"Hermione run," Harry shouted as the werewolf bound towards his best friend. It was he and Hermione's third year of Hogwarts and he had just found out of his godfather's innocence, of course it didn't help that his Professor Remus Lupin had forgotten his wolfsbane potion and was a crazed werewolf on the loose. Hermione shrieked as the werewolf trapped her against a tree, as the werewolf's mighty jaw's lunged at Hermione's arm Harry dove in front of Hermione, a long gash appearing from his hip past his pelvic bone and onto the side of his thigh. Suddenly Sirius Black in dog form bound out and he and the werewolf disappeared fighting in the forest.
"PROFESOR SNAPE," Hermione screamed seeing her friend covered in blood had frightened her greatly. Snape appeared to Hermione's side with Ron and Pettigrew in tow, Remus and Sirius were still fighting among themselves as werewolf and dog. Hermione agreed to hold the jar containing Pettigrew and watch out for the werewolf as Snape conjured a stretcher for his injured student, slightly worried as blood gushed out of the wound, Snape bound it tightly with the sleeve of his robes and levitated Harry out of the forest. Hermione followed helping Ron limp and trying to hold the squirming jar, Snape had of course charmed it so he couldn't change back breaking the jar, but he hadn't stunned the poor beast. Soon Harry, on a stretcher and Snape entered the hospital wing, Hermione and Ron following silently with the ever so slight wince from Ron, he did have a torn up leg after all. Hermione as Ron seemed to notice was sobbing ever so lightly.
"Hermione he'll be okay," said Ron, "it's only a scrape he's had much worse," said Ron trying to be comforting to his friend, Hermione shook her head and sobbed harder. "What is it Hermione?" asked Ron.
"He was bitten," she said with a sudden horror looking at Ron, Ron looked to Hermione the same look of horror upon his face and let a single tear escape his swollen eyes and despite the pain in his leg rushed over to Harry's bed and began crying in agony.
"Why? Oh Harry Your Life is CURSED I SWEAR UPON IT!" said Ron, madam Pomfrey the school nurse handed Ron a calming draught and told Hermione to lay down. Harry drifting in and out of consciousness heard bits and pieces of Snape and Dumbledore talking.
"I swear sir, Sirius Black is innocent," came Snape's voice softly, "I know I am supposed to hate the guy, but I can't let him be convicted of a crime he didn't commit," said Snape, "I happen to believe strongly in second chances sir," said Snape.
"I know Severus m'boy, but we have no way to prove him innocent," came Dumbledore's sad answer.
"The jar," said a female voice which Harry recognized as Hermione soon after.
"Yes sir, we have him in a jar in animagous form, I charmed the glass myself," said Snape in a proud voice, "Accio jar," he said happily, the jar from Hermione's robe pocket flew into Snapes hand, Snape opened the jar and stunned the rat, Dumbledore watched with interest, as Snape shot a blue spell at the rat, who turned quickly into Peter Pettigrew.
"Send an owl to minister Fudge right away, we need for the proper man to be convicted," said Dumbledore a happy tone in his tired voice.
"Right away sir," said Snape quickly and fled from the hospital wing, Dumbledore tied the man in chains and several spells and shrunk him, put him in the jar that had holes in the lid, and put him in a spare trunk which he then put several chains around, but of course Dumbledore had removed from his person three wands and a several long daggers and knives. Harry's vision blurred as he became conscious once more, the school matron was bandaging his hip.
"Can't you just flick it closed like last time?" asked Harry with a dry throat.
"I'm sorry Harry, these wounds were cursed to take many days to heal, and even up to a month," said the nurse. Harry groaned as he struggled to sit up, and then the minister entered.
"Cornelius Fudge," said the cheery man offering Harry a hand, Harry kindly ignored the man and scowled.
"Harry, Just Harry," said Harry not offering the man his hand back.
"Did you hear the good news m'boy?" asked Fudge.
"First off I'm not your boy and second, the only news I heard is that I could be in this bloody bed for a whole damn month," Harry spat angrily, Fudge looked disheartened, but smiled at Harry anyway.
"No, no, no, Harry, Harry, your godfather has been proven innocent just this morning, you two will be spending quite some time together as right after he was freed he went and got legal guardianship of you.
"Really, is he going to come and see me?" Harry asked curiously. Fudge grinned and waved his arm.
"What kind of godfather would I be if I didn't visit my only godson?" asked Sirius appearing seemingly out of nowhere.
"Sirius," Harry said with a smile he launched himself out of his bed and hugged the man, with great pain from his side. "Where's professor Lupin?" asked Harry, Sirius looked down and Harry noticed a tear.
"He thinks you hate him Harry," said Sirius.
"But…why would I hate him?" asked Harry with a slightly innocent smile.
"Harry," said Sirius his expression turning grim, "Remus was that werewolf that bit you, you are now a werewolf."
"I don't care I didn't care when it happened and I sure as hell don't care now," said Harry tears of anger pricking at the edges of his eyes.
"You won't be able to come back to Hogwarts," said Sirius.
"I don't care I have enough money to tutor myself with a private ministry teacher, Professor Lupin wouldn't mind teaching me, I know he wouldn't," Harry said the tears beginning to spill from his eyes.
"Everyone will be afraid of you," Sirius tried again.
"I don't CARE," Harry shouted, "it's better than being gawked at by a bunch of groupies," said Harry.
Sirius smiled at Harry and hugged his godson, "you'll be coming home in a week," he said, "in which time I will have your bedroom ready," said Sirius.
"Send Professor Lupin in when you visit, tell…tell him I wish to speak to him," said Harry the tears still dripping from his face. Sirius nodded and left quietly, Harry hadn't even noticed that Cornelius Fudge had left while he was talking to Sirius, and wrapped his arms around his knees hugging them to his chest curling himself into a protective ball. It was dark out when Professor Lupin entered the hospital wing.
"You wished to speak with me Harry?" said Lupin in a scared voice.
"Professor," Harry began, "I can't be angry at you, you didn't get the one I love," said Harry.
"You love Hermione?" asked Lupin surprised.
"Yes, but don't tell her," said Harry, "I'm pretty good at hiding it too," Harry said smiling.
"But Harry I bit you, you can't return to Hogwarts, I ruined your life," said Lupin.
"NO, DON'T," Harry said sharply, "you didn't ruin my life, I ruined my life to save Hermione, and I still want you to be in my life, because you're the first one I feel comfortable around that is an adult other than Sirius," said Harry.
"Well if you're not calling Sirius Professor Black, then I must insist you call me Remus or Moony," said Remus happy that Harry wasn't angry with him the least bit, "and I'll be seeing quite a bit of you this summer." Harry smiled and put his head back on his pillow falling into a fitful sleep of nightmares of being bitten and saving Hermione.
Hermione knocked on the hospital wing doors and entered with puffy eyes the morning, the Hogwarts express was leaving and Harry was going to live with Sirius. "I'm sor…" she began but Harry cut her off with a sharp yell.
"Hermione, I don't blame you, you've done more for me than anyone in the world," said Harry.
"Including getting you bit by a werewolf," she spat angrily.
"Hermione do you realize that when you hugged me in our first year was the FIRST time I ever remember being hugged by anyone!," Harry said, "I'll cope, I won't be coming back to school next year, except for visiting, but I'll see you guys every weekend and holiday," said Harry with a smile and a grin. Hermione and Harry talked with each other happily until Ron limped in. "How's that leg treating ya mate?" asked Harry.
"Well since it's a bite from an animagous it takes a bit longer to heal but, I should be asking you how are you since you're the one bed ridden," said Ron with a sheepish grin. Harry spent two hours chatting with his friends before he and Ron limped out to the great hall following Hermione for the end of the year feast. The halls were, to Harry's disgust, lined with green and silver banner.
"Before the feast," said Dumbledore having everyone's attention spoke again, "I would like to announce this year's house cup, but first I have some last minute house points to award, first to Ronald Weasley, who helped to free an innocent man, by catching a not so innocent," said Dumbledore with a smile to Ron's direction, "Fifty points," said Dumbledore. Gryffindor's points jumped a spot; they were now in third place. "Second to Hermione Granger, for outstanding Witt, Charm, and Logic, by figuring out who Peter Pettigrew was and helping to capture him, Fifty points," said Dumbledore," Gryffindor was now in second, just eighty points behind Slytherin. "To Harry Potter, for outstanding Bravery and kindness, it takes not a brave Gryffindor to save a live, but a brave friend. If your friend was in danger would you risk your own life without thinking twice, to Harry Potter I award Seventy Five points for saving the life of a fellow student." Dumbledore looked to Snape, "To Severus Snape I award Three Hundred house points to give to a house of his choosing for saving the life of a Gryffindor student." Snape smiled and Harry thought with a curse 'oh great Slytherin will gloat for years'.
"I Severus Snape head of Slytherin house give Three hundred points of mine, to…" he paused hoping to cause a dramatic affect.
"Come on Professor, just give us the points," yelled Draco Malfoy angrily at his potions professor angrily.
"For that little out burst I might have to say with great respect that I give three hundred house points that our kind headmaster has given us to Ravenclaw," said Snape. The Ravenclaw students jumped up in excitement as the house colors changed from green and silver to blue and black, the Ravenclaw students had won the house cup for the first time since Snape had gone to school. Harry, Hermione, and Ron stood and clapped and whistled for the house. Professor Flitwick looked feint and then they ate. Harry stopped halfway through his meal not feeling well from the werewolf bite getting infected, but Madam Pomfrey had been giving him small doses of Wolfsbane to help heal the wound, it was almost healed completely. Harry stood and walked to the head table where Snape, Lupin, and Dumbledore talking happily, Harry's face was pale and he looked as if he was about to be sick.
"Professor Snape do you have a small dose of wolfsbane on you, I'm not feeling very well tonight," Harry said trying to force a smile onto his pained face, Lupin looked depressed at that fact and looked towards his plate in shame. "It's not your fault Remus," said Harry taking the small vial from Snape. "And professor Snape, I think you did the right thing giving Ravenclaw the points, Percy had been taking off points from them so Gryffindor would win, but you know Percy Weasley, arrogant and Malfoy-like."
"I'll just pretend I didn't hear that," said Dumbledore with a grin.
"Listen Potter…" said Snape.
"Professor I am no longer your student I would prefer if you called me Harry," said Harry with a hopeful look.
"If you are Harry then I am Severus or Sev if you must," said Snape.
"I'll see you tomorrow Remus, Sev," said Harry with a smile and heading back to the Gryffindor table.
Soon Hogwarts was empty and Sirius showed up to bring Harry home, Remus had packed Harry's possessions, as well as his own. Snape walked in the room with his trunk and a silky Hawaiian shirt. "Prof…Sev," said Harry, "where are we going?" he asked.
"Didn't Sirius here tell you, me, you, Remus, and Sirius are going to Hawaii and returning two nights before the full moon, and since Sirius here is my dear cousin, I will be staying with you lot," said the potions professor in a unusually chipper voice. "I might even get a tan," said Snape happily, "we'll be gone for three weeks," he said picking up his, Harry's, Sirius', and Remus' trunks and shrinking them to fit in his pocket.
"Alright Harry," said Sirius happily, "just throw a bit of floo powder in and yell 'The Lighthouse'," said Sirius.
"THE LIGHTHOUSE," yelled Harry very loudly, and very clearly, he this time made it to his destination without an unnecessary trip to Knockturn Alley. Harry shot out of the fireplace and bowled over Remus and Snape who were standing near the fireplace waiting for him. Sirius sauntered out of the fireplace like a king and laughed at the sight of Remus, Severus, and Harry all jumbled up on the floor, until Harry groaned loudly and vomited on the floor.
"Are you alright Harry?" asked Remus, Sirius, and Severus at the same time.
"Pain, Floo-Dizzy," Harry managed.
"Here you are," said Snape handing Harry a vial of Wolfsbane, which re-closed the wound on his hip. "Now get to bed we're leaving tomorrow via airplane to Hawaii."
"Yes pro…Sev," said Harry with difficulty. Sirius and Remus showed Snape his room and then dragged Harry upstairs to his room; it was a large bedroom with a large plush tie-die bed and walls. Harry blinked brightly at the sight and grinned. "A bit bright don't you think?" asked Harry in disbelief.
"You mean you don't like it?" asked Sirius in a very serious tone with puppy dong eyes.
"No…Sirius I love it," said Harry with an unconvincing smile.
"Just messing with ya kid, watch," Sirius waved his wand and everything that was tie-die changed to Gryffindor colors, it also had a muggle T.V. which Sirius said would air all of the Quidditch matches from anywhere, there were two posters on the wall, one was of Puddlemore United Quidditch Team and the other was the Chudley Cannons Quidditch Team, Harry soon found out the two teams were rivals and spent time yelling at each other from the edge of their frames then turning to Harry to give charming smiles. Harry lay back on his bed, and the plaque on the door that said Harry's Room made Harry smile with delight. Harry had never had anything at the Dursleys that belonged to him except his school things, which were locked carelessly under the stairs every summer. Before Harry realized it he was being waken up, though it wasn't light out Sirius, Snape, and Remus entered the room waving their wands at random areas in the room a suitcase filled itself, and Harry found himself, still half asleep, standing in line at a very crowded airport. Harry listened carefully to a family next to them, and didn't recognize the language they were speaking.
"Um…Sirius…Remus…Sev… what country are we in?" asked Harry looking around wildly for a sign of some sort. Snape leaned close to Harry and whispered in his ear.
"The Lighthouse is on the Southern Coast of Italy," he said kindly, Harry looked to him in disbelief and looked over to where Sirius was happily being frisked for weapons as they passed through security.
"I like this place," said Sirius after they got through security and onto the plane, and then whispered in Remus' ear, "I wish someone else wouldn't be so lenient," he said, Remus blushed deeply and whacked Sirius in the head lightly with his free hand the other was carrying Harry's and his own suitcase.
"Sev," Harry whispered to his potions professor once on the plane, Harry was seated next to a window and Snape was next to him, straight across from the row was Sirius and Remus talking in low voices every now and then Remus would blush and Sirius would laugh.
"Yea?" asked Severus softly.
"Does Sirius like Remus?" he asked.
"Well yea, they are like best friends," said Severus.
"No I mean like, like," said Harry with a blush.
"Kind of seems that way doesn't it," said Severus giving Harry a small look and wondered secretly what was going on in the boy's head. Severus asked to see Harry's wand halfway into the flight, Harry reached into his pocket and handed his teacher the long wooden stick, Severus ran his own wand against the other tapping in various spots, and he gave it back and whispered. "You can use it whenever you wish without the ministry knowing," he said with a grin to Harry.
"Professor," said Harry, "I don't understand why you seem to like me all of the sudden," said Harry.
"First it's Sev, and second, the only reason I didn't like you was because I thought you were like your father, but you risked your own life for a know-it-all girl, I respect you Harry," said Snape.
"You know I would have risked my life if it wasn't someone I knew," Harry said thoughtfully, "I don't know why, but when something bad is about to happen I feel like I have to protect others," said Harry with a shy smile and a blush thinking about Hermione's gratitude to him.
"Harry do you realize why Mr. Malfoy is so rude to you?" asked Severus.
"Because he's a pompous git?" Harry said with a sly grin.
"No because after you rejected him, he realized his Deatheater father was only after you and kept pushing you back so you could see how bad the bad side really was, he told me just the other day he wishes he didn't have to be so rude to you, but his father would murder him if he didn't."
"So Malfoy hates me to keep me form going dark?" asked Harry.
"Yes Harry," Snape answered simply, "do you think we should break up Sirius and Remus?" asked Snape looking over to them as they argued about who got the right side of the bed in the hotel that they would be at soon.
The plane landed and Harry followed the three men off the plane with a slight limp in his step. Hawaii, was bright and beautiful, he wanted to spend the day on the beach reading a book or sleeping, which he then did. Three weeks passed, the only thing Harry did was sleep, tan, and eat, his hip was now completely healed leaving a long white scar and his tan covered up his scar on his forehead nicely, Snape now sporting a tan and a smile, a genuine Snape smile, looked like a different person he had even died his hair blonde on a dare from Remus. Harry's hair from the sun had turned from black to dark brown, and Remus' dirty blonde hair reminded Harry of Malfoy, and Sirius like Harry had brown hair.
"I'm nervous Moony," said Harry with a slight whimper in his voice as Sirius secured the lock on Harry's werewolf cage, which was on the other side of the room from Remus'.
"Harry there is a five percent chance that instead of being a werewolf you will just have wolf like qualities," said Remus trying to cheer up Harry. Sirius and Snape left and Harry looked to Remus, who appeared like he in pain as the moon shone through the basement window. Harry felt his hands morph into clumsy paws and his nose get longer and looked over both he and Remus were under wolfsbane.
-How're you doing cub? - Asked Remus in a series of whines and howls.
-I'm okay Moony; it's not so bad with the potion- Harry said. The rest of the night Harry fell asleep in his werewolf form, with Remus watching he felt safe.
"Morning Harry," said Sirius untying his arms, and legs from the cage, which was holding him still. Harry groaned loudly and Snape handed him a goblet of wolfsbane, despite the taste it lessened the pain from the bone shifting a bit. Sirius went to untie and give Remus his potion and left Snape to bring Harry up to bed. For the next two days Remus and Harry slept off the pain of the transformation and ate plenty of food to keep them healthy. The third morning after the full moon Harry woke early and refreshed.
THUNK, Harry's head whipped around in surprise.
A bird had hit Harry's window, he opened it letting in a tennis ball like bird into the room, it zoomed around Harry's head about twelve times before it calmed enough for Harry to take off the letter's.
Harry,
Dad, got tickets for the world cup, enough for Sirius, Professor Lupin and Snape too
Ron.
Harry,
I miss you as always and hope you had fun in Hawaii, see you tomorrow.
Love, Hermione.
Harry dashed, down the stairs and started yelling.
"Sev, Sirius, Moony, we're going to the Quidditch tomorrow with the Weasley's and Hermione, come on, we've got to pack," said Harry.
"Harry we know," said Sirius "and we're leaving by floo in twenty minutes so go and get some clothes and remember keep your wand out of your back pocket someone will steal it."
Harry groaned after being shot out of the Weasley's fireplace and into the kitchen table. "Hey Harry," said Hermione picking him up off of his feet and hugging him, Ron did the same and started talking about how great Victor Krum was and how he could do a Wronskei Feint perfectly every time. Harry rolled his eyes, and allowed himself to be dragged off by Harry and Hermione. "You look like a whole new person," said Hermione once she and Ron had gotten him to the sitting room.
"I wish I was still in Hawaii," Harry muttered soft enough so Hermione or Ron couldn't hear him. "Yea Hawaii was great, sandy and warm, I wish I was still there, but I had to come back for the full moon," said Harry.
"How was it mate?" asked Ron.
"It wasn't bad until the next day, I slept for two days, and just felt better this morning," Harry said with a smile towards Ron and Hermione.
"I wish I could sleep for two days," said Ron with a grin to Harry trying to cheer him up.
"I wasn't even aloud to study, and you know how boring watching Quidditch posters who are mortal enemies is?" asked Harry with a stupid grin to Hermione who rolled her eyes.