Chapter 2

Welcome to the Adult World

The return to Hogwarts was met with mixed reactions. It had been a relief to hear that the locket had been found and destroyed. Madam Pomfrey, however, wasn't pleased at obvious signs of exhaustion on each of their faces. Harry, Sirius and Remus were immediately sent to the hospital wing and given dreamless sleeping potions. No one had been happy with Madam Pomfrey but everyone knew better than to question her.

Harry was the first to wake nearly a day and a half later. The sun had just set, leaving a reddish glow on the hospital wing. Rubbing his tired eyes, Harry reached for his glasses which were resting on the bedside table. It had become a common occurrence that Harry had yet to ask about. He suspected there was some sort of spell to remove his contacts without waking him but that was a discussion for another time and place.

Sliding his glasses on, Harry glanced around and saw Remus and Sirius sleeping peacefully in nearby beds. Neither of them looked like they would be waking soon which was probably a good thing. Harry needed to be able to think without their overpowering concern and worry distracting him. It was a cruel thing to even consider with how much Sirius and Remus had done but the ever present emotions were simply becoming too much of a headache. Yes, Harry knew everyone was worried about him but there was really nothing he could do at the moment to ease their concerns. This was something he needed to do and it was more important than talking about his feelings.

As quietly as possible, Harry slid out of bed and changed into a set of clothes that had been placed at the foot of his bed. The silence was deafening but not surprising, especially considering that school wasn't in session. There were probably only a dozen people currently at Hogwarts most of that was the teaching staff. The only time it had been anything but silent was when the Weasleys had visited a week ago to 'discuss Bill and Fleur's wedding'.

That had been the day that Ron, Hermione and Ginny had forced Harry out of the library for a few hours to enjoy some fresh air even though they talked about the war the majority of the time. Nearly the entire Weasely family was in the Order which meant Ron, Hermione and Ginny were able to overhear stray comments every so often while they helped prepare for Bill and Fleur's wedding that would be held near the Burrow. It was scheduled to be a small wedding for family and close friends with members of the Order providing security. Wards had been placed to keep reporters and party crashers away since everyone knew Harry Potter would be attending.

That was the biggest problem lately. The wizarding world had become completely obsessed with Harry ever since a picture of Harry battling Death Eaters in Hogsmeade had been published in the 'Daily Prophet'. Until that night, no one had any actual proof of what Harry was capable of. Everything had been second or third-hand information based on a children's point of view of someone they viewed as a hero. Now, however, people were starting to wonder if the stories had been true after all.

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Harry cast one final glance at his guardians before leaving the hospital wing as quietly as humanly possible. His pace was cautious as he kept his senses on alert for any sign of anyone or anything. The last thing he needed was to run into Peeves the poltergeist who would most likely shout at the top of his lungs that Harry had escaped from the hospital wing just to get Harry in trouble.

Luckily there were no such obstacles. Harry managed to retrieve some food from the kitchens and make it to the library without running into anyone…well, except for Dobby, the house elf, in the kitchens but he promised not to say a word. Every step echoed in the library, regardless of how cautious Harry tried to walk. He tentatively reached out with his senses but couldn't find any sign that there was anyone else present in the entire library. Confident that he was indeed alone, Harry moved to the history section of the library and started to look for any publication of artifacts belonging to Rowena Ravenclaw or Godric Gryffindor.

Harry knew that searching for Hufflepuff's cup would be the logical step to take. Unfortunately, he also knew that he wouldn't be going anywhere until there was some sort of hint to where the cup may be hidden. Sirius had spent months looking for it only to come back empty handed. They really didn't have the luxury of wasting so much time anymore. By discovering the unknown artifact Voldemort had used, Harry could possibly search for both Horcruxes at the same time.

It wasn't long before Harry's disappearance had been noticed. To say that Tonks and Shacklebolt weren't happy to find him in the library was an understatement. Harry's personal guards took their jobs seriously, sometimes too seriously. They didn't seem to grasp the fact that they were currently residing in Hogwarts, the one place that had a mind of her own, especially when it came towards Harry.

Ever since that night at Hogsmeade, Hogwarts had taken up a constant presence in the back of his mind whenever he was on the grounds she protected. It wasn't an overpowering presence, just a gentle reminder that he wasn't alone. Most of the time it was comforting, however there were times when Hogwarts felt like an overprotective mother, which was something Harry really didn't want at the moment. Sirius was overprotective enough.

The moment Harry stepped into the hospital wing with Tonks and Shacklebolt, he was immediately pulled into a fierce group hug by an army of redheads. Waves of relief, happiness and concern poured off of everyone, making it difficult for Harry to think clearly. Closing his eyes, Harry tried to push the oncoming emotions away and focus on his own but there were just too many people with too many emotions. It had been weeks since he had been this overwhelmed which meant one of two things. Either Harry's empathy was growing or his blocking abilities were slipping. Harry prayed that it was the latter. He didn't think he could handle the other.

Arms pulled away as Harry tried to mentally retreat and force himself to concentrate on nothing but his own emotions. He felt himself sway back and forth slightly before hands grabbed him to hold him upright. Muffled voices could be heard as Harry felt himself being ushered forward. Slowly, Harry could feel the emotions around him fading, allowing him to concentrate more on the actual happenings around him rather than just the emotions.

"Come on, Harry," Sirius said gently in Harry's ear as Harry sat down on one of the hospital beds. "Just breathe."

Harry opened his eyes and glanced around to see that the Weasleys were standing a safe distance away with concerned looks on their faces. Hermione and Ron were standing next to each other, staring at Harry nervously. Ron was the only Weasley who knew anything about Harry's abilities which was something Harry preferred. He couldn't take the risk of the wrong people finding out and using his abilities against him at the present time. Secrets don't remain secrets in the wizarding world, especially for Harry Potter.

"Is everything back to normal now, kiddo?" Sirius asked quietly as he moved into Harry's line of sight.

Harry closed his eyes and nodded. He could pick up on Sirius' concern and protectiveness but it was like waves striking against a closed door. Harry was aware that the emotions were there but he also could ignore them and think clearly. However, the ability to think also meant realizing that there were people in the room who would most likely demand an explanation to what had just happened.

Sirius, however, was one step ahead of him. "This was why I suggested delaying Harry's birthday," he said to the Weasleys. "It's been a tiring few days and we're all a little jumpy."

"It's my birthday?" Harry asked in confusion. He could have sworn that it was at least a few days away. Had he really lost track of time that badly in his haste to find the Horcruxes? Silence filled the hospital wing as everyone stared at Harry. Waves of sympathy and shock rolled from wall to wall. Harry bit back the annoyance rising in him. I should have kept my mouth shut.

"Yes, Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley said gently. "We didn't mean to startle you. It's just that it's not every day that you turn seventeen—"

"—especially for Harry Potter," Bill Weasley said with a grin. His long red hair was pulled back, allowing the lantern light to amplify the scars on his face from the attack just over a month ago. "Your picture was on every wizarding paper and magazine today. I expect the marriage proposals will begin any day now."

"Bill!" Mrs. Weasley scolded. "Harry doesn't need to hear—"

"—that he's currently the most sought out wizard in Britain?" interrupted Fred. "Its better he hears it from us—"

"—before women start throwing themselves at him," George finished for his twin.

Harry let out a groan as he buried his face in his hands. He really didn't need this now. He had always hated the attention that came with being the-boy-who-lived but it had become worse last year when his empathy had surfaced. Last year had been when many of the female population had finally noticed that Harry wasn't a little boy anymore and made no effort hiding it. It had been an awkward time for Harry which only became worse when one of his close friends, Cho Chang, admitted that she had romantic feelings towards him. Harry had been so overwhelmed by her emotions that he hadn't been able to fight against it until she pulled away. He had broken her heart and realized that there was a chance that he could never be in a normal relationship in a matter of minutes.

That was something that Harry was still having a hard time accepting. Yes, he didn't have the time for a relationship now but the thought of spending his entire life alone…Harry didn't know what to think. It was just another headache that Harry really didn't need to think about…one that he didn't want to consider. Why am I even worried about this? Surviving this war should come first. I need to have a future before I think about it.

"Fortunately for all of us, it's happening to Harry and not the two of you," Ginny said. "You would try to actually date those who threw themselves at you."

Fred and George helplessly shrugged their shoulders as they grinned at each other. "What can we say?" asked George. "We lead lonely lives."

"Too true," Fred added with a serious look on his face. "All work and no play—"

"—that's enough, boys," Mr. Weasley said quickly then turned his gaze to Harry. "So, Harry, are you feeling up to a small birthday party? Nothing fancy. Just us, a few presents and a small cake. We know you don't like being the center of attention but no one should miss their seventeenth birthday."

Harry bit back a groan. How in the world was he supposed to say no to that?

Ron and Hermione immediately moved to Harry's side and started talking about anything and everything that would distract from what had just happened. The rest of the Weasleys pulled up chairs and polite chatter broke out. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley talked quietly with Sirius and Remus while everyone else focused on Harry. Bill was extremely quiet as he held Fleur's hand but that was normal. Bill had become rather quiet around Harry ever since Harry had healed the injuries caused by Fenrir Greyback. Harry knew that Bill felt like he was indebted to Harry which was just ridiculous. Bill had received his injuries in defending Hogwarts. Hogwarts had repaid Bill by healing those injuries through Harry.

It seemed that everyone wanted to keep Harry's mind off of the war. The majority of his presents had something to do with becoming a Healer. Sirius and Remus gave Harry a gold watch similar to the one Ron had received for his seventeenth birthday except Harry's had a stag, wolf, dog and lily engraved on the back. They had also given Harry a fixture that held five crystal cubes that each held a memory playing over and over again.

The first cube held an image of James Potter flying on a broom with one-year-old Harry. The second cube held an image Lily Potter holding baby Harry in her arms as she rocked him to sleep. The third cube held an image of Sirius and one-year-old Harry playing with blocks on the floor. The fourth cube held an image of Remus quietly reading to baby Harry who was already fast asleep. The fifth cube held an image of Albus Dumbledore, fast asleep on a sofa couch with one-year-old Harry sleeping on his chest.

It had taken every ounce of self control Harry had not to let the pain he felt show on his face. He knew Sirius and Remus meant well but it served as another reminder of how much Voldemort had taken from him. He had lost so many years with his parents and he lost any future years he could have had with Professor Dumbledore's guidance. Harry knew he shouldn't dwell on the past but remembering what he had lost only fueled his determination to do everything in his power to end this war.

In addition to the presents and cards, Harry also found his Apparition license and Hogwarts letter amongst the collection. The Hogwarts letter had been one more thing that he should have expected but hadn't considered. After an uncertain glance, Harry set the letter aside, something that everyone noticed. Waves of nervousness and uncertainty filled the wing as the silence became deafening. No one knew what to say but they knew something needed to be said eventually.

The celebration came to an end a few hours later with a surprise. Ron and Hermione were staying at Hogwarts to help. Apparently the preparations for the wedding were coming along faster than what they had expected which meant that Ron and Hermione had quite a bit of free time. Harry wasn't sure he believed that. Mrs. Weasley always had something for someone to do. He cast a quick glance at his guardians and instantly knew what was going on. This was another attempt to get Harry to talk about his 'problems'.

To accommodate Ron and Hermione, the Marauder Quarters had been transformed to accommodate seven people. Furniture had been transfigured and moved around so Sirius and Remus shared a room, Tonks and Hermione shared a room, Harry and Ron shared a room, and Shacklebolt slept in the Common Room. Professor McGonagall had offered Tonks and Shacklebolt their own rooms but both insisted on staying where Harry was. Their orders were to protect Harry Potter which was what they were determined to do.

Harry awoke the following morning to the sound of hushed voices. From the waves of uncertainty and anxiousness, Harry knew it was Rom and Hermione. They clearly wanted to talk to him but didn't want to wake him. Harry let out a groan as he blinked his eyes open and reached for his glasses. He had a feeling this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation.

"Good morning, Harry," Hermione said with a bright smile as she sat down on the foot of his bed. "Sirius, Remus and Kingsley are meeting with Professor McGonagall right now. Tonks is waiting for us in the Common Room."

Harry looked at her in confusion as he sat up and leaned against the headboard. He glanced at Ron who was sitting on his own bed, looking slightly nervous. This isn't good. "What's going on?" he asked cautiously. "You two are hiding something, I know it."

Ron and Hermione shared a brief look before returning their attention to Harry. "Well," Hermione began as she enfolded her fingers nervously, "Sirius and Remus felt it was necessary to discuss some options concerning you and your education."

Harry stared at Hermione with a raised eyebrow. "Why would they do that without talking to me first?" he asked tensely.

Hermione let out a sigh as she stood up, walked to Harry's bedside table and picked up his unopened Hogwarts letter. "This is why," she said holding up the envelope. "You wouldn't have set this aside like you did if you were planning on returning for your final year. When were you going to tell us?"

"Tell you what?" Harry asked through his teeth as he pulled back his bedcovers and slid out of bed. "I never said I wasn't coming back. I just can't afford to think about school when I have three more Horcuxes to destroy before Voldemort can be defeated. Dumbledore entrusted me to do this!"

"But he never told you to do it alone!" Hermione protested. "Harry, I know you feel this is your duty but are you really willing to sacrifice your entire future? You have to take your N.E.W.T.s if you want to become a Healer—"

"—which I can't become until Voldemort is gone," Harry interrupted in frustration as he sat down on the foot of his bed. "Look, you just don't understand. I can't allow myself to be distracted by something like school. We have no idea where the cup is and absolutely no idea what the last artifact is in addition to where it could be. Kingsley and Tonks aren't here to twiddle their thumbs while I'm in classes. They're here to help when we are out there searching."

Hermione let out a frustrated groan. "You are such a guy!" she cried then let out a few calming breaths. "Harry, we're all here to help and I'm sure everyone will understand if you need more time to finish assignments. I know this is important to you but if you turn away from your education now it's highly unlikely you'll come back. Voldemort has taken so much from you, Harry. Don't let him take your future too."

Harry looked at Ron for help but found none. "She's got you there, mate," Ron said with a shrug. "With as much as you have done for the school, I don't think a little leniency is too much to ask. I don't think any of the teachers will have a problem with it…er—unless the new Transfiguration teacher and Defense teacher do but I doubt they will."

"Of course they won't," Hermione said firmly. "If they did they would probably find themselves out of a job."

Harry glanced at Hermione suspiciously. That was a rather unusual thing for her to say. "Is there something going on that I should know about?" he asked cautiously.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders as she sat down beside Harry. "It's just that ever since—well—that night, the papers and magazines have been publishing as much as they can about you," she said carefully. "I don't think you realize what a fan base you have, Harry. Teenagers want to either date you or be your friend and children want to be you. Think about it. You were the-boy-who-lived at a year old, the Triwizard Champion at fourteen, the Chosen One at fifteen, and the Protector of Hogwarts at sixteen."

Harry stared at her with a raised eyebrow. "Protector of Hogwarts?" he asked. "What nut came up with that?"

"Who else?" asked Ron. "Rita Skeeter has been writing as many articles as she can about you and those you're close to. I think she's finally given up on your love life but you never know."

Harry groaned as he buried his face in his hands. "This is unbelievable," he said. "What does it take for everyone to realize that I just want to be left alone?"

"An awful lot," Ron said bluntly earning a glare from Harry. "I mean it, Harry. You can't honestly be surprised by this. Everyone wanted a piece of you when half of the wizarding world thought you were out of your mind. Nothing's really changed except that everyone who believed you were unstable now denies ever feeling that way, including the Ministry."

"Thank you so much, Ron," Harry said sarcastically. "You really know how to make someone feel better."

"It's the truth, Harry," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "I don't think you realize how much influence you have. Because of you, a group of teenagers stood up to and defeated a dozen Death Eaters. You gave us the training and confidence to stand up for what we believed in. Harry, it's because of you that the majority of the D.A. actually have any confidence what-so-ever. Look at Neville! Look at Luna! You've changed their lives for the better!"

Harry rolled his eyes as he rose to his feet and walked over to his wardrobe. It was official. Hermione was out of her mind. He knew he was slightly behind the times ever since Sirius and Remus had issued a 'no post' policy to prevent any sort of cursed material from reaching Harry but this was ridiculous. Once again everyone was pushing their worries and fears off on a teenager rather than standing up and fighting themselves. Yes, he had given the D.A. the material they needed to advance but they had done all of the work.

"I don't know why you're refusing to see this," Hermione said as Harry opened his wardrobe and pulled out a set of clothes. "Why do you insist that nothing has changed over the past year when everything has?"

"Don't you think I know that?" Harry snapped as he turned around quickly and glared at Hermione. "A year ago I was home with my family blissfully unaware that the outcome of the entire war depended on me! A year ago I didn't even know about Horcruxes! A year ago Dumbledore…Dumbledore—"

"—was still alive?" offered Ron.

Harry inhaled deeply, forcing himself to remain calm. Ron and Hermione didn't understand. How could they? Harry hadn't told them what he had discovered that night concerning Severus Snape. It had been the one secret he had held onto and he really wasn't sure why. A part of him felt like he needed to keep it to himself. It was almost like he needed to protect Dumbledore's reputation because he knew how everyone would react…

Exactly like he did when he found out.

"Have you talked to anyone, Harry?" Hermione asked gently, snapping Harry out of his thoughts. The waves of concern flowing off her were growing by the second. "I know you told us what happened but we never discussed your feelings about what happened."

"That's my cue to leave," Ron said uncomfortably as he rose to his feet.

"Ron!" Hermione scolded, glaring at him. "You're supposed to be supportive!"

"I am supportive!" Ron protested. "I don't do the touchy-feely thing so I should just leave before I say something I would normally say." Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Hey!" Ron said defensively. "What do you expect? I'm a guy!"

"So is Harry," Hermione pointed out.

Ron rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Harry's empathic, Hermione," he said dryly. "He's got everyone else's emotions in his head in addition to his own."

"Hey!" Harry interjected. "I'm right here, you know." Ron and Hermione shifted their gaze to Harry guiltily. "Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do but I don't need to talk about what happened…again. It's in the past. I need to focus on the present and the Horcruxes. There will be plenty of time to wallow when this is over." Hermione moved to protest. "No, Hermione," Harry said firmly as he moved towards the door. "Just let it go. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to change and grab some breakfast on my way to the library."

"But Harry," Hermione protested but Harry was already opening the door and walking out of the room.

They just don't understand. They don't see how important it is for me to finish this. Emotions will come later…much later.

Harry wasn't surprised in the slightest to see Remus enter the library nearly an hour later. It seemed that round two of 'forcing Harry to talk about his feelings' was about to start. Harry shook his head in annoyance and buried his gaze back in the book he was reading. Hermione's attempt had been blunt and easy to avoid. Remus' would be the opposite. Remus had a tendency to poke and pry until he broke through Harry's barriers.

It was extremely frustrating how effective his methods were.

Harry's gaze remained on the page he was trying to read as Remus sat down across from him. Gentle but distinct waves of concern and sympathy rolled off Remus, forcing Harry to bite his tongue to prevent a sarcastic comment from escaping. He was really starting to become frustrated with the entire situation. It was understandable for the first week or so but now he just wished that everyone would forget about it and concentrate on what needed to be done.

"Harry—"

Harry handed him a thick, dust covered book, his gaze never leaving the page he should be reading. "I take it the meeting went smoothly?" he asked casually.

Remus stared at Harry as he slowly opened the book. "Well, as smoothly as possible with Minerva and Sirius in the same room," he answered carefully. "Minerva's concerned about you, Harry. We all are. You refuse to talk to anyone and now you toss your Hogwarts letter aside without a second glance."

Harry shrugged his shoulders and he turned the page. "I just want to remain focused," he said. "We still have three Horcruxes—"

"—that we'll find as soon as we can," Remus interrupted. "I know you want this all to be over, Harry, but there are other ways to accomplish it. The entire Order is on standby, waiting for someone to call upon their services. We may not know what one of the items is but we know what the cup looks like and the places it could be. They don't have to know the details, just enough to know that time is not on our side."

Harry looked up at Remus through narrowed eyes. "Dumbledore—"

"—knew you would have help, Harry," Remus interrupted gently. "He knew that we would look out for you. He trusted us to keep you safe and make sure you didn't follow where your hate and anger are currently taking you." Harry scowled and looked away. "You're not alone, Harry. We're here to help. You just have to let us in and help you carry the burden."

Letting out a shaky breath, Harry closed his book loudly and started stacking the collection of books scattered all over the table. Remus didn't understand. Remus couldn't understand. Harry refused to make Remus understand. It was as simple as that. It was for his own protection, for his own sanity. Harry nearly gasped as he abruptly froze in place. Bloody hell, I'm starting to sound like Dumbledore.

"Harry?" Remus asked cautiously. "Harry, what is it? What's wrong?"

Harry stubbornly shook his head and rose to his feet. He couldn't deal with this now. It was too soon. He needed to work out his own mess of thoughts before he even considered bringing someone else into this. Gathering as many books as he could carry, Harry turned to leave but a hand on his arm stopped him.

"Harry, please talk to me," Remus pleaded. "Whatever this secret is, I swear we can deal with it."

"I can't," Harry said quietly as he tried to pull his arm free but Remus wouldn't let go. "Just let it go, please."

Remus abruptly released Harry's arm and walked around the table, blocking Harry's path out of the library. "I can't 'let it go', Harry," Remus insisted. "What else happened that night? This isn't about Greyback, is it?"

Harry shook his head. Of course Remus would assume that Harry problems focused on taking the life of an insane werewolf. Harry had felt guilty for taking a life but at the time he believed it had been the only option to save others from Greyback's madness. It had been a decision made in the heat of the moment but Harry knew he would do it again if it meant protecting those he cared about.

Remus fell silent for a moment with a pensive look on his face. Harry tried to step around him but Remus' hands immediately grabbed his arms, holding him in place. Slowly, Remus' amber eyes met Harry's. "It has to do with Severus, doesn't it?" he asked cautiously. "What happened exactly between you two?"

"Nothing," Harry said quickly. "Words were said, we dueled, he won, and Sirius broke it up. I told you all this weeks ago."

Remus stared at Harry for an extremely long minute before he released Harry's arms and enfolded his arms across his chest. "I see," he said softly. "Sit down, Harry. I think it's time you told me the truth about what happened that night."

Harry let out a tense breath. Once again he was torn. He knew that Remus was most likely the only person who could speak to him calmly yet passionately about this. This affected Remus' friends but Remus would take a step back and consider his options rationally before he went out hunting for Snape…during the full moon. Remus would attempt to cover his tracks unlike Sirius who would just find Snape, kill him and be done with it.

Once again Harry moved to walk around Remus but Remus wasn't about to let Harry go. Before Harry knew what was happening, Remus reached out, grabbing one of Harry's arms and causing the stack of books in Harry's arms to crash to the floor. Harry instantly pulled his arm free as he turned to face Remus. "Just leave me alone, all right!" Harry said through his teeth. "You can't help me with this! I wasn't even supposed to know!"

"Know what?" Remus prodded desperately. "Harry, whatever it is, it's obviously too much for you to hold inside. You can tell me. You can trust me. You've always trusted me in the past no matter how confusing or embarrassing the problem was."

Harry shook his head as he turned away. He hated it when Remus used that tone. He hated the pain and desperation he was currently feeling from Remus. He hated being empathic. He hated that everything was so messed up. He hated that Dumbledore wasn't there for him to take his frustration out on. He hated that he that he actually wanted to kill Snape even though he knew it wouldn't fix anything. He hated that these feelings made him no better than Voldemort.

An arm wrapped around Harry as he started to sway on his feet. Slowly, both of them sank to the floor. "I don't know what to do anymore," Harry said brokenly. "I hate him so much. He's the reason everything is the way it is. Dumbledore said he was sorry but how can he be? He hated my dad! It just doesn't make any sense!"

Remus slowly urged Harry to turn around so they were sitting face to face. "Sorry for what, Harry?" he asked gently. "What did Severus do?"

Harry let out a long shaky breath as his gaze fell. Please forgive me for being so weak. "Snape—he's the one who overheard Trelawney telling Dumbledore the Prophecy," Harry said as a tear fell down his cheek. He reluctantly looked up and met Remus' gaze, his eyes begging for help and understanding. "He's the one who told Voldemort. He's the reason Voldemort killed mum and dad!"

Remus' eyes widened as his face paled. His mouth opened and closed but no sound escaped. He ran a shaky hand through his graying hair before moving to cover his mouth. After a long moment, Remus focused on Harry and shook his head in disbelief. "How—who—"

"Trelawney told me before my meeting with Dumbledore," Harry said uncomfortably as he moved back slightly. "Dumbledore admitted it. He said Snape turned against Voldemort after that. He said that Snape was sorry about it all." Harry rubbed the back of his neck nervously as his gaze lowered slightly so he wouldn't see the stunned look in Remus' eyes. "Dumbledore said that Snape didn't know Voldemort would come after us but Snape was still willing to sacrifice an innocent child and family. How can I possibly accept that as a mistake? He knew what he was doing! He knew…"

Remus wrapped his arms around Harry and held him tightly. Waves of stunned disbelief mixed in with Harry's anguish. "I—I don't know what to say," Remus muttered shakily. "I didn't know, Harry. I swear it. I never would have let you come here if I did. I can't believe Dumbledore hid this from us. What was he thinking?"

Harry pulled away from Remus and started picking up his books. It felt as if the burden he had been carrying for so many weeks had been transferred to Remus' shoulders. Harry suddenly felt incredibly guilty. It was bad enough that he had to keep secrets but now Remus was forced to do the same. "I'm sorry," Harry said softly. "I never should have told you."

Remus grabbed Harry's shoulders, forcing him to stop what he was doing. The stunned disbelief had been replaced with waves of protectiveness and determination. "Harry, look at me," Remus said forcefully. "Don't you dare apologize for needing someone to talk to. I'll admit that it is quite a shock but it explains a lot. It explains why there always seemed to be an understanding between Dumbledore and Severus, one that none of us could even fathom."

"Of course there was," Harry said bitterly. "Only the two of them would believe Snape's claim of it all being a mistake."

Remus let out a heavy sigh. "It may have been a mistake, Harry, but not in the way you are interpreting it," he said softly. "Voldemort's confidence was halted by the revelation of a Prophecy concerning his defeat. He became obsessed with destroying the threat. Voldemort's actions proved what many of his followers never considered: that he was human, just like them. Severus probably received a shocking wakeup call and realized that he had made a mistake."

Harry stared at Remus in disbelief. In some twisted way it made sense but Harry still had a hard time understanding how anyone could just push aside an innocent child's life as if it were nothing. An uncomfortable silence filled the air as Harry looked away. He realized that was what made him different from Voldemort. This was war and people were going to die but his compassion never would. He was doing what he could to protect, not destroy.

He was absolutely nothing like Voldemort.

"So what do we do now?" Harry asked quietly, breaking the silence.

Remus ran a hand through his hair as he started to help Harry pick up the books still on the floor. "There's really nothing we can do about it at the moment. This changes nothing about finding the Horcruxes or you returning for your seventh year. However, the next time we come across Severus, he better have an extremely convincing explanation for his actions." Remus ran his hand over his face and rubbed his chin nervously. "You know, Harry, as cold as it may sound, James and Lily were really victims of bad choices made. Severus' mistake may have brought about their deaths but it wasn't his intention to have them killed."

Harry glared at Remus. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" he asked heatedly.

Remus raised his hands in a form of surrender. "Not at all," he said calmly. "You have every right to be upset. I'm just trying to find some sort of logic to calm the wolf in me."

Harry's anger faded as his shoulders slumped forward. "Sorry," he said softly. "It's just that Dumbledore tried to convince me that it had all been a mistake and you're saying mum and dad were victims of circumstance. It makes their deaths seem so…so…"

"Pointless?" Remus offered.

Harry nodded. "Am I wrong?" he asked.

Remus smiled compassionately as he placed a book on top of Harry's pile. "I don't think James and Lily would agree with you," he said. "They died fighting for what they believed in and I believe they would do the same even if they knew what we know now. They would still do everything in their power to protect you, no matter the cost. All we can do is accept the past for what it is and do everything in our power to ensure their deaths weren't pointless."

Harry closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath as he tried to get his swirling emotions under control. "I don't know how," he admitted.

"Well, you can start by finding a way to let go of your anger," Remus said as he gave Harry's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I know it will be hard but it's something we can work on together. You also have to accept our help and accept that you can return here for your seventh year while we search for the remaining Horcruxes."

"But—"

"—no, Harry," Remus insisted firmly. "You need to be around people. You need to have the chance to have a future. We'll find a way to make it work, I promise. Just give it a chance."

Harry reluctantly nodded. He really didn't have the energy to argue anymore. He knew that Remus had a point. He needed to remain around people with his empathy, especially with what happened yesterday. Sirius and Remus had learned how to suppress the majority of their emotions for Harry's sake which was why the reaction was so strong when the Weasleys surrounded him. If he reacted that way with a handful of people, Harry knew he wouldn't be able to act when he was surrounded by an army of Death Eaters. Returning to Hogwarts as a student may slow their search but, in the long run, it would probably help ensure a victory over Voldemort.

Remus helped Harry pick up the rest of the books then rose to his feet and glanced around. "Why don't you return to our quarters," he offered. "Ron and Hermione are there helping Sirius with some research. I'll grab a few more books and follow shortly."

"Remus," Harry said uncomfortably, "about Sirius—"

Remus raised his hand to halt Harry from continuing. "I know," he said gently. "I won't say a word about Severus until the time is right…which would most likely be after a large amount of alcohol so he won't be able to track Severus down and kill him. I know how irrational Sirius is about Severus, especially now. He's so determined to prove that Severus is the enemy that this would be the final nail in the coffin."

Harry nodded gratefully. "Thanks Remus," he said then turned and left the library, feeling better than he had in a long time.

Remus waited until he could no longer hear Harry's footsteps before slamming his fist into the table, causing a long jagged crack to appear down the center. Breathing heavily, Remus' eyes flashed in anger and he fought to control the raging wolf within. "You will pay for this Severus Snape," he growled. "I swear, no one will be able to recognize you when I'm done."

A/N: Wow, 43 positive reviews for Chapter 1 and only one flame. Here's an interesting concept, if you don't like where I'm taking my version of this, then don't read it. If you think you can write a better story, then write one and see what people say about your hard work.

On a more cheerful note, there will be a delay for future chapters since I will be leaving later this week for the Star Wars Weekends in Walt Disney World followed by helping my brother move in with me. I will continue to write when I have a chance. I just wanted to get this chapter out before the craziness begins.