tell him so he could do something. But the boy was squeamish with his secrets. Almost like another boy he knew. A boy that had been scared of his friends reactions to his furry little problem.
The dog whined. He wanted to know how his pup was after that nasty fall. But he had had to run from the Dementors. He watched from the border of the Forbidden forest and saw one light flickering from a window. He knew the Hospital Wing was on that part of the castle. He kept watching and could see the form of a man seated on the window. He was looking to the inside but Padfoot would recognize Moony anywhere. He felt a little relieved to know that Moony was taking care of his son.
“So Hagrid,” Remus started. He had come to see Hagrid and stayed for some rock cake and reminiscing. He had wanted to make sure Hagrid had some mead on him before he broached the subject. “I hear you were the one to go fetch Harry on his first year. How were the muggles?”
“Nasty pieces of work,” Hagrid said. “Didn’ want Harry coming they didn’. He didn’ even know about magic and thought his parents died in a car crash! A CAR CRASH! JAMES AN LILY POTTER! CAN YE BELIEVE THAT?
Remus flinched at the yell but stored the information.
“And he was skin and bones. So small, could pass as an eight year old not eleven. When he came back I asked him if everything was all right and he said the Dursleys were afraid of his magic and had left him alone. I don even think he realized back then how wrong that sounds.”
So Harry’s skills in averting questions were honed at Hogwarts. Why? Didn’t his muggle friends ask questions? Didn’t their parents? What about his teachers? Didn’t anyone in the muggle world suspect something?
“And he was so exited when I gave him Hedwig,” Hagrid said and he started to sob and Remus was sure he may have exaggerated with refilling Hagrid’s mug of mead, “Said that she were the first gift he ever got!”
“WHAT?” Remus cried as his eyes widened.
“I expect he don’t remember what his parents gave him,” Hagrid sobbed.
“Hagrid-“ Remus started patting the man’s arm but Hagrid wasn’t done.
“And on his second year those Weasley boys had ter go and free him. At first I thought they were joking but them twins told me when I had them for detention that there were bars on his window and they were starving him! George or maybe Fred, can’t tell which said he thought he saw a bruise when they were hosting Harry onto the car cause his Uncle tried ter grab him back! But said Harry denied it later on.”
“Hagrid,” Remus asked rubbing his temple. He was getting a headache and he was really close to go and trample a certain twinkling wizard. “Did you tell Dumbledore this?”
“Sure did. But he said Harry is safe there from Death Eaters and well we know they are not all locked up. And You-Know-Who isn’t dead. Just a year ago Harry faced him-“
“WHAT?”
“Didn’t yeh know?” Hagrid asked a little shocked.
“Do I look like I knew?” Remus shrieked. Remus rested his elbows on the desk and started. “Hagrid. Start telling me about Harry’s two first years,“ he lifted a hand. “From the start.”
“Demented possessed teachers, idiot teachers, basilisk!” Remus muttered as he walked back to the castle. “Old coot, completely senile.”
He was positively fuming at all the trials Dumbledore had put his cub through. How could he? Harry was a child, a child! A child who should have been pampered and loved and instead he was probably abused, certainly rejected and had handled things that adults shouldn’t have to. And did anyone stop and see how that affected Harry? Did anyone talk to him when he unwillingly killed a teacher in self-defense? When he faced a Basilisk and a shadow of the man that killed his parents? No, they just assumed the hero never wavers. He can stand everything. Well, he was going to change that.
Harry was going to have the time of his life. He was curious about who the Marauders were and was certain Professor Lupin must know, after all, the map opened with the same password as his quarters, but Harry knew that if he asked Lupin he would confiscate the map. Lupin may be a nice teacher but he was still a teacher. The last time Harry had gone to visit him he had been a little weird though, asking if Harry was okay. If he wanted to talk about what happened. After quite a while of Harry not having a clue what Lupin was going on about he finally said that Hagrid told him about Harry’s adventures and Harry quickly blushed and assured Lupin he was fine. He wasn’t about to tell Lupin that sometimes he had nightmares about Voldemort, young Riddle, getting eaten by the Basilisk, Ginny dying and killing Quirrell. Lupin would think him a wuss. No one ever asked him anything about what happened. They expected him to take it all in strides and he was sure Lupin must be the same. He just wanted to confirm that Harry wasn’t bothered and was ready for anything else the Wizarding World sent the Boy Who Lived’s way. Harry would have quite preferred for someone else to be The Boy Who Lived but there was nothing he could do.
So he just padded the map and decided to live with his curiosity and continued on his way to Hogsmeade.