The Cold Room
It was dark, dark that he was used too – but he couldn't remember how he had ended up there. He could remember Uncle Vernon being very mad at him; he could remember Dudley snickering in the back ground while he got a dressing-down. Then – he could remember the slap and being pushed into…his cupboard.
He wondered how he ended up there, last he remembered he was reading about Werewolf laws and the such, how did he get into this cupboard? It was then that the door opened and a meaty paw pulled him out. The colors around him were muted and he could see the hatred in his Uncles eyes.
'It's you're fault!' the man seemed to be saying but no words came out of the mans mouth. Uncle Vernon just glared as the voice wrapped around Harry – making him shiver in cold that should not have been in a dream.
Harry stepped back, but he found that he couldn't move! Thos red eyes were soon filling his vision, and he could hear the screams of the dead and…
Harry woke – he couldn't see anything but that didn't mean that no one was there. In fact someone was holding him, and petting his hair. Whoever it was, they smelled terrible, and the muttering made Harry think that the person was mental!
"Harry, Harry…I am so sorry, it wasn't supposed to happen….not at all…. It wasn't my fault…I didn't do it…I wasn't their Secret Keeper…" came a whisper.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, his own voice a whisper.
"The rat isn't here….where is the rat…?"
"Who are you?" Harry asked while he tried to wiggle away. The arms around him tightened, they didn't want to let go of the young boy.
"I have to go," came the whispered voice. One of the arms let go and reached for Harry's own wand, then with a muttered spell, Harry was soundly asleep again.
Sirius Black had come to the dorm intent on finding the traitor, only to find the rat gone, no trace left behind, but when he saw Harry have a rather bad nightmare, he couldn't help but hold him and mutter soft words to him. It woke Harry, but Sirius had wanted to hear his Godson's voice. He was such a good kid, he was so much like James – and Lily at the same time that it was scary!
Sirius put the wand back on the bed side table before transforming into the huge black dog that was his animagus form. He could smell the rat, the room reeked of essence de rat! But once he was out of the dorm, in the common room and then through the portrait hole, he lost the sent. He wanted to howl in frustration! But Moony was about, he couldn't let Moony find him, what if Moony didn't believe him? What if Moony wanted to kill him out of anger of what happened to Prongs and Lily?
Maybe it would be better to die by a friends hand rather than by a Death Eaters or by the ministries. It was far better than having to get the Dementor's kiss! Padfoot swallowed hard before running down the corridor. He made it out of sight just in time as Professor Lupin came up to check and see if anyone was out of bed.
All he found was an empty corridor, and a faint smell of wet dog. He shook his head as he returned the way he had come – the wolf inside him told him to go find Padfoot, that Padfoot was close by and that they needed to see each other. Padfoot would know what to do….he would….
But Remus – the human – wasn't so sure that Padfoot was innocent of the crimes. Even with the letter he had his doubts. But Padfoot had never lied to him, not when it really mattered and Remus knew then, that there was more to this story than met the eye.
00000000000000000000000000000
Harry woke groggily to the voices of his dorm mates – he sat up in bed and clutched at his head, it hurt like hell and he wished he had something for it. He got up and dressed slowly, his mind working over time despite the head ache. Who was that person who had held him like a father the night before? Why did he have that weird feeling that he had known the person?
It didn't make sense!
"Harry? Mate? Are you all right?" Seamus asked as he tied his tie.
"Fine," Harry muttered. Seamus looked to Ron, who waved the boy to go down to breakfast. Ron was Harry's best friend and he would take care of the boy. Or at least try.
"Harry – did you notice anything weird last night?" Ron asked.
"Not – really – maybe, I'm not sure," Harry said, they grabbed their book bags and went down from the dorm themselves.
"I thought I heard whispers last night, couldn't hear much, but I figured it might be Neville and Seamus talking about Herbology or something," Ron said.
Harry remembered a whispered conversation (sort of) himself.
"Oh?"
"Went back to sleep," Ron shrugged. Ron and Harry walked down to the great hall for Breakfast, there they met up with Hermione.
"Studying again?" Ron asked the brown haired girl.
"I have a test in Ancient Runes today, I hope I don't get 'honor' and 'royalty' mixed up!" she said.
"I'm sure you won't," Harry said.
"I can't wait for defense! What do you suppose Professor Lupin will do today?" Ron asked.
"Probably go on about Redcaps," Harry said.
"Professor Lupin seems intent on getting us as far as we can," Hermione said.
"Didn't he say something about us being behind?" Ron asked.
"Well, with Professor's like Quarrel and Lockhart, what do you expect?" Harry laughed.
"Gaw! I hope we get to keep Professor Lupin!" Ron said, tucking into his porridge.
"He is really cool! I think him and McGonagall are my favorite Professor's," Harry said.
"Am I?" a woman's voice said behind him. Harry turned to see Professor McGonagall behind him.
"Yes Professor, that's the truth!" Harry smiled.
"See that you have you're homework done," she gave him a smile before walking off. Ron, Harry and Hermione laughed.
"Wow, she is as good as me Mum!" Ron said.
"Why so?" Harry asked.
"She knows what her kid's do, my Mum does, she knows if George or Fred have done something, just like McGonagall," Ron replied.
"My Mum seems to know whenever I need to talk to her, we've talked about loads of thing for hours last summer," Hermione said.
"My Aunt knows how to make Dudley happy, all she has to do is promise to get something for him, or get him something to eat," Harry sighed.
"Oh, Harry, we're sorry…" Hermione started.
Draco Malfoy came up to the three – "Is Baby-Potter sad about losing his Mummy?" Draco Malfoy smirked down at the trio.
"Go away Malfoy, Professor Dumbledore said not to come near me," Harry replied.
"Just because you had to go to the hospital wing…"
"Because of a dark spell you cast at me!" Harry glared.
"What!" Ron yelled as he stood.
"You cast a dark spell at Harry?" Hermione also stood; they both had their wands out while the rest of the table watched.
"So what if I did?' Malfoy smirked. Ron didn't deem it necessary to say anything – he cast a rather bad hex at Malfoy, who sprouted purple, blue and green boils all over his face.
"Ron!" Hermione cried.
"If you ever dare to cast another dark spell at Harry again, I'll turn you into a cow patty!" Ron huffed, and everyone around him knew that he would do it too. Malfoy ran out of the great hall with other students snickering at him from behind.
"Thank you Ron, Hermione, I couldn't have asked for better friends," Harry smiled at them.
"Don't worry about it mate!" Ron smiled. It was time for class then, non of the Professor's talked to the trio about the incident at breakfast – except Snape was a bit worse than usual in potions; but Harry, Ron and Hermione hardly cared. And all the Gryffindor's said 'hello' to Ron all that day.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000
McGonagall was very pleased as she walked into the teachers lounge; she had stacks of papers with her, but she hardly cared. She had witnessed the incident at breakfast between the Golden Trio and Malfoy, and she was very happy about the way Ron Weasley had handled the situation. He had proven that he was a true friend!
"Minerva, what has you in such a good mood?" Remus asked, he was half way through his own grading from the morning classes.
"Did you see Weasley this morning?" she asked.
"Ah yes, the boil hex, that was James favorite," Remus sighed.
"Yes, it was,' Minerva nodded.
"Well, from what I heard, Draco Malfoy deserved what he got, that curse wasn't as strong as a normal Cruciatus, but it still did a bit of damage," Remus said.
"Yes, Albus knows, and he talked to Mr. Malfoy and his father, but I don't think anything has been done, though, if he does do it again…"
"I don't think he will; he got caught doing it once, he won't again," Remus replied.
"I'm sure you're right, goodness knows how long we tried to catch those Marauders," Minerva sighed.
"I'm sure you gave them a fright," Remus smiled as if he knew something.
"Remus…?"
"No, not a thing," he said.
"Oh well, I would have liked to know who the group of students were that went around pranking us all," she said.
"Well, James and Sirius did their fare share," Remus said.
"Yes, but not as bad as those Marauders, they even left notes at the scenes!" Minerva said. Remus poured her a cup of tea. The tea set stood on a cadenza set under the long window.
"Ah, I remember that, rather colorful in their insults,"
"Never left enough for us to finger the students either,"
"That was point," Remus said.
"Excuse me?"
"That was the point, they left what they needed and let you try and guess who they were, the fact that no one ever could figure it out helped a lot, even those in their own house probably knew no more than you," Remus said. Minerva noted that Remus didn't add 'or I' to the end of his statement.
"Well, I must say the Harry Potter isn't at all like his father," Minerva said.
"Oh? How so?" Remus asked.
"He gets into plenty of trouble, but usually it's because he wants to do the right thing, he saved the Philosopher's stone from He-who-must-not-be-named in his first year, battled a Baskalisk in his second in order to save Ginny Weasley, he is a remarkable boy," Minerva said.
"In deed, I always thought he was, but I haven't been around to know much about him," Remus sighed.
"I am sorry Remus, Dumbledore wouldn't hear of anyone but those Muggles taking care of Mr. Potter – if he had listened to me, I am sure that you're friend, Black, wouldn't be in this position," Minerva said.
"I know, I wish I had kept Sirius long enough for him to talk to me, but he stormed out and…"
"We can't change what has happened, even a time turner wouldn't help," Minerva said.
"I know, I have talked to him, but he seems to be a very private boy,"
"Oh?"
"Well, I can't say much, I promised him, but I think there is something about his home life he isn't telling anyone," Remus replied. He put down his quill.
"Ah, should I try and talk to him then? Maybe he'll tell me,"
"And maybe not, here he isn't just Harry Potter, he is the-boy-who-lived, and I don't think he likes the attention he gets from it,"
"That was supposed to be the point of leaving him with those muggles," Minerva snorted.
"I know…but sometimes muggles can go to an extreme and then damage can be dealt without meaning," Remus mused.
"Too true," Minerva said. They were silent for a while before Remus shifted in his seat.
"I plan to tell him things," he said.
"I don't blame you," Minerva replied.
"Thank you," Remus muttered, Minerva nodded and they both went back to their marking.
0000000000000000000000000000
A/N – All right, I just thought that – once again, Lupin needs to see more than Harry is letting on. I swear that they will talk soon about it! And yes, Sirius was there for a reason! I'm not sure about the dream though, if you guy's think I should change it or something, than please tell me, I'll do what I can! In fact, I hate that! If I come up with a better one, I'll re-write it and then upload it again. But I have no ideas, so don't worry about it for now.
I also want to thank everyone for reading this! I love Remus/ Harry bonding stories, and I can't find ones that I like so I decided to write my own! Maybe I'll get Sirius out of his troubles and then they can both deal with Harry, but…I'm not sure about that yet! If you want to read another Remus/Harry fic, please, go read A Passing Memory – I've been told that it is sad.
Thank you all,
Ta,
Poppy