Snuffles is safe here. That took time to get used to. Time to learn that these hands wouldn't hurt him, not ever.
Snuffles is safe here but Snuffles is not Snuffles. He doesn't remember his name yet (not Harry, or James, or Peter, or Charlie), or what he is supposed to be doing. There's guilt streaked through him over his inaction but it rests so familiarly on his haunches that he barely notices it.
He's safe here. He's happy here.
And Nem (who is Nem? Charlie calls them Tonks, but Snuffles knows that their name is Nem) is important too. And happier with him here. Is this not important too? Can this not be what he is for?
Charlie leaves, which throws him back to fear temporarily; certain that someone will replace him and they will be harmful and hateful, but then Nem moves him into the vacated room with a finger on their lips and shaking shoulders.
It's stupid, what breaks the fog in his mind eventually; Nem is practising their spells in the garden while he watches and suddenly they move in a particular way, he isn't even sure what it was, and suddenly he's back in the war, back in some dirty street with someone's screams echoing in his ears and his leg is shot to hell and his superior is down and he's going to die today and there's green smoke above him and he's in Godric's Hollow and the smoke is in his eyes and the baby is crying and HarryHarryHarryJamesandLilyJamesProngs – Lily and James Padfoot! How could you?
And he howls at the sky, as loud as any full moon.