Harry rushed into the castle and up the stairs, his broom and trunk forgotten. All he was concerned over was Remus. The werewolf was the last link to his parents, to Sirius and he was not going to lose him, not now. He took the stairs two at a time, barely able to restrain himself as they shifted around properly. Once they were close enough he was off up the next set until he finally came to the floor he needed. He raced down the hall and into the infirmary, skidding to stop inside the doors.

Albus looked up as Harry made a ruckus entrance. He gave the boy a small smile, the best he could manage. The look of worry on Harry's face struck deep in him. He motioned him over silently, watching as Harry moved to his side. The boy's eyes never left the covered body on the bed. Albus stood and set a hand on the Harry's shoulder. "Remus, wake up, please," he spoke to the hidden werewolf. "You have a visitor."

The bundle shifted slightly but that was all. Remus did not want to see or talk to anyone. He just wanted them to leave him alone to his fate. He could think of no one he wanted to see, and he did not feel like uncovering his head to get a good whiff of the visitor. He just burrowed deeper and grabbed the edges of the blankets to keep them from being removed. Whoever he had heard barrel in was of no concern.

Albus looked down at Harry and nodded to him before patting his shoulder and stepping away. Harry watched the Headmaster go talk to Poppy, taking his seat. He watched the mound on the bed for a few moments before speaking. He had no idea of just what to say to a man he never thought he would see in such a state. Remus seemed to so strong and sturdy. He had been the one to hold on to him and keep him from following Sirius. What right did he have to try to do so himself? Harry felt a spark of anger deep inside of himself. He needed Remus. Did Remus not consider that!

"Are you just going to lay there?" Harry asked. He wanted to see the gentle face hidden from his view, to access just how bad Lupin looked. Surely he was not as bad as everyone else seemed to think. He was just under the weather. Remus would be fine and they would all look back on this far into the future with a smile, maybe even a laugh. Harry reached out and touched the cloistered figure. He felt the body tense more than it had been. He drew his hand back.

Remus caught his breath and tensed slightly as he heard Harry speak. What had the old man done bringing Harry to the school? He had just lost Sirius and did not need to see him . . . Harry had just lost Sirius. Remus squeezed his eyes closed. What was he doing? The boy had lost everything he had, everyone. He was his last link to all of it, but dammit he had lost everything, too. But . . . Did he not have Harry, too? He tensed more as the boy touched him then cursed himself as he felt the hand withdraw. Was Harry enough reason to give up his will to die, to find the will to live?

Harry sat there staring at the bed unsure what to do. Remus needed him to do something, that much was obvious. But what? He was not even sixteen yet. He was still just a lost boy with no idea what to do with his life, if he lived to have one. He needed someone to guide him, had hoped that someone would be Remus with Sirius gone. Damn Sirius for not staying home. Damn Remus for laying there and letting himself die. Damn Bellatrix for killing Sirius. Damn Trewlany for her fucking prophecy. And damn Voldemort for causing all of it.

Remus waited for several minutes. When he did not hear Harry leave, he slowly pushed himself to a sitting position. He did not let his eyes stray to the boy, staring instead at the covers over his lower body. He knew he would see horror, disappointment in the boy's eyes. Things he had no desire to see. Sirius would kill him if he were alive to do so. With that thought he felt a hot poker stab his gut. If he were alive . . .

Harry stared at Remus in shock. His skin hung on him as though there were no meat on his bone. His skin was pale, his hair mussed and dirty looking. He resembled Sirius after the other man had escaped from Azkaban only Sirius had looked more alive and well than Remus appeared. "What are you doing to yourself?" He demanded, coming to his feet.

Remus closed his eyes. He could not say the boy did not understand. Harry knew what it was like to be alone, but he was young yet. He had friends that cared for him. Remus had Harry. "Harry," his voice cracked from disuse and lack of moisture. "All I have is gone but you."

"I'm not enough to stay?" He asked urgently. "I can't lose you. Not now!" He moved forward to grab the shoulders of the man on the bed. "We both lost Sirius! Not just you!" Tears started trailing down his cheeks. "Don't leave me, too!" He fell against the werewolf in sobs.

Remus was stunned, taking a moment to wrap his arms around Harry. Once he had, he held him very close, very tight. He held him as though, if he did not, either of them might disappear from the other. "I feel hollow." His voice sounded likewise.

Harry held him tighter, trembling in the werewolf's arms. His sobs slowly turned to sniffs and hiccups. He felt comforted in Remus' arms, held as he had never been held before, comforted as he had never been comforted before. As much as he had cared for Sirius, something about the calm, gentle nature of the man before him was much more sound and reassuring.

Albus walked back over to them, shrinking the few things he had left there and putting them in his pocket. "I'll leave you boys alone. The house elves will see to some rooms for you, and your things, Harry." He gave them a small smile. He was happy to see them together. Perhaps they could move on better with each others help, and the help from those at the school.

Leaving Harry and Remus, Albus made his way to his office where Alastor and Kingsley waited. The two men sat patiently waiting for him to join them, conversing occasionally on this and that. They both quieted as Albus entered, Kingsley standing.

"Sit, sit." Albus motioned him back to his seat. He sat himself behind his desk. "What happened during your visit to the Dursleys?" He asked the men.

Moody smiled a smile that let Albus know the Dursley's had been given a very lasting memory of the morning. The old Auror began retelling the morning's events to Albus, one of the few times anyone would have at any time past, present, or future heard Mad-Eye praise Severus Snape. Of course, he would never admit it after he was done spinning the tale.

After the tale was told, Albus spent a while discussing other things with the two men before leaving them to talk with Severus. He was certain the man would be hiding in his dungeons with his potions.

Severus was indeed in the dungeons with his potions, so deep into what he was doing he took a moment to notice the entrance of the Headmaster. He cursed internally once he spotted the old man standing behind him watching his every move. Scarcely could he think of a thing he hated more than being watched, calculated. Nor could he think of a reason for the man to be disturbing him, again. Was he to get no work done for having to run annoying errands and listen to pointless conversation? What was next? A trip to the Weasleys? Severus shuddered at the thought, ignoring the older man. When the Headmaster wanted to speak he would. Severus was not inviting him to conversation.

Albus watched the younger man for a few more moments before giving his back a small smile. "Alastor was singing your praises in the way you dealt with the Dursleys." He saw Severus stiffen slightly and waited. His wait was short.

Severus turned to look Albus like he had gone mad, something Severus accused him of on a regular basis. "Mad-Eye Moody has never sung in his life. I don't see him changing that to praise me, of all people." He then returned to his work. He really needed to get some of his research done. Voldemort was expecting some results. Dumbledore knew that yet insisted on interrupting him. And when it was not the Headmaster, it was that insufferable werewolf. Severus scowled at his ingredients, chopping his roots harder.

Albus chuckles softly. "I've heard him sing. Doesn't really have the voice for it and I had to get him drunk . . ." He saw Severus shoot him a glare over his shoulder and realized he was going slightly off topic, at least to the reason he was there. "Did the Dursleys make no mention of the letter I sent them?"

Severus shook his head then pushed his head out of his eyes. "No. Acted like they had no idea we were coming." He had forgotten the Headmaster was sending them a letter. "Probably ripped it up before reading it." He dismissed the whole affair.

"Perhaps." Albus did not sound so sure. He decided to debate it with himself later on. "Are you busy for supper?"

Severus, use to such seemingly opposite trains of thought from Albus, just grunted. "No." He could only imagine what the old man wanted him to do, though he had a pretty good idea. He had no desire to dine with Potter or the werewolf, let alone both.

"Then you will be free to dine with the rest of us. I may require help getting Remus to the Great Hall." He hid his grin, anticipating the reaction he was about to get.

"Only help I'll give you is to charm him and levitate him to the table. I'm not talking him into anything . . . Except, perhaps, jumping off a high cliff somewhere." The last he muttered to himself, though he was sure Albus heard him.

"Then you'll be our last resort," the older man said with a smile. "I'll get you shortly before supper." His smile broadened. "It will be a delight to have you at the table for conversation." He then turned, a twinkle back in his eye, leaving the man to his potions, for the time being, as he returned to his office to ponder over the missing letter. He hoped Severus was right and they had just ripped it up or burned it. Harry did not need anything more than that.