Title: Rain

Author: Jillian Knight (The Wolf of Were)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: After Harry's fifth year, he's just spiraling downwards. He needs help, but where does one "mother-hen" owl turn to? No slash.

"Whatever state he's in, he's in a bad one."

The rain fell softly on the windows, making the pitter-patter sound like an overtone around the room. One window was creaked open for the occasional owl, and that window as spelled so the rain would not enter the dry room. Even though the sky outside was gray and drizzly, it was well past midday.

"You still have no idea?"

"Unfortunately, but it is apparent that this is not any muggle disease. Pepperup potion proved that."

"What I'm most concerned for is the fever."

"He's young, Remus. The poor dear probably burnt himself out on studying for the O.W.L.S. Stress and an improper sleeping habit probably caused this state."

"That will not be a liable reason for Albus."

"It is if I tell him."

"What if he sends Harry back to the Dursleys, Poppy?"

"He won't."

"He won't?"

"No, of course not, dear. As of last night, the Head Mediwitch at Hogwarts took up a suspected child abuse case and placed the child in a more competent care. Dumbledore would be breaking many laws both wizard and muggle."

Remus laughed quietly. "You sound like you have a personal vendetta against the man."

"Harry has been one of the few students that has somehow spend a long stay in my wing every year. I haven't had a student stay so much with me since you, Remus. Harry is a delicate person. Harry needs to heal for once. I'm sure that if he grew up in a background that supported him emotionally, then Harry would not be as independent as he is now."

"I am correct in my assumption that Harry will be staying with me?"

"Of course, he's only responded to you."

"What about the rest of the Order?"

"The rest of the Order can stuff it. Harry need's his rest, I'm keeping him on quarantine until he gets it. What the Order doesn't know about Harry's health won't hurt them."

Remus quietly nodded his thanks. Poppy could be scary when she wanted to be.

"Well, I must be going now. I'm expecting a new shipment of linens for the beds. Chizpurfles infested them last week after Peeves poured all of my potions in the linen closet."

She bent down and smoothed Harry's hair gently for a goodbye to the sleeping child.

"Good day, Poppy. Hopefully. you will not have to challenge any rogue ones. " Remus said as he rose and bid her farewell. She laughed, and bid him goodbye also.

"G'day, Remus. Owl me if any changes occur in Harry's condition."

Remus agreed as he escorted the witch out of his bedroom.

Last night had been interesting after he had settled Harry in the bed. He had woken Remus four times during the night. The first three were nightmare induced, and the last awakening was earlier in the morning when Harry had awoken and laid back down close to Remus.

The bed creaked. Remus turned and watched it from the doorway. Harry slept like Sirius did. Curled up, face down, and moved only when nightmares afflicted. The werewolf made his way back towards the bed and sat down by Harry.

"Harry," Remus began as he gently laid a hand on the boy's shoulder to roll the child over. Two green eyes popped open, and Remus carefully helped Harry sit up before the boy decided that he was going to go back to sleep.

Remus bent his head down lower to Harry's eyelevel before addressing the child again. "Do you want something to eat? I have some soup with a warming spell on it for you."

Harry shyly shook his head and looked away from Remus. Thin pale hands covered his mouth when he looked away.

"Are you sure? It's creamy stilton." Remus asked gently. The long black fringe of Harry's swished when he shook his head again. "Harry, you need to eat something. Just a few bites then?"

When Harry didn't answer, Remus gently pulled the boy into his lap and wrapped his arms securely around Harry's chest. "Did you know that you slept all day?" He began quietly, letting Harry lay his head on his shoulder. "You missed Madame Pomfrey. She's really worried about you."

Harry pressed his head into Remus' shoulder. "You need to eat," Remus reminded him once again. Harry fever was a low-grade, just a degree and a few points over the normal temperature. Remus knew that Harry could risk eating the food with a high chance of him not vomiting it all back up.

Remus lifted the boy off his lap and deposited him onto the bed beside him. Harry pulled his knees up towards his chest as he tucked his head and hands down. The werewolf sighed, Harry was going to be as obstinate as he was last night.

Harry was still dressed in his large pajamas. To be honest, the boy looked like a child playing in his father's clothes. One shoulder was exposed and the graying fabric was worn down to almost threads.

The werewolf gently forced Harry's legs down and under the eiderdown. He then moved Harry's hands away from his mouth and placed them on the boy's lap. The boy was shaking again. Remus quickly petted the boy's head soothingly, trying to displace any mistrust.

Reaching over onto the nightstand, Remus picked up the bed-tray with the steaming bowl of soup on it. He placed its legs on each side of Harry's thighs and quickly took the spoon and placed it in the child's hand. When Harry did not respond to the food, the adult wizard took the spoon back and lifted Harry's head up.

This was going to be just like watching Lily trying to give Harry a colic-be-gone potion fifteen years ago. Lily had given the toddler the potion in little half-filled spoonfuls, just as Remus did now. The only difference was that back then, Lily had known what was wrong with Harry, and now, Remus had no idea what was wrong with Harry.

Wizarding colic was the first sign that little Harry would be a wizard; James had owled all his friends about how his baby was going to be the greatest Quidditch player in the world, and that this premature sign of future magical abilities would change the world. The owl had only been a father's boasting over his first-born, but Harry did soon prove his father's jesting prophecy.

And Harry just sat there, letting Remus feed him and letting Remus ask him meaningless questions. The werewolf knew that Harry would not say anything. Not now, not after last night. Not after the nightmares.

It came to Remus that Harry was always embarrassed over something he could not help. The whole fiasco of last year and Harry's dreams proved that.

Turning his head and in place on the bed, Harry was once again face first in warm blankets. Remus sighed as charmed the bowl magically whisked away to the kitchen downstairs. The boy did not even sip half the bowl down.

Suddenly, Harry shot up out of the covers and reeled back. His limbs were shaking and when Remus opened his arms to consol the child, Harry all but jumped in them.

Like last night, Remus found himself talking. It did not matter of what, not to Harry, not to Remus. Harry sat there, being held and rocked. Minutes quickly turned into hours, and Remus still held the child.

The gray afternoon turned quickly into a dark night, and Remus was still entertaining the sick child with stories. Harry had fallen asleep thirty minutes ago, and the noises around the room slowly died down to just the small rhythmic breathings of a sleeping child. He stared at the clock for a few minutes, it was after eight o'clock.

If he was out of his rooms, Remus would be eating dinner with various Order members and the Weasleys. He was getting hungry, but he decided he would wait an hour before laying Harry back down in the bed to go call him something up.

Dumbledore would have to know about all this, the Weasleys would take the child on Dumbledore's orders, and Remus would be in the dark about Harry's wellbeing. This was the order of things in life when you were a werewolf, just another thing Remus could not help with.

He patted Harry's head fondly and laid his head on top of it. James and Sirius had always spoke of going against the rules, going against authority. Remus had only believed it during his carefree days of school, but now, the werewolf decided to pick up a new maxim. He could only promise the child what should have been given him along time ago.

"When you were born, Harry, you were the first of a new generation of my Pack. You were so little and so new. You'll never know how many people's lives you impacted that day when you were born and how many people loved you from the moment they saw you. You were my future as well, a new hope for me. The first thing I thought when I saw you was 'My pup.' You are my child when I never can have one.

"I want... I want to make it up to you, I want you to forget all about those people who raised you. You should have been raised by me. I couldn't promise you the best life in the world, but I could promise that I would never hurt you, and that I will always love you."

Author's Note: Ok, I know that this last chapter has taken me friggin forever to type out and that it's getting mushy, but bear with me peoples. I had the idea for these first four chapters during a dream, so that's why I've been saying these things have been crappy. But, the next ones, I can think up pretty easily. It's just starting out and finishing something that's the hardest. Anyways, next chapter is going to be very good. I promise. I have it all up in my brain; so unless within the next 48 hours I fall into a coma, then you have nothing to worry about. Preview summary of next chapter: Dumbledore finds out, and more Harry and Remus angst!

I have been so tired this week once again. Hm... I think I am secretly betrothed to Tired. Either that or he's my stalker. I'm on a diet now to cut back on my sugar intake and my other unhealthy food intake, so I've hung a $32 bikini up in my bedroom to constantly remind me that I want to fit in it at the beginning of this summer. That is my incentive, oh and to write more fanfiction of course. It's a pretty one too, purple and pink that makes it look like a sunset. (Not the fanfiction, but the bikini.)

Thinking of another new story on Harry's sixth year. The good: Harry angst. The bad: The introduction of two new main characters. It sounds un-MarySueish to me, but hey, I'm the author and I could write an indebt story about crap and it'd sound alright to me.

Love,

Jilly (Wolfy)

P.S.: Please Review!