Part Two
Remus scanned the book and typed a key on the computer, before handing it to the young woman with a fake smile on his face. Life at the library today was dull, as sad as he was to admit that. Something was bugging him in the back of his mind. The feeling of being needed never fully left since that night five years ago. It was always there. Some days the feeling was more powerful than others, especially at night. Oh, nights were the worst. He'd be having trouble falling asleep some nights. That feeling of being needy was strong. He felt almost lonely most nights. Today, however, it was like a pulse. It would leave him alone for one second. It made him antsy. He had to do something with his hands or he'd start to pace. He sighed and glanced at the clock once again. He seemed to be waiting for his shift to end, but he didn't know why. Was it because he knew he had some where to be; to go to someone?
"Remus?" He looked over to see his fellow co-worker, an older woman by the name of Irene. "You alright, young man?" She asked, placing the pile of books in her arms on the counter.
He nodded. "Yes, Irene. I'm…fine." He smiled at her as if it would convince her that he was really alright.
Irene gave him a look that told him she did not believe him, her blue eyes piecing his. "You are aware that you keep tapping your fingers on the counter and glancing at the clock every five minutes, weren't you?" She questioned.
He wasn't aware he was. He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just feeling…anxious." He finally answered. He picked up one of the books and scanned it to mark it as returned.
"Why?"
Remus shook his head and turned away from the computer. "I don't know." He answered honestly. "I just feel needed, that somebody needs me." He responded. "I know it sounds crazy."
"Ah, crazy, no." Irene said, giving him an understanding look. "I use to get that feeling all the time. Though it was usually myself getting worked up over leaving my daughter with a babysitter. I hated having her from my sight. I feared something would happen and that she needed me. You're just worked up about leaving your daughter or son at home for the first time." She said, sounding very wise.
Remus shook his head. "I don't have a daughter or a…" He stopped when the image of Harry came to him. For some reason, it made sense that Harry was the one who needed him. He had started feeling this way since that Halloween night. Since that moment, Harry needed Remus to take care of him. But Harry didn't, couldn't, need him now. He was with his family. He was loved and cared for. He didn't need him, but why would Remus feel like he did need him? They weren't blood related family. But that didn't matter. However possible, he knew Harry needed him. "Harry…" He breathed out under his breath.
He reached back and grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair. He did not leave any time to second think himself. He acted on pure instinct. "Cover for me?" He asked Irene as he threw on his jacket.
Startled, she nodded. "Of…of course, Remus. Was it something I said?" She asked, but Remus was already out the door.
He sat on the bench in the playground, waiting for the school bell to go off. He came here straight from the library. It wasn't hard to figure out where Harry was staying. Lily's sister was the only blood family Harry had left and Lily had told him many things about her sister, like she married a man named Vernon Dursley who worked at a drilling company in Surrey. From there, it wasn't hard to find them. He had to see Harry, had to know he was alright with his family, that he was happy.
After ten more minutes of waiting, the bell finally rang and kids started running out of the red bricked school building. Many of the kids ran straight to the playground, while others started walking home with friends and siblings and some children were lucky enough to have their parents waiting for them.
Remus scanned the children, looking for one in particular, but he couldn't see a familiar black haired boy in the mist of the other rushing students. Maybe, he was out sick today. He sighed sadly and gazed out into the laughing children on the playground. Why was he here? There was nothing he could do. He couldn't take Harry. Albus was right all those years ago. The Ministry would never allow a werewolf to get custody of a child, especially if that child was the Boy-Who-Lived.
He looked back at the school building just as the doors were opening again. His breath got caught in his throat when he saw a familiar young boy. It was Harry. It had to be Harry. He looked almost exactly like James. He had the same messy black hair, almost the same glasses, and he was built the same scrawny way James was in his first few years at Hogwarts. But Harry seemed smaller, paler, and much too solemn to be James. He had an air of sadness around him and Remus was reminded of that feeling deep inside him that told him he was needed. Surely, this was why he was needed. Was Harry effect by that Halloween night more than anyone could possibly imagine? Was there something deep inside him that remembered what happened? Was that why he seemed so closed into himself? He seemed so lonely.
Harry looked down at the paper in his hand and seemed to read it. He sighed sadly and Remus' heart went out to him. Something on that paper had brought Harry to this state, he figured. He watched as Harry walked down the school steps and headed in his direction, carrying a heavy white paper bag. He looked down, afraid to catch Harry's attention. This was the first time in five years Remus had seen him. His heart was pounding in his chest with nerves. What to say? Should he say anything at all? Should he do something? He could feel Harry get closer and then stop. Remus dared took a peak. Harry was glancing around the playground looking for an empty bench to sit. Remus did as well. On another bench was a group of mothers chatting about this or that, on the next bench were a group of girls playing hand games like Miss Mary Mack, and on the last bench were a set of parents talking with an infant sleeping in his baby seat between them. The only place for Harry to sit would be with Remus on the other end of the bench. This made him nervous, knowing Harry would only be a couple of centimeters from him.
As he knew he would, Harry sat at the other end of the bench and started to read his paper again with a frown. Remus watched from the corner of his eye as Harry bit his lower lip in thought, a trait he seemed to have gotten from his mother. His shoulders slouched sadly as if thinking was pointless. He seemed so sorrowful. It was then Remus noticed he wasn't wearing a jacket of any sorts. In fact, Harry was wearing a short sleeved shirt that was twice the size of him and had its sleeved almost completely ripped off. It was the beginning of spring. Snow was still melting and the air was quite cool. It was no where warm enough to be outside wearing nothing but a short sleeved shirt and holey jeans.
Without thinking, mostly because of his concern for the boy, Remus took off his jacket. He could feel Harry eye him, curiously, from the other end of the bench because of his sudden movement. Remus glanced over at him and green eyes met blue-ish amber eyes. They froze like that for a few minutes. This sudden feeling came over Remus. It was like there was some sort of connection between them. He couldn't explain it or tell you how it was possible. But he knew this was where he belonged, with him. Remus passed his jacket over to Harry. "Here. It looks like you need it more then I…" He trailed off, wondering what he should call Harry. He couldn't use his name. That might frighten him, but calling him 'boy' sounded rude and 'young man' sounded too much like Professor McGonagall for his liking.
Today had started out quite rough for Harry. Mother's Day was coming up in a month and a half and Dudley had already started his infamous taunting how Harry did not have a mother. He hated it when Dudley did that. It was during those moments when Harry wished someone would take him away from the Dursley's. No one had yet, much to his disappointment.
To add onto the already rough day, Mrs. Handburg gave out the worst assignment ever. The students had to draw someone who they loved dearly, like a relative, and present them with the drawing with the words 'I love you' written on the top, but there was no one for Harry to draw. His aunt, uncle, and Dudley would never accept such a gift. They didn't love Harry. They remind him of that almost every day. Harry tried to get out of doing the homework after the bell rang, but it didn't work. It was due in three days, which meant, Harry only had three days to find someone to draw.
To make matters even worst, he didn't have a bench to himself. All the benches were taken. It was uncomfortable sitting on a bench with a stranger, but he didn't want to walk home right now. The Dursley's wouldn't miss him until almost dinnertime. Why on earth would he willing go home earlier then he needed too?
And now there was the stranger talking to him and giving him something. He wasn't allowed to talk to strangers. He glanced at the man, but he didn't seem dangerous. As a matter of fact, the man seemed…familiar. Harry felt safe with the man. He liked the man and he didn't even know him!
Harry glanced at the offered jacket before eyeing the stranger. He bit his lower lip in indecision. He bent over and pulled a piece of notebook paper and a pencil out of his paper bag that served as his backpack. He used his knee to write down his message and slid it over to the man.
The man eyed him curiously before picking up the note and reading it. "I'm not allowed to talk to strangers or take anything they offer." He read. For some reason, the man gave him a sad look. Then he suddenly chuckled. Harry eyed him, confused by his sudden change of emotion. "That's good. You shouldn't trust strangers." The man set the jacket on the empty spot between them and shifted around so he was facing Harry, one leg bent over on the bench and the other was planted on the ground. His arm rested on the back of the bench. He stuck his hand out. "Remus Lupin."
They were still strangers. He shouldn't tell the man, Mr. Lupin, his name, but that didn't mean he couldn't write it down! He thought, proud of his loophole around the rule. Harry tore another piece of paper from his bag and wrote down his name. He handed over to the man.
"Harry Potter." Remus read. He smiled at him as he stuffed the note into his pants pocket. "Well, Harry, how would you like to be friends?"
Harry lit up at the thought of having a friend. He never had a friend before. Friends aren't strangers. He'd be able to talk to a friend, but aren't friends supposed to be around the same age. Adults couldn't be friends with kids, could they? But why couldn't they? He didn't care about the age. He just wanted a friend. He nodded shyly. He hoped he was doing the right thing. Mr. Lupin didn't know him. He didn't know how much of a freak he was. He wouldn't want to be friends anymore once he did something freaky.
Mr. Lupin picked up the jacket again and handed it over to him. "Here, Harry. You really should have something warmer on."
Harry tilted his head to the side, feeling confused. Why would he care if he was cold or not? Is that what friends do? Would friends care more about him then his family? He nodded. "Okay." He said, softly. Should he tell Mr. Lupin that he didn't know how to zip a zipper? Would he think he was too childish to be his friend if he did? Friends were supposed to be honest with each other. In the books he read if the friends weren't honest, their friendship became broken and they always find out if you weren't honest. "Idon'tknowhowtozip." He muttered in a nervous rush. He bowed his head down in shame.
"Excuse me?"
Harry bit in his lip. Oh, no! Mr. Lupin was mad at him now. He shouldn't have told him. He must think Harry was too childish or…
"I didn't understand what you said, Harry. Do you mind repeating that?" Mr. Lupin said kindly.
Harry peaked at him from under his bangs. Mr. Lupin didn't look mad. In fact, he still looked nice and kind. Should he repeat himself? What if Mr. Lupin would get mad? But what if he lied and Mr. Lupin found out anyways! "I don't know how to zip." He murmured again more slowly. He kept his head down, still shameful.
Mr. Lupin chuckled. "That's alright, Harry." He shifted back to the proper way of sitting on the bench; back to the back and both feet on the ground. He beckoned to Harry. "Come here. I'll show you how."
Harry looked up at him in surprise wonder. He hesitated. He liked Mr. Lupin. He was kinder to him then anyone he had ever met. But it could be a trick. Uncle Vernon tricked him a lot. He would pretend to be nice to him only to laugh in his face and smack him across the head. Mr. Lupin wasn't like that, though, he hoped. Friends don't harm friends. He smiled and nodded shyly. "Okay." He jumped off the bench and stood in front the man.
Mr. Lupin helped him put his right arm gently into the sleeve. "Zipping can be very hard, but once you get use to it, it'll be one of the easiest things you can ever do." Mr. Lupin grabbed his other arm, just as gently, to put it in the other sleeve. However, he saw something on his arm that made him freeze.
Harry looked down, confused. He gasped when he realized what Mr. Lupin was staring at. When he grabbed Harry's arm, his shirt sleeve slid up slightly, showing the mark Harry tried desperately to hide from everyone. Just above Mr. Lupin's hand was his birthmark; the moon shaped mark. Harry bit his lip nervously and glanced anxiously at his new friend. If Mr. Lupin was disgusted at his birthmark, then it was a good thing his bangs covered his nasty scar on his head. Would he lose his only friend already?
Mr. Lupin pulled his arm closer to him carefully, as not to hurt him, and looked at it more intensely. He looked at Harry. "Where did you get this?" He asked seriously.
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "My aunt said I must have been born with it. It's my birthmark."
Mr. Lupin glanced at the mark and gently rubbed it with his thumb. "Birthmark, right." He said very softly, almost to himself. He shook his head. "Right." He said more firmly. He gave Harry a shaky smile. "Let's put this jacket on, shall we." He put Harry's arm into the sleeve. "Now, watch carefully as I zip up your jacket."
His jacket? Harry thought confused. It wasn't his jacket. It was Mr. Lupin's jacket. Did he forget it was his jacket and not Harry's? Despite Mr. Lupin's forgetfulness, Harry looked down and watched Mr. Lupin zip up the jacket. They spent a few minutes going over how to zip up a zipper of the jacket and Harry tried several times. On his third attempt, he succeeded. He jumped in excitement and gave Mr. Lupin the biggest smile ever. His eyes were alive with delight. "I did it! I did it! Did you see me, Mr. Lupin? I did it all by myself!"
Mr. Lupin chuckled and nodded. "I saw, Harry. Great job. And you do know you could call me Remus. We are friends, after all."
Harry couldn't stop smiling. First he got a friend, then that friend taught him how to zip, and now that friend was allowing him to call him by his first name! This day started out bad and it was getting very good. He really, really liked Mr. Lu—Remus. He was glad he sat on this bench. He liked Remus better than his own family. Which reminded him…He looked up at Remus shyly. "Mr. Lu—Remus, sir, can I…" He looked down in embarrassment. "…can I draw you?" He asked softly.
Remus leaned away from him slightly and Harry hoped it was because he was surprised at his request instead of disgusted. "May you draw me?" Harry nodded meekly. "I don't see why not." Remus gave him a smile. "Of course, you may, Harry. You don't need my permission." Harry gave him another big smile. His day was just getting better and better! Now, he didn't have to worry about his homework. He had someone to draw. He hoped Remus would show up tomorrow after school, so he could give him the drawing.
"Turn around, Harry." Harry gave him a puzzling look. Remus smiled at him kindly. "Just turn around."
Harry slowly did as he was told and turn his back to Remus. He gasped and tensed up when someone grabbed him from behind. He was lifted up into the air, not far, but it still startled him. He closed his eyes. He landed softly on something warm. He opened one eye then the other when he felt arms close around him. He was warm and comfortable. He was safe. He glanced around and found himself on Remus' lap.
"Relax, Harry." He heard Remus say softly from above him. "I've got you."
Harry finally relaxed and laid his head on Remus' shoulders. He never had been held before. Aunt Petunia didn't even pick him up when he was younger. He remembered being jealous of Dudley because his mother would pick him up until he was too heavy for her to pick him up. He couldn't believe he missed out on this. He was just so comfortable and warm. Harry could hear the steady heartbeat coming from Remus' heart. It was smoothing. And the slight movement of his chest as he breathed was…comforting. Harry never felt so at peace before. His eye lids started to feel heavy, but he couldn't fall asleep. What if Remus got mad at him for falling asleep? But Harry couldn't help it. His vision blurred as his lids slid slowly shut until there was nothing but darkness.
Moving too fast? Please Reveiw! It's going to be a short story.
