XLVII

Harry lingered around the Entrance Hall watching his classmates leave for Hogsmeade. They lined up in front of the caretaker, Argus Filch, showed him their permission slips. Filch checked their names on a list, then they trailed out into the sunlight.

Even the weather was mocking Harry. It was a bright, sunny morning, with relatively mild temperatures for the end of October. And that after a week of heavy rains. Quidditch practice had been a freezing sludge fest the evening before. It made all this doubly unfair. If at least, a bit of rain would make him less eager to go to Hogsmeade… but no, he couldn't even have that.

He went a bit closer, trying to sneak past Filch, but the man saw him.

"You, boy!" A quivering jaw and cheeks, lips wet and shiny. "Your permission?" Demandingly, he held his hand out. "You're not on the list, Potter." Pale eyes stared at Harry, balefully.

"I don't have it," Harry admitted and immediately retreated before Filch could snatch his collar and drag him off to detention or whatnot. Ever since his cat Mrs. Norris had been petrified the year before, the man had it out for Harry. Even now, that it was evidently not Harry who had done it, and the cat was fine anyway, Harry didn't trust the peace.

"Go back to your dorm! If I see you sneaking around—" Filch commanded, making a hobbled step toward Harry, then huffing in exasperation, and tuning back to check a group of Ravenclaw fifth years on his list.

Nothing else to do, Harry did as he was ordered but as soon as he entered the common room, he was swarmed by Colin Creevey and his friends.

"It's Harry, Harry Potter!" the second year exclaimed excitedly, already starting to tell the story about how they had met the year before, and how Harry had defeated the basilisk, and…

Harry promptly turned on his heels and left again. He'd rather spend the day stuffed in the library doing homework than being ogled by a group of twelve-year-olds. He made a slight detour on the way to the library, trying to avoid both the Entrance Hall and Filch's office, not wanting to ignite the caretaker's wrath.

He just had to pass a few hours. Then Ron and Hermione would be back. They could tell their stories about Hogsmeade, he could lament about a missed adventure, and then they could enjoy the Halloween feast together. In Hogwarts, the feast was always awesome…though it was a sad surrogate for a trip to Hogsmeade. It also worried Harry. Halloween had always been exciting. He wasn't so daft, not to see the signs.

Last year, at Halloween, the Chamber of Secrets had opened, and Mrs. Norris was attacked. The year before, Quirrell let a troll into the dungeons. On Halloween, things happened every time. He was wary of it, trying to ready himself for whatever it would be this time.

Wondering, if maybe it would have to do with Kakashi, he almost ran into a tall figure in a ragged brown wool cloak.

"Professor Lupin." It wasn't that odd, that they met here. The man's office was just around the corner, but Harry had been so lost in thought, he was still surprised.

"Ah Harry, do you want to come in," Lupin asked, pointing to his open office door, "for a cup of tea?"

Harry was about to accept when by sheer coincidence his eyes fell to the window. The office was on the second floor, so Harry could easily see down and across the school grounds, and what he saw there…

Pushing past Lupin, he rudely barged into the office, to get a better view.

"Okay," Lupin chuckled somewhat overwhelmed. "I see, sure…eh—"

But Harry didn't even acknowledge him anymore. Instead, his eyes were fixated down on the vast expanse of grass surrounding Hogwarts. Down, there, close to the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid's hut was easily visible. White smoke came from the chimney and behind the hut, barely visible, was the pumpkin field, bright orange in the morning sun. Two large figures standing a little to the side were easily recognizable as Hagrid and Buckbeak, the Hippogriff, but there was a third figure there, much smaller, lither, and half-hidden by Buckbeak's big head.

"What is it?" Lupin asked curiously, standing next to Harry, peering down across the green landscape and the forest beyond. "Did you see something?" His eyes searched the dementors flying far away around the premises. When Harry glanced at him, there were worry lines between his brows.

"Is that K—Charlie," Harry caught himself last second, blushing a little at the slip-up. He pointed down at the hut.

Surely, after turning Neville, the teachers, even, to a degree, Ron against him, Kakashi wouldn't dare sneak his way into Hagrid's heart too? Hagrid didn't deserve that, and sure as hell, Harry wouldn't let the other boy get his way with all his friends. By now, it had become obvious, that Kakashi was targeting Harry's friends in particular. He was a Hufflepuff, yet outside of class and meals, he never seemed to spend much time with his housemates, as if the whole house concept didn't bother him at all. Why couldn't he just stick to his fellow Hufflepuff's and leave Harry and his friends alone? And now, even Hagrid? Harry had enough of it!

Hagrid, naïve as he was, would believe everything Kakashi told him. Harry still remembered clearly, how Hagrid had given away Fluffy's secrets to a total stranger for the questionable promise of a dragon egg he couldn't even hope to keep. As much as Harry loved his dear friend, he knew that Hagrid was vulnerable in that way. He wouldn't allow Kakashi to exploit Hagrid too, especially since the half-giant already had enough trouble with whatever Malfoy might do because of Buckbeak.

"Charlie?" Lupin repeated, frown deepening on his face. "Harry, did he tell you something about himself?" So, he had noticed his slip up. Just as well… His lack of surprise only proved once more, that the teachers truly knew. "Hm… It looks like him," Lupin answered when Harry remained quiet. "Why do—"

But Harry had abruptly turned and shot out of the office before Lupin could finish the sentence.

"Harry, wait!"

As he ran down the stair, taking three steps at once, Harry was aware that Lupin hurried after him but couldn't quite keep up. He was glad, when he didn't meet Filch in the Entrance Hall again and shot right past the massive main gates of Hogwarts out into the October sun. Despite the mild temperatures, it was still the end of October, and Harry immediately felt a little cold, in his casual indoors school robes. He hadn't thought to bring a warm cloak.

It was Halloween. Remus hated Halloween.

As a child, in Hogwarts and at home, he had always celebrated the day with friends or family. Then Voldemort had murdered Lily and James Potter on a cold Halloween night in 1981. That was twelve years ago, to the day. He'd never celebrated the custom again. Two days later Sirius had murdered Pettigrew and it had been Sirius' 22nd birthday when it was all over. The Potter's were dead, with only Harry remaining, Peter was dead, Sirius in prison.

And Remus remained, alone. Full of regret and what-ifs and horrible confusion.

He didn't like Halloween, even less so now, when it fell so closely together with the next full moon. His skin was already itching from it.

He hadn't meant to go to the feast. He hadn't meant to do anything that day. And then, as he left his office to look for Snape, Harry ran right into him. Inviting him inside was a spontaneous decision. Nothing he had planned. But it seemed prudent to spend the night of his parents' deaths with the boy. Offer support if nothing else.

That wasn't how it happened. Only moments after entering the office, Harry dashed out again, running toward Hagrid's hut. And Remus was huffing and puffing after him, feeling too sick for such strenuous tasks. He'd never been very athletic, even despite his werewolf form which came with heightened levels of aggression in these times of the month. Surely, he was not fit enough to keep up with a thirteen-year-old on a mission. Remus felt incredibly old, as he stumbled through the Entrance Hall running after the boy.

Maybe he could just let it be. But Remus was worried.

Kakashi Hatake. Clearly, Harry knew his true name. He'd almost blurted it out right then, in the office. But Remus didn't know how much he knew or how he learned the truth. Judging from his expression, Harry didn't like the Hufflepuff much, and if Remus was honest, that was just fine by him. From Dumbledore, he knew that Kakashi might be in league with Sirius. He was a boy, surely, a victim himself, and in danger from the interference of the ministry as well… But even so, he might still be a danger to Harry.

That would be just his luck if, on James and Lily's death day, their son was lured right into Sirius' waiting arms… No, Remus would rather have an eye on the two boys, just to make sure.

"Wait, Harry!" He cried out. It wasn't the first time, he ordered Harry to stop, but the boy either didn't hear or didn't care. He dashed through the doors, down the stairs, and then through the courtyard and over the meadows down to Hagrid's hut.

Remus had no time to lament his aching knees. He pulled his cloak up on his shoulder, where it had slipped from all the running, and hurried after Harry, arriving a good two minutes after the boy—completely out of breath. Hunching over, he braced his weight against his knees, huffing in exhaustion.

"This was-" he stuttered, "—whew, I haven't run like-hah—that in years." He looked up, noting that Harry was completely ignoring him. "What's going on?"

Still, Harry didn't even look at him. He was completely focused on the other boy, stood to his full height, right in front of him, face flushed.

"What are you planning?" The question was odd, Remus thought. Kakashi stood with a huge pumpkin in his arms, awkwardly hoisting it over a knee. "What's this supposed to be? Haven't you—"

He stopped when Hagrid's laughter came bellowing from the hut. The half-giant came from his pumpkin field, he wore his thick moleskin coat. His beard and hair were even scragglier than usual, cheeks reddened from what Remus thought was exhaustion.

"Harry!" His voice boomed across the grounds. With heavy steps, he marched up to Harry, wrapped him in a tight hug. Harry looked flustered. Kakashi grinned stupidly. The scraping of claws on wet soil brought Remus attention to the beautiful Hippogriff, nibbling at Kakashi's hair, proving the boy had spent a few hours here already to acquaint himself with the animal like that.

It was still early, Remus thought, wondering when Kakashi had come down here. And why? To his shock, he noticed, that Kakashi carried a small knife in his hand, orange juice up to his elbow… The pumpkins.

"What's Major doing here?" Harry asked indignantly when Hagrid let go of him eventually.

"Charlie here?" A heavy hand clapped the boy on the back, making him tumble half a step forward. "He's been helping me with the pumpkins, isn't he? Strong kid, you should see him carry those things around, and good with the knife, too." Proudly, Hagrid made an inviting gesture, presenting a stack of finished pumpkins already waiting for the transport to Hogwarts. Kakashi put his pumpkin there too.

Frightening faces were cut into them with more detail and precision than Remus had assumed. Some of the visages seemed so elaborate, Remus wondered if Kakashi and Hagrid had come up with the designs themselves. They didn't seem familiar to Remus, but might come from Kakashi's culture, he guessed.

The idea made his heart ache. Somehow, somebody had ripped the boy from his home, from this foreign culture.

"You've been cutting pumpkins?" Harry asked doubtfully, eyeing the knife in Kakashi's hand.

"What are these faces?" Remus asked simultaneously.

Kakashi decided to answer Remus' question, as it seemed, leaving Hagrid to explain everything to Harry.

"That's a fox," he said after a moment of hesitation, putting his hand down on a feral grimace with strongly slanted eyes and sharp teeth. "And that's a Shinigami," he added, then shrugged. "Or how they are supposed to look from the pictures."

Remus marveled at the intricate carvings. "You did those?"

Kakashi shrugged, not nearly as impressed as Remus, more focused on what Hagrid told Harry.

"Did you do that before?"

"Hm?" Kakashi turned back to him. He looked from the pumpkin to Remus, as if the whole thing was just very strange to him. "No," he replied eventually.

Didn't they have Halloween in Japan? Or did they celebrate it without those carved pumpkins? In any case, it made this craftsmanship more impressive, knowing it was his first time. "How long did you take for those?"

The boys' brows furrowed. "We started at seven and it's now—" Curiously, as he gaged the time, he didn't look at a watch or an hourglass, but instead lifted his eyes to the sun. "Eleven?" Kakashi guessed. "So roughly two hours each."

"Impressive."

Kakashi looked flustered at the repeated compliment, but then—again—he only shrugged.

"So, you're almost done, right?" Harry asked when Hagrid had finished his explanation. When Remus turned to James' son, he was eyeing the pumpkins, as if half of a mind to burn the whole pumpkin field.

"Aye," Hagrid replied loudly, "you see. Charlie just finished that one. The fox."

Harry's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the fox-face, then he took out his wand. "Great, I can help you carry them."

"We have it taken care of," Kakashi replied dismissively.

"Thanks, Harry," Hagrid was much nicer but no less dismissive about it. "But we—"

"It'll go faster that way," Harry argued, and without waiting for Hagrid's okay, with a wave of his wand he levitated the giant pumpkins. Hagrid's broad grin dimmed little, but then he trudged after Harry without complaint. Kakashi watched them go, and with a glance at Remus, he too started the journey back to the castle. Remus followed last.

They were silent all the way up to the castle where Harry left the pumpkins in front of the Great Hall. "You're welcome," he said before Hagrid had even thanked him yet. Kakashi glowered at him.

"Thanks a lot, lads," Hagrid put a big hand on Harry's shoulder, then turned to check the state of the pumpkins. "You were a great help, the both of you."

"Five points for both of you," Remus added with a smile, "for helping with the feast." Shortly, he wondered if it was unfair. Kakashi had sacrificed most of his morning for this, and Harry only joined in those last few minutes, but then again, it was extracurricular for both, and he wouldn't know how to value pumpkin carving anyway.

"Thank you," Kakashi said politely.

"I've invited Harry to tea, would the two of you like to join us?" Lupin asked more out of politeness rather than a genuine wish to have four people in his office. But he really wanted to talk to Harry, and, at the moment, he didn't feel like Harry would leave Kakashi with Hagrid. So, inviting them both seemed the easier option.

Hagrid indicated the pumpkins that still needed to be distributed across the Great Hall.

"I promised Professor Hagrid to help all day," Kakashi tried to decline, but Hagrid soon waved him off.

"Nonsense, Charlie," he exclaimed, "you already helped so much. Go take a break with Professor Lupin, aye?"

At the almost command, Kakashi looked a bit uncertain but then agreed with another one of his complacent shrugs. Harry seemed conflicted, throwing Kakashi suspicious glances every now and then, but agreed eventually.

As Remus climbed the stairs in front of the boys, he could hear them bicker in his back.

"What were you doing there?" Harry hissed.

"Helping the groundskeeper with the pumpkins," Kakashi replied evenly, then with slight amusement in his voice, "as Professor Hagrid said, I'm good with knives."

Harry needed a moment to reply. "That's all it is? Not trying to turn Hagrid against me?"

Wearily, Remus looked back at them. They had reached the top of the stairs, and Kakashi's steps faltered a moment before he continued.

"Why would I?" He sighed. "If you need to know, I just wanted to be outside a little. The weather is great, and it'll be cold soon."

"The weather… right," Harry scoffed. "Stay away from Hagrid."

Kakashi snorted then. "If he's so important to you, maybe stop humiliating him in front of others."

"What are you talking about?"

"He's not allowed to use his wand and you—"

Remus was glad that they reached his office in that moment. "Here we—" he interrupted the boys before they could start a serious fight, but Remus' voice cut off as well when he saw who was waiting for him.

"There you are," Snape hissed in an impatient tone. Demonstratively he pulled an hourglass from his robes, gave it a long scrutinizing look, and put it away. "I've been waiting for fifteen minutes. One would think, this is more important to you, considering the risks." He held a cup in his hand and as he spoke, he lifted it higher, so the steam and the unpleasant stench were right in Remus' nose.

"Ugh," Kakashi held his nose, as he stopped behind Remus. "What is that?"

Snape's brows rose. With a sour snarl on his lips, his beet black eyes flicked from Remus to Kakashi and last to Harry who had stopped his argument with Kakashi to glare at the Potions master. A mean twist turned Snape's haughty smile upside down.

"You make quite the sight, the three of you. Are we planning something?" Hate sprayed from his eyes.

Remus sighed. "Severus," he tried to remain polite at least. Snape had every reason not to like him, and there was at least reasonable cause for suspicion against Kakashi, but his hatred against Harry seemed like pure pettiness. Remus had little patience for it. "Apologies for making you wait."

Snape's eyes drilled into him, then he gave a sharp nod, clearly not wanting to discuss this in the presence of students. Or, well, maybe he wanted to, and Dumbledore made him swear not to outright expose Remus. In truth, Remus was surprised how well Snape worked with him so far, even if he occasionally couldn't stop his mean comments.

Remus unlocked the office, invited the two boys inside, and Snape too. Snape left the mug on his desk, then he threw one last spiteful glare toward the boys and turned to Remus. "Remember, no sugar. Drink it now, you're already late, as is."

With some effort, Remus suppressed the desire to roll his eyes. He knew how to take wolfsbane by now. Waiting until Snape had left, he picked the mug up, drank it all in one go.

"Disgusting." He hadn't meant to say it out loud.

The potion was truly revolting. It tasted far worse than it smelled. Of rancid butter and bad eggs. Yuck!

"What was that?" Harry asked while Kakashi inspected the mug that Remus had put down on the table again.

"Just an important potion, Professor Snape prepares for me."

There was a short moment of hesitation in Harry's eyes, then, "You shouldn't drink anything he offers. Snape's been vying for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position for years."

Did Harry truly think, Snape would poison him? The thought made Remus chuckle, though thinking about it again, it was sad how little Harry could trust his teachers. Coughing to mask his sudden mood shift, he turned to his teapot.

"Do you want sugar, milk?"

"Yes, please," Harry replied at once.

"No, thanks," Kakashi mumbled.

Harry glared at Kakashi as if that alone was cause enough to take offense. In the office, he sat furthest away from the other boy, while never letting him out of his sight. Remus sighed. Whatever intervention he had hoped for, surely it would not happen. Maybe Kakashi saw it too because he drank his tea fast. He didn't even wait for the steam to vanish.

"Thank you, Professor," Kakashi stood and before Remus could stop him, he vanished. Through the door, Remus assumed. He didn't even see, by the time he looked up from his own cup, the boy was already gone.

Curious.

Harry was glaring at the spot where he had been.

"Are you two having trouble?" Remus asked. It was obvious, but he'd rather Harry told him his own side of the story, than Remus just assuming things. He'd done that when he talked to Kakashi the last time, about his boggart, and it hadn't worked well.

Harry scoffed. "He's a liar. Everything he told me was a lie." Remus didn't know how Harry had figured it out. "He's dangerous."

Truthfully, Remus was worried about that too. If it was true what Dumbledore thought, if Sirius was somehow using Kakashi, he might be a danger to Harry specifically. Remus even in the days of the full moon when his animalistic instincts were heightened, didn't feel any malicious intent from Kakashi, and still… Harry could be in danger around him.

Apparently, Harry knew it too. If only he could react to such a perceived threat by staying away from the other boy, rather than charging right at him.

"How do you figure he's a threat," Remus asked, curious what Harry had to say.

Harry eyed him warily. It was clear from the way he looked, that he didn't trust his teacher to listen. Remus wondered if he had been disappointed before. He had heard stories about what Harry had done the years before and wondered if it was connected to that, or maybe to the way he was raised. Remus didn't know Lily's sister and her husband well enough to make any assumptions.

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Harry didn't say anything for a long time. Only when the silence became too uncomfortable for him, did he finally speak: "He's been lying from the start, to me specifically. He turned up in front of my aunt and uncle's house out of nowhere and he—"

Soothingly, he rubbed the skin of his neck.

"I know he's dangerous," Harry finished. "I know. His name is fake, his history. And Dumbledore and you teachers, you just let it happen."

There was a part of Remus, that almost believed Harry. Kakashi might be dangerous, especially if he was affiliated with Sirius. He might be after Harry, and he was apparently hunted by the ministry.

And yet, a much bigger part of Remus trusted in Dumbledore and his judgment. To Dumbledore, despite the possible connection to Sirius, Kakashi was one to be protected. Surely, he wouldn't allow some evil into the school and endanger Harry that way…

"Did you consider," Remus decided to be both vague and honest. There was no denying it to Harry, but Remus himself didn't know enough to make any specific statements, "that maybe we have good reason to allow him into the school? Dumbledore knows what he is doing."

The boy looked skeptical. Eyes, so much like Lily's looked petulant and angry. That too, he thought, was not unlike his mother, who was always unrelenting in her pursuit of what she deemed right. Mixed with James' disposition for getting himself into trouble, from what Remus had heard… A rather explosive mixture. He should keep an eye on the boy. Especially today, on his parents' death day.

"He is dangerous," Harry insisted.

"Maybe he is," Remus relented, "but if so, don't you think it would be safer to stay away from him?"

Remus thought his point made sense, but Harry just pushed his jaw in defiance. "Problems you ignore will just blow up in your face," he said with the certainty of experience.

"What do you mean?" Remus asked, trying to garner more information from the boy, even though he could immediately see the wisdom in his words. After all, if Remus hadn't ignored the signs in Sirius…

Who knows?

The boy didn't elaborate his reasons though. He stared into his cup, then to the door leading to the classroom, and then…

Something like embarrassment passed over his face. "Why didn't you let me fight the Boggart?"

"The Boggart?" Remus blinked, surprised by the change of topic. That was already two months in the past, almost. At first, Remus didn't even know what he was talking about, before he remembered that, yes, he had blocked Harry from the Boggart. Had Harry been carrying that around for all these weeks?

"I thought that would be obvious," Remus said, but quickly realized that it might not be, from the way Harry stared at him. "I didn't think anybody wanted Lord Voldemort to appear in the classroom."

Harry was staring at him, in surprise. It made Remus realized that once again he had misjudged one of his students. Somehow, with Harry, it hit him harder than it did with Kakashi. Harry and him, they had a past, even though Harry didn't know about it. It made Remus suddenly aware, that this boy was not at all the baby James had once put into his arms, so many years ago—before they went into hiding and he would never see them again. There were twelve whole years standing between them, and the boy in front of him might look like James with Lily's eyes. He might have some of James' talents too, especially in Quidditch, but for all intents and purposes, he was a stranger.

"I see, I have been mistaken," Remus sighed, sipping on his tea, trying to swallow his bad conscience with the hot brew.

"I didn't think about Voldemort," Harry admitted. "I thought about these Dementors."

Ah… He remembered when Kakashi—back then only known as Charlie—had been in his office, to talk about the dark creatures. It seemed they left quite the impression on more than one of his students.

It was probably the first time that Remus really thought, the sooner they caught Sirius, the better.