DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of it, JK Rowling and associates own all rights, no infringement intended, no money is being made, unfortunately.

WARNING; Pre-slash if you do not like do not read remember you have freedom of choice. Reviews appreciated but no flames those will be ignored.

STORY; as we get older and some of us actually mature you find that what you firmly believed was the truth can suddenly shift into something completely opposite and how you handle that shows what kind of adult you can become. Harry must deal with what he considers to be the weirdest summer of his life. Enemies become allies, friends become enemies, and sometimes there is a very thin line between love and hate, attraction and fighting. Poor Harry, poor Draco

PAIRINGS: HP/DM, SS/RL, GW/OC, RW/HrG, NL/LL

Chapter 6 More Surprises

Walking into the kitchen ahead of Remus, Harry kept shaking his head muttering to himself. Sinking onto a chair at the table, he looked over at Remus who moved to the sideboard. "So what's the ferret doing here? I am assuming something bad happened and Dumbledore sent him here."

Remus held up a bottle, "Butterbeer?" At Harry's nod he brought two bottles over to the table and sat down. "We will get to that in a minute but first there's something else I need to tell you. Something about me that I think, well its better you hear it from me then someone else."

Harry nodded and waited for Remus to speak. When all Remus did was to stare at his bottle, Harry said in a low voice, "Remus you know you can tell me anything. I care about you and I will understand whatever it is." Harry thought he had a pretty good idea of what he had to say and he was ready for it. Boy was he ever wrong.

Remus looked up and taking a deep breath began speaking. "In the wizarding world there are not as much prejudices as there are in the Muggle world about certain things. I mean well, some people are different and most wizards could care less. With magic anything is possible so, umm. What I'm trying to say is..."

Harry decided to interrupt, "Remus if you're trying to tell me your gay or bi it's okay. I figured that out a while ago."

Remus gaped at him for a second then said, "How did you know?" a thought struck him, "Did Sirius tell you?"

"No but he did kind of hint around it but I already knew by then" said Harry. "I'm not blind you know" Harry said grumpily crossing his arms over his chest.

Remus just raised an eyebrow, "Harry don't take this wrong but your not exactly the most observant when it comes to feelings."

Harry snorted then grinned, "Okay, Hermione figured it out and clued me and Ron in to the facts. Nevertheless, what I am trying to get across is that I am okay with that. Your love life is your business besides Charlie and Bill Weasley are both bi and it does not bother me. So is there anyone you're interested in?"

Here Remus took a deep breath and looked down at his hands, "I am involved with someone at this moment, and that's what I really need to tell you since you would eventually figure it out. I care very much for him and he cares for me. I need you to understand that. It doesn't mean I care for you less."

"I know that Remus and that's fine, is it someone I know, an order member maybe or someone from Hogsmeade?" Harry said leaning forward eagerly.

"Snape"

Harry looked around in bewilderment and not seeing the man in the room turned back to Remus questioningly.

"No Harry that's who I'm involved with, Severus Snape" Remus explained then closed his eyes at the look on Harry's face.

Harry jumped to his feet "WHO!" he shouted at the top of lungs staring in disbelief at the man in front of him. 'This couldn't be happening' he thought.

Remus spoke quietly "Harry listen to me I can explain."

"Explain, you're going to explain why you are involved with my worst enemy not counting Voldemort. The man hates me, he hated my father, he hated Sirius, hell at one time he hated you. He got you fired in case you forgot. He is a rude, obnoxious, snarky bastard. How in the world could you possibly be involved with him? Are you out of your mind?" Harry was pacing back and forth in agitation as he spoke. This could not be happening, it was a bloody nightmare, Snape, why him of all people.

"Harry please, try to understand. Yes, he hated your father and Sirius; there was a lot of bad blood between them. However, we have always tolerated each other, after the events in your third year we were force to work together several times, and well we grew to know each other better. I know that he has not been kind to you but he is willing to change."

"Change, Snape; sorry those words don't go together in the same sentence. How could you do this to me? I thought you wanted to be my friend, my godfather." Harry ranted almost quivering with rage, his face flushed and his hands clenched into fists.

"Harry" holding out his hand Remus spoke pleadingly "All I want is for you to give us a chance. Harry, please understand I care very much for both of you."

"Yeah right that's why you're shagging the man that has made my entire school life miserable. I hate you!" turning Harry ran from the room slamming the door behind him. Entering the hallway he stopped for a minute, he had to get out, get out of the house he could not breathe here. Looking up he saw Snape standing in the doorway to the living room. "You bastard" he hissed not caring what Snape could do to him. Running to the front door, he jerked it open ignoring Snapes yell of "Potter" and Remus's shouts to stop and disappeared into the crowded street.

Remus sat stunned for a minute as Harry ran from the kitchen then leaping to his feet he raced after him. He reached the hall in time to see Harry fling open the front door and run out. Yelling for him to stop he made it to the door in time to see Harry disappear into the crowd. Damn he had known he wasn't going to take it well but had not anticipated this. If anything happened to him he didn't what he would do.

Snape spoke from behind him "I take it that it did not go well. We could hear the shouting all the way up here."

Remus collapsed back against him, shaking his head he turned to Snape with tears in his eyes "He ran away. He hates me Severus, what am I going to do. I failed him."

Severus reached over closing the door then gathered the other man into a comforting embrace all the time cursing Potter in his head. 'Damn the brat why did he have to run off like that. If anything happens to him Remus will never forgive himself.' Aloud he said "Don't worry luv, we'll find him. I will contact the headmaster and we will start a search for him. It's going to be okay." If any of the students could see the way he was acting now, they would not believe that their evil potion master was not under imperious. He could never be so gentle to anyone otherwise.

Harry ran fast trying to put as much room between himself and Remus as he could. His mind was in a whirl; too much had happened in too short a time. He could not deal with everything so did not try just ran until he could not run anymore. Eventually he slowed to a walk not sure where he was, "Great now I'm lost, good going idiot' he thought slumping against the nearest building. Seeing the local bobby giving him a suspicious look and deciding he should get off the street he looked around and spotted a library close by, 'Looks safe to me, I can not imagine Deatheaters hanging around here besides I at least have my wand if I need it.' Entering he made his way to some comfortable chairs near the back, seeing the lady at the desk starting at him he picked up a magazine and pretended to read while he tried to sort out his thoughts.

Damn he thought he knew he should not have said that to Remus remembering the look of pain on his face but he had felt so betrayed that for a moment he stopped thinking. It was not Remus's fault Snape was a jackass. Just his fault he fell for him that is all. He needed to think this through logically, not emotionally. Where was all that maturity he was supposed to be showing? Why was he running away like a child from what he did not want to hear? Where was Hermione when he needed her? Okay, we will do a Mione here, facts first:

Remus is gay

I am okay with that. Ron and Hermione had explained that it did not matter in wizarding world. There was not the prejudice that Muggles like his uncle Vernon had. Hell he always figured it should not matter what sex your mate was so long as you loved each other. Love was too special to waste having hang-ups about sexuality or shit.

Remus is in a relationship

Okay that is fine too; he has been alone a long time and needs someone in his life. I can't always be there he deserves someone special.

Remus loves Snape

Barfing! I know that Remus tries to find the good in everybody but come on this is Snape, evil git personified. Remus deserved better maybe I could get him interested in Bill or Charlie.

Do I have any say in who he is shagging

Unfortunately, no, he is a grown man and if this is whom he wants then I should back off no matter how hard that is. I cannot force him to choose between us. All I can do is pick up the pieces.

Damn that did not get him anywhere; he already knew he was wrong but how to deal with it. Suddenly he heard a throat being cleared and realised that there was someone standing in front of him. Looking up he saw a man with a dark olive complexion in his late twenties, tall and lean but with broad shoulders, dark hair reaching below his shoulders in a ponytail emphasizing the sharp features of his face.

When he saw he had Harry's attention, he smiled and said, "You okay there, you look like you lost your best friend. Is there anything I can help you with? By the way my name is Sergio Gambelli and I am not a random pervert in case you were wondering."

Harry stared then shrugged his shoulders looking back at the magazine in his lap and hoping the person would go away.

"You don't live around here" Sergio said sitting down next to Harry.

Harry frowned at him, "What's it to you? You work here or something. I am just reading that's not against the law so leave me alone."

Sergio smiled "No, I do not work here but I do work with teens at centre close to hear. The librarian noticed you seemed to be upset and when she decided you might need some help called me. The bobby on patrol outside is a friend of mine and noticed you when you came in here. He said it looked like you had been running away from something."

Harry looked back down at his hands while he slumped back in the chair. 'Great' he thought 'I can't go unnoticed for even an hour. How the hell do I get myself in these situations?' Suddenly his stomach growled informing him that he had not eaten today. He really did not like to eat before Occulmency lessons since they tended to make him sick.

Sergio grinned, "I take it your hungry. What about we go across the street to the pub, I will buy you some lunch, and you can tell me about it. I will not judge you or force you to return home but I also will not leave you out on the street either. There are alternatives." Seeing the suspicious look Harry was giving him he nodded in approval. "Good, I see you are not just going to waltz off with a total stranger. Why don't we stop at the library desk and then speak to the bobby on patrol so you can see I am on the level."

Harry nodded and stood after all he had his wand if he needed it but he felt he could trust this person. One thing he had learned the hard way was to go with his instincts since they were usually right. After greeting the librarian by name, they stepped out into the street and walked over to the police officer standing on the corner.

The officer smiled "Hey Serge how's it going?" and looked questioningly at Harry.

Sergio smiled back "Everything's fine Peter, me and the young man are going to get a bite to eat across the street and talk."

"That's great, don't worry kid Serge here is a good guy, a little too into martial arts and stuff but a good guy nonetheless. You listen to him and you will be fine. If you need any help I will be up and down this area for while." With a nod at the two of them, the officer resumed his beat.

Sergio started across the street with Harry following. Entering the pub, they took seats in a booth at the back of the room. It was crowded with late afternoon shoppers taking a break before heading back into the stores or returning home.

Ordering sandwiches and soup for Harry and a beer for himself Sergio leaned back and studied the boy in front of him as he dug into his food with all the appetite of your usual teenage eating machine. 'Well' he thought 'at least this one had not been on the street long, probably had an argument and took off and not sure how to go home and keep his pride.'

So many kids out there did not know what they were risking by running away, so many dangers for them on the streets. He knew he could not save them all but everyone he did healed something inside of him.

"So what your name?" he asked after Harry had finished most of the food. Seeing the look Harry gave him said with a grin "Just your first name is fine so don't bother thinking up a fake name."

Harry grinned back "Harry, my name is Harry," he said and prepared to tell him everything maybe that would clear things up in his mind. 'I hope' he thought with a sigh.

tbc