Primoris Oraculum Duo (First Prophecy)

Chapter 25

At first, Harry tried to pull himself together enough to get some work done. Failing that, he opened the stained glass window, pulling the chair up to it. Over and over he sent out his call to Severus. Over and over there was no answer. Prongs was clutched in tense fingers as if it were a talisman.

Dobby sat on the floor at his feet, eyes sad but watchful. He heard the calls go on and on, his elf heart breaking at the emptiness that he did not know how to fill.

The ghosts hovered, taking turns being there and making their self-appointed rounds of the castle.

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Draco returned to the Slytherin common room, quickly bypassing the students sitting around a mostly finished buffet. He was almost to the stairs leading to the dormitories when Pansy's voice stopped him.

"Your father didn't seem too angry with you … perhaps you haven't been as bad as we thought."

"If that's an apology for your back-stabbing, you need more lessons in common manners, Parkinson." He continued, but hesitated after going a few more steps. "And as for bad? You have no idea how bad I can be if you continue to slander me around this house."

Pansy stood open-mouthed at being told off, while there were many snickers around the room.

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Dumbledore stood staring into the fire, McGonagall behind him. Both had worried expressions.

"Albus, if Severus has been killed, Harry will need Remus. If he hasn't, then perhaps it will still be good for Harry to have him here. Remus was always the steadiest adult for him, not too flighty, or smothering. Even with Severus here, Remus could be helpful in having someone to oversee Harry's training."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, that is a consideration. Training Harry, and attending to his class load has been a lot for Severus." He looked at McGonagall. "The Board of Governors won't like having a dark creature here again. It will have to be just for Harry. Perhaps Harry will be willing for him to occupy rooms close to his."

He stood there, contemplating the flames. "I cannot bear to think of losing Severus myself, Minerva. How will I be able to help young Harry through it?"

McGonagall laid a hand on his arm, trying not to display her concern over this rare moment of weakness from the Headmaster. "That's why we need Remus. He has no such ties to Severus. He can be there for Harry without letting anything else get in the way. For all that he has been through, he has never been one to be unfair or insensitive. No matter his own feelings regarding Severus, he'll help Harry deal with his."

Dumbledore nodded sadly. Kneeling in front of the fireplace, he threw in a handful of Floo Powder. Watching as the flames turned green, he called out for Remus Lupin.

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Draco lay brooding on his bed, curtains drawn. His father had been curiously polite, even with the Slytherin win. He had to think that the man had already planned to Imperious him, even if Slytherin had lost. The message he would have been told to deliver to Harry would have simply been different. He shuddered to think what would have happened to him if he had successfully given Harry the portkey. It was bad enough that Severus had been the one to touch it. If Harry had taken it and had been transported to the Malfoy Manor, he would probably be before He Who Must Not Be Named, right now. Maybe he would have already been dead, the hope of the wizarding world lost.

Now, his father had got Severus. Draco didn't know what had transpired between them recently, but it had appeared that they were not on the best of terms. Dumbledore and Harry had seemed certain that Lucius would kill Severus. Had things been that bad?

Now the Headmaster was talking about bringing Remus Lupin home. What did that mean? Where had he been and why would he be so important now?

Would they trust him now, after this portkey fiasco? Had he switched his loyalties only to be shuffled to the very bottom of the ladder for his unwilling service to his father?

Noises from the common room got his attention and he sat up on an elbow, his prefect's ear tipped towards the sound of argument. Eyes widening, he jumped off the bed. Was that Snape he heard?

He ran up the stairs and almost skidded into the room. Snape was standing at the wall where the genealogies had been posted. He turned at Draco's entry and sneered.

"Who's abominable idea was it to post this?"

"Yours, sir." Draco frowned as he looked at him. Snape's face was in hard lines, hair down around his face. He looked like … like he used to … before whatever had happened between him and Harry.

"Don't be ridiculous, Mr. Malfoy. I would never condone this sort of drivel. Remove it at once."

Some first years were beginning to sniffle, scared out of their minds to be on the receiving end of the Snape they had heard of but had yet to see.

Draco straightened himself up and said quietly, "Sir, you assigned us all to research our family pedigrees as a detention of sorts. You ordered us to post them so that we could all see that none of our families were as pure as we wanted to believe."

"I assigned this, you say? I am not some doddering Head of House that you might find in another house. Do not think that you can play some idiotic, dunderheaded prank on me and get by with it. You have ten minutes to get them off these walls." With that, he swept out of the room, black robes snapping around him.

Draco looked around at all those in the room. Many eyes were on him for an answer. Draco could only shrug. "Take them down and roll them up. I have a feeling we'll get back to it."

As his housemates began to remove the pedigrees, Draco stood in thought. That was not Snape; at least not the Snape that had been here this afternoon. He left the Slytherin rooms and headed for the office of the Headmaster.

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Remus Lupin stepped through the green flames and into Dumbledore's office. He glared around the room before his eyes found Dumbledore and softened. "Albus. This must be something important for you to call me out of Portugal. I am very near to winning the loyalties of the highest ranking pack there."

Dumbledore stepped towards the werewolf. Lupin had aged considerably over the last year, his salt and pepper hair more salt now. He had grown a short beard that showed white streaks over either side of his chin. The time spent with pack society had done him the good of putting muscle on him. He was not shabby looking. He was not the mild-mannered man that had left them more than a year ago. For a few moments, Dumbledore had trouble seeing that this was the same man who had been torn by the grief of losing his best friend. This man was hardened by the trials life had dealt, not weakened. There was a resolve and determination in the face that had never been there before.

Smiling benevolently, Dumbledore held out his hand. "Remus … I wish it had not been necessary to call you here. Your mission is of great importance. I know you will have loose ends to attend to, and you shall."

With his fine sense of smelling the feelings of others, Lupin knew that Dumbledore feared telling him whatever it was that he needed to; not the fear of someone who feared for their life, but the fear of causing pain to another. "It's Harry, isn't it? You wouldn't have called me back for anything or anyone else."

"Come; sit down. We have quite a lot to talk about, and it needs to be done quickly. Harry needs you."

Remus started towards the door, "Then I will go to him immediately."

"You can't. I'm afraid that he may not even know you."

That stopped Remus in his tracks, and he could feel hackles rising on his back as a snarl started deep in his throat. "What's happened to him, and why didn't you tell me so I could come back sooner? The boy is like my own young …"

"I know, Remus. It has been a difficult half year. Some moments it seems as if it has been much longer … please, come sit down."

After the first five minutes, Dumbledore ordered tea. After ten, they were both pouring hefty shots of firewhiskey into their cups. Remus looked alternately grieved, horrified and furious at everything Harry had endured since the end of the last school year..

Remus rose from his chair, holding his cup. Running his other hand through his hair, he sighed. "How could so much happen to one kid? How can he be expected to deal with all this?"

"Severus has been quite wonderful in that regard."

A feral growl preceded Remus's biting reply. "You'll forgive me if I find that difficult to believe."

"I thought you might. I have some of the more pertinent memories available for you to see. You need to understand fully what is happening." Dumbledore indicated the pensieve sitting on his desk. "I believe I shall wait here for you. Take your time."

Remus drained his cup, setting it down on the desk. With one more look at Dumbledore, Remus unhesitatingly plunged his face into the silver swirls.

Dumbledore heard the soft tinkling in his head telling him that someone was requesting entrance at the stone gargoyle, but did not know the password. Closing his eyes briefly, he ascertained that the caller was Draco. He started to refuse admission, but something in the bearing of the boy changed his mind. A wave of his hand had the gargoyle grinding open and Draco came up the spiral stairs. Dumbledore opened the door himself before he could knock.

Draco looked up at the headmaster with a frown. "Severus is back."

Dumbledore's eyes immediately grew sharp. "What? When?"

"Just now. He just showed up in the common room and started ranting about the … well he just started ranting. And he doesn't seem like himself."

Blue eyes narrowed then. "How do you mean, Draco?"

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Harry sat at the window, watching the half-moon rising. Dobby had fetched a tray of his favorite foods, and then his favorite desserts. Harry barely looked at either. Only once, when Dobby sniffed, did Harry smooth a hand over the knobby head. 'I'm glad you're here with me Dobby.'

After that, Dobby knew his purpose was to merely be there for the boy, to be what comfort he could. There was nothing he really had to do.

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Dumbledore sent Draco back to Slytherin and firecalled McGonagall. She was as shocked as he had been. What did this mean? Why hadn't Severus come to Dumbledore right away upon his return? Surely he knew that they would have been afraid for him, believing that he had been sent to whatever danger had awaited Harry. They agreed that they would only find out from Severus himself.

Throwing Floo Powder, he called down to the dungeon office. When Snape's head appeared, Dumbledore said mildly, "Severus; I'm glad you returned safely. Did you not think to let me know that you had?"

Black eyes narrowed. "I am not in the habit of reporting anything except that which concerns my … business with our mutual enemy."

"But we have worried about you."

"Why would you do that? I merely visited a friend to celebrate the victory of Slytherin."

Dumbledore looked at McGonagall. Their meaningful expressions were not lost on Snape. "If you have nothing else, I have brewing to do before tomorrow." He was gone in another flare.

McGonagall sat down. "His whole demeanor has changed. He's more like he was last year …"

"As if the last year had not happened," Dumbledore finished.

"Did Malfoy do this to him? Is that even possible?"

"To selectively Obliviate long term memories, you mean? Oh yes, it's possible, but very difficult. One must remove certain memories while simultaneously implanting replacements to maintain a timeline. It is considered dark magic because the victim is usually Imperiused as well."

"What will happen when he sees Harry?"

"That must not happen. This could be worse than if Severus did die; if he rejects Harry –"

At that moment, Harry burst through the door.

"Nick and the Bloody Baron told me Severus is back!" He was searching the room with wild eyes. Not seeing who he was looking for, he backed towards the door, "The hospital then? He must be alright if the two of you are here. He's still not answering me, though. Is he still trying to occlude in case Voldemort hears …"

"Harry, calm down, " McGonagall said gently.

Dumbledore saw no help for it, although he would be speaking to the ghosts regarding their irresponsibility in giving Harry information.

"He is back. But it would be best for you not to see him yet."

"Why? I've seen him at his worst, you know. I can handle it if I can just see him." Then he paled. "I'm not hearing him … you're not letting me see him … he's dead?"

"No! Harry, he's not dead!" Dumbledore assured him rapidly.

Harry was still backing towards the door and Dumbledore waved his hand, securing it.

"You know that won't keep me here. I'm going to find him, see him …" He turned to the door and held out his hands. The door shook on its hinges, but the locking spell held. Harry looked back at Dumbledore, bewildered, "My magic feels weaker, strange … but I still want out. Let me go to him."

"We can't."

From the pensieve, a figure emerged. Harry jumped at the appearance, and even Dumbledore barely held back his surprise, almost forgetting that someone had been in it.

Cautious golden brown eyes grew warm as they saw Harry standing there, but the man made no move toward the boy.

Harry frowned; he felt he should know this person, but the knowledge lay just beyond his grasp. Was he friend or foe, or somewhere in between?

When no one spoke, Harry moved from the door, edging towards the man, drawn by instinct.

As he concentrated, a bubble of long forgotten memory suddenly burst. "Remus?"

Remus opened his arms to the nearest he had ever had to cub. "Harry …"

Harry hesitated, stepping toward him slowly. "Why didn't I remember you before?"

Dumbledore now came to him. "It's been a very eventful day, Harry. It's almost too much for an old wizard like me, let alone you. We have time to sort this out. For now, just know that Remus is here for you, so you can sort through it safely."

Harry looked at them all, struggling to understand the why and how of everything. He faintly heard McGonagall calling Madame Pomfrey through the floo, and felt annoyance at the thought that he would soon be plied with more potion, probably to calm him.

Madame Pomfrey was there in moments and encouraging Harry to drink. Unwilling, but unable to feel anything more than overwhelmed; Harry drank of the vial she held out to him. As the room began to close in around him, Remus was there, warm arms strong around him, folding him into a comforting, musky embrace.

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A/N: As you can see, the pro Remus camp won the vote! I have always loved Remus, but thought he should be stronger, given his wild side. So, in my AU, he is a stronger man.

Thanks again to everyone who takes the time to review! In the First Prophecy Yahoo Group, I opened a discussion based on a review by akuma-river. Everyone is invited to post comments there!

Just remember, this is an AU fic and I have taken a lot of liberties with what happened in canon and in this non-canon storyline. If it was a perfect story, my name would be JKR, but I'm not and it's not!

Thanks logicalquirk for her quick turn-around in getting chapters back to me!

Thanks KimInSpirit for her daily encouragement!

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Hugs all around!