A/N: Gasp! I was able to post another chapter less than a month after my last one! Hopefully I can make a habit out of it.

Enjoy!

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Chapter 23: Recovery & Reality

June 9

Kaecilius looked down at his apprentice with a very serious expression as the man created an opening to the mirror dimension. "This may be dangerous," he said. "The moon may be down, but we don't know what effect his altered transformation had on your professor. For all we know, he is still trapped as a wolf. Are you sure you want to come with me?"

Harry nodded his head immediately. I want to help. You said two sorcerers would make the job easier.

His master sighed, nodded, and led the way into the splintery portal. "Very well. You can think of this as a new lesson. I've always told you to avoid anyone in the mirror dimension, but today we are actively seeking someone out. I used a similar process last night to find you in here. An experienced sorcerer can feel perturbations in the mirror dimension, even in the real world, if they concentrate. It gets easier to feel these movements once you're in the mirror dimension as well. Now, Lupin won't be consciously altering the dimension with any great skill. He's never been in here before. But if he's awake, the fluid nature of this plane of existence will make him, for lack of a better word, nauseous. You know what it feels like to be off balance in here, having the ceiling shift into a wall as gravity moves upside down. Anyone would want that feeling to stop. We will start by feeling for someone else trying to take control of the dimension's properties. Hands out in front of you, please."

Harry copied his teacher's pose, his palms held out before him as if telling someone to 'stop', He looked up as Keacilius closed his eyes, his head moving slowly and gently in every direction. After a moment, Harry quietly asked, What will it feel like?

Keaecilius opened one eye just a bit. "Remember how it feels when I pull control away from you? Like this?"

He jerked one hand upwards, forcing the stone floor to jump beneath Harry's feet. The boy promptly fell on his behind, and glared up at the man. Yes, yes, all right! he complained. I know what that feels like. You're saying I'll feel that, but weaker and further away?

"Precisely," Kaecilius answered, jerking his hand again. This time, the floor rose in only one small place, pushing Harry back to his feet before it sunk down again.

"Cast your awareness out," the man continued. "Let your control in this room weaken, and try to push your power into the rooms around us. Feel for resistance, no matter how slight."

The pair started their search in Lupin's office, but it was clear that the professor had been able to escape the room at some point. They made their way into the hallway and began to explore, still feeling their way along every step. Students, ghosts, and pets passed them as they traveled unseen through the school.

Turning their first corner, Kaecilius quietly said, "I don't think I've said, but… thank you for saving Sirius and myself. I… I know it couldn't have been easy to agree to the Dweller's terms."

Harry glanced up at his master as they walked, surprised at the gentle tone of his voice. Kaecilius stared straight ahead, a pained look on his face. You're welcome, Harry answered after a moment. I didn't see any way to say no. He had us all trapped.

Kaecilius sighed heavily. "I suppose he did. I'm sure you've thought of little else, but have you had any ideas for what you'll do about this problem? Your suit of armor trick was very clever, for instance."

Thank you, but I don't think it'll be much help, Harry replied. I will have to free the dementors, not kill them. Besides, I only managed to hurt one of them. That's all it was.

Kaecilius put his arms down and turned to the boy, his eyebrow raised. "Don't discount your achievement, Harry. Remember, no one has ever managed to injure a dementor before. Drive them off, or keep them away from an area, yes, but you're the first to create any kind of viable weapon. If anyone can come up with a solution, I have a feeling it's you. Trust your instincts, and we'll keep looking for new ideas to try. I will not be surrendering you to anyone, much less a fear demon."

Harry gave his master a hopeful smile as they continued down the hall, then began descending the staircase. As they walked down, Harry felt the tiniest pull on his control, and could tell by Kaecilius' quickened pace that he'd felt it too. They followed the feeling down, past the entrance hall and into the dungeons. The darkened halls and dimly flickering torches gave them little comfort, but the pull grew stronger with each step. Finally, they came to a stone archway at the end of the hall, through which they could only see darkness. Harry pulled out his wand and lit it, cautiously shining it through the entrance. "Professor?" he called quietly.

Kaecilius stepped forward so his body shielded Harry's, letting only the lit wand ahead of him. He whispered to Harry's mind, Carefully. Follow me, and keep your eyes open.

They slowly entered the room, which was once a giant lecture hall with a sunken floor. With each step down toward the front of the room, Harry shone his light to either side of them, checking for anything hiding in the rows of stone seats. It was only when they neared the bottom steps that his light fell on a huddled bundle of ripped cloth, gently moving with shallow breaths.

Kaecilius swept his arms out, summoning the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. Each chain flew toward the mass and sought out arms and legs, securing them from sudden movements. Once he was sure all four limbs were linked to the spell, he drew them apart from each other, slowly pulling Lupin into a near spread-eagle position. The movement elicited a weary groan from the man, who seemed barely conscious. Harry pointed the light onto Lupin's face and gasped.

Where once was a neatly shaven man, now Lupin's head was misshapen and covered in a coarse fur. His jaw and mouth still pushed forward halfway into a wolf's snout, with sharpened teeth protruding through his lips, leaving cuts where his mouth could not fit them. His ears had mostly returned to normal, only slightly raised and pointed on their ends, but his pupils were ragged and yellow. The fur covering his face continued down to coat his body, which was still disjointed and malformed. His hands and feet still looked like paws with long, jagged nails on the ends. Harry could see bloody tracks all over his body where he'd clawed at himself through the night.

Lupin forced his eyes open against the light, and the spark of recognition was clear as he looked at Harry. "Hayruro" he moaned, his mouth a ruined mess.

Harry looked up at Kaecilius, whose face showed such miserable guilt at the teacher's condition. His master quietly asked, "Remus Lupin, are you in command of yourself? Do you have full control of your mind? Just… just nod if you understand."

Lupin dragged his golden eyes up to the sorcerer and gave a weary nod. Kaecilius immediately drew the Crimson Bands closer together, and Lupin instinctively curled himself back up into a ball, clearly in pain.

Kaecilius leaned closer to Harry. "Give me a levitation spell focused on his robes. I can hold most of his weight with the Bands, but we need to carefully carry him up to the hospital wing before we leave the mirror dimension. No student or professor should see him like this, and I don't want to put any more strain on his body if I can help it."

Harry agreed, and they set off, moving the professor as gently as possible through the halls.

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Dumbledore and Pomfrey stood over Lupin's bed, having been summoned as soon as he'd been brought in. "I can't treat him if I don't know what happened to him!" the nurse argued hotly, looking between the headmaster, sorcerer, and student in irritation. "This wasn't spell damage, potion accident, or anything else I've ever seen! I've taken care of Remus since he was a first year, and he's never had anything like this after the full moon. Now tell me the truth!"

Dumbledore turned to Kaecilius. "I'm afraid we must be honest with Poppy. She has her healer's oaths. She won't tell anyone."

Kaecilius frowned, but reluctantly agreed. "Very well. I don't like so many of your staff being aware of this, especially your potions master, but in this case it has to be done."

Kaecilius and Harry took turns explaining what had happened, ending their tale with their escape from the mirror dimension when Lupin had mutated. Pomfrey glared at each of them, as if unsure they were telling a joke, but nodded sternly when they finished. She stared down at Lupin for a few moments, examining his hands and face carefully, then turned to the others. "I'll see what I can do. I doubt he'll ever return to his former appearance, but I can try a few things for transfiguration reversal. There's no telling what will happen at the next full moon, though."

As soon as she said 'moon', Lupin's eyes opened wide in a panic, darting around the room at the people surrounding his bed. "Eeriah," he moaned, "Eeriah ahn eedah?"

Even these garbled words caused Lupin pain, judging by the tears that streamed from his eyes and the blood that streamed from his lips. Madam Pomfrey immediately moved to calm him, murmuring comforting words in his ear, but the man's eyes were locked on Harry. The boy thought he understood what Lupin was asking. "Sirius?" he asked quietly, to which Lupin softly nodded.

"Sirius was innocent, like he said. Peter framed him 13 year ago. I got Sirius away from the dementors, but Peter escaped too. I'm sorry-"

Kaecilius grabbed Harry's shoulder to cut him off, and knelt next to Remus' side. "The only apology needed today is mine, Mr. Lupin. I didn't think before bringing you into the mirror dimension. I never even considered what might happen. Your situation here is entirely my fault, and I sincerely apologize. Any help or restitution I can provide is yours, unconditionally."

Lupin nodded again, looking dazed. Madam Pomfrey had moved to her cabinets during their conversation, and now she returned with a sleeping draught. Lupin willingly took it and passed out as Pomfrey shooed the remaining visitors away from his bed. Dumbledore levitated several curtains around Lupin's bed, then cast several spells on them before turning to Kaecilius and Harry. "Our one stroke of luck in this unfortunate incident is that exams are finished," he said quietly. "Small consolation that it is, we at least shouldn't have many students focused on Remus' absence. Depending on the quality of his recovery, we may need to fake his death."

Kaecilius jerked back in shock. "Surely that's an extreme solution?" he asked. "He may recover, after all?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I agree with Poppy about his appearance. A transformation this massive cannot be entirely fixed. Besides, he won't be the first Defense teacher for whom I write an obituary, even a false one. The position is cursed, and with what happens to our teachers by the end of each year, pretending at death is sometimes a mercy."

Harry couldn't help but object, "If you know the j-job is cursed, couldn't you, I don't know, change the c-class?"

Dumbledore gave him a sad smile. "I have tried many small changes over the past few decades, ever since Tom Riddle placed the curse. No matter where or how the class takes place, the teacher must always be replaced by the end of the year. Why, simply changing the course title in 1982 resulted in the instructor being eaten by a graphorn in the Forbidden Forest. The difference that year was that I only had him in the position for two months. You can see why I didn't try that again."

Harry agreed with a shaky nod. "C-could you get rid of the course altogether?" he asked.

"Voldemort would like nothing better, I'm sure," the headmaster responded sternly. "Young wizards and witches completely untrained in defense techniques, facing him on the battlefield. It's every dark lord's dream come true. Besides which, we are required to teach Defense by both the Ministry and the International Confederation of Wizards. We would be shut down if we didn't teach it. No, I'm afraid our only choice is to secure a new teacher each year, no matter how unsuitable they are for the task. I can only mitigate the damage so much."

Dumbledore shook his head and looked over at the drawn curtains where Madam Pomfrey worked. "But back on the subject of our current instructor, falsifying a death certificate is very easy to do for someone in my position. From what I understand, the paper pushers at the Ministry take bets on what misfortune will befall our defense professor every year. 'Death', apparently, has only 2 to 1 odds, so no one is surprised by it."

The appalled looks on Harry and Kaecilius' faces seemed to make Dumbledore reconsider his slightly flippant tone, so he continued, "Think of it this way. Remus Lupin has had to struggle as a registered werewolf for his entire life. Once he recovers in whatever manner is possible, he'll be much more free to pursue whatever career he likes without all the paperwork."

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June 17

The other Gryffindor third years were packing their trunks after the Leaving Feast, which had ended with a raucous celebration for Gryffindor's third House Cup victory. With the number of points they'd earned from their Quidditch Cup victory, there had never been any doubt for the house of the lions.

Harry, meanwhile, was holed up with his mentor and Professor Lupin in the hospital wing. The werewolf had clearly benefited from a week under Madam Pomfrey's care. His jaw, while still jutting forward and covered in hair, could almost pass for human if one didn't look too closely. His feet were still crudely misshapen, but his hands had lost their monstrous claws. While talking was still impossible, Lupin could write his thoughts and questions down with visitors. As per Dumbledore's instructions, that was limited to the few people who still knew the man was alive.

'Has Sirius written you?' Lupin wrote on a piece of parchment, his lettering messy but legible. He showed the words to Harry, who nodded eagerly then reached down to dig in his bag. After a moment of searching, Harry pulled out a large green leaf to show the man. He sent me this through the post, Harry replied happily. A mandrake leaf is the first step to becoming an Animagus. I have to hold this in my mouth for an entire month.

Lupin's mouth began to stretch into a smile, but he gave up after only a moment, clearly still in pain. He looked down to write a response instead. 'I remember that month during our third year. The quietest few weeks of my time here, with all three of them trying not to gag on their leaves or fall over. I recommend a weak Sticking charm on the inside of your cheek. He warned you about what will happen?'

Yes, he gave me a very detailed description of the mandrake's effects in the journal, Harry replied. Dizziness, nausea, hallucinations about my animal form. It sounds unpleasant, which is why we're doing it over the summer. Why didn't my dad and Sirius do it then?

'Because your grandparents would have recognized the symptoms and stopped them,' Lupin wrote back. 'We managed to fool our professors with excuses about pranks gone wrong. Although now that I think on it, Minerva probably knew and let them do it. She always had a soft spot for us, even if she wouldn't admit it.'

"I'll keep a close eye on him," Kaecilius said. "Hopefully this exercise will earn him an animal form that can keep him safe."

Something strong, Harry agreed. Or with wings.

Lupin made a quiet chuckle, then wrote, 'We were all sure James would be a bird. He wasn't thrilled about being a stag, at least at first, but he was fast and strong. After our first full-moon trip into the forest, he never complained again.'

After showing the two what he wrote, he bent down again. 'You'll need to find a mentor for your form too. Did Sirius mention that?'

Harry shook his head in confusion. A mentor?

'Someone to walk you through the mind of the animal,' Lupin wrote. 'It's one of the most important final steps, so you'll need to start looking as soon as you're done with the mandrake leaf. It must be someone who understands the animal you're becoming. They don't even have to be magical. Peter went to a muggle testing lab to talk with scientists who use lab rats. Your father and Sirius both spent their summer after our fourth year with a team of hunters, who helped them understand the minds of hunting dogs and deer.'

I don't understand, Harry said. There's nothing about a mentor in the books I've read in the library.

'No there wouldn't be,' Lupin wrote back, a grim look on his face. 'If you don't have a mentor to help you understand the animal, there's a very good chance that you'll lose yourself in the animal's instincts and never become human again. The Ministry edits that information out of any public animagus books. That way, the only successful animagi are those that have been working with the Ministry. Anyone else who tries it would become trapped as an animal, if they got their way.'

Then how did you know about it? Harry asked, horrified.

'James and Sirius spent months of research to get everything right. They interviewed one of the only other animagi this century, a wizard named Ciceron Harkiss, under the pretense of a school project. He's the one who let that bit slip.'

"Thank you for telling us," Kaecilius said.

'I'm sure Sirius would bring it up before long,' Lupin wrote as he tried to contain a yawn. 'Just pay attention to the hallucinations you get with the mandrake leaf, Harry. They'll help you identify your form so you can begin looking for a mentor.'

Yes, sir, Harry answered. Are you going to be all right?

'I think so,' Remus replied. 'I must say, I like the idea of a new life once I'm better. I'll contact Sirius to let him know, but other than that my old friends are gone. This may be for the best.'

"If there's anything you need, send me an owl," Kaecilius said as he and Harry stood. "Silly as I find the idea of a bird postal service, I must admit they are efficient."

Lupin nodded tiredly as they said their goodbyes and left the hospital wing. Kaecilius looked around to make sure there weren't any hallway observers, then led Harry into an empty classroom. "All right," he said, looking down at his apprentice. "We'll have our hands full this summer. You remember our priorities?"

Research on dementors and demons, animagus preparation, and physical training, Harry answered dutifully.

"With a heavy emphasis on the first one, but yes. Very good," Kaecilius confirmed. "And one more thing."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sling ring, handing it over to a confused Harry. Sir? Harry wondered.

"I have consulted with the Ancient One over the past few months, and after some research she agreed. Even if you can't go into a portal, just making one should not disrupt the protection your mother gave you. If you had possessed a sling ring last week, we would never have been trapped by the Dweller's machinations. This is an oversight we must correct. By the end of the summer, I predict you'll be able to open portals anywhere."

Thank you! Harry exclaimed. I won't let you down!

"I know you won't," Kaecilius said, a warm smile on his face. "Well, you need to go pack your things. I will see you tomorrow in your bedroom at the Dursley's. Be sure to let me know how they treat you."

Harry narrowed his eyes at his master's mischievous tone. The man grinned as he took out his own sling ring and created a portal in the air. What did you do? Harry asked before he could leave.

Kaecilius laughed. "I put the fear of… me in them."

And with that, he left Harry alone in the classroom.

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Harry was within sight of the Gryffindor portrait entrance when he felt two sets of hands grab him from behind, pulling him abruptly into a darkened side room. He nearly summoned a spell to protect himself before he saw Ron, Hermione, and Neville waiting for him, sitting around the room with serious looks on their faces. He looked behind him to see that it was the twins who were manhandling him, their faces also uncharacteristically dour as they shut the door behind them.

Harry had a sinking feeling in his gut as he asked, "What is it?"

Hermione gave a small sigh as she stood, looking reluctantly up at him. "Harry, we've given you plenty of time. We've been waiting all year for you to be honest with us, but with the Express leaving tomorrow…"

Harry felt like a quaffle was lodged in his throat as he apprehensively repeated, "Honest with you?"

One of the twins chuckled humorlessly behind him. "We're not idiots, Harry."

"Lunatics, perhaps," chimed in the twin to his other side.

"Yes, but not idiots," the first twin confirmed. "You've been keeping secrets for months."

"And pushing us out," said Ron from his seat, a deeply unhappy look on his face.

The lump in Harry's throat seemed to grow larger with each of their accusations, cutting off his air and making him break out in a cold sweat. He looked at each of their faces in turn, but didn't find anything that was easing the guilt that swelled in him. Neville looked the least upset of all of them, but then he spoke up. "Harry, we're sure Kaecilius has made you promise to keep secrets, but we're your friends. This isn't like Malfoy, where you have to decide what can be said. You can trust us."

His calm tone did nothing to Harry but make him feel worse. He'd told his friends a heavily modified version of what had happened the week before, but nothing more. Kaecilius would probably be furious that they'd put him in this position, but Harry had wanted to come clean with his friends ages ago.

Hermione seemed to read the guilt and conflict on his face, as she stepped closer, looking almost sad. "Harry, we could all tell you were hiding what you can do last week with Sirius Black. Usually, we'd be helping you fix the problem and save the day. But now, it's like we're… I don't know… sent to our rooms without supper, while you go gallivanting off alone. We could have helped!"

Harry blurted out in a panic, "No you couldn't," She looked surprised as the words tumbled from his mouth. "The d-dementors were my problem. I couldn't put you in danger!"

Her sad eyes changed quickly to frustration. "Oh?" she replied hotly, and began reaching for something under the neckline of her shirt. "You think so? What if I told you that you could have moved backward in time three hours, long before Snape was told about Black and the dementors came after you?"

She angrily pulled a necklace out, upon which hung a golden hourglass, glinting in the gloom. Harry's mouth dropped open. "A time turner?!" he exclaimed. "How did you g-get-"

"McGonagall gave it to her to take more classes," Ron answered, standing up quickly and glowering at the boy. "We figured it out in May, but we never told you about it. How could we? We never see you anymore. When we do, it's just studying in the common room or eating in the Great Hall, or just before bed. It's like we barely know you!"

Harry couldn't deny it. Kaecilius pushed him hard, and he felt like his free time had disappeared. All the same, he knew he needed to be ready for the future, whether that be Voldemort or dementors or some other enemy he hadn't seen yet.

Either way, he nodded his agreement, looking around the room as he spoke to their minds, You're all right. I haven't been a good friend to you. I just… I'm not allowed to tell you some things.

Hermione gave a small smile at last, the anger melting away from her eyes. She went back to the seat she started in and reached into her bag she'd left on the floor. After a moment, she straightened up and approached Harry again. "What if we can guess?" she asked quietly, her hands behind her back.

Harry raised his eyebrows at her. If you guess? I… suppose that would be allowed.

With an impish smile, she brought her hands forward, holding the book that Harry had asked her to buy back in the bookstore on that cold February day, Sins of the Sorcerers. "Are you learning sorcery, Harry?" she asked.

Harry smiled, the lump in his throat vanishing.

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A/N: And with that, we have wrapped up book 3! There will be plenty of things you recognize in book 4, but the world is starting to open up a bit as well. Please leave a comment to tell me what you did/didn't like! I love reading your reviews!