A/N Thankyou to all my lovely reviewers! Some of you wrote some really interesting things. I wish I could incorporate them all, but alas, with how I initially wrote this, I cannot. Keep them coming though, because some of them I have been able to slip in later on!

To answer some questions in reviews...

Lupinescence: Hermione cares for him. She's just going about it in her own way, which comes off as rather bossy.

Man of Constant Darkness: Thanks for the title idea. Harry and Hermione don't interact too much in the story, but the last chapter is an epilogue and there is some HHr in there just for you. :)

RebelliousOne: Dumbles doesn't appear much in this story, but his plans get well and truly scuppered at the end. It leads to some interesting changes with Harry as well...

Dark Neko 4000: This isn't going to be a Poppy-adopts-Harry story, sorry!


Chapter 3
"Wonder who he is?" Harry commented, referring to the only other occupant of their carriage.

"Professor R. J. Lupin" Hermione replied.

"How do you know that?" both boys asked in unison.

"It's on his trunk. I swear neither of you use your eyes."

The train ride passed pleasantly, with Harry buying a load of sweets from the trolley and their companion staying asleep. They had just about finished the selection of food when Hermione spoke.

"Alright Harry. Spill it" she said.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Why were you staying in the Leaky Cauldron and why was Madam Pomfrey checking on you?"

"Well... I kinda ran away from the Dursleys" Harry started, looking out of the carriage window. It was getting quite dark.

Suddenly the train abruptly stopped and the lights went out.

"Lumos" Hermione whispered. Her wand tip lit, and then went out.

"Lumos" Hermione said again with the same effect.

"Professor? Professor?" Hermione was trying to shake awake the sleeping man.

"Go away Prongs" he mumbled sleepily.

"Professor! Professor Lupin! Wake up!"

Harry didn't hear any more. His ears felt clogged. He got colder and colder as he saw something huge and dark looming over him in the doorway. He could hear screaming, and now his vision was going. He scrambled backwards trying to avoid the thing advancing on him, but he was at the back of the compartment now. He curled up into as small a ball as he could but he could feel it advancing still, even if he could no longer see it. He didn't realise that he was echoing the screams in his head, or that the others were looking at him fearfully. All he could think about was the woman screaming in his head and the huge dark thing above him. He was going to die, he knew it. At least he'd see his parents again.

As Harry crumpled onto the floor, a burst of silver shot over him. It hit the dementor where its chest would be and bodily threw it backwards out of the compartment. A few minutes later, light and warmth returned to the train.

"Here" the professor said, handing Ron and Hermione large chunks of chocolate. "Eat." He put one in his own mouth.

"Harry! Harry, wake up for me. It's Moony. Come on Harry open your eyes."

After a couple of minutes Harry did and the professor visibly recoiled in shock and fear.

Harry attempted to sit up. "What happened?" He shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Harry don't move. At all. You reacted badly to a dementor and fell off the seat." The man was deadly serious.

"What's your full name?" Remus questioned.

"Harry James Potter. What is all this about Professor?"

"What's your date of birth?"

"31st July 1980. Professor what is going on?" Harry struggled to sit again only to find a wand being pointed at him.

"Don't make me body bind you Harry. What is today's date?"

"First of September 1993 sir."

"What do you sense when a dementor comes close by?"

A pause. Harry's eyes were closing again. "I need an answer Harry. I know it's not nice but I need you to tell me."

"I feel really cold and my ears feel clogged up. Then I hear a woman screaming and my vision goes blurry."

"Do you not remember screaming Harry?" Hermione asked

"I screamed?"

"Yes. Just before you fell off the seat" she replied.

"Harry. Stay awake for me. This is very important. Have you taken any kind of head injury before?" The intensity on the scarred face was almost overwhelming.

Harry began to nod his head but was deftly stopped. "No movement. What sort?"

"Hairline skull fracture."

Remus swore loudly. Then he turned to the other two. "I need to get Harry to the castle. Now. We're nearly at Hogsmeade, please tell Professor McGonagall what happened."

One flick of his wand and Harry was in a body bind. Then Remus grabbed Harry, touched a ring on his finger and the two disappeared from the carriage.

Remus left Harry on a bed in the Hospital Wing, body bind still applied. He sprinted into the Healer's office.

"Merlin Remus, you look as pale as death. What's up?"

"Harry. There was a dementor on the train and he saw his parents' death. He fell off the seat and hit his head on the floor. When he regained consciousness his eyes were dull with one severely bruised and then he told me he had a hairline skull fracture. He knew his name, date of birth and today's date, but was finding it hard to stay awake." Remus rattled off his findings.

"Blunt trauma to the head, aggravation of an existing injury and severe dementor exposure. Thankyou for bringing him so swiftly Remus." She was by his bed by this point with her wand going over him.

"He's unconscious again. Remus I need you to keep him awake, but distracted. I need to do a brain scan."

Remus nodded tensely and moved to one side of Harry's head.

"Harry, Harry you need to wake up for me. Come on now Harry, how can I see those green eyes when you are asleep? Harry it's Moony, you're at Hogwarts and you need to wake up." Lupin turned frantically to the Healer. "He won't wake up!"

"Remus, panicking won't help anyone, least of all Harry. Calm down and try again."

The caring werewolf took a deep breath. "Harry I know your head hurts and I know sleep sounds great to you right now, but you need to wake up. There's pain relief potions for that but please wake up for me. It's Moony. You know I won't harm you cub. I want to make it better, but you've got to wake up before I can."

"Uncle Moony" Harry mumbled, not opening his eyes.

"That's me cub. Why don't you open your eyes and look at me?"

Harry did slowly. "That's it Harry. That's my boy."

"P'fessor?" Harry said groggily "Where am I?"

"Hogwarts Hospital Wing Harry. Do you remember what happened on the train?"

"It got really cold and I couldn't get to my Weasley jumper. Why was that Professor?"

"There was a dementor on the train Harry. Do you remember that?"

Harry tried to shake his head but he couldn't move it. "Why am I in a body bind sir?"

"You got injured pretty badly."

"Oh. Can I go back to sleep again now sir?"

"No Harry I'm afraid not. Tell me about Quidditch. McGonagall says you play seeker."

"I'm really sorry sir but could we have this conversation sometime else? I really want to sleep now."

"Harry! No! You're not allowed to sleep now!"

"Thanks Professor." Harry eyes started to close.

"Harry! Look at me! Before you go to sleep, I need you to drink this." He held a chocolate milkshake in his hands.

"I'm not thirsty sir."

"It's not a request. It has a straw, all you need to do is swallow."

After a couple of mouthfuls, Harry spoke again. "Professor... Lupin? Why am I here? Where are Ron and Hermione? I was told I didn't need to come to the Hospital Wing until tomorrow."

"You reacted badly to a dementor on the train Harry. You screamed and fainted. Do you remember?" Lupin fed Harry more chocolate milk as he spoke.

"No sir. Is everyone else alright?"

"Everyone will be fine after they have had some chocolate Harry, yes. You just concentrate on yourself. You gave us a nasty shock there."

"Did I hit my head when I fainted Professor?"

"Yes you did Harry." Lupin looked over enquiringly at the Healer who was still casting spells over the boy's head. She nodded once.

"Does your head hurt Harry?"

Harry attempted to shake his head, but could not.

"Not too much. Why can I not move sir?"

"You injured your head when you fell Harry. We want to make sure that you haven't done any serious damage. Would you like a pain relief potion?"

"No thankyou Professor. I'll just sleep it off if you don't mind."

"I do mind cub. So you can either drink it or I'll spell it into you."

"Harry?" a new voice had appeared. A stern female voice. Harry recognised it and yet he could not identify it.

"Harry I need to knock you out for a bit. You shook your head up pretty badly and to fix it will be quite painful. Is that alright?"

"I get to sleep?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Yes cub, you get to sleep."

"Alright then." Harry felt a wash of magic over him and embraced the darkness. He would sort out who the woman was later.

Remus followed Poppy into her office. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.


A/N2 apologies for you getting more ramblings from me, but I wanted to try and stem the flood of questions that I'm sure this chapter would produce!

How does Remus know Harry? Everyone knows Harry and Remus remembers him from before that Halloween.

How does Harry know Remus? He doesn't. His subconscious does. You'll notice every time Harry is aware, he refers to Remus as Professor. It's called his Long-Term Memory log, and under extreme conditions you can remember things that you wouldn't be able to otherwise. Like remembering an uncle you had at the age of one.

Any more questions, comments, title ideas etc, leave them as a review or PM me!