Severus and Harry spent the next few days going over The History of Magic lessons. Harry had been deprived of magical knowledge and the lessons, and though boring, they brought about many discussions. Severus could even admit that some of Harry's questions were very well thought out for one so young.
"You seem to have grasped the Goblin War of 1846; would you like to move on now, or have a bit of lunch?"
"Can we have lunch? I'm starving," and the growl coming from Harry's stomach confirmed that. Gertrude brought them both soup and sandwiches, and then returned to the kitchen to finish up.
"Dad, why did the Goblins have so many wars? Are they that mean or angry all the time?"
Severus tried to think of an answer that was simple, but realistically there wasn't one. Sighing, he began.
"Goblins were once treated as nothing more than house elves. Though their magic is powerful, once bound to their Masters, they were not allowed to use it against them."
"You mean Gertrude has powerful magic, too?"
Severus chuckled thinking back to his loyal house elf trying to dismember Minerva.
"They do indeed, but they seldom use it unless provoked."
"You see Harry, Goblins were treated this way because they were different. You see, even in the magical world, people are not tolerant of those that are different."
"Do you mean like purebloods?" Harry whispered.
"Not just purebloods, Harry. Any race that was deemed dangerous. Even giants like Hagrid were considered a threat to wizardkind."
"Was Remus?" And at the look from Severus, Harry explained more. "I mean, he was different. Did they treat him badly because of it?"
Severus wanted to lie and tell Harry no, that Remus brought his misery on himself, but he couldn't lie, not about something that important.
"Remus, though to me still a nuisance and a traitor, did not, in fact, deserve some of the treatment bestowed upon him. Often he was ridiculed for his condition, one that was not his fault."
"Why can't people just treat each other nicely? Why can't they understand how much it hurts when people look at you like you don't belong? Like when they made mum cry that day in the Potion's Lab and you put the orange liquid in their cauldrons and made them bubble over and give them boils?"
Severus shook his head, both lost in the memory, and knowing he hadn't mentioned it to Harry.
"How did you know about that?"
He was curious as to all the topics Harry kept bringing up lately, and he waited for the explanation if there was one.
"I don't know, I just remember it is all."
Severus pondered that for a moment.
"You can't possibly have remembered it Harry, you weren't even born yet."
Harry's face wrinkled up in thought.
"But, I can see them laughing at her and everything. She even charmed one girl's hair into worms, didn't she?"
Severus ended the conversation there.
"Harry have you seen other things? Are there things you didn't remember before?"
Harry smiled.
"I remember you thinking about kissing mum, but you didn't because she could run faster than you, and you couldn't catch her."
Severus was shocked. To his knowledge, no one knew about that except himself and Lily, and then it dawned on him.
"Harry have you spoken to the man I asked you not to speak to?"
Harry shook his head.
"No, Dad, honest. I haven't even been outside today."
Severus wanted to believe Harry, but the memories just weren't possible for him to have.
"I think that is enough lessons for today. Why don't you go and take a nap?"
"But, I'm not even tired," Harry protested.
"Be that as it may, go lie down until I come and call you for dinner."
Harry got up and went into his room, shutting the door behind him. He wondered why his father was suddenly so upset. Was he not supposed to mention the kiss, or almost kiss? Harry guessed he embarrassed him, and that was what provoked him being sent to bed. Better to not say anything at all, Harry thought. Hadn't he been told by the Dursley's not to speak unless spoken to? Hadn't he learned that his thoughts didn't matter? Rolling over, Harry counted the tiles on the ceiling until his eyes began to droop. It wasn't long and he was asleep despite his earlier claim not to be sleepy.
Severus paced back and forth till he felt as if he would burn a hole in the carpet. How could Harry know things from before he was born if he hadn't spoken to Remus, and when had he spoken to him?
"Gertrude," he called, and within seconds the house elf was at his side. "Has Harry been outside today?"
"No, Master Snape, sir. Harry has been inside all day long."
"What about the day before? Did he take Fred outside to play, or work in the garden?"
"We is going outside two days ago, but we is not staying out there but an hour. Gertrude is letting Fred out today."
This perplexed Severus even more. Had he missed something? Was Harry remembering his thoughts? He knew he would get to the bottom of this one way or another, and that is when the scream echoed from Harry's room.
His heart pounding in his ears, Severus was at Harry's door, wand drawn in moments. He flung it open and found Harry huddled against the headboard, rocking back and forth. Severus wasted no time getting to his side.
"Harry. what is it? Have you had a bad dream?"
Severus pulled the child to him, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders for he seemed cold.
"I saw... I can't believe that could happen to someone. Why Dad?"
Severus wiped the tears from Harry's face, and handed him a handkerchief.
"What did you see, Harry? Tell me."
Harry took a hold of Severus' sleeve, gathering it up in his hands till the knuckles turned white.
"I saw him get bitten, he lived but the other boy, Dad ... the other boy died."
Severus had heard just about enough.
"Harry who did you see get bitten, and by what?"
Severus wanted to know and if he had even an inkling it was Remus Lupin he would find him and Merlin help the man.
"I saw the little boy, the one with the brown hair. He was on a picnic, and his mum and dad didn't even hear him yell. Why did that happen, Dad? What about his friend? Is he all right?"
Severus' heart froze. Harry was speaking about Lupin, and the friend he saw die was none other than Lupin's own cousin who the werewolf had mauled on its way to get to Lupin. Now, what Severus didn't know was how Harry had seen any of this.
"Harry, it was a long time ago, and the one bitten is fine now. It was only a dream."
Harry continued to trembled beside him. You could see the sweat forming on his brow, and yet he shook even harder.
"Why don't you go and wash your face, and see if Gertrude needs any help in the kitchen?"
Harry didn't want to even move from the bed. What if the wolfman were waiting for him somewhere in the house.
"Will you come with me?" he whispered.
Severus picked him up and stood him on the floor.
"Certainly."
He waited while Harry washed his face, and then walked the boy into the kitchen. The room seemed a bit dark, and Severus could see Harry waiting for something to jump out of any shadow. With his wand he lit the two wall sconces.
"I must go and freshen up before dinner. Will you be all right here with Gertrude?"
Harry wanted to say no, but he didn't want to seem like a baby. After all he was nine years old.
"I'll be okay."
Severus nodded and went into his room, placing silencing charms on the door. He went to his fireplace and threw in the floo powder, shouting out McGonagall's office. Within a couple minutes Minerva was coming through.
"What is it Severus? I am expected in the Great Hall."
"Have you seen Lupin recently?"
The look on Minerva's face said all that Severus needed to know.
"When? and why did you not tell me. I thought I made it clear that he is trying to harm Harry."
"I saw him at Hogwarts, Severus, and he made no clear motive to see Harry. I told him to leave Harry be, that he was fine where he was."
"Well, you words fell on deaf ears, Minerva. Somehow he has gotten to Harry. I don't know how, but Harry is remembering things that he can't possibly know. Things that happened before he was born. Can you explain it otherwise?"
"But how? He and I only spoke for a few minutes, and then I shooed him away as I was headed here."
Minerva's face turned ashen then.
"You don't think, no, he couldn't possibly have done anything."
Severus' head jerked up.
"What? What could he have not possibly done? You underestimate Remus Lupin. He is nothing if not conniving and manipulative."
Minerva cleared her throat.
"I had a house elf bring me the refreshments that day to bring here. Do you think he tampered with them in any way?"
"I do not think he tampered with them, I know he did."
Severus paced back and forth.
"I will figure out what it is. Until then, won't you come through and watch Harry for the evening?"
Minerva was too rattled to deny him.
"I will go and inform the Headmaster that I have prior plans for dinner and will be there soon."
Severus nodded and waited till Minerva left to exit the room. He watched as Harry shoved his food around on his plate, his face still a bit pale, and if he wasn't mistaken queasy as well.
"Are you not hungry?■
"I can't get that image out of my head."
"Very well, but how about a cup of cocoa? Minerva is coming over to sit with you while I go and see about something to take those bad thoughts away."
"You're leaving?!" Harry said, jumping up and knocking over his chair.
"Only for a bit, Harry, and I must in order to find out just what was given to you. Can you trust me on this?"
Harry hesitated, but agreed that he would stay. Very soon they all heard the door to Severus' room opening and Minerva walked in. She did not seem her normal calm self, and one look towards Gertrude said she was in no mood for any acts of defense. Severus hugged Harry good-bye, reassuring him that he would not be long, and walked to the door.
"Severus, how will you find him?"
Severus turned and motioned for Minerva to step outside.
"He always goes to the same place. I am sure to find him there, since he will be recovering from the full moon."
Minerva grabbed Severus' robe before he left.
"You won't harm him will you, Severus? Surely his intentions were not to hurt Harry."
Severus glared, as he knew he could make no promise such as that.
"I will return shortly."
With a quick pop he was gone, and Harry started to worry in that second. Sleep pulled at him and yet he was afraid to close his eyes. Each time he did, something new would start to unravel, something he thought he could handle, the Dursley's.
Severus apparated to the outside of the Shrieking Shack. He knew Lupin recovered here, and that the noises the students feared were him, howling as he transformed. Not wasting any time, he climbed the small hill, and opened the door to the inside. All was quiet except the faint sound of whimpers coming from the upstairs room. Severus took the stairs two at a time, not caring if he was heard. His wand drawn he shoved open the door and found Lupin still trying to remove the shackles he had put on himself the night before. His body was layered in cuts and bruises from trying to escape.
"Severus!" he shouted, trying to inch away from the livid man standing before him. It did not go unnoticed that there was a cauldron sitting in the middle of the floor with the remains of some sort of potion.
Severus ignored the man as he looked ready to chew threw the chains around his wrists, and instead walked over to the cauldron. Inside the remains of the potion still sat, a yellowish hue, as it thickened. Severus knew right away what Harry had been given, but he had a few words for his old friend. Wand drawn he removed the remaining chains and stood watching as Lupin scrambled to his feet.
"Why did you think you could give Harry a potion, and not think I would come here and kill you myself? Did you think you would get away with it, Lupin?"
Remus backed up against the wall. He was weak and his wand hand shook as he tried to hold it upright.
"I only wanted him to remember me before. It isn't going to harm him, Severus."
"Wrong! You didn't think," Severus said, his wand now gouging into Remus' throat. "He does remember you, Lupin, and how your cousin was killed. How his body was ripped to shreds right before he died. Is this the memory you wanted him to have of you?"
"Severus, I only want Harry to know that I love him. That Lily and James and I were friends, and we shared good times before they died."
"You fool! Along with those good memories you claim to want to give, you also have to think about the ones that are sure to come along with them. Do you recall when Lily broke her arm, because she fell from the back of Black's broom while he tried to show off some new stunt? Do you recall how he will remember that each time you transformed you have tried to kill his father and mother at one point or another? You should be grateful that he hasn't recalled those events yet."
Remus let his wand fall to the floor in defeat, but his words were like ice.
"You should be glad he doesn't remember your past, Severus. Have you told him how you killed innocent Muggles, just to prove your alliance with the Dark Lord?"
This was the wrong thing to say to Severus and his hands were around Remus' throat in seconds, choking him.
"Harry knows of my past sins, and he knows how I went to you for help. Was it not you who helped my father find me? Was it not you who stood there watching as the Dark Lord made me his servant? I have paid for my sins, and continue to pay. Now it is time you paid for yours."
Severus wanted to kill Remus, to choke him till the last breath escaped his body, but he let him go.
"Harry does not need or want you in his life. If I ever find out that you have contacted him again, you will share a cell with Black, if I don't deem it prudent to kill you."
Severus turned to leave, for he had to get home and brew the potion Harry needed, but he stopped when the rough voice of Remus begged him.
"Severus, please, do not turn me away."
"You have lost any sympathy I may have had for you, Lupin."
"I love Harry. I would do anything for him."
Severus turned.
"Would you die for him? Would you give your life for his?"
Remus' gaze faltered for a second.
"I thought not. You couldn't stand up to my father, your friends. I would lay down my life for my son, something I know you are not willing to do. If I ever find that you have contacted him in any way again, you will regret it."
Severus slammed the door behind him, and walked away unfazed by the muffled sobs coming from the room.
Back at his home ...
"He has fallen asleep, finally," Gertrude said.
Harry began to dream, but not a good dream. His mind showed him pictures of the Dursley's, and of two men who were walking away. One transformed into a dog, and the other was the man he had seen before. Harry couldn't have been more than three, and when the door closed, his Uncle seemed furious.
"You little whelp, bringing freaks like that to my door. You will pay for that!"
Harry began screaming as the first smack landed across his face. It was the first time he recalled the word freak being used, and the first of many beatings to come. Sitting straight up on the couch, he began screaming.
"Daddy! help me!" over and over he screamed, and Gertrude and Minerva could not comfort him, as he pushed their hands away.
This was the sound Severus heard as he apparated outside the door, and he rushed inside to the one calling for him.
A/N: See you next week!
