A Rewritten Life
by Yih

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters and am making no profit from this whatsoever. Also there are no spoilers about HBP on this. In the future I may incorporate them, but that won't be for a good while. Lastly, Harry starts out as being four in this chapter and ends up at being six years old. You'll see indicators. Enjoy!

Chapter Four
The Tutor

It was a big day, that's what Albus had told him. Harry stood patiently while Yenty fussed over his appearance. Someone, his new teacher, was supposed to be coming. That's what he remembered from what Albus had said yesterday. He didn't know if Minerva or Albus was going to take him to this new teacher. But he hoped whoever it was, that they were nice like Minerva, Albus, or Yenty was!

Harry beamed at Yenty and kissed her on the cheek. Yenty turned a weird pale green like she always did when he did that. "Thank you!" he exclaimed and she took his hand, starting to pull him out of his room.

"Master Harry must go," Yenty said. "Headmaster says you must not be late."

Harry allowed Yenty to guide him to wherever they were going.

-

"Lupin," Minerva remarked, greeting him with a nod, "I trust your trip went well?"

Remus nodded and clutched one threadbare bag to his side. "It went well. The walk was nice."

Minerva smiled a bit stiffly. "That's good. While I may have been the one to extend the offer of employment to you, it will be Albus who introduces you to your charge."

"And who is my charge?"

"You'll find out shortly," Minerva said and gestured for Remus to follow after her. "But first let's get you situated in your rooms. The Headmaster thought it might be best for you to have a room that is close to your charge's; thus, you will be stationed next to the Headmaster's own quarters."

Remus blinked. "Is the charge… related to the Headmaster?"

Minerva didn't answer, she only kept walking forward.

-

It had been nearly five years since Remus had stepped into the Headmaster's Office. The last time he had, Remus winced to think about it. He had been extremely lucky that Dumbledore was an understanding man and he hadn't expelled him when his problem had gotten out of control. Not that it had been his fault, Remus thought darkly. Damn Sirius. Damn him.

"Remus Lupin?" Albus said and motioned his head. "Won't you come in?"

Remus stepped into the room, expecting to see a young child somewhere around, but instead only saw the Headmaster and a miserable looking phoenix. Remus turned to Albus, about to open his mouth and ask if there was something wrong, but Albus said, "Fawkes is on his last cycle. He needs to burn soon and then he'll be all right."

Remus nodded, suddenly remembering reading about phoenixes and their life cycles. He shook his head, wondering if he had made a bad impression on the Headmaster by not recalling a basic fact. He really hoped not, smoothing his worn robes. He swallowed hard. He did need this job.

"Please take a seat?"

Remus did.

"I will call your charge in shortly," Albus remarked, "but first I need to explain a few things to you. Normally, wizarding children attend a primary school like the one at Hogsmeade. However, there are special circumstances such as this one. My ward is special and requires utmost safety for his own good. I didn't mention it before, but Minerva and I believe it would be best if you placed under the Fidelius Charm."

Blinking with his surprise, Remus somehow managed to keep his mouth shut. Of all the things he could have expected, he certainly hadn't thought of this. "Why?" he croaked.

"For his safety since he is under my care, and you must vow to me you will keep him safe no matter what and that you won't harm him."

"I wouldn't harm anyone…" Remus murmured. He knew Albus was one of the few that didn't believe he was a beast that should be locked up, but it still hurt to hear the Headmaster ask him questions he should already know the answer to. "Not of my own violation, and of course I will keep him safe."

Albus nodded and smiled. "I didn't think so and I am glad there is someone else to watch over him. I've placed him under the Fidelius Charm, as you too will be. His location will be revealed shortly, though you won't be able to disclose it."

Albus snapped his fingers and a side door popped out of no where with an old house elf leading a young child with black hair and with the greenest eyes. Remus hadn't Harry since he was a baby, but there was no denying who this child was. "But… he's supposed to be with his Aunt and Uncle!"

"He was," Albus stated, "until they left him at an orphanage. He has been in my care since."

"Merlin," Remus rasped and held his arms out to Harry, only to watch the child run to Albus. Harry held out his arms and Albus picked the child up gently and set him on his lap. "I… who's to be my secret keeper?"

"Not me," Albus said. "But Minerva has volunteered."

-

"Hi," Remus said gently, lowering himself down so that he and Harry were almost eye level. "I'm Remus."

Harry smiled and to Remus' surprise, launched himself at him. Harry's arms went around Remus' neck in a tight hug. Remus almost couldn't remember the last time someone had hugged him with such exuberance… Sirius, he thought with a tight painful twist in his guts. How could his best friend betray James and Lily… and Harry?

"Hi," Harry replied, resting his head against Remus' neck.

"I'm your tutor," Remus said as he held Harry close to his body. "Albus introduced us the day before."

"You teach Harry," he said. "Alby said so."

Remus blinked and nodded. Somehow he hadn't thought that Harry's grammar would be as bad as Albus and Minerva had confessed it to be. But it did seem they were right. However, it wasn't like Harry had a problem speaking coherently. He was easy to understand, just not grammatically correct in the way he formed his thoughts aloud.

"Yes, I'm here to teach you."

"Stay inside?" Harry asked.

"Would you like to?" Remus inquired back.

Albus had said that Harry liked to be outside, but he was often limited to being inside since there wasn't anyone who could watch him outside without being seen. Remus could understand after the Headmaster's explanation. Indeed it would be strange for Albus or Minerva to be outside by themselves, and even weirder for a house elf.

"Harry likes outside!" he exclaimed.

"I like being outside," Remus said gently. "That's the proper way to say it, Harry."

"I like being outside," Harry repeated.

Remus smiled. He wondered if this 'job' he was being given wasn't more for his benefit than Harry. If Harry could mimic him this quickly, he didn't understand why it would be a problem to teach him how to speak properly. Probably Albus and Minerva simply didn't have the time. After all, he had no idea how busy a Headmaster or a Deputy Headmistress was.

-

"I daresay this is going better when we expected," Albus remarked, watching Remus and Harry playing outside on the Hogwarts grounds in his observing mirror. Minerva stood right behind him, peering over his shoulder. "Remus and Harry are quite close and it's only been a month's time."

"Well, Harry is a charming child," Minerva remarked.

"Indeed he is."

"Sweet too," she added.

Albus smiled fondly and turned his attention away from the mirror. "So how are Gryffindor first years adjusting to Hogwarts? Severus has already come by to report on the Slytherins. One girl has been particularly homesick, much to Severus' dismay."

"Or disgust," Minerva responded in amusement. "As per normal, a few Gryffindors cried for home, but no more than usual. Only one needed to come to me. The year-mates managed to comfort those that were homesick and if they couldn't, the prefects and older housemates did."

"Excellent," he replied. "How are the Transfiguration classes?"

"Good, though the first years are particularly bad," Minerva said and shuddered slightly. "If Snape's mood is any indication, I would gander that the first years are no better at Potions."

Albus' eyes twinkled. "Yes, he's already come to berate the first years… particularly the Gryffindors."

-

Harry liked Remus. Remus took him outside and he actually played with him! It was fun to have someone big pick him up and run around, let him crawl onto his back and be ridden like—like a horse in one of those books, and even better when Remus would do some magic. Like the one when he'd raise his wand and yell, "Expecto Patronum!"

And a bright yellow horizon like morning would appear with white mist that Harry enjoyed running through. Then there were the books Remus would read to him. They were such exciting books with bright moving pictures! Harry could even read a few of the words already. Remus had been teaching him how to read properly, and he could even speak properly now.

Even better, Remus stayed with him all day long and when he went away—then there was Albus and Minerva! Harry had never felt so happy as he did these days. It was wonderful to have someone with him, someone to hold him and hug him, and of course… play with him.

But why wasn't Remus here yet? Harry looked around patiently, waiting for Remus to come into his room at any moment and take him outside where they would run around and play a bit before starting their 'lessons.' Harry didn't mind them. Most of the time they were quite fun and... Harry grinned when he saw the door open, but it wasn't Remus.

"Where is Remy?" Harry asked, looking up at Minerva and holding out his arms. "Where is Remy!"

"I'm afraid he's sick today," Minerva remarked and reached down to pull Harry into her arms. "You really are getting too big to be held, dear. You're nearly five."

"A month!" Harry exclaimed excitedly. "Only four weeks! Thirty days!"

Minerva smiled and ruffled his hair. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Yes, Yenty made me eat oatmeal," Harry said with a frown.

"Oatmeal is good for you."

"That's what she said!"

"Hmmm… well how would you like to spend the day with me?" she asked. "Would you like that?"

Harry nodded and pulled his face away a bit so that they could look each other in the eye. "How come Remy's always sick?"

-

"We can't keep this a secret from him much longer," Minerva declared to Albus a few evenings later. "You know Harry is a bright child and he's already started asking me questions. It's only a matter of time before he starts pestering Remus. It's a wonder he hasn't already. Thank Merlin, he decided to ask me about why Remus always looks so bad at the end of the month. I told him that it would be best to keep it to himself. That n one likes to hear bad things about themselves. But Harry is still a child, and you know how children talk."

Albus lifted his head and peered over his glasses. "Are you finished?"

Minerva scowled. "Were you even listening to me?"

"Of course," Albus remarked. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because a scroll is sitting in front of you and you certainly weren't looking at me…"

"You said, 'We can't keep this a secret from him, and by him you meant Harry, much longer. You know Harry is a bright child and—'"

"Okay!" she exclaimed. "So you were listening."

"I do believe I said so earlier."

Minerva twisted her face into a frown. "You still haven't said anything about what you're going to do… about what I've said."

Albus raised an eyebrow. "What would you like me to do?"

"I think we should consider telling Harry."

"I thought you were the one who would not tell Harry everything."

Minerva flushed darkly. "In some circumstances, but don't you think it would be best if Harry knew about Remus' condition so he wouldn't become prejudice?"

"My dear, do you think Harry would be like that?"

"No."

"And while it's nice to know you would trust Harry with such an important matter," Albus remarked, "I think the decision lies with Remus."

-

"You were sick again," Harry accused, his eyes wide and worried. Remus felt his heart squeeze painfully. Minerva had already been suggesting to him that he might want to tell Harry why he was sick; after all, it had been proven over and over again that Harry was quite capable of understanding concepts that were beyond the average five year old.

"Yes," Remus admitted, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep this from Harry much longer. "But it's nothing."

"You look bad," Harry said bluntly, climbing onto his lap and placing his hands on both sides of Remus' face. "Tired," Harry remarked. "You should sleep."

Sometimes, Remus thought with wry amusement, he almost regretted teaching Harry his would, could, should's. It wasn't like he didn't want Harry to speak properly, but once Harry understood how to use those three words—he especially liked 'should.' Perhaps Remus shouldn't have told him that it could be used in a commanding way. The example of Harry should eat his broccoli hadn't been the best one.

"Actually, I should be teaching you more words and there's a new book we should read."

"Really?" Harry asked, excitement blossoming in his eyes and creeping into his voice. "Does it have magic?"

Remus nodded and smiled. He could understand a child's fascination with magic, especially Harry. It would be hard not to when Harry was living within the most magical place in Scotland. Remus accio'ed a book with far more words than pictures. As he opened it, he wondered if he'd liked his mum reading such text-oriented books at this age. He shrugged.

"Shall we begin?"

Harry beamed, but it slipped a little when he looked up at Remus' face. "You are all right?"

"I'm fine," Remus said and bent down to kiss the boy on the forehead. "'In a land not so far from here, there lived a…'"

-

"You should consider telling him," Minerva stated for what she thought must have been the hundredth time this week. But of course Remus wasn't paying attention to her. He had his nose buried into a book much like he had when he'd been a student at Gryffindor House. "I think he would understand."

Remus closed his book and set it down on the table next to his chair. "And why would I want to do that?"

"He's worried about you, Remus, and I think he ought to know why."

"I'm sick," Remus stated firmly, "and that's all he needs to know."

Minerva's right eye twitched. "If you're so shamed that you won't tell him, how is he ever to overcome being ashamed of you when you finally do?"

Remus said nothing; instead he got up and walked out of the room.

-

"Tomorrow's my birthday!" Harry declared with a bright smile plastered on his face. "You coming?"

Remus almost choked on tea. Merlin, he thought and shook his head as he got himself together. "Excuse me?"

"You coming?"

Remus smiled back. "Of course, why wouldn't I?"

Harry took a large swallow of his pumpkin juice. "You don't have to give me a present."

"I don't?"

Harry shook his head. "No. Alby and Minnie told me you might not."

"It's too bad then I already bought you one."

"You did!" Harry exclaimed excitedly. His green eyes were flashing with such life.

"Mmm-hmm," Remus replied and set his cup of tea down. "I suppose I could always return it if you don't want it."

"I want it!"

Remus stifled his laughter. "Well then, I'll give it to you tomorrow."

Harry beamed and took the last cookie from the plate. He started to pull it closer to him, but stopped and looked up at Remus. "Do you want it?"

"You go ahead."

-

This was the best birthday ever, Harry thought while he hugged Remus close, the book he'd received squished between them. He couldn't wait to get Remus to read it to him. It was so bright and pretty and it Remus said it was about magical creatures. Harry had asked if they had dragons, snakes, and phoenixes in them and Remus had said yes. Harry particularly wanted to learn more about the fearsome snake-like creature he'd seen when he'd flipped through the contents. Its name was… basilisk.

There was another creature that stirred some interest. It had glowing golden eyes and fur of the darkest gray. Its tongue was hanging out of its mouth and it had such great big teeth. Harry felt a shiver go down his spine when he saw it, but he wasn't scared of it—not really. More fascinated and curious than anything else.

"Thank you so much," Harry whispered.

"You're quite welcome."

TBC

Author's Note: 1168 hits… 43 reviews. Better . Thanks and keep reviewing. I'm going to be slowing down in updating until after my MCATs. I still hope to put out one more chapter or maybe two before the test date, but… it might end up being none. Just hang on. I'll get there, I promise. I have about 5 more chapters of 'child' Harry before we start delving into 'Hogwarts' Harry.

Thanks to Stahchild (ah but this story is quite cheerful), Eaiva le Fay (I think Harry is quite adorable too, so it's okay. Well keeping Remus secret-kept is good for Harry since they can roam the school), JayHun (probably), Liat1989 (b/c they think Harry should refer James and Lily as mum and dad), garnettvii (you pick up speech patterns of who takes care of you most and in Harry's case, it's a house elf called Yenty), sweet as lemonz (Harry doesn't have any 'new' powers, more like he's always had them), and dead feather (are you done w/ HBP now?)

As always, I'm usually online on sevviepooh so if you want to chat about the fic or HBP feel free to message me.

For those who want Chimera, the story I deleted because of supposedly advocating child abuse… I've archived it on my new Yahoo!group here: groups(dot)yahoo(dot)com/group/yih(underscore)fics/