Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling and her publishers, not to me. I'm not making money off this.

Spoilers: All five HP novels.

PRELUDE--MUSINGS & CONVERSATIONS

XIV: Albus, Remus and Severus

As planned, Dumbledore went toward the stairs. "Severus, if you would," he said as he left, "see if you can tidy up this place; it had too many people in it for too long. That may help us with the Dursleys." After a nod from the other man, he ascended the staircase and quietly slipped into Harry's room.

"Remus? Harry?" he asked softly, seeing the widened chair and only one head in sight.

"Here, Albus, but be quiet. The Calming Potion finally took, and he's asleep," Lupin said quietly.

Dumbledore sighed a little in relief. "Good. This will make things easier." He came around to see the slight figure snuggled deep into Remus' robes and still holding him tightly. The front of the robes was soaked.

"So he finally let go?" inquired Albus, discreetly scanning both with his wand. "And you, as well?" he added, seeing the werewolf's reddened eyes.

"Yes, thank Merlin, or he would have exploded—and then I would not have been able to trust myself around those insufferable creatures. It's a good thing that this Moon is waning, or you might have worse things to worry about."

"You are not the only one who would have had something to say, let me assure you," the Headmaster replied grimly. "Even the Muggle officers knew something was seriously wrong here. And Severus—I think he wants to turn his...classroom personality on them—just as a start!"

Lupin shook his head and gave a rueful chuckle. "How James would laugh at the idea of Snape, of all people, standing up for his look-alike son!"

"Indeed. I think now that Harry writing him that letter was the best thing that's happened to him in years; it was a real eye-opener. Also, do remember that he's been a professor and a House Head for quite some time; he's seen this kind of thing before, and he's fiercely protective of his young Serpents. Talking to you has helped, too. You will find him a little...not so abrasive, if you will?" Dumbledore smiled at the Werewolf, then his smile faded a little. "Lily would not have laughed, though; she believed, as I always have, that there was much more to Severus than he showed."

"Uh-huh, and Harry's unwittingly done a very Lily thing there." Lupin made a help-me gesture with his head. "Help him off me, will you? I want to lay him down for a while, before we both cramp into knots."

The two men disentangled the boy, and laid him down on the still-Transfigured couch. They had just covered him, when they heard footsteps on the stairs, and Snape came in, looking a little paler and grimmer. He noticed Harry asleep on the couch, then took in Lupin's soaked robe front, and inwardly sighed in relief. No explosion there, for a while at least.

"I heard a car pull up in the drive; I think the family has returned. How shall we handle this?" he asked.

"We shall all three be downstairs in the living room when they arrive," Dumbledore decided. "I do not wish to put this off any longer than we must. I rather think we shall frame our responses when we see how they approach us. After that, we pack up Harry and all his property, including Hedwig, and have Fawkes take us all to Hogwarts. We will have to awaken him to tell us if there is anything else he wants from here."