Chapter 4

Previous Capter: "I really should be getting down to my Common Room," Harry finally said. "My friends will be worried." He turned away.

"How is it possible that you are here, Harry?"

Harry froze. "What – what did you just say?"

"I asked how you could possibly be here, Harry, when I know for a fact that you are living at your aunt and uncle's house and that you are only six years old."

"How could you possibly – "

He tapped his nose. "Benefit of being a werewolf. An amazing sense of smell. I spent enough time around you as a baby to be able to recognize you by scent." He gave Harry a scrutinizing look. "You sure grew up faster than I expected you to."

Harry laughed nervously. "Yeah, well, I eat my vegetables."

"Are you ever going to answer my question?"

"Not here." He looked around the room nervously. "Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"Someplace that will cater to our needs."

Minutes later, Remus and Harry were settling themselves into a couch by the fire in the Room of Requirement.

"Interesting place," Remus commented. "One of the few in the school that I don't know about."

"Not many do." He thought for a second and then a plate of cookies and some glasses of milk appeared. "Something to eat? Chocolate chip is your favorite, right?"

"Thank you. But you are dodging the subject."

"It's a long story. A long and very complicated story."

"Well then give me the shortened version of it."

"I snuck out of Grimmauld place, which, as you know, is Sirius' house, who is innocent, by the way, or was innocent because he was killed last June by Bellatrix Lestrange, who is working for Voldemort again now that he is back and she is out of Azkaban. Anyway, I went to the Leaky Cauldron to visit Tom, who is in the Order and helped me the first time I ran away, even though he was worried that Voldemort was going to find me because it seems like the crazy guy's main obsession, which is also why I think I'm here, he must have sent me back in time. It seems like something he would do," Harry finished.

Remus gaped at him. He coughed and closed his mouth. Finally, he said, "Maybe you should give me the slightly longer version."

Harry took a deep breath and began. He told Remus about Voldemort's attempts at returning, Sirius' innocence, Wormtail's involvement in Voldemort's resurrection, the Ministry's denial, Sirius' death, running away from the Dursleys, and, finally, ending up in 1986.

"And when I saw Mr. Crouch, I kind of panicked, and changed. I mean, the man is dead, or will be dead someday. It was kind of a shock." Harry picked up his glass and finished the rest of his milk. The glass refilled itself. "Now, I don't suppose you'll let me Obliviate you?"

"What?" Remus looked startled.

"I really shouldn't have told you any of that." Although it felt good to get it off his chest, Harry knew that Remus could not know this much about the future. It was too dangerous.

"Harry," said Remus. "How about I help you find a way to get back to the future before you fix my memories. Then, by all means, Obliviate away."

"If you're sure – "

"I am. And, plus, I want a chance to get to know you."

"Trust me, I'm not all that interesting. I'm the most normal, boring person you could ever meet."

"Harry, you just detailed one hell of an adventure. And I've met loads of boring people before. You don't strike me as the type." He leaned back and rested his feet against the table, suddenly looking a whole lot younger than the Remus that Harry knew. Which, really, he was. "So, tell me something interesting about yourself."

"Would you like the long or the short version first?"

Remus laughed. "Come on, Harry. After what you just said, nothing can surprise me anymore."

"Alright. I'm a Gryffindor Parselmouth, who can't dance and has had almost twenty near death experiences." He smirked at the look on Remus' face.

"You know, when you say things like that, I have a hard time believing that you are a 'boring, normal person'."

"At least I can try to become one. It's my main goal in life."

Remus' forehead scrunched up in concentration. "Wait, I thought you were a Slytherin."

"Noticed that, did you? How long were you watching me exactly?"

"Since you entered the Hall."

Harry chuckled. "I am a Slytherin now," he elaborated. "But I'm a Gryffindor five years from now."

"Why the sudden change in house?"

"I just finally let the Sorting Hat do what it has always wanted to do." He gave Remus a hard look. "You don't have a problem with me being a Slytherin, do you?"

"No, no. I had friends who were Slytherins back in school. Though, I don't know why you would switch. I have seen the Slytherin Common Room and it doesn't measure up to the Gryf – "

"The Common Room!" Harry glanced at the clock. "I've got to get back there!"

Remus stood up. "I'll walk you back. And tomorrow, I'll start searching for a way to get you back to your own time." He gripped Harry's shoulder. "If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

"Actually," Harry began sheepishly. "There is something I need."

"Yes?"

"Well, I don't have any of my things with me. I have my Gringotts' key, since I was in Diagon, but I have no way of going shopping. Or taking money out without suspicion."

"Don't worry, Harry. I'll take care of everything."

"Where is Mr. Harrison?" Severus Snape asked his students as he stopped to check the Common Room. He was supposed to be watching the boy, but he couldn't really do that if he couldn't find him.

"He was still in the Great Hall, Professor," answered Lelia. "That was the last time I saw him."

"Thank you, Ms. Williams." He strode out of the room, his cloak blowing menacingly behind him as he headed for the Hall. But he never made it that far.

When he reached the end of the hallway, Zachary Harrison turned the corner. Accompanied by one Remus Lupin.

"It seems I've caught one of your students, Severus," said Remus, eyes dancing with mirth. "Whatever shall I do with him?"

"What are you doing wandering around, Mr. Harrison?" inquired the Professor, ignoring his former classmate.

Harrison looked slightly abashed. "I'm sorry, Professor. It won't happen again. It's just that, I've never been in a school like this before and Mr. Lupin here was nice enough to tell me what it was like for him as a student here."

Severus softened slightly. "Alright, Mr. Harrison. Just get to bed." After he had entered the Common Room, Severus turned to Lupin. "If I find out that you have been corrupting my student with you Gryffindorish notions of wandering the school at night and heading headlong into danger, then – "

"Relax, Severus." Remus smirked. "I don't think anything I say can corrupt him more." His smirk grew at the baffled look on Severus' face. "Good- night."